Chapter Eight

Signs of Love

Rise, ever the extroverted social organizer of the friend group, quickly made the enthusiastic suggestion for them all to go out to eat for a hearty brunch, which they were quick to acquiesce. Not far from them was a small riverside café called おもてなし (Omotenashi – Hospitality) – a popular destination for tourists. On the way to the restaurant, Rise quietly kept track of the way the young men and women of the group spoke to each other, as she was ever the sucker for juicy, budding romances.

Most notably was Ryuji and Haru, who walked side by side the entire way, engaging in giddy conversation about the Ferrari the whole time. Ryuji barely paused to breathe as he continued to gush about the experience, and Haru could not repress jovial giggling at his exuberance. She let him go on and on without a care in the world, seeming very pleased with how downright happy he was. Though they had only known each other briefly, this was more childlike joy than she thought even possible in what she assumed was a hardened yakuza. His eyes were alight like he had just won the lottery, and his movements were just as expressive as his smiling face. She felt very pleased with herself and had a hard time taking her eyes off of him as well.

But Rise had other options drawing her attention: Akira and Ann. Being Akira's oldest friend and all, she had always been rooting for him to achieve romantic success in life, and was quite downcast when she learned he and his first girlfriend, Marie, had broken up. But now, there was this new girl: Ann. Kind, charming, a bit ditzy but far from unintelligent, and seemingly a genuine good soul. Not to mention the fact that she was drop-dead gorgeous with a supermodel's eyes and figure. Lucky bastard, you are, she thought toward Akira. Better pounce on that opportunity before it slips away.

She watched them closely as they approached the café. They spoke little, yet walked together the whole way, stealing sideways glances at each other when not conversing as if to confirm each other were still next to them. Ann pulled ahead for a moment, looking at the lake, and Rise caught notice of Akira's eyes traveling southward as he stood a pace behind her. Rise smirked and nodded to herself, repressing a chuckle when Ann looked back, and Akira quickly found interest in the same river. Not unlikely that Ann noticed but seemed to pay it no mind. Rise nudged her boyfriend, Yu, in the ribs to get his attention.

"What?" he asked flatly.

Rise quickly shushed him. "Quiet. Don't want them to hear." Yu looked where his girlfriend was looking, toward Akira and Ann. He nodded, catching onto what she was getting at. "We gotta find some way to lower their guards, babe," she whispered to him. The suspense is killing me!"

"Why? They can probably figure it out for themselves, can't they?" Rise glared at him with a pout. He rolled his eyes in defeat. "What do you have in mind?"

"The café's always super busy this time of year with the festival going on, right?"

"Right."

"Let's get a table with just the four of us. That way we can help them break the ice."

"Are you asking me if we can?"

"No."

"That's what I thought," Yu shrugged in content defeat.

They all go to the restaurant and would certainly need three tables. Rise requested of the hostess that they be split into groups of four, and quickly invited Akira and Ann to be seated with them, nearly pulling them away from the rest of the group. Practically bouncing with self-satisfied excitement, Rise sat with her friends and began perusing the menu with a perky smile.

"So," she quickly started the conversation, "Takamaki-san, we've been so busy we've hardly gotten the chance to talk about you. How did you and Akira meet? I mean, we heard you guys got in some yakuza business, but I've seen you in fashion magazines. Absolutely gorgeous, by the way." Ann smiled at the compliment with a glean in her eye. "Can you give us all the juicy details?"

Akira and Ann looked to each other awkwardly. This was a topic they had been apprehensive about approaching, especially with the involved subject matter. But the onus fell on Ann in this case, and she was a big girl. She could handle her own business.

"I… don't know if we can really get into all the details. It's not exactly a fun brunch conversation piece," she began. "But we met when my best friend and I were being… accosted, let's say, by a group of thugs that weren't actually with the big yakuza families. Akira and Ryuji helped us out of something… absolutely horrible. My friend is back home safe dealing with her own matters, and I decided to stick behind to help Akira and Ryuji out. As crazy as it's been, I'm glad I did, even though I had no idea I was going to get involved in a gang war."

"Sounds serious," said Rise. "I don't mean to pry at all, Takamaki-san, if there's something you don't feel like talking about. I was just curious, really. I mean, it's been a long time since Akira brought home a beautiful girl." Akira's eyes shot wide open as his gulp of water went down the wrong pipe.

"Oh, really?" Ann looked to Akira knowingly. "Are you some kind of lady killer, Akira?"

Akira quickly placed the glass of water down and wiped his newly wet lips with a napkin. "You already know that's not true," he replied.

Ann giggled to herself. "I know what you told me. But that might not have been the whole story."

"Oh, he told you about Marie?" Rise asked.

Yu added, "I'll bet you had quite a lot to say, huh, bro? You two were quite the peas in a pod."

Akira pursed his lips awkwardly. "Not a whole lot, no. Just had time for the bullet points, really."

"She sounded like a great girl," Ann said. "And it sounded like you two treated each other very well."

"We had our spats here and there, sure, but we definitely never slighted each other. I can confidently say she never did a single thing to intentionally hurt me."

"And he never did anything like that to her either," Rise added. "Akira treated her like gold."

Ann gave him a light smile. "That's quite the compliment from another woman. I'm inclined to believe it, though you've never given me a reason to believe you would ever hurt your girlfriend."

"Uh, thanks…"

Rise said, "I guess he's treated you pretty well too, huh?"

