The Strangers

Wordlessly, Youji served their meals. "So cute," cooed Miyo. 

Jun fell for this, because of course he did. How he'd known her for over a decade yet kept falling for her tricks was beyond Youji. "Yeah, just bend him over, why don't you?"

"Not over my food," protested Yamada.

"You-chan, you heard him. On all fours. Now."

This has been such a horrible idea. "Would you please behave? Fuck me for thinking you guys would be normal for once. Wait, that's not what—"

"Orgy?" Proposed Teddy.

Youji left; they laughed as he did. Luckily, the only other customer was the usual businessman, who tended to use earphones. Rima hadn't left even though it was about to get dark. She also used earphones, though. Upon reaching the counter, Youji told Isao, "I'll stay here. Go rest."

Isao didn't budge.

"What did they say to you?"

"Just hi. Um. The girl said she wanted to eat me."

"Of course she did."

"I thought she was a boy." Miyo's haircut was the same as it'd been during high school: a pixie cut. She'd worn it long for some time, then chopped it off because she said she was sick of using ponytails all the time. Jun had been distraught. He'd since worn his long as an act of defiance. "Are they the same people from last time?"

"Yes. I'll take care of them. Don't worry." Youji shook his head, slowly. A young couple walked in to pick up a cake they'd ordered in the morning. They said nothing even after noticing what Isao did. Maybe they were used to it. When they left, Youji added, "I'm a bit worried about Rima-chan. She usually leaves earlier."

"Sometimes," mumbled Isao. "She's fine. Usually when it gets late for her her boyfriend comes to pick her up. I think that's her boyfriend. She gets very happy when she sees him. Also. About what I was saying before, I just..."

Teddy began to wave his arm as though he cleaned an invisible window. "One moment," Youji told him. 

Upon reaching them, Yamada said, "More coffee, please."

"Coming right up. Anything else?"

"You," said Miyo.

"Got it. Anyone else want to get kicked out for harassment?"

Teddy cackled. If there was a perfect antonym to this, Jun did just that. "I get it," he barked. "I told you I'm just waiting for my hand to recover."

"You-chan and Yamada-chan have so much fun at the gym, though—"

"And Teddy-chan," said Teddy-chan.

"Right, right," continued Miyo. "All of them, having so much fun. Just look at their arms! You should play with them sometime. Once you get a uniform, you'll look better than all of them combined!"

Jun grumbled something under his breath. "I'll have another cheese and ham sandwich. Thanks."

Isao peeked at them from behind the counter. Was that supposed to be subtle? Probably? Youji pretended not to notice. "I heard," Isao told him as he went back. "I thought they were your friends?"

"They are."

"But they're being mean to you?"

"Are they? Hmm, no, they're just being annoying on purpose." Especially Miyo, but if he told her to cut it out, she probably would. 

"So they are being mean."

"Nah."

"Are they friends with benefits?"

"...what."

"I'msorrythatwasajokebye."

Rima came to the counter after Isao fled. Youji supposed that 'joke' had come from Isao trying to imitate his monkey friends. "I'll come back tomorrow," she said. "I think I left a thermos at the fridge. Could you bring it to me, please? Once you finish with whatever it is they ordered."

Youji did. He drew a passive-aggressive stop sign beside Jun's sandwich using mustard. Rima got her thermos, said her goodbyes, then left. At the entrance, a skinny, tall boy met her. They left together. It shouldn't take long for the other girl to arrive. They always came to drop and pick her up by car.

"This is for you," Youji told Jun as he placed the sandwich before him. "And this," he pointed at the stop sign. "Is for you, Miyo. Stop corrupting my co-worker."

"Boo," she replied.

Yamada snorted when he got his coffee. (It had a go sign drawn on the foam because he was well-behaved.) 

Isao's shift ended not too long after. He didn't leave the break room, though. For hours. What was it with people not wanting to leave their workplace? Wasn't it supposed to be the other way around? Youji almost felt normal around them. 

Since no one else showed up, he peeked at Isao through the door. He almost asked if something was wrong. Almost. "Need a ride?" Youji asked.

Isao, who had been tapping at his phone, turned to look at Youji with his cheeks flushed. "W-what?"

"A ride home?"

"Oh. That."

Youji ran his hand down his face. "Not you too."

"It's not my fault!"

"I'm sure it's not. Well, the offer's up, since you seem to be staying late, for whichever reason." Great, now everything he said sounded dirty. "I can use my second break to... drop... take... you know what? Whatever. Ride. Mount. Pe—oh." He hadn't noticed the night shift girl stand behind him until then. She, too, blushed, eyes wide, fingers covering her mouth.

"Good evening, Natsume-san," she greeted.

"...hi. Please ignore what you just heard."

"Sure." He moved out of the way so she'd head to the dressing rooms. As she did, she called out, "Good evening, Konda-san!"

That was probably meant to be Isao. Teddy called out, "Hey, Youjiii! We're leaving! It's all on the house, right?"

"No. Wait, no—!"

Too late. (Not. They'd left the money on top of the table, plus a fat tip. Wait...) 

By the time the coffee shop closed, the businessman had finally left, and Isao waited for him next to the bike. He'd refused to leave before. "I thought you guys only stayed late for the weekends," he said. Youji handed him a helmet. He hadn't brought an extra one, but Isao's brain was worth more, so. 

"Nah. Well, it depends. Apparently Mr. Clarence thought it'd be worth to give us night shifts today and tomorrow as well."

"Maybe it is to him."

"Maybe."

Isao held onto him way too tightly as they traveled. He'd mentioned never using motorcycles before, so that could explain it. 

Youji remembered the way to Isao's place for some reason. Well, on top of it being so close. Isao didn't peel off him until Youji told him they'd arrived, whereupon he popped the helmet off his head. That's the sound it made. Pop. Youji didn't even know that was possible.

Still, Isao didn't get off the bike. "Natsume Youji."

"Yes."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yes."

"You said you liked men, right?"

Somehow, Youji resisted the urge to look back at Isao. "Uh. I did."

"Okay." 

However, he could not resist what came after: "Why?"

"Your friends. The. The girl one. She kept flirting, so I thought..."

"...ah. Like I said, she's always like that. With everyone."

"And it doesn't bother you?"

Youji shrugged.

"So all your friends are like that?"

"No, just them. Probably."

"Okay." Isao hopped off the bike. He didn't meet Youji's eyes, but he was used to this by now. "You're different around those friends," he said. 

"Maybe."

"But they're not... like... um. It's just. Would you like to stay here for the night?"

This conversation kept taking the weirdest turns. 

"Please don't look at me like that."

Youji looked away.

"Never mind. I just thought that. Sorry. I think I misunderstood."

"Misunderstand what, exactly?"

"Good night."

"Isao..."

He fled.

For whichever reason, Youji stayed there for a while, resting his weight against the bike. He supposed one cigarette wouldn't hurt (he had a supply of them on his bag for emergencies only. This wasn't an emergency, but it could have been, so). One turned into three. 

By the fourth (he'd quit after this one), he began to consider knocking on Isao's door, but... for what? Why? To 'talk things through'? At this point, it'd be a miracle to even sustain a conversation... 

The more he tried, the worse it got. That's how it seemed to be with everything.