The mundane streets fill with citizens walking. The highschooler walks out entering the streets as they finish their class. Some may head home, some stay in the club room, others may attend extra classes. Though the young spirited spend their time in the town, whether karaoke or dating with their love partner. It's common for the youth to take everything slowly, practically with a steady pace. And this morning, Reina Asakura just requested an invite to Yoko's delightful tea party at the cafe near the town where a statue of a cat stands.
"Yabai! I'm going to be late!!" Reina running the streets headed to the cafe. Soon after she arrived in panic if she were too late, but as she entered, emitting the clatter of people talking, she couldn't find where Yoko was. "Oh? She has not arrived yet." Reina felt a slight relief knowing she was not late the date. But as she tries to enter to take a seat, a similar voice talking teasingly behind her– "Nee, nee Darling?? Are you sure you are not into it? Hehe~" Reina averted slightly behind and saw a couple holding hands walking through the cafe cheerfully. Slowly as Reina turns to realize it was the same person she requested this morning!
*!?*
"Ah Darling, she is the one." Yoko appeared to point her finger at Reina. Reina was suddenly surprised by Yoko's appearance– "Err!?" She murmurs. But only a second later as her eyes viewed Yoko's figure from face to hand that was holding with a man. Reina thought for a moment– 'She brought someone along?' Though she quickly came to a conclusion, the man Yoko held might be her partner all along! And as eyes between Reina and Kael met she froze for a moment without a word to utter. She contemplated the moment from the previous moment where she saw Yoko at the cafe with her partner, but at that moment she didn't get a good look at Kael. But as this time their eyes met, Reina couldn't be more surprised and puzzled by suddenly meeting up with him for the first time. Reina confused thought– 'why did she bring her partner along!? Did I upset her?' She couldn't be more alert than ever without preparing for the unexpected outcome.
But as eyes linger a bit too deep staring at each other, Yoko flopped over in front of Kael, trying to avoid unnecessary eye contact. Yoko's face completely alters the shade in an unemotional facade. But out of the contrary, another voice seeped beside the three of them– "Ano okyakusama, could you not block the entry pretty please?" The waitress was wary and concerned when looking at them. And she finally brings them to their table.
A moment later in the table…
"Here is ice lemonade, this strawberry milkshake and this blueberry smoothie." The waitress put down the drink onto the table in front of them after a moment of awkwardness. They didn't talk at all after ordering to the waitress, somehow Kael playing the dude who just carries along with their partner while Yoko playing the romantic lover who is overjoyed by a sudden date. And as for Reina, she is just playing the third wheel of the scene.
Kael a moment of thought– 'well if she just gonna stay silent?' Kael questioned Yoko's demeanor who unbothered or slightly ignored the highschool girl. But on counterpart, Reina secretly observes the couple's behavior and while Reina leans slightly under the table to see that they are still holding hands. Reina thought– 'err.. It's he a bit of a possessive kind of man?' She gets back to look at Kael in a questionable face. While Kael in return avert his eyes outside the window. Then Reina eyes move at Yoko who was sipping her drink while making direct eye contact to Reina in yandere stare. Yoko seems to be fixated on holding hands but Reina didn't know that. All Reina could expect is that Kael is the overly possessive kind of man.
"Hem-hem." Reina doubles cough to gain their attention, breaking the awkwardness. All eyes looked to Reina and waited for her to speak. She uttered– "Well! This is awkward, haha! How about we start with names!?" She cheerfully tries to comfort them.
Yoko responds while lips sipping the straw– "I think starting with the reason you want me to be here first might be better." But Kael quickly reasoned with Yoko whispering– "Yoko, just play nice.." Kael tries to make the situation as friendly as possible. He continued– "Uh, my name is Kaito Fujita, but you can go with Kaito if you are comfortable."
Kael shows his friendliness toward Reina but only for Yoko to draw her hand over him to mutter– "No, you would call him Mr.Fujita." Yoko gives a direct order to Reina to emit Kael demeanor. At that moment, Reina noticed some bit of Yoko characteristic and had some ideas regarding her. Yoko continued– "Call me Yoko." She muttered nonchalantly, seemingly didn't bother with proper introduction or care about the whole conversation.
Although behind Yoko's nonchalant appearance, the truth is that she was overly upset for not knowing Kael had a different name used in public, instead of his real name. Her thoughts tossed around with questions like– 'Why did he use that name?? He didn't even tell me about any of this!' Yoko indeed knows how to hide her feelings, but Reina has her suspicions.