Ann chuckled again. "Very much. This guy's a real hero." Their eyes met slowly, exchanging soft, awkward smiles. A moment of silence fell over the table, save for the chirping birds outside. Yet it was a comfortable, suitable silence. Strange in nature; a kind of moment Akira had not felt in a very long time, since the last time he and Marie went on a double date with Rise and Yu. The strangeness of it was derived from how surprisingly pleasant it was.

Their hostess came by and took their orders, offering them drinks of fruit juice and coffee for those inclined toward either, and Akira was the first to speak next.

"You guys think too highly of me," he said, smiling awkwardly. "I was really only doing what I could to help some people who were in trouble."

"And that doesn't make you a hero?" Yu asked. "I think that's exactly what a hero is, isn't it?"

Akira's eye twitched twice. His hands set in his lap tensed and curled into fists, though only Ann saw that. "I wasn't alone," he said with a slight stutter. "I had friends with me, and they helped save those people too," he looked to Ann. "You're a hero too, Ann," he said tenderly. "Especially after all you did for Shiho."

Ann quickly blushed, sporting an awkward, crooked smile as her eyes lit up. "W-well, it's not like I'm some super cool martial artist like you though," she protested, unable to keep her voice from rising in pitch.

"That doesn't matter. Martial arts don't inherently mean anything, especially about someone's character. It's what you do with the skills you have that really matters. And you used your skills to help people too. Simple as."

Ann nodded slowly. "You always say these things so matter-of-factly, like it's second nature to you. That alone is pretty impressive."

"Being raised by a martial artist and a counselor does put you in a different mindset I guess," Akira laughed bashfully. "Jeez, you're right, I sound like a weird mix of both my parents."

"I mean, isn't that what we all are?" Ann joked, and they both shared a laugh.

It was only after a moment that they came back to the real world and noticed Yu nodding with great approval to Akira, and Rise leaning her head on her hands on the table and beaming like a ray of sunshine. "So, when's the wedding, you two?"

Their smiles turned to stunned, blank expressions in an instant.

"Um, that's…" Ann stammered, waving her hands in front of her. "Like, we're not even dating!"

"Are you sure?" asked Yu plainly.

Akira interjected, "Yes!"

Yu rolled his eyes with a laugh. "We've had this conversation before, man."

"That was different!"

"How?"

Akira stared into space trying to think of an adequate answer. "I… don't know."

"I know you don't."

"Can we please eat?" Ann asked awkwardly.

"Right, sorry," said Rise nodding. "I'm just… glad you two found each other and get along so well, especially in spite of whatever you went through. Really. He's a good guy, Ann."

Ann's expression softened ever so slightly. "He really is," she muttered, glancing Akira's way. Their gazes met for a moment, and they shared one last awkward smile.

And the rest of the breakfast proceeded much more casually, with friendly banter abound, mostly commenting on Akira's childhood misadventures with his friends. It took some time, and effort, to bring Akira back out of his shell after the previous exchange, but Ann was quite pleased to see when he did. For it was not only the expertly prepared crepe that made her feel warm and fuzzy inside.

After their meal, Rise and Yu excused themselves to go the restroom, leaving Akira and Ann alone at the table. He looked to Ann when they were out of sight, his expression becoming more serious again. "Hey," he began quietly, "I'm sorry about them if they made you uncomfortable. Rise gets, uh, excited about these things."

Ann shook her head. "They didn't make me uncomfortable, really. Just caught me off guard a bit. And I definitely wasn't expecting to have weddings brought up at this brunch," she giggled to herself. "But I'm not upset," she grinned. "She's really nice and I know she wasn't trying to upset me. Everything is fine."

"That's good, that's good," Akira nodded.

In that moment, he realized that fate had bestowed upon him a great boon. With her blond hair glistening in the sunlight pouring through the window next to her, Akira lost himself in her gorgeous visage. Every detail of her face, her eyes, her lips, was shown off exquisitely as she glanced out the window, her profile illuminated beautifully by the sun's rays as a pair of birds perched themselves on the small tree outside. Akira breathed deep and checked to see if there were any sparks appearing on his shoulders. None, to his light surprise, given his rising determination in the moment.

Slowly, he opened his mouth to speak. "Hey," he began again.

"Hmm?" she looked back to him. God, her eyes are beautiful, he thought.

"Are you… doing anything tonight?"

Ann's eyes widened with surprise, causing an embarrassed lump to congeal in Akira's throat. She stayed in thoughtful quiet for a moment, studying him, as if probing for some hidden meaning to his question. "Are… you?" she asked in turn.

Off the cuff, and without thinking at all, he replied, "Hopefully."

A warm smile crept to Ann's face, her eyes relaxing and softening as their gazes remained entwined. "Then I guess I am too," she replied softly. "What are we doing tonight?"

"I… have an idea." He did not at that moment. "When can I pick you up?"

Ann giggled girlishly, putting the tips of her fingers to her full, pink lips. "How's six sound? It'll give me time to make myself presentable. And well, you can too, of course. I remember you cleaning up pretty well when we went to Serenity a while ago."

"Thanks." Akira was now smiling constantly, involuntarily. "I'll pick you up at six then."

"Should I wear something really nice? Or will it be more casual?"

As if the grace of God had just smiled on him, Akira was struck with an idea of what to do for a date that night. "Casual, definitely. I'd like to show you some spots outdoors."

"Ooh!" Ann exclaimed. "Like what?"

