Akira Route - Act 2-3 - Black Coffee

Everything lies still as sun bleeds in through the window, painting the room with light. A stack of homework sits on a desk next to the bed, its silent cries to be completed falling upon metaphorically deaf ears.

Instead of studying, completing homework, or generally being a responsible student; I’ve chosen to spend my afternoon lying on the bed. Beige fills my eyes as I stare up at the ceiling, a deep sigh rolling out of my mouth as I think of all the things on my plate.

First, there’s the stack of homework which, attractive as it may be, has trouble getting me into the mood to do it. Second, there’s the matter of the science symposium I’ve volunteered to attend this weekend, and all of the preparations that entails.

I’m also running low on snack foods, supplies, and other such needs. Now would be a good time to go out and explore the town’s variety of grocery stores, if any variety exists; but this bed is just so comfortable and accommodating. It would be rude to leave it hanging like that.

Oh bed, you’re the only one who understands me. You share your comfy expanses of pillowy fluff without asking for anything in return; and I love you for it.

“Great, now I’m talking to the bed. I’m going to go crazy in this place, aren’t I?”

All it takes is a sharp knock on the door to bring me back into the world of 'those who don’t talk to furniture', a repetition beckoning for me to leave the soft, warm embrace of my mattress and venture out onto the-

Okay, I hop out of bed and answer the door.

“Dude.” A certain scarf-clad dorm mate greets.

“What do you want, Kenji?”

“What do I want? A lot of things. But I’m not here for that; I’m just here to see how you’re doing, man.

“You can see how I’m doing when you pay me back for that pizza from last week.”

He clicks his tongue, brow furrowing in disapproval as I call back to our deal from last week. An encounter in the shower I’d rather forget.

“I’ll have your money tomorrow.”

“Great. I’ll see you tomorrow then.” I answer.

“How can you be so cold over something as material as legal tender, man? I thought we was bros. Homies. Grove Street fo’ life, y’know?”

He attempts to throw up a series of gang signs, giving up as soon as he realizes that he can't even see the shapes of the twirling fingers two feet in front of his eyes.

“Actually, there is something I need.” He says.

“What is it?”

“Are you going to the grocery store later?”

“I was thinking about it, y-“

“Can you grab some milk while you’re there? I need it for...stuff.”

What kind of ‘stuff’ could you possibly need milk for, besides consumption? I’ll bet he plays mad scientist in his room, mixing together all sorts of things just to see what pops out. I wonder if he’s ever had any success. Hopefully I’ll never hear any horror stories about something like mustard gas stains in one of the rooms he used to be in.

“Alright, but I’m holding onto it until you pay me for both it and the pizza.” I answer.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever, man. I’ll have your filthy lucre by tomorrow.”

I nod my head as he turns around and slithers back into his own room, the sound of the door sliding shut followed by at least seven different clicks and tumbles.

“Well, I’m already standing up.” I comment aloud as I return to my desk, sliding my keys and wallet into my pocket. Guess I'll take the cell phone as well, in case something happens – actually, I should probably go ahead and throw the emergency hotline on speed-dial; at least it'll give me some contacts other than 'Mom', 'Dad', and 'Voice Mail'.

The clicking of the doorknob indicates that my room is now impenetrable and I set out for the iron-wrought front gates of Yamaku, stepping out onto the long road to the town at the base of the hill.

I’ve thought about it before, but it still bothers me. Why was this school built on a hill? Was it some kind of bastion a couple hundred years ago when hills afforded maximum defensive capability? Was it originally a normal school populated by healthy, able-bodied students who had no trouble climbing this hill every time they had to go out and do something?

Maybe this was the only place they had to build it. I’ll go with that; that makes the most sense.

I like things that make sense. Maybe that’s why science clicks so well with me; the idea behind scientific method is figuring out why and how things work, and why and how they make sense that way.

Hydrogen and Oxygen merge and create a water molecule. Why? So that each molecule can have a complete outer-shell of electrons. How? Hydrogen and Oxygen form a covalent bond – Oxygen shares two of its electrons, and both Hydrogens share their one electron.

My heart beats erratically and is at nonstop risk to just up and stop working. Why? Because the series of 'electrical impulse conductors' in my heart sometimes fumbles the signal that keeps my heart beating, thanks to a kind of nerve damage I was born with. And how? The erratic beat and jumbled up electrical signals can cause an interruption of equilibrium in my heart, resulting in cardiac arrest.

Those are definite facts. I may or may not like them, but it's how the world works.

