As the barista prepared the two coffees for Itoshi, he sank into one of the nearby seats. The soft chime of the bell above the door rang out, followed by a gust of cold air as a woman stepped inside. She approached the counter without hesitation.
"Espresso, please,"
She said.
Itoshi's gaze remained fixed on the cold, windy night outside, the windows fogged at the edges. But his ears didn't miss a beat.
"Espresso, huh? Tough choice. Kinda bold for someone with such a small frame,"
He mused silently.
"Got it, ma'am"
The barista replied.
The woman's footsteps echoed softly through the quiet café, heels clicking against the wooden floor.
Itoshi's eyes remained locked on the street outside, following the sway of bare trees in the wind, streetlights casting long, flickering shadows on the pavement.
So focused was he on the drifting silence of the world beyond the glass that he didn't notice her sit down—at his table.
The moment he finally looked up, his breath caught in his throat.
Piercing orange eyes stared back at him—calm, unblinking, almost too steady.
He jolted back instinctively, the legs of his chair scraping against the floor.
"What in the world...?"
he muttered, eyes narrowing.
She didn't flinch. Didn't even blink. Just sipped calmly from the espresso the barista had just placed in front of her.
"Ehh... so that's how the defense members react to seeing a woman?"
She said, voice light, almost amused.
"Calm down. I ain't gonna do anything."
Her tone was so casual, it clashed with the sharpness of her stare—like someone who was far too comfortable walking into dangerous rooms.
Itoshi blinked, still slightly rattled.
"How do you know I'm with defense?" he asked, voice low.
"Well, after seeing those boys jack all your stuff the moment you stepped outta that car,"
She said with a shrug, "Pretty much anyone could tell."
She leaned back in her seat, clearly enjoying herself.
"Ah, I see..."
Itoshi said, his expression settling into something unreadable.
"Is there anything I can do for you?"
For a moment, the woman said nothing. She tilted her head slightly, those vivid orange eyes studying him like a puzzle.
"Hoh?"
She mused internally.
"He's quick to trusting, isn't he?"
Her lips curved into a faint smirk.
"That depends,"
She said slowly, dragging a finger along the rim of her cup.
"You're offering because you're kind... or because you're curious?"
Itoshi didn't answer right away. He wasn't sure himself.
Itoshi felt heat rise to his cheeks. He shifted in his seat, trying—failing—to maintain composure.
"I mean... her body..."
His thoughts spiraled for a second too long before snapping back to reality.
His eyes suddenly widened.
"Hey—! Where did you get that coffee?!"
The woman paused mid-sip, then slowly set the cup down with a faint clink.
She raised an eyebrow, that smirk returning.
"What, this?"
She said, tapping the side of the cup.
"Barista gave it to me, same as you."
Itoshi glanced over at the counter—only one cup remained. He had ordered two.
His gaze narrowed.
"You took mine."
"Mmhm,"
She replied with a nod, completely unbothered.
"And now I'm waiting to see what else you'll let me take."
"But... didn't you order an espresso?"
Itoshi asked, brow furrowed.
The woman froze.
Her eyes darted to the cup in her hand, then to the one still on the counter.
"...W-Well... that's... r-right"
She stammered, clearly caught off guard.
A long pause stretched between them as she stared at the drink like it had betrayed her.
"...Huh."
She blinked.
"I... I did order one."
Itoshi leaned back, arms crossed now, a faint smirk playing at the edge of his lips.
"So you did steal mine."
She clicked her tongue and looked away dramatically.
"Tch. It's not stealing if you forget it wasn't yours."
"How does that make sense... but not really?"
Itoshi muttered to himself, brows knitting in confusion.
But he quickly brushed the thought aside. His gaze hardened slightly as he leaned forward.
"Hey, lady... just what do you want?"
The woman swirled the espresso in her cup absentmindedly, her playful edge softening—but not disappearing.
She looked at him for a moment, her expression unreadable now.
"Straight to the point, huh?" she said quietly.
