Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Winter's Reminiscence ❯ Winter's Reminiscence - 1 ( Chapter 1 )

Name: Androgene

Website: http://www.angelfire.com/space/noir13

Email: androgene@lycos.com

 

Title: Winter's Reminiscence - 1

Summary: When an amnesic Ito Ryo (Kudoh Yohji) meets an old flame in New York, a single perfect moment of love was created. YxA, crossover with Bartender, Weiss Side B timeline

Category: drama, romance, crossover (WK x Bartender)

Rating: R (for being yaoi)

 

Disclaimer: The series Weiss Kreuz and Bartender belong to their individual creators and studios. I do not make any profits or monetary gains from this story. In fact, it's additional contribution to my monthly electricity bill.

 

Author's Notes:

This was in the making for a very long time. I had always wondered what would happen if Yohji and Aya were together and then Yohji lost his memories. YxA fans always patch them back together, and honestly I want them back too. But what if Yohji's memory loss is permanent like it seems in the manga? What if Yohji was to meet Aya again under such circumstances? Ahhh, the possibilities…

I read a number of fanfics where Yohji split up with his wife in one way or the other. I think I want to do something different. For me, there is something very romantic about lost love.

For the longest time, I couldn't get the tone of this fic right. I decided to write it in first-person, but I couldn't grasp Yohji's voice correctly or paint the mood right. In my initial efforts, Yohji came across as either whining or complaining too much, not the mood when someone is thinking back on good ol' times. It was frustrating and I gave up.

Then I happened to stumble across a new anime series on crunchyroll (www.crunchyroll.com): Bartender

I got curious, since I had worked in a restaurant that had a bar. It's a very short series, about 11 episodes, but its accurate depiction of bartending was impressive. The creators must have done plenty of research. It was not a flashy anime, but low-key with a very distinct style. Its strong points are how the stories are portrayed and the atmosphere it sets.

Briefly, there is a bar called Eden Hall in Ginza where a genius bartender is known to be able to concoct the most amazing cocktails for his customers. Customers making their way to this particular bar always end up with a drink that best alleviates their moods and problems for them. All the recipes used in this anime are real and very drinkable.

And that's where I got my inspiration: reminiscing in a bar.

And that's when I ran into a whole new set of problems: trying to depict and keep the atmosphere of `Bartender' in character, and hunting for cocktail recipes that would best fit the story *sigh* At worst, I could always go perch myself in a bar and start drinking (that would certainly blow a hole in my wallet).

Anyway, I strongly encourage any reader to go watch Bartender first before reading this.

Hopefully, I kept everything in character.

 

 

Winter's Reminiscence - 1

 

Bar.

 

A place where drinks and spirits are served and people gather after a long day's work to relax and unwind. To drink with friends, to drink alone, it doesn't matter. Leave your worries and troubles at the door. For the next few hours, just kick back and relax. A bar's duty is to gently, subtly chase away fatigue and frustrations. When a customer leaves, happy, it is a bar's greatest pleasure.

 

Deep in the backstreets of Ginza, in a quiet corner easily missed by passerby, stands a plain nondescript door. In the glitzy ocean of the city lights, the discreet shine on the door's small silver plaque is simply quite overlooked. There is nothing on the door that will welcome a customer, save the name of the bar, engraved in elegant script on the plaque.

 

But pluck up your courage, push open the door and enter…

 

X

 

Welcome to Eden Hall.

 

No modern décor here, no expensive sophistication or ostentatious elegance. Just plenty of rich polished dark wood paneling and floor, and old-fashioned comfortable seats under intimate lighting. Cozy, quaint and inviting, beckoning the customer forward. The low murmur of voices ebbs and flows in a soothing cadence as you searches for a seat. Feel yourself unwinding with every step, the day's fatigue draining away as you step deeper into the bar.

 

Before you know it, you find yourself at the bar counter and a warm voice greets you: “Welcome.”

 

X

 

He is young, the bartender, with a friendly smile and warm clear eyes in a gentle face. His dark hair is neatly slicked back. His white long-sleeved dress shirt, tie and vest all pristine and neat. He gestured demurely to an empty barstool. “You seem to be alone tonight, sir. Would you like a counter seat?”

 

Smile and accept the seat, and please, allow me to introduce you to the bartender, who knew my dark mood just from my hands and soothed my frustrations, the Kami no Glass - Sasakura Ryuu.

 

X

 

Sasakura Ryuu embraces the life of a bartender with a passion and love that belies his quiet, friendly demeanor. He has served countless customers, the regular and those who drifts in and leaves, never to be seen again, the polite ones, the shy ones, the rude ones and the unreasonable ones. No matter who they are, Sasakura tries his best to ensure they leave Eden Hall with a pleasurable experience.

 

Tonight, one of his customers keeps drawing his attention.

