Riverbend

Riverbend is currently CLOSED Hayato is in right now. Rin is safely in the back room today. Don't worry about her.

[riverbendcafe]

Meira nodded. "So I'm not really sure how I'm supposed to act. Caretaker expect me to be.. Something." She gestured. "But I don't think I'm upset. Just weird. That's not normal right?" Meira hums thoughtfully before going back to her meal. Maybe she didn't like Corona after all? No that's not right. She likes Corona but. Then why the detachment? Indifference to Corona's death?

“How am I s’posed ta know? S’not like I’ve got personal experience in--”

He feels the urge to rant at a small child coming on again and he keeps his mouth shut for a moment.

“Look. Tha’s probably weird, yeah? I ain’ gonna mince words. But, I dunno, maybe ye’re jus’ still in shock or somethin’. Sounds like this didn’ happen too long ago, yeah? Give yerself some goddamn time.”

[riverbendcafe]

Noriko chirped back to Hayato. "Yeah! He never told me his name but he was a fancy prince lookin' guy with purple hair. Straight outta Harajuku, like holy shit!" She bounced. Actually, she kind of remembers seeing someone like that while in the static... mmmmm nevermind, nothing of the sort. "Akioooo, do you play soccer?" The true priority.

“...Righ’.”

Well, Harajuku isn’t that far from here, Hayato supposes. Maybe mister grape man just got lost on his way home. Regardless, that’s all Hayato really cares to learn about him. He’s got work to do.

“Purple hair, huh...”

Well, that has to be Kei, doesn’t it? Akio isn’t sure that right now would be a good time to break the news. “W-well, that guy, uh... I don’t think he works around here anymore.” Nice cover. “But... yeah, we can find someone to help you out.”

“Nah, I don’t play soccer... I don’t-- really do sports in general, I guess.” Yoyoing isn’t really a sport, is it? That’s about as close as he gets, though.

[riverbendcafe]

Noriko bounces on her feet, almost forgetting that she was holding a mug and nearly toppling it all over. She saved herself though, and made sure to straighten right back up before Hayato noticed. "Yeah! I'm trying to find people to play soccer with me because it gets so boring." She pauses, then gasps with a shocked look on her face. "Do you know where the grape-man is? He said I can talk to him if I need help with things!" Oh Noriko.

“Th-the grape man--”

Okay, he can probably decipher this. Grape... so, purple? Jean wears a lot of purple, doesn’t he? Or-- wait, no, maybe she’s talking about Kei... well, er, that might be a little trickier.

“Well, uh... I can probably find someone who can help you out, at least. Maybe Jean can help, if he’s not too busy...” Or, uh, injured. Akio is really starting to feel bad about using the blades.

“Grape man?” Okay, Hayato can’t ignore that one. What the hell is with these weird kids?

[riverbendcafe]

Noriko sipped her hot chocolate and cooed at the taste. Perfect. "Uhhhhm, I haven't gotten out lately, no! I came back outside a few days ago, but I think I missed a lot!" She took another sip and pouted. "Again!" She's been dead for nearly a year now, c'mon!

“...I-I know how that feels, honestly.”

Is being stuck in the static that much different to being a shut-in, really?

“A lot happens around here, and it’s pretty easy to miss things when you’re stuck... inside... all the time. But, uh... I find that once you start getting out and about, it’s easier to keep doing it...?” Is this metaphor making any sense???

Hayato thinks about making a snippy remark, but that’d be pretty fuckin’ hypocritical of him since he hardly leaves the shop himself anyway. He aggressively wipes some tables clean instead.

[riverbendcafe]

"Thank you!" she chirped at Hayato, before turning her attention to Akio. ...Nope, she kept glancing back to Hayato. Seems that she was smart enough to know not to talk about UG stuff to him, remembering Akio's explanation earlier on. "I found it while wandering around a few days ago, when it was dark and the trees were all buzzy with the wind!" If there was something she was skilled at in speaking, it was being vague but convincingly genuine.

Buzzy with the wind, huh... n-nah, that just had to be a coincidence.

Akio pins the Zantetsu to his jacket for the moment. He doesn’t look super happy about it, though.

“So, uh...” Time to try talking about literally anything else. “I haven’t really seen you around for a while. I assume you just haven’t, uh... gotten out much lately?”

Gotten out much?? Of the static??? You’re terrible at this.

