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Afterglow was about as used to Hazawa Coffee as a mug was to coffee. They’d been there for every occasion imaginable - Halloween, Christmas, Tae’s Bat Mitzvah - and so it was difficult to say it had any more surprises in store. Which is why the current situation was a bit perplexing.
“There you are, Ran!” Himari cried, as the vocalist joined the three non-working members of the band at a table near the back. “I was worried you’d miss it.”
“Miss what?” asked Ran. Himari had messaged her, Moca, and Tomoe the previous night, frantically squealing that they all HAD to be at Hazawa Coffee before 3pm the next day. She didn’t explain why. It was currently 2:57.
“Man, Himari, what’s so important that I had to skip taiko practice to come here?” asked Tomoe. “And why couldn’t we tell Tsugu?”
“Shh!” Himari shushed. “Don’t speak her name!”
“Why?” asked Moca. “She’s Tsugurifically rushing over here to take our order right now.”
True to Moca’s word, Tsugumi - sweating but smiling - appeared within moments. “Hi, everyone! What would you like?”
“The usual, please!” Himari replied without waiting for input from anybody else. “Thanks, Tsugu, don’t rush yourself!”
“The usual - One black coffee, one chocolate coffee set, one whole baguette, and a bowl of pork bone ramen from next door - coming right up!” Tsugumi didn’t even have to write it down, she had it memorized by heart.
“What a good lass,” said Moca. “A little angel on earth.”
“Yes, absolutely,” said Himari harriedly. “But did you see her? Did you see how she acted?”
Tomoe shrugged. “Seemed like good ol’ Tsugu to me.”
Ran nodded. “Doing the work the cafe needs, which is more work than she deserves. Same as always. What’s different?”
“Nothing… yet,” said Himari, motioning towards the rest of the cafe. “It’s 2:59. Keep an eye on the front.”
“The front?” The rest of the cafe was also the same as always - plain countertops, simple chairs, a touch of green to add atmosphere. It was a cloudy day outside and there were maybe a half dozen patrons milling about table by table, reading newspapers and chatting quietly with companions. Tsugumi ran back and forth to take and complete orders. As ordinary as ordinary could be. “What’s strange about…”
“Shhhhhh,” Himari hushed, glancing at her phone with sharp focus. “Just watch.”
At the exact moment the clock ticked over to 3:00, Sayo Hikawa opened the door. As soon as she did, everything changed.
The smudged old tabletops suddenly became so clean that they sparkled. The usual smells of coffee became mixed with other sweet, homey scents - honey and lavender and fruits of all shapes and sizes. The clouds outside parted, and sunlight filtered in through the now-spotless window. All the other patrons of the cafe appeared to have dematerialized instantaneously, leaving teal and brown alone together. Tsugumi faced her, and smiled so naturally and brightly that it was as if her face was the source of all life. “Sayo-san! Good afternoon!”
Sayo smiled back. Her own grin was gentle, the moon to Tsugumi’s sun. “Good afternoon, Hazawa-san. You’re looking well today.”
“Hehehe, so are you.” Tsugumi motioned to a table right next to the window.
Ran, Tomoe, and Moca stared blankly, caught off guard by the dramatic shift in atmosphere. “How did-”
“Quiet!” Himari snapped. “Don’t disturb them!”
Tsugumi showed Sayo to her table. Birdsong trickled through the air, despite the fact there were no birds around. The previously silent radio was now on, quietly playing Sekai Wa Koi Ni Ochiteiru with a dreamily bright filter over it. The sunlight seemed to gleam off every strand of Tsugumi’s hair. “What would you like today, Sayo-san?”
“The usual,” said Sayo, her eyes glimmering like emeralds as she looked at Tsugumi. “You always make it so well.”
Tsugumi giggled, clearer and softer a peal than the loftiest of heaven’s bells. “Coming right up!”
She made for the kitchen. Sayo took her seat, cracking open her book, and despite being twenty feet away the members of Afterglow could smell its aesthetically intoxicating must as if it was in their hands.
But as Tsugumi walked farther and farther away, the gleam around everything gradually faded. The clouds returned. The music dimmed. The other people in the cafe mysteriously flickered back into reality, as if coming back into focus within a camera lens. And Afterglow watched it all happen with dumbfounded faces.
“What the fuck was that,” Ran mouthed.
Moca - always quick with a reply - was outright speechless.
“I…” Tomoe cleared her throat. “Okay. What?”
