Chapter Eleven
Sunset Bridge
Ryuji curled his nose at the rising scent of vomit in the room. He was leaning against the wall across from Akira, who was sitting against the main counter of the Sin Bin, legs sprawled out in front of him, arms laying limply beside him. Akira was dazed, pale, and staring blankly into space while Ryuji contemplated the best way to tackle this new situation.
It had been only five minutes since they got back up from the basement of the Sin Bin, the clock on the wall ticking away at every passing second. Akira had been silent as the grave since he had finished vomiting, and proceeded to nearly pass out after that. Ryuji felt in part embarrassed for his friend's behavior, being completely unbefitting of a yakuza at the very least, but moreso he was surprised at Akira's violent display in the basement. The image of those wild, vicious eyes that normally were appeared calm and reserved played in his mind over and over. He even could have sword he had heard Akira snarl in the moment. Whatever had happened, it had thoroughly rattled his friend, with Akira looking more and more like a corpse by the second.
"Hey," Ryuji spoke up, "you still with me, man?"
Akira slowly tilted his head to look at him. A line of drool ran down his chin as his jaw was slightly slack. "I'm alive, if that's what you're asking," he groaned.
"At least you can still make jokes, and that you're still in the world of the living, despite looking like a corpse. You've been giving me the thousand-yard stare for five minutes."
"Five minutes?" Akira asked. "Is that how long we've been here? I thought it was at least thirty."
"Geez, you really did get messed up," remarked Ryuji. "How are you feeling?"
Akira rubbed his eyes until he saw spots. "Probably about half as good as I look."
"Well then, we should probably get you to a doctor if that's how you feel. I actually know someone we could go to who wouldn't try to arrest us."
Akira let out a light attempt at a laugh that immediately made his horribly upset stomach churn again. He covered his mouth to stifle the feeling of more vomit rising in his gullet. After letting out more hoarse coughs for a moment, Akira nodded awkwardly. "Whoever this doc is, I hope to God he's in today. Because I feel like what I imagine a horrible hangover would feel like."
Ryuji looked at Akira scrupulously, noticing a strangely entertaining smirk creep to the young man's face. "Hey, uh, Akira?" he asked. "You don't have, like, amnesia, do ya?"
"Huh, what?" Akira replied in an innocent, almost dumb tone that matched his facial expression well.
"It's just that… I didn't expect you to be making so many jokes after what just happened."
Akira's gaunt, pale face stiffened at Ryuji's allusion to their interrogation. His whole body jolted as if he had received a small electrical shock, with his eyes shooting wide open, staring into the ceiling. Ryuji wondered for a brief moment if the guy was experiencing a seizure. "Oh," Akira said slowly, "that… yeah…"
Ryuji facepalmed himself and shook his head. "God, I need to get you to the doc fast. I hope Iwai is about done wrapping things up."
"What do you think he's been doing down there?"
The blond man was visibly surprised by his companion's very matter of fact question. "Well, what would you expect him to be doing, man? He's getting rid of the body."
Akira hung his head low, trying to dispel the migraine pounding in his skull and ears. "I… I thought I heard a gunshot as you took me back up here. I didn't know if it was real though, everything seems so hazy at that point."
"Oh, it was real, alright. Iwai and that perp got in some kinda argument; I didn't hear much of it. Then the guy laughed maniacally, and bam! No more arguing, no more laughter."
"Good god," Akira groaned. "Does that make us, like, accomplices to murder?"
"Only if you get caught, which we won't. And besides, you know what kinda shit that guy was into, is it really gonna weigh on your conscience that much? You tried to throttle the guy yourself, you know."
"I know, I know," Akira nodded. "And I still feel awful for it."
"Well, we didn't stop you because we wanted to play nice with the guy or anything like that. We just didn't want you to crush his vocal chords before we could get all the info out of him. Trust me, you're fine. You're not in trouble or anything." Ryuji rubbed his temple and sighed. "Maybe this was too much for ya on your second day. I have no idea why Boss really wanted you out here with us. You should just be collecting debts from drunks right now, not interrogating a perverted sadist."
"Trust me, I'm no happier about it than you are, and probably just as embarrassed about it."
"Embarrassed? You think we're embarrassed by you?"
"Well, aren't you?" Akira's cold glare and biting tone at least indicated he was coming out of his stupor.
Ryuji shook his head. "No, we're not. You were caught up in a shitty situation and your instincts took over. Happens to most of us, trust me. It's just something you'll have to get trained out of you so you don't mess up any big jobs."
