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Who: Mirai and Miyume.
Where: Chagall Cafe, Sannomiya.
When: Friday 14th April.
What: Coffee.

Mirai was one of those who came to coffee houses to relax and watch people as they whizzed past; he also found himself visiting them if they were independent, where he could sit down in a swish chair and thumb his nose at the lesser people who refreshed elsewhere. He would also visit the cooler they looked in the window. This chain had been the easiest to find, and was known to be popular with students and chic clientele.

A heaven-sent look of relief came at this news. He had a certain image to maintain; as he walked past the window he could see himself lounging back in a window chair, one leg crossed with a newspaper open on his lap and a coffee in hand. He could see Miyume waiting by the door too, and casually waved a hand before sliding both in his pockets.

"Hiya, Miyume-chan."

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"Hello, senpai," Miyume murmured in greeting, glancing up shyly through her lashes at Mirai. After all, she had an image to cultivate as well. Her hand trembled slightly in a way that wasn't entirely a feint. Her cheekc flushed a pleasant pink.

She didn't say anything else just yet, still overcome by the sheer wave of powerful emotion. To all appearances, she looked much as she had on the bleachers, upset and in need of comfort by a senpai.

Already Mirai had knowledge of this trick of Miyume's. He was looking at her, taking her in entirely, then circling her on this side and that and wondering if she had anything else to show him. He had seen that demure blush and nervousness before. He began to plan how to draw out more.

He kept his hands in his pockets and nudged the door open with his foot. The inside, beyond, was crowded with people creating a noise so loud it almost drowned him out completely. Mirai, however, was not one to be outdone; he spent a good while leaning against the door with one arm raised.

"Hello," he said. "Lovely evening today. Evening," he greeted as a girl came under his arm to get outside. "Lets go inside, shall we?"

At the moment, Miyume was showing him something new. Unlike their previous encounters in which she'd seemed slightly more cheerful and open, now she simply looked tired, her face slightly pinched with pain.

"Of course, senpai," she said, tone flat and wooden rather than saturated with any of its usual false girliness.

Miyume followed the girl's example, ducking under Mirai's arm. She was mindful not to step on his foot or smash his toes with her cane. She moved to the side of the door and waited for him to enter.

Edited 2013-08-22 19:04 (UTC)

Mirai blinked the street's dirt out of his eyes as he followed Miyume inside, seemingly clearing a path through the whole room simply by his presence as he went towards the counter.

The temptation of desserts were laid out before him in a large glass counter like a sacred offering. He had to rest his hands on the glass otherwise the smell of the coffee would knock him backwards. He turned himself to look at Miyume, watching her how her tiredness and pain seemed to suck the life out of the room as she came towards the counter - and if she looked at him she would see the concern in his eyes.

"You don't have to do anything, Miyume-chan. Tell me what you want and go and sit down."

Edited 2013-08-23 03:09 (UTC)

Miyume inspected the array of desserts, settling on a scrumptious looking strawberry shortcake covered with whipped cream.

"That one," she said succinctly, softly tapping the glass over with a fingernail.

When she looked at him, she noted the concerned expression, and gave him a genuine, warm smile. Her face softened visibly and there was a faintly tender look in her eyes.

"Thank you, Mirai-san," she murmured, lightly brushing her knuckles against the back of his hand. "I'll claim us a seat."

With those words, she hobbled over to a cozy looking loveseat tucked in a corner.

Mirai bought the dessert. Two coffees. A small bowl of rice, salad and meat would fill at least some of the hunger he was feeling. There happened to be a moment of two of teetering and wobbling. But the balance he was losing was easier to reclaim when the tray was on his arm, until he walked back through the room and to Miyume sitting in the corner.

"... So how are you doing in school?" he asked. "Are your lessons doing well? Are you finishing your homework?" He picked up his meal and drink - which seemed to have spilled a little on the tray - and collapsed into the loveseat next to her.

"Decent, yes, and yes."

Miyume snatched a napkin off the tray and cleaned up the spill with it. As she did, a long lock of chestnut hair fell forward and landed close to Mirai's leg. Once she was done, she took her shortcake and fork and returned to her initial position.

"I'm keeping up well enough," she elaborated further. "It's exhausting but not because of the schoolwork. I do my homework as soon as I return to my room everyday."

She poked at the strawberry on her cake for a few seconds.

"What about you, senpai? Are you adjusting?"

Mirai gently bowed and collected the hair he seemed to enjoy looking at so much. Then, holding it in his hand for a while, he pinned it behind her ear. No doubt it looked highly gentle - and loving - to other people. There was no question of impropriety, for him. Nevertheless, he helped her clean up some of his mess and put all their napkins in a folded pile underneath his bowl.

"... Yeah. I can handle this," his arm swept out, "in my sleep."

It was easy enough for Miyume to pick up on the undercurrent behind those words. even if the way she'd touched her hair made her heart race a little. Fully aware of her face growing hot and that her face must be bright red, she stared down at her shortcake as if held answers to life, the universe, and everything. Then she seemed to regain some measure of composure and took a bite of her cake.

"Take another bite," Mirai suggested wickedly. He leaned forward, pushed back the tray so far it almost fell off the table, and rested on his fist as his eyes gave an impish gleam.

"It's not going to go to your hips. We can work it off, if that's a worry."

Miyume made a small choking noise, coughed once, then cleared her throat.

However, her composure remained otherwise intact aside from a sly glint in her eyes. She cut a bite of the cake and casually held out her fork.

"Would you like to try a bite, senpai? It's really good. Very tasty."

She licked her lips in a way that appeared mostly innocent to anyone watching, as if it really was simply delicious cake.

Mirai waved his hand swiftly as the cake was shown to him, utterly disinterested and with no thought. Then he picked up his chopsticks and delved into his savoury bowl with gusto. He had cooked for himself too often. This was good!

"No," he said between bites, "but I will be taking your cherry after."

"It's a strawberry, Mirai-san," Miyume corrected gently, giggling. "But I'll save it for you, just the same."

She smiled, content with just watching him eat, especially with such gusto.

"How is it?" she asked, indicating his food. "It looks like you're really enjoying it."

Mirai shrugged - both cherries and strawberries were red! - and resumed demolishing what was left of his rice. He began to feel like a man who was full again.

"... It's okay."

Munch munch munch. He savoured each bite as he ate it, and the food and atmosphere and company combined to show great enjoyment on his face.

Not the most verbose response but the look on Mirai's face stated far more than words ever could.

The dark clouds of fear and doubt were beginning to part and let a little light shine through. It wasn't much but her mind didn't feel nearly so heavy and it looked as if there might be a ray of hope somewhere in her future, after all.

Recovery takes a long time, she thought, though she wasn't sure whether she meant it for Mirai or herself or both of them.

Miyume took another bite of her cake, careful to push the strawberry aside as she'd promised. She chewed silently, while she pondered where to go from here.

Mirai continued helping himself to what was in his bowl. Then he impulsively lifted up the strawberry from Miyume's plate, holding it under his eyes first, and tossed it inside his mouth. He began to taste the acid almost immediately, and made a face of disgust.

Then, although he was sure it was a waste of what he had eaten, he tried finishing his meal. She threw all her attention at him, and he would rather eat it than starve.

He tried to treasure this time they had together, but questioned when he would be full. He was felt as if it had been the last time they would ever meet in his life. He knew it was untrue, that she had said she would not push him away. He finished eating in silence. His emotions weren't something he could handle right now.

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