February 4-5, 2022
Word: Eat
The long-awaited weekend welcomed me with open arms. Finding time to pass the time, watching anime and reading manga became difficult as the final examination before summer vacation approaches. While the pressure to maintain my grades by diligently studying weighs on my back, I should be relishing these days with a grin on my face. However, because a prior plan to eat out with my classmates has been made, that would be impossible.
As the sound of the train on tracks approached, the nostalgic tune of the alarms resounded as the railway gates descended, blocking the crossway to ensure the safety of the pedestrians. As the train passed by, I took a glance beside me.
Knee-length dark flared skirt fluttered in the wind. Raising my gaze, the sight of a partially buttoned shirt revealing cleavage turned my face red. Blocking the sunlight with the palm of her hand, she noticed me eyeballing her, stretching her mouth into a grin. Saki, who invested her time in learning the world of normies, showed the fruits of her labor. Though, I personally think should use that time to manage her grades.
As the gates slowly raised, Saki skipped ahead of me, turning around and facing towards me. Walking backwards, she said, "What do you think? Don't I look beautiful?"
Following her steps, I said, "Better than before, at least."
She swiveled, whipping her tied up brown hair, and jumped back to my side.
"I'm glad," she said, copying my pace of walking.
"You're awfully energetic for someone who was bedridden for days."
"I was told I have a resilient immune system," she giggled, grinning.
"Then how did you get sick in summer, idiot," I retorted.
"Oh shut up," she pouted.
It was an enlightening experience visiting the Nakagawa residence. The relationship between the siblings, I assume, has not been hitting off nowadays. Considering both are introverts who willingly avoid contact with other people, I bet they won't get along without encouragement from other people. They have such a lively mother compared to them.
The youngest has an unusual hobby watching foreign action movies, though personally I like watching them sometimes, while the eldest loves reading shoujo manga. Acceptable hobbies for my taste. Although, I would not know how their peers would respond. Except for Hasegawa-san. She looks like someone who reads shoujo manga.
And lastly, entering a female classmate's room.
"How adorable," a voice echoed as I reminded myself of the feeling of our tongues intertwined, exchanging our saliva as the kiss went on.
While her lewd expression excited me, I shook my head, making myself forget the risqué memory. My face felt hot as I took a glimpse of the confused expression of Saki.
"It should be around here somewhere," Saki whispered as she darted around the buildings.
It's such a mystery for me. How can she be so oblivious to what transpired during my visit? Is this her way of poking fun at me? To make me agonize over a trivial matter? Or did she really forget? Either way, her typically easy to read expressions became harder to read. Just what are you thinking, Saki?
"We're here!" Saki yelled, tugging my sleeves.
Shaking off my thoughts, I take in what was before me. Towering over me was a building multiple stories high. With the lack of sign boards nor advertisements pointing towards this place, suspicion arises within me. While the buildings beside it screamed "this is a cafe" aesthetic, this one definitely appeared like an abandoned building.
"Are you sure we're at the right location?" I asked, glaring at her. Is she teasing me again?
"Stop making fun of me," she pouted. "I went here with Maho before. It's not a mistake!"
I took another glimpse at the cafe beside it. With a western design, It captures the image of a cafe seen in foreign countries. My mouth watered as I stared at the sign containing pictures of blends and desserts. Taking a look inside, few customers indulge in their cups of coffee. Walking past my vision was a waitress dressed with a suit and tie, bowing at me. They must assume that we plan to enter their establishment, to which I a hundred percent agree.
"Isn't it this one?" I said pointing at the cafe beside the building.
"I said that's not it!" she yelled, grabbing my arm and pulling it towards her chest.
Sandwiched in between her chest was my arm caressing the mysterious sensation of the cloth of the clothes and the muscle under it. As she continued to drag me towards the steps leading inside the building, I averted my gaze away from her.
Gesturing to follow her, she said. "The cafe is inside. Just follow me or else you won't eat some delicious pastries."
"Alright alright," I said, following her steps.
Letting out a sigh, I raised my head to check whether we were going in the right direction. Laid in front of me was cloth underneath her skirt. Dark cotton shorts meant to hide what's underneath. However, because of sudden embarrassment, I quickly lowered my gaze, looking at her black and white sneakers. While I'm familiar with my sister playing tricks with me like flashing her undergarments, I get flustered when it comes to women outside my family.
"Seiji?" a tap to the shoulder caught my attention. "Welcome to tasty crumbs cafe!"
Stretching her hands towards a conspicuous entrance decorated to catch the eye of enthusiasts, the door sign sent a warning in my head saying, "Don't open it."
Outside was a sign filled with a variety of pastries, dessert, and blends indulged in a special manner. According to the sign, a few magic words recited by the waitress would turn the dish exceptionally delicious. Reading the magic words written on the sigh nauseated me. Even more reason to avoid this place.
"Shall we enter?" Saki said, already turning the doorknob without my permission.
"Waitー!"
"Welcome back, master," the voice of multiple girls greeted as the bells of the entrance door rang throughout the store.
Darting around the cafe, several customers, who were mostly sweaty old men, wore the same delighted expression. The table near the entrance had their dish "enchanted" with the magic words recited by a waitress wearing a revealing outfit meant to satisfy the visitors of the shop. "Moe moe kyun~" as those words left the lips of the waitress, a chill went down my spine, cringing at everything.
The waitresses wore a short black dress together with a frilly white apron and headband, and overknee socks to emphasize the "absolute territory," the area of bare skin between the socks and the miniskirt. Obviously, it's a maid outfit which I don't feel excited about. Because of the increasing appeal of such characters in anime and manga, establishments such as these became popular to Otakus like me. In other words, this was a maid cafe. I can't believe I saw the day I visited one. Can't be me.