"Training, huh?" Akira asked plainly. "That's what all this is, right? Training, to make me more like the rest of you."
"Now, don't give me that tone, man."
"You don't have any idea what this is like," Akira pointed at him judgingly. "This is your first interrogation too, right? At least you had, what? A year of practice in the yakuza beforehand? This is nothing like that for me—"
"Hey," came Iwai's voice from their side. He was leaning in the doorway to the theater they had passed through to get to the basement, arms crossed and face expressionless. I really hope he didn't hear any of that, Akira thought. "I'm still gonna be a while with this, so why don't you two get out of here. Don't want anyone to see you loitering around the store and get curious. Get on back to LeBlanc for a while, okay? It's a short walk so you won't need the car. Consider it some morning exercise."
"You sure, Iwai?" Ryuji asked, ignoring the possibility of their argument having been overheard. "We can help ya with anything if you need it."
"No, I got this, kid. It's okay. Now haul ass out of here. I'll get the Boss caught up on everything then he'll decide the best course of action to take with this mess. Expect another meeting with him this evening."
"Yeah," Ryuji nodded as he stood to his feet, "you got it."
Akira stood up in turn on shaky legs, almost falling back over but barely keeping his balance. "See you, Iwai," Akira waved to him as they walked to the door. He knew better than to ask any more questions. With that, Munehisa Iwai disappeared once again down the stairs. Akira shuddered at the thought of what he may be doing down there.
"Well," Ryuji droned awkwardly, "I guess we're off the hook now, huh? You know what that means, man?"
"Breakfast?" Akira asked. "I threw up all my dinner so I'm kinda running on empty right now."
"Well, I was referring to a long-ass nap, but you do you, dude. But how are you already hungry, Akira? You looked like a freakin' zombie just a minute ago!"
"I guess I came back from the dead," Akira shrugged as if nothing about this whole situation was abnormal. "C'mon, let's make like Iwai said and haul ass."
"Yeah, you're right. Let's roll."
In mostly silence, and Akira stumbling much of the way back to the hotel, they walked on down the quiet, desolate streets of Kamurocho. They spied some homeless men sleeping on park benches along the way and no more than three cars passed them the whole way back. It was as if Akira had found himself in some mirror world, where the legendary entertainment hub of Kamurocho was a deserted ghost town.
Coming up on LeBlanc, Ryuji finally spoke up. "Hey, you need me to call the doc, Akira? You're looking a lot better, so if you wanna just get some rest, that's cool.
"Yeah, I think that's best, but thanks for asking. If I need anything, I'll get a hold of you."
"Well, if that's what you feel like…" Ryuji let out a long yawn, stretching his arms over his head. "I think I'm gonna head on back to my place and crash for a while. It's not far so it's no big deal. You just get some food in you and hit the hay, okay?"
"Yeah, you can say that again," Akira nodded. "Take care of yourself, man. I'll see you later."
"Yeah, seems like it," Ryuji replied in a grim tone. "Just don't let it get in your head, Akira. Keep cool, okay," he said as he turned around on his heel. Ryuji waved goodbye as he walked away, and Akira entered the hotel.
As he let a long yawn, Akira pushed the doors open and walked inside. Soft piano music played trough the speakers in the ceiling. A receptionist stretched his arms as he stood behind the counter. Akira wen to the elevator and rode it back up to the penthouse. When he arrived, he considered raiding the fridge for much needed sustenance, but his leg muscles screamed at him for relief, and he sat down heavily on the same couch Ryuji had slept on the night before. He felt immediately awash with relief. So much so that it took him a moment to realize the phone had started ringing.
Akira's eyes shot open at the ringing. He rubbed his eyes hard and groaned. "Who the hell is calling here at six in the morning?" he asked the empty room, until he noticed the sunlight pouring through the window. "Oh," he deadpanned, realizing he had fallen asleep without noticing. The phone continued to ring and, whether it was due to his exhaustion or desire for peace and quiet, he picked it up. "Hello?"
"Oh, Akira?" came the voice of Ann.
"Ann? Is that you?"
"Yeah, it's me. Sorry for calling so early, I didn't wanna, like, barge in and wake you if you were still asleep," she chuckled. "That would have been kind of awkward."
"Yeah, I can imagine," Akira smiled slightly. At least she can still make jokes after everything that's happened. "So, what's up, Ann? Everything okay?"
