Work Text:
Add a spoon of surprise
To your usual preference
The heart-warming feelings
Permeate through your heart
And reach you without words
That's our way of communicating
How I wish to see you under the magic of happiness
Cafeteria
★
Teacups
Lined perfectly on the shelves
Sorted by colour, a gradient of blue and green visible from the doors of the café.
Its a nice cozy café
Not many visitors, but loyal ones almost everyday.
A crimson haired boy yelled at a grey haired one for...a broken machine or something? Who knows, Shu can't hear it properly from the counter.
"Perfect weather for a cup of tea, no?"
"No thank you, I don't feel like it"
Tsumugi sighed
"You never feel like it, the only time you feel like anything is when you're by yourself"
"And?"
The other poured himself tea
"Its...you need to talk to more people"
Shu scoffed
He doesn't need anyone lecturing him
Especially this mophead
"I am talking right now"
"Well- I don't count okay?"
Shu grabbed the edge of the counter
"...I am fine by myself"
"Alright alright, I won't push your temper any further, but keep it in mind" And he left
Shu took a deep breath and leaned on the counter. Its true, he knows. He needs to socialise more. But its not his fault for not approaching people. He only has one friend other than people of the café, one Kuro Kiryuu, but that was it.
He blames his childhood. Stupid kids, teasing him for playing with dolls because he's a 'man' not a girl...well look at him now, they were right. He wanted to be an idol but here he is, a failure, working at a stupid café.
Sucks to be Shu Itsuki
Sucks to be courageous enough to audition
Sucks to be yourself
Since then, he's made up his mind
He will not, under any circumstance, listen to anyone about his appearance, his hobbies, or what he likes. If they dare utter a single bitter syllable...he will crawl into a corner and never crawl out.
Because no matter how many defences you try to put up, or try to act strong, you've been weakened since the day you step foot into the playground.
The universe decided you were nothing but a drop in an ocean of deprecation
...
Shu's snapped out of his head by a customer
This one isn't...a usual one
He looks very refined...but a bit rough at the edges still.
Messy raven hair, but organized nonetheless
And...heterochromatic? Shu hadn't seen that before in his life. He'd only read about it somewhere once.
He looked tired
He spotted Shu and smiled
That smile
Suddenly, he didn't look as refined
Not to say he didn't look good
"Good Afternoon!" He greeted Shu
"Good Afternoon, what would you like to order" His voice came out uninterested
The customer, as if suddenly shooken awake, rubbed his eyes
"Ah! Right, um...can I have a simple latte please?"
"Anything to go with that?"
"Mm...nah"
Shu nodded
"And what name shall I write for the order?"
"Ahh...wait-" He tapped his fingers on the counter, "Mmm...can ya put, Mihira?"
"Mihira...alright, please wait"
"Mkay!" He hopped to a nearby table and sat down
Once again, he appeared refined and elegant.
His voice somehow didn't match his regal look, or so Shu thought.
He didn't sound familiar, but the name sure did
As Yuta was put to work to make the latte, Shu thought carefully...Mihira...Mihira?
He tried to break it down
Mi...and Hira...
Two words, separate
Perhaps two names? First and last?
Now who did he know with a name like that?
Mi...ka...
That sounds familiar
Oh
Thats right
Its the name of an idol
Whose last name is...
"Kagehira" Shu muttered
He looked to the boy sitting at the table
Mika Kagehira
The hair checks out, like a raven's
But the eyes? Oh but then, he never showed his eyes on stage, so it would make sense if they seemed out of place.
The voice was off, but people don't always sound the same on and off stage.
How can he be absolutely sure?
He thought for a bit, taking a seat.
Idols...here? That seemed wrong
The café, though definitely known, isn't exactly a very bustling one. Blend+ has its reputation built on the very fact that they offer a cozy space, without the nonsensical yapping you would find in other eateries.
"Mihira is an interesting name no?" Yuta said, keeping the latte on the counter, reaching for tissues from the cupboard.
"Hmm"
Yuta smiled awkwardly. This is what Shu was like, and it was honestly a little funny.
"Here's you latte Sir!" Yuta kept the latte on the raven's table.
"Thank ya kindly!" He replied, smiling like a cat
Shu was intrigued
The heterochromia
The way his voice seemed to completely change this image of a popular solo idol, he looked...normal.
Normal
Idols are people
People are normal
Idols...
Shu's concentration was broken by the strange individual.
'Mihira' was waving at him
What for?
Shu sort of waved back, weakly
He was then motioned to come to the former's table
(Itsuki's curiosity got the best of him)
"Yes?"
