Realistic or Modern — IC | MY LAST FIRST KISS ☆彡

[peachnim]

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[ PLOT ]​

Friendship. It's a funny thing, really. At first, things seem simple: you're all just elementary school kids, having the time of your life swinging at the park, spitting (then attempting to catch) watermelon seeds, and chasing each other around.

Before you know it, middle school comes around. But, even though classes get harder and the acne starts to kick in, you've still got each other's backs. It's an awkward phase, a weird transition into the real stuff, but at least you're together.

By high school, things get even tougher. High school is a war zone, everyone knows that. Though there's a lot less drama than in middle school, your friendships are tested when you have to balance the new workload, volunteering, a part-time job, and maintain the camaraderie. Yet again, even with all the hormone and homework trouble, at least you were all together.

Somehow, that all changes. After graduation, when you enter the biggest phase of your life, adulthood, your relationships begin to transform. You four begin to drift apart, and things start to take a rocky turn.

It all started when one of you left for your job as a pâtissier in a bigger city. You weren't too happy about leaving the quaint town you grew up in along with the greatest friends you could ever ask for, but this job was a godsend. Some way or another, however, you ended up having to return five years later, with an even better job opportunity waiting for you back home. Of course, you couldn't turn down this chance, since you could finally meet your best friends again...

...But, why is it that when you return to this same place, everyone in it has become different? Your friends are no longer the people you knew them to be. A lot more has changed between them than you could ever imagine... and you're stuck in the middle of it.

[ CHARACTERS ]​

☆ — Female 1 ("new"comer) role ; taken by: allure
☆ — Female 2 (childhood friend) role ; taken by: constellation
☆ — Male 1 (childhood friend) role ; taken by: byeol
☆ — Male 2 (childhood friend) role ; taken by: peachnim​

links | cs, interest check​

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best viewed in "full" mode.

 

[peachnim]

The smell of cocoa, flour, and vanilla wafted through the air, the gentle warmth of the ovens reaching even the farthest of seats. Sounds of sizzles and whizzing from the open kitchen added to the busy atmosphere. As servers slipped in and out between tables, the salty, summery breeze brushed by, pulling the ocean along with it. Customers of all sorts, shapes, and sizes chattered away, the bossa nova music barely a whisper in comparison. Canard, croque madames, Palourdes au gratin, and Mussels à la Marinière filed out of the stove and onto glass plates. With each dish served, the “oohs” and “aahs” filled the space with an undivided sense of wonder.

However, the real magic was within the kitchen.

Beyond the sign marked “Terrasse Floraison”, past the countless wooden tables in the sunlit veranda and inside the main building, lay the object of every female customer’s affection.

Fujikawa Hiro.

With the veins in his well-toned forearms occasionally visible as he rolled, sauteed, chopped, and mixed food, the locks of messy caramel-colored hair falling perfectly against his soft eyelashes, and the smooth voice with which he ordered and complied with his co-workers, the sous-chef was the definition of eye candy. Women filled the seats directly surrounding the open kitchen, occasionally taking pictures of the food while not-so-subtly pointing their cameras in Hiro’s direction. The only men in the area closest to the kitchen were most likely those who had reserved months prior, and subsequently regretted that decision. The periodic squeals whenever Hiro would glance up and wink at a customer were only quieted when the head chef appeared, his expression harsh enough to freeze blood.

Hiro had been working at his brother’s restaurant, Floraison Terrace, for five years, and he was proud to say that the past four years were beyond enjoyable. When the man first started out, he went unnoticed due to his older brother’s fanbase, but as months went by, food bloggers started to become curious about the “gorgeous chef in the back”. It wasn’t long before, after being raised to the title of sous-chef, Hiro and his flower-boy looks earned him a fanclub of his own.

However, after he finished tossing and serving the final plate of mussels before break time, the rich scent of thyme and parsley long gone, the man felt a wave of loneliness wash over him. The rush of the morning had faded, the quiet of afternoon break hours rising as the sun hung over the highest portion of the sky. With a sigh, Hiro tossed his apron and placed his apron on the side. He bowed to his co-workers, then saw his way out the door.

At once, the warm air tickled his skin, the sound of pelicans in the distance calming him. Hiro released a sigh, scratching the back of his neck languidly. The lonely chime of the bell attached to the door was the last thing he heard before he stepped down the spiral staircase leading to the lowest floor.

His fingertips traced the metal railing as he descended. It was tradition for the sous-chef to laze around by the coast during breaktime. Thankfully, his fans respected his privacy, and let him wander around among the white pebbles and sand.

He would use this time to unwind, seeing as the amount of work these days was getting tougher. However, it was a relief that their business would be hiring new employees, namely a new patissier, as that would both decrease the individual load and boost sales. In Hiro’s opinion, it was about time they hired someone who specialized in his favorite thing in the world: desserts.

Standing before the everlasting ocean, the man stuffed his hands into his trouser pockets. He closed his eyes, breathed in, and breathed out. The rhythmic flow of waves was the only sound Hiro could hear, yet… even the soothing sound wasn’t enough to distract him.

If he wasn’t cooking, it seemed that the first person he thought of was… her.

Clicking his tongue, the sous-chef opened his eyes, then kicked a small rock into the sea. He bent over, crouching to stare down at the crystal clear water.

When things had begun to change for them, Hiro wasn’t exactly sure. But, it was clear that her move was the biggest blow any one of them could give.

If Hiro knew how drastically circumstances would alter, he would never have let her go.

☆彡​

Break time ended before Hiro could even take a bite of his sandwich. His imagination had a habit of taking him places, and in the most inopportune of times. With an empty stomach, Hiro returned to work, his concentration focused on fashioning the most delectable of dishes.

