"You have a good day too, ma'am. Enjoy your coffee!"

I'd been on shift for about eight hours now here at the café and it was only twelve o'clock. I stretched before looking at the monitor that hung up in the upper corner of the café behind the counter.

Saturday lunch was the busiest time of day here in Tokyo. Nearly everyone was on their lunch break and rushing to get back to work while there were others who wanted to dine in on a Saturday afternoon. Students especially decided that coming to a café would be such a nice thing to do on their lunch break.

I looked to the main floor of the café. Every table was taken along with every chair—some even being pulled to other tables. Even the outside patio was packed. Ugh. Some people needed to find some new places to go. Though I doubted there were many other places who weren't just as packed as we were. I loved the energy the café had, to chat with the customers as they ordered, but during times like these when everyone was in a rush, there were no easygoing chats. Most people were especially cranky. Those were the people you didn't want to keep waiting. I think there'd been a few times when customers had even gotten angry at me for taking too long. I had the energy for the job, but sometimes orders begin to pile up and even then no one can really keep up without trouble.

"Order for table five!" I called out placing yet another plate for the dining area on the counter. I stretched before yawning tiredly. I was tired of this and longing for three o'clock to come around from its hideout.

"Thanks, Tsubaki. Are you surviving Saturday rush so far?" My co-worker Cho brought the plate to the table nearby before coming back to me at the counter.

I sighed. "Just about. Some people are beginning to make me rethink my job." I started to brew two cups of coffee—one for a customer in the drive-thru and the other for myself. At least this job had some perks. Employees were allowed up to two drinks free during shifts. It was too bad this was already my second cup.

"I sure hope I'm not one of them," Cho joked as he ran a hand through his shaggy brown hair before he saw me roll my eyes. "Aw come on, Tsubaki! Just think, only one hour left. That's sixty more minutes you have to endure. You got this. Besides, I got you this job. It'd be a real shame if you left too soon," he flashed me a playful grin.

I rolled my eyes again, sipping at my coffee. "Only after you begged me to help you talk to Emi. I'm still surprised that she agreed to go on a date with you." I grinned as I teased him, noticing as Cho blushed faintly at my remark.

Cho and I were pretty good friends. I met him in college our last year when we were lab partners. He wasn't a tall guy but he wasn't all that small, either. He had the face of a young adolescent, most mistaking him for no more than that when he'd actually been my age; twenty-three. His shaggy brown hair and baby blue eyes didn't really help his case, nor was his personality any support for him either. I just happened to be a few months older than him and with his personality the way it was I liked to take advantage of it every now and then and treat him like the little brother I never had.

"How did that date go anyway?" I took another sip of my coffee. "She wasn't freaked out by the fact that you just happen to look and sound like a young boy was she?" I teased.

"It went just fine, thank you." Cho huffed.

I laughed before turning to grab another plate that was handed to me from another employee working with me behind the counter, placing it down on the counter in front of Cho. "Get back to work, kid."

I laughed as he took the plate and went back to the main floor flustered.

After working for a few more hours I heard the bell jingle again. I was relieved; my shift was finally over.

"Izumi-chan! You're finally here!" I smiled.

Izumi walked towards the counter and pulled her olive green parka coat off, the temperature inside the café a happy medium versus the cold weather outside. I saw as she smiled at me but it seemed off. Then again, Izumi was always a bit of a quiet person so that may have been normal with her.

"Good afternoon, Tsubaki-san. It sure is quite busy today, isn't it?" She placed her coat and purse in the back before coming back to join me behind the counter.

"Oh, yes! That's why I'm so happy to see you!" I laughed, part of me joking when the other half had been crying literal tears of joy that I could finally leave.

Izumi laughed softly before she clocked in her timecard. "Well, I am glad I was able to make you happy, Tsubaki-san." She pulled her long black hair up into a ponytail. She was wearing the café uniform; a white button-up blouse and a black skirt. She'd also had on a pair of long black socks that reached mid-thigh as she wore her black flats.

I didn't really know Izumi well. I only met her when I started working here at the café a few years ago, but I never really made it a point to get to know her more than what was mentioned at work. I laughed with her again before I took my timecard and clocked out. I grabbed my own coat and purse and was about to leave just as curiosity hit me.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but how did your date go last Thursday, Izumi?"

