Author's Note:
Rounding off the visits our friends Hotaru and Chibi-Usa bring to the Inners it is now Ami's turn to be blessed by their presence. Although the blue-haired genius is receiving more visitations than just the one from her younger friends. Let's see how she enjoys these attentions in the exclusive decor of Makoto's new occupation.
I hope you enjoy this new chapter. And if the troubles fanfiction is suffering from lately get solved I might even once more get to see how many of you are enjoying this chapter :p
Spring Tide
By the end of October, autumn was well and truly underway in Minato-ku.
After the return of warm weather that followed September's sudden drop in temperature, men and women started to wear coats, and for middle and high school students, the time of the winter uniform had arrived.
Over the footpath underneath the 8-shaped windows along the sidewall of Haru No Ike, yellow, orange, and red leaves that started to fall from the nearby trees were blown hither and thither by the gentle autumn winds.
The contrast with the interior of the up-and-coming high-end restaurant couldn't be greater.
Ryo Urawa stared up at the ceiling of the great dining hall that had been meticulously painted to resemble the blossoming foliage of cherry trees and plum trees, with round flush-mount ceiling lamps in the middle of the patches of bright sky blue in between the wide pink and the white clusters.
The traditional low table for six, which he shared with Ami, was situated at one end of an elaborately decorated supporting pillar.
One of six pillars in the large dining hall, all of which had planks of molded wood attached to the sides to make them resemble tree trunks with sprawling branches that spread out from the center of the flower clusters that were painted on the ceiling.
"It certainly is an impressive interior," The short young man with the neat dark-brown hair gushed.
"Yes. And there is the pond," Ami smiled while pointing at a glass-covered koi pond of about two-to-three meters in the middle of the lively dining hall.
Her BOYFRIEND (kind of. Neither side had actually confessed. But the exclusive nature of their relationship was obvious to both) looked at the subterranean aquarium.
It had a small wooden bridge over it that children of families who came to dine loved to idle around.
"Ebihara-san's philosophy is that dining out has to be a festive occasion. He is obsessed with Japanese culinary history. So one day he got the idea to combine the dining experience of old Meji era nabe restaurants with the greatest festive occasion there is in Japanese culinary culture: A hanami!" Ami repeated the marketing babble. "That's what he told Mako-chan."
"He must pay through the roof for this place," Ryo whistled. "And to have it decorated like this…"
"The price of the refurbishment wasn't as high as Ebihara-san himself expected," Ryo's GIRLFRIEND was able to inform him. "And his reputation as a chef in Tokyo and his accomplishments while working in Stockholm and Paris worked wonders in convincing his bank to invest in his plans to open a restaurant of his own. He's also a very competent administrator, Mako-chan says. And he had an inheritance which he was very thankful for. But Haru No Ike is obviously a huge success now."
"And that's another thing to be thankful for," A voice coming from behind the fake cherry tree to Ami's right said.
To the surprise of the bluette who wore a long blue dress over a white frilled shirt, Hifumi Ebihara appeared from behind the furniture with a pleased smile on his broad face. Two long hairs jumped up from either side of the short portly man's black scalp which he promptly smoothed down again with a tut-tut.
Dressed in a smart dark-blue suit with a white shirt and a blue-and-red striped tie, Hifumi bowed gently to Ami and Ryo.
"Please be welcome in our lovely Spring Pond and enjoy your afternoon hanami. My name is Ebihara Hifumi.
I confess I decided to come and take your orders in person when I learned two friends of our newest staff member - the indomitable and enchanting Kino-san - came to lunch in our blossoming restaurant."
"Thank you, Ebihara-san," Ami smiled up at the man. "That's very kind of you. My name is Mizuno Ami. I'm honored to make your acquaintance."
"My name is Urawa Ryo," The young man in the indigo suit over a blue shirt nodded. "Pleased to meet you."
"It is nice to see you are visiting us for lunch," Hifumi smiled while resting his arms - notebook in hand - against his back. "We try to cultivate the noon service at Haru No Ike in a more casual atmosphere where you can more appropriately enjoy the indoor hanami experience.
People are welcome to simply come in and join their friends for a few drinks while they eat."
"Seems like a clever strategy for a growing business," Ryo commented.
