Shelf #003

Kuu set off from the bookshop and greeted his neighbors along the way, smiling at them. He was really such a pitiful sight counting the coins in his hand. The current sales of his business was just alarmingly painful. He kept praying to God to give him strength and hope to get through this ordeal. He had not enough money, had to go on a diet despite the large food that he can eat in one go. But now that black hole never felt like a black hole anymore with that little number that caused such a huge decline. He'll get through this, he was sure of it.

In a nearby coffee shop on the opposite side of the road, Kuu collected the juice and a pack of sandwich.

"Here you go, Kuu-kun," said a happy fat guy smiling at the young man. His white apron looked like it could tear off from his huge body any moment now. "Enjoy, boy!"

"Thanks, Gusteau-san," Kuu said, taking his purchases and swang out of the little shop. He greeted a few people here and there and continued on. The warm rays of the sun hit him straight in his eyes that he had to squint through the road. He then turned at the corner of Portobello Road and suddenly, he bumped straight into Julie.

"OHH–!"

"–OOHH SHIT –!"

The orange juice, in its foam cup, flew and soaked Julie everywhere.

"Oh no–" Julie exclaimed looking at her wet shirt.

Kuu's eyes went wide in surprise.

"Bugger– I'm sorry, I'm so sorry–! Here, let me help."

He grabbed some paper napkins and started to clean it off real quick–– getting far too near her breasts in the panic of it. . .

"What are you doing–?! Don't touch me!" Julie shouted frantically.

Her voice sent Kuu to jump back.

"Nothing, nothing. . . Um look, I live just over the street–"

He pointed at the far end.

"–I have soap and water you could get cleaned up," he said, worried at the poor sight of this angel he never expected to meet again.

Her voice was still not mad at him. "No thank you. I just need to get my car back."

She began to walk away, quite felt awkward at her soaked body. Kuu still tried to apologize.

"I also have a phone. I'm confident that in five minutes we can have you spick and span and back on the street again. . . in the non-prostitute sense obviously."

In his different way, Julie hated to admit it but he was confident, despite her being genuinely annoyed. Of course this accident was unexpected. She never saw it coming. And caused by the 'speaking of the devil.' To think that she had just thought about him a few seconds earlier. Wow, the gods really must be playing tricks on her. Are they crazy?!

She turned and looked at him. "Okay. So what does 'just over the street' mean–? Give it to me in yards."

"Eighteen yards," Kuu replied, looking at her. "That's my house right there. The one with the blue door."

He didn't lied to her. . . . It is definitely eighteen yards away. And the house with the blue door was also just right there. She felt embarassed and looked down. Then back up at him again.

Still carrying a few stylish bags, they entered his house. Kuu closed the door behind Julie, who nervously eyed the house.

"Come on in. I'll just. . . ."

Kuu ran in further, hurrying as if his life depended on it–– because the house was such a mess. Great mess. Huge mess. He kicked some old shoes under the racks, bins an unfinished pizza and hides a plate of breakfast in the cupboard under the counter. He rushed to the other side of the counter and grabbed the littered packs and threw it at the bin. Julie entered the kitchen slowly, still quite nervous and careful.

"It's not that tidy, I fear," he said. Then he guided her up the stairs, after taking the big paper bag of books, calendar and posters from her.

Now Kuu felt more nervous as her with this kind of presence he got, that he felt his heart thump right up to his throat. He eyed back at her, and spoke with such unexpecting coolness with the hint of that low, nervous tremor in his voice.

"Umm, the bathroom is right at the top of the stairs. . . straight on," Kuu said, pointing at the stairs. "And umm. . . There's a phone, on the desk up there."

Julie looked at the door at the end of the stairs above and back at Kuu. She nodded, and headed slowly upstairs, as if expecting a sudden surprise of a figure that might appear in front of her.

As soon as Julie was finally out of sight on the stairs, Kuu dashed back to kitchen and began to tidy up frantically. In just a few seconds, the kitchen and surprisingly, the entrance hall too, were quite neater than hell before. Then, he heard Julie's feet on the stairs. Kuu looked up. And just, wow. . .

She walked down, eyeing Kuu with her sparkling, bottle green eyes. He suddenly realized that at last, his wish was granted; she had finally taken off her sunglasses and must have put it back inside her bag. Damn, the pair of sky eyes of his sank in the deep sea ones. They were breathtakingly lovely. She was wearing a red skirt which showed perfect, flawless, fair slender legs, a sparkling red top that revealed a good midriff beneath her black leather jacket. With her white trainers still on. Kuu was just dazzled by the sight of her. She was just so beautiful. Her golden wavy hair flowed down her shoulders with every step.

Julie had taken his sudden surprise at heart. Yes, the way he eyed her for sure he definitely loved her attire right now. It was perfectly clear to her. She gave him a warm smile across her lips.

"Umm. . . Would– would you like a cup of tea before you go?" he asked right then, breaking this wonderful silence.

"No thanks."

He tried again.

"Coffee?"

"No."

"Orange juice–– no, probably not."

He then moved to his surprisingly very empty fridge– and offered its only contents.

"Something else cold–– coke, water, some disgusting sugary drink pretending to have something to do with the fruits of the forest?"

Julie just smiled. "Really, no."

"Would you like something to. . . nibble then–?" he asked. He saw the object in question and grabbed it. "Apricots, soaked in honey–– quite why, no one knows. . . because it stops them tasting of apricots, and makes them taste like honey, and if you wanted honey you just buy honey, instead of apricots, but nevertheless–– there we go–– yours if you want them."

"No."

Her only answer, the same one to every question he had ever asked, was quite interesting. He was curious that he asked her for it.

"Do you. . . always say 'no'– to everything?" Kuu asked, placing the container back in the fridge, staring at her.

Julie held this silence for a while, and looked him deep in the eyes. "No. . . . I'd better be going now. Um. . Thanks for your, uh. . Help."

"You're welcome and. . . . May I also say–– heavenly," he said. It had really taken a whole lot of courage to get this out loud. He was not a smooth-talking man. He just wanted to say this, after this opportunity to see her again, for the second time. The words might not get to be told if he lose this.

"Take my one chance to say it. . . . After you've read that terrible book, you're certainly not going back to be coming back to the shop. . . ."

They stared at each other for this wonderful short moment that seemed to last forever. Julie had read between the lines and even deeper than that. She smiled gorgeously at him. She was so cool.

"Thank you," she said softly. The bottle green eyes twinkled in her gaze.

"Yes. Well. My pleasure," Kuu said, still staring back at her as he closed the fridge. He then guided her towards the door.

He then held the knob and they faced each other. "It was so great to meet you, um–– again. . . Surreal, but nice."

In a slightly awkward moment, he showed her out the door. Julie got out, and walked back on the road. Yet in another fleeting second she glanced back, catching his gaze with a wonderful genuine smile. Kuu closed the door and shook his head in wonder. Then. . .

"'Surreal but nice.' Damnit– what the hell was I thinking?" he muttered.

He shook his head again in horror and wandered back along the corridor in silence. He hardly believe what he had just said to her. Yeah, right. Surreal but nice. What the heck? Maybe this was what happened when you're deeply hypnotized by the person you've fallen with.

Then there was a knock on the door. Kuu moved back casually.

"Yeah. . . Coming," he said.

Reaching out, he then held the doorknob and opened the door. Kuu gasped in another daze. He was starstrucked again, for the third time.

It was her. Julie.

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