As evening fell, the hunger was the last thing on his mind. A large crowd of people lined up to enter, while waiters and waitresses snaked between people to finish tasks. Tuning out the bustle and buzz, he reviewed the reservations for the night, his fingers tracing each word.

“Twenty? Hm… that’s a large group,” the man muttered, biting his lip as he fell deep into thought.

It would seem as if this would be any other night. An ordinary evening at Floraison Terrace, with all the usual sights, sounds, and smells. And it was. At least until, as Hiro perched over the reservations list, an unanticipated arrival occurred.

FUJIKAWA HIRO
MOOD | Lonely.
ATTIRE | Chef uniform.
INTERACTIONS | None.

 

[constellation]

akina shirane

“When are you going to finally get a better a job, Akina?”

And there it was. The dreadful question that she’d expected to come sooner or later.

When Akina’s grandfather had invited her over for dinner out of love and kindness, she could not refuse, but the young adult had known she was definitely in for a ride. There was never a moment with her grandparents where they did not question her lifestyle and career. So, the second her grandmother brought up the topic, Akina was slowly drowning inside, screaming for somebody to help her get out and escape. She wasn’t exactly proud of where she stood at that stage of her life, but the optimistic side of her told her, promised her, that everything would get better in time.

Her lost eyes fixated on the bowl of miso soup in front of her. Staring at the finely sliced spring onion and pieces of cubed silken tofu floating amidst the wakame seaweed. For a moment, she saw herself as a piece of tofu, trapped by the confinements of the seaweed - her grandparents.

Belittled was how she felt. The fire inside of her grew bigger and bigger as her grandmother lectured her about how she could have, would have done better as a lawyer, or a doctor. And finally, she exploded. She let the fire slip. Her words burned, and her glare stung.

Before she knew it, she was storming out of the house, steam following her every footstep as she marched down the sidewalk.

​

Terrasse Floraison was as busy as usual. In fact, over the months that Akina had been coming to the restaurant, she’d noticed that it was gaining more popularity each time and her visits were increasing drastically. Though, for some odd reason, the restaurant offered her warmth, and made her feel at home.

Or so she believed. The more she saw him, the more she felt at ease. And the memories of their childhood would come flooding in once again, calming that raging fire inside of her. If she could, she would press the rewind button any day. Go back to the carefree moments where the four of them would spend the whole evening at the park, not a single worry floating through their minds.

Akina sat with her elbow leaning on the restaurant table, chin resting in the palm of her hand as she gazed out of the window, staring intensely at the view. In front of her was a half emptied bottle of awamori [Japanese alcohol] and a small glass, her finger tracing the rim of it. With one small sigh, she lifted the glass to her red tinted lips and downed the remaining liquid, letting the cool substance run down her throat, where a warm feeling began to spread.

Though as she set the glass back down onto the table, that warm feeling slowly dissolved into nothing and she was feeling blue, once again. Akina let her head drop onto the table with a thud, and not long after, she let out a small groan before lifting her head up to rub her forehead. Letting out a frustrated sigh, she hopelessly leaned back in her chair and pulled out her mobile phone to distract herself by roaming through the depths of Instagram.

Today, was officially one of the longest and worst days for her. It had to end.

< mood >

i. angry, ashamed
ii. bored, upset, lonely

< attire >

i. blue and white striped shirt, faded blue boyfriend jeans, white converse.

< location >

i. grandparent's house
ii. terrasse floraison

< interactions >

i. her grandparents
ii. nobody

 

[byeol]

Nobu Takashi
The worst feeling?
The moment I realized,
nothing was the same.
ごめんね
弁解の余地がない
--
mood // irritated : overwhelmed
attire // scrubs, lab coat : white dress shirt, black slacks
interactions // interns, patient : hospital staff​

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A great variation of sounds filled the halls of the hospital as people scrambled around looking for the places where they needed to be. A mother holding her child's hand as stitches were given, a nurse hooking up an IV for a patient, a son sobbing for his mother as they removed her from a stretcher onto a bed, these were all regular occurrences in the emergency room and yet today seemed to be so different. Maybe it was because of everything going so dreadfully slow, especially with all the interns acting as if the hospital wasn't a place where lives were to be saved. As the head of the E.R. staff, it was Takashi's job to make sure that everything was moving in a constant rhythm, not to be slowed by rookie mistakes that plagued the room. He stood at the side and observed a young doctor who attempted to suture a patient's arm. "Honestly."

At first, the more experienced doctor allowed the female to try her best in hopes that she would be quick and correct. Instead, there was an immense amount of hesitation, causing the situation to become increasingly more uncomfortable with the patient. Takashi sighed in irritation, approaching the patient and giving a deep bow before offering an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry sir, it seems you are a bit inconvenienced by the person treating you. Shall I take over?" The man's nod was so quick that it almost made the doctor laugh out loud. With a piercing glare, the intern moved aside and watched as Taka fixed the problem. The rest of the afternoon went by with similar instances, all of them building on his irritation. How was he supposed to teach the useless bunch if they couldn't perform even the simplest of stitches without needing him to take over? "This is an omen.." he spoke quietly under his breath, immediately smiling to a woman who approached. She was the nurse who had planned the staff dinner, something he had agreed to because of the simple fact that he needed to unwind. However, at this point, there was nothing more than he wanted other than to go home.

