"Wait. Can you repeat that again?" Renji gripped the phone hard and felt like smashing it to the floor. He was back at the hotel in one piece, reckoning Ichigo's face laughing at him. The phone started ringing as he enters the room, and shocked to find his friend wasn't there to greet him. Dread and worry, panic crossed his face, and finally sighed in relief hearing Ichigo's voice on the line, saying he's fine. However, when Ichigo told him there's an emergency going on back home, and didn't even book a flight to meet him, Renji began to explode.
"Sonofabitch!"
"I knew you'd say that."
"I'm going to kill you!"
"Oh and that too."
"Gah – what do you want now, a cookie!"
Ichigo tries to butt-in humor, as he always does. "No, thank you, but how about an iPod, you borrowed mine, remember?"
"Can't believe this... I can't believe this..." Renji shook his head; hand flew into the air, half-amused, half-eager to punch something or someone, especially someone, as long as there's a face! They'd planned this vacation for months. Actually, there were four of them, but Shuuehei and Ikkaku backed out; R&R was delayed for another three weeks. Choosing Bangkok, Manila and Dubai, Ichigo blurted out ooh let's try Europe - Paris! Besides, Ichigo claimed, he'd been in France before, thrice, and learned few tricks while exploring the place, that's why Renji, reluctant at first, agrees with him. So yeah, okay, Paris it is.
But right now; fuck that. All he wants is to skin his friend alive.
"This is a joke, right?" Renji said, barely a whisper, or more like talking to himself. "A joke, a stupid old joke. Please, please, tell me it's a joke. Tell me it's a joke!"
"Yeaaahuumh... no. No, I don't think so, sorry," Ichigo said, sniggering as if he won an evil deed.
"You... you self-centered lying... how can I be so... how can you... you... you tricked me!"
"Did not! I just, well, didn't tell you earlier, that is."
"Argh!"
"Aw. Calm down! I promise I'll be there in a week. Jesus."
"Wha – A week!" Renji's brows reach his hairline. "A week? Seven days? I only have ten days, do you have a slightest idea where I am? Calm down? Calm down! I'm half world away, how am I supposed to calm down, you asshole!"
"Sorry, dude, really, it's an emergency..."
"You got your girlfriend pregnant, and that's an emergency? Did it occur to you by living with her for two years one day she'll be knocked out! You're a doctor for godsake, how could you'd not known! Well unless you're stupid and had the habit of aggravating me, what do I expect? But you know what pisses me off, really, the real reason why I want to murder you right here right now, is the fact that you already knew she's late long before I left, and you didn't even tell me!"
"I just did, didn't I? Two minutes ago!"
"Oh I'm sorry, did I ruin your fucking plan!"
"Renji, I'm warning you..."
"Oh no, no, no, don't you dare use that on me!"
"And don't you say such things to Orihime!"
"This isn't about her, this is about you! I like Orihime, it is you who's the dickwad here. What do I suppose to do now?"
"Oh come on, Renji, you're a grown up man, you know what to do."
"Fuck you!"
Ichigo burst out laughing. "See? You speak French now. You don't need me to babysit you."
Renji gritted his teeth. "Kurosaki, in a situation like this, don't try to be funny."
"Sorry, can't help it."
There was a long pause. Then Renji heard a long sigh after that.
"I'm really sorry, Renj... really, I am. I can't leave her, you know... not like this." Pause. "Sounds like I'm breaking up with you, eh?"
Renji narrowed his eyes towards the lamp. "It's all a joke to you, isn't it?"
"Okay, I'm really sorry. I didn't tell you because you'll be upset. Remember the last time you've been pissed? You beat the shit out of somebody when we were kids. Seven stitches, bleeding nose and a broken finger, remember that? I do. Clearly. Because that somebody was me. I'm really, really, really sorry, Renji, please don't get mad at me, please."
Too much for one day, Renji thought. Rain, wrestling and shit...
One psycho and his expensive coffee...
This.
"Fine," he sighed, nothing else he can do, anyway. "I'm sorry too, man. I have a shitty day – don't ask. And sorry if I accused you of being a self-centered son of a bitch, a lying bastard, and dickwad, and..."
"Okay, okay, I get it, I get it."
Another sigh. "I'm bored."
"Don't worry. I'll make it up with you as soon as I get there, I swear and pronto."
"Now you sound like a perv."
"Damn proud of it thank you very much. Oh and hey, you're gonna be a godfather. Cool, huh?"
Renji shifted the phone to his left ear and sat on the couch. "Do I have a choice?"
"Ha ha very funny."
"You're gonna be a dad, imagine that."
