Work Text:
It seems that chance encounters can be so brief…..
The click of the heels enthralled Toga’s ears, huh that sounds like an air stewardess who just came to the grimy streets for a taste of home. One of the lackeys Seiten chirped at him, trying to fix that annoying leaking pipe that the previous owner Totosa refused to repair, due to the high cost of hiring labour at all. “Hey!!! Stop daydreaming…” Subconsciously Toga’s hands ran over the radio playing that tune that is associated with that strange cashier, and in high volume.
Sometimes memories could be funny playthings, that it becomes a part of Toga, like that blurred ticket pass that is stuck on the board with a solitary pin.
Well, that California dream. The one who got away.
The sound of the shutters rang in his ears, and quickly Toga broke up from that strange bubble of nostalgia. Ironically it crooned into a different song, from another time, but slower and strangely melancholic, along with the rolling of the luggage.
////
“Whoosh….” Toga playfully moved the model aeroplane up and down, gazing at the woman with white hair wearing nothing but a black lace bra and pencil skirt holding a can of beer languidly. He barely look at the people in the crowd making their way towards the mazing markets, only focused on making strange patterns in the air- only landing at her taut stomach, which he gave a small guttural noise, imitating the descent down to the ground.
Languidly, she poured the half-drunken beer unto Toga, with a cheeky grin “Would you like a drink sir….” allowing him to kiss the abdomen, followed by peals of laughter and squeals, as Toga swirled that aeroplane towards Inukimi.
He thought that Inukimi would be the long haul in the flight of life, as playful teasing led to Toga pining Inukimi on the door of the closet, with heaving breaths, hands pushing back and forth from their euphoria. And Toga drenched in beer, makes him smell so delicious.
It started with a small fluttering kiss on the curves of her lips, tasting the waxiness from her lipstick
Then a push.
Toga’s lips enveloped hers, caressing her tongue, tasting the beer that is sweeter than ever. Then peppering of kisses on her cheeks, trailing the lipstick onto her flushing cheeks.
Inukimi returned the favour by pulling his hair to direct him to that kiss.
It went deeper, as whimpers and moans drowned the monotonous sound of fans, as they huddle so tightly in the corner of the closet, which they allow a brief gap of fresh air, as Toga trailed his lips, from the slender neck-inhaling her freshly dabbled perfume, the cleavage, and her taut stomach, and her coloured nails digging to his muscled back.
Inukimi forced Toga to roll on his back, allowing him to unhook her black bra, and her hands dug into his abs, using her heels to remove his pants.
It could be a dream, to make love to a hot stewardess, as he took up a small model aeroplane, and gently land it on Inukimi’s sweaty back, barely looking at her blissful smile.
Somehow the radio crooned sadly to that line. “The difference is you.”, only recalling that melancholic memory where he made the biggest mistake of waving to another girl, looking at him languidly and landing that model on her shoulder.
Of course, it leads to Toga’s eyes fluttering to that blurry drawing of a boarding pass, which he glanced at time and time again. Seiten barked at him “Hey we have a delivery of canned pineapples what are we supposed to do???
Toga blinked again and chuckled to himself “We will figure something out…maybe…pineapple cocktail….”
Seiten rolled his eyes, as he cued the delivery man to place it on the side.
“Maybe…I would prefer Pineapple buns….more palatable for the morning crowd…. “
Toga would grab that can of pineapple if Seiten is not looking and give a pep talk that he is indeed moving on…
And it is all thanks to a particular stranger.
/////
His stomach was hungry after that long day of patrolling the streets, issuing mindless fines to illegally parked vehicles. Perhaps it would soothe him more than the many cans of expired pineapples fighting for a long-lost love. After all, amidst the busyness of duties, his wonton noodles did not fill him up for the many long strolls.
It feels…like….a moment in time where close contact is merely 0.01 metres when he heard a loud song blasting loudly.
The waitress, Izayoi blasted a tune from the radio that embodied her to such euphoria, that she moved her arms up and down, in the tune of preparing the sauce for a particular food item. “One chef’s salad please??” Toga shouted to Izayoi who seems infused with the spirit of its croons, which she barked at Toga back “TAKE AWAY?”
