French Cup: A Neighborhood Story

Chapter 111: -Kazuya- Something in the Air

The sparkling, cheerful tones of Elyane Celis were entertaining us as I completed an ice cream cone for a customer. These old comforts, something simple to do but so obvious. When Nikki had suggested we serve ice cream today, I didn't hesitate. 

It was a soft reopening. No cakes or pastries. I wasn't ready yet, though something in me felt ready. Ice cream felt like the most I could do. These large containers were from the Nguyens' grocery store, even the brands on the sides of the containers in ice buckets in our display. Nikki had taken the usual shelves out himself, causing a warm feeling in my chest as he took them out lovingly and with respect.

As I handed the mint chocolate chip ice cream cone to the smiling woman in front of me, that something in my heart was healing. One ice cream cone at a time. As I looked beyond her, I saw a sight that warmed my heart even more. Healed me, even more. 

"Hold the coffee server like this," Nikki was instructing Gyeong-Wan. He adjusted it in his hands, rearranging his fingers. "Don't tilt it too much, or pour too fast. You'll end up with a big mess that will be burning. You don't want to burn the customer, do you?"

The customer in question edged a little bit away from them, but he looked amused anyway. Further causing my heart to soar, there was a new and pink copy of the Rainbow Edition on the table next to him. Minoru had delivered a whole stack of them this morning. Showing life goes on, life was good. It was as if nothing had ever happened, as if everything was normal.

Things were far from normal, but we were adjusting. A soft opening here, a gentle lesson there. 

"Yes. Pour it. Yes, like that."

I could only see Gyeong-Wan's back, but his movements were slow. Taking so much care, with this one cup of coffee. The feeling in my heart bloomed. Distracted by him, remembering in a flash of sudden memory, one like this. How in the beginning, I'd watched his back like this. Longing to know him, blushing with Nikki and Miyuki about him. Well, now I knew him. And how wonderful he was. And now, he was working here...

"That's it. See, it isn't so hard. Just don't get over eager. It'll come naturally eventually. Muscle memory. You won't want to pour it so fast. That's motto of this place, isn't it? Things go slow. We take our time. We enjoy life."

"Oh, enjoying life?" Gyeong-Wan's response to Nikki's lecture. He sounded so happy about it. I felt myself blush. 

"Yes, that's what Kazu always says."

My hand was over my heart before I knew it. Another customer stepped up to the counter, indicating to the pink strawberry ice cream. I nodded to her, my smile so genuine and full of love. I felt so young, maybe like a middle schooler in love, but... Gently, I swung around to the waffle cone maker and poured batter into its awaiting mold. The perfect amount, and just thinking about teaching Gyeong-Wan how to make this? His developing a muscle memory for the right amount, just like me. Just like how to pour the coffee?

Yesterday, I'd been so worried. He hadn't come back for so long. I'd panicked, wanting to go over to the hotel to see what was wrong. Just that freedom to do that, feeling like I could go over there. There wasn't any more intimidation about it. I'd been over there. Realizing that, but thinking he might not be there. They might have made him leave, taken him right to the airport. Higher ups in his company had been there, they might have taken him with them. 

When he came through the door after, I'd been so relieved. Beside myself. He could have told me anything, but I was just so relieved he was back. To see him again. Wanting to hear his story, but most of all wanting to see his face. To touch his hair, feel his warm skin. I'd clung to him and didn't care who watched. 

He'd quit his job at the hotel. That's all he'd told us since then. Now, he was here with us. Mostly unspoken, but he was working here now. Nikki had embraced it, and I couldn't officially say the words. It was natural, the most correct thing in the world. He belonged here. I'd known that months ago, I'd known that when he'd made chocolate with me. When he'd taken my cakes out of the oven. When he'd watched me make pastries. He was one of us. And with quitting his job, he was finally one of us.