There was a long and concerning silence before Akira received a response. "Um, I was actually calling about that. Are you and Ryuji doing anything right now?"
"Well, Ryuji is back at place, and probably still asleep, so he's not in right now."
"Oh, I thought he was sleeping over."
Dammit! "Oh, uh," Akira sputtered, "he just left! Yeah, he woke up early, got some breakfast and headed back home just a bit ago."
"Well, then why do you think he's back in bed? Is he sick or something?"
"Oh yeah, he's feeling a bit under the weather! Might have been something he ate, I'm not quite sure, honestly – Anyway! What did you and Shiho need us for?"
Ann's response started with a gasp and a pause. "Sh-Shiho is what I wanted to talk about, actually. Could you meet me in the lobby, Akira? I, um, haven't had any breakfast yet and don't feel safe going out on my own."
Akira did notice that Ann never said Shiho would be joining them. He caught himself before he asked as to why. "Alright, I'll be down in a few. I could use some breakfast too."
"Thank you, Akira," her voice was quivering, weak and in a near whisper. "I'll be down in ten."
"Take your time, it's okay."
Akira changed out of his clothes and into something more casual looking. He wore a black unbuttoned shirt over a gray tee and jeans, trying his best to not look like an imposing yakuza. He was surprised to find he missed the feeling of just being a normal young adult, even though it had only been a couple days since then. Looking in the bathroom mirror after he changed felt like the first time in two days he actually recognized himself. Especially after the events of that morning, it felt refreshing, calming. He could at least pretend he was still a normal guy for a little while.
He was waiting by the entrance six minutes after the phone call, and it would be another ten before Ann joined him. She wore clothing just as casual as himself: a maroon camo tank top, form-fitting denim shorts and a purse hanging from her shoulder. She also looked about as exhausted as he had when he woke up that morning.
"Hey," she said as she approached, though it sounded more like a sigh.
"Good morning," Akira nodded. "So, Shiho won't be joining us, huh? She taking it easy this morning?"
Ann diverted her gaze from him. "Well, no, not exactly. But hey, it's a nice morning out right now. You wouldn't happen to know any spots around here with outdoor seating, would you?"
"I actually don't," Akira shook his head. "But gimme just a sec. I'll ask." After inquiring to the receptionist as to if there were any cafes without outside seating in the area, Akira was pointed toward either a maid café that was opening for brunch, or a small, cozy mom-and-pop diner two streets down. He chose the latter, which was much more to Ann's liking as well.
The morning air was warm with a light breeze, blowing Ann's hair back gently in the bright sunlight. Akira noticed the glances they got from passersby and shop owners, obviously taking them for a couple. But he brushed off those thoughts as quickly as they came to him. When they came to the café, a small but inviting brick and mortar restaurant and shop called "June's", they were greeted by a hostess with a bubbly smile and friendly handwave.
"Welcome to June's!" she said as Akira held the door open for Ann. "Table for two?"
"Yes, thank you," Akira replied. "Will there be a wait?"
The hostess smiled brightly and shook her head. "Not at all, please come with me."
"Well, that's fortunate," Ann remarked.
They followed the hostess into the main dining area, and Akira was surprised to see only a few tables being taken. The decorum was low key and simple, with the chairs sporting soft cushions and the tables all covered in off white tablecloths. They were then led to the back of the dining area and outside, where the hostess guided them to a small table with two chairs sitting opposite each other. A redbird was sitting on the railing next to them, basking in the sunlight.
"Please take a moment to look over the menus," said the hostess. "Your server will be with you momentarily," she bowed.
"Thank you very much," Ann replied. "I'm actually surprised we got seated so quickly," she said to the hostess as she seated herself. "I'd expect a place this nice would be bustling at breakfast time."
"Oh, we will be, definitely! Give it about twenty minutes and the brunch rush will be rolling in. You two came at just the right time. Now, please enjoy your time with us." The hostess bowed once again and left, leaving Akira and Ann alone.
Trying to make small talk and break the ice a bit, Akira said, "I'm glad that the receptionist suggested this spot. It's actually really nice."
"Yeah, me too!" Ann smiled brightly. "I was worried we'd have to settle for Big Bang Burger or something, but this place seems wonderful! I mean, Big Bang's got good burgers and all, but I am not a fan of their breakfast food. I honestly don't even know why they serve it."