“YES”
“Are you new here…”
Well, that face seems new, and yet so enchanting. She has her hair cropped, and a navy tank top- well, suitable for the job in the restaurant since it is so bloody humid.
Toga raised an eyebrow, it seems that she is obsessed with that stupid tune, as she swayed her hips to the beat while opening the wrap. “You like loud music huh??…” watching her move her head up and down, in sync with the preparation of his hour. The way she pours the meats languidly to the beat is strangely…well…electrifying…
Izayoi chirped a little “Yeah…the louder the better….then I do not think”, laying the foil on the counter table.
“It helps me from not thinking???” Well that new face, Izayoi did not care much, only moving her head back and forth.
“What do you like…” Toga yelled loudly, forcing himself to look over at the smudged menu while she languidly squirted the sauces on the bed of lettuce unto the wrap,
“Never thought of that….”
Izayoi grinned a little. “I’ll tell you when I found it out myself…”, unaware of Toga curling his fingers up and down, hurrying Izayoi to finish his order. “You…what do you like?” In her mind, a handsome cop such as him would like to add something else- maybe fries…or perhaps coffee to go.
Toga chewed his lip a little. “Chef’s salad…” Izayoi puffed her cheeks, watching him pass a note unto her hands. Shit that is anti-climatic. She groaned angrily, at that answer. That seems strange….a cop who hungered for Chef’s salad. For the whole shift, Izayoi found herself not thinking about that stranger, and instead of cleaning up the counter, waiting for the next customer to come.
It feels like forever, as some customers spoke rushedly in English (geez how to catch up with this shit) for their orders, only to lose sight of that policeman-off with his usual duties. Izayoi puffed her cheeks, as she embraced the many orders with Totosai quickly shouting her to snap out of her sleepwalking. Perhaps he is in a hurry like the many others in their stall.
However Izayoi’s train of thoughts seems nothing, compared to the walking lady,dressed in the outfit of an air stewardess. “You know the policeman who always order chef’s salad…” Izayoi cannot help, but to look through her coolness by her golden eyes, and the lipstick staining at the edge of the end of her sunglasses.
Totosai tutted to the flight stewardess. “Oh he is on his day-off, swapped his with another guy…”
The flight stewardess seems to have something urgent in her mind, handing the fresh envelope to Totosai. “Can you help me to pass it…” Without any form of explanation, she went off in a hurry.
Maybe to another flight to God knows where.
Or maybe she wants to end things cleanly.
After all, moments are never clear cut- and like the expired food which Izayoi has to clear every evening, each has its own expiry date.
Izayoi pursed her lips. “Should we, you know, tell that policeman about this…” Totosai gave an eye roll. “We will see…I think prying over people’s letters can give us a bad rep….”, Izayoi swallowed the bile in her stomach, and instead resignedly forced herself to mop the floor, glancing over Totosai pining the envelope onto his notice board. She grew bored over the static chatter of the chatter, and the constant giggles from her co-workers, languidly she reached out the radio and played over that tune, to escape the hum-drum in her mind, imagining her ‘California’ in her brain. The steam from the boiling water slowly melted the adhesive of the envelope, which Totosai slowly unfolded, to make a click on his tongue, Izayoi noticed her colleagues signing to themselves resignedly that their regular customers have the worst of it.
“He better get running, well he could lose all of the water in his body…”
“Poor him…”
Izayoi quietly watched over the reactions of the staff, usually the service staff were not so privy over such matters, but they suspect that Toga would swallow his sadness in a cup of coffee
“I have some affairs to take care of…” Totosai chirped quietly. Izayoi quietly protested at it, and the rest following suit, chanting the same words “I am off for my break…” leaving Izayoi alone with the shop itself.
Quickly Izayoi ran over the radio, to increase the volume- reaching out the envelope, somehow it clicked to a jazzy song- while she grabbed a butter knife to tear the edge of the already opened envelope quietly. Slowly Izayoi read the contents of it, and she found a key attached to it. “Must be the policeman’s unlucky day?”, quickly she slipped it back to the envelope, only pining it again, in hopes he can retrieve that letter again.
As if their words came true, Toga came in, with a boyish smile, which Izayoi purposefully increased the volume of the radio, and clicked to her favourite song again. “You here alone tonight?” Toga asked quietly.