"Well, I'm not gonna tell you. It's gonna be a surprise, okay?"

Ann "hmphed" playfully. "If you insist," she relinquished with a grin. "Just don't be late, okay?"

"I promise," he nodded. They sat in the moment for a while, looking into each other's eyes. Not noticing Yu and Rise coming back to the table, they both jumped when they were joined again by their friends.

"Did we… interrupt something?" asked Rise.

"Nope, nu-uh," Akira sputtered out.

"Nothing, nothing," Ann looked away.

Yu and Rise looked unimpressed. They looked to each other knowingly, raising their eyebrows at their friends' complete failure to assuage any suspicions. But they both decided not to press that matter further. Whatever they had been talking about was better left untouched, for both of them to enjoy for the time being.

…

In the afternoon, Akira found himself in need of his own vehicle for the evening, so he left his friends at the hotel to go back home to speak to his father, the owner of an extremely well-kept 1987 Honda Integra coupe. As Akira expected, he found Takuto in his office pouring over an academic psychology journal with a heavily used notebook on his desk. Upon hearing the door open, Takuto looked up from his journal quizzically. "Oh, Akira," he remarked, adjusting his glasses. "I thought you were out with your friends for the day."

"I was, yeah, but I had to come home and ask you something."

"What's up?" He put the journal aside, turned his office chair around to face his son and folded his hands in his lap, not unlike how he would normally see his patients.

"I know this is sudden, but can I borrow your car this evening?"

"What for? Taking your friends out to the bay? But… it's a two-seater, so…" Takuto stroked his chin in thought, though Akira did not have to guess at the conclusions he was coming to. "Why the sudden need?" he asked slowly, but without the slightest hint of judgment.

Akira shuffled his feet and crossed his arms. "I've got a date," he muttered quickly. "And yeah, I'd like to take her to the bay."

"Ah," Takuto nodded with a smile. "If I may pry, is it that Ann girl? She seemed like quite the sweetheart."

"Heh, yeah, it is," Akira nodded, failing to meet his father's gaze. "I was hoping I could show her around tonight, especially since it's gonna be so nice out. And we, uh, definitely need a bit of a break."

Takuto paused for a moment, looking over Akira more seriously. "Are you doing well, Akira?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you doing well, I asked."

"What? Oh, uh, yeah, mostly. I mean, I did just land a date with a beautiful girl, so I'd say I'm doing pretty well."

"Are you sure?" he pressed him.

Damn, Akira thought. He's pulling a counselor on me. "I'd be lying if I said things weren't… complicated in my life right now."

"Your normal life or internal life?"

Again! Akira clicked his tongue as he ruminated on his answer. "Both," he finally admitted.

Takuto nodded. "Why don't you have a seat? We can have a quick wellness check."

"Dad, I don't know if that's necessary." Takuto did not reply, but only raised an eyebrow with a knowing smirk. Akira rolled his eyes and sat on the leather couch before him. "Fine," he shrugged.

"Excellent," Takuto began, instantly turning more into a counselor already. "Now, what can you tell me about how your life has been 'complicated'?"

"Well, I was just involved in a gang war. And, uh, found out both me and my mom have superpowers."

"Yes, that was quite the shock to me as well when I first met her. Though I'm glad to hear that you have her gift. It certainly helped keep you safe, didn't it?"

"Definitely. It's really something else."

"She told me about your sparring match, and that she told you about her past. Did that further complicate things for you?"

"No, not really. I mean, I always knew mom was strong, but this is totally different. But it's, uh, not what's 'complicated' for me."

"And what might that be?"

Monster, he heard whispered inside his ears. Akira looked off to the many books lining his father's shelves, purposely avoiding his gaze. "I don't know if I can tell you right now, Dad," he muttered.

"You can tell me anything, Akira. I promise I will not be upset with you, especially after you've been through so much."

You don't know the half of it…

Kill me, it whispered again. Akira winced, and Takuto noticed.

Akira leaned forward, resting his arms on his lap. "I saw some bad shit, Dad," he admitted in a slow, dark tone. "I saw people die. I got in fights. I made some… not great choices."

"And yet, here you are. Safe, strong, and with new friends who care about you."

"You're right, I guess," he muttered. "In spite of everything."

"Did something particular happen?"

Kill me… His hands tensed and curled into fists.

"I don't think… I want to go into specifics but…" Come the fuck on and tell him. I can't hide this forever! And it was a fucking horrible situation. I know he'll understand.

Monster…

Akira breathed sharply, his eyes twitching. "I killed someone," he finally admitted. "Someone really, really bad."

Takuto took pause at that, leaning back in his chair. "What happened?" he asked softly.

"There was a guy who was going to hurt my friends," the words poured out of him now. "He was sick, twisted, a fucking freak. He got in my head, and I ended it. I put him down like a rabid dog… And I still see it, Dad…" he croaked out. "I see it every day and night… Anything comes up that reminds me of it – conversation, the news, sometimes even just seeing people that were involved – makes my head hurt, my body twitch. It's been this way every day since it happened."

Takuto listened intently, as hard as it was for him to see his own son in such distress. Keeping his professional composure and letting Akira speak freely without interruption was proving far harder for him than with normal patients. He wanted to embrace him, tell him it was alright and cut off his painful thoughts, but he knew that this was something he had to get off his chest himself, in his own words and timing.