"Probably to give people on their way to work in the morning an extra chance to get some food or caffeine when they're desperate. But some real breakfast food sounds a bit easier on my stomach." Akira picked up the menu and immediately had to do bite his tongue so as not to yelp at the sight of the prices. Unbeknownst to him, Ann had the exact same reaction.
"Mmm," Ann crooned, "these crepes sound delicious! I'm definitely gonna have to get one with strawberries and whipped cream! It's been way too long since I've gotten to sit down and enjoy a nice breakfast like this, I've just been way too busy."
"My parents made some pancakes with fruit about a week ago. They're both great cooks, and that's been a mainstay of theirs since I was a little kid."
"Wait, for real?" Ann looked up from the menu. "Man, I'm a bit jealous."
"What for? Didn't your parents ever make you nice breakfasts?"
"Once in a blue moon, yeah. They were so busy with their work that they were hardly ever home. It was mostly the caretakers that made my breakfast, or I'd just grab some on the way to school at Moonbucks or something."
"Oh, uh, I'm sorry I asked."
"No, no, it's fine. It is what it is."
Ann put her elbows on the table and held her chin in her hand. She looked out into the street, taking in the sight of the people walking by, the cars driving past. The sun caught in her blond hair and her sapphire eyes glistened. Both young adults felt strangely… calm.
"Gooood mornin'!" came a young male voice from their side. Taking out a notepad and pencil was a young man about their age, a dorky but endearing smile painted across his face, with shaggy, thick brown hair adorning his head. "My name is Yosuke and I'll be your server this fine morning. Now, can I start you off with something to drink? Coffee maybe?"
Ann raised her hand politely. "I'll actually take some red grapefruit juice, please."
"Ah, a great choice!" Yosuke replied enthusiastically. "It's freshly made every morning, and our stock is perfectly in season right now. Now," he turned to Akira, "what would you like to drink, sir?"
"I'll have some orange juice, please."
"Of course, I'll bring it out in just a moment and I can take your entre orders. Thank you very much." Yosuke bowed and left.
"Well," said Akira, "he's very pleasant."
"Everyone seems that way here. It's actually pretty relaxing when everyone is just… polite."
"Reminds me of the small town I'm from. Most of the town knew each other at least a bit, so everyone was always pleasant and polite. I remember being a kid and often getting some free candy when my mom took me to the convenience store. The lady that ran it would almost always hand me a gobstopper when she checked us out."
"That sounds like such a nice place to live! Way nicer than Shibuya. I'm a city girl, always have been. But on the rare chance I get to do a shoot out in the country, it's always my favorite. One time I got to a magazine shoot on an American looking pier out in the boonies, but God, it was gorgeous. I could spend hours just listening to the waves roll on the sand while eating shaved ice."
"I used to do that all the time as a kid," Akira added, completely oblivious to the smile on his face. "There's a pier on the river by my place. My parents would take me there almost every night in the summer to play at the arcade, get some ice cream, and walk on the beach. They always lit up the boardwalk with lanterns at night… Man, makes me feel nostalgic just talking about it."
"Hey, it practically makes me nostalgic and I never even experienced it! It sounds just perfect." Ann was smiling widely, and Akira felt a sense of accomplishment that she was able to make that happen in the midst of whatever was going on with her.
Yosuke then came back with their drinks, and they then order their food. Akira got himself a cheese omelet with peppers and ham, while Ann got herself the crepes she had been salivating for the whole time they had been seated. While Akira preferred far more to continue their gentle, relaxing stroll down memory lane, he figured now might be the best time to ask after what had been going on with Shiho. His tongue immediately felt like lead upon making the decision, but he feared he would only get distracted again were he to prolong things.
"Hey, Ann?"
"What's up?" she said before taking a sip of her grapefruit juice.
"Well, are you and Shiho, like, okay? I mean, she's obviously not here with us, so, did something happen between you two?"
Ann's bright smile immediately darkened at the question. She looked back off into the distance wistfully, seeming detached from the goings on around her. "Yeah, kind of," she replied slowly. "We made up though, it was just a little spat. A… difference of opinion, I guess."
"I take it that's not the reason she's not here."
"No, it really isn't." Ann's gaze was locked on the bustling street beside them. Soft jazz music played through the sound system inside June's, just loud enough to be perceived by them. The girl's expression was… dull, neutral, lost. "You can probably guess it's about Kamoshida, right?"
"I figured that had something to do with it. You know, if you're not comfortable discussing it, it's okay. We can just talk more about the sea," he smiled.
