Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny.

A/N: Quick and messy, but an update is an update. I'll probably tweak it a bit when I can get a clear head and free time.

Special thanks to my friend cherieA.F/CL for doing a quick brainstorm with me and for saving the fic from a plot slip-up that probably could have open-doors to some nasty dramas (and we don't want that XD).

To CL: Stoic? Wat da... Mka feelng hypermacho lng. I really appreciate that you still left a review after reading despite not being very familiar with the series. :D n hapi ako na pumasa sya sa eksperinced mong mga mata hehehe.

To Xx_Meisha_xX, anon, and missfk21: I know it's been some time so you-guys probably don't even remember the fic exists and why you-guys reviewed. Nonetheless, thank you very much for commenting chapter3.

To ALL recent readers: Merry Christmas! :D

My to do list: Petiks: Dorm(chap3), Petiks: Generals(chap2), Petiks: First Love(new), Redemption2: (mod), Redemption2: (chap2), Cucumber & Cantaloupe(chap4, 5, 6, 7), A Terrible Beauty(chap3). Focus. Must focus. Stop thinking of new stories. Stop thinking of new stories.

" " for speech
Italic for flashbacks, thoughts, and opinions.

AU, multiple pairing, relatively short in length, simple and straightforward, light romances, and no (or probably just a speck of) drama. Let's keep this light. :D

I apologize for bad grammar. Feel free to correct errors.

Cucumber & Cantaloupe: Chapter 4

"Thanks for offering to show me around. I appreciate it."

"Oh, it's no big deal. It's always a pleasure to see a new face. … So have you decided to transfer-in yet?"

At this question, Shiho Hahnenfuss could only smile politely as she and Flay Allster walked down Dawn Street together, heading towards a place where Flay claimed to serve the most unusual blends but great tasting coffee around.

Familiarizing with the streets and signs of every building they've passed, "to be honest with you, I haven't decided yet..." Shiho decisively replied. "I mean, Onogoro University has a lot more to offer, but I'm really enjoying my current college right now. I have a lot of friends there."

"Ah... Friends." Flay hummed. "I'm sure it'll only take a guy to change your mind though."

"A guy?" Shiho wasn't really following.

"You know… that special guy." Flay went on with an of-course-tone like she couldn't have been more obvious. "You don't have a boyfriend, right?" Flay turned to her.

Shiho felt herself uncomfortably blush. Lucky guess... Was it so obvious that she was still single? Not that she was ashamed of her single status or anything. Although, sorry to say, she wasn't big on girl talk or personally expressing herself in that sort of way, especially to someone she hardly even knew.

"Hmm... I'll take your reaction as a yes." Flay continued-on with a giggle. "Not that's a problem of course. There's plenty of eye-candy around. And since the next semester isn't 'til four months. I suppose- which gives you plenty of time to look for candies and rethink about transferring, right?"

Still trying to constrain the blood rushing through her cheeks, Shiho said nothing, couldn't, she didn't trust herself to speak when flustered and wished that they could talk about something else rather than boys or her non-existing love life... Like Flay's love life perhaps or whatever so long as the spotlight wasn't on her. Thankfully, all topics dropped when they arrived at their destination.

"All right, here we are." Flay said, showing her into a two storey building with a pair of As imprinted on the glass windows.

The owners greeted them warmly. And seeming acquainted with Flay, Mrs. Andrew Waltfeld, the owner's pretty wife- despite the place was self-service— kindly offered to assist them with their orders to a cozy window spot on the second floor.

"So," Flay began again with another smile from across the table just as the Mrs. disappeared back downstairs.

"So?" Shiho responded back, intertwining her fingers. As much as she appreciated Flay showing her around, silently, she wished the certified girly-girl wouldn't bombard her with more unwanted girl-talks. It just wasn't her sort of topic.

"Is there anywhere else you would like to go see? Oh, wait, hold that thought..." Flay paused, suddenly digging for the phone inside her purse when it alarmed. Flay frowned.

"Something wrong?" Shiho asked, watching Flay check her phone.

"Oh... no..." Flay responded with a calm shake of her head. "I just remembered I have to make a quick-stop at Duff's across the street."

"You mean the antique shop?" Shiho looked confused.

"You know of the place?" Flay suddenly looked surprised.

"I just noticed it on our way here." Shiho explained, looking out the window to the said worn-out building that could pass as an old shack.

"Oh, I see... Well, I need to re-update my monthly subscription."

Shiho blinked at redhead with slight amusement. "You're into old collectables?"

"Ah..." Flay brightened-up. "You could say they're starting to grow on me, are you?"

