Gravitation Fan Fiction ❯ The Coffeeshop ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

"Okay, no spitting in the coffee if I get mad at a customer... anything else?"

Shuichi Shindo shifted in front of his new boss. His pink hair and purple eyes shining in the early afternoon light of the cafe. The lady crossed her arms across her chest, and sighed.

"You don't belong here kid." She muttered

"Gotta pay the bills somehow." He replied back "Anything else?"

The woman paused, as if thinking, and started to shake her head. But then the door opened, and Shuichi heard the familar 'ding' of the bell hanging above it, a sound that he would come to hate.

"Oh yeah. That guy." She began

"Who? Him?"

Shuichi geustured towards the pale blond man that had just entered.

"Yeah, that guy. He's a regular, comes in at 11:15, everday..."

"Everyday?"

She nodded.

"Hasn't been late in... oh... two years or so..."

Shuichi turned to look at him, as he sat down at the counter, sheding his overcoat and waiting patiently.

"What's his name, Hayuna?" He asked his boss "He looks familar."

"Eiri Yuki." Hayuna replied

"Eiri... Yuki..." Shuichi said, letting the name roll off his tongue "The romance novelist?"

"One in the same." Hayuna replied "I think he's down on his luck..."

"What makes you say that?"

Shuichi noticed that she wasn't looking at him anymore, but at Yuki, who seemed to be completely unaware that he was the topic of dicussion.

"Because his tips have gotten smaller." One waitress piped up "Couple years ago, he'd toss a twenty on the counter without a second thought." She sighed, swirling the coffepot in her hand around "Now... he's barely counting change. I miss the good ol' days."

They both laughed.

"But everyday," The waitress continued "All he orders is a small black coffee. Most times you don't even have to talk to him, just pour and he'll pay... and if you're lucky, tip." She smiled, winked and walked away

Shuichi sighed.

"I'll take care of him." Hayuna said

Shuichi looked at Hayuna. The woman looked tough, but was obviously a sweetheart. Afterall, she had given him this job, when he had absolutly no experience what-so-ever, but he was a fast learner, and pretty down on his luck, not to mention funds, and she had a kind heart.

"No." Shuichi said "I will."

Shuichi took a deep breath, and moved over to the man.

"What can I get you?" He asked

He looked up at him, and Shuichi nearly gasped at the man's beautiful amber eyes.

"Didn't she just tell you?" He asked, cocking his head to the side and cracking a grin.

Shuichi blushed. So he'd heard...

"Yeah..." He said, turning around and reaching for a mug and a coffeepot. He turned back to Yuki, setting the cup down and began to pour.

"You're new." Yuki said

"First day."

"Hm." He replied "What's your name?"

"Shuichi."

Yuki looked up at Shuichi, to in turn, find the pink headed boy staring at him.

"Shuichi?"

"Yes?"

"You're pouring coffee on my hand."

Shuichi looked down and gasped. Sure enough, there was a big puddle of coffee on the counter, and a decent amount coating Yuki's hand.

"I-I'm sorry!" He shouted, turning around and searching for a towel.

Yuki grinned, and reached forward towards Shuichi's waist, pulling him towards him.

"What are you..."

And then, Yuki pulled free the towel that was tucked there.

"Oh."

Yuki smiled up at Shuichi and cocked an eyebrow, and began to clean his hand and wipe up the mess.

"No, no!" Shuichi shouted "Let me do that!"

Yuki shook his head.

"No, it'll spare me from having to tip, since I'm... how'd she put it... 'down on my luck'?"

Shuichi blushed harder.

"Don't worry about it Kid." He replied

"I'm not a kid." Shuichi mumbled

Yuki finished cleaning up the mess, and pushed the towel aside, taking a sip of his coffee. He was suddenly infactuated by this boy.

"Really?" He asked "How old are you?"

"19." The boy stumbled

Yuki laughed.

"You must've just gotten out of school... what are you doing working here?"

Shuichi shrugged, putting up the coffeepot, and leaning on the counter

"Let's just say that you aren't the only one down on their luck." Shuichi replied

Hayuna and the waitress looked over at Shuichi.

"Strange boy." She whispered to her

The waitress shrugged.

"Bet you fifty bucks he's into guys." She replied

Hayuna turned to her.

"Deal."

"Down on your luck huh?" Yuki asked

"I live downtown in a crappy one room apartment... if you could call it that... it's more like a moderatly big closet. Two windows, one that actually opens on good days... and I have more roomates than I'd like to know about."

"Roomates?" Yuki asked

"Bugs."

Yuki shuddered.

"Hate the things." He replied, taking another sip "So, why'd you choose to work here?"

Shuichi shrugged.

"Only place that hired me. I mean, I didn't go to college like my other friends, and I've never had a job before... my parents send me a little, but that only goes so far..."

"How far?"

"Enough to buy food... covered the rent too... but then it got upped, and now I have to pay somehow..."

"Hm." Yuki looked down at his cup, it was nearly empty. He decided against taking another sip "What were you doing from highschool until now... since you didn't go to college?" He asked

"Singing." Shuichi said "Or... trying to... I used to have this band... but... they kind of graduated, and went to college without me. Since then, I haven't been able to really write songs... or find my voice. I figured it's burried some where."

Yuki laughed, and smiled at him

"Then you gotta go digging for it."

There was silence. Shuichi looked down at his mug, and realized it was almost gone. He reached for the pot, but Yuki shook his head.

"Its on me." Shuichi said, pouring "So, what about you?" He asked when the mug was full "What's your story?"

Yuki shrugged.

"Had it all... lost it." He said simply

"Oh, that doesn't cut it!" Shuichi said, watching Yuki take a sip "Tell me or I'll charge you for the coffee."

Yuki laughed.

"You just told me you'd buy it."

"You have no proof of that."

Yuki rolled his eyes, and sighed.

"Two years ago... I could write like nobody's business... everything I wrote just sold like gold... raked in cash... but now... I can't even sell my books at the dollar store." He laughed "I can't even put a pen to paper..."

"Lost your inspiration?"

Yuki looked up at him again.

"I may have just found it." He said simply

Shuichi froze, not knowing what to say. Yuki downed the last of his coffee, paid for the first cup, and slid off the stool.

"See you tomorrow kid." He said simply, leaving

Shuichi walked home in silence that night. (He couldn't afford to waste money on the bus anymore) He smiled to himself as he reached his apartment, and fell against the door.

'I may like his job afterall.' He thought

He began laughing, and then heard a loud 'crack'.

"Huh?" He managed to say, before his door came right off the hinges

Shuichi sighed, running his fingers through his hair

"Great."