Hayato ignores Noriko’s glances towards him, and goes to wipe some tables down in an attempt to distance himself from this awkward conversation.

[riverbendcafe]

She produced the right amount of coins that she found in the static, and put them on the counter. "I'm excited! I like the drinks you make, Hayato," she said, remembering the first time they met fondly. Polite conversation seemed to be the winner for now. She glanced over to Akio looking awkward, and responded by reaching into her pocket and giving him a cool pin that she found in the static. Looks like it's Zantetsu. Weird.

“Mmh.” So she should. Hayato passes the hot chocolate across the counter and counts up Noriko’s... jumbled assortment of change. Eventually satisfied, he scoops it up.

Akio wasn’t really expecting any sort of gift, so he sort of just stares at the pin in his hand for a while...

...until he remembers where he last saw it. He quickly rubs his eyes dry.

“Ah, y-you don’t have to give me this...” Where did she even get it? It couldn’t have been from... could it? “But... thanks. Did you find this somewhere...?”

[riverbendcafe]

Noriko paused. Perhaps she was doing that thing her brother told her about when she was being Too Excited around people who didn't know how to take it. She straightened up and calmed down- though at the same time, she looked somewhat like her spirits been crushed. Just slightly. "I remembered your cafe and was passing by, so I wanted to say hi!" she said, smiling with less than 100 watts of power. "Can I get a hot chocolate, then?" May as well order. She shuffled in her (mostly) empty pockets.

Akio kinda feels like he should at least go sit down or something. He shuffles over to make a cup of coffee for himself.

He recalls that Noriko has been stuck in the UG for a while... but he can’t really make conversation about it while Hayato’s around. He tries to think of something else to say to her, since Hayato definitely won’t.

“...Yeah, alrigh’.” See, that wasn’t so hard, he is tempted to add, but he restrains himself, somehow. He makes her hot chocolate in silence.

[riverbendcafe]

Noriko stares wide eyed at Akio, her cheeks puffed. "Youuu! You need to go to bed, Akichou! You look like that time I accidentally stayed up for 12 hours practicing soccer outside and then I didn't sleep because of it!" She shook her head at the silly boy and grinned up to Hayato. "Can I! Can I get a- wait!" Her eyes widened even more at Hayato. "Don't you remember me? I can't order if you don't remember me! We bonded over having brothers! I thought we were friends, Hayatoko!"

“A-Akichou...?” For some reason that name concerns him more than the fact that he’s dying. “I’ll-- I’ll be fine. Another couple of hours won’t kill me.”

Yeah, sure, only because you’re not technically required to sleep.

Hayato pauses. He’s not sure which stupid statement to address first.

“I mean, tha’s not how buying things works. Ya only go ta shops where ya know the person a’ the counter? Jus’ make yer order. An’ don’ call me tha’.”

[riverbendcafe]

A familiar green eyed young girl nudged open the door to Riverbend. Geez, seems like she missed another of those game thingies! She'd been running around in the static forever, and she sure as hell was thirsty. She brightened at the sight of Akio, and even moreso at the sight of Hayato. Rushing over to the counter, she beamed up at the both of them with more energy than either most likely had. "Good evening!!! Hi! Do you remember me?" she asked, grinning from ear to ear.

What is Akio even doing here? He’s barely slept in like... two weeks. Go home, Akio.

He waves to Noriko anyway. “Hey, how’s it going...?”

Hayato sighs. This is just what he needs, another small energetic child to bother him at work. At least he has more energy to spare than his brother.

Who is this kid again...? He vaguely remembers her face, but it’s been a while. “...Mm. Can I get ya anythin’?”

[riverbendcafe]

Cheer looks... just sad. He had expected this conversation to go a completely different way. "I'm sorry, Hayato. I can't... tell you that." And with that, tears in his eyes, he turns and leaves Riverbend for the last time that week.

“Wha’ do ya mean, ya can’-- fer fuck’s sake--”

He can’t get a coherent sentence out before Cheer leaves the shop.

He just grumbles and starts to clean up the shattered mug.

“Ye’re fuckin’ payin’ me fer this!”

[riverbendcafe]

Cheer stands up, knocking the cup off the table in his anger. It shatters on the floor of the cafe. "You're an asshole, Hayato. You care about Akio and it's so fucking clear on your face but you're a god damn asshole! He's yelling at Hayato's back now. "I know exactly what happened with him when he was fucking gone- and I know how much it hurts him just to be around you anymore!!"

