A light rain falls towards the earth, soaking wandering travellers unfortunate enough to be caught in the rain. Puddles of varying shape and size begin to form in the streets and ground, making the ground sloppy and muddy. The sky is dark grey, giving off a gloomy feel for most, and no sign of the sun is in sight. During the night, the rain continues to fall, beating the rooftops and windows as a continuous reminder of the weather's condition.
Kashino enters the cafe just ahead of the rain. The sleeves of his sweater poke out, long and slightly damp, from the cuffs of his red jacket, covering his fingers but not really providing much warmth. He should have taken gloves, he chides himself, blowing overlong blond hair from his face, then reaching up to catch it behind his ear. Beer would be good. Something hot would be good. But he doesn't want hot beer. He shifts the few remaining garage cards and fliers under his arm and looks for a table to join.
Eiri is in line for some cake. He comes here, from time to time, this place across from where the shop still stood. Gave him a scare with Youji running around flailing about employees. Disorganized and usless man... First time he was ever worried by him... Lucky Shuuichi was a good student that day, and didn't skip to go work... Now he comes here for cake, not really willing to experiment and find a better place to get pastery. He goes to sit down, in front of a window by the fallen shop to look at it, and count his blessings...
Kashino receives a cup of hot coffee and a pair of riceballs on a tray, and takes up a sugar container as he steps away from the long wooden counter. He starts pouring sugar as he walks slowly toward the window, occupied with the sight but nimbly evading the elbows and backs of heads of other diners. It's a crowded time of day, apparently, or people have all come in to get out of the rain. Can't blame them, but where's a guy to sit? He spots a guy with a table to himself, pretty much already on his way there, so what the hell; he stops pouring sugar and leaves the container on a stack of books some poor kid is reading. He glances at Eiri, then out the window again. Study, the flowershop, days gone by, eh? Sliding his tray to the tabletop, he bows, mumbles the usual school version of 'excuse me thank you have a good lunch' and slides himself into a seat across from the guy.
Eiri looks at Rei curiously. "Good afternoon..." he says, looking the other boy over, distracted from the scene outside. He stirs his coffee calculatedly.
Kashino looks up from setting his rather depressingly small lunch and blinks once, then looks Eiri over. "Hey. How's it goin?" Might as well be friendly, ne? He lifts his very over-sugared coffee, crystals dusting the rim and shaken-spilled-piled where the cup sat during the sugaring, and winks at the guy before taking a sip. The coffee tastes great, the warmth is great, sitting down out of the rain is great, his eyes close over a long sip and he eventually takes the cup away from his face with a satisfied "mm", then looks out the window and gives the defeated weather a smile. Couldn't catch me.
Eiri looks over the things Rei has put together for himself. "You really should eat something with some substance," he comments somewhat flippantly. "A diet like that will kill you, eventually." Eiri seems to weakly want to challenge the other's presence here, though he makes no specific move to drive the other away.
Kashino shrugs and picks up a riceball, his other hand moves one of the garage cards and fliers remaining, turning it so it's readable from where Eiri sits and sliding it to him. "Not eating isn't any good either. Sugar's free for the price of coffee. Got a car?" He leans back, draping his elbow over the back of his chair and nibbling the riceball, watching Eiri's face.
Eiri looks down at the flier. It's shameless advertising.... but he can understand that. He leans on the table casually and nods. "I do. I suppose I should also bring it to be tuned, eventually," he comments coolly, eyes on the paper. Cake still untouched.
Kashino nods, putting down half a riceball.. how'd he sneak that half down?.. and picks up his coffee again. "It's best to maintain them, fewer problems in the long run if they're well cared for. You're lucky to have a car. It's rare." He sips, looking out the window briefly. There's plenty of traffic, plenty of cars, but they're so difficult to get, and so few people have them; now, how exactly does that work? Fine brows draw up while he puzzles this out for himself. And if only half those idiots out there would bring them in for occasional maintenance or work.. he eyes his remaining riceball and a half and takes up the half again. "Moreso here. So take care of it, hai hai."
"It hasn't crossed my mind before. Things are busy, here," Eiri comments, meaning the Phoenix. Rei isn't rubbing him the wrong way. So he'll be decently civil, he supposes. Finally, comfortable enough to eat, he picks up his fork and starts in on his cake.
Kashino smiles around a bite of riceball, and waits until he's done chewing to pick up his coffee and wash it down - that was the end of one. "Not if you're a mechanic." He sets the cup down and turns it, seeing where he's taken some of the sugar off of the rim, and where some remains. Mechanic, is that it now? He frowns a little, taking his elbow down from the chairback and letting his shoulders curve, resting his fingertips on the cup, turning it once more, then glancing at Eiri - blond, interesting - then out at the rain. He looks at his fliers, and moves a hand to turn the stack so he can read them. Uh oh, spelling. An inward shrug, not his forte. He tilts his head as he looks at his somewhat childish, but thankfully clear writing, then he looks out at the rain. "I hope that marker was waterproof." He smiles and leans back again.
Eiri gives a faint smile and reaches across the table daintily, to take one, rain playing against the window and painting patterns onto the table. "Well, with any campaign, even getting one customer is worthwhile. Keeping a customer is even more important..." He places the ad infront of him to read it, taking it rather slow on his cake.
