Persistent

Mondays and Tuesdays were rest days. Keeping the shop open five days a week, with only a single, occasional helper, was enough. While the cafe got some foot traffic in the early morning hours, they didn’t really have a lunch and dinner menu, so weekdays were usually slow anyways. Kana had slept better the second night, having put some mental distance between her and Haruki. She lounged in bed all morning, only to crawl into the kitchen to make some eggs on toast for lunch when that time rolled around.

Having sworn off social media, her entertainment consisted mostly of dramas, video streaming sites and the occasional book, but when her anxiety spiked, the concentration to read a lot wasn’t really there, so she mindlessly swiped through painting tutorials as the eggs were cooking. The cafe needed a new pop of colour. She had just bookmarked another idea, when a notification popped up on her phone.

12:23 [Sakuya] don’t tell me i came all this way and now your cafe is closed???

12:24 [Kana] You can read, right? The opening times are both on the door and online.

12:24 [Sakuya] 🥺🥺🥺

12:25 [Kana] I’m not opening the shop just for you

12:26 [Sakuya] but can I come by tomorrow?

12:26 [Kana] My man, read the sign

12:27 [Sakuya] nooooo!! two days off?? 😭😭 but if you’re not busy can we have lunch somewhere? just us two, i promise

12:28 [Kana] Are you comfortable showing your face in public?

When there was no more reply, Kana cautiously looked out of the window. She could see Sakuya from above—even with the hat, she could tell it was him. Most places in the alleyway were closed Mondays, so only few people found their way into it, much less stopped there. It took a few minutes until the next message came.

12:35 [Sakuya] if you don’t want me to contact you anymore, just say it. i won’t bother you if i’m unwanted

Kana stared at his head. Then at his message.

12:37 [Kana] I’m sorry. It’s not you. I’m just not good with public attention, and you seem to be a magnet.

It was as close to the truth as she dared. Maybe even too close. She could see Sakuya walk a few steps up and down in front of the cafe, putting his hands on his head, clearly thinking.

12:42 [Sakuya] I get it. this lifestyle is not for everyone. sorry for putting you on the spot. to be honest, i would love to meet you again. you made a big impression on me

Why was he so… Ugh. Kana looked at his profile picture in the chat. He was extremely cute. Exactly her type. Maybe…

12:50 [Kana] We’re open again on Wednesday

12:51 [Sakuya] so… that’s a yes?

12:52 [Kana] Yes to what?

12:53 [Sakuya] I’ll be there 🥰

12:53 [Sakuya] thank you

Kana watched him walk away from the shop until he disappeared behind the corner. This time there were no screaming fans. The cafe visit probably wasn’t in his schedule, or maybe they had already found the mole.

Then she smelled it.

The eggs were thoroughly burned.

——

Sakuya walked back to his agency while staring at his phone. ‘Candy Apple’ was still a brand-new band, and even if the casting show had great ratings, not many people recognised him on the street. As long as he didn’t run into fans, it was alright. And even if he did run into fans, usually that was alright too. Most of them were polite, sweet even. But the bad eggs were always the loudest…

He quickly picked up a coffee and some pastries from a shop along the way and called a taxi, which brought him back to the recording studio. Thanks to his rigorous dance training, he had some leeway in what to eat, and sweets weren’t completely off the menu—as long as he ate them in moderation. Still munching on the chocolatey goodness, he walked into the break room, where his members were just finishing their lunch.

“Oi, Saku-chan! How did your date go?” Jun said with a wide grin.

“Not a date. We’re not allowed to date, you remember? I just wanted to thank her. It’s moot anyway. The cafe is closed today and tomorrow.”

“Hm. Well, looks like you just need to give up,” Haruki said. “You haven’t even told us her name yet, so it can’t be serious anyway.”

“I know you don’t believe in love at first sight, but—”

“So it was a date!” Jun beamed.

“Not. a. date. And her name is Kana.”

Haruki hummed. “Nice name. What’s the cafe called again?”

“Uh, Adagio.”

“Never heard of it. Have you eaten? Besides the junk food.”

“Nope.”

“Jun, force that bento down his throat before I come back from the bathroom.”

“Aye, aye, captain!”

——

Both Monday and Tuesday went by without a hitch. Kana thought about going to a market early Tuesday morning, stocking up on some things for the cafe, but in the end the delivery service won. It wasn’t worse in quality and she didn’t have to leave the house. Outside was always dangerous. Then again, inside was apparently just as bad, judging by the encounter the previous week.

Sakuya didn’t pester her about the invitation anymore. Instead he sent her pictures of his food, the view from the break room and other small things around during the day. It was like he didn’t go through media training at all. If Kana was anyone else, those pictures would be all over the internet. But somehow she didn’t want to scold him. Starting out, still exhausted from the casting show, his days were likely long and stressful and this seemed to be an outlet. The fact he managed to find time to visit Adagio at all during the day was a miracle.

She had managed to relax enough to open the cafe on Wednesday morning in a relatively good mood. Her regulars swung by, grabbing coffee to go. She exchanged her usual pleasantries, asking about wives, husbands, pets. It was this peace that made her complacent, and so she was caught completely off guard when—just as the morning rush ended—a solitary man stepped into the cafe. Baseball cap, mask, sunglasses. Just like Sakuya had worn. But it wasn’t Sakuya. Kana recognised the jacket he wore immediately.

After all, she had bought it for him as a birthday present.

“Haruki.”

“Kana.”

“Get out.”