"No, it's just- you don't come across as the type who'd be interested in things like those." Shiho explained.

"Really?" This time, it was Flay who blinked. "Oh, but I've grown a weakness for tea sets. Preferably English ones, dating pre-CE 1900, that have seen a bit of mid-afternoon action. Or French porcelain cup with embossed ridges and scroll work. Or those Victorian blue and gold Limoges porcelain tea cups and saucers with floral decorations. I like thinking of another era, a slower pace, and a more elegant lifestyle… gosh, I'm wasting time by babbling about tea cups when I could head over there now. Hope you don't mind."

Shiho watched her. "Should I come with you?"

Flay tucked her phone back into her purse, stood up and faced her. "Oh, no need. It'll only take a minute. And besides, the shops ancient and disorganized. Nothing much to see. Better to just stay here and enjoy the food."

"All right, if you're sure." Shiho nodded at Flay and watched girl walk off in some kind of hurry and- was that caution? Maybe she should have told Flay to take her time... It was after all only, what, eight in the morning? A bit too late for that now though because Flay was gone. Shiho let out a resigned sigh and took the time to stare down at her food. The classic strawberry and waffles, and black coffee. She picked up her fork and knife then cut out a small square portion, when someone rudely dropped two blocks of books on the table causing some food and drinks to spill on the surface.

For the love of-... Shiho pushed back on her seat as a reflexively motion and then she glared at the person responsible until whoa... talk about perfectly good looking with a nice pair of blue eyes... but all that glitter washed away when the guy's right hand followed the books with a slam.

"Move! You're in my seat."

Shiho blinked at the prince turned jackass before awkwardly glancing around the room with a frown. There were plenty of unoccupied table all around them, had this person not realized that?

"Sorry, this table is taken, but there's a free one over there." Trying to stay polite, Shiho pointed to the next table in front of them. It didn't clear the issue though.

"I said, you're in my seat so move!" The guy repeated, sounding and looking even more pissed as if he hadn't been already the first time.

Finally offended, "hey, my friend and I got to this table first. There are plenty of other tables around. Go sit somewhere else!" Shiho decisively lashed back.

"Look, this table's reserved. Always have been. I don't give a damn who you are or who your friend is, or whatever reason you can come up with to justify the purpose. Heck, I don't even care that you're a girl. The table's mine so I want you to move! ... Now!"

"I don't see your name on it." Shiho crossed her arms and raised a challenging brow.

"What are you- freaking twelve?"

Shiho rolled her eyes at that. Look who's talking. She wasn't the one throwing a hissy fit over a table.

"Fine. I'll move! No big deal. Enjoy the table." She waved away, transferring all the stuff to another table near a window while the jerk, seemingly without guilt, helped himself and began reading a book on- she squinted- The Principle of Human Enterprise.

20 mins... went by...

With nothing to do and still no sign of Flay, Shiho quietly finished-off her food and drink and couldn't help but notice the rude table-snatcher flip another page on his book. There was just something powerful yet refined about the guy's air...She dropped the thought then looked out the window instead.

35mins...

Slouching forward bored with her elbows on the table, Shiho wondered what was taking Flay so long.

55mins...

She caught the table-snatcher glance at her behind his book. Good-looking but a still a jerk... What a waste. She rolled her eyes and paid him no attention.

1hour and 20mins...

It had become quite clear to her now that her companion was not coming back. And she was pegged as the fool for allowing some person to waste her precious time by coming here when she could have gone to volleyball practice instead.

Then adding bad luck to her now bad morning, the table-snatcher slapped his book shut. He was probably done reading. Probably. "Hey, your friend isn't coming back, is he? How long are you just going to sit there and wait?"

Shiho glared at the guy from her table. For someone she didn't even know, she was finding the male hard to ignore and definitely irritating. What great amount of luck she had to have met such a fascinating guy like him on a day like this?

"He's a she. Just about my age." Shiho corrected him first. Then answering his question while wanting to save a bit of face, "and I'll wait for her here as long as it takes!" Meaning: Right after you leave!, she thought, adding as much bark in her tone to match his. She wished he would just bug-off and leave her alone. He didn't seem to have caught the hint though.

"Where did your friend say she was going?"

"She said, she was going to the antique store over there to pick something up. Some kind of a monthly subscription magazine, I think." Shiho gestured her head to the glass window to the small building outside. Killing two birds with one stone, she did it as to avoid his darn nice piercing blue eyes even just for a couple of seconds.

"That antique store across the street?" He repeated to confirm. The guy was raising a brow now.

She crossed her arms. "That's right."

"And your still planning to ignorantly wait for her here?"

