El Báquico opened three weeks later. (The shop had experienced some flooding. Resulting in the better part of the first week getting rid of the water and the stench that come with it. The other was for buying and replacing damaged equipment. And the third week was given to the employees that had been affected). Now, it was Tuesday, and the business was slow. Xochitl found herself voicing this to Yamal. Who, in turn, mocked her question, parroting it back to her. With exasperation in his voice, said: "Of course it is! Use your damn head, little girl. All our regulars have been affected. Having lunch here is the farthest thing from their mind."
Oh. Had the storm been that bad? (She had heard on the news that it was one of the most dangerous storms to hit since the war. But that could have been a mistranslation on her part). Moreover, how bad could it be for the country to recover in such a short time? Everyone she knew had little to say about the aftermath of the storm: her classmates, her neighbours, herself too. Well, minus her father's parents. Apparently, they had experienced some flooding. Sure, most of the train lines were down, and some highways needed more work than others. But that doesn't affect her alone. Instead, it affected the entire Tokyo at that. So, she couldn't use that as a reference. Can she?
Yamal rolled his eyes. "Naturally, you aren't affected." He didn't elaborate as he went to the kitchen. (They needed extra hands). Leaving Xochitl to count the straws at the cashier.
At least the restaurant recovered more quickly than expected (Yamal's words, not hers). Xochitl couldn't see herself spending another day leaving school to head straight home. It felt so wrong. Henri said that she was a workaholic (jokingly, of course). He said that she was using her work to escape. (As if). Was she?
Hemera said that it was expected when there was a break in a routine. On that topic of Hemera, she had been so helpful recently. At times, when there were no clubs, the other girl would come over. To do homework. To share notes. But most of the time, they just talk: about clothes, gossip about celebrities (yawn) and boys, specifically her crush. Shuji. He had missed class that Saturday. Which deflated Xochitl's mood greatly.
"Think of this as getting more practice in," said Hemera.
Xochitl declined the offer to come the following class and a good thing she did. He was absent again. But after more coaxing from Hemera, she decided to go this Saturday coming. After all, three is an honest number [1].
The bell at the door chimed. Another customer entered. Her heart leaps. Finally, something to do, as she abandoned the straws. And to the point-of-sale machine. The customary greeting had become easy for her to say now. She could say it in her sleep. Backward and forward and backward again. A local even complimented her on her pronunciation. Although, they could have been just saying it to be polite. Most said the same thing when she used to pronounce some words with a hard, 'r' sound. But that was beside the point. She was making improvements, and that was all that mattered. So, it did confuse her when the customer didn't respond. Had she messed up some pronunciation?
"Sochito,"
Xochitl looked up to meet brown eyes.
Oh? Oh.
She hadn't seen him for quite some while. She wonders how was he fairing? She looked over his shoulders to only realize that he was alone. No friends? Were they affected by the storm? Was he impacted by the storm? However, Xochitl didn't dwell on that thought for too long. Relieved, happy even, to see another regular.
"Let me guess, picadillo, no peppers."
A yes from him. Xochitl didn't bother with her notepad as she pressed the order in. A receipt would automatically send to the back. The routine before sinking in like clockwork as she told him, without thinking too hard about words that his order would be out in a short minute. That he should take a seat and wait. The boy teeters: shifting from one foot to another. Making the motion of opening his mouth before closing it. With a nod, he went off to take a seat.
His order came much earlier than expected. However, that wasn't what had surprised Xochitl. She had half expected that since he was one of the few persons in the restaurant. But what did surprise her was that he decided to sit at her table. Sure, it wasn't hers. There were no assigned seats (this wasn't school). She had spent so much of her break time there. That it felt as if she had imprinted some part of herself onto it.
Xochitl was half tempted to tell him to relocate. But she thought better of it. She was his senpai. The older of the two. She shouldn't let herself get so caught up in such childish notions. Moreover, the view outside the window was nothing much to see today.
The window at the table gave her the most beautiful view of Shibuya: with the glint of the afternoon sky reflecting thousand times over by the skyscrapers. How majestic. How beautiful. The tallest building back home was an ancient temple. Built over 2000 years ago by her ancestors. Or by her long-distance relatives. Mother wasn't originally from there. She had crossed the rivers, over the mountains to the border. To escape the war, the massacre.
But back to what she was saying: yes! The view from the window was something to be jealous of. To treasure. However, since October had settled in, the place had gotten grey and glum. The sun was a rare sight to be seen now. So, what was the point? He could sit there if wanted. There was nothing of much worth for her to see.
Her kouhai thanked her as she gave his order. Returning to the cashier to rearrange the straws. To count. Her break was upon her soon, and she found herself telling Yamal she wanted coffee and fry jacks for her lunch. He said that she was ruining her constitution if she continued to eat like this. Xochitl also asked for milk(condensed) to go with her coffee, and Yamal snorted.
"You're ruining the coffee."
She didn't reply as she poured the milk in until it turned white. Just perfect!
