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Just her luck.
The one day she had to stay late at the office was the one day there was a torrential downpour.
Maki sighed as she darted between the few shelters from the rain she could find. It was late in the evening and her original plan had been to just head straight home. However getting the train home wasn't possible since the route towards her house was closed due to repairs. And hailing a taxi would require her to stand in the rain without an umbrella or a coat so she didn't particularly want to do that…
So in the end she decided to just walk by making her way as far as possible by using the cover of multiple shop fronts and balconies. And to be fair, she'd gotten surprisingly far even if it had taken her a while. And while she wasn't drenched, she was still quite soggy. Maybe she should just find a place to hide out until the rain stopped… That seemed like a much smarter idea.
She glanced around the area for some sort of inspiration of where to go, her eyes settling on a store emitting a warm, comforting glow.
Leblanc Curry and Coffee.
An intrigued hum left her hips as she read that sign. A nice, warm plate of curry and a good cup of coffee sounded lovely right about now. Not to mention, she hadn't eaten since lunch time and was absolutely starving. Well, that was settled then!
Checking to make sure no one was walking up or down the street first, Maki dove across the road and stopped underneath the awning. She shook her head and patted her clothes in an attempt to get rid of as much moisture as possible before grabbing ahold of the door handle and pushing it open.
The cheerful sound of a bell jingling and the delicious smells of coffee beans and various spices welcomed her into the simple yet cozy café. Inside was only one person: a man stood behind the counter with a cigarette in his mouth and a newspaper and pen in his hands. He lifted his gaze upon hearing the bell.
"Oh, welcome. Got caught in the rain, huh?" He greeted her, placing his newspaper down onto the counter and sliding his pen into his shirt pocket.
"Yep, and I didn't have anything to cover me because of course I didn't…" Maki laughed, still firmly planted in front of the door.
The owner laughed back at pointed to the corner. "We've got some towels over there; feel free to use them to dry yourself off."
"Oh thank you so much!" Maki sighed in relief, hurrying over and grabbing a towel. As she began softly drying her hair she looked up at the various decorations in the café. "What a lovely painting…"
"Hm? Oh, yeah, that. My kids' friend gave it to us for safekeeping. His late mother painted it but he couldn't take it with him to his school dorms." The owner explained, readjusting his glasses.
"Oh, wow, really? Is he okay with that or…?"
"Oh, it was his suggestion. Said his mother would appreciate it adding some colour to an ordinary day."
Maki smiled softly at the gorgeous painting, sensing the love behind every stroke. "That's lovely."
"Sure is. Great kid; little strange but always sincere."
Maki giggled as she carefully returned the towels and walked round to sit at the counter. "Well, the strange kids are always the most fun, aren't they? Never a dull moment with them."
The owner chuckled, putting out his now finished cigarette. "True enough. Anyway, what'll it be?"
Maki thought about it. "Oh… I don't really know much about coffee so if you have anything that isn't too bitter, I'd appreciate that and… a lar- Actually, no, an extra large plate of curry."
"Just checking… You're sure you want extra large? Because we get people who order that all cocky and then they can't finish it."
"Oh, I'm sure. I haven't had a chance to eat since lunchtime and I am so, so hungry right now."
The owner nodded before turning to scan his shelves of coffee beans. "Fair enough. Now let's see… How would you feel about these Guatemalan SHB? They've got a nice citrus-like acidity and a sort of… fruity, chocolatey flavour."
Maki's eyes sparkled with intrigue. "Ooh, I've never heard of those but that sounds delicious! Yes please, I'd love to try that!"
"Heh, comin' right up." The owner chuckled as he got right to work. The delicious aroma of coffee immediately filled the air as he poured the coffee beans into the grinder.
"So is it usually this quiet at this time of day?" Asked Maki, attempting to start a conversation.
"Eh, it depends. We're very rarely slammed but we can get pretty busy at lunch and dinnertime. And we're pretty popular on Valentine's Day and White Day too." The owner answered.
"I see, so today's the exception?"
"No, not really. We have some pretty slow days from time to time. Not to mention, it's pretty hit or miss whenever we have weather like this; either we have lots of people coming in to avoid the rain and get a warm meal or everyone stays home to avoid to the rain."
"Ahh, yeah, I suppose that makes sense. Then is it just you here?"
"Yep, just me. I did have a helper last year but he went home a few months ago. So it's just me again."