I’m socially incompetent and miss every chance I’m given. Why am I at a loss for words in social situations? Why am I terrible at meeting new people? How do I fall flat on my face any time I’m given an opportunity?

Why couldn't I just man up and join the student council? Barring that, would it really be so much of a hassle to just get up and run a little every morning? I even had someone who was willing to be my running partner.

Lilly was accommodating, but I just can't bring myself to take her up on her generous offer. Hell, maybe if I did that I'd be able to actually talk to Hanako, instead of scaring her off again.

If only I could find some answers. Why aren’t there any definite facts there? Why is it just how it works? What can I do to solve this problem? How can I get a grasp on this crazy rollercoaster my life has turned into?

So to speak, I could jump out of the car at the perfect time, knocking the operator out of the way and taking control of the ride. But what do those things stand for? What do I have to jump out of? Who do I have to knock out of the way? How do I control my life once I have the operating panel in my hands?

…

I’m rambling again. Too much thinking about pointless things and not enough figuring out where the grocery store in this town is. I remember going to a convenience store with Lilly called “Aura Mart,” but I can't remember where exactly it was.

There’s an art supply store, a music store, and even a book store; but no convenience store. I’ve even found the small restaurant that Shizune and Misha used to try and coax me into joining the student council.

It would also appear that a pang of hunger has found its way to my brain as I stare at the diner, a sign hanging next to its entrance reading ‘Shanghai.’

Two and two makes four.

“Welcome to the Shanghai! We're at a slow hour so you can sit anywhere you want!” a familiar voice calls out as I enter, bowing so low that she may as well just knock her forehead against the ground.

Oh, Yuuko is here today. Despite the fact that we know each other, she still plays along with her job and steps out of the way, motioning for me to take a seat.

I don't bother trying to greet her, instead stepping past the entrance and into the store. Upon looking at the choice of seating, I notice that she was right about their business slowing to a crawl – there's only one other person h-

Messy blonde hair, golden locks swaying to and fro with the building’s air conditioning, fair skin and slender hands poking out from the few areas her black, pinstriped suit doesn’t cover. Where have I seen that before?

A certain tall woman sits in the stall right next to the entrance, checking through her phone. There’s one of two possibilities; she’s taking a break here, or Yuuko had to break away from taking her order to welcome me; either way, the table is empty. As if responding to my surprise, she looks up and takes notice of me, her deep red eyes glossing up and down my person.

“Ah, hello there.” she states.

“Hey. I remember you; you’re the woman I met at the suit shop.” I reply.

“Yeah, fancy that. I didn't think I'd run into you again.” she responds.

Yuuko looks between us, head tilted as she tries to figure out how we're related.

“Are you two together?” she asks.

“Nah, he can sit here if he wants to though.” the blonde woman answers.

I look between the two of them before shrugging my shoulders and shuffling into the seat across from her.

“So, what will you be ordering?” Yuuko asks.

That’s a strange question to be asking without a menu or even a list of what this diner serves. Is it one of those secret menu places where only current or ex-employees eat to feel smug because they’re the only ones that know what kind of food is actually made here? Seems like a really counter-productive business strategy; only tell the employees what there is to serve and then let it disseminate among the public because you want to save money on printing menus?

“Coffee.” I announce, at a loss for what else I could possibly order.

To my surprise, however, the woman across from me calls for the same thing, at the same time. Yuuko looks back and forth between us before disappearing into the kitchen.

“You a coffee person too?” she asks, propping her chin up on the palm of her hand.

“Mostly. I’ve been drinking a lot of tea lately, but it’s just not my thing.”

“I know what you mean. Tea just isn’t my cup of tea.” she replies with a snicker. “Don’t tell my sister I said that though.”

“Your sister is more of a tea person?” I ask.

“She lives on the stuff. I don’t think she’s had anything else to drink for as long as I’ve known her.” she says with another giggle.

Now I just need to figure out who her sister is, because something like that sounds awfully familiar. If the girl before me is who I think she is, then I think I’d have to keep myself from laughing as well.

“So, I don’t think we’ve done introductions yet.” she comments.

“Ah, yeah. I’m Hisao Nakai.”

“Akira Satou.”

Mystery solved!

“What brings you here today, Hisao?”

“Still trying to get a feel for the place. I just transferred here about a week ago.”

“Transferred? You mean to Yamaku?” she asks, tilting her head.

“Yeah.”

“Ah, that’s where my sister goes. You might have met her, actually, do you know a-“

“Lilly Satou?”

