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It’s been a good few years since Ann has seen any of her extended family. Cousins who she couldn’t really remember the names of who were old enough to be her mom, aunts and uncles she didn’t even recognize the faces of in public, and people she wasn’t even quite sure she really needed to visit. If anything, that was kind of an excuse to herself— she just really wanted to get up and go somewhere outside the country, and it was good enough of one. It feels weird stepping off the plane into the US for the first time in almost a decade, right into the Boston Logan International Airport.
The long nap she took on the plane is giving her a good few favours keeping her eyes open, unlike her girlfriend, who seems to be barely pulling herself together on a few hours of rough sleep. Makoto looks as put together as ever, but there’s a fogginess behind her eyes that clearly indicates to Ann that she’s had a night of waking and falling back asleep. It’s not like they’ll be in the airport for much longer, so at least she won’t be dozing off and walking at the same time for an eternity.
Hauling themselves through customs, the early hours of the morning seem to save the pair from a swarm of crowds, with nothing taking overly too long next to what felt like a week on the plane. Luggage claims go surprisingly well too, with Makoto almost falling asleep on Ann’s shoulder before jolting awake upon the sight of the latter’s gaudily decorated suitcase. A life reignites into her for a moment to ensure she’s got the right bag before drowsiness sinks over her expression again.
As soon as they get to the front of the airport, Ann calls a taxi, and they both get into the back, slipping in the suitcase with them. She answers the driver’s questions with the routine she’s practiced. Oh, we’re from Tokyo, I’ve got family here, she’s my friend and she wanted to come see it too, the weather’s really not much nicer back in Tokyo either, and so on so forth as Makoto passes out cold during the drive. Ann begs for each second of it to be over, quickly escorting herself and her half asleep girlfriend out the second they arrive at the hotel.
Ann checks it out under her name, feeling ridiculous arriving at such an early hour in the morning, but the poor front desk worker up at these unholy hours doesn’t seem to really be judging the two of them that much. It’s a little hard to navigate the carpeted floors and endless halls of the hotel to their room in the dark, but they make it to their room and it takes all of Makoto taking her outdoor wear out to pass out into the bed. I’ve got it so good, Ann thinks to herself as she watches her exhausted girlfriend collapse into the duvet.
Makoto wakes up a few hours later in a cold sweat, inappropriately late in Boston, but a good few hours before it gets to be the peak hours of the day. She finds Ann clinging to her arm, her hair dishevelled and drool clinging to her chin. It’s cute to see her so messed up, but Makoto doesn’t exactly want her girlfriend to see her in the same state, so she drags herself over to the shower, cleaning herself off and getting changed into a fresh set of clean clothes in order to prepare herself for the day.
She’s already fully prepared herself for the day and visited the complementary breakfast buffet when Ann wakes up. She seems to find her state less cute and more concerning, but it’s not like she’s going to lose her charms through cleaning herself up. It’s a mere ten minutes before Ann comes out of the shower, though Makoto averts her eyes as she changes into something else.
Once she’s got her outfit for the day (the pink turtleneck and jean skirt look very flattering on Ann, though Makoto doesn’t convey that through words), she sits down beside her girlfriend before hitting her girlfriend with a question.
“Have you ever been to Dunkin’ Donuts?”
Ann pretty strongly anticipated Makoto’s answer, but she’s trying to lure the latter into going out and about with her.
“No, I haven’t ever been there… is it some kind of cafe?”
“It’s one of those big, like, chain coffee shops, and if you’ve ever been to Boston, it’s the one you’ve gotta go to.”
“Mm…”
“You wanna go pick something up there? It’ll be like, an experience!”
Makoto nods, not quite sure exactly what Ann is trying to coax her into at Dunkin Donuts, but willing enough to go with the flow.
The nearest Dunkin Donuts isn’t too far, but it’s a little chilly out with the autumn wind and the sidewalks are barebones at best, so the two bundle up and walk on the edge of the road for a few kilometres until hitting a poorly designed industrial strip mall. One of the stores has a sign in bright orange lettering above its door reading Dunkin’ Donuts, and Ann invites herself in before really becoming aware of her surroundings. Makoto is a little more patient, trying to make sure she isn’t blocking anyone off or anything of the sort before entering.
The minimum wage 17 year old worker at the cashier stares at the two of them, though it’s likely been the most exciting thing to happen to the poor kid for the last several hours.
“Can I take your order?”
It takes less than a minute for Makoto to settle on what she wants, but Ann keeps on tapping her fingers, switching from order to order on the menu, before eventually settling and making eye contact with a fairly disgruntled cashier.
“Could I get the cold brew— just the cold brew, yeah, nothing in it, and then the celebrity special? That’s the Alix’s Earle-y Riser combo, right?”
“So that’s the cold brew and the early riser?”
“Mhm!”
“That all for today?”
“Yep!”
“Cash or card.”
“Card, please!”
The two find a place to sit down as they wait for their order, with the plastic-y seats cold and unfeeling from the lack of customers who really seem to stay and order in. It doesn’t take long for Ann’s name to get called out, getting Makoto’s drink and her small meal. The latter takes small sips of her beverage as the latter shoves the wrap she’s been granted by her meal into her mouth, not even really stopping to taste.
“Isn’t it great?”
“Mm, yeah.”
With such a good start to their trip, Ann was sure that whatever came ahead was going to be even better.