"I think so," Hifumi chuckled. "And it's a great way to get the cheaps… the passers-by in and seduce them with our relaxing and beautiful interior and our mouthwatering food."
"Hahaha," Ryo sweatdropped. "Ami-chan told me you worked in Sweden and Paris before you came back home?"
"That's right. After being educated as a sushi chef in my native Osaka I wanted to learn about European seafood culture.
I loved my time working in Stockholm Svärdfisk, but after three years I knew I had to get a broader education in western cuisine.
So I started as chef de partie to quickly take over as sous chef in the first Parisian restaurant I worked at.
After a year or two I quit to take up a position as chef de cuisine in L'Archi-Duc and later in L'hôtel de L'Empresse."
"Hahaa! I thought I dedected a hint of Kansaï accent," Ryo laughed.
"My time overseas blunted my Kinki-hõgen, but it is still strong," Hifumi smiled. Now what will you be having for lunch, honored guests?"
"I would like to order the katsuo no warayaki menu with a half liter of barley tea," Ami said.
"For me the kaseiki set menu," Her boyfriend followed. And a glass of…"
Seeing Ryo hastily studying the menu, Hifumi turned to the bluette sitting on the floor to his right.
"Kino-san is busy cutting vegetables as I understand, but she has a short break coming up so she can join you for a quick drink."
"Thank you very much," A flustered Ami began. "But…"
"I'll have a pot of green tea," Ryo interrupted.
"Then I'll inform the bar and kitchen of your orders," Hifumi bowed while putting a quick penstroke to his notebook. "Please enjoy your stay."
While the happy couple waited for their orders while seated on warm cushions, outside two of their friends wandered through the autumn chill.
"... so Masanori-kun and Momo-chan can come to the exhibition after all," Chibi-Usa excitedly announced to Hotaru.
"That's great news, Chibi-Usa." The blackette said while regarding the pleased thirteen-year-old in the thin stylish pink-and-white pea coat to her right. "I never met Masanori-kun before and it's been a while since I saw Momoko-chan."
"I'm pretty nervous about our new assignment though," Chibi-Usa said while blowing a puff of air through her pursed lips. "Tsukamoto-sensei said she'd guide us through the process. I kind of understand the intention of gestural painting, but I have no idea on how to get started.
Tsukamoto-sensei just laughed when I told her this and said I'm in the perfect state of mind to take the assignment on."
Hotaru quietly chuckled at the cute pouting face her younger friend made.
"By the way, what did you get Puu for her birthday?"
A nervous grin appeared on Hotaru's face as she turned her eyes to the road ahead.
"Hahaha," The fourteen-year-old in the dark-teal jacket and matching cargo pants chuckled without humor. "Well, I planned to go shopping with you after lunch. Because I have no idea so far."
"Thank you! I'm so glad," Chibi-Usa sighed. "I thought I was the only one without a clue this time. The end of the year is a thriller when it comes to birthday present ideas"
Her friend's laugh changed into one of relief as they walked past the window of Haru No Ike.
"Oh! Hey, is that Ami-chan and Urawa-kun inside?' Hotaru asked as her eyes landed on the couple.
With a jerk of her neck, Chibi-Usa looked to the right and recognized the two.
"That's them alright," The pinkette said. "Hey! Maybe you can ask Ami about the help you wanted?"
"Are you sure?" Hotaru frowned. "They seem like they're enjoying a private lunch. They might not appreciate us barging in just to ask a favor. Although I guess we could have lunch here?"
"Never mind!" Chibi-Usa confidently smirked. "Lunchtime in Haru No Ike is all about informality. We'll order a few drinks and join their table for a few minutes. It'll be fine."
"... so I think Ebihara-san is just a little taller than you after all, Ryo-kun," Ami concluded the conversation she was having with her boyfriend. "But the young man behind the bar seemed like he was noticeably shorter than you.
Anyway, I wanted to ask you something because I forgot to mention it when we organized your stay with us this weekend: I hope you don't mind if Naoko-san joins us for dinner?" Ami asked her boyfriend. "Since you are joining us and Mother has the evening off, we'll be having yakiniku together. Naoko-san always joins us for dinner at the end of her working hours whenever Mother has the weekend off."
