"Have to admit this much, Leifang - vee got y'pretty good."
The blonde woman, Francesca, had returned with another roll of paper towels and a spray bottle of glass cleaner. She ravelled some paper around her hand before tearing the squares off, then set the roll down on her chair.
Hitomi focused on wiping herself down, having been caught in the crossfire of mouth-spewed projectiles, her white tank-top now stained with speckles of beige liquid like tasteless leopard spots.
Leifang had wiped down her side of the glass table as well as her handbag, so she left the rest to Hitomi's gangly, black-aproned friend, undecided on whether she should feel ashamed for the unintentional vulgar display or furious about the karateka's so-called 'hilarious' so-called 'prank'.
The two Germans had admitted it almost right away; they weren't actually in a relationship - romantically, at least. They'd conspired this little falsehood between themselves long ago, Hitomi feeling assured that such a revelation would get some reaction from her sworn ally at the mere suggestion of it. Even now, as her busty brunette 'buddy' dabbed blue paper towels between her breasts in a futile attempt to clear away some of the 'damage' as she'd called it - and frankly well-deserved, far as Leifang was concerned - Hitomi's lips held the blood boiling air of self-satisfaction.
Goodness - how Leifang hated the karateka's stupid, pretty face… sometimes.
When Francesca's words finally settled on her, Leifang loudly cleared her throat. "You know what makes it even— better—?" she said sarcastically. Saliva wetted her teeth like venom. "It wouldn't surprise me at all if Hitomi never told me about something that important. Only reason I might've even considered you were being serious."
"Whaddya mean 'considered'? Hitomi's blue eyes flitted up to Leifang. She onto the strap of her tank top as she wiped. "You did think we were serious, Leifang - a hundred percent."
"No." Leifang folded her arms, outwardly adamant in her position. "I had my suspicions you were onl—"
"Sorry! Sorry- 'scuse me." Francesca's circling motion with the paper towels drew ever closer to Leifang. She sprayed the cleaner ahead of her path, and nodded to Leifang's mug. "Gotta vipe under your stuff there, if y'don't mind." .
"There's no need," Leifang insisted, holding back a frown. "I've already done this part."
"It's all streaky." Francesca smirked, facing the table. "Need to give a good scrub with the spary, get all them marks off it." She made no show of stopping, all but forcing Leifang to hoist her latte before a collision occurred. Was she trying to imply she hadn't cleaned her mess well enough, or something?
Now dried off as good as possible, Hitomi scrunched the paper towels in her hand and added them to the pile sitting off to the side. She pulled her shoulders inwards, cocking her head at Leifang.
"Don't worry," Hitomi said. "Fran takes her job really seriously."
"That she does," came her friend's rapid agreement, now cleaning towards the opposing end of the table. "Best damn vworker they've got in this place."
Hitomi gave an exaggerated shake of her head, eyes on Francesca. "Nah, I think Nadia takes that title. You're more like, the second best worker."
"The second best worker?" The woman's voice rose high - she did not stop cleaning.
Hitomi repeated, "The second best worker." She lifted her own mug, allowing her friend to clean beneath it.
"The second best?!"
"The second best!"
"Well then — if that's the case, there's only one thing for it." Now finished, Francesca emptied her hands and picked up a small waste bag she'd left on her seat earlier. Hitomi leaned to one side in her seat, following the blonde woman's every movement.
"You mean, you're gonna step up your game?" she said. "Work even harder and prove you're number one?"
"Nah." Flicking the bag open, Francesca disposed of the paper towels inside, and then bent down eyebrow-raisingly close to Hitomi's face, their noses practically touching each other. "I'm jus' gonna have t'make Nadia quit her job instead. Winner by default!"
Whatever sound came rushing out from Hitomi's core - while her 'friend' broke away and took long, hasty strides with trash in tow —- Leifang had never heard anything like it from her best friend before. She'd heard her laugh, obviously - the two of them together were like a unified giggle factory — but not like this.
She could only blink. She'd almost forgotten she still had her mug raised needlessly off the table, and as Leifang returned it she caught Hitomi's stare, the brunette acting innocent, trying to hide that she was, beneath all her layers, a rotten, no-good witch.
Hitomi leaned her wicked little self forward, hands stretching down beneath the table and between her knees. She tilted her head one way. "Look, I'm sorrrrry, Lei-Lei–" Then the other "-okay?"
