A month had passed since that stormy evening, and in that time, your relationship with Nanami had grown deeper, yet a subtle tension had begun to creep in. While you weren't officially together, the bond you shared felt real—something far more significant than a simple fling. Yet recently, Nanami had become a bit distant, his usual warmth replaced by a quiet, almost troubled air. He had been working longer hours, showing up at the café less frequently, and when he did, there was a shadow behind his eyes that you couldn't quite place.
Determined to break through whatever was weighing him down, you decided to plan a special evening for the two of you. You chose a nice restaurant downtown, one you'd been meaning to try for a while but never found the right occasion. Tonight felt like the perfect time. You hoped a relaxing evening, just the two of you, might help pull Nanami out of his funk.
The restaurant was elegant, with dim lighting casting a warm glow over the polished wood tables and the soft murmur of conversation filling the air. You had dressed up for the occasion, wanting to remind him of the spark that had drawn you both together in the first place. When Nanami arrived, you couldn't help but notice the way his eyes lingered on you, a flicker of something—perhaps admiration, perhaps longing—crossing his features before his usual stoic expression returned.
"Thanks for coming," you said, trying to keep your tone light as he took his seat across from you.
"Of course," Nanami replied, his voice low, though there was a touch of that distance still there, like he was physically present but his mind was elsewhere.
You both ordered drinks—something to take the edge off the day and hopefully ease the tension that had built up over the past few weeks. As you sipped your wine, you decided to break the ice by sharing a bit about your week.
"So, I had the pleasure of dealing with a real douche bag at the café," you began, rolling your eyes for effect. "This businessman came in, clearly in a hurry, and ordered his usual. Everything was fine until he took a sip and practically spit it out, demanding to know why there wasn't 'enough sugar' in his drink. He started yelling at me in front of everyone." You shook your head, still annoyed by the memory. "It was so embarrassing. I don't know how some people can be so rude over something so small."
Nanami's expression softened as he listened, and you noticed the way his hand tightened around his glass. "I'm sorry you had to deal with that," he said, his voice sincere. "Some people don't understand how their actions affect others. It's... frustrating."
You smiled, feeling a bit better just talking about it. "Thanks. It's just part of the job, I guess."
Nanami nodded, but there was something else in his eyes, something that told you he was carrying his own burdens. You reached out, your hand lightly brushing his across the table. "What about you? How was your week?"
He hesitated for a moment, as if debating whether or not to tell you. But then he sighed, and the tension in his shoulders seemed to ease slightly. "It wasn't the best," he admitted, his gaze dropping to the table. "There was an... incident. A cart got loose on the train and slammed into my side. Bruised me up pretty badly."
Your heart lurched at the thought of him getting hurt. "Nanami, that sounds awful! Are you okay?"
He nodded, but you could see the pain in his eyes—the kind that went beyond physical injury. "I'll be fine. Just need some time to heal." He tried to smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.
Without thinking, you squeezed his hand, wishing you could take away whatever was weighing on him. "I'm glad you're okay. If you need anything, even if it's just someone to talk to, I'm here."
Nanami looked at you then, really looked at you, and for a moment, the distance between you seemed to shrink. "Thank you," he said softly. "That means a lot."
You sat in a comfortable silence for a while, the weight of the past week's troubles slowly lifting as you took solace in each other's presence. But then, as you were finishing your drinks and waiting for your food, something—or rather, someone—caught both of your attention.
A man had just entered the restaurant and was being seated at the table next to yours. He was tall, with striking features and an air of confidence that made him stand out. As he took his seat, your eyes widened in recognition. It was the taxi driver who had asked you out on a date a while back.
Nanami's gaze had also locked onto the man, but his expression was unreadable—his usual calm exterior betraying nothing. Still, you noticed the way his jaw tightened ever so slightly, a telltale sign that something was bothering him.
"Do you know him?" you asked quietly, leaning in slightly to catch Nanami's eye.
Nanami shook his head, but his eyes remained fixed on the man for a moment longer before he turned back to you. "No," he replied, his voice a touch too casual. "Do you?"
You hesitated, wondering if you should say anything, but decided there was no harm in being honest. "Yeah, I do. He's the taxi driver who asked me out a while ago. I turned him down, though."
Nanami's expression didn't change, but you could see the flicker of something in his eyes—jealousy, perhaps? Or maybe it was something else, something deeper. "I see," he said, his tone measured.
The rest of the evening continued as planned, but you couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted. Nanami was still present, still attentive, but there was a distraction in his eyes, a subtle tension that hadn't been there before. You noticed the way his gaze occasionally flicked over to the man at the next table, and each time, his expression would harden slightly before he caught himself and returned his focus to you.
By the time dessert arrived, you had convinced yourself that Nanami's distraction was simply jealousy. Maybe seeing the man who had tried to date you had stirred something in him, made him realize that you were a catch worth holding onto. But even as you told yourself this, a small voice in the back of your mind whispered that there was more to it than that—something you weren't seeing, something Nanami wasn't telling you.
As you both finished your meal and prepared to leave, you couldn't help but glance over at the taxi driver one last time. He was still sitting there, his attention seemingly elsewhere, but you couldn't shake the feeling that he had somehow played a part in the distance that had crept between you and Nanami. You brushed it off as a silly thought, focusing instead on the man beside you, the man who, despite his recent distance, still made your heart race.
As you walked out of the restaurant together, the night air cool against your skin, you squeezed Nanami's hand, hoping that whatever was bothering him would pass. For now, you were content to simply be with him, to let the world fade away as you focused on the man who had, without a doubt, captured your heart.
But as you rode back to your apartment, the memory of that taxi driver's face lingered in your mind, and you couldn't help but wonder if this was just the beginning of something far more complicated than either of you were prepared for.
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KIMURA CAFÉ (Nanami x Black Reader)
FanfictionNanami Kento, a mysterious and charming figure stumbles into the ordinary world of a café worker. ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆: This story contains mature content such as explicit language and sexual situations. 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐌𝐄�...