"Oh?" Ryo reacted. "I remember Naoko-san. No that's fine. She might help break the ice for my first meeting with Mama."
"Who?!" A surprised Ami exclaimed as she lowered her eyes with a happy blush.
"Ah…Erm… I mean Mother… Mizuno-san…" A misunderstanding Ryo panicked.
"We are having the yakiniku for the purpose of breaking the ice, Ryo-kun," His girlfriend chuckled so brightly he was mesmerized by the sight. "And to spare Naoko-san the cooking. Not that it sounds like there is any ice you need broken."
"But honestly, I thought Naoko-san would have started a family of her own by now?" The still embarrassed young man tried to change the subject.
"Our apologies for intruding," A friendly mezzo-soprano behind him interrupted.
"Oh?" A slightly annoyed Ami reacted when she saw her two friends appearing from the cherry tree to her right. "Hotaru-chan! Chibi-Usa-chan!"
"Is it alright if we join you for a few minutes?" Chibi-Usa asked with a hopeful smile. "We saw the two of you sitting through the windows."
"We won't stay long," Hotaru winked in a nudge-nudge kind of way at Ryo.
"And here I am again with your drinks," Hifumi Ebihara said as he appeared from the other side of the fake tree.
With a short bow to Chibi-Usa and Hotaru, the handsome thirty-something got onto his knees while carrying the orders of his customers on a tray.
"I didn't know you filled in as a waiter in the restaurant, Ebihara-san?" Chibi-Usa remarked upon seeing her older friend place Ami's glass and pitcher of barley tea and Ryo's cup and teapot on the table for them.
"I have had to perform all kinds of functions in the restaurants I worked at as I moved up in their hierarchies, Tsukino-san," Hifumi smiled as he straightened up. "And I try to regularly refresh my skills in all of them. But on this occasion, I simply wanted to meet Kino-san's friends when I learned Mizuno-san made a reservation for today.
So I likewise welcome you to Haru No Ike, Tsukino-san, and Tomoe-san. Nice to see you again. Still not interested in becoming a waitress?"
"Thank you, Ebihara-san," Hotaru chuckled. "But I have to refuse for the time being."
"Will you be joining your friends?"
Chibi-Usa used her sweetest smile on Ami.
It worked.
"Yes. Please join us for a drink," The bluette said with as kind a smile as she could muster before drinking her barley tea.
"Thank you, Ami-chan!" Chibi-Usa tittered.
"It's nice to finally meet the two of you," Ryo said. "I… erm heard so much about you."
"Yes. I talked incessantly about you girls," Ami deadpanned with a cool smile while trying to suppress her slight annoyance at having her alone time with Ryo interrupted.
"Oh? Hahahahaha!" Hotaru and Chibi-Usa laughed, deducing that Ryo must have meant he saw them in the visions Ami told them about.
"Hey guys!" Makoto greeted the group upon arriving at Hifumi's side with a glass of ginger ale. "I thought it was just Ami and Ryo coming to eat, but the two of you are coming along?"
"That's right, Hifumi smiled while Ami quietly drank the rest of her first glass of barley tea. "Your friends are having a fun party over here. Enjoy your break, Kino-san. I'll get our new guests something to drink. "What may I serve you, honored customers?"
Hotaru and Chibi-Usa had by then taken their seat next to their friends and quickly sent the owner of Haru No Ike to the bar with an order of milk tea and melon soda respectively.
"Hello Mako-chan," Chibi-Usa smiled up at the young woman in the chef's whites. "How is work in the kitchen?"
"Well, I spent my first hours grating daikon and chopping vegetables. Like I said before: It's not exciting work but it's fun and I'm learning a lot just by watching."
"Thank you for letting us sit with you and Ryo, Ami-chan," Hotaru said while her companion and Ryo listened to Makoto. "We actually walked into Haru No Ike because I have a favor I wanted to ask you. So I hope you'll extend your kindness a little further for me."
"A favor?" Ami asked with sudden interest. "I'll help you where I can, of course. What is the problem?"
"Oh, it's not a problem per se," A closer-leaning Hotaru expressed while her blue-haired friend sipped from her second glass of barley tea. "It's an academic question."
