Smile

There were ways of telling if you had it bad for someone. I would think staring at that person’s lips for hours on end was one such way. And god, did Isshin have some sexy lips.

“Yo, Kisuke, you gonna eat that?” he asked around a mouthful of chocolate cake. I had learned to translate Isshin language long ago, so the question had made complete sense to me. For the other people in the diner, it probably sounded something like, “Yosuke, ugoeatztha?”

I pushed my half-eaten slice towards him with a slight amused smile. “No, go ahead, Isshin. It’s all yours. So, what exactly did you want to talk about here? You do know I have a shop that needs running, don’t you?”

He didn’t pause for an instant in his cake demolishment. His own piece had bit the dust a few seconds ago and he had moved on to mine like a delighted child who had gotten something he had always wanted. “Yesh’courseado!” Which translated into something resembling: “Yes, of course I do!”

I chuckled, eyes warming at the sight of him enjoying what I had given him – even if it was just cake. “Slow down, Isshin, there’s plenty of time to enjoy the food.”

Of course, he didn’t listen. He never listened when it came to food. No, he gulped down the last few bites and then smiled at me in his most charming, alluring manner. The effect, however, was ruined by the crumbs still taking up residence around his mouth. “I enjoy my food just fine, Ki-su-ke-chaaan.”

I lowered my hat, letting the shadows hide my face as per usual – maybe someone wouldn’t notice it was me associated with this idiot. I had a store’s reputation to up hold and all that.

“Plus,” he continued, brushing the crumbs away from his mouth carelessly, “it’s not like you even run the real shop. From what I hear, you have Tessai practically living there and running the place whenever you’re not around to do it yourself.”

“Yes, well, I didn’t think we were here to discuss how I run my shop,” I insisted, trying to divert the conversation before he went off on a tangent about how I should treat my employees with more respect. “What did you really want to talk about?” I eyed him suspiciously. “Don’t tell me you need money again, to keep that horrid clinic of yours open.”

“It’s not horrid!” countered Isshin hotly. “It’s … it’s awesome. Unlike your stupid shop, I actually help people!”

“I do the same,” I corrected. “After all, where else can rouge shinigami and whatnot find wonderful products like mine?” I had lowered my voice to keep eavesdroppers from hearing anything involving the subject of death gods, but Isshin obviously had other plans.

“So what?! Shinigami don’t count! They’re already dead!” he practically shouted.

I winced – we sure were getting some odd looks now if we were getting them before.

“Isshin, please. Back on topic.”

He sulked, not use to backing down when it came to me, but doing it all the same. “Fine. I’m actually reconsidering even asking this of you because you’re such an awful friend.”

“Isshin.”

“I want you to be my best man at the wedding,” he said, all in a rush, a proud smile on his face nonetheless. “Masaki and I finally set the wedding, Kisuke-chan!”

That hurt more than I had expected it to, but I made sure not show a single bit of that hurt on my face. Isshin was happy –that’s what mattered. Not me and my selfish, silly infatuation. Anyway, I had known this conversation would come up eventually. They had gotten engaged a few months back, after all.

“Oh, so you didn’t get cold feet, I was starting to wonder,” I teased, leaning an elbow on the table and propping my chin up. “When is it?”

“Why, when the cherry blossoms bloom and love is in the air! It’s the best time to get married in spring, so that’s when it’ll be!” he declared passionately. I think there was even proverbial fire in his eyes.

“Masaki wants a winter wedding, I'm guessing?” I cocked my head to the side, knowing smile in place. “You’re being too insistent for it to be otherwise.”

His expression immediately drooped, defeated. “Yeah, she wants it to be next month. I don’t know if I’ll be able to come with the money for it that soon, but I – I really don’t wanna disappoint her, Kisuke.” Now that translated into: “I’m too proud to admit that I don’t have the money or she could have postponed the wedding and we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

I sighed. Here I was thinking my bank account had actually been safe. He looked too pathetic for me not to help him, though. “Fine, fine. Tell me how much you need and your ‘best man’ shall provide.”

And, in spite of the fact we were in public and how it would have looked, he reached across the table and gave me one of the tightest hugs I had ever been given. “Thank you so much, Kisuke-chan! I promise to pay you back!”

“Yeah, yeah.” But I couldn’t stop smiling even if I knew I’d never see that money again.