Chuuya
A prickle of annoyance set off in me as I stopped in front of the offensive café again. For reasons unbeknownst to me, the whole premise had just become even more irritating since the last time I had set foot in here.
I checked the time – it was exactly 12 midnight.
"Tch!" I said to no one in particular. Tonight, I had been sent home way too early on Ane-san's insistence. Dammit! Nothing gets past her.
Anyway, I hesitated in front of the door. What would that mean if I entered? Would I be considered a "regular"? A shiver went down my spine. I would never want to be considered such a term here!
However, my body and its cravings finally betrayed me to my utter dismay, leading me to enter the café once again.
To my great surprise, there were a few customers seated at the tables enjoying their cups of tea and desserts. What on earth … Since when did this place become popular?
Well okay, 2 individuals do not make a place popular but here I was, the third customer to serve. And 3 people make a crowd.
And this was exactly when I decided it's best for me to go home and make some tea myself … or just down some liquor. It was weird enough already that I'm craving tea over alcohol.
"Oh my! You came back!" A familiar voice stopped me just as I was going to the door. I cringed internally.
Turning around, I saw that she was carrying a plate of cake.
"I had wondered who that bell tinkled for!" The lady walked forward from the counter. "And it turned out to be that stylish young man from two nights ago, after all!"
Oh, that was nice of her mention! "Why, I – " but then, I stopped, remembering myself and my mission to leave, "- wait! I know what you are doing! Flattery won't get me to stay!"
"Will good food?" She held up the plate enticingly, before placing it down at one of the customers' table.
My stomach, the traitor, rumbled in reply.
Dammit!
Soon, I was seated at the table by the window again, with a cup of tea and slice of cake. This time, it was Darjeeling, paired with cheesecake. It was sadly, all very delicious and I had no complaints to make about the food.
"You look exhausted," the old lady said as she came to take away my cup and plate when I was done. "Busy day at work?"
I thought about the raid I had done earlier and the two stolen paintings I had sold. Granted, I had almost ruined both missions, causing Ane-san to send me home but still …
"Well yes," I answered. "There was a lot of paperwork in particular. But our company has hired someone with real organisational skills of late!"
This was indeed true. The new subordinate has been proving herself to be a worthy asset to the Port Mafia. Not only does she have outstanding clerical skills, she is also perfectly capable of handling herself in combat, even though she possesses no ability.
I have no doubt, her success and fast-growing popularity were due to my superior tutelage and watch.
"How nice," the old lady replied with much less enthusiasm than I'd hoped for. She clearly didn't understand how much easier our lives have been made with a talented staff member.
"Hey, lady," I started, perhaps a little too rudely. "Do you manage this whole place yourself? Why don't you hire staff?"
"I don't need to," she laughed, going back to the back door with my cutlery.
Well, I guess not. Although she did have a few more customers today, the café could hardly be described as "busy". It seemed like people visit this place more sporadically than regularly. And I definitely, fit the former description.
Then elderly woman came through the door again, with cloth in hand.
"You know, you'd probably get a lot more customers if you opened in the daytime." I tried to sound as casual as possible. I have no intention of helping her or her business. I just noticed a very large flaw in her management of the place, that's all.
The old lady looked thoughtful. "I suppose. But I opened this café with the intention to serve at nighttime."
The answer sounded so ridiculous that I was unable to stop myself from asking, "why?"
"Well, isn't a good idea? Don't we all get those late-night cravings that cannot be satisfied because all shops are closed?" She came over to my table to wipe away the crumbs. "My daughter especially, experienced such cravings almost every night. And guess who had to cook up food for her?" She continued with a laugh.
Although her tone was light, something bothered me about that statement.
"Experienced? Why in past tense? Did she stop having cravings, or …?"
The elderly lady stared at me. It was clear she didn't expect me to pick up on that. Or if she did, then she certainly did not expect me to ask about it. I don't blame her. I was astonished myself. Why would I ever take concern in an old lady's private life? Awkwardly, I fiddled with my hat before placing it firmly on my head.