"I see," Ami nodded sagely while casting an envious glance at Chibi-Usa and Makoto, who were having a fine chat with Ryo.
"You see…" Hotaru continued. "There is a subject that I find myself lacking in and I came to realize I need to improve if I want to pursue a medical education like you do."
"Yes. Yes," Ami nodded. "I think I understand."
"I like negi leeks as much as anyone. But at this rate I'm afraid I'll end up hating the sight of them," Makoto joked to general amusement.
"So, feeling inspired by Mako-chan I wanted to come and plead for you to take me on as your apprentice," Hotaru revealed with an arch grin.
"I am honored you came to me, Hotaru-chan," Ami smiled. "And I'm glad that you realized you need help in the subject. It's not always easy to ask for help.
In any case, judging from how well you seem to do in other subjects I think I can very successfully tutor you."
Meanwhile, Hifumi returned with the drinks and neatly presented them to his customers.
"That's awesome!" Ami's fourteen-year-old friend cheered while accepting her milk tea. "Thank you, Ami. I know I will be taking up valuable study time of your own, so I will work diligently and return the favor however you wish."
"Please don't worry yourself about that. I'm glad to help," Ami smiled. "And it will be a great way to get to know each other better. But when can we meet?
I'd prefer it to be Wednesday evening after 8. But I might find another moment in my schedule if that time is difficult for you."
"Oh no. Wednesday's after 8 is perfect. Thank you so much."
"Good," Ami concluded while extending her hand.
"I look forward to teaching you Eng…"
"I look forward to having you as my chemistry tutor!" Hotaru said at the same time.
"Did you agree, Ami-chan?!" Chibi-Usa cheered in sympathy with her friend. "That's great! Hotaru-chan has been very concerned about her progress in studying chemistry.
I don't understand half of what she has to say on the subject. Hahaha. But she claims she needs help understanding organic chemistry."
"I've gotten interested in the chemistry behind cooking about a year ago," Makoto shared. "It's fascinating for example what happens with the molecules of an egg when it's being beaten or fried."
Ami took another sip of her drink and shared a smile with Ryo while Makoto, Chibi-Usa, and Hotaru started an enthusiastic discussion.
"Oh! I agree that chemistry is very interesting," Chibi-Usa nodded. "But it seems so complex."
"It certainly becomes more complex the more you learn," Hotaru said. "But it also keeps getting more interesting. And I'm going to need a solid foundation in organic chemistry when I start university."
Taking another sip from her drink, Ami quietly gazed at the people sitting and eating underneath the other fake trees in Haru No Ike.
"You don't get to see Ryo-kun much as it is and now they're hogging his attention and disturbing your romantic lunch together. Isn't this a bit too much?" A voice close by asked.
A startled Ami looked to her right and to her amazement saw a little blue-haired young woman in a dress made of fishing nets with a horned helmet on her head and a spear in her hand standing on her right shoulder.
"Who…! Who are you?!"
"I'm your dark side," The creature grinned up at Ami. "Did you really not recognize me?"
"She's just teasing you," Another voice said to Ami's left. "She's a bit of a dry wit, so don't believe everything she tells you."
Turning her head, the Senshi of water and wisdom saw another blue-haired young woman dressed in a white toga and a winged helmet standing on her left shoulder while carrying a book in her hands.
"I'm your voice of reason," The appearance said. "She's your voice of desire."
"Listen here!" The strangely-clad figure on Ami's right shoulder spoke up to the quiet consternation of the bluette. "Just how long are you going to take this?
You do remember that Ryo-kun is going back home Sunday afternoon, right? This evening you're already sharing him with Mother and Naoko-san!"
"B… But Ryo-kun has never met Hotaru-chan or Chibi-Usa-chan!" Ami protested. "I can't ask them to leave when this is the perfect occasion for them to become friends!"
"You're not doing yourself any favors by being so meek," The apparition countered with a stern look. "This is your very first boyfriend and he's being tossed around between three seductresses like a rag doll. Fight for your man!"
"She's right, you know."
"Shouldn't you be on my side?" Ami asked the figure on her left shoulder.
"You would think so, wouldn't you?" The blue-haired apparition shrugged while showing a suave smile.