"And now I'm going on a date with a girl that was involved," Akira continued. "I mean, yeah, she's absolutely amazing, but I guess the question just kind of came out on its own. After all that's happened, a part of me almost feels… unworthy, I guess."

"Of being with a victim of this other person? Or being happy?"

"Both… I think."

Takuto nodded. "That's very common for those who have gone through something like you, Akira. It's obvious you are suffering from some post traumatic stress, and that should be taken seriously. But ask yourself this: when you really think about it, in your logical mind, do you think that you are unworthy of going on this date? Or being with this woman?"

Akira rung his hands together as he pondered the question, even though he already knew the answer. "No," he finally whispered, for that was all he could muster. "I don't think that."

"It's completely fine for your emotions to not be entirely rational, Akira, especially with going through something so horrific. But I'm very glad that you can recognize that they are, in fact, irrational, and recognize your true worth."

"Is that it?" Akira asked. "You're not going to say anything else about the fact that I admitted to murdering someone?"

Takuto shook his head. "Need I? I know you, Akira. You're my son. So, I know that when you say someone was absolutely monstrous, they certainly were. I don't need you to go into specifics about it if you don't feel comfortable. But with all the fine young people that came back here with you, calling you a friend and a hero, I know that, even though you may have made a poor choice, that you have still consistently done what is right and upheld your character. If you were truly some monster like you may feel, I don't think Ann would have agreed to go on a date with you," he smiled awkwardly, yet genuinely.

Akira did not respond in any way for a moment. He looked down to the ground, then away from his father toward the door. Takuto heard him sniffle, then he wiped his nose and rubbed his eyes with his fingers. Akira stood to his feet shakily, still turned away from his father, but Takuto could feel a release of tension in the air, even seeing it in his son's more relaxed posture. "Thanks, Dad," he muttered. "Really."

"If you ever want to talk about this again, you know I'll listen." He stood up himself and walked over to Akira, turning him around with a hand on the shoulder. Akira's eyes were slightly reddened, and his lips were pursed, trying to hold back more tears. It hurt Takuto to see him like this yet left him elated knowing that he had been able to make Akira feel at least a bit better, or put his struggles into some context. "I think you did a lot of really great things in Kamurocho, Akira. I wish you'd been spared going there at all, but I am so proud of you for helping so many people. That's what really matters to me here. You made a lot of new friends because of your good deeds. That's gotta mean you did something right."

Akira chuckled weakly. "Just… please don't tell anyone about this, okay? Especially Mom. When the time comes, I'd like to tell her myself."

"Of course," Takuto nodded. "You don't have to worry. Patient's confidence, and all that."

"Right, right," Akira smiled. "So… uh, about the car?"

Takuto nudged him on the shoulder with a smirk. "Knock yourself out, so long as nothing scratches the paint or spills on the interior. So basically, just please don't eat anything in the car or do any tricks to impress her."

"Thanks, Dad. For everything."

"Anytime. You know that." Takuto walked behind his desk and rummaged through one of the drawers before producing a small car key. "Here, the spare," he handed it to Akira. "Oh, and continuing that point about not spilling anything on the interior, maybe try not to have too much fun on your date tonight. At least inside the car."

"Oh my god, Dad!" Akira chortled, taking the key and walking to the door. "I'm absolutely sure nothing like that will be happening tonight."

"Just wanted to make sure we covered everything," Takuto said innocently. "Enjoy your night, kid. Just try to be back by sunrise if you can."

"I will," Akira nodded, his demeanor much lighter and relaxed than he had been when he entered.

Takuto still worried for his son, as any father would, but he was very glad to have had at least some positive impact on him. True, the revelation that Akira had killed someone was shocking, but with what little information he had about the incident, he could safely assume that it was not some wanton slaughter of an innocent. And Akira had many friends around to support him as well, so he was not dealing with this alone. He felt that it may best to let Akira deal with this on his own for a while, and simply be there should Takuto be needed again.

He returned to his academic journal, though his thoughts lingered on his son. He had to put in effort to focus on the journal and his notes until he came upon a rather interesting article on the idea of the "persona", the mask which people wear to obscure their true selves and fit better into society.

"Wakaba certainly would have had a ball with this," he said to himself. He chuckled sadly, remembering how Anri had told him of her… untimely passing. "I hope she had gotten somewhere with our research," he trailed off, putting the journal aside and falling deeper into thought on the subject. Takuto opened the bottom drawer of his desk and brought out a very old, yellowed notebook with a cracked leather spine and softened, frayed edges of the paper. The words "PERSONA – The Cognitive Theory" were inscribed onto the cover. "I can't imagine what she must have gotten up to all these years," said Takuto. "What I'd give to have seen the rest of her research…"

…

Akira looked at himself in the mirror in his bedroom, which was quite the pleasantly shocking idea. A white buttoned shirt with no undershirt, form-fitting jeans, and casual shoes that would look fashionable either on the beach or at a bar. Nothing fancy, but certainly complimentary to his looks. The two top buttons being undone showed off a small amount of his muscular chest, which he hoped would not come off as immodest. He personally thought it was rather dashing.

The time was approaching, and he made his way downstairs with the spare car key in his pocket only to be stopped by his mom standing in the entryway. She looked him up and down and smirked knowingly with her arms crossed. "Which one will you be out with tonight?" she asked coyly.

"Ann," he replied.

Anri nodded. "I thought so. Do you have protection?"

"Mom!"