Ann chuckled at that; a light and weak laugh, but a laugh nonetheless. "I was actually talking so much about it to distract me from everything going on. I guess it worked for a little bit."
"I guess so," Akira nodded. "It was… nice to talk about though. Well, once we get all this business out of the way, we can talk more about my family going to the pier. Deal?"
Ann chuckled again, coming out more like a jovial girlish giggle. "Deal," she replied. But her smile faded just as quickly as it had come. She looked down to her feet as a breeze caught her hair and whisked it back away from her face. "I'm… now sure how to start this off right," she said.
"I think you can just, you know, start it. There's no right way to talk about this stuff, I think."
"Yeah, you're probably right. I guess it's just hard to talk about, especially to say how I feel about it."
"Then why don't we just start with what happened?"
"Yeah, you're right. That'd be way easier." Ann inhaled deeply, and exhaled slowly. "Shiho and I got in a fight last night," she began. "The main part of this whole thing is that Shiho wanted to leave Kamurocho. Seeing Kamoshida here really messed her up, so naturally she didn't want to be here another moment knowing that he is prowling about."
"That's a whole lot of past tense, Ann."
"Oh," she said sheepishly. "I didn't even notice."
"It's okay."
"No," she looked at him with the slightest hint of a glare. "No, it really isn't."
"Sorry for the wait!" came the voice of Yosuke once again as he came by, holding two lightly steaming platters of delicious food. He laid them down before Akira and Ann, who's eyes lit up at the sight of her death-by-sugar looking crepes. Yosuke politely excused himself and the two began to dig in.
"Mmmmh Gaaawd!" Ann crooned amidst her first bite. "It just falls apart in my mouth! Oh, and the fruit is divine! Thank you so much for taking me here, Akira!"
"Hey, my pleasure." He then took a bite of his omelet, and while he was not as outwardly vocal in his response to the culinary art piece, internally he was practically singing its praises. "Man, this really is good," he said with far less enthusiasm than he felt. "I'm glad the concierge recommended it."
"You have no idea how glad I am! These crepes are to die for!"
"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself so much," Akira smiled as he took another bite of the omelet. "Not to rain on your parade, but, um… Shiho…"
Ann paused, fork in mouth before responding. "Oh yeah, Shiho…" Ann put her fork on her plate and took another sip of her drink. She drank for a long moment, eyes closed as she did. Placing the cup on the table, she continued. "You said I was speaking entirely in past tense. Well," she paused again, a quiver creeping its way into her voice, "Shiho left this morning."
Akira instantly forgot about the golden delicacies that lay before both of them. "She left? Really? Where did she go?"
"She's got family in Osaka, so she took a taxi there to stay with them for a bit. That's… why we had our fight. She was completely determined to get out of here, like I said. She even yelled at me when I said I didn't think that was the right choice."
"Why did you say that? Why didn't you go with her?"
Ann paused again, slowly taking a tiny bite of the crepe she had just been enamored with. Her appetite was rapidly dissipating. "You remember last night when I said I was hoping we'd get caught by those creeps? And I said that, well, I wanted to fight them. To show them I'm not just some helpless victim."
"I remember. I was surprised by it, but I honestly had a lot of respect for you when you said that."
"Well, thank, I guess," she replied awkwardly. "Shiho definitely didn't though. She kind of flipped her lid for a bit when I brought up that I wanted to stay, and to fight."
Akira leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. This is getting complicated. "You want to take on Kamoshida? I mean, I get why you would, but are you sure that's the right thing to do? What about Shiho?"
Ann's determined glare softened, melted at that. "I… I do, but…" She lowered her head, wrapping her arms around herself. "Shiho said she was jealous of me," she muttered. "She was jealous of my strength, and that was a large part of why she was so mad." While Ann was obviously on the verge of tears, a small laugh somehow made its way up her throat. "Strength, huh? She thought I was strong, and that she was weak. All because she didn't want to stay and fight. And it's all Kamoshida's fault. We wouldn't be like this if not for him."
"And you want justice. I'm sure you both do, but if it's too much for Shiho to handle, I can totally see that."
"That's basically how it was. She just couldn't handle it, and was jealous that I could. But now…" Her voice trailed off. She breathed in sharply, her voice caught in her throat. "Now I don't know if that's really true…"
Ann put her face and hands and began to quietly cry to herself. Akira felt as if his heart fell through his chest and down to his feet. "Hey, hey," he said in a comforting tone. "It's okay, really. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."