Right now, her best friend's voice scratched like nails on a chalkboard. Always had to be wary whenever Hitomi busted out the cutesy nicknames in conversation.
"I didn't think you were gonna take it this badly." The brunette's mouth stretched into a thin line. "Don't look so angry."
"I'm—!" Leifang paused, knitting her brow. She calmly snatched her latte and held it before her, said "I'm not angry," and then furiously occupied her mouth. The coffee was milky, and robust, and had a hint of sweetness - and right now it all tasted so damn sour.
For a moment, Hitomi hung her head. Her bangs flowed down, hiding her face from Leifang - but the brunette's reflection bounced off the glass table. She appeared— lost. Deep within the forests of thought. When she looked up again, however, her expression was perky, familiar.
"You know what - it was pretty mean, actually." Hitomi pulled her lips to one side. "But that doesn't mean you had to splurt coffee all over us, y'know?"
Leifang took another drink, swallowed. "I didn't— mean to. I. Sorta knew that you were kidding anyway," she lied. "But hearing your, uhh, your friend say it out loud caught me off guard."
"Aye, my bad there," came the light voice of Francesca from behind, surprising Leifang for the third time that morning. She never seemed capable of hearing this woman's footsteps, even against the hard flooring. The blonde set the paper roll and the glass cleaning spray from her chair onto the table, then plopped herself down once more.
"Could've picked a better time to spring it on ye," Francesca went on, her back straight and resting one arm atop the other on the table. "Like– maybe when my hand wasn't right in front of you too, you know?"
Leifang wrapped her fingers around the porcelain mug, regarded the pale woman with a studious gaze. Even in her seat, the blonde was at least one head taller, and seemed to hold her face in a state of perpetual, jeering amusement. Leifang found it deeply unpleasant.
"That was rather unfortunate," Leifang said, softening her tone. She smirked back, though not so much as to reveal her lack of sympathy. Like Francesca admitted - her timing was poor, so it wasn't her fault that this woman's hand got completely drenched. She raised her chin at Hitomi who still leaned forward in her seat, her shoulders bunched even tighter together, lips flat but relaxed. If the karateka was attempting to make herself look cute, it wasn't working.
"Ahhhh well." Francesca shrugged, mimicking Hitomi as she held her shoulders in place, before slamming them back into place. "These things happen. Couldn't tell ye how many times I've caught a wee spittle or two from a customer." Slowly, her face turned decidedly more friendly. "No use holdin' any grudges over it, aye?"
"Yeah," Hitomi chimed in, shifting in her seat. "It was only an accident. And y'know, maybe we did deserve it a little." She poked her 'friend' on her forearm - and Leifang wanted to stay livid at her wrinkly, horrid hag of a best friend for the trick she had pulled… but she couldn't. If Hitomi wanted to treat it like revenge for spoiling her chicken, then Leifang would let her have the victory. But only this once.
"Dunno 'bout that, but—" the woman sniffed, looked to Hitomi, then back to Leifang "-we sure got what we got."
Leifang struggled to not furrow her brow. Francesca scratched her arm, thin and exposed thanks to her short sleeved t-shirt. Compared to Hitomi, she severely lacked any discernible muscle tone. Though they barely moved, Leifang could sense the woman's green eyes wandering all over her.
With defiant pride Leifang regarded her, gracefully raising her latte. "Yeah. Let's not talk of it anymore. Though I'm happy you two could find something to laugh about." She glared - softly - at Hitomi. The brunette stared back, evenly tempered. "Even if it was at me— acting a fool, you know?" Ohhhh, sour. Bitter.
"Ach, not at allllll," Francesca said, splaying a hand on her notably flat chest. "You've no idea how honoured I am – seriously." Leifang's face hardened - and in reaction Francesca's eased up further. "It's not every day yer able to go up to someone and say 'I shared some second-hand coffee with a vworld famous martial artist!' - know-what-I-mean?"
"Ahem, ahem?" Hitomi coughed - phonetically - as she held onto her own mug. "We've drank coffee together, y'know."
"Hitomi's only half-famous." Francesca grinned, eyes on Leifang but tilting her head towards the karateka. "Doesn't count."