“Huh????”
Toga increased the volume in his voice. “You here alone tonight??”, Izayoi shrugged his shoulders, tossing the roughly scattered salad leaves with the dressing. “Everyone was here a minute ago…”
“Everyone ran off, just as you walked up…”
Toga glanced through Izayoi busily clearing her prep station. “Something wrong with me…”
“No…”
Toga cannot help but look away from Izayoi as he drank his black coffee, seeing the ridges of the paper popping out of his apartment key. “Last night some girl…” Izayoi yelled loudly to Toga, which Toga protested back. “Huh??? Can you lower down the music from the radio..”
“Last…Night…” Izayoi puffed her cheeks. “A girl waited around a long time for you…and yeah, left a letter for you…”
/////
Toga pouted at the mirror, as he brushed his teeth, looking over the floss can. “Hey, don’t let yourself loose….”.snapping the end of the metal piece to gain a string of floss. “You know that relationships have their ends, you will get by, my friend…” He quickly spit out the foam from the toothbrush, reaching for the cup to rinse off the residue from the toothpaste, languidly grabbing the thin bar of soap. “You lost weight huh, well good for you…” He placed it back- only quickly changing it to his singlet and briefs- taking the cigarette, dangling it to his mouth.
The uniform of the air stewardess blowing back and forth, which he gave a sad glance to. Come I will keep you warm, it is getting cold.
However sleep catches up with him, as the ashes burnt the edge of the sofa, only imagining the puffs of smoke as the long clouds that his ex can glance through while serving the people on air.
Next morning Toga woke up with a throbbing headache, which he dragged his feet across to grab that almost expiring canned pineapple from the shelf, close to her birthday “May 1 1994”
Not the greatest breakfast of all, since Toga was reprimanded by the convenience store clerk for being obsessed with collecting the almost expiring pineapple, but it reminds him, that well, she likes pineapple and yes, if she is bored- she would place a blond wig, pretending to be an Old Hollywood siren-languidly draping her body to his.
But instead, Toga decided to make himself instant noodles and opened a can of sardines (which thankfully are not before the expiring date). He quietly slurped the noodles, mumbling to the chopsticks. “At least you two are at least together, pity…I should ask you guys for advice on keeping a stable relationship without any arguments per say…”
Toga resignedly came back to patrolling the streets, barely glancing at the woman wearing the outfit similar to his air stewardess ex, passing his way- to distract himself from the lingering pain, by sitting at the corner of a small char siew stall.
In a sea of busy passer-bys, Toga is that lone passager, looking out at the airport runaways, waiting for his ex’s plane to land on the ground.
//////
“Really…” Toga hummed a little. Izayoi slowly assembles the utensils in the quiet space. “A stewardess..”, she quickly handed the letter to him.
“After my coffee…Forget it…you can keep it for the next time…”
Like the flickering lights of the closing stores, Toga waved goodbye to Izayoi who was busy refilling the sauces. “I do not need it…”
Shit am I on the deep end huh?
Izayoi pouted a little. Well, that is a shit way to break up with your boyfriend, I wonder if he ever loved her.
Izayoi shook her head to hear the call of another guy… “Oi, got a huge delivery coming up, be sure to check the stock numbers…”
“Yeah…”Izayoi subconsciously traced the edges of the paper imprinted by the apartment key on her shift day, if not called by Totosai to mop up the sticky glaze from the BBQ sauce or to tackle orders from boisterous customers. Sheesh why invite her to your place, to just cuddle and in the end, she left you with a cancelled boarding pass.
What a bitch.
Her train of thought is interrupted by the huge baskets of items, which she has to drag it with her feet. “Here is the delivery note!”, only to see Toga walking away from the store without a word.
Perhaps he is hurting.
/////
Toga resignedly looked at the rag with holes. “Huh you are holding your feelings huh…”, he carefully wrung the dirty rag. “Come, let me dry you up…” he languidly watched the water slowly flow through the sink. Toga gave a sweet smile. “There, are you better?” watching the city lights change back and forth, with the dirty rag flowing with the breeze. He melancholically looked at the fluttering uniform, but again grabbed that huge stuffed toy, combing through its polyester fibres. “We all have moments of doubt. Give her a chance…”
There are no chances left, only languid memories that even his whole apartment feels sad itself, and he can only busied himself to iron his ex’s air stewardess shirt.