"How disgusting!" said Yamal. She flicked him on his chin. (The farthest her hands could reach). He kept growing like wild bamboo. She would have liked him more if it wasn't for his attitude. He was just her type [2].
Yamal said he would like her too if she wasn't such a brat. "Like a sister," he added. "It would be wrong to think of you as nothing else. Too young. Still much as a kid like my sister." Xochitl flicked his chin again.
Xochitl was going to her table when Yamal tapped her on her shoulder.
"Chocolate for the boy."
He must have seen her quizzical look, as he continued, exasperated, "Boss giving them out to all regulars which have returned after the typhoon."
Xochitl took it without any further words. When she arrived at the table, her kouhai was almost finished. The appetite of a growing boy. She carefully placed the chocolate beside his plate. He looked up, bemused. She said (a smile twitching at the corner of her lips. He had rice on his face). "Compliments from management."
Nothing said. Not that Xochitl minded as took a seat. Sipping her coffee.
"Hot chocolate, been a while since I had one."
There it was. This time Xochitl had anticipated his chatter. She dipped one of her fry jacks into her coffee. Swallowing, she said, "And it's hand made too."
The boy perked up at that.
Prompted by his sudden attentiveness, Xochitl went into the process of making chocolate. You get the seeds from ripe cocoa. Left them out to dry in the sun. Hot a pot (add no oil) and put them in, then stir. Remove the seeds when roasted and when cool, rub each between your palms until the shell strips. After, you beat them in a mortar (you can add nutmeg and cinnamon leaves if you want). Beat and beat until it turns to mush. Shape it in a ball and place it somewhere cool. Until you are ready to make hot chocolate: grate the chocolate in a cup (if you want, you can add nutmeg). Add brown sugar, milk, and hot water and stir. And there, you have a cup hot chocolate.
The boy said nothing.
Had she bored him?
Xochitl sipped her coffee
"Did you make this?"
She burned her tongue. She shook her head. "No. I haven't for a while. Raw cocoa is quite expensive. Besides, we don't have a mortar at home."
"I would love to try yours. Whenever you do make chocolate again."
A hum. Xochitl didn't know what to say. She sipped her coffee, breaking another fry jack into her mouth. Silence. Surprisingly, she was the one to talk first. "Hot chocolate is usually better with a treat. You dip it into it and eat. Tasty."
The boy simply nodded his head. Deep in thought. Then: "Have you been affected by the typhoon as well?"
"No. The streets were blocked, but they cleared it up in a matter of hours."
"You're fortunate. Where I live, a good hand of apartments complex have been flooded. The drains, they said. Luckily, we live on one of the higher floors."
He would be one of the first people she had talked to that have been impacted by the typhoon (exempting Yamal and nearly half of the staff).
"Where do you live?" Xochitl heard herself asking. She waited as he spooned the last rice in his mouth.
"Near Honcho. Where do you live?"
"Naka-Meguro."
"Honcho is not too far then. About a ten to fifteen minutes ride."
Ride? Then Xochitl remembered: he drives a bike. How did his parents allow that? Such recklessness. Furthermore, where did he get the money to procure such a purchase? He was just a kid. She told herself not to concern herself with such matter. But she couldn't help herself. Should she ask him about his bike? Would that consider annoying? Nosey? Xochitl shook the thought from her mind. It didn't concern her. Besides, Xochitl doesn't know him; and he doesn't know her. She shouldn't get involved. But! She was his senpai, right? She does have some reason to be concerned, right?
"Oh, about that music store. I asked around. There's a popular one here in Shibuya, not too far away from here. They even have CDs and Cassettes."
Xochitl was more than happy for the distraction. Taking another bite from one of her fry jacks before answering. "I'll think about it," and she meant it. After all, Henri had come up empty-handed when he called his 'friends'. Sure, most of the stores he had found had pop songs from the US and some underground rock bands from Europe. But, no songs from Latin America and the Caribbean. Perhaps, she would strike gold with this shop. "I'll circle a date and get back to you."
A smile (smirk maybe) from the boy. He makes a start to speak, but Xochitl talked first.
"You should drink your chocolate before it gets cold. A thick skin usually forms on the top when it does," her nose scrunch at the memories.
She reached for one of her fry jacks when her kouhai does so too. He broke it in halves, dipping it in his chocolate. She would never think he would be so…forward. Yet, she said nothing of it. Perhaps she was one of the few 'foreigners' he could do so with. She wonders how long his curiosity about her would last. They all get bored after a day or two. Xochitl shrugged her shoulders. Best not to worry about such trivial notions. She copied her kouhai, taking the other half. Dipping it into her coffee.
[1] The Japanese saying means third times a charm.
[2] In chapter two, Xochitl briefly talks about her type of boy. They are usually tall and daring.
I will be trying to update the remaining chapters in the first arc. Since midterms (and soon end of year exams) are around the corner. So I will not follow the set out 2-4 weeks timeline. I planned before the end of March, all chapters would be out. When I return from the break (around April/May). Then I will make the edits and publish the chapters for arc two, following the 2-4 weeks timeline.
A link to a better quality to Baji Keisuke Moodboard.