Anri covered her mouth as she laughed. "I'm just teasing, Akira. Please don't do anything like that on your first date. I mean, it's yours and her decision, but just…" she dropped her arms to her side and sighed. "Be wise. That's all I ask. I know you've all been under a lot of stress lately, so even more than usual, just make good choices."

Akira nodded. "I know. I'll be smart; you have nothing to worry about."

"I know you will. I still worry though. Can't help it. But I trust you," she smiled. "Just have a good night, okay?"

"Okay," Akira smiled back. 'I'll be home later."

"Call us if you'll be out later than you thought."

"I know, Mom," he scooted past, giving her a quick hug. "See you later."

She waved to him as he went out to the car and drove away. He's still my boy, she thought. Somehow, they didn't completely change him. Be safe, sweetheart.

Akira pulled up to the hotel, his arm resting on the rolled-down window as the radio played a soft rock ballad he was unfamiliar with. He saw Ryuji sitting on cushioned chair on the patio, nursing a cigarette, and he walked over to greet him.

"Nice ride," said Ryuji, leaning on the Acura. "Four or six cylinders?"

"Six, I think."

"Better be. I can never drive anything under six anymore. They're just no fun. Anyway, what's with the getup? Going out for drinks or something? I wouldn't say no if you were."

"Actually, I'm, uh, going out with someone specific."

"Hot damn! You and Ann finally getting some time to yourselves?"

"Is it that obvious?" Akira smiled with accepted defeat.

"Who the hell else would it be?"

"Good point."

Ryuji blew out a puff of smoke. "Well, raincheck on the bar then, yeah? And I'd take her somewhere with good margs. Seems like a girl who likes tropical drinks."

"I do too, so it works out."

"Well then, have a good night, man! Just please get your own room if you get lucky."

Akira shook his head, continuing to smile. "Not on the agenda tonight."

"Just sayin' man. You never know." Ryuji turned around, with Akira following his gaze, and saw Ann walking out onto the patio with a strikingly beautiful short sky-blue dress, not dissimilar to the classier look she sported back in Kamurocho when they went to Serenity. She wore sandals on her feet and carried a small purse with small sparkling stones lining the leather. She spotted them and waved with an eager, excited smile as she quickly made her way to the car. Ryuji looked back to Akira with a nod and smirk. "You did good, man."

"I guess so," Akira could not take his eyes off her.

"Well, I'll leave you two alone," Ryuji backed away as Ann came up behind him. "Keep him out of trouble, huh?" Ryuji asked Ann teasingly. He walked away with a wave, cigarette between his fingers, and Ann got in the passenger seat next to Akira.

Here we go, he thought.

"So, um," Ann started, "thank you for inviting me out. I'm very flattered."

"Thanks for coming. You, uh," he looked her up and down, noticing upon closer inspection how the dress hugged her curves, perfectly accentuating her body as well as matching her facial features, "look amazing."

Ann giggled more girlishly than she had intended to. "Thank you," she said through her breath. "You look good too. I mean, it's not a suit like last time, but it looks really nice on you. It's nice to see you out of your street-fighting hero look, even though that does make you look cool and dangerous," she joked.

"Well, you did help pick it out. You certainly have good taste."

"It's kind of my job to," she nodded, smiling. "So, where are we headed?"

"There's a nice beach not far from here, actually. I know it's not quite the ocean, but we take very good care of our beaches and piers around here. I was thinking it might be fun to go there. There's a pier and boardwalk right up that beach too that we can hit up for food and drinks. Probably gonna be quite the party tonight, what with the autumn festival coming up, and it's perfect weather out."

"Yeah, it is. Sounds like a wonderful evening," she beamed.

The radio host, an older man with gruff yet smooth friendly host, interrupted them, saying, "Well, it's been quite the eventful end to the week, hasn't it? I mean, not every day a major fight breaks out in this beautiful, quiet town. But hey, the good boys and girls in blue have done their civic service and all seems safe for your evening excursions tonight. Coming up next is one of my personal favorites for easy cruising at sunset like right now, and I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do. Here's Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears."

"Hey, that's my favorite song!" Akira remarked as the soft guitar started playing.

"Well, turn it up and let's roll!" Ann proclaimed, rolling down the window. "Shall we?"

Akira smiled softly and nodded, putting the car in gear and turning up the music to a respectable yet far more enjoyable volume. "We shall."

The drums came in and they made their way onto the road, the wind blowing through their hair as they cruised along with the windows down. The car had a sunroof which Ann quickly opened to watch the blue and orange sky go by above them. Akira was pleased to see her so relaxed with him, watching the buildings and neighborhoods pass them as the shops, restaurants, and bars attracted more people eager to partake in the cozy nightlife of Shimonosuke.

They soon came on the beach, the sun hovering over the water stretching into the horizon. Friends and families gathered on the sand, playing volleyball, chatting amongst each other with drinks, enjoying life. They parked and Ann took off her shoes, carrying them to a pair of reclining chairs and ran along the sand barefoot with an arrestingly beautiful smile and energy. Akira felt the infectious joy that she exhibited and quickly lost all sense of his worries from earlier, keeping up the pace with her as they stood in the edge of the waves rolling up onto the shore.

Ann reached into her purse and asked, "Take some pictures of me?" as she produced a small film camera. "This is a gorgeous backdrop!"