"B-But I need to," Ann replied through the sobs. "I stayed so I could make sure Kamoshida would never hurt us or anyone else ever again, but now… Now I'm terrified. I have no idea what to do or where to start. I need to do something though! I can't opt out now, after all Shiho and I have been through, how much she expects of me! I can't give up—" Her voice caught again and she stifled a sob. "God, this is so embarrassing," she said. "I'm crying in public. It probably looks as bad for you as it does for me."
"No, Ann, it's okay," Akira reassured her. "I can hardly imagine what you're going through."
Ann nodded slowly, like the simple action took all the strength in her body to accomplish. "Heh, you're not exactly on cloud nine either right now though, are you?"
"No, but it's nothing like you, I'll bet."
"Maybe… but I don't think that really matters." She wiped the tears from her eyes with her sleeve. "Akira, this is probably a totally inappropriate question to ask, since we only just met, but… what do you think I should do? Should I just leave town with my tail between my legs?"
Well, if she wants to fight Kamoshida, it looks like Sakura is going to go after him really soon. I wonder how he would react if we got a civilian involved. Probably flip out and cut off my finger or something. But still, this is her problem way more than it is any of the yakuza. I could tell her about what happened this morning, but it might upset her more… Dammit, this is getting so complicated. Akira rubbed his eyes as he mulled over what to do next. I'm too tired for this stuff, he thought.
"I don't want to run away," said Ann, "but I don't even know where to start with this. You and Ryuji seemed to be working on something related to Kamoshida. Were you two gonna go after him?"
Akira raised an eyebrow at her, Ann's perception of the situation surprising her. "You're pretty sharp, Ann, I'll give you that."
"So you are going after him?"
"I don't know, honestly. But there is stuff going on I can't really get into specifics about. We're actually having a meeting tonight to discuss what to do next."
"Then you have to take me," Ann interjected immediately. "I can figure out what to do next, and then we can take that bastard down."
"We? You're gonna join us?"
"Of course, I am! I'm going to show not just Shiho, but everyone that I'm not just some weakling victim. And if I need some help to that, then fine. But nothing is going to stop me from getting back at him." She then very angrily took another bite of her crepe, swallowing it quickly and repeating the process. A smear of strawberry syrup accumulated below her lips, but she seemed not to notice.
Akira sighed at this turn of events. "I can try to get you in, I guess. I agree you should at least have a chance at bringing justice to him. Well then, I guess we all have left to do is wait until this evening."
"At least you're reasonable," Ann mumbled, her mouth full of delicious crepe. "I've waited almost three years already for this, I can wait a few more hours."
"Alright," Akira nodded. "And Ann?"
"Yeah?"
"I don't think Shiho would ever think you're weak."
Ann's eyes widened at that, causing Akira to think he may have said too much, gotten to personal. He was about to sputter out an apology when Ann spoke. "Oh… thank you, Akira."
"Uh, don't mention it." Oh, thank god. "I'm just being honest. You and Shiho seemed very close. I'm sure she was just overwhelmed with everything going on."
"Yeah, me too," Ann nodded. "It was scary, and hurtful when she got so mad, but I forgave her instantly. She seemed to do the same for me."
"I'm sure she did." Akira gave her a small smile, which she followed suit with in turn.
"You're a good guy, Akira," said Ann. "Thank you."
"For the crepes?" he joked, causing her to laugh.
"Well, yes, that. But I meant for… everything, you know? Just, thanks for everything."
"Like I said, don't mention it," he smiled again. "Well, let's do something a bit less stressful and finish off this food, huh? I think we both could use it."
"Oh, absolutely!" Ann took an enthusiastic bite of her crepe, and then another, and washed it down with the grapefruit juice. Her demeanor seemed to have changed in an instant, and Akira felt happy for her. She really did have a beautiful smile. "Hey, you better dig in too, okay? I'll feel fat if I'm the only one eating."
"I really think you don't have to worry about that, but alright."
They ate slowly, savoring the taste of their food. The sun only grew warmer, the breeze cooling them off perfectly. The sky above was a vibrant, deep blue with a few clouds scattered about. In spite of everything that had happened, Akira felt he at least could relax for a moment now. He and Ann made more polite conversation about the beach back in his hometown, and though it made him feel a bit homesick, it did bring a constant smile to his face.
It turned out to be a nice morning.