After work, with the strong convincing of his co-workers, the young adult arrived at the restaurant. He looked casual and yet his attire was classy, it pleased him. His eyes drifted to the sign that read 'terrasse floraison', scratching his neck at the sound of such a vaguely familiar name. Assuming he must have just read about it somewhere, Takashi entered and was lead to the table which hosted his large party. After a round of greetings, he brought a smile to his lips and took a seat.His hand reached for his phone as a way to distract himself from the bumble of whispers that came from his female co-workers and their infatuations. The doctor was not a fan of relationships but he was fine with them and their harmless chatter as he had no intention of involving himself with anyone. God knew he had plenty of issues to deal with before he could date again. That though brought the dark haired male back to thoughts he hadn't wanted to awaken, thoughts of her. Thankfully he was drawn away when the waitress asked for his drink order, "Just water, thank you." Just then he heard about the nurses talking about some handsome man, shocked when he came to the realization it wasn't him. His lip twitched slightly before offering a rather bitter smile. "You ladies have such taste in men."​

 

[allure]

She waved frantically goodbye to her brothers and her parents as she ducked into her car. It had been the best kind of day with her family, the kind that left her cheeks hurting from smiling and her stomach sore from laughing. She had arrived home two days ago and was received with tears, even a few from her stoic father. But now it was time to face the reason she had come home at all.

Her friends in Tokyo had been confused as to why she would choose to leave Akihito-sensei's famous bakery for some small town restaurant, but the fact of the matter was that the bakery had over a dozen pastry chefs in out and everyday. Terrasse Floraison, on the other hand, was in need of only one, which meant her salary wasn't going to be split twenty ways. Money wasn't the only motivator - her family was back home, and she missed the solace that only the beach and the ocean could give her. Really, there were no drawbacks. Eyes watching the familiar streets roll by, she tried not to think about them. But her head filled in the scenes for her anyways: the candy store where they'd all pooled their change to share a chocolate bar. The street corner where Akina twisted her ankle and Takashi carried her home with Tomomi fussing over them the whole way. The park where they had picnics, and where she made Hiro critique the last thing she'd baked. Tomomi pulled into the parking lot of Terrasse Floraison with a heavy heart. Well, she hadn't seen any of them yet; maybe they had all left the town like she had. She had to focus on the task at hand anyhow. Tomomi was here to meet the head chef, get acquainted with the rest of the staff, get a tour of the place, and retrieve any materials she would need before beginning work the next day.

The restaurant was beautiful, and its current busy state assured her that there wouldn't be many days where she sat in the back with nothing to do but watch the dough rise. She had looked it up when she'd first gotten the offer, and many reviews praised the delicious food and the "handsome view," whatever that meant. A waiter directed her to the back of the building, where the kitchen was. She lingered outside the door for a few moments before stepping through. Okay, time to impress the new boss. You're awesome and you're already hired and everyone will love you. A smile already in place, Tomomi lifted her head and immediately froze when she made eye contact with someone across the kitchen.

kobayashi, tomomi

MOOD
surprised

ATTIRE
white sundress, denim jacket, mary janes

INTERACTIONS
her family, a waiter, hiro​

 

[peachnim]

On a day that appeared to be one without complications, things took a drastic turn. She appeared, as if she had plopped down from the sky just to reshape his universe. That wispy sundress, the click-clack of heels, and the dark brown hair bundled up in a high ponytail was all too familiar.

Kobayashi Tomomi. That name was beyond recognizable, as well.

She looked just as she did before. Taller, maybe, and a little more put-together. But, as always, sweet like caramel. And, of course, always popping out at the most inopportune of moments.

The moment their eyes made contact, the chef felt every muscle in his body stiffen. His lips parted, a look of shock, concern, and confusion all simultaneously apparent. Her warm, cocoa-colored orbs were supposed to calm his nerves, but tonight, they twisted and wrenched his chest like no other.

Feeling overwhelmed, Hiro looked away. His gaze dropped to the side, where he finally had a chance to notice some of his other newcomers.

Akina sat by the window (he had forgotten to greet her in all the rush), while the noisy group of twenty caused his attention to be drawn to one figure in particular: a tall, well-built man, with the same sharp features as a person he once knew before…

Was it him? It couldn’t be.

First, Akina. Now, Tomomi. Was it possible that… Takashi was here, as well? Nobu Takashi… Shirane Akina… and Kobayashi Tomomi.

If that man was really who Hiro thought, then this would be one hell of a reunion. It wasn’t long, however, before Hiro’s attention was diverted by the head chef, who assembled him and the rest of the kitchen staff into a line.

The head chef, simply named Ota (he went by his surname), grunted loudly, his hands folded behind his back as he walked. As his buff, square-shaped boss trudged by, Hiro raised a brow, inhaling sharply. The meaty man walked past the line of kitchen staff, and approached the woman waiting by the entrance.

Ota’s thick, caterpillar-like eyebrows scrunched up together in thought. His thick lips pursed, then unpursed as he looked the newcomer up and down. Finally, Ota nodded in approval, beckoning her to come inside.

“You’re the new patissier, right? Don’t be surprised that I know—I can smell the city off of you.” he laughed a horribly gruff laugh, patting his stomach obnoxiously. Ota led the girl over to the kitchen, which was only feet away from the door.

As their steps approached, however, Hiro felt the weight in his heart sink lower and lower. He bit his lip, his eyes staring hard at the ground.

What was he supposed to say to the woman, after all these years? ‘Hi, hello, how’s it going?’ And completely forget how much everyone changed in the five years that passed? Tomomi and him… they hadn’t kept in touch all this time. Even his relationship with Akina was strained, let alone plain-out awkward once the two were left alone. Takashi… he was simply the image of someone, long forgotten. Someone Hiro would rather forget.

They were strangers, now.

Hiro didn’t dare raise his head to look at Tomomi, nor did he attempt to confirm if his suspicions about Takashi being present were correct. No, he wouldn’t greet her. Not until either she spoke first, or he was forced to. Maybe they could make up for whatever time lost, but as of now, all his senses screamed for him to hide.

