Miku let out a heavy sigh and took a deep puff off the cigarette on her fingers. The dark alley beside the cafe was almost a corner of escape for them. Trying to act cute and approachable mentally exhausted them most of the time. She passed it to Sakura who held it more awkwardly and took a light inhale.
"You still can't do it properly." Miku laughed.
"You need to teach me your mysterious ways." Sakura smiled.
"If any of our customers were to see us this way, they'd never come back again." Miku saying that with two cute pink buns on her head, a maid costume, star earrings and a cigarette on her hand was the strangest mismatch Sakura had seen for a while now.
"I never wanted this anyway." Sakura sighed as she let the smoke dissolve into her mouth.
"But you know how it is. Adult life is about living through these shitty days." Miku spoke as she dropped the cigarette on the ground and crushed it.
Sakura dabbed a little bit of cherry lipstick on her lips and cheeks and tossed her hair so it looked more fluffy. Miku tightened her buns and quickly put on some lipstick.
"Sakura?"
She hesitated as she heard a familiar calling.
Li stood beside the cafe, squinting his eyes, trying to see her better in the dark.
"The manager told me you're here." He explained.
"Okay... then... I'll... get back to work." Miku walked off leaving Sakura alone to handle this.'Its about living through these shitty days', she reminded herself.
"Tell me... " She spoke softly.
Li went upto Sakura and stood beside her looking at the street before them.
"Things didn't end properly the other day... There was a misunderstanding... I was sure you'd not want to meet up after that... so I came here to apologise."
"What do you want?" Sakura asked coldly.
Li could get the whiff of icy burning mint that came from her breath. He raised an eyebrow in doubt.
"You smoke?" He asked.
Sakura quickly clasped her lips shut and looked down at her feet. Li took a box from his pocket, ruffled out one, lit it and offered her a draw.
"Its not mint, but we can share." Li sighed.
Sakura slowly took the bud from his fingers and drew in a little smoke. She coughed a little as she returned it to him.
"I'm not giving my cards to you." Sakura spoke as she looked blankly at the empty street before them.
"I know. I've come here for something else actually... I just wanted to apologise for being rude... And also... I just want to help you." Li assured her.
Sakura, puzzled, looked at him and didn't say anything.
"I know... Somethings aren't going great for you right now... and I want to help you out..."
Sakura stared at the ground beneath her
which was starting to look as if it was a dark void. Hot tears started welling in her eyes.
"I could help you in any way possible. I could help you get out of this place. You don't have to do this job. I can talk to managers who can connect you with some important hospitality agents... And in return you can help me..." He craftily chose his words.
Sakura could hear the sounds of the empty bird cages in her room. She could hear the steel rims ringing against one another.
"Just give it a thought Sakura, afterall, we are friends, right? We can help each other out."
Sakura gave him a cold stare with her glistening eyes. Li stammered seeing her, and questioned if he should have pushed the negotiation to this extent.
The person in front of him was not Sakura at all. Who was she?
In her glaring eyes he could see tears as brittle as ice. It was as if she was standing with an arrow pulled out of an icy bow and was holding it, moments before she would pierce his chest.
"Go home." She said, with a cold tone. The mint in her breath almost froze the words that came out of her lips. She turned away from him and walked to the cafe.
"What happened to you?"
Li looked down to his hand holding the dying cigarette. The rim of the bud was lined with a flicker of light.
"Did I do this to you?"
*Author's Note*
I was extremely sceptical about mentioning about smoking in this chapter. I absolutely don't support it, but I really wanted to show Sakura's submission to the darker aspects of adult life. (along with the fantasy parts which are now subtle)
But, let me know if you think the story is getting too dark. 😅😅😅