She'd been pouring some coffee grounds into the coffee machine when she stopped suddenly for a moment before starting the motion once again. "I'm afraid it wasn't the best of dates." She didn't seem to want to go any further into detail than that.

I frowned. "Oh, I'm sorry about that." It was genuine. I felt bad for the girl. She was a nice person. Whoever it was who had let her go had really lost someone as nice as her.

Izumi shrugged, not turning to look at me as she moved to start an order that had popped up on the monitor. "It's okay. I'll not worry about it and keep trying. That is the better thing to do. After all, I have plenty of time, yes?"

"Right." I nodded and smiled. I turned to leave before I heard her call my name.

"Tsubaki, are you dating anyone as of right now?"

It was a weird question, not to mention sudden. Though I shook it off, deciding not to think too much about it. "No, I'm actually single right now. Why do you ask?"

She smiled at me. "Maybe you should give it a try. It's actually fun after a little while, getting to meet new people."

I blinked. Had she really just said I needed a boyfriend? Or had I heard wrong? "Um. . ."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound rude. What I meant to say is that it is quite entertaining, is all."

I nodded slowly. "..Okay. Right. Well, I should be going now. Bye, Izumi-chan." I waved to her, making my way out from behind the counter and waving to Cho too as I left.

Later that night after I did some cleaning around the apartment and cooked dinner. I had nothing more to do afterwards so I was laying there on the couch, some ridiculous soap opera playing on the tv in front of me when I started thinking about what Izumi had said to me earlier that afternoon. I couldn't stop thinking about what she said. I didn't wanted to join a dating site. For one I was way too shy to ever set up any dates on my own. But maybe Takeda was right. I didn't exactly want to end up all alone with a house full of cats.

I sat up, heaving a sigh and brushing the bangs from my face. It wasn't like I would be getting anywhere with Kousei anytime soon, anyway. I wasn't going to just crash his piano classes every day and to be completely honest it didn't seem like he ever got out much, so I doubted I would ever see him around anytime soon. And that was assuming he didn't already have a girlfriend.

'I guess it won't hurt to at least try. . . .' I got up and went to my room, sitting down at my desk.

I stared at the screen after it had fully loaded up onto my laptop. Match Me. Huh. Well, it seemed like a legit enough site. I sighed. Just what was I getting myself into? What if a bunch of random men started messaging me? Creeps, especially?

"Oh come on, Tsubaki. Don't be so weird." I groaned, resting my forehead against the keys of my laptop.

"Don't be so weird about what?"

I jumped in my chair and turned, seeing that Takeda poking her head in my door. "Uh, nothing—"

"Ooh, 'Match Me'? What's this? Are you actually regretting your lack of a love life?" Takeda walked over to where I was at my desk and peered at the screen. "Aw, come on sis! You haven't even started making a profile, yet! Ugh, let me see this." She pulled my laptop over to face her and started to type away. Every time I tried to look over she would pull away. After trying to get a glimpse a few good times I finally gave up before she actually finished a few moments later. "And . . . done! Ta-da!" Takeda pushed the laptop back over to me.

I'd actually been curious about what she put. Reading through the profile I felt surprised. I couldn't believe it. It had actually been a pretty decent profile. There was my name, a good photo of myself from a fireworks festival two years ago dressed in a blue yukata, then there were my likes and interests and a short little description of myself, which had actually been all correct. Maybe I needed to pay attention to my sister a bit more. "Sugoi, Takeda. . ."

"Eh, I've had a little experience here and there with hooking people up. It's no big deal." She pretended to brush dirt from her hands.

I raised an eyebrow to her. "I don't think I wanna know."

"Anyway, aren't you going to browse through the merchandise?"

I shut my laptop. "Nope."

"Ehh?! Why not?! I did all that work for a reason, you know!" she had her hands on her hips.

In all honesty, I still wasn't sure about how I felt about this whole thing, and I think I preferred this to be as far as Takeda be involved with it. I stood from my chair and put my hands on her shoulders, turning her and pushing her out the door. "I know, I know. But I'm done for now. I think I'd rather watch a movie right now. What do you say? We can go see that sappy romance movie you've been wanting to see lately."

"'Me Before You' is NOT sappy! It's emotional!"