////
Next day, Totosai was greeted with an unfamiliar face. “Hey….”
“What happened to cop 663?”
The unfamiliar face looked at the pinned letter. “He is on leave, you can say that his love has been pinned…”
“You can say, he is recuperating at home…”
Totosai gave a melancholic smile. “Yeah, what a pity…”, only to see Izayoi’s heartbroken smile. He is perhaps hung up over that breakup. The unfamiliar face frowned his eyebrows. “Huh? Hurt by a pin, what is he talking about.” Izayoi chewed her lip a little. Well you do not know about him. And by the look on Toga’s face from yesterday- he is holding back… However Totosai gave a wry smile. “Relax, he will get over that break-up, there is another pretty girl, was it May? I hope he can get it before Richard did…”
“Totosai, I am going to make my way to pick up the goods…”, Izayoi gave a sweet smile to Totosai. “Oh I will help to pay the electricity bills along the way…”
///
Unfortunately, his colleagues gossip over Toga’s lovelorn face with that simple explanation. “Hey who are you going out….” Toga bump to Izayoi carrying a huge basket of daily groceries. They did not speak much, expect Izayoi stretching her muscles up and down. “Hey are you better….” Toga gave a quiet smile. “Yeah decided to change shifts…maybe I could…” Izayoi shuffled her feet back and forth. “Yeah you could…”
Toga quietly lifted the basket, Izayoi swaying back and forth. “Why did you work here…”
“My cousin said that his friend, Totosai need someone to help him, so I did…”
Toga chuckled to himself “Your job must be hard…” Izayoi shrugged her shoulders. “Work is never fun…”
Toga nodded to Izayoi. “And oh, I noticed you drank too much black coffee, it may be bad for your stomach…perhaps…” She winked at him, before sauntering to the shop, where she wiped the brow of the sweat to a bemused Totosai. “Drink some water with sleeping pills…”, little that Toga knew, that she slipped the keys inside the pocket of her bag. She quietly negotiated with one of the co-workers to carry the heavy lettuce out, while crinkling her nose at the burnt smell of meat.
And as usual, Izayoi switched on that tune of her favourite song, which slowly becoming an itch that can never be scratched, as Toga ordered a different item from the menu. “Fish and Chips.”
Fish and chips.
How unusual.
/////
Izayoi lumbered over the stairs, carrying a bucket with cleaning equipment and pink gloves in her hands. Her eyes keep darting over back and forth, fearful for the charming cop to crop by his apartment, as she quickly closed the door.
Well shit, it indeed stinks of mildew… that guy did not bother to open the windows. And she frowned when she stepped into a puddle of amber liquid.
And based on the smell, it must be the many cans of beer that he forget to throw away.
At least mop the damn thing otherwise the rats will have a good time, getting drunk with this shit.
Izayoi frowned at the sight of the apartment, rolling the sleeves off her t-shirt and arming herself with a sponge, she furiously cleared through the mould of the floors, placing the soiled briefs into the washing machine, and opening the windows. At least, it did not smell like an ex just stepped in,
Quietly she squatted down, taking the two pills and a bottle of water to shake it back and forth. She gave a gleeful sound when it fizzle unto the cloudy liquid
Amidst of dusting the surfaces of the cupboard, Izayoi gazed languidly at the air stewardess uniform swaying in the breeze.
I wonder what is his ex like? That he has a shitty reaction when I wanted to offer him the letter.
Izayoi laid herself in bed, kicking her feet back and forth, watching sunlight bounce off the linen in the outfit. Maybe that policeman kept this for sentimental reasons, but would it be gross to keep your ex’s uniform. However, she quietly dressed into that fitting uniform, looking over the dirtied mirror, guessing from the extra fingerprints in the mirror, which she languidly take pictures of her with her Polaroid, gazing over the overexposed pictures of her in uniform. Yeah I do look good in that. Quickly she crushed the polaroids, keeping them in her bag, skipping her to buy him a new shirt and socks at the clothing store only locking the door so that he did not know that an intruder came in.
