Chapter 3: Let's meet up
Usami Akihiko took a sip from his coffee as he stared at his laptop screen then into the stack of book he has brought inside the café. He placed back his coffee in his table and took a magazine from his pile. It was a busy day. He was having meeting with his editor.
Sitting in front of him was a woman with caramel colored hair. She was reading the printed version of Usami's manuscript. Her face looks serious. She has a pen on her right hand, marking and writing something on the paper from time to time.
"Usami-sensei, I know you wanted the story to be a date and have progress, but aren't you rushing here?"
Usami looks at her, confused. "What do you mean?" he asks and the woman, Aikawa Eri, leaned to him and showed the parts in the manuscript.
"This one here and here. You're rushing it too much. Take it slowly." She said. Usami tried to reason out but sometimes editors are always right.
"I'll wait for the revisions till next week. I have a meeting so I'm going now." She quickly said that and left almost immediately. Usami returned on his work and started typing. Another busy day.
Meanwhile on the counter, Misaki watched them silently. He could hear them completely since there aren't that many people yet. It's only eight in the morning and people usually start coming in around nine or ten. He was kind of bored and his friend is currently busy with his work. A sigh escaped from his lips and he retreated further inside the shop. He found his bag and rummaged inside to find something that would relieve him from his boredom. He finds his phone and opens its screen to find that there was a message. It was from Todou. He ignored it and returned it inside his bag. And that's when he finds a book.
"Since when did I put it here?" He asks himself. He pulls it out and realized that it was Usami's book. A smile crept to his lips. He took it out and went to his place in the counter. He sat down and starts reading. He didn't know how long he kept reading but he was almost at the end of the book.
"I never thought you would be reading my books. You never looked like one."
Misaki jumped from his seat and closed the book in his hands. "U-usami-san?! D-don't scare me like that!"
Usami smiles and leaned on the counter, their faces inches closer that Misaki had to lean back and look away.
"So, how was it?"
Misaki looks back at Usami, face getting hotter and red. "Fine? I guess?" he mumbles and scratches his head.
Usami straightened up, leaning away from him. "You… didn't like it?"
Misaki realized what he just said. He quickly shakes his head, "N-no!" he stuttered. He didn't mean it like that. "I-I like it, really!" There was something with how Usami asked him and it's kind of making him feel guilty. Anyone would feel down when their works are not appreciated.
He saw Usami smile and his hair was tousled in a mess. "Thank you."
"I-I'm serious, okay? I really like your stories. I-I mean…" Misaki looks away, face blushing. He isn't sure anymore if he should tell Usami about the books he had bought.
"What is it, Misaki?"
Misaki looks shyly at Usami. "I… I have been buying your books, although I still haven't read them all… But I will read them. Don't worry about that."
He saw the man smile, the kind of smile where you will find yourself blushing and heart thumping. "Then I will wait for your thoughts about my books." Misaki nods his head, his face feeling hot and weird.
"But I do hope you'll understand them."
Misaki felt a nerve twitch at that. "Of course I understand them!" He yells at the man but Usami only laughs at him as he returned to his table.
"He-!" Misaki was cut off when customers started coming in. Five girls. They started whispering to themselves upon seeing Usami.
"Ah, Welcome in!" Misaki declares and the girls went over the counter to get their orders.
XXXXXX
After changing with Todou, Misaki leaves the café and went to his next part time job. Another 10 minute train ride. He sat down in the almost empty train, staring at the buildings moving. His mind drifts off to his brother and sister-in-law. Manami. She was beautiful and fun to talk to. She and his brother are perfect with each other. Misaki wonders if they have a child now? Or is she pregnant? When he left the house, he remembers Manami calling him and that they should fix what happened and that he doesn't have to leave. He remembers that she was blaming herself for what happened. A smile escaped from his lips. He wonders if she is still the same? If she knew what situation he was in, would she still act the same? The lies he said. Will they still trust him? Will they still accept him? Even if the reason he did it was because of them?
"Of course not." He mumbles to himself and let out sigh. "That's the reason I am here now. To start all over again."
The train stopped and Misaki walked to the exit. A five more minute walk to get to his work place. A cake shop. He may not look like it but he can cook and bake. Cook delicious food to be clear. Since their parents died when he was still eight, he did his best to learn cooking for him and his brother. His brother was always busy with his work so he thought he should help in the house work. It was a mess at first and he was scolded by his brother. But as the time went by, he mastered it.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Satou." Misaki greeted when he entered the small cake shop. Students filled the place. Mostly girls.
"Ah, Takahashi-kun, welcome. Get in the kitchen and please help my wife. We have a lot of customers today." Misaki nodded his head and ran inside. He was greeted by Mrs. Satou who is busy pulling the trays of cookies out of the oven.
"Mrs. Satou! I'll do that. That's heavy." Misaki said and quickly went to her side and took the trays.
"Thank you, Takahashi-kun. I'm so glad you're here to help us out." She says and went back further inside to continue making sweets and other stuffs. Misaki only smiles as he watched the old lady walk away.
At eight in the evening, Misaki left the cake shop and started walking towards the train station. The wind was chilly and a sneeze came out from him. There are more people in the streets now. Christmas is in for a few days. He had always liked Christmas. Receiving gifts, giving gifts and delicious foods. He was always excited for this but right now it was different. He had no one to receive and give gifts to. It'll be lonely. He wondered why is it only now that he felt so extremely lonely? It has been exactly two years since he left his brother. He should be used to it. But as the time passes by he gets sadder and lonelier. He hates it.
