the voice that i'll never hear
People would find me creepy if they would realise that I've been watching a certain customer for some time now. I was working part-time in a diner owned by mom's friend for half a year now so I could support myself. And every time in my work, since the last four months, this certain boy would always come in through the glass doors, his head held low, always, always at exactly four in the afternoon.
I was wiping the table clean this time when I heard the tinkling of the bells from the glass doors, which was followed by a faint shuffling and huffing from my behind. Straightening my back and stuffing the rag on my apron's pocket, I was about to greet the customer who just got in when I realised it was the boy again. I glanced at my wrist to check if it's four already, and it was. It was exactly four in the afternoon.
He was a curious case. People like him was always one. But this boy was a strange one. He never let a word escape his mouth - not even once for the entire four months he's been coming in this diner. He piqued my interest a lot, but I never tried coming to him to talk, neither to get his order at the very least. My workmate, Kaito, would always do that. It so happened that he was absent this time.
"Hi," I greeted, sliding the menu on the table towards him. "What can I get you?"
He looked up to me slowly, and when our eyes met, I had to hold back the look of surprise that would surely slip away any moment. He was a gorgeous man just around my age. His straight nose and perfect high cheekbones were breathtaking. His pinkish lips usually pursed, were smiling a little, and I could tell it was for me. That smile. He was a mysterious one, if you'd ask me. If it wasn't for his blue eyes, I'd be scared of him. My dad used to tell me that people with blue eyes were good people. That definitely had no basis, he just loved the calm, deep, blue sea so dearly to come up with such thought. But even the sea could be deadly. So, who knows.
He raked his fingers through his pale blond hair and pushed the menu back to me, a finger pointing on a meal he wanted to have. I smiled.
"Is there anything you want to add?"
He was staring intensely at my lips as I talked, it was kind of bothering, you see. However, right after I finished talking, he smiled.
"Nothing else," said he. "But if you'd be free, I'd love you to take this seat and join me eating."
I chuckled. Was he trying to hit on me? "No, I'm sorry. We have rules here. I can't...join a customer during work hours."
"I'm Len," he said, still smiling. He looked more beautiful as he beamed. Taking off his faded jacket, he chuckled. He probably noticed the surprise written all over my face. I wasn't just used to meeting people who'd tell me their names right away. And I wasn't used to seeing terrible scars like that one in his arm. "Please, I'm afraid I'm taking your time." He nodded at me politely to send me off.
"Sure," I smiled. "I'm…" I trailed off as I put on my nameplate and pointed it with a finger, "Miku, I'm Miku, by the way."
"Nice to meet you, Miku. It'd be nicer if I can hear you say your name."
I smiled and turned back to run quickly. I remembered a friend setting me up on a blind date many months ago, to a childhood friend of hers. The meeting place was on a diner near our dorm, at exactly four in the afternoon. I was stood up, though. He was named Len, too, if my memory serves me right. Why that guy never showed up, I didn't know. Well, I didn't find out until three months already passed and my friend just decided to tell me. The boy was caught in a car accident on his way to meeting me and was hospitalized for the past months. As a result of the accident, her friend lost his hearing.
I looked back at him, he was staring at the road from the window blankly. His lips weren't pursed this time, he was smiling. It was such a tiny smile. As I watched him from the counter, the sounds from the kitchen fading into the background, I remembered what he just said on our first talk ever.
"Nice to meet you, Miku. It'd be nicer if I can hear you say your name."
I thought, that was quite sad. I never bothered to think about the boy I was never able to meet for a date, but I couldn't stop wondering if he knew I was the girl he was supposed to meet. There was no assurance if he was that boy, too. But...maybe, maybe, he was.
Author's note: I'm sorry for the inactivity. Uni keeps me busy! Whoo. This update doesn't mean I'll go back updating the rest of my works, too. I'm still busy right now. I've had so much loads to the way, I'm the lead scriptwriter for our play which is a major requirement in Speech and Stage Arts so...y'know what I'm up to.
P.S. Sorry for a quick, boring update. I just...like the idea. No spark, just a curious Miku.
P.P.S. The title is so misleading, but I'll leave it that way.