Unfortunately, Ota stopped before Hiro, who was at the very beginning of the staff line, and motioned to Tomomi. “Everyone, this is our new patissier, Miss Kobayashi Tomomi!”

With a rock lodged in his throat, Hiro bowed alongside his coworkers, his gaze still taped to the ground. It seemed that with each passing second, his entire life was changing.

For the better or worse was what he would have yet to discover.

FUJIKAWA HIRO
MOOD | Nervous. Confused.
ATTIRE | Chef uniform.
INTERACTIONS | allure

 

[byeol]

Nobu Takashi
The worst feeling?
The moment I realized,
nothing was the same.
ごめんね
弁解の余地がない
--
mood // surprised : nervous
attire // white dress shirt, black slacks
interactions // allure : peachnim ​

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The young adult continued to try and enjoy himself, urging his mind to forget about the stress he had experienced in the E.R. Small talk from the nurses was very much appreciated by his ego, considering that many were very good looking as well. He threw out a few smiles here and there to add to his charm, what every female in the hospital staff tried to draw from him. After a few minutes of laughter, he settled back into a very uncomfortable thought. His false laughter had brought him back to the memories of why he had felt that the name of the restaurant was so familiar. All of a sudden it was too hard to swallow even a gulp of water, his anxiety about unresolved matters surging up in his brain. The matters only got worse when a rather hearty laugh filled the restaurant. Out of curiosity, the young doctor brought his gaze to the man, his eyes brushing upon the girl at the table across from them. It was as if all of his long forgotten memories were all of a sudden hitting him like a splash of cold water, waking him up from the supposed reality he tried to live in every day.

His face must have looked as if he had seen the devil himself, drained of most color as Takashi tried to come to the conclusion of whether or not he was delusional or if he was actually looking at...her. His heart almost burst inside his chest, various emotions running through his body. The only thing that brought him back to reality was the sound of one of the nurses calling his name. Still shaken from what he had seen, Takashi turned and spilled water all over his lap, his cheeks flushing a light pink. He had worked so hard to keep a cool personality around all of those with whom he worked, and now all of it was coming apart. "Son of a..." The male tried anxiously to dry his lap while many of the other female staff hurried to his side to try and aid him. It had suddenly become the worst day of his life, a forced meeting that he had never wanted to engage in, no matter how badly his heart contradicted him. As he stood to try and make an exit toward the bathroom, the doctor backed into a waiter with a tray full of drinks for another table, all of them spilling to the floor in a loud commotion. At this point the whole restaurant was looking in his direction, his chest tightening as he thought of all the scenarios that could happen. He had never been more embarrassed in his entire life.

'This moment couldn't possibly get any worse, right?' he thought to himself as he tried to make an escape before things escalated even worse. However, what caught his eye next assured him that he shouldn't have thought anything at all. He had felt it during the events at the hospital and he felt it now, the day's outcome had been signaled by the omen earlier in his day. None other than Hiro and Tomomi stood before him, his eyes staying fixed on the male. He felt a tug in his chest, a mix of remorse and sadness. Everyone was different in various aspects, including him. Even if he hadn't wanted to say something, there was nothing that he could think of. They were all strangers to him, people he had distanced himself from. For the slightest bit, his gaze was almost apologetic, like that of someone offering condolences when someone dies. This time what had died was their connection with one another, withered away by years of separation.Takashi stood frozen in place as if someone had stuck super glue to the bottom of his shoes. Embarrassment was long behind him now, all he could feel was shock. His expression was completely stoic, lips parted as if he were ready to say something and yet he made no noise. At this point, the head chef whom he vaguely recognized was not important.

His friends had all of a sudden appeared out of the blue into the same location, it was a little hard to believe. The young man would have thought this was some sort of prank had their reunion been under different circumstances. He hadn't planned on seeing any of them anytime soon, but destiny worked in silly ways and he was guessing this was a punishment for the way he had acted all those years ago. His gaze remained mostly on Hiro and Momo to try and distract himself from the fact that the girl he had longed for this whole time was also in the vicinity, perfect as she always had been. If any of his past girlfriends could see him now, they'd be furious as most of their relationships had ended because of the mystery girl that plagued his emotions. If it was even possible, the girl was even prettier than before, making his heart beat warm inside his chest like it had before. Would he even be recognizable to them? Takashi was not exactly a replica of the person he had once been. He swallowed hard, thinking of what they would say when they realized he was only a shell of what had once existed, the current cold and egotistical person within him was not willing to change for anyone. Finally, he spoke, his voice was deeper than it had been and it was void of any emotion. "Excuse me, would you happen to know where the bathroom is?" It had been so long and so many things had happened that he didn't even know where to go.​

 

[constellation]

akina shirane

The time passed by slowly. With each like she gave a post and small giggle she let out at the funny memes, everything surrounding herself became a blur really. Akina was barely focusing on anything at that second, but the moment she heard the loud, and deep voice call out that name, she stopped scrolling, her ears twitched and her senses heightened.

Kobayashi, Tomomi.

That name. It was all too familiar. Surely the head chef had pronounced the name wrong, right? Maybe he meant to call out Tomoma, or even Tumomi. Maybe she had too much to drink, and her emotions were getting the best of her.

But when she forcefully pulled her eyes away from her phone, and glanced over towards the restaurant kitchen, her eyes landed on Hiro. The Hiro who always had that charming smile on his face, and seemed as though he had nothing to worry about, was no longer there. Instead, his eyes were staring deep into the floor – almost as though he was waiting for it to slowly pull him into the ground. But why?

