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White Oblivion Vice Captain
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 Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:09 am
Akihiko Fujioka had always wanted a Café of his own. Why he wanted a cafe was not known... the only thing known being that he wanted to something that would let him come close to other people. He spent his whole life thinking of what he could do, watching other people and adopting skills from them, so the thought to do something he could enjoy like this felt like heaven. So, a while after cuting his hair and dying it red, having to work anyway in order to pay off his rent, Akihiko found a job in a Coffee Shop downtown, wanting to make a step towards his dream. At age sixteen he was already serving coffee to customers day in day out, preparing sweets and helping in the kitchen.
He was nineteen now, he had moved from the cheap 'plastic' coffee-shop he worked in back then and settled in a nice small place in Cat Street. It was a tiny bakery and Café, decorated beautifully inside, its sole door overlooked the street same as the display with the various pastries invitingly laid out, their smell almost intoxicating. He worked there as the waiter and salesperson along with three more people. It wasn't much but it was okay and they always had good customers, customers that after comming once they came back day after day after day... many times he'd stay overtime just to have something to do. Peculiar as he was, this was him and and it was all he could do.
This day he was feeling particularly cheerful for no reason. They had not many customers yet so the tables, neatly arranged on the shop's interior, where empty except for two that housed some girls that where shopping out early so Aki was enjoying his morning coffee along with his book while everybody else worked their part. He was also getting the urge to eat some of the cakes spread out on display but knew that a certain manager would have his head for that... so he simply didn't.
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Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:11 am
Dain hadn't set out for coffee. In honesty, he hadn't really set out for anything at all. Like every other time he left his house, for reasons other then work, he always just seemed to pick a direction and walk it. This morning he found himself trumping along unhappily along the oddly named street, eyes focusing on the ground ahead, every inch of his stance suggesting he didn't want to be spoken to. It was about an hour into his aimless wandering when his stomach informed him it was breakfast time.
"Alright," He told it, with a sour face.
His stomach groaned and burbled loudly in response.
Quickly, he took in the surrounding shops. Nothing stood out in particular, until he breathed in, catching a whiff of the most amazing coffee he had ever smelt. Without even considering it, his feet took him towards the Cafe, inside, and all the way over to the counter. He didn't even know what he wanted.
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White Oblivion Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 10:15 am
"Wake up!"
Akihiko instictivelly ducked to dodge the weekly magazine thrown at him by Usami, his employer, as the bronze bells hanging at the door rang a small chime indicating they had a customer. He was slightly used to it by now so he had no trouble avoiding the various objects thrown by his manager be it a newspaper, a magazine or often Kyoya's pots and pans. Tying up his appron and straightening it so it looked fine he lazily dragged himself over to the counter to greet their customer. He took a big breath and with a fox-like grin proceeded to do the usual.
"Good morning dear sir and welcome to Kat Kafe, how may I help you today?"
This time it was a new customer. Business was a bit down as of lately and it was a usual occurence to serve almost only regulars some days. The boy had to be more or less around his age, he speculated, though he seemed far larger than him... then again... everybody was larger than him, which was why everyone thought he was a girl... and like his manager said, it was good for business to have a female waitress -especially nowadays-, maybe he'd even have him dress in a maid's outfit, or that's what he said.... However this was plenty disturbing a thought and he'd do better to keep his head together and not think about just how rediculous he'd look like that.
"Would you like something to eat? Something to drink, or maybe both?" he went on, making a suggestive motion towards the display to his left.
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Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 10:24 am
Dain didn't seem to quite register that he was being spoken to in english, merely accept happily that he didn't have to think too hard at this hour. He gave a sluggish nod to the girl-er...boy? Too early, eat now, think later. Looking over the menu, having to read each thing a few times before it really clicked what he'd read. Thankfully, it seemed the menu was presented in english and japanese, much to his groggy morning-brain's delight.
"Ah, just...a little pastry cake, I guess. They have that frosting stuff, right?" It was even too early to be gruff and mysterious.