Reina quickly followed up with an introduction– "Onee-san, and Kaito-kun" Reina called Yoko her big sister, but as she muttered Kael name, her voice softer breeze, gentle like caringly lovers. Yoko is abruptly stunned by the sudden change in behavior, rethinking whether she misheard what Reina calls Kael. It deeply irritates Yoko's hinged wrinkle on her forehead.
Reina continued– "Let me introduce myself. My name is Reina Asakura. Onee-san you can call me whatever you want, but for Kaito-kun, you can call me Rei." Reina gently grins the end of her lips, grinning smile like those romantic chasers. Kael heard it was overly blunt and didn't bother to show that kind of facade where the man was embarrassed and overthinking about the girl's demeanor. Kael just slowly turned his head to look at Yoko who was hand gripping tight, drenched in sweat! Kael mind– 'She's gonna break my hand…'
Yoko finally gave her proper scolding to Reina– "Rei-chan..? Did you just call my man, Kaito-kun? Sorry did I misheard you?" Yoko's facade seemingly breaks down as everything goes. Reina smiled and answered– "Yes, I did call him Kaito-kun. It's that a problem?" Reina turned back asking Yoko was it a problem, but she continued to heed to the real person– "Kaito-kun? Do you dislike it if I call you that?"
Kael eyes avert looking over them to see what mistake he could make. He murmurs– "I'm.." But his eyes quickly look at Yoko to see whether she is okay. Finally he decided to just bluntly admit to not bother– "Certainly I don't mind being called that.." His eyes were still wary of how Yoko would react. But as the man said it himself, Reina muttered– "Yay! See? I will call you Kaito-kun from now on!" Though it reached the breaking point as Yoko ruptured– "Stop. Stop calling him that." Her whole demeanor cloudy in darkesh eyelashes.
Reina saw Yoko was on the point of breaking her character but she willingly teased further– "Hm? Kai..to-kun?" She slowly muttered…
*!?!?*
Then out of nowhere, Yoko slammed the table with her hands– screaming out loud her anger– "Why you have to call him that!?!?" As Yoko flares in anger, Kael realizes his hands were free, but nonetheless tries to calm her down from the side. In return Reina was shook a bit but proceeded to put her finger on her lips– "shshshsh!!! I'm just joking! Haha, I didn't mean it!" She giggles in humor because of Yoko's outburst. The whole cafe stuttered, the clatter of whispers gathered as finally the three of them calmed down.
Yoko heard Reina's joke as a clear indicator that she was probably trolling. Yoko mutters– "A joke? You seriously invited me here and now you're making a joke!? What do you want from me to begin with??" Yoko, who couldn't clear her mind, was confused by Reina's behavior. Seemingly couldn't believe whether Reina had any important reason to hold her here or just trolling at this point. The more time goes, the more annoyed Yoko gets when dealing with Reina.
Kael on the side was just viewing the conversation while not sure whether to take part or not. But finally Reina answered Yoko's question– "Ah about that.. How do I say this.. Hm, actually, can we be friends?" Reina's face is slightly smug as if she is confident with herself.
Though it didn't go well with Yoko when she heard Reina's reason. Yoko minds questioning everything regarding Reina personality– 'a friend? That's it?' The more Yoko pondered about it, the more confused she became as to why this highschool girl would go all the way to the point of making fun and requested to be her friend. At this point Yoko is bewildered.
Yoko gave in with her annoyance and frustration– "friend? You told me to come here because you want to be my friend??" Yoko concluded and shouted in bewilderment– "Nonsense!" Yoko herself couldn't comprehend the sudden silly request.
Reina on the other hand took the rejection proudly like the situation has been handled. She mutters– "Err.. Etto gomen! But can't we??" She put her hands up apologizing, but continued to use her cute face to beg for acknowledgement of friendship. But then Kael interrupts the girls– "Uh sorry but Asakura-san, I hear you save Yoko while crossing the road. Is that correct?" Kael interrupts the main point of his reason for coming here. The only reason he pushed Yoko to meet Reina was because she saved Yoko. Reina answered– "un, I did pull her over."
But right at that moment, Yoko once again drew her hand over Kael, to avoid him from talking– "Nee Darling, please don't talk to this woman please. It's irritating." She seemingly at the end of her wink. But that in return gives Reina a clue over Yoko and Kael's relationship where she first thought Kael was the possessive kind of man, but the truth is Yoko is the one. Reina gave a comment while laughing– "Haha, Onee-san. You sure are controlling your partner!" She giggles while covering her mouth.
Yoko smug in pride, admitted herself declaring– "Of course! He is my man, he must listen to me no matter what the cost." She tries to stand tall like a figure who conquers her man, even though Kael probably doesn't care about her matter. But Reina eyes avert to Kael as he shrugs his shoulders in no agreement.
