Cat Café~ Pakunoda

Pink Camellia Flowers

Chapter 13

The whole car ride you were thinking of ways you could show Pakunoda how you felt without exactly putting it into words. You didn't want to be the one to say it out loud but it was obvious that something was there, normally she was hard to read but yesterday felt like she was really showing how she felt. You were afraid to misread the situation and embarrass yourself or make things awkward for work, you had to keep in mind that she was still your employer.

The only way you could think to express your feelings without straight up telling her was buying her pink Camellia flowers. It felt sentimental because you had chosen them to be the café flowers on your first sleepover and they perfectly represented your feelings for her.

When you got back you were both so excited to see the cats. You were hugging all of them, thanking Mel and her husband Harry for taking care of things.

"No problem! Any time you need anything at all just ask." Mel said holding Pakunoda's hands. Everyone here had her on this high pedestal, though it made sense if she was the one that freed them from the dark past they faced.

As Mel and her husband were exiting the door closed on Harry's mitten, pulling it off. You opened the door catching the mitten before it hit the ground.

"Oh you forgot thi-" Mel snatched the mitten from you.

"Let's go Harry." She said blankly. The only other time you had seen her like this was when you asked about the mayor.

"I-I'm sorry." You apologized looking at Harry's hand when your stomach dropped.

'He has no fingers.'

Mel put Harry's mitten back on for him before grabbing his arm and walking off.

"Pakunoda.. why does Harry have no fingers?" You asked, your eyes still fixated on where he was once standing.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"H-he had no fingers... I saw it when his mitten came off." Now that you thought about it a lot of the older people in the town wore mittens even though it's never cold out. "It's perfectly warm but people are wearing mittens."

"I'm sorry I didn't look at his hand. And older people get colder fast, I wouldn't pay any mind to it." She responded casually. Picking up Tommy. "Aw you missed y/n didn't you." She said passing him to you and giving the other cats attention.

"Even the florist was missing fingers."

"Jazmine?"

"Yeah, two of them."

"Well people can loose fingers for a number of reasons." She shrugged her shoulders.

"My uncle chopped his thumb off with a saw- by accident of course."

"See. There's tons of reasons. And I feel bad for your uncle, that must have been scary."

"Yeah. I guess so." You gave up questioning Pakunoda because it was clearly going nowhere and you didn't want to annoy her when things were going so well.

'THE FLOWERS!! I still have to get Pakunoda the flowers!'

Even though you were hungover as shit, today felt like the best day for your little no speaking confession. The mood was still good from your trip and they could double as a thank you.

"Um Pakunoda I have to run out for a moment is that okay?"

"Yeah of course, we won't open the café today so don't feel like you have to rush back." She smiled.

As you were walking to the florist you had come up with your conclusion about the fingers. The mayor would take fingers as payment. It was the only thing that made sense, and it explains the mitten situation. It was a sickening thought but you were sure it was true. It was annoying that no one would be straight with you but you had to accept that it's a touchy subject and move on.

"Hey y/n!" Jazmine said cheerfully running out from behind the counter to greet you.

"How are you?" You smiled.

"I'm good. What can I do for ya today?"

"I would like to buy more pink Camellias."

"Another bouquet?"

'Oh.. how many am I going to get? Can a whole bouquet even express how much I love her- is one too little? I don't know!!'

It took a while to decide but eventually you payed for the flowers and left. As you were walking back you looked down at the flowers in your hand and smiled. You decided to get two flowers, one representing Pakunoda and one representing you. A flower representing your love and the other one a prayer that she was longing for you too.

Your heart was literally beating out of your chest when you walked through the café doors. Your eyes met with Pakunoda's, she was standing behind the counter counting the money in the cash register. You walked up to her and extended your arm holding the flowers across the counter.

"Oh are these for the café?" She asked.

"No. These aren't for the café... these are for you." Her eyes widened.

"I see." She took the flowers from you.

"I don't have to say anything because you know what they mean and I'm not really good with this kind of th-"

Pakunoda reached over the counter and pulled you into a hug. Your face smashed into her boobs causing you to slowly suffocate.

"I... can't... breathe..." your muffled voice spoke.

'Oh my... this is the best way to go out.'

You almost died before she pulled away. "I understand what you're trying to say."

Silence filled the café as you stood there staring at each other.

"You're not saying anything." You said, worried she might reject you.

"You can't tell?" The knots in your stomach multiplied by ten.

"Tell what?"

"I'm just so happy." She smiled.