"Asshole."
Renji felt himself smiling. "Well what can I say? Congratulations, man. Proud of you."
"Thanks. So... is this mean you're not mad at me anymore?"
"Don't push it. I still wanted to kill you."
There's a loud noise from the background, followed by a high pitched squeal.
"What the hell was that?"
"My future wife raiding the fridge... again," Ichigo groans. "She eats everything these days. Last night she cooked spaghetti with something..."
"Something?"
"Trust me you don't want to know. She turned me into a guinea pig, forced me to eat her leftovers. I love her man, but I hate her cooking. To get the man's heart is through his stomach – who the fuck invented that, anyway? Ah shit! No, no, no, babe, not that one! Yes, babe, that one's for the cat. The shelves – no, the other one. Oh God, Renji, help me."
"Ah, payback's a bitch, eh?" Renji said. He could hear Orihime's arguing only God knows what in her hands to Ichigo. "Give her my thanks, will yah."
"Asshole – oh not you, honey. Yeah, yeah, be there in a sec. I gotta go, man. She's freakin' out. See you in a week, okay?"
"Yeah. Take care, man."
"You too."
"Bye."
Renji switch off the phone and toss it away. He dropped his long body to the bed and fixed his gaze to the ceiling. "Now what?" he mumbled.
Paris, lovely place – no, scratch that, the most beautiful place he has ever been! But the only thing that ruins it was the fact he'll be stuck inside the four corners of this room for a week, waiting until his friend shows up. Hiring a tour guide is damn expensive, too, so no-no for that. Besides, he's alone and he knew he'll get bored by looking at the museums and one Eifel Tower.
Shit. Skip the Eifel part; he's afraid of heights!
Where to go, where to go...
"Wait a minute," Renji grinned and glanced at the window and watched the blue sky. "I think I'll go back to reading."
****
It was a bright sunny day when Byakuya opened the bookstore. He was arranging the books alphabetically when the door chimed. He turned to greet the customer - and then frowned as he saw a familiar face stood by the door. "You again!"
Renji smiled at him. "Good morning to you, too."
"You had a nerve coming here after what you did last time..." he turned away and goes back arranging the shelves, "what do you want?"
"I'm here to buy a book..."
"Really. This must be a thrilling day for you."
"... and to apologize."
Byakuya's hand froze.
"Um... not exactly," Renji said. "The book, I mean. Not that I'm not interested..." he added. He shifted a little, hand massaging the back of his neck, and suddenly an idea popped inside his head. "I was wondering if you saw my uh… jacket."
"What?"
"I think I left here yesterday..." he panned his eyes, then chinned towards the counter "... I think I left it back there."
"There's nothing back there," Byakuya said.
"You sure? Upstairs, then?"
"What exactly are you doing?"
"Yeah," Renji nodded to himself, "I think I did."
Byakuya dropped the five books he's been holding for the last five minutes, hitting the table with a loud thud. "There's nothing upstairs!" he snapped. Then he pinched the bridge of his nose and breathe deeply. "Look," he said, toning down his voice, "I want to start my day in silence and not with a migraine, and as for your jacket, I do not recall you wearing any yester..." Paused. He heard a soft snort, and when he glanced back, he saw Renji's shoulder is uncontrollably shaking. Byakuya's face turned red.
"Why am I wasting time talking to someone like you? Leave me alone!"
"Hey, I didn't mean... Hey! Wait!" Renji followed the storeowner. "Why so sensitive? It was a joke."
"I am a busy man. I don't fancy jokes. If you have no business here, you may leave."
Renji bit his lower lip and nodded contemplately. "Okay." He stepped back and walked towards the table, near the show window, and sat. "Well then, as a customer, I like some coffee, please."
Byakuya felt his jaw drop. What kind of a man who cannot grasp the simplest words such as "no" or "go away"?
Summoning his patience back, he then moves to the counter stiffly. There are varieties of coffee mixtures at the counter, and one of them was his favorite. Byakuya beamed his lips as his decisions made. Coffee, then? Then let's try this one.
He schooled himself and walked across the room. He placed a small cup and saucer soundly on the table and gave Renji the taste of his own parody.
Renji smiled back. He didn't mind annoying the man, though, and obviously, the idea was stupid. The man was uptight, if not arrogant, dangerous.
And yet there's something about the storeowner's serene face and gray eyes triggered Renji to come back, instead of mining the real reason why he was here in the first place. Apparently, he has no intention to piss the man by the use of his grin alone. He concluded last night that the only person he needed was a man with a built-in GPS. This man exactly. But why? Or better yet, why him? Renji could summon an excuse but right now, as he recalls the scent, the mystery behind those gray orbs, he had no fucking idea what that is.
