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“Do you think I’d be able to tell who you were if I was blind?”
Cafe Eline had become a second home to entertainers north of Meguro Station. To the untrained eye, it was unremarkable—dimly lit, small enough to slip through the cracks of conversation, yet designed with just enough intimacy to feel safe. A place where actors, singers, and the fleetingly famous could breathe. If you were a normal civilian, the charm would likely be lost on you. But for those whose lives belonged to others, it was a sanctuary.
At this moment, on the second-floor balcony of that sanctuary, Akane Kurokawa sat across from Aquamarine Hoshino. Between them, the scent of coffee and tea mingled in the air, twisting with the fading traces of early afternoon rain.
“Does it matter?” Aqua asked as he reached for Akane’s plate. She had closed her eyes, lost in thought, which made it as good a time as any to steal her chocolate croissant.
Akane frowned, tapping her fingers lightly over the now-empty space where her pastry had been. “Right now?” She pouted “Yes, it does.”
Aqua took a bite, humming in satisfaction. The croissant was buttery, flaky, just sweet enough. He had never been much for desserts, not as Gorou and not as Aqua. But the longer he spent with Akane, the more he found himself liking sweet things.
“Is this about that audition?” he asked, resting his cheek against his palm.
Akane nodded, still refusing to open her eyes “I can’t stop thinking about it. The role isn’t anything glamorous, and my manager said my audition was more of a courtesy than anything. Other actors from the company are gunning for it, but…” She exhaled slowly. “I guess I’m just curious. If I couldn’t see you, what would I think of you?”
“For starters, we wouldn’t talk unless absolutely necessary.”
Akane clicked her tongue. “So rude.”
“You knew what you were signing up for.” He shrugged. “Chances are, you’d assume I was a particularly moody wall. Or a disgruntled animal.”
She huffed a laugh. “No way. You don’t have the facial hair for that. Actually, it’s annoying how perfect your skin is.”
“I say the same about your hair,” he murmured, standing abruptly. The sound of the chair scraping against the wooden floor made Akane lift her head slightly.
“Where are you going?”
“Closer to you.”
He moved his chair beside hers, reaching out to take her hands. Gently, he lifted them to his face, letting her fingertips press against the contours of his expression.
“If you know me by touch,” he said, voice softer now, “then you’ll always recognize me. With or without sight.”
Akane traced her way over his features, her hands moving with a hesitance she rarely displayed. Her thumbs ghosted over the arch of his brows, the line of his nose. When her fingers drifted down to his lips, she frowned.
“You say all these nice things,” she murmured, “but you’re still frowning.”
“Was I supposed to smile?”
“I’d prefer it.”
“Good thing the world doesn’t run on your preferences.”
She laughed, a quiet thing that settled between them like the hush before a performance. Her hands remained on his face, and maybe, in the small fit of giggles, she didn’t feel the way his lips curled upward, just slightly.
“You’re mean.”
“You already knew that.” He covered her hands with his own. “What’s the final verdict? Could you recognize me?”
Akane opened her eyes, turquoise meeting blue. “I could recognize you in another life, Aqua.”
Aqua inhaled sharply. His expression shifted—not cynicism, not tenderness. Something else. His grip on her hands loosened as he cleared his throat.
“Then I’ll do the same.”
“Eh?” Akane tilted her head. “What do you mean, Aqua-kun?”
“Your face.” He motioned for her to come closer. “If I go blind, I’d like to know who you are, too.”
She chuckled, obliging. As he placed his hands on her face, she hummed softly.
Aqua took his time. Full cheeks, warm against his palms. His thumbs brushed over her closed eyelids, mapping the space. Her eyes were the thing he always noticed first. When she was acting, they reflected whatever soul she borrowed. When she played Ai, they took on a brilliance that mirrored the stars.
But when she looked at him, really looked at him, her gaze was nothing but soft. Somehow, the world felt quieter under it.
His hands trailed downward, hesitating at her lips.
“Hm…”
“Aqua?” Akane’s voice nudged him back.
“Yes?”
She smiled. “You’re a lot quieter than I was. What’s your verdict? Am I memorable?”
Aqua withdrew his hands, standing up. “That’s to be decided.”
Akane’s eyes snapped open, her expression shifting from fondness to indignation. “Aqua, you—!”
She looked down at her plate.
Then back at Aqua.
“Aqua, where’s my croissant?”
“No idea.” He hoisted his messenger bag over his shoulder. “Let’s get going.”
She sprang to her feet, her shoes clicking sharply against the wooden floor as she hurried after him. “You’re a thief, Aqua. I thought we were bonding!”
“Are you genuinely blind?” He glanced back at her, a slow smile unfurling on his lips. “I feel closer to you already”