Cafe A La Mode

(4) Unexpected Visitors

Emiko ducked her head and made her way as quickly as she could past her homeroom class. She could hear her friends’ voices already, drifting from the classroom. She had already sent them a text earlier, so they wouldn’t wait up for her, but she was running late this morning and still hadn’t completed the task she needed to do before they find out. If they saw her now, she would never hear the end of it.

Pausing just outside the door, she tightened her grip on the jacket Kunimitsu had leant her. Emiko mentally scolded herself once again, how could she have forgotten to return it? Taking a deep breath, Emiko prayed they weren’t looking and sprinted past the doorway and hurried on towards the stairs. She took them in her stride, two at a time, and in her hurry, she nearly knocked over another student with vibrant red hair.

“Sorry!” Emiko cried without looking behind her, in fear that Juri or Meru had spotted her.

Finally she reached her destination and she stopped just outside the door, panting. Resting her hands on her knees, she was catching her breath, when she heard a familiar voice.

“Ne, Yuki-san, are you okay?”

Emiko straightened up quickly to find Shusuke and another student standing beside him. Probably one of his classmates, Emiko gathered.

“Fuji-san! Yeah, I’m fine thanks,” she said, her cheeks that were still flushed from her speedy sprint started to burn when she noticed Shusuke’s friend was looking at Kunimitsu’s jacket she was clutching.

“Ah, Yuki-san, this is Inui Sadaharu. He’s a friend of Tezuka and myself,” Fuji said, indicating the tall student standing beside him.

Relieved from the small introductory distraction, Emiko turned to Inui.

“Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu!” she cried, bowing to him. Sadaharu did the same. As Emiko straightened up, she noticed that Sadaharu was much taller than most students in their grade. He had black, gelled-up, spikey hair, and thick black square-framed glasses, which he adjusted after he straightened up.

“Judging by the size and the wear of that jacket, the probability that it is Tezuka’s jacket is…” the sun glinted off the square corner of his glasses. “…100%...” Sadaharu’s eyes scrutinised her quizzically.

Emiko avoided his gaze and her blush deepened. She saw out of the corner of her eye, Sadaharu turn to Shusuke for an explanation, but Shusuke only chuckled.

“Tezuka isn’t here yet, but if you like, I can give it to him,” Shusuke offered.

“Would you? Thank you so much!” Emiko exclaimed, relieved that she didn’t have to linger around here while Sadaharu’s gaze kept probing her, trying to find a shred of evidence to confirm his theory. “Please tell him I’m really sorry for the trouble I have caused,” she asked as she handed Shusuke the jacket.

“I wouldn’t worry about it. I think he enjoys it,” Shusuke told her, smiling innocently.

Realising what Shusuke was implying, Emiko’s eyes widened and her heart accelerated. Was it possible? Emiko then noticed both Shusuke and Sadaharu watching her closely and, desperate to escape them, she raced off as the bell rang.

“Am I missing something?” Sadaharu inquired as they watched Emiko’s retreating figure.

Before Shusuke had a chance to reply, he suddenly got whacked upside his head from behind him.

“Don’t mess with her head,” Kunimitsu muttered as he walked past them into the classroom. Shusuke grinned mischieviously.

“I wonder how long he has been there,” he mused to himself, before following his friend inside.