Amidst the lull-times, as Izayoi watched over Totosai passing to one of the hungry customers a ‘chef’s salad’, she raised her fingers, silently counting herself one, two, three knowing that Toga would be instantly knocked off by the drug.
/////
Another day, Izayoi came to the empty apartment dressed in a ribbed tee and long skirt, paired with her usual pink rubber, holding a bag of goldfish, glaring at that stuffed animal. Which she pushed her nose onto its fur, while dropping the new goldfish into already murky waters. Well, it stinks like someone’s perfume…
That is no good.
No wonder the policeman…was his name Toga…is so rifled up…
Quickly she quickly dumped that stuffed animal into the bin.
Well I have to buy one for him…maybe….
Izayoi pouted to herself, pacing around the dirty floor thinking of what stuffed toy that would suit Toga that could replace that smelly thing. Suddenly the phone rang loudly which she scrambled to the toilet shocked by the disarray of objects including a burnt cigarette still holding to dear life. Quickly she took a shower head and placed it near the phone, switching on the tap.
“Hello????”
That sound of trickling water should help? I think…. Izayoi thought to herself.
“Are you on our way….” Totosai barked loudly “I….think Oharu has to take leave to take care of her ailing grandma….and I think we have a surge of customers…” She placed the shower head near the phone. “What??? is it pouring??? It is like sunny here…”
“Sorry boss….” Izayoi yelling, switching on the bigger faucet to drown all the traffic honking. “….Can I call you back….I think…I…”quickly she pressed the cancel button, heaving a sigh of relief.
I am so dead by Totosai…
I am so dead.
Well he is not happy. I better make the cleaning quick, Izayoi slip upon her pink gloves again, as she took the sponge and glass cleaner, wiping the frosty mirrors and throwing away that burnt cigarette. His life is honestly a mess….at least air up the space…
Soon I have to clean his bedsheets that actually smell like sex, and with his humid weather- it will get musty…
Izayoi quickly removed the hairs that reminded him of his ex, changing it from that dreadry powder blue sheet, into a mustard yellow sheet with woodcut sun and moon motifs. Suddenly Izayoi heard a knock on the door, and her mind raced to the half-pasted labels, the penknife on the table and perhaps new rags on the window instead of those with holes. Izayoi instinctually used one of her rubber gloves to wedge between the door and herself. “Hey who is inside here…” Toga knocked on the door over and over again, while holding his plastic bag of roasted goose rice. “Hey! Hey! Hey!” Quickly Izayoi hid herself in that closet, examining the clothes of Toga, which she touched the checkered shirt languidly, giving a pout of the policeman mumbling to himself “One, two, three” in anticipation that a person comes out from the closet, but instead covering her mouth in girlish giggles before he decided to go to the toilet to relieve himself. Through the gaps of the closet, Toga barely closed the door- which she covered her eyes from seeing his… well… For now, she focus on the sound of pee flowing down to a now clean toilet, as she quickly rolled a pair of new socks (She chose a tomato red because it sorta fits him, as opposed to the dull ebony or navy socks he has to wear to work), and stuffed it into the new sneakers she bought for him from a bargain sale at Temple street while munching on a bubble waffle.
Izayoi wished that Toga noticed the new toothbrush and mug on the shelf, as she is disgusted by the mould collecting around the neck of the toothbrush, and the unruly bristles. Perhaps he would not have the taste of his ex from his toothbrush, which she must taste like sandwiches on flight. Quickly she pounced out from the closet, to glimpse at Toga, now changed from his spify policeman uniform into a singlet and briefs, holding the new bar of soap. “Huh you gained weight, should cut down the noodles my…..” Toga glimpsed over the mischievous Izayoi, gazing at him sweetly, before hiding herself in the secondhand blanket, glimpsing through the mesh- Toga ruffling his head back and forth- before returning to the bathroom- which she quickly dashed out from the open door of his apartment.
Gleeful laughter filled the air, as Toga settled down at his table, with a raised eyebrow and a hungry stomach. She looks familiar?, however that roasted goose rice is calling him, and perhaps a beer can will suffice for a quiet afternoon.
/////
Izayoi found herself shuffling her feet up and down-carrying many plastic bags from LOFT, examining a busty lady serving Toga during lunch. That hair strand looks familiar, the one I found on Toga’s bed, yeah it is dyed to fit the flight attendant look, but…but….