As he was waiting for Byakuya to lift the pot away from the cup, Renji's eyes ran along on the storeowner's candle-like fingers, up at the back of the owner's hand. Renji couldn't make another word for beautiful, but he was sure how to describe one if he sees one. Doing all the chores around, how did he do it? Perhaps it's in his genes, Renji noted to himself.
Byakuya moved away abruptly; felt Abarai's gaze prickled his skin. He rolled down his sleeves and hastily walked away - but not before Renji saw a blackened bruise on Byakuya's left forearm.
Playing he didn't see a thing, ignored the second voice inside his head spiking a question, Renji took the magazine in front of him and sipped his coffee.
"Cuban," he then said, trying to make a conversation. "The coffee, was it Cuban?"
Byakuya's plan is to ignore Renji fully, but, ah yes, the moment finally favored him. He faced the redhead and pulled his lips into a curve.
"Luwak," Byakuya replied as casually as he can be, as if he's a mentor teaching the dumbest student he ever had. And Renji wasn't even trying to be a smart-ass, either; he didn't know much about coffee, anyway. He took another sip and nodded.
"Never heard of it. No fan of coffee, but this one's good." He glanced at the board. "Is it on the menu?"
"No."
"Where did you get it? Black market?"
Byakuya ignored the stupid grin. "You really want to know?" He waited for a nod so he can proceed, took a quick glimpse at the near empty cup, then back to Renji.
"Luwak is a local name for palm civet in Indonesia," he said. "A weasel. The little climbing, crawling, hunting, frugivorous creatures that eat raw berries, pulpy fruits and the likes. For instance," Byakuya glanced at the cup again, "coffee berries. Perhaps insects and small animals too, who knows," he shrugged. "Oh and listen, this is the good part. Luwak has this special ability to ferment coffee berries inside their digestive system, and after a few days of cycle, the locals gathered the same beans the potent beast have consumed... by picking it on the ground." He saw Renji's eyes slowly began to wide, cup halfway to his mouth. Byakuya sneered at him. "You want me to continue?"
Renji's face starts to contort, as if he discovered something and cursed for letting it injected his brain.
"You... you mean... this... came from..."
Byakuya nodded. "If you want to define it that way, but trust me, people go gaga over the... whatever it was in your mind. Six hundred per pound. Amazing Mother Nature was, hm?"
He stepped back a little as he took the 'not emptied' cup from Renji's hand. "Is there anything else you need..." victorious and still wanted to banter, "Monsieur?"
Renji wave a hand vaguely. "No thanks."
"Loo's over there, mops over there..." Byakuya pointed left to right. Walking away, lips curving into a smile, he said, "If you sense an urgency to puke, run as fast as you can. If not, cleaning would do... and some disinfectant."
"Jerk." Renji glared on Byakuya's back and snatched the GQ mag.
Few minutes later, a tall guy with spiky hair with an eye patch suddenly appeared by the door. He was spooky, Renji noted, and it seemed to him that this man didn't come here for books, or Byakuya's weird mixture of coffee, either. They stared at each other, studying each other's movement. When all is enough, Renji was the one who spoke first.
Well, trying to. Using the language is like a tongue-tied from hell, so instead, without thinking, he blurted, "Got a problem, dude..." and shit, it sounded more like "punch me, I'm open" in a regular basis rather than a polite one. Hope the guy doesn't understand English.
Because yeah, from the size of the man, about five inches taller than him, plus the muscle, Renji knew he'll end up creamed anytime. However, the man did nothing. He'd just paraded himself, sneered, and sat on one of leather couches, opposite to Renji.
Meanwhile Byakuya, behind on one of the shelves, heard Renji's voice and turned. He frowned at the tall figure sitting next to the window. Renji saw Byakuya's jaw stiffened, reaching the temple, but the storeowner acted as if the newcomer was no importance, like a bystander who'd lost his way to the Carnival.
Magazine below his nose, covering half of his face, Renji keeps on glimpsing at the two, left and right, like watching a game of ping-pong, and goes back to his reading but realized it made no sense anymore – especially if he can't fucking understand what the hell the magazine says. He was about to toss it away when Byakuya started to speak.
"Neden buradasın."
Renji blinked. Nope. Definitely not French.
The man smirked, jerking his head towards the redhead, and spoke to Byakuya with the same language. "Been busy these days, eh? New boyfriend?"