"The couple finally arrived," Hasegawa-san teased, smacking my back with the palm of her hand. "I'll guide you to the table."
"Why did you not mention the part where you worked in a maid cafe?" I asked, glaring with my arms folded.
"Considering you love your two dimensional cartoons, I assume you love this place, especially if you have such fetish. Am I wrong?"
"Very," I said, pushing my glasses in. "As a matter of fact, I don't understand the appeal of turning fantasy into reality. Most of the time, 2D is much more attractive than 3D."
A stinging sensation made me flinch, as If my skin was being stretched. At the edge of my eye, I saw the culprit. It was Saki pulling my ear with a glare, her eyes twitching in anger.
"Nevermind your otaku talk. Aren't we here to eat?" Saki whispered condescendingly.
Letting out a sigh, I said, "Fine. Hasegawa-san is treating us anyway. But in one condition. Don't you dare do that to me."
"Do what?" Hasegawa-san tilted her head.
I pointed at the words on the sign. Mouthing the words, she understood what I meant to say.
"I wouldn't dare say it in front of my friends anyways. That would be hella embarrassing," she chuckled, catching the attention of the customers. "Enough small-talk, let the servant attend to the master's needs."
Guiding us to our seats, we were seated near the stage, where the maids occasionally performed singing and dancing to cute songs. Though I understand the appeal, for three dimensional girls to do it feels wrong to me. Therefore, I pray they would never perform today.
"Please wait here until your orders arrive," Hasegawa-san beamed.
"Wait, we haven't ordered yet," I said.
"Don't worry, I already ordered for you," she grinned, leaving the two of us alone.
I felt the atmosphere become heavy as time passed by. With the underlying mystery of Saki's feelings towards me after the kissing incident, I found myself drenched in sweat despite the cool air let out by the cafe's air conditioner. Everything was normal right until now. But I can't get the thought out of my head.
"I heard from mom that you visited our house," Saki said, making me flinch from anxiety. "She said that you went inside my room. Did you do anything while I was asleep?"
She doesn't remember? Or is she trying to make me lie? I still don't know, this is frustrating.
"Hasegawa-san made me deliver the handouts to you. So I-I just left the folder at your desk and went home," I lied, averting my gaze from hers.
"I was told you did more than that though?"
Is she telling me she remembered everything? Is she making fun of me? Saki is really bad when it comes to teasing me, so I cannot imagine her doing that. There must be something else that I haven't mentioned yet. Something her mother saw. What could it be…
"I checked your temperature." I said, which was half of the truth. "You were burning up so I called for your mother."
"Is that so?" Saki said, taking a sip of water. "Thank you for calling for my mother, I might have died if it weren't for you."
"I did what I could during the time, you don't need to thank me."
"Even so, I owe you one," she said, smiling, displaying white set of teeth.
So she forgot what happened. She was half-asleep and burning from the cold after all… So only I remembered what happened that day. I wonder what I would do about it. Should I tell her? Should I take it to the grave? Either way, It's embarrassing to even mention things like romance let alone kissing her.
"Sorry for the wait, master," Hasegawa-san appeared from behind, holding a tray of food on her palm. "Here is your special omelette rice, master."
Putting down the dish before me, I rolled my eyes as I read the words written in ketchup. "Moe moe kyun~" it said with a little heart. I cannot believe this woman.
"Wait for a little while for your order Saki, I want to give you the freshly baked one,"Hasegawa-san said, putting down a glass of chocolate milkshake.
"Thank you Maho!" Saki yelled, taking a long sip from the chocolate milkshake.
"Could you order me a nya nya parfait? I'll pay for it myself," I asked.
"Wow, it's surprising to see you like cute things, Seiji," Hasegawa-teased, sneering at me.
"I like chocolate. Plus I haven't had any parfait in a while so don't judge me," I glared, eating a spoonful of omelette.
"I understand. Then, enjoy your food as you wait, master," she winked.
Hasegawa-san left us with a tray of food in her hand, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth as I continued to chew the sweet omelette rice. Although this dish is the staple for maid cafes, It was surprisingly very delicious. This cafe, unlike other cafes in Akihabara, offers a variety of pastries instead of services from the maids, which was very unusual for a maid cafe. Either way, I can see myself visiting again for the food alone.
"Since when did you become close with Maho, Seiji? Saki asked, resting her chin on the palm of her hand.
"We are not close. She just likes to mess with me."
"So… just like you towards me during middle school?"
"I guess?"
"..."
Saki became silent. The sound of drinking her milkshake together with the gossip around the cafe filled the awkward silence. Halfway before finishing my dish, I took a glance at Saki. Her expression felt unusual, an expression I used to see back in middle school. She stared at the desk with lonely eyes, taking a sip from her drink. Did I do something to upset her?
"How's the food, master?" Hasegawa-san chuckled, handing out the pastries.
"It would taste better without you asking," I glared.
"The pastries are finally here!" Saki rejoiced with stars in her eyes.
As soon as Maho distributed the pastries, Saki recited a quick prayer of gratitude and immediately took a bite on the appetizing cream puffs. Her face melted in pleasure as she gnawed the pastries, stretching her mouth into a grin. Finishing the omelette rice, I caught myself staring at her delightful expression.
"Here's the parfait you wanted, master," Hasegawa placed the gracefully crafted parfait designed with a cute cat next to the empty plate.
Taking a bite from the parfait, I looked at Saki enjoying the pastries. The once lonely eyes from before turned into stars in a matter of seconds. Was it just my imagination?