"Hey!" Hitomi pointed an accusing finger at the back of the blonde's head, sneering. "She's only one of the best darn fighters in the whole darn universe!"
"Ahhh, Hitomi– don't you mean-" Francesca swivelled slowly to face Hitomi, who sneered even deeper "-the second best fighter?"
Hitomi gasped - shocked, offended –- and then…. again. Leifang's best friend lost her composure in a way she had never before witnessed. Francesca chuckled beside her, evidently humoured by the brunette's reaction over… what? A stupid joke? Because she just laughed so easily, so freely? Because…
Because they were making fun of her?
Or something?
She didn't know.
Leifang could only stare, watch as Hitomi came down from her high, and then— froze, whenever the brunette's shining blue eyes met hers, her raised cheeks reddened by mirth, huffing out the last few, staggered chuckles from her system, before finally saying–
"Yeah, it's true." Hitomi winked at her, and smiled so, so sweetly. "'Cause Leifang's way better."
She kept her face hard as stone. Under any other circumstance, Leifang would've taken the karateka at her word - believed that she actually meant what she said. But now? In the presence of this— pale one sitting in-between them? After the— lie? they had formed between themselves, specifically to be inflicted upon her?
No. No, Hitomi wasn't like that. Maybe she did truly think it would've been funny, having spoken next to nothing about her own attempts at relationships - while Leifang struggled so brazenly and for so tremendously long to discover exactly where she stood with Jann Lee - only to suddenly reveal that she had someone else in her life this entire time. Hitomi simply wouldn't lie to her that way.
Her 'friend' however…
Leifang considered herself a good judge of character, and if there was one thing that stood out to her right away about this little blonde-haired girl? She enjoyed talking.
And so did Leifang, once she got going.
She beamed at Hitomi, then at the other girl. "Well, I am pretty strong–" she flexed her muscles, then focused eyes on her best friend "–but I gotta admit, Hitomi's punches are on another level."
"Awww–" Hitomi shook her head, sent her hair swinging. "You're just trying to butter me up. You've still won most of our sparring matches, you know." A familiar earnestness returned to Hitomi's face.
"Hm. Maybe," Leifang said, fingers at rest against her latte. "But climbing up the tournament ladder is a whole different story, and I, ahh," she shifted her lips, looking down through the glass table. "I'd say that's definitely Hitomi's territory."
Goodness… she felt her pride cry out in agony— but right now it was a price she was willing to pay.
"Ohhh, c'mon now," The karateka's grey trainer reached out to Leifang's leg, tapped her twice. "You're gonna make me blush."
"Aye," the blonde girl said, now sounding… almost pleasant. "If there's one thing Hitomi's real good at, it's climbin' ladders." She huffed a small laugh. "Shoulda seen her vwhen she was helpin' fix the roof of her Da's dojo. Up and down those ladders like a vwee skittery spider."
Leifang frowned in curiosity. The blonde finally relinquished her attention from her and gave it instead to Hitomi, grinned openly at the karateka who attempted to hide her shy smile behind the back of her hand. She wasn't succeeding.
Francesca continued her story, turning to Leifang with a gleeful glint in her green eyes.
"Sure, she was up there with all the repair lads and everything – they're banging away with their wee hammers or whatever—"
and the blonde banged an invisible hammer on thin air for emphasis
"-then this one comes up beside them–"
nodded at Hitomi
"-rolls up her sleeves, down on her knees, just turns to them and goes 'Alright lads? Gimmie somma those tools there, I'll help you out,' and they're all lookin' between each other, going 'Who's this girl? Vwhere'd she come from?'-"
By now, Hitomi had hidden herself within the crook of her elbow propped against the table – and Francesca's face glowed as she witnessed her.
'-'She's not goin' away— like, what's the deal here?'" she went on, in-character. She faced Leifang, acted with animated hands
"-and by that point they're getting scared, you know? Like, they've got their boss up there too —"
She wagged an angry fist in the air
"-'We're not insured for this wee lass here! You needa get rid of her now!' and to be fair, they tried, they tried real hard! –"
She splayed a hand out, right atop her heart
"-but Hitomi's standin' her ground like 'Now you just watch yourselves lads, my Da owns this place, and I'm not going anywhere! I know vwhat I'm doin'!' "
Hitomi's head bonked the table right beside her coffee mug, her body started to bounce, the sweetest muffled laugh escaping from inside her.
