"Um, do you like fried rice?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
I considered her question for a moment before responding. "I suppose I don't have anything against it."
Her eyes flickered with interest before quickly returning to her demeanor. "I see..."
I could sense that she wanted to say something more, but didn't know how to continue. As for myself, I preferred to stay silent, indulging in the soothing music that filled the atmosphere around us.
As we waited in silence, the ambiance of the cafe filled my senses - the clinking of utensils, the aroma of sizzling dishes, and the gentle hum of soft music in the background. Perhaps this is the perfect setting for some reading.
If only the library had a similar atmosphere with fresh air conditioning and calming music, it would be one of my favorite spots. However, I don't actually desire it that way.
Kinoshita seemed to be struggling to break the silence, her lips parting a few times, but no words escaped her. After a few minutes, our food arrived, and the waiter placed the two plates of fried rice before us on the plate that he was holding.
As he turned to leave, I requested a glass of water, and he nodded in response before walking away.
"Ah, I haven't ordered any drinks yet…"
I just hummed in response as I lifted the spoon in my hand, noticing its simple yet elegant design. The utensil had a sturdy weight to it, not too light nor too heavy, making it comfortable to hold. The edges were smooth and rounded, so it's gonna be easy to scoop the rice without leaving any grains behind.
Kinoshita picked up the menu, her thin fingers traced the embossed letters on the cardstock paper, as if trying to absorb every detail of it. I watched her for a moment, noticing the way her eyes squinted slightly as she read through the list of drinks.
Meanwhile, I dug into the fried rice, quickly devouring it. It was satisfying, but not particularly noteworthy. The rice grains had a good texture, and the dish was filling enough. I didn't really pay much attention to the spices, but I suppose they added a bit of flavor to the dish.
As I set the spoon down, I couldn't help but agree with my earlier thought that this cafe is okay, I guess. Maybe it's not as popular with the students because it's quieter and more peaceful here.
"Um…Mimo—sha?"
I realized that she meant Mimosa, a classic brunch cocktail made with champagne and orange juice, and sometimes other ingredients like triple sec or grenadine.
Its name may have originated from the yellow flowers of the mimosa plant, which bloom in winter and early spring, or from the Mimosa Hotel in Cannes, France, where it was first served in the 1920s.
The flavors of the fried rice remained consistent, it tastes exactly the same as before.
As I ate, Kinoshita began to flip through the menu again, her thin finger tracing over the descriptions of the various drinks again.
"W-Wait Mizuhara, I haven't even eaten yet!"
I paused for a moment, looking at Kinoshita as she protested, and then resumed eating until I swallowed the food. I placed my spoon back on the plate.
"Oh, um…If you're hungry, it's okay…" she said, as she lowered the menu paper down.
Truth be told, I wasn't particularly famished, but I didn't mind continuing to eat either. Kinoshita appeared indecisive, as she flipped through the pages of the menu, searching for something to order. After a minute or so, she finally made up her mind and called the waiter over.
"C-Can I have this Flat White?"
The waiter confirmed her order and walked away. Flat White, huh.
I watched as Kinoshita reached for the spoon, and then followed suit mechanically.
"I think we should eat now, the food is gonna be cold…" she said, breaking the silence.
"Sure."
We began to eat in silence, Kinoshita savored each bite. Her expression, body language, and other subtle cues indicated that she was thoroughly enjoying the meal. As for me, the flavors and textures failed to leave any lasting impression, and I simply ate to satiate my hunger.
While we were eating, Kinoshita's coffee finally arrived after what felt like five minutes.
Despite being a relatively simple drink, the preparation of the steamed milk and coffee seemed to have taken an unusually long time. I had almost already finished my food by then, so I watched as the waiter placed the cup delicately on the table and Kinoshita lifted it to take a sip of her Flat White.
Her reaction was subdued, neither showing an intense liking for it nor any hint of displeasure. As for me, I continued to eat my food in silence.
*
"I'm stuffed...the portion here is huge, even though I got the medium," Kinoshita commented as we stood up.
"Yeah."
We paid for our meals and headed towards the door, Kinoshita chattering about how her days. I just nodded along, not really sure what to say.
*
As we strolled through the schoolyard, Kinoshita continued, "Don't you think so?"
I nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I do."
She then turned to me, "Um, Mizuhara, you don't seem so interested..."
"My mind's just wandering."
We continued walking, we had been wandering for a while, and I wasn't sure where we were headed.
As we walked in silence, Kinoshita broke the silence. "Uh well...there isn't much open at this hour except for that cafe. Maybe we can catch up later?"
"Sure."
She seemed eager to set a date.
"Oh! Um, when are we gonna meet then?"
I shrugged lightly.
"It's up to you."
After a moment of hesitation, she suggested, "I guess… at the reception area at twelve o'clock?"
"I"m fine with that," I replied. "I'm gonna go back then."
Realizing the conversation was coming to an end, she nodded. "Oh, okay…"
"Goodbye," I said casually as I turned to my right and walked away.
"See you later…" she said softly, her voice trailing off as I left.
I reached into my pocket and retrieved my phone to check the time. It wasn't quite as early as before, but still relatively so. After returning my phone back to its place, I lifted my gaze to the front, taking in my surroundings.
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