"He's a friend," Byakuya answered in a way Renji could understand. It was Renji's own native tongue, and Renji noticed the contour, the dictum was... perfect. Perhaps for not making him look like an idiot and...
Wait. Renji choke a little. Fuck the friend-thing. The idea about what the giant man said, plus the sneer, plus the inclination of the head, followed by Byakuya's reply, seems... well... Renji's getting it. If one must know what the hell is going on, body language would do the trick.
The giant man looked at Renji, hard and long, and then glanced back at Byakuya. "Keeping another one, eh? Why, so you can fuck up again?"
"Who and why it's none of your concern," Byakuya again shifts back to his previous tongue, the first one. "We have nothing to talk about. I doubt you'd say the exact same thing as Yoruichi the other day. Leave."
Renji raised a brow. He spoke what, four languages? Jerk and a genius... and I thought I'm the only one, Renji said to himself.
The absurd conveyance lasted for few more minutes, until Renji begins to feel he's the only Earthling here. Watching the two was like shifting different channels from one defunct cable, and that's it, he had to leave.
"Stay where you are!" Byakuya shouted as he saw the redhead's own version of Great Escape, while Renji, rooted to the ground, yelped from the storeowner's sharp voice, startled but holds the impulse to punch the bastard in the face.
"The hell is that for? Jesus."
"Let the fucking kid go, Byakuya, or I'll make a trophy out of him."
"Oh so you habla Ingles now? Fuck man, I've been mapping the entire planet for the last ten minutes, and all of a sudden you can speak English?" Whoa, wait a minute... Renji snapped his head to the storeowner and grinned. Oh.
Byakuya ignored Renji's discovery; he's too busy yelling the giant man. "Let me explain this to you as gently and succinctly as I can. I am what I am and you bastards can do nothing about it. Now get the fuck out of my store so I can go on with my life!"
Oh now he's showing off, thought Renji. It would be cool though if Byakuya said it in plain English.
"I'm warning you, dude, he's got a gun," Renji commented, and laughed by adding, "and a psycho, too. Believe me, he clopped me the other day for walking to his kitchen..."
"Shut up, Abarai! Just... shut up!"
"Hey I'm just..." Sneering, Renji glanced back at Byakuya, froze when he saw the storeowner is... panting. "Shit, are you okay?"
Then he turned to the giant man and blinked. A while ago, when the giant man stepped inside the premises of the store, he was surrounded by a halo of hate. Now, though only one eye shows, Renji can see the air of hatred fades, the expression changed.
A loud thud followed by a grunt caught his reverie, and when he looked back he saw Byakuya leaning against the side of the magazine shelf, one trembling hand to the chest, pale and sweating all over, mouth agape and breathing furiously.
Without a second a due, he rushed towards Byakuya's side, stopped halfway when the storeowner gave him a warning look.
The giant man saw the same thing and shook his head. He knew Byakuya since they were kids. The pompous brat had the ability to push everyone away, hating everyone who shows him pity, yet the truth, they only wanted to save him from his own insanity.
Too bad he had enough. His patience drifted since Byakuya left home. He doesn't consider him as a friend now but... he do care. He calls it "brothers gone idiocy" with "go against each other" policies.
He stood up, charged across the room, grabbed Byakuya's arm and yanked the smaller man close. "How long do we have to do this!" The anger again. "Not that I'm complaining but really, I'm tired and bored of your crap. Enough with the nonsense. You're coming with me. NOW!"
Byakuya pulled away, and, with his remaining strength, he fisted his hand and threw a punch, hitting the giant man to the jaw. It was not that strong, but it was enough to tell him to back away.
"How dare you lay your filthy hands on me," Byakuya snapped. "No one tells me what to do! This is my life now! Can't you understand that! I hate you! I hate every one of you. Leave me alone!"
"Like fuck I will!"
"Hey!" Renji moved; that was his cue. No need for a fucking language to tell him so. He wasn't plying or trying to be a hero, but seeing Byakuya like that even a seven year-old can tell the difference there is something wrong with the man, so he crossed his body between the two, pushing Byakuya aside, while the remaining rational part of Renji's brain tells him to kick himself because he knew the giant man can whip his ass in a heartbeat.
"I don't know what the hell is going on but I think you better leave," Renji said. Yeah, he had no choice, and yeah, this was stupid. He looked at Byakuya over his shoulder, "I know it's not my business but you have to calm down. Heads starts popping on different direction from the window. We're attracting too much attention, you know."
The giant man stared both of them for a moment. Stepping back, he plastered his one eye on Byakuya, teeth grinding, he said, "I'll be back. Better convince me to leave you alone, then, but if you fail, I swear, I will not hesitate to put you in a sack and drag you out of the store, right after I ripped his fucking head off! Do we have an understanding... Sir?"
