Nestled within a ten-minute walk from Meguro Station and surrounded by trendy urban shops, Mokachino was a coffee shop adored by schoolgirls and young women alike. For half a decade, its youthful ambience and continuously refined menu had made it a popular hotspot in the city. However, what set it apart was not just the scrumptious, blog-worthy food and cosy environment, but also its attractive employees.
Like many other girls, Yuuji thought Mokachino was a place of love.
Often, his eyes scanned the familiar interior, spotting the captivating chalkboard menu and the cosy ambience that had charmed him from the very first day. He couldn't help but feel a warm sensation in his heart, knowing that he would always catch a glimpse of the one he longed for, the reason for his frequent visits.
Kenji, with his raven-black hair and piercing gaze, was the epitome of calm and collected. He exuded an air of sophistication that drew people in, and Yuuji found himself irresistibly attracted to this enigmatic side of him.
He thought it was enough for him to only see Kenji from afar. But little did he expect that his life would take on a fairytale-like twist when he encountered his love in front of Kaoru's grave.
Curious, Yuuji asked, "Uhm… are you close to him?"
For the first time, Kenji's expression deviated from his usual demeanour. He rose and turned to face Yuuji, who was nearly at eye level.
"We were childhood friends," Kenji replied.
The crease between his eyebrows, almost hidden behind his raven-black fringe, hinted that he wanted to ask more questions.
Recognizing this, Yuuji added, "Kaoru-san must be happy to know you're still taking care of him."
Kenji widened his eyes.
Standing in front of him was an unfamiliar boy, who seemed to have a connection with Kaoru. There was no other guess he could find, but to believe Yuuji was Kaoru's younger brother.
But Yuuji was unaware of that. He was beyond excited that Kenji finally noticed him. Although he kept it composed on the surface, deep down, he felt an overwhelming surge of emotions, as if standing on the edge of a cliff, ready to confess his true feelings.
Although part of him wanted to rush back to Sakamoto and share the unexpected encounter, he didn't want the conversation to end so quickly.
He wanted to cherish every moment he spent with Kenji.
"I wish… I could know more about him," he said.
With a soft chuckle, Yuuji awkwardly looked away from Kenji's eyes and fixed his gaze on Kaoru's gravestone, adorned with a jizo statue. He then bowed down to offer incense sticks and some imagawayaki.
As he ladled water from a wooden tub and poured it over the grave, Yuuji found Kenji standing beside him.
Almost subconsciously, he looked up to his left.
"What kind of imagawayaki is that?" Kenji asked, peering deeply at the stone in front of him.
"Uh… it's red bean."
"He loved the ones stuffed with chocolate more."
"Eh?"
Yuuji was stunned, his face frozen as time seemed to stand still. Yet, every second ticked away as Kenji lowered himself and looked to his right.
"What's your name?" Kenji asked.
The question seemed to linger in the air with an underlying curiosity. The atmosphere around them felt charged with an inexplicable magnetism, as if their paths had intertwined, guided by fate itself.
Even though deep down, Yuuji was thrilled by it, he tried to make himself as calm as possible.
Answering Kenji's question, he replied, "Yuuji— Furuta Yuuji."