Leifang had to smile.
"Gott — how long ago was that now," Francesca mused, looking up towards the white-painted ceiling of the cafe. "Early last year sometime? Wasn't it?" She directed the questions at the brunette, and even with her forehead pressed against the table, she clearly nodded 'Yes'.
Then, Hitomi looked up at Leifang —- and goodness was her face on fire. "There was a— heheh, uh — a seriously bad storm around, uhm — that February, I think— around that time." Hitomi's mouth twitched, as though trying to hold back more laughter. "And my papa's dojo is in kind-of a— an old residential area. Someone's satellite dish came loose and just—" she crashed her right palm against her left "-right into the side of the roof. Had to cancel classes for a week until we could get it fixed."
Leifang shook her head. By this point, she couldn't even remember what had instigated this entire tale of the mundane. "But you climbing up to help and everything— all of that's true? Seriously?"
"Yeah," Hitomi said, her face lit up brighter than a floating lantern. "I mean, really?- I'm not sure I was actually much help to them, and Fran likes to— exaggerate a lot, but —" Hitomi giggled, and then shrugged one shoulder. "It's more or less what happened."
"Nonono," Francesca said, shaking her head. "It's exactly what happened. I vwas there - like, not up there vworkin' with her or anything," she scratched her cheek, "but I was helpin' out around the place. Once they found out I was 'er friend, they were tryin' to get me to go get her down. And I'm just like," she flattened her lips, wagged her head again, "nope, she's made her mind now up. She's not goin' anywhere for anybody."
Hitomi giggled, twisted her head towards Leifang. "What she really means is she didn't wanna climb up cause she's scared of heights."
"Here now, girl!" Francesca clicked her fingers at the karateka. "Don't go givin' away all me weaknesses now." Her hand twisted, pointed. "Don't forget I've got dirt on you, too."
"Yeah-yeah." Hitomi licked her lips, grinned. "But just for the record, I'm also pretty sure I've never said 'Alright lads' " - she tried her friend's 'accent' – "even once in my whole life."
"Sure you have." Francesca brought her hand back down, nodded. "Just there now."
Blinking a few times, Hitomi looked across the table at both of them, as though she didn't understand. Francesca quietly nodded even deeper.
But Leifang laughed - silently, within herself. She couldn't help but think that everything the big-eared woman had said sounded—- exactly like the Hitomi she knew.
She recalled how the brunette had acted before the fifth DOA tournament, during their training adventure and their short-term, unofficial, ahhh – employment at a circus in New York, the eagerness with which the karateka sauntered around the construction site, offering her assistance like a bored working dog, its tail wagging at the mere thought of being useful to its owner. They kindly rejected her offers, but it ended with the next best thing for her very best friend - the chance to get chatting with the animal ringmaster and to 'befriend' herself to a tiger she'd taken a shine to.
The circus called him Rupert, but Hitomi had named him Tigger.
Leifang laid eyes onto Hitomi's friend. She… hated to admit it, but. She might have misjudged— to an extent. Something about the blonde woman gave off an aura of— hostility. Towards her, specifically, for she absolutely did not appear to direct that same energy towards Hitomi. She simply would not have told her little story the way she did otherwise – unless she secretly hated the karateka's guts, or something.
Leifang locked eyes with Francesca again - for only a moment. She noticed the small, sky blue hair clip that kept her hair in place behind her left ear. Just as briefly, they smiled at each other, though Leifang only did it out of politeness.
And she figured Francesca did it for much the same reason. Despite all the newfound softness in the blonde's expression, her smile was so transparently, intentionally false that Leifang found it concerning. She would never show that meagre discomfort, of course. Never even mind for Hitomi's sake, no - she simply wouldn't expose herself in the presence of some commoner she had only today been introduced to.
But she didn't need to be a Genius to figure it out.
Hitomi's friend had a serious problem with her. Her attempted handshake alone had been enough to give it away.
But Leifang didn't know why.
Certainly not just because she had 'second-handed' coffee directly from her mouth and onto pale-skinned fingers. Something deeper drove it.
Arrogance? Fear? Jealousy?
She could only see it as a tricky dilemma. This woman could tell her things about Hitomi - the things she didn't know about her best friend that she would like to know. Prying that information out, however… that might take a little finesse, a touch of grace, a dash of charm..
