K – Return of Kings: After Stories
Chapter 3
After Story #3 by Miyazawa Tatsuki
The Lieutenant of Scepter 4, Awashima Seri, would visit bar HOMRA on an irregular basis.
Her visits usually took place on clear days. They were often the conclusion of a peaceful weekday with no big incidents occurring.
She would wear civilian clothes then, and her expression would be just a tad gentler than usual. She would also let down her hair, normally held up in a tight bun, allowing it to give off a lovely shine.
And Kusanagi would greet her with a light ‘Oh, Seri-chan’ or "Welcome’ and, even before hearing her order, would reach for a certain foodstuff stored in the fringe under the counter.
Awashima would acknowledge him with a curt nod, not really speaking. She would sit down on a stool elegantly, posture relaxed in a way she would never allow herself to normally, and peer at what Kusanagi was doing.
Kusanagi would skilfully scoop anko from a Tupperware and put it as a topping on top of the special make c.o.c.ktail with an exaggerated gesture. “Thanks for the waiting, here you go. Seri-chan special.” He would slide the c.o.c.ktail gla.s.s to her over the counter.
The trick to it was to not only decorate the c.o.c.ktail with some fresh anko, but to also find a way to apply liquid anko in the c.o.c.ktail itself.
At that point, Awashima would already be smiling. “Thanks.”
First, she would eat the anko deftly with a long thin spoon, next, putting her l.u.s.trous lips to the edge of the gla.s.s, she would sip the black liquid inside.
“What a wonderful taste, as always,” she would compliment the drink sincerely with a content smile.
In order to come up with a decently drinkable anko c.o.c.ktail, Kusanagi had to go through repeated trial and error. That’s why he would be truly delighted at the praise.
The anko c.o.c.ktail would put Awashima in a good mood, and the two would chat about silly stuff, like how they both were doing lately and what was going on in their respective clans. Since they both were relatively intelligent, sometimes they would talk about a variety of broad subjects like history, literature or music.
During that rather smart exchange, Awashima would usually order a second c.o.c.ktail. And then, finally, Kusanagi would suggest, "How about going somewhere together sometime?’
Sometimes he would say it jokingly, other times with an affected air. He simply jested a.s.suming that he would always be refused without fail.
Except on that day, he suddenly hadn’t.
“Let’s see.” Awashima replied with a tilt of her head, her cheeks dusted pink ever so slightly due to her being a little tipsy. “I don’t exactly mind, per se.”
Needless to say, Kusanagi, who was rightfully expecting yet another refusal, went momentarily stiff. Hand polishing a gla.s.s frozen midmotion and eyes wide, he couldn’t help voicing, “Eh?”
*
The next day, bringing a nice cloudless weather, saw Awashima, in civilian clothes again, happily walking through the shopping district. Behind her, Kusanagi tottered, precariously balancing a stack of boxes in his hands.
Turning her head to him, Awashima gave him an impish smile, “Come on, you’ve got to hang on there for a little while longer, because there is a toy store over there and I’m planning to drop by it.”
“S-Seri-chan, how about a little rest?”
This outing meant nothing, really. Awashima just had him help her with shopping for presents for the kindergarten and old people’s home Scepter 4 made occasional sympathy calls to. She wanted a man’s opinion, and "Kusanagi-kun’ had a good taste. Such was Awashima’s rationale, anyway. And the reason why Kusanagi didn’t mind carrying all those bags and boxes was because he volunteered himself, stating that he couldn’t possibly allow a lady to carry them in his presence.
A little later, Kusanagi’s wish was finally granted, but not before they had finished checking about 2 more storeys worth of shops. The two entered a coffee shop to take a long overdue break at last. Kusanagi ordered coffee, and Awashima tea with milk.
Kusanagi kept grinning as he cracked trivial jokes, Awashima played along, replying with tasteful quips of her own. The exchange was their usual one, silly but overflowing with witticisms. However, some time later, the two became aware of a certain uncomfortable feeling.
Their conversation was more halting than usual. Or, to be more precise, even though they meant to chat like usual, it came out a little awkward, which, in turn, caused them to feel faintly embarra.s.sed when looking at each other’s face. Once the realization hit, it didn’t take them long to figure out the reason, which they did practically at the same time.
Kusanagi and Awashima’s rendezvous usually took place almost exclusively in the evenings, not to mention they were separated by the bar counter, fulfilling the roles of the bar master and his client respectively. It was a fixed setting: there was a bar that provided a highly unique drink such as anko c.o.c.ktails, and there was a customer with a slightly peculiar palate that came to that bar drawn there by said c.o.c.ktails. But right now, it was broad daylight, and they were in a coffee shop, sitting at the same table, with alcohol-free drinks in front of them. The two of them, in such a situation…
They could only look like a couple on a date.
“…”
“…”
Naturally, a long silence fell. Kusanagi shook it off first: he forced himself to relax, then smiled a little, and that was enough for him to go back to his usual self.
“Say, Seri-chan, are you free after this? I know a lovely restaurant that serves great pasta.”
Even if things were a little awkward, one suave and soft-spoken utterance from Kusanagi was enough to easily clear the air of awkwardness, and it was something only Kusanagi, who had plenty of experience with women, could achieve.
“…” Awashima narrowed her eyes and showed a tiny smile. “Well, yes. I have already sent what I bought to the HQ, so I don’t mind. Today is my day-off, anyway.”
“Settled then,” Kusanagi commented lightly.
Before they went to the restaurant, Awashima excused herself to adjust her makeup.
"Ohh. I didn’t expect this kind of progress in the least, to be honest,’ Kusanagi thought as he stretched a little, then questioned himself, "It’s OK, isn’t it? Slow and peaceful everyday life may be returning, and yet…’
And yet, a lot of things were in the process of changing. That was the truth that clouded his eyes with a tinge of sadness.
Just then, Kusanagi’s PDA signalled incoming. A glance at the screen revealed that the caller was Yata Misaki. Kusanagi’s eyes narrowed as he stared at the name. He had a feeling that whatever Yata was calling about was going to be troublesome, so he ignored the call, pretending not to see it.
"Sorry, Yata-chan, but I’m at a really good part right now,’ pressing his hands together, he apologized to an imaginary Yata.
But only a little later his PDA rung again.
“Hm? Anna this time, huh?” She was his ward, and he couldn’t possibly ignore a phone call from her, so he answered it.
“Izumo, trouble. The sewerage in the bar broke, Misaki and Rikio tried to fix it, but…”
In the receiver, Kusanagi could hear the racket Yata and Kamamoto were making on the other end of the line. He bet those two fiddled with the sewerage with no knowledge or skills, which only worsened the situation by a lot, probably.
Kusanagi let out a grievous sigh. Then, with a strained smile curving his lips, he finally said, “Alright, Anna, I got it. I’ll be back soon.” He didn’t hesitate.
Awashima came back from the bathroom, and when he was about to inform her, she spoke up first. “I’m sorry but I have just received urgent dispatch orders, so I’m afraid I will not be able to go to that restaurant.”
Mysteriously enough, something urgent came up on Awashima’s side, too. She also received a call, it seemed.
For a short while, Kusanagi just stood there with a blank stare, before bursting into laughter, “Haha!”
Awashima stared at him questioningly until he explained his changed circ.u.mstances to her. “Fufufu,” Awashima’s shoulders trembled.
That kind of development was so like them, they both thought.
After that, the two, no awkwardness between them anymore, said their goodbyes to each other and headed in two different directions to attend to their matters.
They didn’t make plans to meet again, but both Kusanagi and Awashima knew without a shadow of doubt that they would see each other again late at night in the bar.