"Sorry if I disturbed somethin' important ya were doin'-"
Kansai
"-But, I jus' wanted ta say...ya have an interestin'...ngah whats the word for it–"
As the boy racked his brain for the word, Shu took the time to observe closely. One eye was indeed blue...more specifically, he recalled, blue of Chagall and Vermeer. The other was golden...or rather, Gogh's yellow.
How the fuck does Shu know specific shades of colours you ask?
We don't know
He's just very good with colours we assume
...
"Aha! Yer aura!"
Shu blinked into reality
"What?"
"Uh...you have a pretty aura"
Shu's eyes widened in confusion
"...A pretty aura?"
The other stumbled with his words
"Well I- It means- uh, i don' wanna sound weird!"
Shu sighed
"Think over your words first in that case, I am by the counter"
His eyes lit up
"Oh- Okay!"
As he walked back to the counter, the words he uttered started to sink in. Why would you say that? You don't know him!
Too late now, Shu already said it.
Now he'll have to stay by the counter and wait for him to speak.
★
Except he hasn't.
It's evening, and he's still sitting here
He finished a latte and had ordered a pastry after to pass time, probably.
Shu's shift has come to an end
"W- Yer goin' ?" The raven asked
Shu nodded
"Yes"
The former frowned
"...So then, you'll be here tomorrow?"
Shu's eyes widened in confusion for the second time
"Yes?"
"Mkay then! See ya tomorrow! Uhhh‐"
"Shu Itsuki"
"Ah- See ya tomorrow Itsuki san!"
★
It was a bit strange
People called him Itsuki every day, it wasn't a big deal
What was a big deal, was the fact that this boy was 99.9% Mika Kagehira, as far as Shu knew. He didn't listen to Kagehira's songs, he usually stuck to old Japanese songs because the new ones 'lacked a spark'. But out of curiosity, on his way to work the next morning, he tried some.
Not bad
Good, even
Shu was right, his stage voice was extremely different from his talking voice. His vocals were clear, the Kansai dialect wasn't even a little bit audible. But when he talked, he hesitated, and his dialect came out naturally.
Such is the difference between reality and TV.
He covered his eyes too, why?
Did he think they were ugly? Thats not possible
They aren't ugly
They are...beautiful
...
He reached the café
"Good Morning!" Tsumugi's smile first thing in the morning that no one asked for.
"Morning..." Shu sat at the counter, tapping his fingers to one of those songs by Kagehira he had been listening to on his way here.
Speak of the devil
"Good Morning Itsuki san!"
"Morning, Mihira" Shu said
The name didn't roll off his tongue right
The boy himself had to think for a good 12 seconds before smiling. Shu has been proved right again, he did infact make up the name.
"What would you like to have today?" His usual tired tone
"mmm...latte, and a...what would ya recommend as a good snack with latte?"
Shu cleared his throat
"With latte I would suggest cinnamon buns"
"And that!"
"Alright then, please wait"
Shu went to the kitchen area
He snapped his fingers to break the argument going on between the same red and grey haired boys from yesterday.
"One simple latte and cinnamon buns, get to it"
"Yes!" The one with red hair got to work
The other one grumbled, but followed
★
"I think I got it Itsuki san!"
Shu, who was sitting bored, turned in the boy's direction
"Did you?"
He nodded excitedly
"Can ya come here? Just for one second!"
Shu made his way to his table
"Take a seat would ya? Last time ya were standin' the whole time I talked...n I...I felt kinda bad yknow?"
This boy was too fucking sweet for his own good
"Alright"
And so he took a seat
"Right! So...since 'aura' isn't very explanatory...uh...i guess you can say, i think yer pretty?"
He paused
"Yeah! Thas it! I think yer pretty Itsuki san!"
This time Shu couldn't think of anything to say, to match the intensity and genuine praise in his words.
"I- I'm tryna sound super sincere!" He exclaimed awkwardly as Shu sat absolutely speechless, "Yer hair looks like this one flower...uhh...whats it called? Ngah...the one with pink dusted petals? M forgettin' !"
"Bear's Breeches...or the acanthus flower" Shu said, not knowing why he suddenly decided to blurt that.
Now it was the raven's turn to freeze in place
How the fuck does Shu know flowers?
Again, im afraid we don't know
At this point, he might as well be an encyclopedia
"-rather a specific variety...Acanthus mollis yes? Though it is more on the violet spectrum-"
The boy non-aggressively slammed his hands on the table
"Yer smart too? Ngah you're too perfect then!"