The woman suddenly dropped her cup—it clattered onto the table, spinning briefly before tipping over, empty.
She stood in one smooth motion.
Before Itoshi could react, she leaned in—far too close—and placed her pointer finger right on the center of his chest. Slowly, deliberately, she swirled it in a slow circle, her breath brushing his face.
"Well..."
She whispered, her lips curling into a devilish smirk,
"Nothing in particular. I'm just curious what strong men are really made of."
Itoshi stiffened, his face flushing a deep crimson. He instinctively leaned back, but she leaned with him, refusing to break eye contact.
His voice caught for a second before he managed a reply:
"T-That's... not a normal thing to be curious about..."
She gave a soft, amused laugh.
"Exactly."
Itoshi's heart raced, a mix of excitement and nervousness swirling inside him. He couldn't hold back the words that slipped out, soft but sincere.
"Your eyes... they're like the sunset."
The woman blinked, surprised for the first time. Then, a slow, almost tender smile spread across her lips.
"Sunset, huh?"
She murmured, her piercing orange eyes flickering with something unreadable—like flames caught in the dying light.
For a moment, the tension between them softened, replaced by a strange kind of warmth.
She tilted her head slightly, as if seeing him in a new light.
"You've got guts, Itoshi. I like that."
The woman slid back into her seat with an easy grace, settling in like she owned the place.
Itoshi's eyes snapped wide open.
"Wait—how the hell did you know my name?!"
The barista appeared at their table, setting a fresh cup of coffee down with a polite nod.
"Here's your coffee, Ms. Hoshi."
Itoshi's eyes narrowed as he glanced between the woman and the cup.
"Ah... what are you gonna do about that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
The woman looked away, cheeks flushing slightly as her gaze drifted out the window.
"I'll drink it, of course!"
She said quickly, a hint of defensiveness in her voice.
She lifted the cup with a small, almost shy smile—but her orange eyes still flickered with playful fire.
She took a cautious sip—and immediately started coughing, the bitter coffee hitting harder than she expected.
Itoshi smirked, shaking his head.
"Ah... guess she can't handle it after all."
The woman waved a hand dismissively, trying to hide her embarrassment.
"Shut up. It's just... stronger than I thought."
Her eyes sparkled with amusement despite the cough, and Itoshi found himself smiling too.
"Anyways! I never properly introduced myself, did I?"
The woman said, a playful grin tugging at her lips.
Itoshi chuckled, shaking his head.
"Just now you finally realized that?" he replied, raising an eyebrow.
She laughed softly, folding her hands on the table.
"My name is Hoshizaki Tomori, You've caught my interest, Itoshi-kun."
"Eh?.. Interest? How? ...and.. Why?.."
Itoshi asked, genuinely puzzled.
Hoshi muttered under her breath, barely audible,
"Just how dense is this man..."
Itoshi caught the tone but decided to roll with it.
"Well, nice to meet you, Tomori?"
He added, the question clear in his voice.
"You're brave—straight to using my first name, huh?"
Hoshi muttered, a hint of surprise in her voice.
Itoshi smirked, not missing a beat.
"I didn't know that was your first name. Add to that, you just used my first name too."
She blinked, caught off guard for a moment, then chuckled softly.
"Touche. Guess we're both breaking the rules."
"Um... just what do you really want?"
Itoshi asked again, his voice steady but cautious.
The atmosphere shifted instantly. The wind howled outside, swirling through the café like a sudden storm. Around Hoshi, the air seemed to ripple, carrying a faint heat.
A sinister smile crept across her lips.
"Hoh?..."
She murmured, eyes gleaming with disbelief and amusement.
"A flame user... in the Defense? No way."
With a slow, deliberate motion, her hood slipped off, revealing her striking hair—a cascade of three colors.
Pure white at the roots, fading into soft pink, which blossomed into a vivid bright blue at the tips.
Itoshi's breath caught. This wasn't just any woman.
"Not in a million years."
She muttered.
~~~To be Continued~~~