The busty girl stared at her coldly. “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU STARING…”, before Toga interjected to her. “Be nice, she is my friend….” Izayoi felt a burn in her cheeks.
“You must be off, by Totosai- usually he is grumpy but…”
Toga noticed how Izayoi clutched the bags even tighter in her skinny arms, and how her white sneakers clung to some dust, and rubber gloves sticking out languidly in her pocket
Izayoi chewed her lip “oh…I am passing these items to a friend….”, running quickly from Toga chewing his lip a little, with Izayoi holding a mischievous smile, as she trodded to the pet shop to pick up some goldfish to fill the cleaned out tank in Toga’s apartment.
I better, because he may know my secret, as Izayoi languidly swung his apartment keys up and down, before keeping them in her bag.
/////
Toga raised his eyebrows that his door remained open, with the wind flowing back and forth from new curtains fixed in, which he quickly grab a stray clothes peg to hold, and . A new stuffed toy of a grinning cat sat in bed- with its fur nearly wet from the lounge, at least it is comfortable over its new location. “Oh you got a new outfit, well I say you look handsome- better not get your clothes wet….” ,as he placed it on the table- noticing an old slipper floating at the shallow waters. “My apartment is crying, that is great-”, he rolled up the pants of his uniform, taking the buckets to scoop out the water- only noticing that someone must stick his childhood polaroid in the recently cleaned mirror, taking a bowl to scoop the water out, unto the floating waters, and taking the rags to dry off the kitchen floor- noticing the murky water. “Hey you are alright….”A knock was heard in his ears, which he quickly opened to see Izayoi gasping loudly- holding the huge plastic bag of goldfish swimming languidly in clear water, with its scales shimmering in the light. “Ah!”
“Huh, it must be you-”
Izayoi shuffled her feet back and forth. “No…I think….it must be a mistake, I thought I will, wait I want to pass these new fishes to you…”, Toga rubbed his head. “Hey you look tired, want a seat…”, grimacing at the wet floor, which Izayoi took off her doc martens, plopping the goldfish bag on the rattan table. “Sorry about this mess, I think the plumbing must be shit…”, there a flash of Izayoi’s thigh amidst the long skirt. “Give me a moment, need to switch on the fan to dry this place..” he tug the strings to allow the blades to blow back and forth. Quietly he sat there, slowly massaging her thighs. Toga thought to herself, That gal in the shop huh, it reminds me of that time which my ex will complain about sore thighs after standing long at flight and I would massage it whenever she has a sliver of time. She has pretty thighs…how…
Toga chewed his lip, instead grabbing a cigarette to distract himself from that ex, slumping onto his chair- blowing out the smoke- covering the room. “I guess that apartment is messed up as me…”, Izayoi, however, remained silent watching the wind fly back and forth. “You must hate slience…” Toga walked to a newly dusted radio, with a cigarette hanging from his mouth, clicking the play button to play that song that Izayoi would blast at her workplace.
“California? Don’t you think it is far…”, as he began to unbutton his uniform shirt to reveal a singlet
Izayoi gave a shrug. “Maybe it will be good to escape…” , she leans languidly onto the soft, before falling asleep, unaware of the fishes swimming amidst the heat, and Toga puffed another round before crushing the cigarette onto the ashtray- allowing himself to fall asleep in the heat.
He dreamed little but happiness for a silent moment, not aware of the goldfish floating amidst the water bag. Quietly Izayoi noticed Toga laying on her lap, his fingers barely grazing over her thigh. She wiggled herself quietly from Toga’s embrace and quietly plopped the fish into the clean tank of water. “Bye for now, take care of the policeman for me…” Izayoi found herself staring at the shiny mirrors of the overpasses and escalators, barely glancing at a faceless air stewardess walking around the congested overpass- and for that moment, Izayoi’s mind has been made, as she fantasised herself wearing that uniform itself.
Maybe it will look good on me. Someday. Maybe.
But there is one thing that the policeman needs to do, which is to wear what I bought him from the lowly salary I made and eat his already cold lunch.
