Beauty of Every Kind: a Great Ace Attorney AU

Kindness

Saturday arrived. It was late morning and a bright fog hovered about the streets, but the sky was blue and unburdened by clouds. With the book tucked under his arm, Barok disembarked from his carriage and felt his heart kick as he approached Genshin Asogi's flat.

Susato opened the door, herself. A smile was on her face and her eyes were brilliant with light. Barok felt his heart give a sharper kick. They bowed to one another.

"Good day, Lord van Zieks! I thought you might arrive before noon."

"Good day, Miss Mikotoba. I have brought the novel, as I vowed."

"How kind! Please, do come in," Susato said and stepped back, allowing him passage. Once they were in the living room, she turned around to face him. "Something wonderful happened! I can scarcely believe it still!"

He stared at her, waiting for her to continue.

"A small crate arrived from Japan. It was filled with matcha!"

Barok smiled, his heart giving a jagged thump, even as warmth flooded his body.

"It's even more matcha than what I brought with me! I've never seen so much in one box!" she continued, absolutely beaming.

"How fortunate you were able to order your prized tea," he said.

"Oh, actually...I have no idea how it got here. I didn't order any. And no one seems to know anything about it...However! I suspect Genshin-sama is responsible. He just doesn't want me to know how much he had to pay, I'm sure," Susato said.

Barok's pulse relaxed slightly.

"Have you ever had matcha, Lord van Zieks?"

"I cannot say I have."

"It's a powdered green tea and you prepare it by whisking it until the surface is filled with tiny bubbles and the tea is nice and smooth. There's a whole art behind it. Tea ceremony! It also has a philosophy to it. My grandmother spent a long time teaching me and I practised it for years," Susato said.

"I was not aware tea could be quite so complicated," Barok said.

"That's sort of like you with your wines, isn't it? There's so much more to the process than there appears on the surface! From how you rotate your cup to how many sips you take to how your sleeve folds when you pour," Susato said brightly.

Susato was so vibrant, so full of energy. He could not help but feel very fond towards her, seeing her in such a wondrous state.

"Would you care for a cup, Lord van Zieks?"

"Yes. That would be very kind of you."

"Oh! And I must return your handkerchief to you! Would you mind waiting here for a moment? I will retrieve it then prepare our tea!" Susato said, gesturing enthusiastically.

Barok gave her a soft smile before he seated himself on their sofa. A Japanese scroll of some kind was on the wall. He stared at it, tracing over the thick brush strokes with his gaze, and wondered what it signified.

And that was when Barok realised just how quiet it was in the flat. There were no sounds of stirring or hints of voices anywhere inside. Was no one else home?

Susato reappeared and returned his handkerchief. Barok accepted it with a bow. It felt soft and was neatly folded. Clearly, she had cleaned it.