"There will be time enough for your friends to meet and get re-acquainted with Ryo-kun. Your love is still young! Anyone would understand your need to have lots of private lovey-dovey time with your boyfriend at this time."
"I gotta say, she builds a solid argument to support her case," The figure on Ami's left shoulder commented on the speech given by the apparition on her right shoulder.
"Hmm…" A pensive Ami grumbled. "I can't deny that. But will the seduct… my friends just up and leave if I ask them? They just received their drinks and Mako-chan came to our table for the particular purpose of enjoying her break with us."
"You simply have to speak with confidence and authority," Ami's voice or reason said. "This you will also have to master if you want to become a successful medical practitioner."
"You're right," Ami nodded to herself with fervor. "I know you are. I have to gather my courage."
"Go on, girl!" Her voice of desire cheered. "You can do it!"
"Yeah! You got our full support!" The other apparition said while trapping her book underneath her left shoulder and clapping her hands. "Let them have it!"
"Here is your lunch, honored customers," Hifumi said as he arrived pushing a small cart laden with several small dishes full of mouth-watering creations.
He, Ryo, Chibi-Usa, Hotaru, and Makoto saw Ami suddenly rise up from the low table while placing her hands palms down on the furniture and gazing at them one by one with a stern gaze.
"Mako-chan, I am overjoyed our friendship means so much to me that you would spend your precious break with Ryo-kun and me. But if you don't mind, I would like to enjoy lunch with Ryo in private now as I don't get to see him very often.
Hotaru-chan, I will gladly tutor you in organic chemistry. It will be a fun and interesting way to get to know each other better since we haven't had much opportunity to interact. But I would greatly appreciate it if you could leave us to enjoy our lunch now.
Chibi-Usa-chan, it was very nice seeing you again and I look forward to chatting with you and seeing your work at the exhibition."
"Y… Yes," A subdued Makoto stammered. "No problem, Ami-chan. Of course, I wish you a fun afternoon with Ryo-kun."
"Ah…" Hotaru grinned while rubbing the back of her head. "Sure thing, Ami-chan. Thank you very much for your help. I look forward to cramming with you too.
Chibi-Usa and I have lots of plans for the day, so we'll leave you and Ryo-kun to eat in peace."
"Thank you, Ami-chan," Chibi-Usa said while touching her pointer fingers together. "I look forward to hearing your thoughts on my painting. Please enjoy your lunch with Ryo-kun."
"Thank you very much, everyone," Ami smiled kindly. "I appreciate your understanding."
While her friends left the table with greetings to her and Ryo, Ami leaned closer to a moderately awed Hifumi.
"Ebihara-san." The bluette unassumingly spoke. "Can I whisper something in your ear please?"
The short portly man with the neat black hairdo hesitantly moved a little closer to his suddenly so assertive customer.
"Could you please take the pitcher with you and bring me a half liter of water? I'm afraid what you brought me earlier might not have been barley tea."
Turning pale as he smelled the breath of the bluette, Hifumi bowed deeply before her.
"My humble apologies, Honored customer. Your drinks this afternoon will of course be on the house. I will bring your order of water immediately after serving you your meals."
A rather impressed and honestly aroused Ryo couldn't help smiling as his equally flushed girlfriend sat down again.
"I didn't know you became so bold with your friends since the last time I saw you together," The young man spoke while Hifumi presented the trays with Ryo and Ami's food on the table before them. "I wonder in what other ways you changed while I missed you."
"I don't think I changed so much though," Ami bashfully spoke while her lips curled up in reaction to her boyfriend's peculiar smile.
"I hope not," Ryo teased. "But I don't hate this bossy side of you."
"Well Ryo-kun," Ami dryly spoke while trying to regain her composure. "Sometimes you simply have to state your desire clearly in order for people to hear you."
"Please enjoy your lunch," Hifumi said with a bow before driving the cart with the mostly empty pitcher of plum wine back to the kitchen.
"I agree," Ryo said while he and Ami tasted their food. "In this particular case, however, that may not have been necessary."
Chewing on her deep-fried tofu, Ami curiously looked up at her boyfriend.
"They decided to leave us to ourselves just before you spoke up."
"Oops!" The shame-faced apparition in the white toga reacted with a sheepish grin.