Hayato visibly cringes when he hears the cup smash against the floor.

“Oh, so I’m the asshole, am I? Fer givin’ a shit abou’ what ya do ta my brother? Mind fuckin’ fillin’ me in on wha’ happened, then? Since he clearly cares enough about ya ta tell ya an’ not tell--”

He groans in frustration. “Why’d he even come back, then? If I’m causin’ him so much fuckin’ pain? Ye’re not makin’ any sense!”

[riverbendcafe]

He starts to get angry, clenching his fists. "Look- there are some things you just- you just don't know about, okay? You don't know what he's been through, okay?" Cheer takes a deep breath. "He needs this- I need this."

Hayato scowls back at him, and starts to raise his voice.

“Wha’ he’s been through? Y’think I don’ know what he’s-- wha’ makes ya think ya know better than I do, yeah? Or was he fuckin’ hangin’ around with you when he wen’ an’ ran off fer a year?”

...

He feels like that was probably a little much.

“Look, I don’ care, alrigh’? Jus’ look after ‘im.”

He stands up out of his seat and starts to walk back towards the kitchen.

[riverbendcafe]

Cheer listens, and then nods. "That's exactly it, though. Now Akio won't be able to tell himself that I'm not serious, that I don't mean it. Even on his worst days... now there's something real, something solid there to remind him of that. Words... aren't enough. Especially from someone like me. And I do want to be with him forever- for the rest of our... lives. However long that may be." He sighs, taking a big gulp of coffee. "Do you really think that's... unreasonable?"

He seems like he’s thinking hard about this, too.

“Look, I-- I get it, alrigh’? He ain’ always the type to see logic an’ reason. Even if it’s comin’ from you.” He frowns at Cheer for a moment. “Or from me, even. So I see where ye’re comin’ from. I jus’...”

He takes another swig from his mug, while he thinks about what he wants to say. “Jus’ seems like ye’re rushin’ inta this a little bit. The two a’ ya’ haven’ even been together a year yet, righ’?”

[riverbendcafe]

Cheer looks down at his cup. It's clear that despite Hayato's reaction- he's trying to take this seriously. "Yeah - uh, I just figured I didn't want to... waste any time in making him.." He blushes further. "He.. he doesn't always believe that he's worth loving so I, just- He has to know. Every second of every day, that he's important." He looks back up at Hayato, tears brimming in his eyes. "Isn't that how you feel, too, Hayato-nii?" He's dead serious. Jesus.

Hayato quietly sips from his mug as he considers this.

“I-- I know.” He frowns. “It ain’ tha’ hard ta see, yeah? He has no consideration fer his own well-bein’ an’...”

He pauses, as if thinking about something. He shakes his head, not wanting to mention it.

“Y’sure this is... the righ’ way ta do it, though? Tha’s a big commitment, yeah?”

[riverbendcafe]

He takes the coffee gratefully and sips at it before trying to get to the point. "I... I just know this will be hard news for him to break, and you and I rarely get to have one on one conversations, and I wanted to tell you that... well... Is it all right if I call you Hayato-nii?" His cheeks go red. " ... proposed."

Hayato almost chokes on his coffee. What was he even expecting to hear? He doesn’t entirely know.

“Jesus, ye’re engaged? Already? Fuckin’ hell, I know ya talked about this a’ Christmas but I didn’ think ya were jus’ gonna--”

...

“H-Hayato-nii? Ya fuckin’ serious?”

[riverbendcafe]

He points over at a table. The shop is empty, Shibuya as a whole is uncharacteristically quiet. Assuming Hayato follows him over, Cheer sits down across from him and gives a soft smile. "So... I have some news for you..."

Hayato follows him, but not before making himself a cup of coffee. One for Cheer, too, mostly out of habit.

“Mm. This abou’ Akio, then? He’s been actin’ a little suss this week an’ I can’ quite…”

He notes the smile on Cheer’s face. It couldn’t be bad news, then…

“… Alrigh’, I’ll bite, wha’s the deal.”

[riverbendcafe]

He's so tempted to knock on the counter one more time, looking directly into Hayato's eyes but he doesn't. He just smiles. "Can we... sit down and talk?"

What’s with all the sentimentality today...?

Hayato looks around, and notes the lack of customers in at the moment. He sighs.

“Alrigh’, fine. Wha’s this abou’?”