“IT’S LOVE!” Himari screamed, jostling Tomoe by the collar. “THE POWER OF LOVE!”
“I-I thought the power of love was like, a metaphorical thing,” said Ran. “Not a meta physical thing.”
“What other explanation is there?!?!?!” asked Himari, pointing at Sayo. “Does that kind of romantic imagery just come out of nowhere for no reason?!”
“This might just be an elaborate prank,” said Moca. “Some high piece of performance art. Like that time I modified Ran’s guitar to shoot out paper hearts whenever we played together.”
“Still not sure how you did that…” Ran muttered. “Anyway. Are we sure they’re in love?”
Himari gasped. “How could you even SUGGEST that? Did you see the way that they looked at each other?”
“I mean…” Ran was embarrassed just remembering it. “B-But they didn’t say anything overtly romantic, did they?”
“Well, me and Himari don’t say anything that gushy to each other and we’re dating, aren’t we?” asked Tomoe.
Moca stared at her. “You two regularly refer to each other as ‘babe’, ‘honey bunny,’ ‘my demon wemon, Parfait Princess, Ms. Please Murder Me…”
“Okay, but that’s besides the point.”
“Babe, please don’t embarrass us,” said Himari.
“Sorry, babe.”
Moca smacked them in the arm. “Tsugu’s coming back. Get down, get down.”
Tsugumi emerged from the kitchen with a steaming pot of coffee. As she approached Sayo’s table, the Gleam returned - flowers sprouted in the planters around the cafe, light sailed into the space around them, and the cafe emptied of all other presences. Sayo looked up, closed her book, and smiled at Tsugumi, as if about to say ‘I do.’
“Here you are, Sayo-san,” said Tsugumi, beaming with her tray table.
“Hey, she got Sayo’s order before ours,” Tomoe pointed out.
Himari smacked her as Sayo brought the coffee to her lips. “Thank you. It’s delicious. Even better than the last.”
“Hehehe… you say that every time.” Tsugumi did a little bow of gratitude.
“Only because it’s true.” Sayo’s voice softened. “Because you’re you.”
“S...Sayo-san…” Tsugumi blushed, her eyes glimmering with fancy. Bubbles and sparkles surrounded them as the background melted into hazy abstraction. Ran rubbed her eyes to make sure what she was seeing was real.
“Ah, I read the book you recommended last week.” Sayo closed it and handed it to her. “ Phantom of the Opera… I found it quite relatable.”
“I’m glad!” said Tsugumi. “Oh, let me go get the book I have for you…”
She walked away, once again returning the cafe to normalcy.
Himari slammed a fist on the table. “They exchange BOOKS? Just let me officiate their wedding already!”
“Shoujo manga has nothing in the face of Tsugurifficness,” said Moca, her usual aloofness replaced by a dumbfounded matter-of-factness.
Tomoe crossed her arms. “Wait. Babe, is it possible for us to do that?”
“How?”
Tomoe grabbed Himari’s hands with a devilish smirk. “By treating you like the princess you are.”
It was fleeting, but there were a few sparkles and bubbles.
“The power of love terrifies me…” Ran muttered.
Moca imitated Tomoe’s action towards Ran. “But isn’t it exciting~?”
There were no sparkles, but Ran did turn as red as the streak in her hair.
Tsugumi returned with a novel of her own, once again brightening the surroundings as she sat directly across from Sayo. “Here you go! It’s called The Cardturner, by Louis Sachar . It’s a young adult book about Bridge - the card game? I really enjoyed it.”
“Ah, thank you.” Sayo took the tome as if it were more precious than life itself, exchanging it with a large book. “Since you gave me a classic last week, I did the same. Pride & Prejudice, by Jane Austen.”
“Oh my god…” Himari sobbed silently. “She… She loves her… most ardently…!”
Tomoe consoled her as Tsugumi reached to take the book, her fingers brushing against Sayo’s hand. Sayo shrank back, causing Tsugumi to frown. “Ah, Sorry…”
“No…” Sayo muttered. “It’s not you. It’s me. I don’t deserve your touch.”
After a moment of sorrowful contemplation, Tsugumi reached for Sayo’s hand and took it into hers. “You do. And I’ll hold on until you understand you do.”
“Attagirl!” Moca cheered quietly. “The Tsuguriffic Difference.”