He passed by Sanada's old worn out book shop. Sanada, a man with a bleached hair, tied loosely, letting it fall on his shoulder. He wears glasses that are too old fashioned for his age. There are a few people inside as he glanced at the window. He saw Sanada wave at him. He smiles and decides to pay him a visit even though he always walk inside every time before he goes to the train station. He took a seat at the small chair beside the counter.
"You look sad. Does Christmas make you sad?" The man asks and handed him a cup of hot coffee.
"Kind of." Misaki takes the coffee with a soft thank you. He blew on it before sipping some of it. It instantly warms him up inside. The coldness disappearing.
"You should be happy or you won't be able to move on and start all over again on your own."
Misaki nods his head. His hands were on the warm cup, holding on it a bit tighter. "I know that." He mutters and looked outside. He saw people holding hands as they walked outside. He remembered the time when he and his brother did that when he was a kid. It was such a fun day.
"I thought I had moved on already, but I realized I wasn't."
Sanada didn't say anything but he was listening. His customers' soft chitchats acting as their background.
"I went to an amusement park yesterday. With Usami-san."
"Did you enjoy it?" Sanada asked.
Misaki nods his head, a smile on his face. "Yeah. We took a ride in almost all of the rides there and ate some delicious food. Although the money I was saving was touched."
Sanada chuckles. "But atleast you had fun. You need it once in a while. You look more stressed than usual."
"Yes. But you see, after that day, it all came rushing back to me. Everything we've done there reminded me of my brother."
Silence engulfed between them for a moment and Sanada didn't know what to say either. But Misaki continued on.
"I'm not sure what to do anymore." His voice trembling.
"Maybe you should ask yourself one more time if this is really what you wanted to do. Do you really want to forget your only family and start all over again?"
"I did that. I did that so many times and I know this is what I wanted. I don't want to hurt my brother anymore and this is the least I could do. I don't want to ruin his life."
Sanada let out an exasperated sigh. "Then why are you acting like you're having second thoughts?" he asked.
Misaki looks at the windows outside. He didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say anyway.
"You still wanted to talk to your brother, right? You still wanted the two of you get along better, right?"
Misaki merely nods his head. "Yes. But I can't. I think what I'm doing right now is for the best."
Sanada wanted to persuade the brunette to go and talk to his brother because he is so sure that the brunette himself wanted to do that so badly. If only nothing hinders him from doing what he wanted the most. If only those rumors and that accident didn't happen, then Misaki would be with his brother now.
"So, what are you doing this Christmas?" Misaki suddenly asks.
Sanada smiles. "Probably guard my little bookstore." He then laughs before continuing. "It's not like my family would be back home in the country side."
Misaki nods his head and took a sip from his coffee. An idea enters his mind. "Can I stay here for the Christmas eve? I feel lonely back in my small home."
"I don't mind. Just bring us some food. Leave the booze to me." He then winks at Misaki which made the brunette laugh.
"I got it!"
xxxxxxx
Usami was on his sofa staring at his printed manuscript. He is still thinking of what to do with his editor's suggestions. He reads everything again and starts to think some ideas until his phone rings. He groaned and picked it up. It was from Takahiro.
"Usagi? Good evening!"
Usami straightened from his seat and threw his paper on the table. "Takahiro? What's up?" he asks, It was unusual of Takahiro to call him this late in the night. Something might have happened.
"Umm, I was just thinking if you're available tonight?"
Usami immediately agreed. Although he is kind of busy with his manuscript, a short break won't be so bad. "Where do you want to meet?" he asks.
"I'm here right now in the café, in front of your condo."
Usami quickly stood up and grabbed his jacket lying on top of the table and went out.
xxxxxx
"Thanks Usagi for meeting with me." Takahiro says the moment Usami sits down in front of him. There's a coffee for him too. Black coffee, the one he orders. But the moment it reached his tongue, he immediately settled it back down on the table. He didn't like the taste of it. He wanted the one Misaki makes for him. It tastes much better.
"It's fine. I was kind of worried. You sounded weird in your phone call."
"Really?" He sounded relieved.
Usami chuckles . His best friend never ceases to amuse him. So pure and innocent. "Oh, by the way, did you find a place for your family already? I already sent some of the flyers and brochures."
Takahiro nods his head. "Uh, yeah, I found some and I'm thinking of visiting them tomorrow before I head back to Osaka."
"Do you want me to accompany you?" Usami asks.
Takahiro smiled at him, a wide smile. "Really? That'd be great!"
Usami laughs. His best friend is still the same. Getting all happy over the smallest things. "Anyway, I just remembered. How are you and your little brother? Were you two okay now? You had a fight, right?"
And that's where Takahiro started to quiet down. His face turns melancholic. This choice of topic seemed to be a sensitive one. "About that, Usagi… I still haven't seen him in these past years."
"What?"
Takahiro looks down and Usami could tell that his friend feels bad about it too. "I haven't told you the whole story, right? Can you wait until we finally move here in Tokyo?"
Usami nods his head. "But.. this is very unusual of you two. I thought… you two were so close."
Takahiro lets out a sad laugh. "I know… But I believe this is mostly my fault."
Usami wasn't sure what to say so he remained silent. He didn't know what happened and he had never met this little brother before. He is not that interested too.
"By the way, Usagi, do you have plans this Christmas?" Takahiro started.
Usami looked up, surprised by the sudden question. "No, not really."
Takahiro smiled and Usami has a hint of what it could be and there's no way he'd agree.
A/n: HI guys! Sorry it took longer to upload. :D I hope you enjoyed it. AND THANKS SO MUCH TO THE PEOPLE WHO REVIEWED. You guys keep me motivated in writing their stories! Thanks so much :3 I hope you enjoyed this chapter too. I guess Misaki and Usami's relationship will start to shift in the following chapter. Hopefully. But do enjoy this as for the moment. :*