Lunch Date

“Welcome, guests,” an older gentleman in a suit bowed in respect. “Table for two today?”

“Yes, please,” Jin replied.

“Very well. Follow me, please.” The man nabbed two menus from the desk in front of him and led Miyuki and Jin through a room with many tables and booths, about half of which were full of people dining on various foods.

He stopped toward the back of the room and motioned to the booth he stood next to. A small plant was the centerpiece of the table, safe inside a tall yet skinny vase of glass.

Miyuki slipped into the booth and sat down on the brown cushioning. Jin followed suit, taking the spot across the table from her.

The waiter placed the menus on the table in front of them. “What would you like to drink today?”

“Water,” Jin said.

“Do you have cola?” Miyuki asked.

“We do,” came the reply.

“I'll have that, then.”

“Understood. Your drinks will be out shortly.” With that, he left them alone for a few minutes.

“A fancy western-style restaurant? I feel way underdressed right now…” Miyuki said, looking out at the employees and other customers who were all dressed at least somewhat nicely. Meanwhile, Miyuki had on a dark blue trenchcoat and a fishing hat, and her hair was trapped inside the hat in a bun.

“You could take those off if you want,” Jin pointed out.

“But then people will see Miyuki Haruno on a date with a guy in Tokyo! That's going to make a headline that would kill me.” She shrunk in her seat, defeated.

“This isn't a date, though,” Jin said.

“The public sees an idol having a meal with a guy her age at a fancy restaurant. What else would that look like than a date?”

Jin looked away. “Fair point.”

“Still, I wasn't expecting you to take me to a nice restaurant,” Miyuki giggled.

“You're the one who suggested we go out for lunch!” Jin argued.

“I know, but I thought we would go to something a little more casual.”

“You said you'd cover the bill, so I chose something a little more pricey than I'd normally go to,” he explained.

Miyuki leaned forward and placed her chin on the palms of her hands. “Oh? You think because I'm a celebrity, I'm totally rich and don't mind spending more?”

“Um…” Jin avoided making eye contact with her by watching the waiters moving from table to table.

“If that's what you were thinking…” Miyuki trailed off. “You're right.” She adjusted her position to lean back in her seat. “I offered to pay because I have way more money than I need.”

“I thought so,” Jin said. “How–”

“Here are your drinks,” the waiter returned holding two glasses and placed the one full of water in front of Jin and gave the other to Miyuki. “Are you ready to order yet?”

“Sorry, we'll need a few more minutes,” Miyuki said.

“Not a problem. I'll come check on you shortly,” he dipped his head and stepped away from the table.

She turned her attention back to Jin. “What were you about to say?”

“Nothing. We should probably look at the menu and decide what to order.”

“Good idea,” Miyuki grabbed the oversized laminated brochure in front of her and scanned it. The menu was neatly organized, and next to each item was a picture of the meal. There were a variety of foods, but the filet mignon spoke to her more than anything else.

It wasn’t long before the waiter came back with a small notepad and pen to take their orders. Miyuki had to go with the juicy steak she had been looking at, and Jin ordered crab legs.

“So, how has your week been?” Miyuki asked, leaning over the table.

“It’s been good. Nothing too exciting yet. A lot of my time goes into soccer, so most days feel the same.”

“I understand that. When I’m in the process of writing a new song, that's all I do for a while. Especially when I’m making an album,” Miyuki said.

“How many songs have you written?” Jin wondered.

“Hmm…” Miyuki began counting with her fingers as she muttered the name of each song she had written. “Fifty-seven.”

“That’s quite a bit,” he said, earning himself a shake from Miyuki’s head.

“If you think that’s a lot, you should see how many songs other idols have written. Take Luna Rihara, for example. Koizumi told me she has somewhere over three hundred songs.”

“Wow, that's… a lot.”

“That's what happens when you're in the industry for a while. By the way, Jin…” Miyuki changed the subject. “Would you like to come up to Akita to visit me sometime? I'm sure it'll bring back a lot more memories.”

“Visit you in Akita?” Jin repeated. “I haven't thought about that.” He paused in thought. “That's quite a ways away.”

Miyuki pouted with a pleading disappointment at his response.

Seeing this, Jin continued. “But you've been coming all the way down here every week, so it's only fair that I pay you a visit.”

Those words transformed her gloomy disposition into a childlike eagerness. “Yay! I look forward to it!”

The scent of fresh cooked meat topped with exquisite spices wafted closer to their booth, followed closely by the return of the suited gentleman.

In his hands were a couple round ceramic plates full of food. He placed them in front of Miyuki and Jin and gave them a smile. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

Miyuki's mouth was watering too much at the large, juicy steak in front of her to respond. On the plate next to the steak was a pile of fried rice, and an assortment of vegetables that had been cooked in butter and covered with seasoning.

“I think we're good,” Jin responded.

“Enjoy your meal,” the waiter dipped his head before departing from the table.

“Thanks for the meal,” Miyuki teared up as she clasped her hands together.

Jin watched in amusement as she tore into her food like she had been starving for days.

The salty yet savory taste of the meat melted in her mouth, filling her tastes with deliciousness. “Mmm, this is delicious…”

Talking was not frequent over the course of the meal. Miyuki's mouth was stuffed at all times, and Jin didn't want to interrupt her.

When the meal was finished, Miyuki let out a loud sigh of contentment. “I'm stuffed… Thanks for recommending this place.”

“I don’t think I've ever seen anyone enjoy their food as much as you,” Jin said.

“Are you making fun of me?” She narrowed her eyes.

“No, that's not–”

“I'm just teasing,” Miyuki giggled. “If you're done, we should go pay.”

“After you,” he stood up and waited for Miyuki to head off so he could follow her.

Miyuki walked through the restaurant until she stopped in front of the counter they had first seen the waiter at.

He was there again, waiting patiently for them. “Was the food to your liking?”

“It was amazing, thank you,” Miyuki said. “How much is the bill?”

“Eighteen thousand yen,” he replied.

“Eighteen thousand!?” Her jaw dropped. She reached into the pocket of her trench coat and pulled out twenty thousand yen in cash. "I suppose that's alright..."

The gentleman returned a two thousand yen note to her. “Have a lovely day, you two.”

“Thank you,” Miyuki smiled and turned to leave. As she and Jin were about to walk out, however, Miyuki froze.

The door opened, and her eyes made contact with the deep blue eyes of a tall, beautifully blonde idol.