Chapter 10.8: Coffee, Plushies, and a Question She Didn't Expect

A few hours before school, Kaede received a mail from an unknown number.

The following message said, "Hey, is this your number, Kaede? I asked for your number from my onee-san, so sorry in advance for contacting you suddenly."

Then Kaede replied, "No, it's fine, so why did you message me, Ame."

"Well, I just wanted to know, are you free after school? Because I'm looking to hang out with someone around my age, or so my dad said."

"Hehe, your dad forced you to socialize? Hehe, I cannot believe there's more of a shut in than me."

"Ugh, yeah I know, my dad already lectured me about it." Ame then sent a cute angry emoji.

"Hehe, sorry, sure, I'm free after school, where should we meet up?"

"Oh, can we meet in the park we previously met, because that's the only place I know the direction to, lol."

"Hehe, ok, I'll see you in the park after school, see you, Ame."

Then both of them turned off their phones to do the next urgent thing, like going to school, or for Ame, continuing to sleep.

Then in the afternoon, Kaede parted with her friend to meet Ame at the agreed location.

As Kaede arrived at the park, she began to search for Ame.

She continued to look, but Ame was nowhere to be found, she couldn't find her. Kaede then quickly checked her phone to contact Ame.

Kaede typed, "Ame, where are you, I can't find you." Kaede sent the message alongside a cute confused emoji.

Ding a message notification could be heard from behind her.

"Booo, hehe."

Kaede immediately jumped in fright.

"Ah, you scared me, Ame, that's horrible."

"Ah hehe, sorry for scaring you and coming late, I kinda got lost on the way." Ame scratched her blond hair.

"Eh, it's fine, so where are we going, Ame?"

"Ehh, I don't really know, since I'm not quite familiar with this place, since we just moved here."

"Ah, I see, how about I show you around the area."

"Yeah, hehe, sorry I didn't tell you in advance, it's a bad habit I have."

Kaede sighed. "Well, I know a few interesting places that aren't full of people."

"Really, then lead the way, Kaede."

Kaede then led Ame to the shopping center.

"Wait, why are we going to the shopping center, isn't this going to be full of people." Ame hid behind Kaede's back.

"Don't worry, this shopping center isn't full of people, because of the new mall that just opened."

"Really, ok then, please continue." Ame got off Kaede's back.

"Ok, how about we try tiramisu, you should be familiar with pastries, right."

"Oh, I like tiramisu, because of their bitterness, it reminds me of coffee."

"Coffee, huh, well there just so happens to be a great coffee place too."

"Really, then we must go there now, I need my caffeine."

"Hehe, ok then, let's head there."

Kaede then led Ame to the cafe. They passed many stores and food stalls until they reached the cafe.

"Alright, here it is, Coolffe."

"Huh, there's not many customers here."

"Well, that's intentional, the owner prefers to serve few customers, she said it makes the place more quaint or whatever."

"Really, hmm, I can smell the coffee."

"Well then, what are we waiting for, let's go in."

Kaede then opened the door and held it to let Ame in.

"Welcome, ah, it's just you, Kaede, tch, I thought it was going to be a new customer."

"Ah, come on, don't be like that, owner-san, besides, I did bring a new customer."

Ame then quietly said, "Ah, eh, hello, owner-san."

"Oh, you're a foreigner, huh, where are you from."

"Oh, I'm from France, my family recently moved here because of some circumstances."

"Circumstances, what do you mean, Ame."

"Eh, it's complicated, I'll tell you about it sometime, Kaede."

"So, are you going to order, or just saying hi."

"Huh, oh right, let's take a seat first, Ame, where would you like to sit?"

"Eh, how about there." Ame pointed to an empty seat in a dark corner.

"Ok, let's sit there."

Ame and Kaede then walked to their seats.

"Huh, there's no menu, Kaede."

The owner then replied.

"Huh, ah yeah, I updated the menu design and haven't printed it, so eh, Kaede, would you be kind enough to tell Ame what we're offering."

"Eh, oh sure."

Kaede then explained to Ame what Coolffe offered.

Ame scratched her head. "Ah well, I think I have what you ordered."

"Eh, no it's fine, besides, the first time I came here I also couldn't decide what to order, so I ended up ordering the same thing as my onii-chan."

"Well, let me order then."

Kaede then stood up from her seat to place an order.

"Owner-san, 2 coffee milk teas please."