He had to literally brace for impact, afraid of dying of being injected compliments from someone he barely knew, and this someone who barely knew him.
"I-"
The way he was being bombarded with endless praise was making his fingers tremble.
"M sorry for lyin' earlier, but since yer smart I think ya figured it out...m Mika Kagehira" He held out a hand
Shu hesitated
"Yes...yes I, had a feeling of sorts" His words faded out as he shook Mika's hand
Mika looked at him like he was the Mona Lisa
"Yknow...I think I've seen ya before"
"Before? As in, before you came here yesterday?"
Mika nodded, still holding onto Shu's hand as if it were a glass flower
"Mhm, ya auditioned didn'tcha? For the idol course? Unless...I got the wrong person"
How
How would anyone-
"Who told you?"
"No one, I saw ya, I was auditioning with ya"
Shu opened his mouth and closed it just as fast
"Ah, sorry! I should've started with that...ngah im bein' stupid again, I should talk to more people..." Mika sighed, "I auditioned same day as ya, I think, because I saw ya perform...n...all I can say is..." He paused for dramatic effect
"...You were more of an idol than I could ever dream of"
He let go of Shu's hand reluctantly, seeing as Shu was processing his words very carefully, highlighting the words in his head.
"...I- I wasn't- There was a reason they chose you as an idol and...not me" He said, regretfully
Mika shook his head violently
"No! I saw ya! Ya were amazin'! I ain't never seen anyone sing or dance like that!" He clasped one of Shu's hands again, on impulse.
"Well- I-....Thank you" Shu hesitated, he usually didn't talk like this
"Ah, yer...M just statin' facts" Mika loosened his grip on Shu's hand, realizing his impulsive actions aren't the most suitable.
There was silence
Shu felt out of character, the way he was talking and struggling to form sentences. This was unlike him
It was also unlike him to let a stranger...a very nice one, and an idol at that...hold his hand
But he was holding it so preciously that he couldn't just retract it. The absolute care and comfort this boy was putting into just keeping his hand was, in itself, so adorable.
Shu glanced at the clock behind him
Mika realised probably that his shift was over and released his hand
"Ya hafta go ag-"
"Anything I can get you before I leave?", His tone didn't contain any trace of disinterest or formality.
Pure adoration
Mika paused to think carefully
"...Well...um...maybe a slice of...cheesecake?"
"Alright"
"No wait! Two slices"
Shu smiled
"Of course, wait here"
★
Mika was ashamed to death of the fact that he was staring at Shu the whole time he was getting him cheesecake. He couldn't help it. He was too enthralling.
He didn't understand why someone like Shu didn't get selected, but someone like him did. Shu was absolutely perfect, atleast Mika thought.
He was smart, pretty, his fingers looked manicured and well...he fit in the idol standards well.
Mika was cut off from his daydream
"Here is your order"
Kagehira paused
"Wait, the second one is fer you!"
"Me?" He pointed at himself for further emphasis
Mika grinned
"Mhm! Eat with me before ya leave, please?"
Shu gave up on all his defences and stubbornness, just this one time. He sat down beside Mika and picked up a dessert fork.
"...Can I call ya Shu? You can call me Mika!"
He paused
"...I suppose that is alright"
"Thank ya kindly, Shu!"
Pink dusting his cheeks, Shu continued eating his slice of cake.
This was a strange feeling best described as a blanket of warmth, or like a warm cup of tea...however you can put it.
★
Mika was too sweet for his good, as was said by Shu multiple times. He came to the café often, ordering the same thing over and over...and sometimes experimenting with new stuff.
Shu has understood one very important thing about Mika: He loved sugar, an insane amount of it.
He would order incredibly sugary treats sometimes: Hot chocolate with double extra cream, and sprinkles...and Shu had to, sometimes, tell him no...he was an idol, and too much sugar was bad for him in any case.
He would then make an incoherent noise and settle for a less diabetic snack.
They would talk about their hobbies sometimes, if time allowed it.
"Whaaa? Ya make clothes? From scratch?"
"Yes...is it very shocking? That includes the café uniform"
"No way! Sooo pretty!" Mika felt the fabric on his sleeves, "n so so smooth!"
Shu smiled
"...And i happen to make doll clothes as well"
"WHAAAA????"
★
"Well done, you're talking to people other than the four of us!"
Tsumugi's comment that, again, no one asked for
"You're welcome" Shu said, sarcasm dripping from his words
"Okay okay, I will" He said, sliding a cup of tea towards the former, before going back to work.
☆★☆
:)
One day, I'll breath a heart into you with a kiss
And eternity