archives

chapter 4

Hajime's POV

The day goes by fairly quickly probably because I'm excited to go to the cafe later. My friend Chiaki told me about it a couple of days ago and ever since I've been eager to try it.

I guess you could say I'm a sucker for coffee shops. Anything that has sweets, coffee, wifi and looks pretty is already on my favorite place. While I do suck at studying, if I get a nice iced coffee I might just focus a little bit better.

I take the train towards the coffee shop, which is a couple of blocks away from my apartment. I get off of the train at the stop only to receive a text from Chiaki herself.

chiaki: hey hajime, are you trying out the new coffee place i showed you?

hajime: You know me too well, but to answer your question yes. I was thinking of getting my usual order but if there's something you think is better send it my way!

chiaki: alright, i usually order a hot caramel macchiato but i ask for cinnamon or pumpkin shots to make it more interesting. but of course, since you like your iced coffee u can order it iced instead (*^ω^)

hajime: Got it, thanks Chiaki.

Chiaki has been my closest friend ever since I can remember. She knows me better than I know myself which is quite frightening at times. We don't share many interests however we did get along with each other quite well. Ever since we graduated highschool, she's gone into a computing college around the outskirts of the city. She does occasionally visit but our schedules rarely line up.
Even though we don't talk or see each other everyday, we're still as close as ever.

As I put my phone away, I finally reach the coffee shop. It's small and has hand carved signs on the outside. 'How cute' I thought as I entered. The bitter but welcoming smell of fresh made coffee hit my nose as soon as I stepped in, which made me feel incredibly welcomed for some strange reason.
I ordered what Chiaki recommended and it was surprisingly better than I expected. But it does suit her more spicy tastes than my sweet ones.

I sat there for a while, a couple of people entered and left and I decided to pick up where I left off in my recent book.

Which instantly reminded me of the incident from yesterday 'God, how could I be so careless to not notice a stranger next to me'. However, that employee did spike up my interests, how could've he been so quiet but seemingly gentle at the same time? That realization made me weirdly compare him to a rabbit, quiet and soft but strangely smart and stealthy.

I vividly remembered his hands, at first they were so pale they blended in with the pages. When he turned the page back I must've been so caught up in reading I didn't even notice. But part of me wants to go back just to see him. It's strange for someone to have sparked my interest as much as he has.

The heavy sound of rain interrupts my thinking. 'For fucks sake, I didn't know it was supposed to rain today' I thought as I finished up my coffee. And just as I was about to take the last sip, a person with white messy hair catches my view.

Nagito's POV

       I finished somewhat late today, that's alright. It's not like I have any friends to meet up with or pets to greet home. However that thought depressed me a bit, so I decided to go to the closest coffee shop to cheer myself up. The ones near campus had already closed, even thought it was only around 5 pm. The rain must've decreased business I assume.

I knew it was going to rain, so just in case I packed my rain jacket and umbrella.

I liked the rain, it calmed me down. Less people to walk by on the streets, no crowds, no traffic and best of all, the sound of rain hitting the sidewalk. It was better than the sound of a clock ticking. Most find the rain depressing but for me it's my favorite type of weather. Perfect for studying, listening to music and enjoying the quiet.

I walked around 10 blocks to find a cafe that was open, and luckily this one was quite small, 'less interaction and people, this is great!'.

I step in as the warm and soft smell of coffee and cinnamon hits my nose. I take off my hood and hang my jacket on a coat rack, slinging my bag over my shoulder. I gently ruffle my hair to get rid of any rain drops. 'I cant see with all this hair in my face', I tug on an elastic I had on my wrist and tie my hair into a small ponytail, causing some pieces to fall out and frame my face. 'Well at least this is better' I think as I head up to order.

"Hello! What would you like to order?" the barista asked me. I read the name "Mahiru" on their name tag. It sounded familiar but I wasn't sure from where.

"Uhm, hm, may I order a hot mocha cappuccino but decaf please?" I responded.

"Sure! Your total will be $2.30" she replied with a genuine smile on her face.

I paid my total with cash, leaving a $1 tip and decided to look for a place to sit. I noticed a person sitting all the way by the window, I guess I didn't notice him before because of all the hair in my eyes. He seemed very deep in thought but somehow looked as if he didn't even exist in this coffee shop but in his own world instead. He had some sort of book laying open in front of him, however I didn't want to bother him. Most of the tables were already closed so I picked the closest empty one, which happened to be just one table away from him.

I normally don't talk to people I don't know, since I always become too nervous and start forgetting how to speak. But I cant seem to take my eyes off of this person, maybe because they look so engulfed in their own imagination.

"Your decaf mocha cappuccino is ready sir!" the barista calls out.

I get up out of my seat, leaving my bag on the table and get up to grab the drink.
"Thank you" I reply and walk back, only to notice that the boy has closed his book and started packing up.

    He does look similar to someone i've seen before but I cant seem to remember where or when I saw him. As I sit down, he walks up to the cashier and asks, "Excuse me, may you happen to have a spare umbrella? I'd pay for it as well".

"Uhm no sorry sir" she says and finished cleaning up.

The boy sighs and just as he's about to open the door I callout, "I heard you needed an umbrella, i happened to pack one in my bag and i'd be more than happy to give it to you".

He turns around to face me, making direct eye contact which weirdly flusters me. 'I've never had a stranger look directly into my eyes at first glance' I think as I open my bag to retrieve the umbrella.

"Are you sure? It's raining pretty heavily and I don't want you to get soaked out there" he replied.

I broke eye contact and started to fidget with my fingers. 'What reason does he have to care for a strangers well-being? and why is he being so considerate..', I started to get anxious as I lowered my voice and stepped closer to him.

"I'm sure, here take it. I have a jacket so I'll be alright" I say as I hold out the umbrella to him with one hand, the other stuffed into my hoodie pocket.
I look back up at him only to realize that he's looking not at the umbrella, but at my hand instead.

It appears as if he's trying to recall something or maybe even lost in thought. Although my hand begins to hurt so I interrupt his thoughts, "uhm.. hello?" I say slightly waving the umbrella towards him.

"Oh yes. Sorry. Thank you very much" he replies reaching out to grab the umbrella. However his warm fingertips momentarily brush against mine and for a second it appears as if he has engulfed me in his own separate world.

But that moment doesn't last long, as I let go of the umbrella and quickly force my cold hands into my hoodie pocket.

"Your hands are pretty cold, are you sure you'll be okay in this weather?" he asked, looking down at the umbrella in his hands.

For a moment I just stood there, staring at the bag slouched over his shoulder. I started to feel anxious and I gave a quick reply "I'm always cold but thank you for worrying. You don't have to return the umbrella, you can keep it.". And with that he looked back up at me, staring at my eyes once again. His lips formed a genuine smile as he said his goodbyes, thanking the barista for the coffee and stepping out of the cafe.

a/n: jeez i did not this more than 5 people would read this holy heck :3. this story is gonna be somewhat long! but i hope that it'll still be interesting up until the very end ^^