"Oh, that's a shame…"
"Yeah, I miss that idiot but he says he'll always lend a hand whenever he's in the area."
"Well, he sounds very sweet."
The owner smiled softly as he turned on the rice cooker and checked on the simmering curry. "Yeah, he's a sweet kid."
Maki grinned discreetly to herself as she watched the owner quickly compose himself and move on from that moment of gentleness.
"So, what about yourself? What line of a work are you in?" He asked, changing the subject while he continued working on her meal.
"Oh, I'm a counsellor. I specialise in helping children and teenagers work through their problems." She proudly answered.
"Ah, a very admirable line of work. So do you have a focus or do you help kids from all sorts of backgrounds?"
"Oh, I do help all kinds of kids but I do have a specialised focus on children with medical trauma, due to my own experiences being chronically ill growing up."
A twinge of guilt shot through the owner's eyes as he felt he had touched upon a subject he shouldn't have. "I see, I'm sorry to hear that…
"Oh! Oh no, no need to feel bad! I'm pretty open about my past. Honestly, I think my openness helps some of the kids feel more at ease." Maki hurriedly assured him, not wanting to make him uncomfortable.
"Ah, I see. It's pretty admirable that you use your own experiences to help others."
"Hehe, thank you. Well, I know how horrible it can be watching everyone else your age living life to fullest while you're not really able to do anything… I mean, when I was in highschool, I spent an entire year in the hospital because my health took such a bad turn."
"Oh god…"
"Mm-hm, it was by far the worst year of my life. If it weren't for my friends keeping me company and helping me work through all of my uglier emotions, I feel like I probably would have lost my mind… So, I just want to be able to help kids going through the same experiences the way they helped me."
Silence fell over the café as the owner finished up the coffee.
Maki awkwardly chuckled and scratched her cheek. "Ahaha, sorry, was I rambling? I do that sometimes…"
The bearded man shook his head, placing the cup of coffee in front of her. "Not at all, it's a lovely story. I can understand why you're so motivated to help people. You're a kind lady."
"Oh, thank you."
"No problem. The curry should only be a few more minutes, so feel free to try your coffee while you wait." The owner wandered in the kitchen, readying a plate and some cutlery while he checked the food's progress.
"Oh, don't mind if I do!" Maki giggled as she carefully lifted her cup. She gently blew on it to avoid burning her tongue and took a sip.
That… was crazy. She tasted everything he mentioned when he described it. There was an acidity that was very reminiscent of citrus. While she couldn't identify any specifics, she could definitely detect a fruity flavour. And yet at the same time, she got the distinct taste of chocolate.
"Oh, that's delicious! I love that!" She gasped with delight before immediately taking another sip.
"I'm glad you like it." The owner chuckled as he stirred the large pot of curry.
"Which beans did you say these were again?"
"Guatemalan SHB. SHB stands for Strictly Hard Beans."
"Would I be able to buy a bag of these at the store? Or are they rarer?"
The bearded man hummed thoughtfully and looked up at the ceiling as he gave it some thought. "Maybe? I'm not entirely sure. You might have to go to a more specialised store… Or maybe if the store has an entire section dedicated to coffee?"
"I see… I'll have to keep an eye out, then!"
"I guess you will. Either way, here's your curry, extra large plate. Enjoy." The owner presented the plate of curry with a proud smile.
"Thank you! It looks and smells delicious!" Maki politely accepted it, her mouth immediately watering from the spices wafting into her nose. She didn't even need to be told to pick up her spoon and give it a try; she immediately dug out a heaping spoonful of curry and rice and shoveled it into her mouth.
The flavours coated her tongue, enveloping her with a sense of warmth and comfort and… somehow a slight nostalgia?
"Mm?"
Her quizzical reaction didn't go unnoticed by the man who made the curry. "Is there something wrong?"
"No, it's absolutely delicious, thank you so much… But it tastes familiar to me…? But I'm fairly certain I've never been here before." Maki quickly reassured him that there were no issues before explaining her reaction.
The owner crossed his arms and tilted his head. "Odd… There's not really anywhere else you could eat this curry; a friend of mine invented the recipe just for me, y'see. She made sure it paired perfectly with my coffee."
