Just Another Day...
Beautiful Intentions
Before the sun could rise above the tall skyscrapers of Tokyo, the soft tapping of feet to pavement echoed in the heart of a young woman. Her even breathes differing from the rapidly growing popularity of morning. Her dark eyes completely focused on the path ahead of her. The gait of her run slowing only when she approached her apartment building.
This was Shirokawa Chisato’s daily routine. Upon waking at six thirty in the morning she would go on a half mile jog around her neighborhood, followed by going up to her family’s apartment to shower and snatch breakfast before heading out once again. Cooking in the kitchen at the moment was her mother; Akiko.
“I’m home.” She whispered, taking her sneakers off before entering the apartment.
“Welcome back, Chi-chan.” Akiko replied with a heartwarming smile that instantly lifted Chisato’s mood.
“Hurry and rinse off before breakfast.” She added, flipping over another piece of French toast. Doing as she was told, Chisato grabbing the day’s outfit and headed for the wash room. While she was rinsing off a familiar tune entered her ears.
Her mother played a lot of classical music to keep her stress at bay. This resulted in Chisato knowing most of these songs by heart. This tune happened to be a piece by Chopin. Smiling into the spray of water, she hummed along while swaying back and forth. After her quick shower, Chisato emerged from the bathroom, fully clothed. Yawning once before glancing at the clock, sighing in disappointment at the unwanted hour.
“Sorry Mom, I don’t have time for breakfast. Have to get to work.” Her words came out in a rushed mumble as she grabbed a piece of the sweet toast, stuffing it in before going to the front door to put her sandals on.
“Chi-chan’s always so busy…but don’t forget to come home early today, remember that we’re having guests over for dinner.” Akiko informed, standing over her daughter with furrowed brows. Chisato only nodding, hearing only bits and pieces of what her mother was trying to explain.
Her mind was solely on her schedule; first was her job at her best friend’s café then she had her part time job at the boutique until five. She also had to remember to pick her mothers blood pressure medication up before the pharmacy closed as well.
‘Work, work, medicine…work, work, medicine…’ She continued to repeat in her mind when she was supposed to be listening to her mom.
“Alright, I’m off.” Chisato breathed with a slight ho-hum attitude. She didn’t know why, but today felt like it wouldn’t go as smooth as the rest of her week had been.
~++++~
The café she worked at sat alone, the surroundings building giving it plenty of space. Windows covered the brick walls letting in the rising sun, while decorative wrought iron fencing surrounded the outdoor dining area intrigued patrons into entering. The beautiful lettering above the door spelt out ‘C‘est La Vie Café’, a French phrase that the owner and her family tried to live by…‘such is life’.
Leaving behind her stern expression, Chisato opened the door with a soft smile. The light colored wood flooring and faded dark spring green walls gave the room a cozy feel, lifting her mood once again.
“Ah, Onee-chan, you’re here!” A gentle yet excited female voice chimed, followed by a pair of arms around Chisato’s waist. With a surprised smile she returned the young girl’s display of affection.
“Good morning, Harumi-chan, how have you been?” It had been at least a while since Chisato had seen her Manager’s daughter. She had been getting late shifts at the café and Harumi wasn’t allowed to be there after school. Patting her short hair, Chisato subtly pulled away from the child with a gentle smile still on her lips.
“Harumi, how many times have I told you to call her Chisato-san?” This voice belonged to an older female, she looked the same age as Chisato but her dark eyes were different; almost mirroring Chisato’s mother’s eyes exactly. Love and pride unrivaled by any other shone in them whenever she looked at Harumi.
“Good morning, Naomi-san.” Chisato respectfully bowed to her manager and best friend. Finding herself trapped in her professional persona.
“Good morning.” Hanamura Naomi was the third generation proprietor of C’est La Vie Café and has known Chisato since they were in elementary school. The pair have worked in the café over summers during junior and senior high school, but even so Chisato finds herself stuck in a professional rut when in the café.
After changing into her simple uniform consisting of a black skirt and tie and white blouse, she was in charge of getting the café ready to open while Naomi took Harumi to school. Upon Naomi’s return another employee arrived, he was a year younger then the pair but made up for it with his mature beauty. Though, Chisato never really found him attractive in that way…she never really found any male attractive in the sense that she wanted to date them.
Working at C’est La Vie Café always went by fast. Far to quickly than Chisato would have liked and before she knew it, it was already time to go to her other job at 'GIMMICK' a boutique in Ginza.
“Leaving already, Shirokawa-san?” The male waiter, Takayuki Kou, asked. Knowing full well where she was off too but nonetheless felt obligated to speak up. His brow furrowing when all he got in reply was a nod. Chisato never spoke much to him unless it was about work. But he didn’t feel too bad about it, she didn’t speak much period. Whether it be at work or in private, she usually remained silent. Keeping her thoughts in her overactive mind.
“…You could at least say something, anything, as a response…” His mumble was meant to be only heard by himself, but unintentionally got her attention.
