Something smells fishy

Bad days happen

"Stop it, Shiro! Come on don't!"

"Do you want more cream with that? Come on! More cream, a little bit more!"

I didn't need to look inside to know what was going on.

Miyu was giggling happily. Shiro was laughing this hard for the first time since I met him. Beyond this door there was a bright place, a world of their own, where a brother and a sister could mess around freely. It wasn't the door that prevented me from entering, it was their laughter that stopped me. The moment I opened the metal entryway, that world would disappear. I would brake it. It wasn't a place I belonged.

The choices were scarce, either go in, or stay away. As my hand rested cozily on the cold gate that protected them from my presence, I waited. I couldn't move. The tickets in my left pocket weighed me down like rocks.

"Nee, Shiro", Miyu said, "I love her."

An indefinite pause followed.

"I know, he answered , I know."

I didn't look but I knew what he was doing now. He was hugging her. It is what I would do. It is normal. And yet it hurt. What was I doing here anyway, hiding like this? Why was I hurt by this common display of affection between a brother and a sister, between my friends, between the people I loved.

I allowed myself to peek through the small round opening. Miyu's sobbing chest nested safely in Shiro's arms as he patted her hair gently. As I was looking at them, admiring them, my eyes got clouded. I reached to rub them and clear my vision when I realized there were tears running down my cheeks.

Not sure how, but the next moment, I was outside. The cool autumn wind felt nice. It was dark and I didn't know where I was and where I was going, but I chose to walk against the wind. It was strong enough to dry my face as tear after tear made its way towards my chin. A cringed laugh broke out of my lungs echoing into the dark alley way I found myself in. All I could see was residential homes and the sign of a Family Mart flickering around five hundred meters away.

By now, the cold had taken a strong hold of my ears, nose and fingers. I needed a hot cup of coffee and some help to call a taxi. I braved against the wind and hurried towards the welcoming light.

The bell rang merrily as I pushed the door open. Nobody was behind the counter. The whole place felt deserted.

"Sumimasen", I whispered hoarsely. Walking for hours on a cold, windy October night can do that to you, I sounded like a creep.

I cleared my throat and tried once again, louder this time.

"Sumimasen, is anybody here?"

Some grunting happened in the back room. Not a minute later, not five, nobodyy came out.

"A lady should not be walking alone at night, ma cherie," a male voice startled me from behind.

It was a familiar voice, an annoying one, a familiar voice. I forced myself to face the intruder of my misery.

"Well hello to you too."

"Xavier, in case you forgot", he said and winked at me.

" How could I, such an unforgettable guy like you!" I dumped all of my sarcasm and frustration onto the guy.

" I hoped you'd say that," he beamed back.

"Ah, what's wrong with this place, why is it full of weird people tonight?" I cut the awkward moment short and turned away from the blue eyes that kept following me as I went through all of the fifty plus one shades of frustrated.