"Wow… What a dedicated friend…" Maki murmured as she took another bite. How odd… It really did taste familiar, but it been a fair while since she last had it. With each bite, she remembered a little more bit by bit. "Actually… I think a friend might have made this curry for me a few times…"
The owner looked surprised. "R-Really? I only know two people who knew that recipe and could cook it besides me… I can't really imagine a scenario where they could have come into contact with you…"
Well… The younger one probably would have benefitted from encountering her but that wasn't exactly the issues right now.
"If I may… Could I ask for this friend's name?" Maki requested, genuinely very curious about her supposed familiarity with this special curry.
The owner's face clouded, clearly a little apprehensive to talk about this friend to a stranger. Eventually he relented and spoke her name quietly.
"Wakaba."
Maki's eyes drifted across the room as she scanned through her memories. Her eyes popped wide open as it hit her. "Wakaba Isshiki, perhaps?!"
The owner's eyes shot wide open at the full name. "You did know her?!"
"Yes, I did! I worked with her for a year or two! Eccentric but very, very lovely!" Maki exclaimed, very excited to hear that name again.
"How did you end up working with her? Her line of work was very specific." The owner asked.
"I was called in as an consultant. I was basically there to help identify any risks to one's mental health if the methods of altering someone's cognition were used." Maki explained. She could still remember how thankful she was that Wakaba and her team were very understanding of her concerns… Much unlike the higher-ups funding the project. She still felt sick whenever she thought of those heartless money grubbers.
"Ahh… That does make a lot of sense."
"And what about you? How did you know Wakaba? From what I remember, she wasn't exactly the social person. And like you said, she was in a very niche line of work." Maki turned the question back onto him.
"Ah… I was a government worker at the time, I was a liaison between their team and the government. Ended up getting really close to Wakaba… Practically family…"
Maki clapped her hands excitedly. "Oh! You're the Sakura-san she was always talking about! Sojiro Sakura, right?!"
Sakura's eyes widened as he froze in place. "Uh, yeah, that's me… She… spoke about me?"
"Oh, all the time. If she wasn't talking about her research, she was talking about you or little Futaba-chan! Oh, I always wanted to meet Futaba-chan because Wakaba's descriptions were so cute! But my contract ended and I was moved to a different job before I had the chance to…"
Sojiro stood with a slightly stunned expression. A shy, touched smile crept onto his face as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I-I see… So, she talked about me, huh?"
"Like I said, all the time. I actually thought you were Futaba-chan's dad at first because she never ever mentioned any other men… I felt a little silly when she corrected me."
"Ah, yeah… No, me and Futaba aren't blood related."
"Ooh! Actually, if you're still in touch with her, would you be able to reconnect me and Wakaba? I wanted to get her number before I left but our schedules just didn't line up…"
Sojiro stiffened uncomfortably, his face contorting into a grimace as he debated whether or not to tell her. In the end, he decided the truth was more important.
"I'm sorry, that won't be possible. Wakaba died a few years back."
Maki's smile instantly fell into shell shocked expression.
"… What?"
"She died… Suffered a mental shutdown and fell into the road. Died on impact from an incoming car."
A shaky gasp escaped Maki's mouth as she covered her face with her hands. "O-Oh no… I'm so sorry…"
Sojiro hid his face by pushing up his glasses. "It's alright. You didn't know."
"That's just… For someone as assertive and determined as Wakaba… Gone so suddenly?"
"I know… I was just as shocked when I heard the news. Didn't want to believe it."
Maki gasped as something important occurred to her. "What about Futaba-chan?! Is she alright?!"
Sojiro smiled softly. "She's just fine. Had it rough for a while, getting passed around from relative to relative, but she's with me now."
Maki placed her hand on her chest and sighed in relief. "Oh thank goodness… Kids are put in a really tough position in scenarios like this… But considering everything Wakaba told me about you, I know for a fact that Futaba-chan's in safe hands."
Sojiro cleared his throat and looked away with a sheepish smile. "C'mon, I'm not anything special…"
"Well, Wakaba clearly disagreed."
Sojiro turned slightly pink, picking his newspaper back up from the counter to hide his face behind it.
"How is Futaba-chan, by the way?" Asked Maki.
Sojiro was a little apprehensive to answer, but the knowledge that Maki was a counsellor who worked alongside Wakaba gave him some piece of mind.
