After The Divorce || Nanami Kento || JJK

The Cosplayer, The Bartender and The Funny-Looking Flower

Chapter 5

It was weird.

Divorce is such a strange thing.

Now that you were unmarried everyone seemed to sort of expect you to do something. Jump back into the dating pool and score a hottie better than your ex. Do a post-marriage 'glow-up' to show your ex that you're over them and are living at least two times better without them. Break down everytime theirs a sad song and give everyone a mouthfull to say.

Everyone expected you to do something. But the thing was, you weren't so sure you knew what to do with yourself. You lacked vision, a 'where' to go, a what to do, a how to get about even starting anything new. You had a vision before, marrying the man of your dreams, having a small family, and even a household dog. Growing old and taking care of the bakery for Gran. It was simple, but it was all you ever really wanted.

Now this dream had crumbled at its very foundation you were confused as to what to do.

Move away? Away from all the memories?
No, you could never leave everything behind. No matter how painful it was.

A young couple shuffled into the bakery, a man and a woman. You had taken a second glance because of a peculiar detail, their hair. The man, who you only saw from behind as he led the woman to a seat, had long flowing black hair. The woman, had her hair in little bundles as it flowed down her back. She seemed to be a cosplayer. A good one at that, she had painted jagged scars over her nose and neck. It seemed realistic, except the fact that the scars were as straight as a line and instead of being hidden it was being sported like a badge of honor. You couldn't tell what exactly she was cosplaying though, maybe some anime? Cosplaying anime characters was pretty popular nowadays.
They settled into table with three chairs even though you could only see just them and no one else making their way inside. Maybe they were waiting for someone else?

Notepad in hand you shuffled over to them. The bakery was a magnet for young people, especially younger women who liked to have small treats and sit by the windows, watching traffic. It was quite well known in the area.

"Hello! Welcome, what would you like to-" You froze as the man's face came into view, your speech faltering for a moment. "...order."

The man looked up at you, the shock on his face mirroring yours. He turned to the woman and they shared a quiet look. "I met her at the party I worked at a few days back... You had told me your name... Y/N right?"

You didn't remember whether or not you had introduced yourself in your drunken haze. Everything from that night was foggy. The only thing you could remember with a certainty is the taste that flowed down your throat, the love curse was seared deeply into your memory.

The woman looked at you, a strange innocent inquisitiveness in her eyes. It was a strange look to see on an adult. You had only ever seen such an expression on a child.

"This is my friend, Mahito," The man introduced, rubbing the scar against his forehead mischievously.

Mahito raised her arm in greeting.

Mahito? Why would a girl be called Mahito?

Mahito smiles and waves, "Hey."

....yup. Mahito definitely isn't a girl.

"Nice to meet you, Mahito." You smile, none of your thoughts betrayed. "Would you guys like to order something?"

The scarred man turns to you with a lopsided grin on his face. He was the epitome of friendliness and chirpiness. Yet somewhere deep in your soul you felt uncomfortable. It was an unnamable feeling and yet it clung to your skin like stray hair. You shove the feeling away as a stray thought entered your mind. You never got to know his name.
No, that's probably incorrect, seeing as he knew your name, and with the ease he was speaking with, maybe he had introduced himself. Maybe, in your drunken haze you had ignored what he had said when he introduced himself.

"Actually... I was hoping I'd see the old man that usually man's this place. Is he here?" The man with a scared face asked.

Your hand unconsciously reaches up to touch the necklace around your neck. "Gran isn't here right now. He just left."

Why were they looking for Gran? Gran was a hermit. He rarely left his home. The only reason he was out and about in the recent was because I had taken leave and he couldn't source staff on such short notice.

"Gran?" Mahito asked in confusion.

This confused you even further. They were asking for Gran and yet they didn't know what he was called.

The other man chuckles, "Not every one knows him by Mr. Zenin."

That took you for surprise. "Mr. Zenin". You had never known Gran as anything other than Gran. Somehow, upon hearing the words Mr Zenin, it struck a familiar chord within you. Though, if you were asked a moment prior, you wouldn't have been able to give a real name for Gran other than... well Gran.

"I could leave a message for him if you want." It was the polite thing to say. Knowing Gran he would fall of the planet for months before popping in again. The only reliable means of reaching him was letter, but letters would take forever to get to and fro, it wasn't worth it.

The long haired men glanced at each other before Mahito took the lead and spoke.

"That's fine. Right Geto?" Your mind latches imonto the name as you look over in time to see the man, who had remained unnamed all this time, nod. "Could you pass this to him though?"

From an angle you couldn't quite see, Mahito pulls out a flower.

You frown a bit as the whole flower came into view.

"It's a human-faced flower." Geto explained, "A rare breed of flower found only deep within the mountains. It's cultivated in deep dark places until it blooms in the dead of the night. We were lucky to have stumbled upon it. We thought maybe Mr. Zenin—- Gran. Would like it."

You took a glance at the flower once more. It was a creepy looking flower... but it was exactly the type of thing that Gran would like.

Reluctantly you reach over for the plant. A chill running through your hand as soon as you touch it it was a familiar chill, you had experienced the very same chill when Shoko had touched your forehead head this morning and when...

And when what?

Strangely, your thought had vanished into thin air as soon as you reached it.

Digging deeper into your memory to find the instance you had felt the chill before, you feel your head pulsating. Inorder to not get a headache you leave the topic be.

"It's a bit cold. Why?" You ask, your curiousity getting the better of you as you shift the plant from hand to hand. Strangely you could feel the chill seeping into your hands. It was a strange feeling. Bone numbing.

Mahito and Geto share a look I couldn't quite read. It was a look of confidence or pride... or that look when something was going your way. It was too breif for you to really register it.

"The plant is of a cold nature. Just like there are things of hot nature as well. " Geto explained. "It's a complicated concept that leans on beliefs in concept of yin and yang, wherein they believe that everything on earth falls into one of these brackets..."He looked at your expression of confusion and smiled "I won't bore you with the philosophical aspects. As a plant that grew up in the cold region it sort of never loses its 'chill'. That's the beauty of it, apart from it's... unique... appearance."