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White Oblivion Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 10:59 am
"Please do take a seat and I'll be right up with your order." Akihiko smiled while turning around to type in the required information and print out the boy's receipt then waltz off to get a tray in which he put one single dish with the requested pastry and a cup and teapot -which ironically housed no tea but coffee, in which case it should be called a coffeepot, but the Japanese word was the same wether you put coffee or tea into it-. The coffee was on him, of course, because the guy never asked for any but it looked like the poor thing could use some right now. For one he seemed still half-asleep... or maybe like he hadn't slept well...
Getting around the counter, he walked to where he was seated and placed the tray in front of him, smiling still, as required.
"Please do enjoy your cake." he chuckled. "Or chef takes great pride in his creations!" And Akihiko was only so sure that the timid man would be flailing and blushing like crazy back in his kitchen if he actually heard him saying that and he'd probably also say funny, stuttering words as well, like he always did. Then he'd deny it and say he had still way to go... sometimes he wondered why some people couldn't accept praise like that... it was almost as if they were rejecting hapinness and fulfillment from their lives...
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Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 11:14 am
Dain blinked at the coffee, unable to recall if he'd actually ordered it or not. He gave a grateful smile to Aki in return, however, reaching into his wallet to fumble around for some change. "Ah, how much?" He managed, while trying to both unzip his wallet and pull it out of his pocket at once. A last, too-hard tug caused his wallet to jump out of his pocket, and all of his coins to spilling out along with it.
"Urgh.." Dain grunted, eyeing the spilled change grumpily, as though it had gone and spilled itself deliberately. Not willing to risk tipping himself over too by leaning over in his chair, Dain got up out of his chair, crouched down, and began to pick up the money.
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White Oblivion Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 1:25 pm
"It's four hunderd and fifty-" he was about to say 'yen' but he was interupted by the sound of coins hitting the floor. He sighed softly and shook his head. "Oh dear... look what you've done..." he exclaimed while slightly pouting as he crouched to help Dain gather his change. "You should be more careful..." he pointed out while pilling the coins up. "I mean..." he shrugged "It's not like I care... yeah?"
He snapped mentally at himself. He still needed to remind himself way and over again. He should never get involved with others less he wished for the events of the past to occur again. He didn't wish to be haunted by more memories...
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 8:37 pm
Dain couldn't help but feel a little confused at that. "..Y-yeah..." He responded, picking up the last of his coins. He offered a handful to the boy, having counted it as he was picking it up. "Yeah, I...m-me either."
He was nice, trying to be helpful, and then...
What was up with this town...did everyone have a secret around here?
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White Oblivion Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 2:36 pm
Akihiko placed the coins he gathered on the table and looked up to Dain for one more moment. Biting his botom lip anxiously he turned away from him and hurried to go behind the counter where he belonged.
He shouldn't get involved... shouldn't get involved... shouldn't get involved...
Why did he offer the boy coffee? What was he thinking?
Bringing one hand up to his face he pressed the palm against his forehead. He was doing things without thinking... like everyone did... it was the spur of the moment... then why did thinking about it make his brain ache as if it was trying to unearth something really old and important...? Like something that hapenned when he was little... but that couldn't be. That couldn't be becasue he remembered everything from that time.
Just who was that boy?
Did he know him? Or maybe... did the boy know him?
Lowering his hand again he made a 180 degree turn again and looked back at the other. He blinked a little. He really must have seemed like a weirdo.
"Sorry." he apologized. "It's... I'm not feeling very well as of lately..." which statement also was rather true. But it was for an entirelly different reason. "My name's Akihiko." he introduced himself feeling like it was the only ordinary thing he could do. Not that it was ordinary for the staff of a cafe to introduce themselves to customers...
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Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 10:38 pm
Dain blinked up at the boy, sitting back down in his chair. "Oh, er...I'm Dain," He managed, a little shocked that the boy had returned to him so quickly to explain himself. It didn't just feel like good customer service.
Though...his head felt a little more clear now, and with that clarity came a startling rush back to reality.
The chill was back, biting and climbing his ankles, swarming near the boy, too. It felt somehow different, in a way Dain couldn't really pinpoint.
The...shadow is...is following him, circling him, but... That couldn't be right, could it? It's...following him like a pet, not a stalking monster. It's almost sitting at his heels, waiting for him. Does...he have some power over this chill? This uncertain darkness? Dain knew everyone else he'd met up until now was either unaware of the darkness, or being chased and mentally tortured by it.