Sayo’s initial shock gave way to an impossible tenderness. “Hazawa-san…”
“Sayo-san…”
Their faces were growing closer and closer. Each Afterglow member was on the edge of their seat, subconsciously leaning in to see the result. Tsugumi closed her eyes, her lips parting to show just the tiniest sliver of teeth. But just as they were about to brush noses, Sayo pulled back.
“G-Goodness, look at the time,” she coughed. “I’m afraid I must be going--”
“OH COME ON!” yelled Himari - and someone from the table behind them.
Tomoe craned her neck behind her. “Lisa-san?”
Moca mirrored her. “And the rest of Roselia.”
The four other members of Roselia appeared similarly enraptured in the turn of events. Ako had mounted her chair, Rinko was peeking through her fingers, and Lisa was on her feet in agony. Only Yukina appeared unengaged. “Lisa, is this truly for the good of Roselia?”
Lisa sighed. “How do I explain that curing Sayo’s emotional constipation is for the good of everybody …”
Ran scowled. “What do you think you’re doing, spying on Tsugumi?”
Yukina looked at her with an arched eyebrow. “We ordered coffee. We are patronizing this establishment, worry not.”
“I… don’t think that’s the issue…” Rinko pointed out.
Moca put a hand in front of Ran. “Easy there, tiger.” She faced Roselia. “Sorry, our lead vocalist’s a bit protective… kinda like a dad.”
“Don’t worry,” said Ako. “We’re not that protective of Sayo-san. But we do care about her!”
Moca nodded. “Understandable. This is a real Romeo and Juliet situation.”
“You’re right… how romantic…” said Himari. She and Lisa sighed dreamily.
“Um… excuse me?”
The eight jumped and turned to see Tsugumi and Sayo looking quizzically at them. Despite their close proximity, the romantic air was gone, and the cafe was back to normal.
“What are you all doing here?” asked Sayo.
“Well, uh… we ordered coffee,” replied Tomoe, telling neither lies nor truth.
Tsugumi seemed to snap to attention all at once. “Akh! I have orders to fulfill! Sorry everyone, I’ll be right back!!”
She scampered off towards the kitchen, causing everyone sans Sayo (and Yukina) to mutter “Tsuguriffic…” under their breaths.
“Well, I suppose it was an interesting display,” said Yukina. “Perhaps we can utilize that power during Roselia concerts.”
“What power?” asked Sayo.
Lisa put a hand over Yukina’s mouth. “The power… of… friendship! You know, if we all work together and put our minds to it.”
Sayo scoffed. “I tend not to put much stock in such things.”
“Well, you’d be surprised,” said Lisa. “Anyway, don’t you have things to do?”
“I… suppose, but I’m not sure how that’s rele--’
Himari suddenly pushed Sayo on the back. “That’s right! You have business with Tsugu.”
Sayo faltered. “H-Hazawa-san? But I--”
Himari stared into her soul with an intensity that belied her smile. “Go. Into. The. Kitchen. Now.”
Afterglow and Roselia quivered at the ferocity of her voice. Sayo, disturbed by the display, did as she was told. “V-Very well. See you soon, all.”
She tiptoed into the kitchen. Himari exhaled, releasing the tension from her demonic aura. “There, privacy. It’s all up to them now.”
“R… Right,” said Ran and Tomoe with a gulp.
“Godspeed…” Rinko and Ako whispered, making prayer hands.
“Come on you two… you can do it... “ muttered Moca and Lisa simultaneously
The eight looked at the entrance to the kitchen with bated breath as one minute passed. Two. Three. And then… they emerged, each holding a tray of goods.
“Here are your orders, everybody!” Tsugumi said, smiling as she dropped things off at Roselia’s table. “We have black tea, two GFuel energy drinks, the ‘Minato Special 800% Sugar’ coffee…”
“How were things with Sayo?” Lisa asked.
Tsugumi blinked. “What do you mean?”
“You know… like…”
“WhatDidYouDoInTheKitchen!!” Himari blurted from the next table over.
Tsugumi laughed. “Oh! Nothing much. She entered and then fumbled with her words for a moment before offering to help me wait tables. She’s so kind!”
“And that’s it?”
“Y...Yes?” Tsugumi smiled quizzically. “What else would we have done?”
She scampered off to wait more tables. Himari’s fist sank into her chair. “No… noooooo….”
Moca patted her on the back. “It’s ok, Hii-chan. You’ve lost the battle, but the war’s just begun.”
Ran considered whether or not to point out that Sayo and Tsugumi’s collars were ruffled up, as if somebody had grasped onto them in close quarters, but decided it would probably do them best to keep quiet.