Waiting for her was the most stressful thing ever. I got to leave early thanks to my extra work, so I went to the cafe where I usually hang out with Luka; where I had agreed to meet with Gumi.
I took a table by a window, so I could see her coming. A carrot cake and some Baklava cups were on the way, and I already had some water on the table.
What the hell was I going to say?
It was out of the question I was going to stay quiet about it. She needed to know, and even if she doesn't like me back hey, it's a nice compliment. The mighty Masuda Lily likes you more than any other human being.
Except the mighty had fallen and I had no idea what to do. I had no experience whatsoever in this subject. Song of romance, I may sing, but romantic, apparently, I am not.
Gumi came in when the waitress put the pastries on the table. She sat in front of me, smiling. She talked, I ate.
The Baklava cups were still warm. They had nothing to do with the warmth I started feeling.
It wasn't anything bad; it was innocent and 100% pure happiness. I looked at her, admired her. I tried my best to stay calm each time I answered. She commented on the place, as she'd never been there before, and complimented the cake.
She was so happy with three times nothing; a cake, a cafe, and me.
The conversation was almost just as stressful as the waiting. I was looking for opportunities to bring up the subject, but the longer I waited the more difficult it got to hold it in. It was like she was overflowing my mind.
Why didn't I notice it sooner, dammit, I thought. It would probably have been a date and we'd be holding hands or something like that; sleazy romance but sweet all the same.
At one point she finished a little tirade with some comment, letting the topic die naturally, and she started finishing her cake. It was the moment when someone would start talking about a new subject. The opportunity had come.
I had stuttered more than I meant to, and I don't think I managed to look her in the eye. I didn't dare ask her to be my girlfriend just yet. But I said I thought that she's great. I asked her out. On a date. With me.