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White Oblivion Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 12:27 am
Akihiko sighed softly, tucking either hand in the single pocket of his apron, he leant a bit forward and took a moment to study Dain from head to toe. He didn't remind him of anyone, or maybe he did, but it was the generic image of a foreigner -really, Tokyo was so full of them, gaijin, nowadays. Maybe it was due to the tempest that hit the rest of the world save for Japan and America. Or maybe it was the simlpe fact of sacrifises answering to their call, moving towards their inevitable slaughter. That seemed a bit more correct...
No matter how hard he tried he failed to put a finger on it so he decided to let it rest and try asking himself later, when he would be able to gather his thoughts and think better.
"Is something the matter?" he finally questioned noticing Dain's current state of unrest and maybe anxiety.
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 1:26 am
Dain quickly shook his head, looking away from the boy. He could still feel the coldness, but it felt more like it was from the corner of his eye, now, just sitting quietly and obediently by. He almost caught a glimpse of the physical shadow, he thought, but he knew if he looked, he wouldn't be able to see it.
"No, I..." Even though he was certain this boy would be aware of the shadows, he didn't want to mention it first. "I'm just waking up a bit more is all. Get kinda anxious starting a new day." He added in a light chuckle at the end, though wasn't sure why.
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White Oblivion Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 12:04 pm
"So, that's how it is then." Akihiko said softly while a smile settled in his face. He set himself down on a chair in the opposite direction to the boy and put his tray on the nearest open table.
Something at the back of his head almost screamed that the boy was lying, but desided to stick to reality, overlook his urges, and simply act like a normal person would.
Even though he knew that the other could sense what he was. It was the familliar chill that all those that were aware of the darkness lurking everywhere had. The warryness, the tension -like they were about to jump up like a spring that was pressed together for far too long- and the fear. The fear that was rooted deeply inside their hearts.
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Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:02 pm
Dain felt a rise in his levels of discomfort at that. It felt like both of them were waiting for one another, in some sort of friendly No, you say it first! sort of game. Like...old friends, teasing each other playfully and pretending not to know one another. It was an odd feeling, but that was the only way Dain seemed to be able to put it.
"Yeah, I...I guess so, huh?" Dain muttered, glancing down discreetly to try and catch a glimpse of the 'pet' shadows Aki had at his heels. As usual, the moment he actually looked at them, he couldn't see them.
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White Oblivion Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 5:45 am
Akihiko was about to talk when he noticed that Dain seemed stressed... or rather even more stressed than a moment ago. He was always keen to the mood changes in others and it all hapenned unconsciously anyway. So when Dain glanced downwards he quickly traced the motion following the boy's stare into the shadow the chair shed on the floor. He quickly averted his gaze as not been caught in the act and instead crossed his legs and pushed back as to sit more comfortably. Fixing a strand of fiery-red hair that fell in his face, he attempted to keep his composure and not smirk in triumph. He was sure his 'companion' was attempting to locate what he felt was there, beyond the empty space.
Of course there was nothing, absolutely nothing there, not in this plane of existence at least. And for a bit it would be good, if only for this little bit... He brought his hand over his pocket, his fingers lingering over it for milliseconds as if pondering wether they should dive in and reach for what was deep in there or do something completely different. Just for that moment he tensed up, his mind working a myriad different scenarios. There were other people there, even if they where just minding their business. He could do nothing. He didn't want to do anything in the first place. But something deep inside of him bugged him, poked in the back of his mind.
'He knows who you are. What you are. You can't let him go like this.'
But the boy didn't seem to really know any of this, and he convinced himself that his mind was simply playing tricks on him. His fingers moved away from his pocket and on the table, to mess with the teapot's handle, thus releasing his tension like a trigger.
"Are you really that sleepy?" he laughed, in a carefree manner. "You make no sense!" his face betrayed none of his emotions either. "Have you be sleeping well?"
The question was not needed. The real answer to it was 'no' and Akihiko knew. But he'd play along for as long as it was needed. He'd play along until the other one would break. And in case Dain wouldn't, he was rather sure that he could keep his mask up until the very end.
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