 

He sits alone, in a quiet corner at the counter, with a bourbon on the rocks. A salary-man by his looks: white long-sleeved dress shirt with loosened tie, black slacks, jacket and coat. Blond hair cut short, tall and lanky, the customer has long-fingered and elegant hands, more suited to an artist than a salary-man. One hand props his cheek as he gazes into the distance, his thoughts clearly faraway; the index finger of the other hand absently rests against his bourbon glass.

 

The bourbon has been the customer's first order, half an hour ago, and it still remains untouched. The customer himself emits a wistful aura, completely at odds with the festive atmosphere in the bar.

Sasakura is getting somewhat concerned.

 

X

 

“Excuse me.”

 

Green eyes blink and come into focus.

 

“I'm sorry for my intrusion but I can't help but notice…is the bourbon not to your taste, sir?”

 

His customer looks down at his untouched drink and back up at the faintly worried bartender, and smiles ruefully. “It's fine, really. I'm sorry, I guess I'm not in the mood for bourbon tonight after all.”

 

Sasakura smiles in relief. “I see. Would you prefer something else?”

 

“I suppose.” His customer's gaze drifts to the entrance when the door momentarily opens as a customer leaves, letting in a gust of wintry chill. “The snow is really coming down tonight.”

 

“Yes, it is.” Sasakura glances at his customer.

 

The blond's rueful smile has disappeared and his wistful mood returns.

 

“Are you waiting for someone?” Sasakura asks tactfully. “Your wife, perhaps?”

 

His customer looks startled and glances down at his hand. “Ah, you saw the wedding band.”

 

“Hai.”

 

“You are very observant.”

 

Sasakura smiles placidly. “I suppose you can call it an occupational habit. A bartender always notices his customer's hands.”

 

“Why is that?”

 

“A customer's hands speak the customer's mood. It aids a bartender in helping the customer to feel more at ease.”

 

The man chuckles. “I suppose my mood is that obvious, especially since most of your customers are clearly in the holiday spirits.”

 

Sasakura is greatly encouraged to see his customer cheering up, but he could still feel the loneliness engulfing the blond man.

 

“My wife is working the night shift at the hospital,” the man continues. “I'm alone tonight.” His gaze strays again to the front entrance. “Snow is beautiful, isn't it? So white and pristine…when the light shines upon it, it glitters like precious gems or stardust. A beauty to admire from afar…like a dream. Hold it in your hands, the snow's glitter is diminished and up close, it is nothing more than ice and water…an illusion gone, or a beautiful vision you can't take hold of no matter what.”

 

Somehow, Sasakura gets the strangest feeling that his customer is not talking about snow.

 

His customer sighs and turns back with a smile that didn't seem at all joyful. “I think I would like to try something else. Something sweet and…bitter.”

 

Thus begins the mystery of Ito Ryo with Eden Hall.

 

X

 

There is a reason why people call Sasakura the Kami no Glass: his uncanny ability to concoct the perfect cocktail for the mood and occasion.

 

Sasakura simply calls it empathy and intuition, and a healthy dose of imagination.

 

This isn't the first time he is given a vague order with very little clues to work on. He knows nothing about his blond customer and the reason behind his wistful, nostalgic mood. He thought of some of the more common drinks but for one reason or the other, none of them seems suitable for the blond wistful customer - except for one.

 

In his mixing glass filled with ice, he deftly measures out the ingredients: 2oz Jack Daniels, 1/4oz Apricot liquer, 1/4oz Orange Curacao and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters, and stirs. It is a simple recipe to make, but his movements draws the eye with his precision and grace. With a subtle flourish and an elegant bow, Sasakura presents the finished cocktail to his customer.

 

“Bittersweet Jack, desu. Dozo.”

 

X

 

Ito takes a sip of his new drink. A look crosses his face that Sasakura cannot decipher, a look filled with many emotions. “Yes. This…this is what I'm looking for tonight. It brings back memories.”

 

“Good memories?”

 

“In a way.” Ito gently swirls the drink in his hand, green eyes lost in memories. “A good dream. Bittersweet Jack, desu ka? The taste…it certainly reminds me of my time in New York with him.”

 

“A friend?”

 

“No…an acquaintance…no, that isn't right either…” Ito looks to the door again. “I met him on a night like this…”

 

X

 

I met him on a night like this, a night of quietly falling snow on a city that was already covered in a white glittering blanket. It was in New York, a year ago, when I went there for business. I had managed to conclude the deal sooner than expected but I couldn't get an early flight home, so I was forced to stay put in New York on, what was essentially, company-paid holiday.

