(Wind Breaker) The Green Rose's Thorns

Part 5

"Aoi, you can take your break now," Kotoha called to her one and only employee from the front door of Pothos. The employee in question was just setting down a customer's entree and was glad for an excuse to get out of the old man's rambling session.

"'Kay," the young boy slipped behind the counter and grabbed up the bags of groceries Kotoha had brought in. He carried them to the back to put everything away before she could try to stop him. There was a strange guy with Kotoha, and he was randomly loud for no good reason. Loud enough that Aoi could hear him from the storage room. He wrapped up what he was doing then headed back out, untying the apron he had over his clothes. It was Pothos' only uniform, and a little long for him.

"Have you eaten yet?," Kotoha asked as he passed by her.

"I haven't. I will in a bit," Aoi answered through the mask he wore. He eyed the half-and-half haired boy as he moved to a stool at the end of the counter. His usual spot, the one that none of the regulars ever picked. He draped the apron over the counter as he slid onto the seat, which was tall enough that his feet rested on the ring around the base instead of touching the ground.

"Got your kid brother workin' for ya?"

"Hm? Oh, we're not related," Kotoha answered the rather rude question unfazed. Aoi was somewhat bothered by it, flicking the rolled up paper of a sugar packet at the boy's head. It hit dead on, setting the other boy off yet again.

"What the-"

"Most people start with an introduction, then ask the person they're curious about questions," Aoi didn't turn his head to look at the boy. He could see the Furin jacket, a strange choice of clothing since school hadn't started yet. The boy's face went red, and he wore a pretty entertaining expression after Aoi's comment.

"Haruka Sakura-"

"Oh, I heard. You're pretty loud. Oh, thanks," Aoi's tone softened considerably when Kotoha slid a cup of coffee in front of him. She flicked his forehead, a warning to stop picking on customers.

"So? Who're you?," Sakura pressed on.

"Aoi."

"Just Aoi?"

"Just Aoi. Somethin' wrong with it?," Aoi looked at his conversation buddy head on as he stirred two sugars into his coffee. That's when he noticed the empty plate of what used to be omelet rice in front of the boy, which Kotoha cleared away silently.

"Not gonna last long giving food away to randos," Aoi made a dig at Kotoha.

"Uh," Sakura flinched at it, while Kotoha sighed and put the dishes into the sink.

"He helped me out, so I'm paying him back," Kotoha offered the vaguest explanation, hoping to avoid an uncomfortable conversation. Aoi's eyes narrowed regardless of her attempt, piecing things together.

"Some jackass tried something," Aoi's guess was spot on. Kotoha tried not to react, but that in itself was all the confirmation Aoi needed.

"Let me go next time," was all he said. After that Aoi tuned out of the conversation and focused on his coffee. Sakura left in a huff, and not long after there was shouting and clanging from outside. Curious, Kotoha ventured out and was immediately caught by a stray thug. Aoi spit his coffee out when he saw Kotoha with a knife to her throat through the window, rushing out with the mug still in his hand.

"Hey-"

"Piss off!," Sakura came crashing into view with a flying kick straight at the guy's face. Both Aoi and Kotoha were stunned for a minute, and in that minute Sakura was back in the thick of an all out brawl with the rest of the group. He was backed into a wall, with Kotoha behind him just out of reach of any stray hands. The knife guy crawled away, and sliced at Sakura's ankle. Sakura fell back into Kotoha, and the shuttered door. Another guy approached with a metal bat, and the other two braced for a nasty impact.

They heard something shatter, and Sakura felt a spray of warm liquid that made him look up in a panic. The guy with the bat staggered back, a hand held to the side of his face where a mix of blood and a dark brown liquid were dripping down. Then he was whipped out of view, replaced by Aoi.

"Dickhead," Aoi spat out, stomping the hand of the one on the ground with the knife.

"Aoi! You ain't supposed to be fightin'. Kotoha?," a voice called out from behind the gaggle of gangsters. They seemed familiar with the pair that Sakura had just met, and Aoi visibly flinched when he heard the voice.

"Hiragi!," Kotoha perked up. The voice belonged to a taller guy, also wearing a Furin jacket. There were a few other Furin jackets with him, and they made quick work of the group. Aoi slipped back into the cafe before Hiragi could say anything more about his short bout in the battle. Kotoha and Sakura came back not long after, and the old man that had been there left. Sakura left in a hurry after him, leaving Kotoha and Aoi there.

"Hiragi said he won't tell, since it didn't get serious," Kotoha offered that little reassurance as she slid a plate in front of Aoi at the counter. Aoi sighed, then pulled the mask off and enjoyed his very late lunch.

"Oh, and you owe me a cup."

"Hrnk!," Aoi choked on a bite of his sandwich at that last part.