////
Toga munched his instant ramen with the canned sardines for dinner, his body bathed in neon light when he pursed his lips. Huh, something is new, and thank god it is not the many cans of pineapple I have to gorge. Quietly he talked over the stuck polaroid on his dressing table “I wonder, who set you up to face me, a tired man….maybe things are looking up huh? Maybe we can find love again- the apartment cannot be sad forever….”, he picked up the half-eaten ramen bowl and throw it at a plastic bag, he switched on the water to wash the dishes. “Yes, just let out, it is good to wash away from bad experiences, is it what makes us stronger huh?”
Before long, Toga hugged the huge stuffed cat. “At least you are dry now….let’s move to better things huh…”, languidly clicking the radio to play a jazzy theme, watching the rain washing away the bustling city. “Stormy days are over huh….”
////
“SHIT! YOU DID NOT PAY THE ELECTRICAL BILLS” Totosai shouted as he stuck the wax candles onto the counter, with Izayoi dreamily looking over the flickering flames. “Oh…I am sorry…” Grumbles echoed with her colleagues. “I will do it later…”
“You said, later, later, later….”
Izayoi puffed her cheeks, snatching away the feather duster from Totosai. “I will, this time-to pay for the damn bills, so many people are calling me to get things…” Quickly she picked up her cleaning bucket, rushing through the bustling crowds to reach Toga’s apartment. Maybe the candles land a dreamy atmosphere, and Totosai hastily placed an order for an exhausted office worker. For she imagined, placing the ex’s air stewardess uniform out from Toga’s sight will do him much good.
As if, right on cue- Toga finally air out that uniform in the bright sunlight, Izayoi entered the room, clicking the music to a piece of sorrowful jazzy music as she began to dust the top of Toga’s closets, staring at the mint green walls. Dust clouded her lungs, shaking her head- Izayoi opened the windows to let some fresh air out. Izayoi did not notice Toga walking over the overpass, and continued to spray water into the tiled walls, barely touching the rim of the new mug she placed for him. At least this is used well, quickly she took her bag pack, unaware of the click of Toga’s brogues-climbing up the concrete stairs and the crooning of that smooth jazz piece, still playing on the radio. She quickly pressed a pause button to save the battery of the radio. No one will know that I came here to clean this place.
Izayoi opened the door to see Toga perplexed over a stranger coming to his apartment, with her rubber-gloved hands, and the stench of air-freshener holding an artificial aroma of the ocean, which made Toga’s stomach churn a little. “Hey…how do you get….” Izayoi let out a scream, using the wet rubber glove to prevent Toga from opening the door, she ran to the window to escape, but to no avail.
Izayoi puffed her cheeks, quickly switching on the radio to a piece of soft dreamy pop music, making Toga confused, and proceed to hide in the bathroom- peeping at Toga searching over the closet, only to make a dash out of the apartment, with a broken rubber glove on the floor. Toga frowned a little, with the blaring drums from the piece. “So it must be you….” glancing over Izayoi skipping over the concrete stairs of Toga’s apartment. He paused a little, seeing the shower head dripping with water, forming a shallow puddle for Toga to kick his shoes off and soak his toes in, like a child in an ocean.
Izayoi quietly sliced the meats for another round of orders, upset that the policeman knew his secret,forcing herself lip syncing to the lyrics ‘The sun went out just like a dying amber…That September in the rain… when a co-worker called Izayoi. “Hey I think someone wants to speak to you….”,which Toga noticed a change in her music, it was no longer an escapist pop song, but a cheery jazz piece. Toga chuckled to himself “You listening to Dinah Washington? Let alone September in the Rain….” Izayoi shook her head, forcing herself to carry the bottled sauces to the counter. “Well I am bored with The Mamas and the Papas, perhaps change is good…..”
“Agreed….”
Toga heaved himself whimsically “Yeah…I was thinking when you are out from your shift, shall we meet at California, well not the city itself but a restaurant?- I heard from my colleagues that the burgers are good….” Izayoi puffed her cheeks “So…need to ask Totosai…” She forced herself to make the wraps for another customer glaring at her “Give me a minute…” Quickly she passed the half-wrapped wrap, before she locked herself in the staff pantry, making loud sighs to herself. Totosai and the co-workers looked at her bewildered by the date
“Our policeman got himself a good order, and it is not Chef’s salad….” Izayoi found herself heaving up and down over again and again, with the click of the next track to be a Frank Sintara piece.”Hey!! Can you pass the chewed-up envelope to the policeman, he should have his spare keys given back!!” Izayoi found herself chewing her lip again and again, only to catch her breath to see a crowd coming in.