And then she saw her. Kobayashi, Tomomi.

With her hair pulled pull back into a high ponytail, dressed in a white sundress and looking more mature than ever, Akina’s eyes slowly widened. How was she here? Why was she not in Tokyo? Why did she come back after so many years? The questions piled up in her head, and her heart raced as she sat up in her seat, trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle but evidently not getting anywhere.

Funnily enough, it appeared that she hadn’t been the only one in shock from the sudden appearance of Tomomi (and Hiro). The sound of glasses breaking, and a large commotion caught her attention as she finally glanced over to where the loud chattering and noise was coming from. Her eyes squinted as she tried to make out who the protagonist of that drama was, and then she saw him. It took her a moment, but she finally clocked on. It was the doctor that had helped treat her injury once. If she hadn’t ended up getting drunk, and arguing with a stranger, then she wouldn’t have ended up in the hospital’s emergency room. Luckily enough, she’d managed to catch him just before he left to head home after his shift had ended and although they’d only been in the same room for ten minutes, she could still remember it all.

But as her eyes focused on him, she noticed something off. He was distracted by something… or someone. And as she followed the direction of his eye contact, Akina noticed just how confused and surprised he was by Hiro and Tomomi’s appearance, just as she was earlier.

It hit her. This doctor wasn’t just any ordinary doctor. This doctor that looked familiar… This doctor that had treated the scab that was once on her knee, was the best friend she once knew four years ago. The one person that made her heart feel plenty of things. The only person that could make her heart beat in excitement, yet anger because she could never claim him as hers. Nobu, Takashi.

Akina sat in stone cold as her eyes focused on the scenario in front of her. Tomomi was back from Tokyo, and after many years, Takashi finally made an appearance. She wanted to reach out for the both of them and make sure that they never left again, but something was stopping her, and the grudge she held against them both was not helping her situation. Yet as her eyes wandered back over to Takashi, her heart screamed at the girl to get up, and speak to him, because if she didn’t, then she’d regret not doing so. Without a second thought, Akina stood up from her chair and headed in his direction, nudging through the crowd, throwing a couple ‘excuse me’ here and there until finally, she reached out for his arm.

”It’s really you…”

< mood >

i. confused, angry, shocked

< attire >

i. blue and white striped shirt, faded blue boyfriend jeans, white converse.

< location >

i. terrasse floraison

< interactions >

i. nobu, takashi
byeol

 

[allure]

Despite her shock, Tomomi only had enough time to straighten up and clear her throat before the intimidating, heavyset head chef was steering her to the front o the kitchen. She bowed at the staff members and tore her eyes away from Hiro so that she could smile politely at the others. "Nice to meet you," she began, the chatter of the restaurant hiding the way her voice shook ever so slightly. "I'm excited to be working with everyone. Please take care of me!" She bowed again. Meanwhile, a man outside the kitchen bumped into a waiter and knocked a tray of drinks to the floor. While everyone was focused on the distraction, she put her hands to her temples and rubbed them delicately, a habit she had picked up from a good friend in Tokyo. This simple, small gesture was enough to remind her of the differences that lay between her and her old friends. She had formed a five year long connection with the big city, a connection that her friends lacked. Her hometown had never seemed so small before, not when she had been living in the largest city in Japan for so long. Her run-in with Hiro was just another testament to the realization.

She felt someone's gaze on her and met the eyes of the man who'd had the little accident moments earlier. He looked vaguely familiar, but honestly she couldn't remember every face she saw in high school, now could she? So why did his face seem so surprised and... apologetic? She definitely wasn't going over there to help him no matter how sharp that jawline was, that was his own mess to clean up. Eventually the moment ended, and the head chef approached her again. He reached out a beefy arm and pulled Hiro out of line as easily as one might grab a book from the shelf.

"Hiro, we have the kitchen covered for now. Why don't you show Kobayashi-san around? And give her her uniform while you're at it, it's in the back." The head chef patted the young man on the shoulder roughly before leaving Tomomi alone with Hiro. She forced a nervous laugh, but her smile was genuine. A new emotion had made itself known; she hoped that she could get to know Hiro again, catch up and find out how he was doing. Still, it felt a little awkward to be casual with him after so long. "So, it's been a while, huh? I can't believe I forgot the name of the resturant you worked at.." Tomomi trailed off, realizing perhaps this was not the best thing to say. But it was true - the memory of Hiro telling her about helping out at his brother's fancypants restaurant hadn't come back until she'd first laid eyes on Hiro again.

kobayashi, tomomi

MOOD
nervous

ATTIRE
white sundress, denim jacket, mary janes

INTERACTIONS
ota, stranger (takashi), hiro​

 

[peachnim]

The four of them couldn’t have arrived at the same spot, right? That would be… impossible.

Yet, as the Tokyo girl bowed and while Hiro tried to reassure himself, a clatter from one of the nearby tables made him face reality. His eyes traveled upwards, until they found themselves caught in two, familiar pools of chestnut brown. Feeling his breaths hitch, Hiro stared in disbelief at the man before him. Much of the stranger was new: tall and sturdy, with an unfamiliar sharpness in his features. However, those eyes were no doubt his. With his brows knotted, Hiro found himself unable to look away.

This stranger was Takashi. The boy with whom he’d shared laughter, ice cream, and... countless, stinging memories. Time had certainly taken its toll on Taka, however, as the same burden that all adults come to shoulder was evident in his features. There was a well-polished, mature aura about him, even with the ruckus he’d caused. Without a doubt, this man carried himself differently from the soft-spoken, teenager who Hiro had once known.

When Takashi opened his mouth to speak, his low voice sent a shockwave through the chef’s body.