"I'm … sorry," I mumbled gruffly. "I'm going to take my leave now."
The old lady spoke quickly. "There's no need to be, lad. I'm not offended in the least …"
I had already stood up, and pushed in my chair. I'm not quite sure how to respond. "Well … okay. I guess …"
"But if you must know," she continued.
I don't.
"She moved away to another city a long time ago."
I didn't need or want to know! But I bit my tongue and held myself back. I absolutely loathe awkward situations like this … After all, it's weird for a Mafia Executive like me to even be conversing with an old lady like her in the first place.
"I'm sorry," I apologised for the second time today – tomorrow? It was already almost 1. The words felt queer on my lips. "I really should get going."
Then, I left the café quickly. I feel slightly troubled. I need a hot shower and sleep desperately.
Just then, my cellphone rang. Jumping a little, I picked it up as I started to walk. It was Ane-san.
"Ane-san," I greeted.
"Chuuya, I hope you are home," was the calm reply.
I hesitated before speaking. "Oh, well, umm … I'm still on the way. I stopped by a place to eat -"
"At this time?"
I nodded, then realised I was on a call with her. "Uhh, yes."
I hear a sigh over the line. "Chuuya, my instructions to you were to go home immediately and sleep. Do you know how much danger you put yourself in today?"
I flashback grimly to my getting lost while on the way to the meet-up point to exchange the stolen paintings … as well as my spacing out in the middle of the raid. The latter almost resulted in me being shot down if it weren't for the mafia members behind me taking aim first.
"Mmm …" I agreed with Ane-san solemnly. "I'm sorry, I just -"
Another sigh. "Chuuya, are you stressed about something?"
I paused for a long time. "… No."
"According to the lower-ranks with you, the enemy mentioned Da -"
"Don't!" I said quickly, angrily. "I'm fine, Ane-san. I really am!"
"Nothing bothering you at all?"
"Nothing!"
I realised I had been increasing my pace so rapidly that I was already at the front door of my apartment. I took a few deep breaths. "Ane-san, I think I'm just tired. I've already reached my apartment … am going to go in."
"Alright, Chuuya. Get some sleep, soon … You know, I just worry for you."
I fumbled with my door keys. "Yeah – Uhh … I mean. Yes, I know. I'm sorry … I do appreciate your concern though."
"If there's anything on your mind -"
"I'll tell you," I said hurriedly, pushing the door open with more force than necessary. "Goodnight, Ane-san."
"Goodnight, Chuuya."
Dazai
Well, at the very least, it could have been a lot worse …
Kunikida-kun usually starts domestically abusing me if I mess up or in this case, don't do my job properly. Today however, he was in a better mood as he had predicted that I wouldn't have been able to collect all the information needed yesterday … So at least to him, everything was still according to schedule.
Still, of course, he gave me quite the earful and made me lose the game I was playing on my phone (which was so uncool … I was about to beat my highscore!) but like I said, it could have gone a lot worse; I suppose I should be grateful.
Though, getting a little side-tracked yesterday wasn't completely my fault … if Kunikida-kun had been there, things would get done a lot sooner. (He had refused to tag along with me today too, as he says he would end up having to do everything … which I feel is not true at all) He was supposed to be my partner after all. How could I function as efficiently without my other half?
But I jest. Other half? More like my mother. Can such a relationship even be considered a "partnership"? Isn't a partnership a working relationship between two mutuals, and not something more akin to a scary mother and her (his?) children?
I stopped in front of the café, contemplating. Partnership, huh? Strangely, even though I refer to Kunikida-kun as my partner, I don't think I've really ever considered him as one. Probably, the only person I've ever really thought of as a partner was …
"Oh!" A voice broke my chain of thought. The old lady was standing outside the door, staring at me. "Did you just arrive?"
"I did."
She turned over the sign on the door so that it now read "OPEN". "Well, the café's open now, so come on in!"
Heading into the café, I realised I was the first customer. Out of courtesy, I asked, "How's business going?"
"Pretty well," she said, ushering me to the same table beside the window. "A few more customers have come in."