"Right." I pushed her out from my room the rest of the way, relieved that I'd been able to take her mind off my love life for now. I could swear my sister was the nosiest person I knew whenever it came to someone's romantic life.

Kousei

I stepped into my dark apartment, sighing as I dropped my keys on the coffee table before falling onto the couch. It had been another regular long day at work. That was all it'd been. Simply regular. I was beginning to think I needed to change something. Maybe I had too many hours set up at the school. Then again, what else was there for me to do? The outside world wasn't exactly entertaining when you were alone.

I stretched my body, catching a glimpse of Kaori's photo on the coffee table. I grabbed it to look at it better. Could I do this without her by my side? Live life and somehow find happiness? I stroked the glass of the frame, where her smiling face was. Inside was a photo of her taken after she'd won first place in a violin competition just after we graduated high school. She was in a bright white dress that allowed her own features to make it beautiful, hugging her smooth curves perfectly. Kaori was beautiful; she'd always been. Though her personality could leave the worst first impression depending on what part of her behavior you saw first. She had this edge. This spark that would just leave you coming back for more. How I missed the fire of excitement in her eyes whenever she finished playing a song. How she could make a life reference based on the violin and easily make you think over your life with one song. How bright she had seemed whenever she was on stage, changing the lives of those around her in just under the course of five minutes. Hell, I missed everything about her. But there was a time to move on. I just didn't know when that was for me.

Sitting up I placed the frame back on the table. I needed to do something. Anything to get my mind away from my thoughts. I got up and moved to the kitchen, switching the lights on and pulling out a pot from underneath my stove. A nice, hot bowl of soup sounded nice right now. I remembered how Kaori would make me a bowl whenever I felt exhausted and needed a pick-me-up.

I stood there after I set the pot down on the stove, staring at it. I sighed. I tried to remember why I'd been trying online dating when all I could seem to do was reminisce about the past every five seconds. Maybe I needed to take a break from it instead. I couldn't just allow myself to get someone else's hopes up when I couldn't share the excitement.

Just then, as if someone had been listening in on my thoughts, I heard my phone chime from my back pocket. I'd been mildly surprised. Who would be talking to me this late at night? Well, it was only late evening, but still.

I pulled my phone out and looked at the screen as it lit up. 'Message from: Watari' it read. I sighed. What did he want this time? I opened the message before sighing again, groaning this time.

'Hey! You might not want to do this but you'll thank me for this, I'm sure! Tomorrow at three head over to the park and wait for me at the main fountain! And I know it's your day off tomorrow so you better not stand me up! Dress warm, I heard it'll be cold tomorrow! I'll see you there! –Watari'

I grumbled to myself before shoving my phone back in my pocket. Watari really knew how to get to me. Though I didn't hate him for it. I couldn't. There were certainly times when that could be a good thing, that he could get to me so easily. Yes, surprisingly there was more to the guy other than a man in his mid-twenties who still liked to think like a middle schooler hitting puberty.

I sighed. I guessed if he'd been this excited about something to text me about it this late that I couldn't leave him hanging. I'd go and see what my idiot friend wanted.

Well, me being me, I didn't copy and paste this ending paragraph to all you guys before editing the chapter. ^^" Ah well, this will just have to do. So yes, it has indeed been a couple months since graduating high school, and yes, I admit, I haven't worked on any chapters ever since this chapter was last posted up in February. Stupid writer's block. XP Anyway, I had the idea to look at my chapters tonight and I have a bit of a feeling that maybe I can get back to it. Like Confucius said, "It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." Erm, well.. I may taken a little break.. But I haven't stopped completely. At least, I'd like to think so. ^^ So I'm going to try and continue this story for you guys because I really like it myself and every time I read over it, I feel like I'm the reader and not the author and I just want to beg the author to continue. Heh, well guess I should probably do that. Anyway! After all of my rambling, I hope you guys will enjoy what more I write of this love story and we will see how the story shall unfold from here. Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I do not own Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso (Your Lie in April) nor do I own any of the original characters from the anime or manga itself. As they are also mentioned within this chapter, I do not own "Me Before You" by Jojo Moyes nor do I own the dating site "Match Me" or the search engine "Google" as they are all borrowed information meant for only the use of this chapter.

~ShortAzn