"She was in a pretty bad state for a while there… She became a shut-in, wouldn't even leave her room when it got really bad. And she suffered from audio and visual hallucinations for a time… She's doing a lot better now. It took a little shove from some pretty great friends she made but she started opening up and pushing herself to do better… She's come a long way."
Maki nodded thoughtfully. Yeah… After all that, she could imagine the toll it took on Futaba's mental state. "And how is she now? Any problems?"
"She's doing a hell of a lot better. She does still shut herself in her room on bad days but that's becoming less and less frequent… Oh, she does have pretty bad social anxiety; finds it really hard to talk to new people and can't handle being put on the spot, it makes her freeze up and start panicking."
Maki continued nodded before digging around in her pocket and pulling out a business card. "I'm glad to hear she's recovering. But if she ever needs someone to talk to whether it be for advice or just to vent or maybe to just chat about her mother… Please, feel free to give me a call. I'd glad to help out."
Sojiro took the business card and read through it with a curious expression. "… 'Maki Sonomura' huh? I think I remember seeing that name on some of Wakaba's papers… You really did help her out."
"Did you doubt me?" Giggled Maki as she continued eating her meal.
"I'm not exactly the most trusting person… Sorry about that."
"No, it's fine. I have some friends that are the exact same way."
"Still, though… Are you sure?"
"About what? Offering my services? Of course! Consider it… One last favour for Wakaba."
Sojiro chuckled lightly. "Fair enough, I can get behind that… So she was always asking you for favours too, huh?"
"Oh, all the time. Usually things like spell checking her papers because she typed so fast they'd be riddled with typos… or she knocked something over while rushing somewhere important so could I please clean up the mess… Stuff like that."
"Ah, so you were her at-work helper and I was her at-home worker… She'd always ask me for things like making her food after forgetting to eat lunch… or 'I picked Futaba up from school but I forgot to get groceries on the way back would you be able to get a few things before you come over to visit?'… Stuff like that. She was somehow one of the most organised and most scatterbrained people I've ever met."
Maki daintily placed her hand in front of her mouth as she laughed. "Yep, that's her! She was such an anomaly of a person… but that made her so fun to be around."
"She certainly was an intriguing one."
"Y'know, something I remember is that our boss would force her to take breaks on our breaks because she would try to keep researching… So she started doing puzzles and brainteasers and the like to keep her mind active because she didn't want it to stop working."
Sojiro scoffed out an amused chuckle and shook his head. "Yeah, that definitely sounds like Wakaba."
"Right? And I remember always having to help her with crossword puzzles because she'd over-complicate things in her head. So I'd have to butt in like 'Remember Occam's Razor, dear, sometimes the most simple answer is the answer.' and she'd look so irritated every time I was right."
Sojiro let out a much more hearty laugh. "Yeah, getting caught up in her own head was par for the course with her… But hey, if you're good as crosswords, mind giving me a hand? Got one that's been bugging me all day."
"Sure thing. Hit me."
"Eleven across. Three letters. The potential cause of demise for curious girls and cats."
Maki looked down at her half empty plate and tapped her finger against the wooden counter while her brain worked hard. She clicked her fingers when the answer came to her.
"Box."
"Really? That simple?"
"Yeah, I'm fairly sure the hint's referencing the Greek myth of Pandora in which she opens the box and releases catastrophe, and Schrödinger's cat a theory that states that while a cat is in an unopened box and we have no way of knowing if they are alive or dead, they are both alive and dead until the box is opened."
"Ahhh… That's actually makes a lot of sense now that you've explained it. Can't believe I didn't figure that out… It's the fact that a three letter word was stumping me so much…"
"Yeah, it's the little things that really get to you, huh? C'mon, give me another one!"
"Alright… Let's see… Eight down. Six letters. New mythology, same name."
"Oh, that's probably Apollo. He's the only Olympian that kept his original name when they were brought over to the Roman mythology."
"Really? They're the same?"
"Oh yeah, a lot of the Roman gods are just Greek gods with a new name. For example, Jupiter is Zeus, Juno is Hera… It's very interesting."
"You into this sort of thing?"
"Oh, I developed an interest in Greek mythology in highschool."
"From a friend?"
"You… could say that."
"You learn all sorts of stuff from the people around you, huh?"
"Yep, that's what makes life fun, don't you think?"
Sojiro laughed and glanced back at his kitchen, thinking of a certain someone who helped him learn a lot of new things.
"Well, it certainly makes it more interesting, that's for sure."