I fingered with the menu as I stared outside the window. "Hmm … you might attract more people if you put up more lights out in front."
"You think?"
"Oh definitely!"
There was a silence that then fell between us as she waited for my order. I put down the unopened menu and turned my head to look back at her.
"One cup of coffee, please. Long and black."
"Of course," the elderly lady nodded and went through the back door.
As she prepared the coffee, I gathered my thoughts. I must have this done by today. Unfortunately, she didn't give me very long to think. 5 minutes later, she was out with my coffee.
"That was fast," I remarked, stirring the black liquid.
She looked happy. "I've made this coffee a thousand times before."
Perfect opening! "For your late husband, right?"
"Oh my, that's right. I've told you," the elderly woman replied.
I took a long sip, savouring the flavour. It was hard to imagine this came from mere powder. "What about your –"
"Oh, I noticed you were standing outside the shop for a while as I was going out … might you be thinking about something?"
I was still a little thrown aback by the interruption. "Umm …"
"Could it be that you've finally found your beautiful lady?"
I threw my head back in laughter. "Oh, I wish! I spent the entirety of today searching and searching … all the while also researching painless ways the two of us could bid this world goodbye!"
The old lady smiled. "I hope then, you one day find someone suitable. But of course, a partner that will convince you to continue living instead."
I sat down the cup I had in my hand, almost abruptly. There. There was that word again. It was significant because I was just thinking about it. She couldn't have known. I lifted my eyes to meet hers.
She didn't.
"Is there something wrong?" The elderly woman inquired, noticing my stare.
"Ah … ah ah, no there isn't!" I stuttered, waving my hand at her. "It's just … well." I frowned, the annoyance at myself was building inside of me.
The old lady looked concerned. "Are you worried you'll never find someone? If that's the case, don't be! I was there before!"
"That's not the case …"
"You'll have to just keep looking! Prospective partners are always found where you least expect them to show up! Who knows, you might have already met your ideal partner!" She said firmly.
"I have found my partner!"
The old lady peered at me even more curiously. "Oh, is that so?"
"Ah, but it's not what you think … we're colleagues." I had no idea why I was speaking my mind about this topic to her.
"I see."
"But," I sigh. "I feel like we aren't exactly partners … if you know what I mean? We're certainly … what's the word? Compatible, ability wise? In a funny sort of way … but it's not the same, it's nothing like – like …"
Here, I frowned even harder. What was I trying to say? My mind was jumping to odd places now. I tried very hard to focus on my coffee in the cup. The black liquid reflected my confused face back at me.
"Have you lost someone?"
"What?" I looked at her in shock. "I have no family … I'm not tracking anyone at the moment …"
The last statement was a lie.
The elderly lady laughed. "The way you spoke reminded of me when I had just lost my husband, my partner and tried to find someone else initially, to ease the pain."
I blinked at her, not understanding. I was talking about Kunikida-kun and I, wasn't I?
"You just sounded like you're speaking about someone you once knew. A little thoughtful, a little wistful … a little sad."
She's crazy. Why would I be sad? Over whom, too?
"Perhaps you're a little scared to think about that person, just like I was when I had lost my husband … I felt he was the only person that accepted me the way I was. All my flaws …"
A flashback of a memory began in my mind. A voice was calling out my name.
"Are you trying to kill yourself again? Sheesh! Get up, you loser. As much as I'd like you to die too, we've still got finish this mission!"
"All my positives …"
"Don't laugh! I t's creepy the way you always figure things out! Ugh … but, I'm glad you do, I guess."
"Maybe you regret not being able to trust your partner more, or open up to them. Perhaps you -"
This time, I cut the old lady off in her little monologue. I walked up to her and firmly placed a hand on her shoulder, staring straight into her eyes.
"Thank you for the coffee," I dropped the money in her hands once more and left the vicinity.
I could feel her shaking slightly from the pressure of my hand and my stare. And that felt more satisfying than anything I've done in weeks.
A/N: Writing in their POVs was very nerve-wracking. But I like to think I am getting more comfortable with it, lol (Probs not). Also yay - first flashback! Many more to come!
