Japanese Vampire Love Story

Chapter 3

Akira smiled, "Finally done! Man, you look worn out, ha ha ha!"

I looked up to find Akira's usual smiling face as he came into the break room. I was surprised that he kept it together well after all that work. "Aren't you tired Akira? You worked way harder than we did..."

"Because I've been working here longer than you. I'm used to the physical and mental stress."

"Really?"

"You'll get used to it too. It's the first two weeks that really run you down."

Akira laughed a bit as he sat down in the chair across from me. He drank a can of coffee in a gulp.

"I was wondering, Akane, does that cut still hurt?"

"The one on my finger? It's totally fine, I don't even think I need a bandage for it."

Akira touched my hand. "Just wear it until tomorrow morning then. If you pull it off now, it'll start to bleed."

"...Ok."

I rubbed the cut over the bandage. Akira leaned forward and teasingly laughed. I pouted, but I didn't want to offend him. "I guess I won't get to go into the kitchen until this heals, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

I sighed. I get a job and almost immediately get cut.

***

"Ok, then, Akane, first let's make it cookies..."

"Um... ok... next time I'll bring some for you."

"Man...that takes me back. I remember you bringing me cookies you made when you were a kid."

My cut throbbed a bit when I remembered falling down and breaking cookies as a child. "Remember? I fell down and most of them broke. But you still ate all of them."

"Yeah, and most of them were burnt too."

"And you still ate them all."

I was thinking about the past, and Akira's words seemed to bring it back to the present. After I asked him again about eating them all, he seemed to have a blank look.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. You made them for me, so I might as well eat them as thanks."

"But they weren't that good, right?"

"No, they were excellent."

He gave me a little push as a tease. I looked up at him laughing happily. Akira really is a kind guy...even from when we were kids.

Akira grinned again, "Yeah, it's been 10 years since then. I bet you can make much better cookies than you did back then."

"Yeah...maybe."

"Really? I can't wait to try them then."

So we said our goodbyes, and I went up to my apartment. I thought about starting to make the cookies I promised I would bring him. I'm so tired I'll probably fall asleep while they're baking. It's better to do it on my day off. I went to sleep so that I would be ready for work tomorrow.

***

There's only one thing I need to do before I begin work. I need to say I'm sorry to Ren for yesterday. And, I need to find out why Ren was at the park that night. If I can get an answer to that question, it would be good, but....

Even though I have a lot of contact with him while working. I can't get him to talk with me outside of work.

Akira was at the counter, arranging things like caramel sauce and so on. He was watching both me and Ren get the café ready with a look of interest. After talking to Akira about everything yesterday, he was waiting to see what I'd do. When our eyes met, he gave me a thumb's up of encouragement.