“Hm? Did you say something, Takayuki-kun?” She asked with an innocent expression, her tilted head adding to her unintentionally cute ambiance. He jumped slightly before chuckling nervously, waving his hands in front of him in an attempt to ward off her gaze.
“N-Nothing important. Have a safe trip!” He practically yelled, in his tense state. Blinking a few times in awkward silence, Chisato finally gave a warm smile. It was the very same smile that Kou yearned to see everyday, the smile he fell in love with the moment they met.
“Thank you, see you tomorrow.” And she was out the door in a blink of an eye.
~++++~
Chisato had to run to catch the train to Ginza, how she could run so fast in heels was a mystery even she couldn’t solve. While running she passed by the store with the pharmacy where her mother’s prescription was at.
“…They changed their hours…” Glancing at her watch she thought for a few seconds, they closed at five thirty instead of six now and she got off work at five. Thinking of the time it took to run to the train from the boutique and run from the station to the pharmacy they would be closed. Without another thought she waited for the automatic doors to open before going in and picking up the medication.
Adding to the unexpected kinks in today’s growing list of negatives, the elderly pharmacist had been talking to one of the regulars for over fifteen minutes. Not wanting to be rude to the irritable elder, Chisato stood in line. Fidgeting with her watch and constantly shifting from one side to the other she waited patiently, finally the person in front of her excused herself and waddled out of the shop.
“Why hello there, Shirokawa-chan, how’s your mother?” Ah. She was in a good mood today.
“Same as ever, a bit happier as of late though.” She responded with a smile as she handed the elder her mother’s medical card. Having picked up her mother’s prescription for the past ten years or so, the pharmacist had no problem handing over the medicine. After paying, Chisato walked out the doors while putting the remedy in her bag her shoulder slammed into something, causing not only the medicine but the entire contents of Chisato’s bag to spill onto the pavement.
“Damn, just what I needed…” She cursed under her breath looking up at what she bumped into. Her eyes widening when they met a pair of deep brown irises. It in fact wasn’t a thing but a person, a male to be exact. Chisato’s eyes scanned him up and down, making a shallow imprint in her memory of what he looked like. She took in his tanned skin, his light brown hair that peeked out from underneath his hat, and the overall deadpan expression on his face. Even so, she found him to be handsome.
‘Like an idol…’ She thought feeling a new sensation creep onto her cheeks. She tried to play it off as the afternoon summer heat…but a tiny thought in the back of her mind continued to nag that it was embarrassment from bumping into a person she found good looking.
“Ah…sorry.” At hearing his surprisingly smooth voice, Chisato came crashing back to reality.
“Oh…no, I’m sorry. I should have been looking where I was going.” She replied with a careful smile, bending down to pick her things up. Confusion quickly changing her flustered expression when she saw a pair of beautiful hands appear to help. She quickly figured out that these hands belonged to the man she had run into. Yet another new emotion sprouted, she had never found someone’s hands beautiful before and it was beyond her why she found this guy and his hands beautiful.
Feeling like a school girl talking to her crush for the first time, Chisato gathered her strength to push her new found feelings away. Shaking her head of the strange new thoughts her eyes landed on her watch, seeing the time made it a lot easier to ignore the pesky sensations.
“! I’m going to be late!” She shouted abruptly standing, the man who was still kneeling, looked up at her with a puzzled air.
“Thank you for your help…and sorry I bumped into you!” She called from half way down the street. Not noticing that the young man was holding the very thing that caused their meeting…her mother’s blood pressure medication.
~++++~
Ohno Satoshi slowly stood, glancing around to see if she had left anything else behind. Though, somehow it seemed redundant…he was a considerate person but finding that woman again seemed near impossible with all the people living in Tokyo.
“…Shirokawa…” He muttered, reading the label out loud.
“…blood pressure medication…?” His bow crinkled and his head tilted to the side, trying to make sense of what had just happened. She didn’t seem old enough to need blood pressure medicine, then again he didn’t get a solid look at her face. Her hair had hidden it pretty well. A small thought continued to flutter around his head as he tried to remember where he had heard that surname before.
“Satoshi?” An older woman called, exiting the store with a pleasantly surprised expression.
“…Mom.” Ohno spoke the title tenderly, turning towards his mother.
‘She might know…’ He thought before speaking again.
“…Does the name Shirokawa sound familiar? I thought I knew it but…”
“Oh, yes! That’s the last name of my dear friend, Akiko-san. We’re going over there for dinner tonight, don’t you remember?” It felt like a light bulb had slowly started to flicker on in Ohno’s mind and all he could do was open his mouth and mutter ‘ah’. Thinking that it was a good thing they were going over tonight so he could return this important item.
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Author's Note: Phew! After re-reading this chapter four or five times and changing a bunch of stuff, it's finally complete! Yay...anyway, I know it's sort of boring but it gets better. Thank you for reading!!! <3
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