Shutter ➳ CITRUS

Five - Giuseppe's

Yuzu's POV

Mei parked her green car at the lot in front of the restaurant my friend Ricky owns. I didn't bring my motorcycle with me on my way to their office and I don't think Mei would agree on riding it on our way here so having her car was good I guess. The place is a wooden building between a coffee shop and an office building. I come here sometimes, maybe two times a month.

I had a sickly happy smile plastered on my face throughout the drive. Mei Aihara's having lunch with me.

I had a hard time thinking about Norman's offer. I doubted if I could adjust to having an employer after three years of freelancing. I didn't know the demands of the job when you have to go by your boss's rules, your boss's deadlines, and your boss's limitations in what you do. Norman's not bad to be a boss I guess, the guy's writing me letters of praise for fuck sake.

In the end, I reached the verdict not to accept it. I decided I can't give up my freelancing career; I have so much fun with it. Believe me, having Mei as a co-worker alone almost made me accept the job. But not accepting it doesn't mean I don't have a chance with her. I'm determined to not let it go that way. I'll fight tooth and nail to get to know this woman.

Mei and I made our way to the entrance, the door guy greeting us as he opened the glass doors. The place was half full. It's designed with wooden chairs and tables, lights partly dimmed and music playing low on the speakers.

"I like it here," Mei told me as she scanned the place.

Score one for Okogi. "I'm glad you do. The food's amazing too," I said smiling at her.

"Good afternoon ladies. Welcome to Giuseppe's," the waiter greeted us. He's wearing a white shirt with the colors from the Italian flag gracing his apron tied around his waist.

"Yeah, hi. Table for two please?" I asked.

"Yes, if you could come this way please." We followed him on the left side of the restaurant, past the other customers. "Will this be fine ma'am?" he asked as he showed us our table.

"Yeah, thanks. It's fine." Mei and I took our seats. The waiter giving us menus, telling us he'll be back in ten minutes to take our order.

Mei scanned the menu as I pretend to scan mine. Well because my eyes keep darting across the table to look at her. My god, she's beautiful. She looks deep in thought as her eyes travel up and down the menu, silently studying the food choices. She fascinates me endlessly, she can sit there and do nothing and I'll still be mesmerized.

Like she did the first time I was staring at her, she looked up and caught me looking again. Like I did the first time, I smiled at her, but not as guilty as before. We looked at each other for a moment but then she was the first to break the eye contact.

"Stop looking at me like that," she mumbled, staring back down at the menu. My smile grew wider; the shyness in her voice's evident.

"Like what?" I asked innocently.

"I don't know... like I'm a remarkable and awe-inspiring being."

"You are."

"Shut up," she said but smiled at me.

"Did I tell you that you look beautiful in your office clothes?" I asked again. Because she is. She doesn't have a blazer on, just a white shirt, rolled up halfway to her forearm. It's tucked on her high-waisted black pants and she's wearing black heels. Her black hair's tied tidily in a ponytail. Like a strong independent woman. Which I'm quite sure that she is.

Mei opened her mouth twice without saying anything as if she's trying to object to what I said. In the end, she settled on a simple 'no' as an answer.