When Takina opened her eyes again…it was dark. She could see the ceiling, though, and it was a ceiling she was used to seeing. Where was she? She tried to remember, but she couldn’t, her brain feeling foggy, maybe because she’d only just woken up. She looked around the room for clues.
“It looks like…a Japanese-style room?”
It was the room at the back of Café LycoReco. The sun was shining in through a gap in the curtains… It was probably morning.
Takina was still feeling spacey when she heard a woman screaming. But it didn’t come from anyone around her. When she reflectively turned toward the sound, Takina saw it came from a tablet, propped up on the floor. On the screen, a blood-stained woman was running away from a creepy man with a chainsaw.
Ah, that’s why…
Her memories were still hazy, but Takina had the sense of pieces falling into place. She felt as if she’d woken up from a frustrating dream, but she couldn’t remember it anymore.
The previous day, Chisato had her revenge, forcing her to lie down in the Japanese room at the back of the café when Takina started coughing and having an elevated temperature. They got briefly called into action at night, but after that, Chisato forced Takina to watch movies with her. Takina could vaguely remember Chisato going on and on about those movies.
“And where’s Chisato…?”
Takina became aware of touching something warm with her hand, which was extended above her head. She craned her neck to look behind her…and saw a sleeping Chisato.
They must have spread out another mattress on the floor next to Takina’s futon to watch movies together, and they fell asleep like that, with their heads toward each other. Chisato’s hand was in Takina’s, perhaps by coincidence. In the dream, they were holding hands, too…
The dream? What was it about, again? Takina couldn’t remember.
She slid her hand from under Chisato’s and sat up on the futon. She’d been sweating a lot in her sleep, and she woke up thirsty. Looking around her, she saw an empty sports drink bottle and an unopened can of Gokigen brand juice drink. She reached for the can, opened it, and drank. It was a carbonated beverage with lactic acid. At room temperature, it tasted shockingly sweet…
“Oh, you’re awake?” Mizuki asked, coming into the room. Perhaps she’d heard Takina stirring. She was dressed in her waitress uniform, so it must have been very late morning, close to their opening time.
“Argh, look at this mess! Good grief… So much for her staying to look after you. She just wanted to have fun, as usual!” Mizuki complained about Chisato.
Takina looked at her friend. Chisato was half-smiling in her sleep. She must have been having a good dream.
“Um, I’m sorry I took up the room for the whole night.”
“Oh, don’t mention it. Stay in bed until you get better.”
“I might have sweat out the bug. I feel fine now.”
“You can’t be too careful with these things… Here, this is for you. Canned peaches.”
The canned peaches she’d given Chisato were still in the room somewhere…but Takina docilely accepted the gift, thanking Mizuki.
“Our regulars also brought you a pile of gifts. I’ll bring them later.”