1.6 Are You Sure?

LEO

“The rain is much less heavy these days,” said Yuki, sipping her tea that smelled faintly of peppermint.

“I guess the rainy season’s ending,” I replied regretfully. It was a ritual of ours, sitting at the cafe quietly contemplating the rain with a warm beverage between our hands, looking out the window rather than at each other.

But as the rain waned, I found myself looking at her more and more. Her hair had stopped being startling, instead, it reminded me of the clear sky I missed. “Yuki, when the rain ends…”

“Yes?”

“Would you like to have coffee somewhere else? With me?” The words tumbled from my mouth almost incoherently. I was sure my face was on fire.

She looked at me with a barely suppressed smile. “What’s wrong with the coffee here?”

“Nothing, it’s just… Then at least let me pay for you?”

“Thank you for the offer but…” She was grinning now. Broadly. “My sister owns this coffeehouse and all my drinks are free.”

“Oh.” Was I dead? Had I spontaneously combusted?

“But I don’t like her café au chocolat. If you take me somewhere that makes it good, I won’t mind. As long as you don’t ever tell her.” She tilted her head to one side, her eyes dancing with laughter.

I swallowed. “Okay,” I said, managing a wobbly smile. “It’s a deal.”

“Good.” She decisively closed the book she had open in front of her, though she hadn’t read a page since I came in, and stood up. “I had better be off now, but see you tomorrow?”

“Yes, I’ll be here.”

With a last smile and chiming of the door, she was gone.

 

The rain really was dying. In the brief spells of dryness between squalls, I had slowly but steadily repaired the roof so there were no leakages left. Still I went to the coffeehouse every day. It had taken me a while to realise it was to see Yuki, and once I knew, there was no way I could stop.

That night, I lay in bed, cheeks aching as the corners of my mouth wouldn’t come down.

I was going to step out with Yuki.

I was going to another coffeehouse with her and drink café au chocolat with her!

As an aside, her sister owned the coffeehouse? That would explain the liberalness. I had not seen her so far, as the worker behind the counter was always a man, but if I did I should try to make a good impression.

I turned over to extinguish the lamp, and caught sight of the suit of armor, staring back at me through its empty visor. Are you sure? It seemed to be asking. He wanted it to die with you.

But it’s my life, not his, I replied silently to a question it never asked. And see how he wasted his. I turned off the lamp and deliberately rolled over so I was facing the wall.

The alchemy will not die with me.