Akira obliged, taking several photos of her in different poses. Like the model she was, she was working the occasion, and Akira felt only thankfulness that he could take in her beauty so fully. Obviously, that was her intention, but neither minded. She held her hand behind her head, her hair flowing in the breeze, giving him a beckoning stare as he photographed her. Then she smiled innocently, sweetly, like a church girl on Sunday, save for how she held her arms inward just enough to press her chest together, making it even more pronounced.

Akira did his best to focus on her eyes and smile.

Many more poses, all enrapturing as the glow of the sun illuminated her. Ann saw how his eyes were fixated on her as she moved and the camera was down. It was easy, true, to captivate his attention, but coming from him, someone of character and selflessness, she felt comfortable in doing just that. Ann knew she was in no danger, that he was accepting of her own confidence and found it attractive, letting her feel free to flaunt herself and soak in some attention from someone who genuinely appreciated her.

But she was not so vain as to merely use this date as a personal photoshoot. After a few minutes, she got to her feet and took the camera from Akira, much to his surprise. "Okay, it's your turn!" She immediately started setting up a candid shot of his confused expression, which she found quite cute.

"Wait, what? Are you serious?"

"Of course! Just give me a nice smile to start."

"I don't know, Ann…" he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, looking away, and Ann took a photograph of the pose.

"That was great! You're a natural!"

"Wait, I wasn't even posing!"

"Yes, you were. Just wait until we get this developed and you'll see. You could be on a men's fashion magazine with that one. Trust me, you're much more attractive than even most male models I've met."

"Oh, you're just saying that," he looked off to the side with a bashful smile, granting Ann another photo.

"That's a good one too. If I get you in touch with my agent, we could easily get you in some clothing or cologne adverts."

Akira chuckled, and Ann took a picture of it. "Maybe one day, I'll consider it."

"If we just put a teensy bit of makeup on you, put some product in your hair and slicked it back a bit, you'd be golden."

"I'll remember that." He tried his best to do what he imagined a "model's smile" to be: aloof, eyes slightly squinted, and lips parted with his hands on his hips, the sunset acting as a beautiful backdrop. They continued on for a few minutes, with Ann providing him emphatic direction.

"Yeah, that's it! Now sit down here and look at the waves. Okay, look to your side, I want a profile shot. Mmm, work it, handsome!"

"Please make sure none of the others see these photos," Akira jested.

"I can't make any promises. Girls are nosy, you know. And besides, they'd just be saying the same things I am."

"You flatter me."

"But I'm still right." She took one last photo then looked up from the camera, smiling brightly. "Thanks for letting me have a turn. I never got to actually take the photos. And you're very photogenic, of course."

"So are you. I just hope the photos I took could capture that."

Ann giggled. "I have faith."

"Are you hungry? Thirsty?"

"Starving and parched," they both laughed. "Where should we fix that?"

Akira stood close to her, letting their shoulders brush against each other, and pointed up to a boardwalk above them and to their right now quite bustling with people. "Right up there. I know a place," he pointed to it. "It's called 'The Funky Pelican'."

"Ooh, sounds fun!"

"They have great margaritas and daiquiris."

"Say no more!" Ann wrapped her arm around Akira's quickly. They took a moment to assess her move, gauge each other's comfort, and with growing smiles on their faces, made their way to the stairs leading to the boardwalk above the pier.

Many people, mostly in colorful, tropically themed summer clothing, came and went with drinks in hand between shops and restaurants along the boardwalk. Calm and laidback beach rock played over speakers, which Akira remarked to Ann that it normally consisted of Jimmy Buffet and the like, and that they no doubt would hear Margaritaville at least twice before the evening was over.

Small stands selling food and gift items lined the boardwalk, occasionally catching Ann's attention as they made their way to their destination. One stand sold handcrafted jewelry inspired by designs from many global cultures, including Celtic and Hindi. Ann took special interest in a necklace of a small, simple flower design with a tiny green jewel in the middle. Akira could not tell if the material was imitation or not, but the price of it indicated it had to have some legitimacy.

A few doors down and they arrived at The Funky Pelican, a busy Western-inspired bar and restaurant with décor and art taken from Hawaiian, Californian, and Floridian beach culture. Ann's eyes lit up, much to Akira's joy, as they entered, hearing the lazy, gentle chords of the music played over the loudly and jubilantly conversing patrons. A hostess dressed like she was working for a tiki bar in the middle of summer sat them next to a window overlooking the beach, giving them a perfect view of the people playing in the sunset-kissed water.

"This reminds me a lot of my time spent in America when I was young," Ann remarked. "I always loved going to their beaches with my parents, especially near the Gulf of Mexico. It almost feels… homey here. Did you do this on purpose?"

"I swear I didn't. It's just one of the most popular spots in this area and I knew we could get good food and drinks here, and it's kind of a cultural hotspot for the town."

"Well, it was a lucky guess then," she smiled. "Don't get me wrong, I love Japan, but I spent a lot of time in America when I was little. There are parts of it that I miss, and this makes me feel a bit closer to those times."

For dinner, they greatly enjoyed a platter of perfectly cooked barbeque ribs with buttered rolls and vegetables for sides and washed it down by sharing a strawberry daiquiri rich in rum and a refreshing cold mango margarita. They talked the entire dinner, bouncing from topic to topic, and getting more prone to fits of laughter as they continued to drink. By the end of the meal, they were both red in the face and warm in the belly as they made their way back outside just slightly slower than they had entered.

They walked along the boardwalk, taking photos of each other and picking up a couple snacks along the way, mostly at Ann's request. "I told you back in Kamurocho that I love food," she said. "Especially sweets. And hey, as long as I mostly eat healthy and keep up with exercising, it all goes to the right places."

