Chapter Text
“Well, I’m off,” Miyuki says dully, pulling on his jacket. Kuramochi waves disinterestedly from his spot leaning on the counter. Haruno pops up from where she’s stacking cups at the other end of the counter.
“Have a good evening!”
“Yeah, you too. Later, Kuramochi,” he mutters.
“Yeah, see ya Asswipe,” Kuramochi says. Miyuki laughs once, weakly, before disappearing out the door with a limp wave.
Kuramochi heaves a sigh, cheek smushed up from the way he’s holding himself up with his palm. Aside from Haruno diligently stacking cups, the shop is empty. The cold, heavy rain started late last night and hasn’t let up, so even their most loyal regulars haven’t shown up. Miyuki was probably hoping for one particular regular to show, but given his mood, it’s probably safe to assume he was a no-show today. Just like yesterday and the day before and all the other days since that which Miyuki refuses to speak of. Kuramochi is about ready to hunt Furuya down and strangle him for leaving Miyuki hanging like this.
He sighs again, bored and somber in the quiet of their dark little coffee shop. At least it’s warm and cozy, and it doesn’t hurt that his coworker is pretty easy on the eyes, either. It’s rare for the two of them to be on the same shift, and usually they’re too busy for him to pay her too much extra attention. She’s moved on to general busy work now, straightening out the counters with perfectionist dedication. He can’t quite stop himself from smiling at her, tongue caught between her teeth as she squints at her handy work consideringly.
“You know it’s just going to get messed up tomorrow morning, right?”
She jumps a little, like she’d forgotten he was there. When she turns to look at him there’s a light blush rising across her cheeks.
“Mm, I know,” she says, twisting her fingers in the end of her short ponytail. “There’s not really anything else to do, though, and it won’t hurt to get everything all neat and organized for whoever’s opening tomorrow morning.”
“Hmm, I’m sure Miyuki will appreciate it,” Kuramochi says, more for her sake than for any actual truth. She blinks up at him with her big, brown eyes and Kuramochi can’t help but note how lovely she is.
“Miyuki is opening again tomorrow?”
Kuramochi nods in affirmation. She bites her bottom lip, brows furrowing.
“He doesn’t usually open this many days in a row, does he?”
Kuramochi shrugs, because the only answer he has involves Miyuki’s overly complicated non-relationship with Furuya, and he’s pretty sure Miyuki wouldn’t appreciate him chatting about that like it’s nothing. Haruno purses her lips, reaching up to fiddle with the pen they keep by the cash register. She looks up at him from under her eyelashes.
“You know him pretty well, right?”
“Sure,” Kuramochi says with a nod, “better than most.”
She taps the pen against the counter pensively.
“Is… everything okay?”
Kuramochi raises both eyebrows, impressed with her observational skills. She obviously takes it the wrong way, though, because she holds up both hands, eyes going wide.
“I don’t mean to pry or anything! I’m a little worried, is all, because he seems awfully strange lately and I thought maybe you would know?”
He chuckles lightly, gesturing with both hands for her to calm down. She folds her fingers together, looking at him imploringly.
“Yeah, yeah, you’re fine. I was just surprised that you even noticed. Miyuki’s usually better at keeping that kind of stuff to himself.”
“Well… he was so happy before and now he’s so subdued. I feel bad that I can’t do anything to help.”
Kuramochi feels a little rush of affection for her, as he does anyone who shows concern over Miyuki’s well being.
“He’s just having some trouble with someone right now. It’s not really that big a deal.”
Or it wouldn’t be, if he and Furuya would stop pussyfooting around. Haruno gives him a thoughtful look. He does his best to look encouraging, because Miyuki can’t be mad at him if Haruno comes to the correct conclusion by herself.
“It… doesn’t have anything to do with Furuya, does it?”
He can’t help but laugh at how readily she’s figured it all out. Then again, the only ones who seem to be in the dark are Furuya and Miyuki themselves.
“Yeah, I mean, he hasn’t actually admitted as much to me, but I’m sure that’s exactly what his problem is.”
“Ah, I see,” she says, more to herself. “I thought Furuya was pretty obvious and Miyuki was always so happy on the days he stopped by.”
Kuramochi huffs a breath, tapping his fingers against the counter.
“I’ve been trying to figure out how to make them see the light without coming right out and saying it, but now Furuya hasn’t been around for a while so I’m kind of stuck.”
“Well,” she says uncertainly, “I might run into him on campus? I could try asking him where he’s been.”
“You sure you want to get involved with this? It’s probably going to turn into an epic battle against their stupidity.”
She laughs brightly, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth. Kuramochi’s stomach gives a little flip.
“Yes,” she says, humor making her voice dance. “I can’t leave you to deal with it yourself. I’ve seen how awful Furuya is with conversations.”
Kuramochi smiles, meeting her eyes. They gaze at each other for a few long moments, Haruno’s smile getting shier with every passing second. Kuramochi bites the inside of his bottom lip, averting his eyes with only marginal difficulty. His face feels warm.
“Right,” he says firmly. Haruno smoothes out her apron, flushed and flustered.
“Right!” she chirps back.
“So, partner,” he says, forcibly shaking off the awkwardness and holding out his hand, “let’s brain storm some ways to save those idiots from themselves.”
She giggles, quiet and nervous, but shakes his hand readily enough.
“All right, partner.”