Second Visit: A Relationship Short

Keji Bar
Tokyo, Japan
November 2014

It was Squad A’s monthly visit back to the Keji Bar. Macmillan shifted in his seat as Touta drove them there, unable to properly contain his excitement.

For the month’s bet, Touta had lost and was the one who would pay for their drinks later that night. The radio blasted with cheesy Japanese Pop as they drove down the road, Peters texting right next to him while A glanced out the window in the front. Macmillan drummed his fingers on his leg. Peters noticed.

“What’s gotten you worked up?”

“Nothing. Can’t blame me for wanting to get smashed.” At that, A paused and looked back at them. “It’s been a rough week, really. I’m lucky to have gotten out of the house at this time,” the man sighed. Peters nodded sympathetically.

“I feel you. Touta, how far are we?”

“Just five more minutes,” the Japanese answered from the front. A merely watched them quietly, her green eyes studying Mack’s seemingly impatient form. Mack felt a little uncomfortable with her eyes scanning him as they usually did during an interrogation.

“What?”

“Oh. Sorry,” she apologized, “I’m trying to get a read on you. Did something bad happen?”

“No. It’s – it’s nothing,” he snapped. A narrowed her eyes at him and turned away, muttering something under her breath as she looked out once more. A slightly guilty feeling came over him and he was about to speak when Peters interrupted.

“Let him cool, A. Forensics isn’t good this week.” He saw the lady give a small, jerky nod and Mack closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down.

From the front, Touta merely sighed and drove on.

In a span of a few minutes, they were able to park and step inside. The door swung open and Macmillan immediately relaxed at the familiar scent of the bar, immediately moving forward and claiming a table – the very same table where they sat the last time they were there. The others followed and the tension soon enough diffused: Peters was cracking jokes and Touta was telling stories while A listened. Soon enough, Mack got up.

“What’s your starting?”

Peters and Touta wanted a beer; A ordered her usual wine. Mack stood up and walked to the counter, the Englishwoman watching him curiously. When Mack was out of earshot, she looked at the other two. “You know,” she said slowly, “He really likes getting our drinks for us.”

Touta shrugged. “That’s him for you.”

“A has a point,” Peters pointed out. “Each time we needed a new fill last month, he’d always do it for us. And when we left, he looked so fucking smug. You’d thought he won something.” They fell into silence at that, A twisting a lock of hair around her finger.

“…do you think he met someone?” she then asked. Peters blinked.

“What, here?”

“No, idiot. By the bar.” The woman retorted. Peters rolled his eyes but Touta’s widened, realizing that A’s sarcastic comment hit right on the head.

“You’re right. A’s right. He met someone.”

Over at the counter, Mack had peered around curiously, looking for the man who had engaged him in conversation a month back. His stomach gave a leap as he finally appeared, Jian looking surprised upon seeing him again.

“You really did appear,” Jian said in disbelief, a small smile crawling up his features. Mack grinned slightly and ran a hand through his hair. “What is it tonight?”

“Three beers and some good wine.” Jian got to work at that, Mack hanging back and watching. Something caught his eye and he frowned. “That looks painful.”

“What?” Jian propped three bottles on a tray, “Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that.”

“Your arm.” He pointed at the bartender’s arm, Jian cursing quietly. “Did you hit it somewhere or anything?”

“Er – yes. Something yesterday.” The young man scuttled away for the wine and the glass, Mack noting the sudden change in mannerism. “It’s just my klutziness.” He poured the liquid smoothly into the glass, placing it on the tray soon enough. When he looked back at Mack, Mack noticed the sudden lack of vibrancy in the other’s eyes. “Same table?”

“The very same,” he replied. Wanting to cheer the other man up, he sent him a wink. “Expect me in thirty minutes.”

A small smile passed. “I will.”

Mack took the tray and left, leaving Jian to self-consciously tug the sleeves of his top down.

“So, who is it?”

Mack nearly dropped the tray in his shock. A remained blank, Touta was smiling and Peters wanted to hear details. “Sorry, what?”

“Who’d you meet last month that you wanted to see today?” Peters demanded, Touta having to set a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. His mind reeled. Shit.

“Er – no one.”

“Lies.” Mack decided to ignore it and passed the beers, A taking her glass and sipping as quietly as she could. The man glanced at her. It was like she was thinking. Steering away the conversation, Mack managed to have them talk about other matters until it was brought up again.

“Is it the bartender up front?” A asked out of the blue. Mack’s mouth dried.

“You have Matt,” he managed. A smiled.

“I never said anything.”

Peters high-fived Touta and A leaned back, drinking her wine. Mack groaned into his hands. “Come on, Mack. No need to feel embarrassed about it.” A nudged him with a smile, “He’s cute. Both of you will hit it off.”

“How do you know,” he mumbled.

“I just do,” she replied smoothly. Clearing her throat, she lifted her glass. “A toast for Mack and his newfound life partner.”

“It isn’t–”

And they (Mack blushing and scowling) did just that.

Hours passed. Mack soon came back to the counter, prepared to smooth talk the other yet again, only confused to see someone else running the counter. The lady looked up at him.

“Yes, sir?”

“I…just going to pay,” he said. The lady nodded and took the paper in his hands, computing while he searched (a little desperately). “Sorry, it’s none of my business but is Jian here? He’s a friend of mine and I was wondering if he had gone.”

“Oh. Jian Lee?” Mack nodded and the girl looked up from the cashier. “He had left half an hour ago, needed to rest up. He’s been over timing for a week,” she said sympathetically, and gave the receipt. Mack swallowed and gave Touta’s cash, the lady giving the exact amount of change right after. “Have a good night, sir.”

“Yeah, you…you too.”