"U-uh, right." Akira wondered if she said that so brazenly because of the alcohol but was not in any way peeved by the remark.

She bought herself a serving of mint chocolate chip ice cream and shared it with Akira as they sat on a bench. The sharp flavors of the mint surprisingly complimented the lingering taste of alcohol quite well, acting as a pleasant pallet cleanser for both of them as they continued to banter and laugh and, slowly, steadily, grow physically closer to each other any time they stopped.

Not long after, they came upon a tiki statue that acted as a gaudy throne beside an outdoor sushi restaurant. People were lined up to take a photo while sitting on the statue's lap, most of them smiling and guffawing with drunken glee.

"Hey, let's get a photo there!" Ann pointed to it, wrapping her arm around Akira's again. "The line's not too long!"

The gentle buzz of the alcohol made this sound like a perfectly pleasant idea to Akira. "Yeah, that sounds great!" And they got in line as, just as Akira had predicted, Margaritaville started playing over one of the nearby speakers. While waiting their turn, they both hummed along to the famous song, while many others around them sang out the lyrics like a public karaoke session. Akira and Ann swayed to the beat as they stood in line until it was their turn after a couple minutes.

"Do you wanna go first or me?" Akira asked, as the throne only comfortably sat one person.

"We can get both in one!"

"What?"

"Just sit down," she gently nudged him into the seat then asked the middle-aged couple behind them to take their photo, which they accepted pleasantly.

"What do you mean, Ann?"

Ann raised an eyebrow with a slightly slouced smirk, and then sat herself across his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck as she pressed her soft, surprisingly ample butt down onto him. Akira gulped in surprise as she nuzzled up to him, holding him tighter, her body language telling him that this was fine. True, the alcohol had had some effect on her inhibitions, but she did truly feel like she could let go with him, just do whatever she liked with him and not have to worry about anything while doing so. She felt liberated and accepted; a feeling that she had not experienced in a very long time.

As the couple set the film for the photograph, Akira placed one hand on Ann's knee and the other on her waist just above her butt, though his pinky and ring finger did travel downward just enough to feel her softness through her dress. Her arms, wrapped around his neck, held onto him a little tighter, and she shifted her rear on him as if adjusting her position for comfort, though in reality she was just giving him a bit of a reward for his confidence, further letting him know that it was okay.

As the camera flashed, she felt a distinct stiff object rub against her butt for the briefest moment, and she suddenly felt even greater confidence in herself. Akira walked with his legs slightly closer together for a minute after they got up. Though instead of locking arms, as they came to the end of the boardwalk, they held hands as they looked out over the beach, the sun setting lower over the water and the sky being splashed with more prominent purples, pinks, and oranges above them as stars and the moon made their first appearance.

"Wasting away again in Margaritaville," they sang along with the other people around them as the song entered its final chorus.

"Searchin' for my lost shaker of salt.

Some people claim that there's a woman to blame,

But I know

(do-do-do-do-dooo)

It's my own damn fault…

(do-do-do-do-dooo)

Yes, and some people claim that there's a woman to blame

And I know

(do-do-do-do-dooo)

It's my own damn fault…"

The evening grew darker, and they made their way back to the car as the people began to disperse along the pier or go back home. Akira had given himself time for his head to clear before driving, but in his buzzed mental state, he did have one more idea to cap off the evening before going home.

"Hey," he asked as they seated themselves in the car, the radio playing softly.

"What's up?"

"Do you wanna head back, or maybe hit up one more spot?"

"Is there somewhere else you'd like to go?"

"Well, there's an overlook up the road from here where you can get a nice view of the town and the river, if you'd like to see that before we head back."

"Sounds… private."

Oh shit.

"And nice."

Akira nodded, hoping his race heart would slow down at some point. "Alright then, let's rock."

It was a scenic five-minute drive into the hills near the beach to reach their destination, the clearing giving way to a dense forested area. They ascended into the hills until coming upon an outcropping with a safety railing at the ledge. The ground was hard and marked by many tire tracks, indicating this was a popular spot for people to come and survey the town off to their left and the beach and river to their right.

"It's beautiful," Ann remarked.

"A lot of people come up here to watch the fireworks show they put on every year for the festival. It's a pretty iconic spot. Food vendors come up here then too, and it's basically a big community party."

"I'll bet. You can fit a lot of cars up here."

They parked their car up against the ledge and got out to sit on the hood, letting the radio continue to play. That is until they started playing Metallica, and they agreed the aggressive tones did not exactly fit the mood. "I have an idea," Akira said, then got back in the car and put in a particular cassette tape. Ann watched him fiddle with the console for a moment before rejoining her on the car's hood.

Soft drums, pronounced guitar, quiet synthy undertones. "Journey?" she asked.

"You don't like it?"

"No, I love it. Just making sure I'm hearing it right. Lights, right?"

"That's right. A really good one."

"Yeah, definitely. You have good taste."

"My parents do. I just followed along with them, really."

"Well, your family has good taste."

"Thanks," they chuckled. "You have a good night?" Akira asked.

"It was lovely," she smiled. "You sure know how to show a lady a good time."

"I was just going with the flow. You're pretty easy to just be with."

Ann looked over to him quizzically. "Really?"

"Yeah, really. Why?"

