She returns with the coffee as Luca fidgets with his hands together trying to hide his embarrassment, she smiles softly as she places the cup in front of him,
-You seem better than last time, I'm glad
Luca grabs the cup and takes a sip of it before replying,
-I have you to thank for that, thanks a lot for reaching out to me that night.
He takes a big sip of the coffee, but it stings his tongue making her giggle before leaving but Luca holds her hand,
-Wait well could I know your name, mine's Luca and it's nice to meet you
She turns around with a smile,
-It's nice to meet you Luca, I'm Rin if you want to talk more maybe come when my shift is over
With that she begins to return to work as he raises up four fingers signalling she ends at 4pm. Luca remains at his seat sipping away at his coffee as his mind grows silent drowned out by the atmosphere in the café, the enchanting floral design flowing throughout both floors, the waitresses going about from table to table, the elderly man making his enchanting coffees and the people chatting away, an atmosphere so enchanting it feels like a shame to leave.
Luca steals one last glance at Rin who waves back at him as he prepares to leave, embarrassed he barely manages to wave back before returning home feeling victorious though he barely held himself together. When it comes to the matters of the heart though, these little victories we may have from time to time are what counts, with that in mind for the first time in a while Luca has a goodnights undisturbed by no worrying thoughts whatsoever.
The new day arrives, birds chirping and the sun shining as bright as ever, Luca struggles to move his tired body to the bathroom to wash up where he notices his hair,
-When did you get so long
He looks around his room and sees the mess that's been piling up since his breakup, empty plates from store bought meals, empty water bottles and beer cans and dirty clothes shoved in a corner. Shocked and disappointed in himself for leaving it all like this for so long but he realizes why as he beings to clear everything up reminiscing about his declining mental states this past month.
After cleaning up he begins to work on his hair cutting parts of it off revealing his new look, his messy long hair turned medium and shaggy as he spends too long adjusting his bangs till he notices the time, rushing into the shower and quickly out his room carrying the massive pile of trash he comes out the door where his neighbour watches before calling out to him,
-I figured I'd seen you somewhere before
Luca turns to him confused and tries to recall where they may have met,
-I'm sorry but I can't remember you at all, my bad dude
His neighbour laughs it off,
-It's totally fine, I've seen you from time to time here and just yesterday I saw you in class, so I was hoping I'd meet you today actually.
-Oh well you're only seeing me now because I changed classes, nice to meet you I'm Luca.
Luca smiles as his neighbour smiles back extending his hand,
-You can call me Makoto, do you need help with that, seems like a lot?
Luca laughs awkwardly as Makoto takes a trash bag off him and the two of them walk over to the trash container to throw it out before heading for class. They arrive at class with a few minutes to spare so the two of them spend their time chatting away about random topics to pass time, during class though Luca listens intently to the Lecturer, but Makoto dozes off for more than half the lectures and swiftly the time for lunch arrives.
On their lunch break Makoto asks about Luca's past.
-you know Luca, for the past month you've seemed odd, I mean I barely saw you leave your place and I'm right beside you literally, plus when I did see, you looked like a walking corpse
-It's a long story man, and yeah this month's been a bit rough
-I mean we've got time dude, I'm down to listen
Luca lets out a deep sigh and begins his story about his past with Alice,
-Well I met my now ex-girlfriend Alice back in high school when I lived in England, back then we would always spend lunch together away from people, just like me she didn't really like loud crowds.
A young Alice and Luca running around a courtyard during lunch, the time they spent together then was something irreplaceable. Luca who always hid himself from others could only show his true self to her.
-I asked her out in our last year and immediately she said yes, we planned out going to university here together even, I remember when I told her my family would be moving back to Japan, I was really sad that day just thinking about leaving her but she was the one who stood up and said we wouldn't break up, we found this current university, planned out our classes and when we got accepted it felt like a dream.
