Beast

Chapter 13

The next day things went back to normal, they both kept to their usual routines and the day passed by quickly only with Ash leaving then coming back most likely crossing a few names off of the list. The next day though Sakura got curious which she knew that she probably shouldn't be curious mainly because it leads to bad endings but still. She wanted to see Ash at work. So at noon she left for her lunch break and went to the pub where Ash was supposedly working as a waitress. Sakura sneaked in and looked really suspicious as she shook her head back and forth looking and searching for her roommate. She ended up grabbing attention by an older man.

"Who you looking for little lady?"

Sakura snapped her head to the other end of the bar where and old man set with a burger in front of him with a side of beer. He wore a large khaki jacket over a plaid red shirt and her wore old boots the ideal old pub man.  Then Sakura noticed she had spaced out and flushed in embarrassment.

"Oh! Sorry, I'm just looking for my roommate who supposedly works here!"

The man chuckled.

"What does your roommate look like?"

"Hmm... She's tall... and Really pretty... she had dark brown hair that's a little messy and out of control... Oh! and she tends to wear a Leather Maroon Jacket for some reason."

The man laughed again but louder this time and looked to Sakura in suprise.

"You mean Ash."

Sakura nodded.

"Yeah, you were right she does work here, and she should be on shift but who knows what she's doing right now, that girl is both an open book and a complete mystery at the same time."

He chuckled and Sakura noded, she completely understood.

"Well, we all enjoy her, she's a lot of fun to hand with, always kind and caring, very willing to talk to you about your problems, she gives good advice despite being so young... well I guess we all know that she had been through a lot, but she still does have the look of a young woman."

"Yeah, she is really pretty and young I totally didn't believe that she was the 'Beast' when I first met her."

The man nodded in recognition, and looked away.

"She was really young when she started working here, I think that she was thirteen or something, a great worker despite being really young. But man I remember when she served me for the first time, I was her first customer, she looked really ruffed up covered in scratches, her hair was tied in a really messy pony tail and she wore a military green shirt tucked into her military pants and boots, what a strange sight it was, but she smiled like a beaming light when she ran up to my table to take my order. She then quickly brought it out and set it in front of me looking very proud of her work and everyone around her congratulated her on her work and she looked like she would pass out from how happy she was. Well then I asked her why she wore a uniform like that and she proudly stated 'I'm In A Soldier, Sir!' and honestly I was quite baffled and everyone around me snickered and told me. 'I can't believe you didn't know? Man little chief over there is a hero!' and Ash was super proud and puffed out her chest and smiled. Yeah we all loved her. She continued working here and she ended up switching a few jobs here and there, she was taught how to cook and she became a great chef we all love her cooking.

The man said looking at his burger.

"This is one of her masterpieces!"

"Oh! I wanted to ask you if she ever brought in a little boy?"

At this the man turned solemn, and looked away, causing Sakura to freak out. She should have known that this was a tragic story.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked I was just curious, no one really seems wanting to talk about it and I just was wondering what had happened!"

The man shook his head then looked at her again.

"No, it's fine, yes, it is more of a sad story so people don't really like to reminisce on what happened but I guess I could tell you at least what I know."

Sakura nodded and he continued.

"Well only a little while after she began working here, she brought in a little squirt maybe a few years younger then her, and her was in awe of her. He followed her around as she worked and rarely talked, but was still cared for by all of us here, just like how we cared for her. Well, I asked her who he was, and she told me that he asked her for her help, and she complied, but didn't tell me what he asked for, but I just left it at that, well they ended up living together and he also became a worker here and they both worked together on shifts each morning then night. And well one day he did end up talking her into doing something that we didn't even imagine was something that she could do but she sang. Each Saturday we have a special band playing where if you want to sing or play you can, and it's a pretty big hit, and well one day she got up there and she sang, and it was absolutely beautiful, she sang an older song and messed up a few times but besides that it was wonderful and everyone fell in love with her voice and manage to talk her into singing each night. We all loved it, and Aki was the one who originally showed us her talent. She ended up telling us one time that she would sing for him any chance she got since he loved her voice so much. Well that was until the accident happened and we didn't see him anymore, and she also had stopped coming, but not until a months absence when she started working again, acting as if he never existed and everything was normal, but she did stop singing and we still haven't managed to get her up there."

"What happened to him?"

The man looked away looking unsure as to if he should tell her or not, then he looked at her.

"Well he was-"

"Hey! Joe! How Was The Foo- Oh! Sakura What Are You Doing Here!"

Right then Ash stepped out wearing a black tank top blue jeans red converse and her hair in a pony tailed tied by a rag the covered her forehead. She smiled and stalked over to the bar where she leaned over the counter.

"It was Delicious just how I like it."

Ash smiled wider then turned to Sakura.

"What you doing here?"

Sakura smiled.

"I came to eat but it looks like I have to go now."

Ash smiled and nodded to her.

"Okay then, come back when you have more time and I could serve you one of my famous burgers."

Sakura smiled back.

"Yeah, I would enjoy that. Well got to go, and thanks for talking with me Joe, and the name is Sakura Nanase."

Sakura outstretched her hand to him, and he smiled and shook it.

"Very nice meeting you, hopefully we can talk again."

Then Sakura left, and walked back to the cafe where she got a long scolding for being late, but she didn't really listen and instead was thinking over the information that she had got from the man. And what happened to Aki? Where was he? And why did no one like talking about him? Well one day she promised that she would know and finally find out what happened to Ash and the boy Aki.