French Cup: A Neighborhood Story

Chapter 25: -Kazuya- The Flower Witch

Everyone at the three pushed together tables were sampling our new and improved seasonal hot chocolates. "Not enough mint," Ayane had said, "the hazelnut is just right," Nikki had told me. Sitting next to Ayane was Miyuki, going through a big binder of paper and drinking a cafe au lait. We were meeting to discuss Zombie Walk, how the neighborhood would come together and sell our goods at the event. There were final details to go over, and we'd have to then go and spread the news of these final details to the rest of the neighborhood so everyone was on track. It was of utmost importance.

Sandwiched between Ayane and Nikki, barely making an impression, was an old friend. He was a drag queen named Hanako, the Singing Flower Witch of Hokkaido. He'd done Zombie Walks with us before as an MC, and now that Miyuki was out of the game he'd flown in specially for this year's. He used to live in the old hotel as an artist with his wife, Chidori, and was a resident queen at a drag bar that had closed just before the old hotel was sold. Their lives had imploded, so they packed their bags and moved back to Hokkaido. His queen featured long, wavy white blonde hair to the floor, a flower crown of fresh flowers, and dresses of flowy materials. A true earth child. Today, he was dressed in a regular mint green sweater and jeans, though. 

"Okay, so Salem's Sister has the biggest store showcase, obviously. They'll be at the end of the street. Then, there's me. I made some things they might be interested in, but mostly I'll be selling for future sales. There's some things I drew up that they might-"

"Get back to the shop placements, Miyuki," Nikki interrupted her, starting to dig into his mini crème brulee. 

"Mm, this crème caramel isn't too sweet, Kazu. Good job," Hanako complimented me in between their argument. His voice was so tiny, almost lost in their loud voices. He took another bite to prove to me how good the crème caramel was. It only made me feel glad, to impress him after so long. However, he'd never say anything contrary, but still. I nodded my head, smiling at him.

To be honest, my mind was elsewhere. 

He wants another kiss. Gyeong-Wan had said that. I'd been thinking about it since last night, hoping it would come into my dreams. He'd told me to get plenty of sleep, so I had. I'd almost overslept my alarm clock, but I'd jumped out of bed to make sure I made more sweet things for him to try. That's how I'd come up with the pairing of the crème brulee and the crème caramel. Similar in name and confection, but entirely different. Maybe I could show him that. Thinking about that interaction made me sigh. Wanting it to happen, watch him eat them. He liked chocolate, so it made me rethink it. Could there be chocolate versions? I'd never seen it. But, that's what was getting to me. He was making me rethink everything, not just the things I made.

We'd lingered at the door yesterday. He was taller than me, so I'd stared up at him as he had a funny look on his face. His eyebrows had twitched, obviously thinking about something. 

My brain wandered back to the conversation at hand. Nikki was scolding everyone about the glitter as we made snowflakes to hang up in the windows. "If you all spill that loose glitter, I will kill you," Nikki growled.

"I know someone who legally owns a gun," Hanako chimed in cheerfully. 

"Wow, that got serious," Miyuki laughed, smearing glue with a glue stick onto a pre-cut out snowflake. 

Everyone laughed except for Hanako.

I couldn't bear to eat the last bunny that I had. It was too precious to me, but it would spoil if I didn't eat it. Yuko didn't like to use any preservatives. It was now sitting in my freezer. It made me wish he'd give me something more permanent, but that was asking too much. He'd thought to gift me those bunnies out of the blue. For what reason? Do friends give you bunnies?