"The usual, huh, darn it, looks like I don't need to update the menu after all."

Then Kaede returned to her seat.

"So uhh, Kaede, do you come here often."

"Yeah, I usually come here with my family, we come here after we shop so we can rest our legs."

"Ah, I see, no wonder the owner knows you."

"Yeah, oh Ame, I noticed you're not in your school uniform, does your school have a day off?"

"Oh eh, I do online schooling, I'm not good with people."

"Really, but it seems you can interact with me just fine."

"Well, that's because your brother is close to my onee-san. I have no problem interacting with someone close to me, ah, not like that, that close, you know, but ehh, I consider you, uhh, like a friend?"

"Hehe, I understand, well, we are friends then."

Ame and Kaede continued to make small talk until the owner came to their table to serve their drinks.

"Here you go, 2 coffee milk teas, and today's special biscuit that's on sale, please enjoy it."

"Hmm, smells good, looks like I made the right choice by ordering the same thing as you."

"Hehe, of course, well let's drink it then."

But before Kaede reached for the cup, Ame stopped her. "Wait, Kaede, I need to take a picture of it."

"Ah, my bad."

Kaede then started arranging the drinks to make a candid picture.

Click

"Alright, now we can drink it, but before that, let's cheer first, that's what people do here, right."

"Eh, ok then." Kaede then picked up her cup.

Then Kaede and Ame toasted their cups.

"Kanpai, that's how you do it, right, Kaede."

Kaede shook her head. "Eh, you watch too much anime, Ame."

Ame pouted. "Too much anime, there can never be too much anime when there are like thousands of them, and they keep releasing new ones on streaming platforms."

"Hehe, I think you might be right, but still, otaku, hehe."

Kaede and Ame continued to discuss various topics, mostly anime, because the only thing Ame knew about Japan was anime.

Ame then looked through the window to see it was getting late.

"Ah, I have to go home."

"Huh, oh yeah, I better go home too."

"Time really passes quickly when you're having fun." Ame checked her belongings.

"Yeah, but how about we have a sleepover."

"Sleepover sounds fun, but I don't know if my mom will allow it."

"Eh, well, instead of a sleepover, how about you have dinner with us, my mother's cooking is the best."

"Oh really, ok then, but first let me contact my mom."

"Ok then, let's head outside."

As both of them left their seats, Kaede waved goodbye to the owner, and the owner nodded, then they proceeded to leave the cafe.

Ame then messaged her mom. "Mom, I'm going to have dinner at my friend's place, here's the address."

"All done, Ame?" Kaede fixed her hair.

"Yeah, let's go."

"Ok, follow me, ok." Kaede then led Ame to her house.

On the way to Kaede's house, both of them passed through many places, like the new mall and Kaede's older brother's school.

"Ok, this is my home." Kaede pointed to a two story house with a traditional style mixed with modern architecture, a beautiful mix between tradition and future.

"Wow, your home is really artistic, like a house in an RPG game."

"Eh, I'll take it as a compliment. Well then, come on in, Ame."

Kaede then led Ame inside.

"I'm home, mom, also I brought my friend along."

Then an older woman's voice could be heard. "Huh, oh Kaede, is that you."

"Yeah, I'm home, I brought a friend along for dinner, mom."

"Oh, is that so, guess I better make extra then."

"Ok Ame, while we wait for mom, how about we hang out in my room."

"Oh yeah, ok hehe, I cannot wait to see how many plushies you own."

"Eh hehe, well I do have some, but it's not many, probably way less than your games."

Ame pouted. "Eh, you got me."

Ame then followed Kaede to her room.

"Wow, your room is really neat, Kaede."

Ame then started pointing at each of the plushies.

"Eh, Ame, what are you doing."

"I'm counting how many plushies you own, it seems you indeed have less than my game library."

Ame sighed and started pondering, is her life a waste, is there more than just video games.

"Eh, Ame, are you ok?"

"Huh, oh eh, yeah, I just wandered off."

"Is that so, hehe, it seems like you're questioning your life decisions."

But before they could talk, they heard the main door open.

"Ah, it's probably my onii-chan, you wait here, ok."

Kaede then left Ame alone in her room to greet her onii-chan.

But Ame couldn't bear the silence of Kaede's room, so she got out of the room.

At the edge of the stairs, Ame could see Kaede's hair being patted by her big brother.

Kaede's big brother then noticed. "Huh, Ame, what are you doing here."

To be continued.