I stayed alone behind the bar with a very strange feeling.
On one hand, I was happy. Truly happy. The weather was beautiful. No one bothered me all day. Ed and I even seemed a little closer now. From that side, everything inside felt warm, lighter, almost peaceful.
On the other hand, my talk with Kazuo made me realize I'd forgotten one important thing. My life was still a complete mess. That vague threat still hung over us. At any moment, this bright world that made me so happy today could vanish, wiped out by the will of some unknown bastards.
I suddenly remembered what Kazuo said that I had to decide what kind of life I wanted.
Standing there in that weirdly pleasant state, I thought that maybe I wanted to be happy and… Free.
Yet what could I even do for that? The answer was nothing. I didn't know who those people were, the ones threatening us. I had no idea how to prepare, or even what to prepare for.
So the only thing left was to enjoy the moment. To enjoy that bright autumn day and the feeling that things are gradually improving between us.
It was strange to think of Ed and me as us.
I wondered what he thought about all of it.
Then the bell rang… and there he was, standing in the doorway wearing one of his flawless suits.
I grinned under my mask like an idiot, being pretty sure anyone could tell how happy I was. There was no hiding it.
"Oh wow," I blurted out before I could stop myself. "Is that my savior walking in? I'm so glad! Good evening! Welcome!"
Kazuo, passing by with a tray, snorted. "Savior? Seriously?" He shot him a teasing look. "That's adorable. Well then, hello there, savior."
Kazuo's strange tone suddenly made me realize how bold I sounded today. And I'd been loud. Way too loud.
The few customers sitting in the bar had definitely heard me. There weren't enough people around for my excitement to disappear into the noise of a crowd.
My face burned at the realization, though that had become a familiar state for me.
Ed, meanwhile, looked entirely unbothered. He smiled a little, walked in calmly, took a seat at the bar, and looked up at me.
"So," he said easily, "how much longer are you planning on working?"
I froze. "Uh—" I glanced at Kazuo. "Probably… another thirty minutes?"
Kazuo waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, please. Go already. You just got better. I'll close up."
"You sure?" I asked nervously, even though I desperately hoped he was.
"Yeah, yeah," he said. "Get out of here."
I looked back at Ed. "I'll be right back," I said, already moving.
I rushed to the back, changed quickly, pulled on my hoodie, looped a disposable mask over my face, and slipped back into the main room. A minute later, we were outside, the evening air cool against my skin.
When we approached the car, he opened the passenger door.
"Get in," he said.
I climbed into the front seat and waited while he circled the car. He slid into the driver's seat beside me. The door shut, cutting off the sounds of the street. For a moment, it was just the quiet hum of the engine and the familiar feeling of being alone with him again.
We usually drove in silence, but tonight it was impossible to keep everything inside, as if I didn't say something right now, it would spill out on its own.
"Thank you," I blurted out.
"For what?" he asked calmly. "For driving you home?"
"No. I mean… yes, that too, of course, but…" I swallowed. "Thank you for coming that night. And for taking care of me."
The heat rushed to my face immediately. God, again?
He shot me a quick look, then returned his eyes to the road. "You're welcome. I'm glad you recovered quickly. That's good."
"Yeah," I murmured. "I…" I hesitated, then forced myself forward. "Don't you… I mean, isn't there anything you want to ask me?"
He was quiet for a moment. Then, "About what, exactly?"
"You know," I said, words tumbling over each other. "Maybe you're curious why I… well… why I was hiding it from you."
The stream of my thoughts came out as incoherent mumbling, yet I hoped he understood what I meant.
"I don't think it would've been appropriate to ask," he said finally. "If you hid it, then you had your reasons. Also, I like learning new things about you, so I don't think you should worry about it."
"I just thought," I said quietly, "that maybe I should've told you myself."
"Well," he replied, thoughtful, "I suppose I would've liked to hear it from you. But still… does it really matter now?"
"I guess not," I admitted. "Probably not... I'm really glad you came. And that you didn't turn away when you found out who I actually am."
The car slowed as we reached my place. He parked carefully, then turned slightly toward me.
"Well," he said with a faint smile, "there aren't many secrets about you left. I believe I know quite a lot. Even so… you remain something of a mystery to me."
Then his gaze flicked to my mask.
"There is one thing I'm curious about," he said. "Why do you continue to wear it?"
My face still burned, and I had no idea how to stop it. My heart pounded so hard I could swear he could hear it.
"I… I…" I couldn't find a single word to form a clear answer.
He didn't look away and watched me with quiet focus. Then slowly, carefully, he slipped his fingers beneath the elastic and eased it off one of my ears. The mask hung uselessly from the other side.
Oh…
Oh no!
My face burned fiercely.
He was moving closer. With every second, the distance shrank. Closer. Closer.
And he…
Was he looking at my lips?
No. That couldn't be right. He probably just wanted a better look at me.
Probably…
The car was dark. What was there to see anyway?
I managed to stay still as the space between us filled with something dangerous.
Now his face was so close I could feel his breath against my skin.
There was nowhere to retreat.
His fingers slid gently from my ear down along my neck. He smiled and leaned in, brushing his nose against mine, slow and teasing, the tip of it tracing over mine.
It tickled.
I flinched, letting out a quiet, breathless laugh.
He held my gaze. I wanted to look away, but couldn't. Goosebumps ran in waves down my spine, across my arms, over my face. Anticipation twisted together with fear and with something electric.
He closed the distance maddeningly slowly. Our noses touched again, and then, with one decisive motion, he drew my face to his.
Our lips met.
My first kiss…
Everything inside me went still. I forgot how air worked. I was certain I was going to pass out from lack of oxygen, right there in his car. And as the thought formed, he pulled back, barely an inch, playfully brushing his nose against mine again.
"It's fine. Breathe," he murmured. "Through your nose."
He leaned a little closer to me, and behind my back I heard the click of my seatbelt.
Then he pulled away, settled back into the driver's seat, and smiled. "Good night, Luka."
With completely uncooperative hands, I grabbed the handle and nodded, unable to meet his eyes.
I stepped out of the car. My whole body trembled while I watched the headlights fade into the distance.
What the hell had just happened?