Luckily, Leifang had no shortage in any of them. She only needed the opportunities to utilise them.
And then, for seemingly no reason, Hitomi burst out laughing. Leifang looked - frowning. Francesca only glanced. They waited for Hitomi to settle as she sat up straight, rubbed a hand over her face, and then flicked attention between the two of them.
"Hi," she said, and then smiled.
And instead of asking why she was laughing, Francesca said – "Hel-loooo."
The brunette scratched her head. "What were we talking about again?"
"Dunno." Francesca shrugged. "The weather, or somethin'."
"Hmm." Hitomi nodded. "Probably."
Leifang said nothing. Pursed her lips awkwardly. She suddenly remembered she was sitting in a cafe halfway across the world, with her best friend and her best friend's friend, and so far the only thing she'd brought to the table came in the form of a shotgun blast from her mouth. Could've lived without that happening, truthfully - but it's still their fault for trying to trick her the way they did.
"So, Leifang," Francesca said. Her apron rustled as she leaned back casually in her seat. "Has Hitomi shown you the battleplan yet?"
"Hmm?" Leifang snapped her head back in confusion. "Battleplan?"
"She means the, uhh, holiday itinerary," Hitomi clarified, pressing onto the arm of her own seat. Her face was still beet red. "We haven't, like, set up our own tournament or anything, if that's what you're thinking."
"Oh." Leifang nodded gently, then laughed quietly. "All I heard was, ah, 'battle', y'know?"
"Aye, ears must've just perked right up," Francesca added. "I'm guessin' 'No', though."
"Not yet," Hitomi said. She tapped her fingers against the table. "We're, uhhhh. I got a bit sidetracked this morning. We're out getting stuff for lunch first."
For the second time now, Leifang didn't fail to notice how the karateka hadn't implicated her as the reason for their current quest for chicken breasts. But she certainly did give Leifang 'That Look' again. Goodness, was there any forgiveness in this witch at all?
"Ahhh, takin' Leifang to Lidl's for your first date, are ye?" Hitomi rolled her eyes, but Francesca winked at the Leifang in question. "Yeah, she knows all the best spots."
Leifang blinked. Date? she thought. "Lidl?" she said.
"They probably don't have them in Hong Kong," Hitomi said, directing it to Francesca.
The blonde scrunched her eyes up, looked off somewhere behind Leifang. "I thought they were all over the vworld now."
"I dunno. Beats me."
"Gonna have t'look that up later." Francesca snapped back to Leifang, looking awfully amused. "You ever stepped foot inside a supermarket before?"
Leifang's lips puckered, eyes narrowing. "Pardon?"
"Fraaan," Hitomi protested. She reached across, brow creased as she gave the blonde's arm a featherly tap.
"I'm jokin'!" She flicked an equally gentle hand back at the brunette. "Of course she has. Everybody has!" Cornered eyes found Leifang as Francesca threw out a rising nod. "Isn't that right, Leifang?"
Leifang's eyes flickered. She swallowed. "Ah. Absolutely." A rising heat began to burn her cheeks. How did she…?
"We're not going to Lidl anyway," Hitomi said, flopping back on her seat, scratching the back of her neck. "Their chicken sucks."
"Chicken? Girl, their chicken doesn't suck." Francesca started laughing to herself. "They —-"
Hitomi's eyes widened suddenly. She looked at her friend, shook her head vigorously.
"-they sell only the finest cuts of cock in the—"
"Fraaaan!" Hitomi snorted, hid her nose behind the back of her hand, then started rubbing as if it would convince Leifang she wasn't actually laughing, really. "We have a guest."
"Wha?" The blonde grinned wide. "You not like roosters, Leifang?"
"Uhhh…"
"Fran." Hitomi narrowed one eye, angled her head. "If you keep talkin' I'm gonna have to kick you in the shins – yeah?"
The blonde quickly threw her hands up in submission. "Alright, okay – I'll stop." And yet, she kept grinning at Leifang. "Once she starts threatenin' your legs, you know that's vwhen you've gone too far."
"You're darn right!" Hitomi pointed at Francesca, then quickly retracted before her friend could pinch her index finger. "Leifang doesn't need to hear your dirty jokes."