"Excuse me, would you happen to know where the bathroom is?"​

Takashi was looking straight at him.

A painful, aching feeling sprung up in Hiro’s chest, preventing him from articulating any response. No matter how much he wanted to say something, anything, to his childhood friend, every shred of guilt hammered him down. It was then that, like an angel, Akina swooped in to divert Takashi’s attention.

The relief was momentary. Seeing the two together only dug the tension deeper into his stomach. All the arguments, unsaid words, and missed opportunities came rushing back at once.

However, it wasn’t long before Hiro was pulled from his thoughts, his body directed towards Tomomi. He nearly stumbled over, managing to catch himself at the last second. The head chef apparently expected him, as the sous-chef, to show the newbie around.

Ah, cruel, cruel fate.

At least, now that the two were pushed together, there was no reason to put the distance between them anymore. (Figuratively and literally.) He tried to push back the pain that Takashi's appearance had triggered, and focused his attention on the patissier.

Managing to finally look the girl in the eye, Hiro felt his gaze soften. Tomomi really was the definition of a pastry, as odd as that sounded. She was sugary sweet from head to toe, then and now. Delicate and refined, with a personality that would charm just about everyone. But most of all, there was a matureness to her, a warmth that Hiro found himself desperately needing.

He missed her. But, five years had changed all of them, and Hiro had come to believe their relationships (at least, his relationship with Akina and Takashi) were beyond repair. Tomomi, however, was the most oblivious as to how different they had all really become. Him and Tomomi... it was an easier feat to salvage their friendship than the rest.

But, would she still be willing to listen? To hear him out, and possibly rekindle whatever was left between the two of them?

As if reading his mind, Tomomi curled her lips upward. The comforting action was enough to ease his worries.

With a hopeful spark kindling within him, Hiro nodded to reassure himself, then grinned back at the brunette. “A while? Seeing as you already forgot I worked here... that would be an understatement.” Slowly but surely, the tension released itself in a hearty laugh.

Removing and tossing his apron to the side, Hiro placed both hands on his hips. His cocoa-colored orbs softened as they regarded the woman before him.

“Glad to have you join the family.” he admitted, more honestly than his old self would.

The sous-chef, motioned to the rest of the kitchen, his focus now on the task at hand. “Here’s where you’re going to spend the next eight hours of every day, for the rest of your life.” As Hiro referred to the kitchen space they were standing in, he observed as workers shuffled in and out, the aromas of spices, sauces, and meats a source of solace.

“We haven’t had a patissier… ever, really, so we’re counting on you.”

Cue the million-dollar smile.

Hiro turned to face the other way, beckoning for Tomomi to follow him past the kitchen and first floor. “You might already know this, but…”

The man continued to explain where the main features of the restaurant were located, such as the bathrooms, and began to lead her upstairs to the building’s key feature: the roof terrace.

As he walked, a bittersweet sense of nostalgia overcame him. No matter the bad history between the four, at some point, they were friends. Best friends. Talking to Tomomi like this, even if it was all formal talk, reminded him of how easy it was to joke with the others. Now, it was hard just to find the words.

Five years and everything had fallen apart...

At this point, Hiro wasn't sure if he was actually carefree as he spoke with Tomomi, or just pretending like nothing had happened... because pasting that brilliant grin on in times like this was now ingrained in him.

FUJIKAWA HIRO
MOOD | Nervous. Hopeful. Energetic.
ATTIRE | Chef uniform.
INTERACTIONS | allure

 

[byeol]

Nobu Takashi
The worst feeling?
The moment I realized,
nothing was the same.
ごめんね
弁解の余地がない
--
mood // reluctant, distant
attire // white dress shirt, black slacks
interactions // akina [ constellation ]​

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The male had wanted to disappear into thin air more and more as he became aware of what exactly was going to go down here. After so many years, it was almost a fact that there would have to be an exchange of words. There was no way he wanted to get involved, no matter how much his lips had wanted to utter even a simple hello. Why would he risk letting all of the walls he'd built up crumble at this rare sight, it had saved him from the reality that surrounded him and there was no way he was letting unwanted emotions flood him now. Takashi didn't know what would happen if he gave in, there was no guarantee that these people would accept him. After all, they were not friends and maybe in the past this would have been a must but as of now all of them were strangers and he had no intention of getting to know them. His heart had been hurt so many times and seeing all of them here, especially Akina only made his chest feel as if someone was desperately clawing at his chest, trying to re-open the wound.

The doctor stood still, lost in his thoughts as he tried to come up with anything to escape the situation. He still had plenty of his co-workers watching him, all probably thinking he was crazy for acting such a way in a restaurant. This was not how the person they knew would have handled the situation, that person was smooth and collected. Nothing about the situation was smooth, not his clothes, or his actions. Distracted by the mess around him, he had not seen who was approaching him. When he felt her delicate fingers latch on to his sleeve, his heart skipped a beat. Her touch sent electric sparks through his body, a grip he had longed for since that day. Her eyes were so lonely, looking at him as if trying to find something more than what was there. In that moment he fought against everything within him to embrace her and apologize for everything that he had made her feel when he had chosen to ignore everything. Instead, he reacted like his new self would have to any regular person. He was distant, trying to suppress everything he was feeling. His hand gently removing hers from his sleeve, holding it for just a second before letting go.

He thought about the emergency room for a moment, remembering the way she had gripped his arm when he had treated her back then. Takashi had been on his way out when she had stumbled in intoxicated and hurt. He hadn't wanted any other doctor to touch her in fear that they would be too rough. Instead, he stayed for one last patient and asked that no one refer to him by his name. He had remembered her silly drunken words babbling about how low the person she had argued with had been. The doctor had been reluctant to leave but feared that if he would have stayed longer she might have recognized him. After that, he was once again thinking of her and how she could have been, whether or not she was happy, and many other things. Right now, he had her in front of him and all he could do was be indifferent.

