French Cup: A Neighborhood Story

Chapter 107: -Kazuya- A Little White Plate

Fire was burning in a trash can in the middle of the street. Surrounding us were goth people clothed in their best, piling more paper inside the can. This paper was from inside the hotel, records of things. In front of me was Gyeong-Wan, more changed than I ever thought I'd see.

As we'd eaten spaghetti for dinner, he'd said I was like a changed person. How happy he was to see confidence coming from me. He'd remarked that usually Nikki was the one full of confidence, but now I could hold my own. He had no idea how remarkable it was coming from himself. 

He stood there with his arms open wide next to Colette and Julia. As the fire went higher, it was like something primal. How big could the fire go? How much attention was this going to bring? We'd have to find out, because a camera was pointed at the fire. It was from a different news station, and it wasn't live. They'd use it for a story tomorrow, and I couldn't wait to see it. 

"This is Mariko Suzuki reporting," the newswoman was saying. "As you can see, things have calmed here tonight. However, there appears to be a large bonfire starting." She gestured to the trash can which had an enormous tower of sparks shooting into the air above as something crackled and popped inside. The heat from it was so nice. 

"More paper!" Colette called out. "Go get some more! You, there!" She pointed and a guy wearing a long, black skirt jumped up as if catching what she was throwing his way. He dashed toward the hotel. 

I rubbed my hands together and went to them. "What are we burning?" I asked. 

"Receipts, mostly," Gyeong-Wan said impressively. He nodded toward the trash can. "It's the least we can do. There's piles of receipts in the file cabinet in the office. We don't really need them. It's more of a waste, just shows how much the hotel wastes. We have records of sales on the computer. I don't see why we need them, so we can burn the paper for warmth."

I grabbed his arm and rubbed my head on his shoulder. At this, I saw him get a bashful look. It only made me do it more. It really appeared as if this burning was more than just for warmth. 

Earlier, he'd been the one to call out that we needed pizza. I'd been absolutely surprised. Could not believe it was happening. This same, shy person I'd met only a little more than a month before. How much he'd changed. It had to have been rapid, but it felt so slow. Like we'd been caught in time, the real world not real anymore. That was my feeling, I was realizing now. Being with him, learning about him. Wanting only to see him. It had only been one month, truly. How was that possible?

The taste of spaghetti was still in my mouth. This food from the hotel, but it didn't feel like the hotel we'd known. This food had been made by someone on our side. It had been one of the most delicious meals I'd ever had in my life. Sitting there with him, surreal. We'd sat together at French Cup eating so many times. And yet, I'd never dreamed of eating in the hotel with him. Incredibly, it had happened.

I felt like I was floating. Holding onto him was the only thing keeping me on earth. And how incredible that this was now earth. 

Somewhere along the circle of people gathered, someone began to sing. It wasn't a song I knew, but it was soothing. More voices started up, building the song. It grew around the circle, going high like the fire that was piling into the sky. 

As I clung to Gyeong-Wan, I stared up as the glittering sparks went up into the star glinting sky. This fire, how afraid I'd been of it when it had been in French Cup. And yet now, somehow, these same kinds of sparks only made my heart feel as if it could now fly. Like I could go into the sky with them, so happy to see them crawling up towards the welcoming black of the night that we'd conquered.

"Are you tired?" He asked again. We were inside the hotel, having left Colette and Julia to their crowd of goths now singing around a joyous fire. It was so silkily warm in here. It was definitely making me sleepy, but I didn't want to go yet.