Kashino nods to that, and reaches to roll his remaining riceball side to side slowly once or twice while he watches the guy actually read the flier. Spelling, ack, it's not atrotious, but he did muck up one of Keiichi's phrases on the side; he blushes, really smooth sales, 'muckanix r us' it might as well be. It's easier to look at the riceball at the moment. He can eat it, or hang onto it until he's posted the rest of the fliers.. in.. sheltered and dry locations. "We're good. If we weren't so good, maybe we'd see more of our regular customers.. regularly." That's sort of amusing, and he smiles as he takes up the riceball and wraps it in a napkin. "I've recharged a flying car, repaired some projectile damage on it. Never saw a flying car where I'm from. So," he looks at Eiri, and the napkin bundle disappears into a pocket, "We're flexible fast learners. Motorcycles too, if you've got one. Especially motorcycles."
"My car is a simple sedan with little milage. It should pose you no unusual problems." And Shuuichi on a motorcycle disturbs him. -_- Can you say speeding? o_o Sugar and motocycles just couldn't be safe.... Anyway. Oh... spelling. He fingers the letters, but holds his toungue for once. Very few people don't aggrivate him... There's no need to bug him about such... 'minor' things. After all, he might be a writer, but he -does- get someone else to check his spelling. His position shouldn't inflate his head. He spends a long time looking over the sheet, considering. He flicks his finger at the monk, who looks out of place. Yeah, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenace... "Who is this?"
Kashino blinks away from the window and looks at Eiri over his coffee cup, lowering it to look at the picture on the flyer. He smiles, poking a finger at the tiny image. "Keiichi-sama! That's the boss. He's a great guy." Rei has a fairly simple understanding of what Keiichi actually does; he schedules deliveries, chats with goddesses who tend to appear nude in showers of flowerpetals, asks how it's going, and from time to time offers him a beer, in short, he's a great guy. He sobers a bit, taking another sip of coffee. Without Keiichi's quiet assistance, and non-interferance, letting Rei crash at the shop when things got tough, things would have probably been a lot tougher.
Eiri nods. "I see." It doesn't answer the question he asked, but he didn't ask it forwardly. "So, what is my new mechanic's name?" Eiri asks, sipping his coffee.
Kashino rests his cup on the tabletop, smiles and points at his face. "Probably me. Kashino Rei, junior mechanic to Keiichi Morisato-sama at your service." He offers a bow over the table, and sits back, apparently genuinely pleased that running around in the drizzle and threat of storm might have paid off. And no flying car! He's still smiling, and lifts a hand to move his hair behind his ear. No one has been hassling him about a haircut in quite some time.
Eiri nods. "Yuki Eiri," he offers and pulls out a cursory businesscard. Then he carefully folds the ad and puts it in his pocket, and starts at his cake again.
A heavy rain falls to earth, growing steadily faster in its downpour. Large raindrops hit the ground, making puddles far larger than before. Those pebble sized drops of rain fall fast and hard enough to leave a stinging feeling on those caught in the downpour. A sickly yellow light filters through the cloud cover, the only sign of sunshine thus far. Towards the evening the breezes gust through strongly, causing the raindrops to fall in angled sheets from the sky. The sound of rain beating on rooftops and windows serves as a reminder of the gloomy weather outside.
Kashino quickly moves to take the card on the fingertips of both hands, peeking out from his sweater sleeves but thankfully dry now, and nods a quick bow. He pulls open the chest of his leather jacket, slipping the card into an inside pocket. He should say.. something.. he should say.. ah! "Thank you for considering our service, we'll do our best to please you." He takes up his coffee, cooling now and nearly gone, and his eyes flit to the window and the growing downpour. "Mouuu... looks like I'm finished for the day. Why couldn't Keiichi know any goddesses of weather?" He makes a face at the storm, and sips, then looks down at the ruined Koneko. Last time he'd spoken to Kudou, he hadn't had much news of Matheson, so he probably hadn't worked there in a while.. still it's jarring. Moreso than the simple hole in the street and flying guy. He leans toward the window for a closer look.
Eiri gives Rei a really funny look. Perhaps it's curiosity, though it doesn't translate on his face very well. He looks down at the flyer again. He looks up at Rei, peering out the window. "--Mm?"
Kashino shrugs a little, still looking out at the view. "Aa, well, the one with all the rose petals. I mean, what's that good for, anyway." His thoughts are sort of tangled with the shop, and Bill, those ridiculous flowers and falling petals, or at least are running side by side. "Probably love. A silly kind of thing for this place." Zipping up his jacket, he looks at Eiri and flashes a quick smile as he rises from his seat. "Well.. take care, stay dry, hope to see you soon." He gives Eiri another brief bow and takes up his tray.
Eiri sighs softly. Indeed... Eiri pokes his cake, introspective. "...Yes. Take care." Eiri manaes to lift a careful hand, and is amazed he pulled off an encounter with little hitch. The boy kept to himself, didn't ask questions and was generally agreeable. Not too often you get one like that... "I'll bring it in soon."
Kashino waves a free hand, and carries his tray away to the trash and dishes station, then heads for the door. He pauses once outside, under the bare shelter of another window-shade, taking his riceball out of his pocket and carefully peeling back the napkin. Settling his jacket in place, and trying to lift the collar for shelter, he starts off down the street, eating as he goes. Probably not going to be much sense trying to post more fliers in this weather, if they don't drip ink down into unreadable mess they'll be carried away by the winds. He'll do more when it clears up, he'll do more with carefully corrected lettering.
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