The young couple hug each other with tears of joy and laughter; they even fall over from excitement together but can't help but continue smiling as they stared deeply into each other's eyes. The dream of a life together didn't seem like such a dream anymore they thought as their faces drew closer, silence filled the air as the world around them slowly disappeared as they closed their celebrations with a kiss.
-Everything seemed so perfect back then, I moved over here first to get settled in with my family and she moved over later. At some point she invited me out saying she met a bunch of new people on campus while she looked around, that's where I met that friend group I used move around with, with Alice and I we were five in total. Yusuke was always hot headed, he's the one who told me about Alice cheating on me, Shinso on the other hand was quiet, he never said too much unless spoken to but apparently girls say he's a big playboy. The last person in the group was Sakura, she was the closest to Alice, those two were inseparable.
The five of them constantly together on campus with Yusuke behind them almost like a shield followed by Shinso and Luca who'd occasionally chat about schoolwork as they explained it all to Yusuke with Alice and Sakura in front laughing at Yusuke.
-Honestly I don't know when she started cheating on me, I want to know but I don't want to you know?
Luca ends his backstory with Alice as Makoto places his fist on his chest,
-Thanks for sharing, honestly thanks and don't worry seeing you now and hearing your story, you loved Alice a lot, so relax I'm on your side got it
Luca smiles and thanks Makoto as they finish up the rest of their day before attempting to leave campus only to run into Luca's old group. Yusuke sees Luca and instantly calls him out,
-Woah is that who I think it is, I thought you dropped out by now since you haven't been to class in so long
Luca stands still in disbelief; his chest becomes tight as he struggles to speak as he sees Alice once more. Sakura walks up to him as he struggles to stop himself from panicking,
-Hmm what's up with your hair, you trying to make yourself seem attractive now after looking like some weirdo that latched himself to poor Alice for so long. Don't make me laugh and just drop out. What do you think Alice, would you take him back haha
Yusuke and Sakura just laugh at him while Shinso walks up and asks him,
-Since you're on campus, I'm guessing you changed classes correct?
Luca somehow finds the courage to respond to Shinso,
-Ye.yeah I changed classes recently that's why you haven't seen me
-Why this class though, Alice said you always wanted to learn software, so what's this new change, could it be you only did software cause of her?
The sudden realization hits him hard, why did he offer to learn software development when he's always loved arts and graphics, was he ever truly in control of his decisions in university or did he allow himself to be played by hair like a bird trapped in her cage all this time. Shinso looks down on him as his silence gives him the answer he's looking for before Makoto snaps at all of them,
-Acting all high and mighty just cause you're attacking an already injured man, then you have the two loud idiots at the back making so much noise it's hurting my ears. If you've got nothing important to say then SHUT THE HELL UP AND GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!
Makoto's violent outburst shocks everyone present and brings light into Luca's eyes slowly as his new friend stands up for him. The other students around have their attention at the conflict brewing thanks to Makoto as well causing Yusuke and Salura to back off visibly angry and wanting to retaliate, Alice turns around and so does Shinso before he drops one piece of news that sends Luca into the deep end.
-Hey Luca, you should get Alice out of your mind completely, she's gone okay, and you don't have a place in her heart anymore, she's already pregnant with someone else's kid so just do yourself a favour and forget her and move on.
Shinso places his glasses in their case and walks off with the rest of the group as Luca's eyes turn empty and his heartbeat races. He clenches his chest slowly gasping for air as Makoto turns to him screaming his name and calling out to him, but he can't seem to hear him anymore. All Luca can think of in this moment is Rin as her image flashes through his mind as he tells Makoto,
-Coffee…coffee shop
Makoto grabs him and rushes around in search of this coffee shop Luca is calling out for. Meanwhile in the coffee shop Rin drops a cup which breaks on the floor in the backroom as the old man in charge rushes in and checks on her,
-Everything okay in there little Rin?
Rin stands there confused but she answers him,
-I'm alright gramps I promise, I just had an odd feeling is all.