Yoko mutters again– "There is nothing to be discussed here. I would take my leave. Darling, let's go." Yoko tried to stand up to leave the cafe, but before she could properly step away, Reina leaned forward holding her arms down, begging to stay– "chotto-chotto! We ordered dessert, did we?? Please stay a bit longer please!" Reina pleaded with Yoko, while deep inside she was thinking– 'I still haven't got her number..'
A moment later after Yoko agreed to stay over desserts.
But even after agreeing to stay, Yoko didn't mutter anything or give her any contact number. But then the waitress presents the three of them with multiple desserts they order. Reina was blueberry pie, Yoko was a strawberry shortcake, while Kael was lemon tart.
Then while the couple teasingly hand fed each other around the cafe, Yoko couldn't hold her hesitation and wanted to be fed by Kael like those romantic dramas. She eagerly fork the cake, and spoon it to Kael's direction while signaling him to open wide– "Aaahh." Reina, who is just the spectator just watching in front of them, feeling a bit self-conscious.
Though Kael doesn't seem to be bothered by such a little romance tendency as he just accepts Yoko feeding him, he notices the slight change in Reina demeanor. His eyes were looking at Reina while bit into the fork. But Reina's eyes swiftly turn somewhere else.
Yoko, who is desperate for her love, asks– "Oishi?" Kael, who is still processing the taste, just quickly replies with a detached answer without thinking too much– "It tastes like you." But it quickly turned into a comment that flared Yoko's heart in a great wonderland. She couldn't hold her jungling thoughts on what it could mean. Was Kael wanted to eat her? Was it an invitation for a late night activity? But in contemplation after, Kael just realized what he just said– 'wait, that sounds sexual.' But in front of them was Reina who was deeply uncomfortable hearing such an unconventional compliment. She felt a bit of the atmosphere thicken like whether she was just here for what she intended or playing the third wheel character. Her thoughts were a few disheartened feelings– 'souka.. They are already this close to each other..' She seemingly threw out her own expectations regarding Yoko's relationship.
A minute later, Yoko leaned to Kael's side, chin slightly upward as if she wanted a kiss. While Kael mistook it as someone who requests to wipe their mouth off. Kael bluntly takes a tissue and wipes Yoko's lips unbothered. His thought– 'Is she a baby or something.'
He didn't realize Yoko's true reason, and so she bummed out with her cheeks slightly upset. Although Reina was quick to realize that Yoko wanted to be fed by Kael. Her thought– 'Did she want her bf to feed her as well? Oh this would be great!' Reina sinisterly plots something that will cause trouble.
She suddenly mutters– "Fujita-san! Do you want to taste my blueberry pie?" She quickly fork the pie and lean toward the table to react to Kael. Kael couldn't respond other than murmur– "uh?" He was seemingly confused by this highschool girl's desire.
*!?!?*
Yoko began to spectate Reina's attempt to cause more trouble. Yoko eyes avert to Kael who looks uncomfortable while Reina slowly leaning forward with the fork and cake in hand. Then Yoko thought about it– 'it would be an indirect kiss!' But like Yoko who doesn't want her partner to get an indirect kiss with another woman, there is Reina who suddenly pulls back in contemplation–!! 'Wait what am I doing!? It would be an indirect kiss stupid!' Now both were stopped and drawn in between the line whichever who could stop them!!
In the mere battle between Reina who wishes to make Yoko jealous while herself confused by her demeanor, left Kael confused on what to do! Reina thought– 'wait should I pull back? Can I pull back? Would that make me look more like a fool???' While Yoko thinks– 'there is only one way left to save Darling from this evil witch!' Yoko, in fear of being unable to protect Kael innocently, took the opportunity in hand! She swooned over the table, like a shark headed straight to the fork! In a mere second, Yoko chopped down the pie into her mouth like an animal!
Yoko– "Mm-mm. It's good pastry." She munched the pie. At the end it left both Reina and Kael looking still beside Yoko who munched like a rabbit in her cheeks. Although Reina will not stop! She leaned over the table, chin slightly upward, looking at Kael. She requests and mutters– "Fujita-san. Can I taste your lemon tart?" Her cheeks shimmer with a smug look.
For second there, Kael questions the girl friendliness, but to his mind she is just some highschool girl that he always assumes is a child. So he fork his tart to hand feed her. In return Yoko couldn't expect all she needed is to request it to Kael if she wanted to be hand fed, but she will not go down and let a highschool girl Netorare her with food! Her hand draws to grab Kael's arm, and pulls to spoon the tart into her mouth! Kael couldn't respond but murmured– "Uh?"