Byakuya just stared back, no comment. Or maybe he just can't breathe.
"Good. Now. You." He turned to Renji and sneered. "You have balls, kid. I like that, otherwise you'd end up with a broken neck if I don't. But let me give you some piece of advice. Don't you ever do that again. Mind your own shit. Because I'm telling you, I'm a very, very detailed man when it comes to body parts, especially if I'm annoyed. Got that?"
He walked towards the door, opens it, let himself bath under the sun for a while, while scaring everyone away.
"Yeah... and I know Taekwondo, you... you creepo!" Renji shouted, but the man was already gone. He grabbed Byakuya's shoulder and led the storeowner to the chair, ignoring the slight objection from the man leaning against his chest. "Stop moving, damn it!"
"Get away from me."
"Fine, just stay there!"
Renji moved abruptly, panning his eyes, looking for something, and then found one. He grabbed the glass and the pitcher of water, panned his eyes again and snatched the sugar from the counter, then ran back to Byakuya. "Here. Drink this."
Byakuya snapped his eyes up. "Wha... what the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Just take it!"
Byakuya did so, taking the mixture from Renji's hands. A minute later, his palpitation subsides.
Tilting his head, Reji asked, "Feeling better now?"
Byakuya nodded slowly, but his eyes averting somewhere but Renji.
"Good. Now..." Renji stood up and held up his hand. "Come."
"Excuse me?"
"You're in no condition to run the store today. Come."
"I can take care of myself."
"Yeah. Right. Come."
"Touch me and I'll kill you."
Renji raised a brow. "You're welcome. Now give me your hand."
****
"Byakuya blinked few times and saw blur. He closed his eyes again, by the time he opens it again it was already dark outside.
Though still sleepy, he pushed his body up. The clock from the nightstand says seven. He glanced around, looking for the redhead; gone – because there was a note sticking on the lamp that says: 'Done cleaning. Shop closed. Mme. Bevier says hello. Didn't wake you. Can't stay either, you snore. Renji.'
Byakuya snatched the note and read it again, and then toss it away. "I did not!"
He felt hungry and went to the kitchen. He opens the fridge. He stopped. He closed the door. He saw another note under the magnet: 'I cook while you sleep. Dinner's served... over there.'
Byakuya followed the pointing arrow that leads him to the dining table. There's another note beside the gourmet vegetables: 'I lied. I ordered takeout. Enjoy. Renji.' Byakuya shook his head. "Bastard."
After dinner, he went downstairs to check the store. All was in place, the books, the mugs, and snorted when he saw a note sticking on the Luwak container: 'Marked'.
He glanced around. Saw another yellow sticker on the cup. Byakuya realized it was the one Renji had used that morning.
No words this time, only a nine-digit number and a smiley face.
****
Renji was glancing at his phone for every five minutes. He looked at his watch. Ten. He sighed.
Thirty minutes later, while watching TV, cursing because he couldn't understand the hell the driver of the speeding car was saying, his phone started ringing. All the excitement turns scary shit when Renji grabbed his phone. What will he say? Why would Byakuya call? Idiot, of course he'll call. You gave him the number, Renji said to himself.
"He...hello?"
"Renji Abarai?"
Renji froze. A female. "Who is this?"
The person on the other side hung up.
"The fuck..." Renji hissed. He pulled the phone away and pressed the 'received call': No number. "The fuck!"
Nobody knew his personal number. Except for Ichigo. Was it a prank? Why would Ichigo do that? He had to make sure. He pressed the quick dial.
"Whah?" Ichigo's slurry voice answered after few rings. "Shit, man, do you know what time it is?"
"Past ten?"
"It's five in the morning, asshole."
"Oh."
"Go back to sleep, babe. It's Renji," Ichigo said to Orihime. Then his voice became weary, "Shit, man, did something happen, man? Where are you? Are you alright? Something wrong? Are you in jail? Tell me!"
Renji sighed. "Nothing happened. I'm in my room. I'm fine. Nothing's wrong. Why would I be in jail? Did you call?"
"What?"
Renji slumped back to the chair. "Guess not."
"Renji, are you alright?"
"Yeah I'm okay," he snorted softly, "sorry for calling you at this hour. Go back to sleep, man."
"Okay." Ichigo wasn't convinced. "See you in a week?"
"Okay. Bye."
Renji turned the phone and grabbed the remote, wondering who the mystery caller was. Two hours later, he fell asleep.
TBC / PREVIOUS
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