"I've already made a scene, let's not make another." His voice was firm, clenching his jaw before running a hand through his hair. Despite wanting to be rude he just couldn't force himself to do a single thing against her. It was as if the sight of her made him weak, lost of any words. How could one single person have so much control over another? It was a true wonder. Takashi reached out once more to place a hand gently on her shoulder, afraid to touch her at first as if she might disappear. "I'll wait outside. We can...chat." It was time to face the consequences of his actions. He had been childish and a coward before, this time things could be different. The least he could do was let her talk and get things off her chest, after all, she had every right to hate him if that's what the reaction ended up being. Takashi was finally able to walk away and apologize to the waiters and his staff before exiting the restaurant, waiting by a rail that allowed a view of the sea. His heart pounded so loudly that he could hear it in his ears, surging with anticipation.​

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[constellation]

akina shirane

Once her fingers wrapped around his forearm, she didn’t want to let go. Not now, not ever. Takashi was actually there, stood in all his mighty, breathing the same air. Her heart ached. Because the amount of times she spent her days thinking about him – wondering if he was okay, wondering what he was doing, Akina could now confirm that Takashi was doing just fine. Doing more than fine. A part of her wondered if the Takashi that she knew years ago was still there, but everything felt different. His stare. His touch. His voice. His everything.

It was barely a second, the look in his eyes as he stared at her – what was it? Apologetic? Akina wasn’t sure, but it wasn’t there anymore. No, those dark brown eyes no longer showed concern, but instead, they were empty. Full of no emotions – they were just brown orbs. And as he slowly removed her hand from his arm, her heart raced because yes, she was finally getting the touch that she yearned for. Yet the moment he let her hand go, her skin burned for more of his touch and she desperately wanted to reach back for him, afraid that he’d disappear once again as he did in the past.

The moment he opened his mouth to speak, Akina wasn’t sure what to expect, but a part of her was hoping he would just tell her that he’d missed her and take her into his arms. Except no. He was more worried that she’d create a scene in front of everybody else, and it made her frown. For a second, she’d forgotten where she was, and as she looked around; everybody was staring at the two of them, but she couldn’t have cared less because Takashi was here, in front of her.

As he placed a hand on her shoulder, she brought her eyes back to his face, staring at his lips as he spoke again. And before she knew it, he was turning around and heading out of the restaurant, apologising to those that he walked by. Akina watched his figure get smaller each step, before finally disappearing out of the restaurant, and as she stood still, her eyes widened because she’d let him walk away again. Just by the thought of Takashi leaving again, and not looking back, made her heart ache. She just couldn’t bare the idea of him not being in her life.

Not wasting another second, Akina quickly followed the man out of the restaurant, and when she saw him waiting by the railing, she let a breath escape. What would she even say to him? She’d missed him so much, that all she wanted to do was embrace him, but when he’d suddenly disappeared from her life, he left her confused and heartbroken.

Tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, she stepped besides Takashi, and leaned against the railing. Letting out a sigh, Akina stared at the sea, watching and listening to the waves, taking in the wind and clearing out her system as she stood in silence.

Finally, she spoke. ”Why, Takashi?” She murmured quietly, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion as she glanced down to play with her fingers. ”You just,” She stopped speaking and stayed quiet, not knowing how to put how she felt into words. “…disappeared.”

Glancing up at Takashi, Akina let out a small groan and buried her face into her hands, before she slowly let herself crouch down to the floor. She wanted to let everything sink in. The argument with her grandparents. Tomomi returning from Tokyo. And finally, Takashi standing right there, besides her. Everything happened all too fast, and right now, all she wanted to do was press the escape button. Leave everything behind, and just… escape.

< mood >

i. upset, confused, angry, lonely

< attire >

i. blue and white striped shirt, faded blue boyfriend jeans, white converse.

< location >

i. terrasse floraison

< interactions >

i. nobu, takashi
byeol

 

[allure]

Hiro's reassuring attitude put her at ease like a charm; she stopped nervously clenching her fists and took a deep breath. They had always been opposites even in their demeanors. He was the one who leaned against the wall and took heavy steps, while she bounced and flitted from space to space like a hummingbird. A full-bodied laugh from Hiro dissipated whatever pressure remained on her shoulders, and Tomomi reciprocated with an effervescent giggle.

Hiro took off his apron, and her eyes were momentarily drawn to the toned expanse of his forearms and the way his chef uniform stretched across his shoulders. The easy, open way in which he spoke also told her that her old friend had matured in more ways than one, growing into his own body as well as somehow filling the space around her with a relaxed atmosphere. Her eyes followed his gesture and she allowed herself to take in the kitchen fully for the first time. The busy in-and-out of the staff was nothing strange to her, but the smell of savory spices, the sizzling sounds of cooking meat, and the clean, aromatic smoke on the ceiling were all elements that had been missing at her former workplace. "For the rest of my life?" she gasped, playfully smacking Hiro on the arm (oh wow... were those his biceps?).

"We're counting on you," he went on, and then he smiled. For some inexplicable reason, Tomomi felt her face warm up. It must have been the heat from the ovens on the other side of the kitchen. Or perhaps her old maternal instincts were coming back, her body telling her you have to protect this smile, Momo. There was no way such a simple action had her feeling some type of way. "I'll do my best, which means you'll be getting nothing but the best from now on," she assured him quickly, breathlessly. She followed on his heels for the tour, nodding whenever he pointed something out wondering inwardly whether he had always been so tall. The interior of the restaurant eventually caught most of her attention. It was beautiful and clean. The big windows and ventilation were a welcome contrast to the somewhat stuffy air of the bakery in Tokyo. She ducked under Hiro's arm (not without effort) and ran up the steps ahead of him.

