Shutters and Strings - MICHAENG

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It was all that could be heard from a distance, the constant flickering of a camera and the bright white flash with occasional bursts of sound, all of which were startling and intertwining with the sounds of the bustling city of Kobe, Japan.

Myoui Mina. It was she who continued to take pictures of the beautiful and captivating environment around her, taking pictures of the many buildings, which were all being lit up around her, with her small, old, and yet somehow still functioning camera that she had, with the intention of capturing their beauty and brilliance. She took a small glance at the pictures that were now displayed on the small screen and smiled to herself, satisfied with the pictures she snapped. She gently placed her camera back in the bag she carried across her body, carefully securing it inside, and swiftly swinging the bag across her. She took one final look at the buildings before her, appreciating the sight once more, and started walking in the opposite direction.

The sight of the city before her was absolutely breathtaking. Having spent quite literally most of her life in the same area, she had grown accustomed to the surroundings, but the view she constantly saw never lost its charm. It was a daily reminder of the beauty that surrounded her, and she couldn't help but admire it every time she set eyes on it. Even on the way to her job, she took a moment to appreciate the stunning view and would often pay it a compliment.

Mina continued to walk and found herself craving a hot beverage, as the weather around her had gotten colder. She shivered and tugged her soft beige overcoat closer to her body as she realized that she had taken pictures of her surroundings for longer than she had expected. She continued to walk and found herself opening the door to a small family-owned coffee shop. As soon as she stepped inside the cafe, she relaxed and immediately felt the warmth that the place exuded. She's been here before, but something about it seemed off. The interior looked different from when she last visited the shop. It seemed more homey, if that was the word, and full of coziness. It had been a few months, after all, since her last visit. She made a mental note to herself to come back and take pictures of the new plants, paintings, and lights that the owners now had on display.

She stepped closer to the register and took a look at the menu above her head. She smiled at the way that the names of the drinks and food items were written in an adorable font written with chalk. Oh, she definitely wanted to take pictures. As she started to pull the straps from her bag and get her camera, she heard rustling from behind the register and instead, started patiently waiting for a cashier to take her order. That was until she found a familiar face start walking up to her, unaware of the customer right outside of the register.

"Momo? What are you doing here? And especially behind the register?" Mina spoke, in a shocked yet quiet voice, trying not to be loud and disturb any of the other customers that resided in the cafe.

Momo, the other woman behind the register, finally turned to face the woman she was going to attend. The expression on her face resembled that of a child who got caught doing something they weren't supposed to do. Momo paused and quickly brought her hands to her face, as if embarrassed.

"Noo, you weren't supposed to see me here just yet, ugh, Sana is going to get so upset with me. This is your fault." Momo whined in a playful tone as she pointed her finger at Mina, who still remained in shock and confusion. Mina then let out a soft chuckle escape her mouth as she processed what she had just walked into. No wonder Momo never told her why she couldn't hang out as much as she used to. She's been spending most of her days here at the cafe. But why didn't she want Mina to find out?

"Is this where you've been these past few days?" Mina grinned at her best friend, leaning on the oak-wooden counter in front of her, arms out and placed together. Momo pouted and crossed her arms in return.