Chapter 5: Cutting Algae Part Two

[mp_simplyacommoner]

It was 7:50PM. Teru had gotten bored of studying and broke it up with his nightly stretches—he had decided it was going to be an early night to bed. He had already decided he was going to sign up for the next basketball roster and it was offseason practice time.

As it turned out, he couldn’t tolerate a lack of things to do after school for long.

Cooling down from his trunk rotations with some Kamizawa Water, he checked his phone and paused mid-sip. There were a few notifications from Mob that he opened right away. There were a few pictures of what was undoubtedly the long-awaited kaiseki meal…though they were a bit blurry. Oh, one was actually decent in quality. There was also a blurred person in the background of one without much food—even with the lack of clarity it looked like they weren’t expecting to be caught on camera. Had he meant to send that one, let alone take it? Oh well, didn’t matter.

that mukōzuke Send.

( ੭ ˘ ³˘)੭‎°｡⋆♡‧₊˚ Send.

divine looking Send.

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[mp_npc]

Asa's face reddened. She couldn't deny how much she had been drawn to him since he first arrived here. But she had never dreamed that the attraction would be reciprocated.

"You flatter me," she said, brushing the hair back behind her shoulder. Though she didn't laugh, there was genuine mirth in her voice. "You sure you haven't been drinking too much of the sake I left for you?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

The shock and horror at saying such a thing to a client was some far-off chirping in Reigen’s head. His core approach to these situations barely felt like a part of him at all. Not even the obvious out she had given him was spared more than a moment’s thought.

“Maybe, but…I’m serious.” His dark eyes went from her to the sake on the table—huh, had he really drank half of it already? “The castle is a beast. Your warm hospitality is giving me the courage to slay it.”

[mp_npc]

Asa's face grew impossibly warmer. She felt as if she were a woman more idealistic and energized than she felt these days. "Is that so?" she asked, trying to mask her embarrassment with charm. "I made and aged that sake myself."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen’s eyes widened at the implications of that. Despite everything that was said, that small voice in his head was shouting through the haze.

“And…you gave it to me?”

[mp_npc]

"I was waiting for the right person to give it to. I was sure that person was you."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"I'm...If I said honored I wouldn't be doing it justice." Reigen gently swished the remaining liquid in his glass. "This isn't like any sake I've had before. The tastes that are balanced in here...it's art."

[mp_npc]

"I put a lot of effort into it, so I'd hope that it tastes different fromr your store-bought sake." Asa was smiling as she said the words lightly. There was an edge of playfulness in her voice, as if she felt more at ease here with Reigen than she did even with her own family.

"I made it to commemorate the rainy season. It's my way of honoring the spirit Nagisa. I thought... maybe something salty might make Nagisa feel less alone and her tears less bitter."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen was pink up to the tips of his ears from the sheer sentiment of it all. It was like his layers of cynicism had all been peeled away.

“That’s…I’m worried it’s wasted on me now.” Reigen ran a hand through his hair, which was still damp from the baths. He may have slipped and fell in at some point, but she didn’t need to know that. “All that work for someone you met last week.”

[mp_npc]

"It makes me sad to know that you feel that way. We've known each other for a long time, haven't we?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

With Asa’s reply—the slight crack of her voice—Reigen’s doubt was snuffed out like a candle. He put his drink to the side and put a hand over her’s.

“You’re right. That wasn’t what I meant. This gift from you…I’m really happy.”

[mp_npc]

"I'm glad." Asa flipped her hand underneath Reigen's so her palm was touching his, then gave it a squeeze.

"We should go for a walk," she said, standing up, her hand still grasping his own. "I think it might be good for the both of us. The air's refreshingly cool at this time of night."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen followed her lead immediately—she could have said she wanted to stand at the edge of the cliffs overlooking the sea, toes touching nothing but air, and he would have done so a second thought. Their touching hands were the center of his universe, and he gripped a little harder to keep himself upright against an unsightly wobble. He didn’t think to curse the sake for that one, no, it was too precious a gift.

Reigen’s eyes followed the elegant swoop of Ada’s hair as she turned to lead the way.

“It’s really red…”

[mp_npc]

Asa looked over her shoulder at Reigen, oblivious to what he was talking about. "What is?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

“Your hair.” A red streak that cut through the black. Reigen managed to catch it in his clever fingers before it fell to her back, holding the very end of it.

Where had he seen something that red before…?

[mp_npc]

"Oh, you like it?" Asa was pleased. "When I was a teenager, I thought that just because this place was pretty traditional, it didn't mean I need to be."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

“It suits you. My parents would have never let me get away with something like that.”

Reigen let it fall from his fingers.

“But…maybe they’d change their minds if they met you.”

…

……

Had he said that last part out loud?

[mp_npc]

If it at all bothered Asa, she didn't show it. In fact, she wrapped her arm around Reigen's tightly, as if afraid that at any moment he might vanish.

"My parents already find you charming," she said. "I'm sure they'll be even more fond of you when the job is..." Asa trailed off, as if forgetting mid-sentence what she was saying. "...when the job is done," she finished more strongly.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

'The job?'

That's right...he was here on one of those...

That fact had faded to the back of his mind along with a lot of other things, but if he had let them fade so easily, they weren't important. That's what Reigen decided. The most important thing was at his side already. She had just said something kind to him and even overlooked his tipsy rambling--what had he done right enough to attract someone like that?

"Are you cold?" They weren't even outside yet--they were taking the scenic route, but there wasn't anything wrong with that. "You're trembling a little."

[mp_npc]

Asa laughed lightly. "That obvious?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

'Scared.' She knew it. He knew it.

"It's okay. Me, too." His free hand went to one of hers wrapped tightly around his arm. "For awhile now."

[mp_npc]

"If you need more blankets, I can bring some to your room."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen blinked--and laughed. Asa's reply reminded him of someone immediately--but who? When he tried to question it, the thought had faded from his mind.

"No, that's alright. I'm warmer already." He closed an eye as a leaf from a towering bamboo brushed his cheek. They were approaching the lobby--not another soul in sight. They truly had the halls to themselves.

[mp_npc]

Asa smiled. She had been thinking exactly the same thing.

"Oh," Asa said, stopping in front of a tremendous wall of photos. "Have you seen these yet? We take photos of everyone before they leave, but we have a few with some famous people."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen looked at them, his eyes glazed over as he took in each small face—until he saw one in particular. A blonde kid. His grandpa. A flicker of irritation. “Ah, yeah. Those two…” Reigen murmured and rubbed his head. “For crying out loud Mob, I still can’t believe you—“

Mob.

Mob.

It was like someone dumped a bucket of ice water over Reigen.

He was suddenly watching himself, half-drunk with his client on his arm. Mob. What if he saw this? How could Reigen even explain this? What was he doing?

[mp_npc]

Reigen's sudden outburst surprised Asa. "Is something wrong?"