There were small round tables placed about the large room. To the left was a
small bar, where a man was wiping the surface with a wet cloth. Hyde walked
nervously up to the bar while he was trying not to get his hopes up to much.
They had only said there might be a job for him if he came today.
?E-hem, I um . . . ? The man looked up and smiled helpfully. This politeness
seemed to make Hyde more nervous. Suddenly there was a loud crash and the voice
of a man.
?Dammit Tetsu! Why do you always have to be in the way! Go and serve this to
table nine, NOW!?
?Yes, Mister Owai, I?m sorry, can I help you clear it up?? The voice of a
scared man drifted through the doors behind the bar.
?NO! Just get the hell out of here. Hurry up!? Hyde looked at the man and
smiled, trying to ignore the noise.
?Um . . . Konnichiwa I?ve come about the job ? chef?s assistant. I rang
earlier, I spoke to . . . ? Hyde pulled a piece of paper from the little cream
shoulder-bag he carried. ?Mr Owai, yes, Mr Owai. He said there might be a place
free.? Hyde gulped nervously and waited for the answer. The man smiled again
then held a finger up ? signalling him to wait a second. The man turned around
and held open the door a little. Hyde turned around to look around as the man
spoke.
?Mr Owai! There?s ? oh sorry Tetsu, go through. Hear he?s being a Baka as
usual. Just ignore him.?
?Arigato ne Ken. I?m trying, I thought today was gonna be good an all. Oh
well.?
?GET A BLOODY MOVE ON TETSU! I DON?T SEE THOSE CUSTOMERS WITH FOOD IN FIVE I?M
GONNA KICK YOUR ASS OUT OF MY RESTAURANT!? The loud man screamed, the customers
at table nine seemed to be deaf, as they took no notice of the racket.
?Oh, Mr Owai there?s someone here to see you.? Ken said. Hyde turned around as
Tetsu walked past him. Hyde didn?t notice the waiter as he turned, and Tetsu
didn?t notice Hyde either.
A large, fat Japanese man walked out of the steamy kitchen.
?Oh, it?s you. Well ? you?re in luck boy. I have a place free. It?s only going
this once and if you?re late you ain?t got it no more. Clear?? He asked.
?Crystal.? Hyde nodded, the waiter squeezed past Mr Owai as Hyde turned again
to make his way around the counter.
In the kitchen Hyde found it was very hot. There were three ovens in there all
meant for different things ? and they were all on.
?Now, it?s early so there ain?t many customers about. Later there will though.
Can you cook?? He asked, while gutting a fish.
?Yeah, I can.? Hyde said, as he struggled to put on his green apron that
clashed awfully with his choice of clothes.
?Good,? Mr Owai pointed at a pile of ingredients. ?Make that into Sushi. When
you?re finished give it to Tetsu.? Hyde nodded and started to skin the fish Mr
Owai handed him. After ten minutes of cooking the cook started calling again.
?Ken! Ken get in here!? The door opened and the face of Ken the bar tender
appeared.
?What? It?s heating up in here, got some customers.?
?Where?s Tetsu?? Mr Owai asked, while frying some unknown meat.
?Dunno, think he went bathroom.?
?Bathroom!! Get him in here now.? Just then Ken turned and started talking to
this Tetsu.
?Oh, hey, Mr Owai wants you again.? He waiter Tetsu walked into the kitchen.
Hyde looked up from making the sushi and nearly fainted. It was the man outside
the window! His heart started to race and his already heated body rose to an
un-earthly heat. Tetsu himself went weak at the knees as he saw the girl of his
dreams.
Hyde walked out into the evening sunlight. He had been working all day and he
was tired. He still hadn?t quite taken in the fact he had finally got him a job
and fallen in love in one day. He opened the little cream shoulder bag again and
took out a cigarette, lighting it he took a long drag on the familiar object. He
blew the smoke out slowly and closed his eyes. There was a noise behind him.
Hyde nearly jumped out of his skin.
Tetsu stood in the doorway as he watched his little angel Hyde smoke. She was
so beautiful. All day she hadn?t said a word and it seemed that she was ever so
shy. He walked up behind her and stood directly behind Hyde, breathing in her
scent that was carried by the slight breeze. She smelt of roses. Tetsu took a
step back, tripping over himself and nearly falling over. Hyde jumped and turned
around very quickly.
?Gomen, gomen. I didn?t mean to scare you. Um, Konnichiwa ? I?m Tetsu.? He
said, regaining his balance as Hyde?s wide eyes looked at the man?s face.
?Konnichiwa, I?m Hyde.? Hyde smiled broadly. Tetsu?s face dropped slightly.
