French Cup: A Neighborhood Story

Chapter 120: -Kazuya- Kanpai

"You're here so early, it's strange." Kim-san was scratching his head. His usual volatile red spicy powder was all over his front again, no doubt spilled in haste. I'd done that to myself with flour so many times. But, this time all of us were cringing in half smiles, not wanting to insult him but so afraid for our clothes. More than half of us had napkins arranged all over us just in case. 

"Are you coming to the dance?" Miyuki asked, picking up another wing and picking it apart delicately with her nails. 

"Why would I do that? I've got customers," Kim-san shrugged heading back to the kitchen, but before he could-

"Kim-san, I've always wondered something," Nikki started, and internally we groaned, having to shield ourselves from the powder again even if it didn't stand a chance of jumping off him onto our clothes. Normally, I'd be worried the powder would somehow get into my eyes. This time, I was worried because my suit was rented.

"Yes?" He seemed to be getting slightly irritated, as there were definitely other customers in here. They were a type I'd never seen before. Whole families eating, even a baby in a high chair. I hadn't ever noticed this place even had high chairs. 

"Well, I always wanted to know. Why on earth-" Nikki gestured to the room, its yellow walls and red tables, "-did you model this place off of McDonald's and not KFC? Wouldn't that have made more sense? You serve chicken. Wouldn't that have brought in more customers?"

Kim-san just stared at us blankly. Pausing, as if he'd never thought of this before. His fingers returned to his hair, scratching as he thought of it. "I guess the author didn't think of that at the time," he shrugged, turning to go away again.

"Okay, well that explains it," Miyuki said, shrugging similarly. "Now we can finally put that to rest."

"Yup, sure can," Nikki said, satisfied. So carefully, he picked up a fry and placed it into his mouth. Chewing slowly, to savor it since he couldn't eat much. 

I was just taking in the atmosphere. Smelling the familiar smells. It was egg and red spicy pepper, ginger and different kinds of breading, garlic and sweet things, soybeans. Loving being here with everyone, and most of all...

Gyeong-Wan was pressed against me, there were so many of us crammed in the booth and two of our friends were wearing enormous dresses on either end. So enormous, that they couldn't even fit in here. We were so happy, though, trying to eat. Aware of the time, as the opening of the dance drew ever closer. What were we going to find there? Ah, but I still had a major problem that I needed to address. Knowing the time was giving me the most anxiety I'd felt in ages. A different kind of anxiety, almost a selfish one compared to how I'd been feeling. This problem was beautiful, compared. 

My hand went up to my bangs, messing them up again. I slid a compact mirror out from my pants, one I'd swiped when we'd left, well aware of my problem. In my peripheral vision, Gyeong-Wan was staring at me unashamedly. He looked especially handsome, and I wanted to stare at him back. His light gray suit perfectly complimented his pink shirt, which was also tie-less. It gave the pink a silver offset, almost opposite on the color scale in that regard. It was as if he'd been dressing for light colors all of his life. His own hair was perfect, the natural waves wonderfully arranged. Me, on the other hand...

"Oh my god, I can't get it," I burst out, mussing up my hair again to try something else. "What am I going to do? My hair!" I hadn't even eaten much, so worried about it. 

"Let me help you." Gyeong-Wan wiped his hands on a wet nap, then his fingers went into my bangs and I instantly relaxed like a cat being pet. If this is what Kuro got every day now, I wanted to be a cat. But, no this was better than being a cat.