Segue: KamiJirou

two

Jirou blinked at her reflection in the mirror, making sure she didn't get any mascara in her eyelids. Makeup wasn't a huge thing for her, but when she didn't wear it she felt naked. Still, she put on a little extra today for her not-date with Kaminari. They had exchanged numbers the last time she went into the shop, but hadn't actually talked since then.

She packed her old iPod into her purse, figuring they'd probably just talk about music. Even though he knew about her favorite band, she liked plenty of others that were less common as well. Usually she just let people listen to some songs instead of trying to describe them. Music these days never fit into a single genre anyways.

The bus ride was short, considering her hour long commute to work. Jiro never minded sitting on the bus as long as she was left alone, she had more than enough songs to keep her company. They had agreed to meet at a coffee shop a few blocks from the store, well known for its seasonal specialties. It was summer, so the sun was hot and heavy, and the cinnamon iced coffee was practically calling her name.

When she reached their meetup spot, Kaminari was already seated at a window table for two, and waved to her from inside. She smiled and waved back, making her way into the store. Even if this place wasn't the nicest on her pocket, it had a chill environment that was perfect for a not-date.

"Hey Kaminari!" She called as she walked in through the door.

"Hey there, Jirou! So do you have any recommendations? My treat, by the way," Kaminari greeted her with his trademark grin. He had gotten up from the table to meet her at the front.

"Oh! No, no, you don't have to pay for me," Jirou quickly responded, her hands waving in front of her.

"No, really I should. You're money is better spent at the store, it's what keeps me employed," he joked. With that logic, she couldn't disagree...

"Well, in that case, I was going to get a cinnamon iced coffee. It's really good with a ton of cream and sugar," she said, a smile on her lips.

"Sounds like it's worth a try," he said, turning to order. The person working the counter looked at them with a mixed expression of boredom and jealousy. They had heard everything, and flatly asked, "Two cinnamon iced coffees, with extra cream and sugar?"

"Yes, please," Kaminari responded, handing the clerk his card. Jiro felt a tinge of regret at allowing him to pay, and promised herself to give him a tip on the side the next time she visited the shop.

The two made their way to the table Kaminari had already staked out, and sat down across from each other. Jiro was glad the bar stools had a bar across the bottom, her feet couldn't reach the floor and it was nice to have a place to rest them. The table was too small to rest her arms on without crossing into Kaminari's side, so she set them in her lap.

"How's your day been so far?" He asked, sunlight from the window landing on his hair and face, making him look as bright as a lightning bolt.

"Oh, the usual. Nothing exciting, I only work nights, so..."

"Night shift? That can be rough."

"Not when you love your job." She loved telling people that she worked the dreaded night shift, only to surprise them with a smile on her face. Most people automatically assumed she worked some dead-end job, they never expected her to actually be a professional.

She added, "I'm on the technical crew at The Center."

"No way! So music really is your life," he responded.

"Yeah, it really is."

"Do you have to work every show then? Or do you get to watch some of them at a discount?"

"That's always the first question everyone asks," she laughed. It was only a typical conversation, but it felt so relaxing talking to Kaminari. She continued, "I still pay full price for concerts. I know, such a rip off, but the ones where I'm working I at least get to listen to for free. Plus, I get to meet a lot of artists."

"Have you ever met the members of our favorite band?" At that moment, his name was called out from the counter area, signaling that their drinks were ready.

"Hold that thought, I'll be right back," he said as he went to grab their iced coffees. It was the perfect timing for an interruption, his casual use of the phrase "our favorite band" had Jirou's head spinning. She managed to snap herself out of it by the time he got back.

After taking a long sip of her cold, cimmanony delight, she shivered. It was hot outside but after sitting in the A/C for a while, the icy drink wasn't as pleasant.

"Brain freeze!" She exclaimed, "What were we talking about?" They both laughed.

"You meeting famous people, specifically the members of One A," Kaminari answered.

"Oh, right," Jirou's face fell a bit as she recalled what he had asked her. She replied, "One A has never performed at The Center. I'm hoping they get to one day... but I have met one of their members before."

"Oh?" Kaminari prompted.

"It was a long time ago," her voice softened before she cut her response short.

"Hey, I won't make you bring up memories you don't want to talk about, but if someone broke your heart I'll happily take vengeance for you," he gave her a small smile. Those would forever cheer her up.

"No, it's nothing like that. I wasn't romantically involved or anything," she blushed at the thought. Even though everyone told her she was in her prime, she had only dated one guy before and the most they did was hold hands. Of course, she didn't admit this to anyone, she wanted to appear normal. One time she had slipped up and mentioned she hadn't had her first kiss and she swore every guy in the room was lining up in front of her.

The conversation moved on to the usual sharing of their favorite and least favorite music, their daily life, and even their life goals. Both of them were pretty content with life, grateful that they at least had jobs and a roof over their head. Jirou was relieved she had found someone who possessed many of the same qualities as her, and Kaminari wholeheartedly agreed.

Before long, Jirou had to leave for work. Kaminari parted with a promise that they'd meet up again sometime, and they both went their separate ways.