 

I was lonesome. All alone in a foreign country, in a strange city that didn't speak my language, and without my wife to share my impromptu holiday with me. So like any lonely man in need of company, I visited the hotel's bar. The bar was crowded that night, but I managed to find an empty seat at the counter. I ordered one of this: bourbon on the rocks. And just like today, I realized I wasn't in the mood for bourbon. But I didn't want to order anything else, so I made do with it.

 

X

 

Ito smiles wryly at the bartender. “As far as I can remember, that was the first time I drank alone. Isn't there something, like an unspoken rule for bar customers? You know, something that goes along the line: don't drink out of self-pity.”

 

Sasakura laughs lightly. “One of my regulars told me that before. He calls it the Bar's Ten Commandments.”

 

“It's a good rule to remember. I was drinking out of self-pity that night. It didn't make the bourbon taste any better. I don't recall how long I stayed at the hotel's bar, sunk in my own holiday blues. But I became aware of the customer sitting down next to me. I can even remember his order.”

 

“What did he order?”

 

“Earl Grey.”

 

Sasakura blinks. “Earl Grey…tea?”

 

Ito grins. “Yes, Earl Grey tea. In a bar. I didn't know anyone who goes to a bar and orders Earl Grey tea. So he caught my attention.” His smile turns dreamy and his voice fills with wonder. “And I couldn't look away.”

 

X

 

The customer who sat down next to me that night was…beautiful, just so…beautiful, almost otherworldly - it felt like a punch to the gut, so sudden and pronounced was my reaction.

 

His smooth complexion was as fair as snow and he had an arresting face - chiseled masculinity with a delicate exquisiteness. He had red hair - I don't mean the carroty kind of red or strawberry blond kind - I mean red, as in the color of blood, so deep and pure that it shone crimson under the artificial light. I've never seen hair that particular color before and against his white skin, it seemed even darker and richer.

 

But it was his eyes…I would never forget those eyes - they were the most amazing shade of amethyst - deep, rich and mysterious. Against his red hair and pale skin, those eyes should seem garish but it didn't. Rather it only emphasized the otherworldly beauty and elegance of the man. It wasn't just the unique color that caught my eyes; it was something else as well…I couldn't put my finger on it at that time…but I know I would never forget his eyes.

 

He took my breath away.

 

I must have stared too long for those unusual amethyst eyes of his suddenly turned to me.

 

`Am I disturbing?' he asked in this soft baritone voice.

 

`No, not at all.' I blurted out quickly. I felt my cheeks burning. `Sorry, I don't mean to stare.' That was when I realized we were conversing in Japanese. `You're Japanese?'

 

`Hai,' the stranger replied.

 

I smiled, relieved to have stumbled across someone from home. `I'm Japanese as well. My name is Ito Ryo.'

 

`Fujimiya…Aya.'

 

`Nice to meet you, Fujimiya-san.'

 

`Nice to meet you as well, Ito-san.'

 

I wasn't sure if he truly meant it. His expression was non-existent and he did not meet my eyes. An awkward silence fell between us. He did not seem inclined to break it. And I was reluctant to, already embarrassed by imposing upon him.

 

`You seem depressed,' Fujimiya spoke again, much to my surprise. `Is everything all right?'

 

`If you are referring to accidents and what-nots, I'm fine. But yeah, I'm feeling a bit down. It's the holidays and I'm stuck here in New York for a week before I go home to my wife.'

 

`You're not here on vacation with her?'

 

`No, business trip. It concluded earlier than I thought, so I have plenty of time on my hand now and nothing to do. What about you, Fujimiya-san? Are you here on business as well?'

 

He nodded.

 

I wondered what sort of business he was doing, for he was dressed plainly: black woolen turtleneck and black leather pants and heavy boots. He had a heavy furred jacket draped over his lap. A silver choke-chain with a small silver cross gleamed discreetly against his turtleneck.

 

`Which part of Japan are you from?' I asked out of curiosity.

 

`England.'

 

`Sorry?'

 

`I'm living in England now. I migrated there some years back. And you?'

 

`Tokyo.'

 

`With your wife, I suppose?'

 

`Hai.'

 

Fujimiya's smile turned wistful. `I haven't been home in years. Do you mind telling me what's going on in Tokyo?'

 

X

 

“That was how I got to know Fujimiya-san. We were both homesick and lonely and we ended up talking way into the night. Or rather I talked more than he did. He was a quiet man, reserved, but he didn't make me feel uncomfortable. Rather he encouraged me to talk. I must have told him every little bit of what I knew was happening in Toyko, even the inconsequential ones.”

 

Ito props his chin on his palm, a thoughtful look on his face. “Come to think of it, that was the first time I truly felt comfortable with someone I just met. It felt as though I already knew him.”

 

“It sounds like you have found a friend in New York,” Sasakura comments.

 

“Iya, it wasn't quite like that.” Ito's tone turned wry. “I was very attracted to him.”

 

X