*Munching-munching*
Yoko responded– "Mm oishi desu! Thank you Darling!" She proudly accepted her win. But somehow the event only makes Reina smile in wonder, as if she planned it all from the beginning. Yoko notices that Reina's smile hinted at a slight manipulation, but there is a lingering sense of wanting the same treatment. Somehow Yoko has this feeling of empathy.
Then out of nowhere– "Hai! Here is Victoria cake!" Yoko fork her cake out and spoon to Reina who suddenly got into the situation to accept her offer! As the fork slowly approaches, Reina contemplant in mere seconds of devastation! 'Is she really gonna feed me her cake that already shared with her partner!? Would that be a double indirect kiss!?' The thought is rumbling inside her head, desperately wanting to get out and she overly worries about the 'Double Indirect Kiss'. But it seems Yoko didn't have the same thought as her, never did she realize that Reina proudful demeanor carries the hopeless romantic dilemma!
"Aahh~" Reina took the bite! She hesitantly took the bite knowing very well what she just accepted. Yoko continued– "You want more?? There is plenty more!" Somehow Yoko couldn't stop feeding Reina her cake and Reina too couldn't stop Yoko! Reina screams– "Ah stoppp! Too much, too much!" At the end, Reina was defeated with an infinite glitch of Victoria cake. But after she fed Reina, Yoko realized that feeding her the cake was an indirect kiss with Kael! "Agh–" Yoko struck with lightning as her mind slowly crumbled knowing it would be a double indirect kiss! Her face completely shatters with a hopeless facade knowing she made a mistake. She could only look at Kael in a backward grin of disappointment toward herself. Finally she stopped and Reina leaned on the table– "Blurgh…" Her soul seeped out of her mouth.
Kael spoke in concern– "Is she okay??" He looks at Yoko's concern for her playfulness. Yoko stood up and muttered– "Daijoubu desu Darling! Now we can leave!" She hurried up herself leaving the table without saying goodbye. As Kael stood up, he took out one huge note and slipped under Reina's arm to whisper– "Just take the rest, okay?" He quickly follows Yoko.
But Reina finally used her last strength to stand up and shouted to them– "Hey! Wait!" She still has not given up on getting Yoko number. She went over the counter and paid over. But as she was about to pass the note, she realized it was ¥10,00! Her thoughts jumbling around– 'woah. Extra cash!' But quickly mind off chasing them!
As she ran out of the cafe, he saw that Kael was still not afraid, seemingly walking at a slow pace as if he was anticipating her return. But Yoko is already far ahead, looking to escape Reina. "Hey!?" Reina shouted as he got behind Kael. Kael turns back and looks at her. Reina asks again for the contact number– "Can we get each other's contact please??" This time her face no longer shows those smug looking highschool girls, but none other than a desperate child who wanted to reconnect. Kael looked behind to see if Yoko could see anything and slowly reached into his pocket to take out his business card. He mutters– "I don't do personal business with people that regularly, but this is my business card. If you have any important business, you can contact me here." He pointed out his office number to Reina.
Kael waved goodbye to Reina and took his leave. As he slowly approached Yoko, she took a multiple punch on Kael's chest in frustration for talking to Reina– "Why did you talk to that woman!?" He minds it off and tries to not bother with it. But he has a quick thought about the attire day, and he is grateful to Reina. Because– 'It seems Yoko didn't need to hold my hand any longer.' His thoughts over Yoko needed attention.
Now left Reina behind looking at them from afar.. Then her eyes avert to Kael's business card to ponder– 'Do I'm not girly enough for him to give his personal number?..'
⁂
[Reina: Hai-hai! The host show was none other than me! Reina desu! Hehe.. Welcome to the late night talk show once again. In today's section: how about we talk about my first appearance in the series! If you guys didn't know, let me bring it back to chapter 4! In the scene when Fujita left Yoko behind, she suddenly tried to touch her lips on the spot of the Fujita cup! And at that moment, I was there, resting my chin on my palm, eyes focused on this cute little girl! Ouh! I couldn't bring myself to feel the most cringey thing ever! Just the thought of it makes me itch… There is no way I would do the same thing as her. No way. But I give her a compliment of effort. That is the story of how I first saw Yoko. That's the rest of the talk show! Goodnight everybody and please be awaited for our next chapter!!]
[Reina: Sore-sore, let me leave this link if you wish to watch Kuro Karasu writing stream! Twitch: "https://www.twitch.tv/norza_kun" Byenara!]