Hyde ? his Hyde, the Hyde he had fallen in love with, had a deep voice. Then
Tetsu spotted the Adam?s apple. He was slapping himself in the face inside. But
outside he smiled broadly and shook Hyde?s hand. Even if Hyde seemed to be of
the wrong gender Tetsu?s heart couldn?t help but leap with great joy as he shook
the man?s cold hand.
?Well, I should be going. You know, need to sleep and all . . . ? Tetsu
scratched his head and coughed slightly. Hyde nodded as he stared at the man in
a daze. He had just touched the man?s hand and now he was going. Why so soon?
Why didn?t he stay? Hyde felt like crying. Was it something I said is there
something wrong with me? Hyde?s heart began to ache as Tetsu walked away. He
wanted so badly to call him back and talk to him again.
For weeks Tetsu and Hyde worked together. They didn?t talk much after their
first greeting. Hyde still felt like he was flying when he saw Tetsu, he would
get there early just so he could make sure Tetsu was there. Mr Owai was happy
with Hyde?s cooking and had even warmed to him and started not to shout at him
so much when he put the wrong spice in here and there. He would simply ?tut? and
shake his head.
But it was nearly the end of Hyde?s working shift, about a weeks later, as he
sat at one of the small tables, there were no customers. He was watching Tetsu
talking to Ken. Ken was messing around with him as Tetsu gulped down a beer.
?Come on man, cheer up, you look so nervous. You?re shaking so much I could
have sworn there was an earthquake. What?s up?? Ken asked. He slapped Tetsu on
the back, making him splutter as he tried to swallow the last of the drink. Hyde
smiled as he watched this. It was like looking into Tetsu?s private life.
* Cough, cough * ?Nothing, just thinking is all. Hey, before I forget I wrote
the music to a song last night. Doesn?t have a title though. I was wondering if
we could go over it sometime.? Tetsu calmed down slightly, but his heart was
still racing. He knew Hyde was staring at him. Tetsu had come to the conclusion
that he didn?t care what anyone thought about him loving Hyde. From the moment
he saw Hyde Tetsu loved him. And if that meant that he was gay, it meant he was
gay.
?Okay, but right now I gotta get goin?. Got a date with this really sexy girl
tonight. Think I?m gonna wake up with her too ? if you know what I mean!? Ken
laughed slyly and grabbed his coat.
?Ken you are so Hentai!? Tetsu laughter along with him as the bar tender walked
past Hyde.
?So are you! I?ve read your diary before remember ? this certain ?angel? of
yours, is she real or fantasy??
?Oi! Get out of here before I throw you out. Remember I?m allowed to do that.?
Tetsu smiled jokingly. His eyes wandered to Hyde who was stirring his coffee.
Hyde sat slumped in his chair, his arms were supporting his head as he lay fast
asleep with his head on his arms. Tetsu came out of the kitchen ready to put the
chairs up and then lock up. He thought Hyde had gone, but he was still there.
His heart leapt.
?Right, if you?re going to ask him now?s the time, Tetsu.? He thought. Bracing
himself he walked over to the table and sat down opposite the sleeping beauty.
For a while he sat and watched him, but then he lifted his hand and shook the
man?s shoulder gently. Hyde groaned quietly and sniffed.
?What?? Hyde asked sleepily. Then his eyes flew open as he remembered he wasn?t
at home. ?Oh my God! What time is it?? Hyde asked hurriedly.
?Shh, it?s okay. It?s nearly 11 pm.? Tetsu said, wanting to run his hand
through Hyde?s long untidy hair.
?Great! The woman who lets my flat locks the door at 10 and I don?t have a
key!? Hyde looked genuinely worried.
?You could sleep at mine, if you like.? Tetsu asked nervously. He hadn?t
planned for this.
?O-Okay.? Hyde was just as nervous as Tetsu. His heart jumped for joy, he
thought it was going to fly out of his mouth and hit Tetsu in the face.
?I wanted to ask you something though. I?m forming a band and I have a
guitarist and I was wondering if you play an instrument or can sing.? Tetsu
asked, he knew for a fact that Hyde played the guitar ? he also knew that Hyde?s
band ? Jerusalem Rod ? had recently disbanded.
?Oh, I play the guitar. I can sort of sing though. I?m not very good.? Hyde
said, he was calming down now.
?You have a great voice! I ? I mean I?ve never heard you sing or anything but
your voice sound s great.? Tetsu?s cheeks were getting redder by the second as
he looked at Hyde.
?Arigato ne! Are you asking me to be in your band then?? Hyde asked excitedly.
?Yeah!? Tetsu smiled and nodded. He then stood up and started putting all the
chairs on the table. Hyde got out his cigarettes and started to smoke one as he
watched the god that was Tetsu putting chairs up in the little restaurant in the
market.