Tomomi pushed open the door at the top of the stairs and was surprised to find a lovely seating area instead of an empty rooftop. All of the patrons seemed to have chosen to dine indoors, and she didn't blame them. It was a breezy evening, and up on the roof, the wind was bitingly cold. Tomomi slid into one of the seats and looked out at the buildings around the restaurant. She looked at Hiro and then at the seat across from her pointedly, hoping he would take the cue and sit down instead of moving on with business as usual. She wondered, not for the first time, if she had really put everything behind her. It had felt like the truth when her old friends were distant and it took effort to even dredge up the lingering sour feelings beyond the deep sadness. But now, one of them was right there, just a few yards away. Now, there was an edge of bitterness making itself known against Hiro and the way he had avoided her before she had left, and Hiro hadn't even confronted her the way Akina had. The thought of meeting Akina anytime soon made her cringe involuntarily.

kobayashi, tomomi

MOOD
relaxed, reflective

ATTIRE
white sundress, denim jacket, mary janes

INTERACTIONS
hiro​

 

[peachnim]

At once, the frigid night air whipped past, making the man shudder (even in the thick uniform). He followed the brunette to one of the tables, where she settled herself in one of the chairs. Hiro stopped for a moment of contemplation, before he decided to sit down across from his new co-worker. A small chat couldn’t hurt, and besides, Chef Ota wouldn’t need his services until after the tour was over, right?

That being said, now that the two were totally alone, a part of Hiro wanted nothing more but to climb into a hermit shell and curl up in there forever. Sighing to fill the silence, the man reached into his pocket, pulled out the restaurant keys, and spun the object around his finger.

Silence.

But he couldn’t just ignore her for eternity. No, Hiro was different now.

His gaze was set on the keys before him, but gradually, he took the courage to stare straight at her. An unfamiliar curiosity kindled in his eyes, a feeling of raw openness that the younger, reclusive Hiro would never have. At the very least, he had to salvage this relationship. He wouldn't dare make the same mistakes.

Breaking into a smile, the brunet stopped spinning the keys, and leaned forward instead. “Kobayashi Tomomi. Wow, I thought I’d never see you again.” So far, things were going smooth.

Then, a pause. For a second, the smile faltered.

“No, really… I thought you weren’t coming back.” The sous-chef cleared his throat, and scratched the back of his neck. Act natural, he reminded himself, and with the lick of his lips, his casual demeanor was back.

“So, what happened back in Tokyo?”

A thousand questions plagued his mind, yet he could only find the words for the most businesslike ones. It really was funny how time left him on the edge, cautious to see what this “new” Tomomi would be like. More than anything, Hiro feared what Tokyo, distance, and five years had done to the girl he could always pour his heart out to. She might not even want to rekindle whatever was between her and the others. Perhaps the patissier had moved on, had found others to bond with. Perhaps he was the only one feeling the dread, the loneliness that dug at him even with all the attention and adoration.

So, remaining detached but courteous was the only option Hiro could turn to.

While Hiro waited for a reply, the wind started once more, whipping his auburn locks in his eyes. He shivered, stuffing his hands into his trouser pockets. “Ah–it’s cold! Will you be okay?”

Hiro was referring to her dress, which, to him, seemed like nothing against the breeze. He was sure there was a blanket around here somewhere...

FUJIKAWA HIRO
MOOD | Nervous. Hopeful. Awkward.
ATTIRE | Chef uniform.
INTERACTIONS | allure

 

[byeol]

Nobu Takashi
The worst feeling?
The moment I realized,
nothing was the same.
ごめんね
弁解の余地がない
--
mood // reserved
attire // white dress shirt, black slacks
interactions // akina [ constellation ]​

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A part of his old self wanted to kick Takashi for reacting the way he had to the situation. It was the part that knew about his failure in the quest to forget her and move on from his history to his future. However, there was not even a small part of him that wanted to drag her into the boredom of his life. He was not the person she claimed to have known before, the person in this body was nothing but a gray shell of adulthood, worried more about the matching of his tie and shirt than having fun. Takashi was not the person he wanted to be for her and because of that it was better for the two to be apart. Even as he tried to convince himself that this was the best thing to do, watching her collapse pulled at his chest and tore through the skin of his heart. How could he begin to fool himself when she was acting like this in front of him. The doctor didn't want to see her feeling hurt and he also didn't want to help her from his own fear of possibly hurting her himself.

Of course he wanted to tell her why, everyone needed to know the truth about the past he had tried to hide back in his school days. He had abandoned all his friends through lack of time or simple cowardice. After all the years he still found it hard to spill what clouded his mind whenever he thought back to those days. Sure, they were all his friends but he had wanted to be normal to them and had chosen to hide his mother's sickness so that they would not befriend him out of pity. Even if he had said something and they had tried to help, Takashi would always know it was out of pity and that's not what he wanted.

After watching her unravel for what felt like at least fifteen minutes and several judging stares from couples and other people walking by, the man finally crouched down. He let out a small sigh and embraced her in a very loose hug, the space between them rather awkward. He lay his hand reluctantly on her back, trying to decide whether or not this was appropriate. "Are you feeling ill?" He decided to keep things simple and comfort her just a bit. Doctors were supposed to help people in need and she seemed like she needed help, whether it was physically or emotionally didn't really matter to him because of the fact that she was her. This was his chance to give her hug he had wanted to give her since that day he had ditched all his friends. ​

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