“Yep, you’ve met her.” she replies.

“I actually had tea with her yesterday.” I retort, letting a chuckle escape my throat.

“You two get along well, huh?” she asks.

Is that the big sister instinct kicking in? Trying to make sure that her precious younger sibling isn’t being profiled by a borderline delinquent like me?

“For the most part. I don’t think I’d ever try to do something like pursue her as anything other than a friend, though.”

“Good answer.” she replies, tilting her head back and giving a sigh of relief.

At this point Yuuko returns with two coffee cups, filled to the brim with delicious black nectar, emitting steam in the most enticing of ways.

I don’t think I can remember the last time I had a good cup of coffee. Not for the last six months, at any rate. In fact, should I even be drinking coffee again? Something that counts as a stimulant can’t possibly be good for my condition.

Oh well, what’s the worst it can do?

“You drink your coffee black?” Akira asks, already reaching for the sugar.

I nod my head before allowing small sips of the fluid to slide in between my lips, welcoming my tongue to that long-missed bitter taste as it warms my throat.

“Hm. That’s a good quality for a man to have.” she replies with a smile before tilting the open end of two pink sugar packets into her cup.

“Oh really now? So is it a good quality for women to prefer their coffee with two sugars?”

 “What do you think?” she asks, head tilted in genuine curiosity.

Well, for one, I’m not quite sure how you can interpret what kind of a person someone is just by their preference in coffee. And if so, what does it mean? Does black coffee mean I’m dark and bitter? Or could it mean that deep down, I’m trying too hard to be dark and bitter?

What does her coffee say about her? The bitter taste of straight coffee is too strong without sugar, but too much sugar ruins the flavor? Does she prefer when things are sensible and easy to swallow? Or does she just like sugary things, like most girls? All of the above?

There’s also the chance that I’m just overthinking this, and you can’t really get a grip on who someone is just by how they drink their damned coffee.

“Maybe?”

“I’ll take it.” she says before tilting the rim of the cup up to her lips, taking small sips at a time.

“The coffee here is better than the swill you’re forced to buy in the city. I always stop here when I pass through.” she comments after a satisfied sigh.

“Really? What’s wrong with ‘city coffee’?”

“Stuff is too watered down for me. If they’re going to charge me ¥1,000 for a cup of coffee, I want ¥1,000 coffee, not some half-crushed up coffee beans mixed together with lukewarm water.” she replies.

“So you come to this little town, practically in the middle of nowhere, just for coffee?” I ask.

“Hey, I'm a woman who likes her beverages.” she says with a goofy grin before continuing onto “nah, I was actually here to discuss a few plans with my sister; got a friend's birthday coming up here in a couple of weeks.”

“Really? Can't you do things like that over the phone?” I ask out of curiosity.

“Well, yeah, but I don't get to see the girl nearly enough these days, y'know? I was lucky enough to actually get more than thirty minutes for a break today.”

“I see what you mean. My relatives all live too far away to visit on a regular b-”

'BRRRT BRRRT'

Akira grabs the vibrating plastic slab off the table, letting out an exasperated groan as the first few words roll out of the receiver. 'Check the manual, I don't have time for that.' 'Send him up to 101 and have O'Brien deal with him.'

Despite that; the call only lasts for a rather curt minute, with Akira slapping the phone shut and sliding it into her pocket with a look of disappointment.

“Work?” I ask.

“Yep.” she answers, “I wish I could stay here and talk with you some more, but it’s about time for me to be getting back.” she comments, standing up with her wallet in hand.

“Really? You sounded like you were off for the rest of the day.”

“That's what I thought too.” she counters.

“Alright, don’t worry about me; I’m sure we’ll run into each other again someday.” I comment with a laugh.

“No doubt about it. See you around, Hisao.” she replies, heading off to the front counter to pay for her cup of coffee.

...

That woman is something else.

She’s Lilly’s sister, for sure. But it would seem that the only common traits they share are physical. Akira doesn’t exhibit any of the fancy, prim and proper mannerisms of her younger sister. I mean, she has good manners, like any decent person, but without any of the ‘Would you kindly’ or ‘Ara ara’ formalities. She’s much more ‘to the point’ than her sister as well.

Why am I showing interest in her all of a sudden? She must be at least five years older than me, not to mention the fact that she probably has a boyfriend, or some other engagement like that. Or maybe she isn't involved with anyone like that, since work takes so much of her time.

Regardless of what the reason may be, the idea is that she's out of my reach.

...But why is she out of my reach?