No matter how out-of-place she felt watching the two of them, Leifang couldn't help but stretch out a smile at the karateka's naivety. Oh Hitomi…
Her blonde friend, on the other hand, looked at her knowingly. "I'm sure she's got a few of her own," she said. "Maybe she'll even share them, someday. Now, listen girls–" She slapped her knees and stood up - and only now, sitting in her shadow, did Leifang realise just how tall this woman was. "I'd better get back to work. They'll all be panicking without me, you know?"
Hitomi craned her neck back. "You mean you weren't on a break?"
"Think that ended about five minutes ago." She smoothed down her apron, turned to Hitomi with a hand on her hip. "But you know how time goes once you get talkin', yeah?"
"Heh. Yeah."
Then the woman turned to Leifang. Towered over her. Reluctantly, she looked up to meet her eyes. Francesca smiled.
"For real, Leifang– it's been lovely meetin' you," she said, and to her credit, she sounded genuine. "You'll forgive us for the, ahm— the wee trick at the start, won't ye? Quite frankly, I think her top looks much better that way." She looked off towards Hitomi. The brunette shrugged, looked down as she tugged at her tank top.
"Yeah. Fashion statement," she said, smiling toothily.
Leifang cleared her throat and shifted back on her seat, straightening herself even further. "It's— been nice meeting you as well," she said. "Hopefully we'll get to know each other better soon. I'm looking forward to, ah," she forced out a smile of her own, "to whatever you've all got planned out."
The blonde only nodded once in answer. She looked down at Leifang's unfinished latte. "I'll take that mug back here – coffee's probably cold by now anyway." Then she smirked. "Not unless you like that sort of thing."
"Uh," Leifang said, trying to decipher if the woman meant anything by that. She drew no conclusion. "No. You can take it away, thank you."
"Oh— crap," Hitomi blurted out, looking at her own coffee mug as though it had teleported in front of her. "Forgot all about mine." Then, after a swift swirling of her spoon, she downed it all in two large gulps - and coughed as she brought the mug away after the second.
Francesca huffed a breath. "That good, girl?"
"I'm not wasting money," Hitomi said, grimacing, one eye closed tight. "Did ya just dump a whole bag of sugar in it this time?"
"Made it the same as ever." Francesca scratched her shoulder as she stepped back. "My coffee's only good when it's hot, girl. You wanna finish Leifang's, too?"
Her other eye shut as she shook her head. "No— I'd rather not be sick, thanks."
Her answer received, Francesca put the paper roll and glass cleaner beneath her arm, collected both coffee vessels, then backed away. "Now you two go enjoy the rest of your day. And don't be going startin' fights in the middle of the street, y'hear?"
Hitomi opened her eyes, then giggled innocently - a sound more familiar to Leifang's ears. "No worrying – we can restrain ourselves." Her sparkling blue eyes found Leifang, head tilting - then she spoke dangerously low. "Until we can get somewhere more private, at least."
Hitomi! Leifang had to fight back a blush. Did she even think before sh—
"Girl," Francesca said, interrupting Leifang's train of thought, "you really need to pick your words more carefully."
…and then finished driving it for her. Leifang didn't know whether to be impressed or frightened.
The brunette darted her attention to Francesca only a short distance away, palms outstretched. "What? What was wrong with that?"
"I dunno, Hitomi," Francesca said. "Privacy? Restrainin'? Sounds like you're carrying rope with you right now."
"Ach– Gott!" Hitomi threw her hands up and her torso back. "It's not my fault you're always swimmin' in the gutter!"
"Not always — have to come up to breathe sometimes, yeah?"
Hitomi shook her head — soooo disappointed. And Leifang shook hers in kind, to herself – so, so confused. Sometimes, this little witch was like a puzzle to her - knew exactly what she was doing while simultaneously oblivious. And her friend seemed to encourage it…
"Right! I'm goin'!" The blonde girl announced, then strode backwards, gently wagging one of the mugs at them before turning. "Ciao-ciao!"
"Ciao!" Hitomi waved enthusiastically back as her friend disappeared around the corner, then slumped back into her seat, sighing as if in relief. Leifang brushed her fingers through her bangs, looking out the windows on her left to the streets outside. The day had only gotten brighter since they entered.
"Sorry," Hitomi said, chair squeaking as she shifted forwards. She propped her elbow on the table, rested her cheek against her fist, staring off somewhere past Leifang. "Fran can be pretty rude sometimes."