"Why yes. You got a problem with that?" She smirked at him, perfectly aware how she was successfully pissing him off as much as he was annoying her.

She watched the table-snatcher growl low in his throat then jerked up from his chair. He made his way to her, spontaneously grabbing her wrist, and determinedly yanking her off her chair, down the second floor, out of the cafe, and into the old building right across the street.

"Gad dammit, let go of me already!"

He threw the door open, setting off the dusty bronze bell above the door as they entered.

Well... at least Flay Allster wasn't a total liar. Indeed. The shop was literally old-old and a mess, not because it was full of old junks and loaded of it, but because- wait. What's that attic smell? Even the place smells old. In normal cases, she wouldn't want to enter a store like this. And surprise-surprise table-snatcher turned out to be a regular customer who's fond of old items as well.

"Ah. Welcome back Mr. Joule, h-how may I help you today?" The aged balding man behind the counter eventually stopped appraising- what looked like a rusty old chest to accommodate them or this Joule guy rather.

"Old man Duff, has a girl about our age come in here recently? This girl here claims her friend's a regular customer of yours." Joule asked, no, more like he demanded for an answer leading the old man to look at them with an apologetic frown.

"I'm afraid you are our first customer. And other than the lovely Miss who oftentimes accompany you, we haven't had any young ladies enter the store for nearly two years."

Shiho practically felt her jaw drop, speechless, at the suddenness of it all.

Great... That settles it. Flay's lie was now her lie. Now she's both a fool and a liar. Excellent first impression, Shiho... really nice.

Joule walked her out the store.

"Don't let your friend walk all over you." He said.

Outright confused at first, "What?"

"Don't put up with it. Treat yourself better than that!" He added right before he turned around and reentered A&A's by himself.

Watching the male leave, it was only then it occurred to her that the guy was actually being sincere. He was pushy, loud, and somewhat obnoxious, but nonetheless caring in his own way. Joule. She smiled, wondering if this was his first name or his last because the inner girl within her wanted to run into him again, a lot more, in the future.

00000

Around the same time. At a different place.

Typically, it wasn't her style to eat and run, but it had been for the greater good. She could only hope Ms. Hahnenfuss wouldn't be too mad. On the bright side, Yzak was quite the catch minus the grouch of a temper and corresponding mouth.

Yzak and Shiho. Flay wondered how the two were getting along without her supervision. Convinced that nothing could possibly go wrong because she was just that good at doing what she does. "Gosh, I'm so nice!" Yzak should seriously learn to appreciate their friendship more! Flay happily praised herself while strutting to the pool to look for Stellar yet again back in campus.

Speaking of Stellar... why the girl was always hanging around the pool or why she even has this weird fixation over water was beyond even her. For a start, Stellar doesn't even know how to swim... If that trivia even mattered.

Dominion building... to Archangel building... to the nearing hallway...

Water splashed.

And surprising Flay, unlike every other early Saturday morning, there were already a couple of the varsity players using the pool.

After reaching the end, the brunet one resurfaced for air, pulled back his goggles to look-up at his companion, and wiped his face.

"Rey, how'd I do?"

"27.12" Rey, the blond with the waterproof stopwatch replied.

"Darn it. That's still 2.03 slower than Auel's!"

"I'm sure you'll be able to beat his record easily with a little bit more practice." Rey said, crouching down before giving the guy a pat on the shoulder as matching encouragement. "Focus, Shinn. There's a girl watching."

Rey gestured to Flay causing this Shinn guy to notice her presence for the first time.

"Good-morning." The one with the golden locks greeted her.

"Morning." She responded.

The brunet one however, simply scoffed at her and turned away as if she had no business there.

Well, touchy... Flay planted a hand to her hip. It's not like he interested her either. It just so happened that she was passing through. And she was just about to tell him that when she caught the guy discreetly sneaking a glace at another girl, who- if wasn't for her bright blonde hair- could pass as unnoticeable for quietly sitting by herself at the far and lonely edge-corner of the unused pool. Whether this girl was aware of him or not apparently didn't matter. The simple fact of her being there was enough to keep him determined.

As a shameless hopeless romantic, Flay smiled at the thought, suddenly willing to forget how the rude bastard had pissed her off.

Hold on a second... Isn't that girl over there Stellar? Flay was forced to blink a couple of time before- Oh my gosh!

Flay stared unmistakably at Stella Loussier looking daze at her usual spot, then turned to Shinn who was watching Stellar, an act so subtle that it had easily gone unnoticed by Rey; and then turned back to watch Stellar before turning to study Shinn yet again.

Hmmm...

"Right. Time me again." Shinn told Rey as he swam away, returning to first position.

**.