She looked back over the glistening city lights. "A lot of people think I'm pretty high maintenance, mainly compared to most Japanese girls. They seem intimidated by me not being super demure or whatever. They think I'm hard to be around because of it."

"Well, I don't believe that about you," he said softly. "I really like how energetic and open you are. It makes you feel very… genuine."

She smiled, blushing. "You're not just saying that because you got to feel my ass, are you?"

"W-what? No!" Akira exclaimed. "I mean it."

Ann giggled. "I'm just teasing."

"And deflecting the topic with humor."

"Oh, so you do take after your dad some then? Did he teach you about being a counselor?"

"Only a little bit." He leaned closer. Their eyes met, their expressions tender and vulnerable. "You know I mean what I say. I don't just say these things."

She gave him the slightest nod. "I know. It's part of why you are so easy to be around. You also feel very genuine."

"I'm just being me."

"Me too." Her lips parted by a fraction of an inch, and his did too. The sounds of nature around them faded until there was only the music. "And I like that," she whispered. "I like when you're just you."

"Are you sure?" he whispered to her. "I've done… some pretty awful things."

"Against awful people. To help people." She took his hand and rotated it so his wrists faced up, the fading marks from the razor blades still visible. "We all have scars," she said slowly, "but you don't care about the ones other people have. You just see them for who they are." She looked back up to him. "You should let other people see you beyond your scars as well."

His thoughts became foggy, his chest tightened as he looked at her. There were no words in any language, fictional or real, to describe how beautiful she was in that moment. "You see that… in me," he whispered.

"Yes. All I see is a great guy who sees the good qualities in other people, and fights for the people he cares about."

"I see that in you too."

They paused for a long moment. They exhaled deeply as their faces came closer together until they could feel each other's breaths. Their eyes moved downward toward each other's lips, so agonizingly close, as if looking for any lingering signs of reluctance. There were none. They closed their eyes, and Akira held her hand in his own, his grip growing slightly tighter as the distance between them reduced to millimeters.

Then the small physical shock of contact, and the taste of each other's lips; like heaven come down to earth, it was. They both breathed out through their noses with the greatest sense of relief as they parted for a second before pressing back into each other with slightly more fervor. Ann gripped his fingers as he held her hand, letting out a tiny coo of excitement into his mouth. He brought his other hand to her cheek, holding her closer to him, and she responded by kissing him back more passionately, running her tongue against his surprisingly full and soft lips.

Their lips made quiet clicking, smacking noises as they parted and came together again. Akira did not notice himself leaning back against the windshield at first until he felt her weight begin to press down on him, her soft breasts pressing into his own chest. He pushed against her, kissing her deeper, feeling her mounds compress into him, and she responded in kind, pushing forward as their tongues entered each other's mouths.

She slowly rubbed her womanhood against the growing bulge in his jeans, and judging by the size and firmness, she guessed in her sparse moments of lucidity that he must be quite uncomfortable. This revelation made her spine tingle with anticipation. No, she would certainly not pop his cherry on the first date, but should the time ever come, she knew she would have quite the gift all for herself, and this thought alone made her panties become damper than they already were.

Neither of them could string together much in the way of sophisticated thoughts as they made out. All they felt was a mighty, rapturous release of tension, as if all the weight they had shouldered with all the madness they endured in Kamurocho was being lifted off of them with every kiss, every lick, every grab and touch. A flash of memory from when Ann had sat on his lap reminded Akira of how heavenly the slightest teasing touch from her had felt, and he knew in his mind and heart that he must have more. His hand, having until then been rubbing and gently scratching her back, made its way southward until it caressed her round bottom. She started, exhaled sharply, and pressed her chest tightly into him, signaling him to continue. He slowly grabbed her right cheek, squeezing it, and groaned softly into his mouth.

Both their bodies were alight with sensation, their fears and worries melting away as they enjoyed each other. Ann decided she needed to do some exploring as well with her hands, feeling the tense curves of his muscular chest and abs. She admitted to herself that she had wanted to know what his athletic body felt like for a while, and he did not disappoint. Akira was toned and strong, his chest rising and falling with deep, aroused breaths against her hand and breasts. She imagined how he must look out of all his clothes, in his totality, and she squirmed just as much from that mental image as with his strong, assertive hands holding her face and ass. Every grope sent hot chills up her body, speaking words of desire and acceptance that needed no voice.

For many minutes, they continued on just like this, exploring and pursuing each other, finding the right spots to poke and press and grab to get the other to gasp or shudder. Ann found that Akira's ears and lower jaw were particularly sensitive to nips and kisses and licks, which she made a mental note of for future exploitation. A part of her wished to take him inside her that night and truly make love with him, but such was a foolish idea at the very least. He was inexperienced, and they were only starting what they both hoped would be a long, happy relationship.

And they were endlessly thankful that, for a small amount of time, out in the perfectly cool night air under a canopy of twinkling stars, there was no war, no yakuza, no legacy of dragons, nor painful past sneaking up on them to tear them apart. The world was quiet and peaceful, and when they finally felt some level of satisfaction with their first romantic encounter, they lay together in the back seat of the car, looking up through the sunroof and listening to music.

The unpolluted country sky was vast and enrapturing, and it was only then that they knew how painfully, desperately they had both been searching for an elusive moment of peace. Few words were said by either before returning home, for little was left unsaid by their bodies. Holding each other's hand the whole drive back, both Akira and Ann unable to stop smiling, said all that was needed.

[Reviews are always appreciated.]