"Hah." Leifang shook her head. "No, It's okay. She seems, uh." She hesitated.
And she must have taken a few seconds too long to answer, because Hitomi flitted eyes to her, nodded firmly against her fist and said, "Yeah. She'll grow on you." Then she smiled brightly, and bent her fist to check her wristwatch. "We should get going now, though. My breasts are getting lonely. Still waitin' for me out there, y'know?"
"Hitomi…"
"What?"
Leifang stared blankly. Hitomi stared back - and before Leifang could say anything else, the brunette flashed a lopsided grin and stood, her chair squealing on the floor as it pushed backwards. She bounded past Leifang, tapping her on the shoulder as she went. "C'mon!"
Oh— sometimes, this girl was just too much…
Before Leifang could even stand and retrieve her handbag, Hitomi had already reached the front door. She turned, gave an energetic peace sign in the direction of the cafe counter, then beckoned Leifang before stepping outside.
Leifang, comparatively, felt absolutely drained, like she'd aged fifty years in the space of half-an-hour. She took a moment to catch her breath, fix her blouse, check her cheeks, then took off towards the exit.
Curiosity forced her sight towards the service counter - and there she saw Hitomi's freckled friend, alone and leaning on the counter, staring off into the far distance as though she longed to be anywhere else at that moment. Then she caught Leifang's eye, and stared. She brushed fingers through the unclipped side of her hair, catching it behind her other ear, then swiped a single, sharp wave in Leifang's direction
and smiled at her.
Leifang raised a hand in kind, and returned an expression back – But, she did not know what expression she gave. And neither did not linger long enough to figure it out. A cooling breeze smacked her face as she exited onto the footpath, followed quickly by Hitomi clasping a hand on her shoulder, and pressing her face closer. Lavender and strong coffee assaulted Leifang's nose as her best friend hardened her gaze.
"By the way," she said cheerfully, then pointed at her bold new designer tank top, courtesy of Leifang. "I forgive ya." With a clothing-padded slap to Leifang's shoulder, she walked on - and feeling as though she had no other option available, the tourist followed the tour guide.
—-
CunningHam.M: Second hand coffee?
What're you talking about
StabbersTDC: She feckin spat on me, Mikey.
All over my hand
Like it WAS an accident I guess but still
Splashed some on Hitomi too. Didn't even say sorry
CunningHam.M: Franny half the world's population has a 'saying sorry' problem
It was just a natural reaction to seeing you
Should've done worse, I say
Bit your fingers off
StabbersTDC: She could snap me clean in two if she felt like it. That's kinda the problem here.
CunningHam.M: Perhaps
Don't see why she'd do that all things considered
Unless she's especially inclined towards random acts of aggression
StabbersTDC: idk I've heard stories.
Don't kno what to think tbh but Hitomi really seems to like her so
CunningHam.M: Then try not to piss her off
God knows I'm going to have trouble managing that one myself
If she was going to do something though, I'd rather she just bit your fingers off
Not for any real reason, just on principle
Because you were in the same room at the same time as her
StabbersTDC: Goddamn never mind worrying about this Leifang girl rn
What's your issue with my fingers
CunningHam.M: They're still attached to your hands
I'd call that a pretty big issue
And somebody's got to resolve it
StabbersTDC: Come and bite them yourself then big lad
CunningHam.M: Can't
I'm on a diet
StabbersTDC: Coward
Have you met her already btw?
CunningHam.M: Briefly
Saw them heading out this morning
StabbersTDC: What do you make of her?
CunningHam.M: Dunno. Seemed alright
Didn't say much
Probably needs a bit of time to get adjusted
Lil' rich girl among the common folk and all
StabbersTDC: Aye. Maybe.
Did you bring it up then?
CunningHam.M: No
Hoping Hitomi keeps quiet about it too
You're worried about getting snapped in two?
Could end up being my reality
StabbersTDC: lol well, I wouldn't be gluing you back together that's for sure
CunningHam.M: Wouldn't trust you anyway
Look aren't you supposed to be working, Franny-girl?
Going back and forth a lot here
StabbersTDC: Aren't YOU, Mikey-boy?
CunningHam.M: I already am working
Talking to you is like a second job
And you won't even pay me