Well that is shit…. Izayoi thought to herself. I guess I have to show up huh?
/////
A week later
Toga found himself smiling that Izayoi (he finally caught that name, after Totosai’s shouts to her, daydreaming amidst busy customers) , as he placed the uniform of his ex neatly into a box, along with her possessions, sealing those sad memories into a box. “It seems that it is best to cast away memories, California is near…”, he found himself gazing over the mirror- choosing that blue and red checkered shirt, and slipping upon the tomato red socks into his new sneakers. That should make a nice dinner date outfit, as he locked the apartment, this time with the returned key.
Toga entered the restaurant ‘California’ without the sight of Izayoi waiting for him. Hmmm maybe she is late?. Toga raised his hand to order a bottle of beer, and asked the pretty cashier to constantly break down his huge $10 note into coins, so he can choose his music. This time, his eyes focused on the song ‘Pictures of you’ by The Cure, and he was oblivious to the customers in the cafe.
Seconds become minutes, then they become hours, which leads to many bottles of beer and 5 cigarette buds filling the air, Where is that gal… The waiter gave a grin. “Did somebody break up with you…”
“No…”
Toga smiled wistfully looking over the flickering neon sign over and over again, until Totosai waved to him, watching Toga’s hand pressed unto his cheek. “POLICEMAN!!!” Toga knew that dreary face immediately. “Well, you are easy to find, given your pouty expression….” he heard a growl in his stomach. He did not even order his food yet. “Izayoi wanted to pass you this…”. A crisp white envelope, just like my ex- that is kinda of a joke…. Toga thought to himself. Totosai blurted to himself “She apologised if she cannot make it, I suppose…”
Toga quietly admitted to Toga. “She has bigger dreams than I…a boring ass policeman…”
////
Toga found himself running hurriedly to the nearest convenience store, only noticing a heartbroken man muttering “Love you for a thousand years…” unto the phone booth. Toga thought of himself, as he searched for a hot steamed bao to fill his stomach. Love does not come easily friend, as he reluctantly took a can of energy drink, when he saw his air stewardess ex Inukimi “Oh, it has been a while…Toga….”, she is no longer corseted to the outfit of an air stewardess, but instead her hair was cut into choppy layers, and she wore a sexy tank top and denim mini skirt. “Have things been good…”
“Maybe…”
“You quit that job, I thought you like it…” Toga chuckled to himself. “To explore the world…” However Inukimi’s ears heard the honking of the motorcycle, glimpsing her new boyfriend, a very rugged man with a mullet hairstyle.
Inukimi yelled to Toga “Oh pay the drink on behalf of me…” tossing another can of beer to Toga, which he paced himself alongside his purchases to a bored cashier, watching her disappear into the busy crowds. He found him staring at her holding her new lover tightly. “I am glad this time, it is not your impulsive buys of expired pineapple.”
“Doctor’s orders, my stomach would erode at any time with me eating the expired pineapples…”, Toga gingerly paid the bun and drink to a bored cashier, only to take a breath of fresh air to dump the sealed envelope unto the sea of trash, before entering to the convenience store to watch the life of the midnight crowd, only to notice hurriedly that the envelope may speak Izayoi’s final words.
Gingerly Toga placed the envelope on the rotating heater, taking him time to eat his bun, watching this fleeting reminder dry up.
What shall I do now? Toga thought to himself, observing the crowds of people passing through the rainy road, workers using plastic bags to run across towards the next room in search for a warm dinner, tourists fighting torrential rain to reach their hotels or lovers reminiscing their happy days together, if only.
If.
Toga took a plastic knife to slowly open the envelope revealing a hastily drawn boarding pass in a napkin. He cannot make out the destination aside from the departing country. Perhaps he would ask Izayoi someday.
Well, someday.
Actually she did go to California that evening. But it was the other one.
/////
Many months later
Izayoi yawned quietly amidst the now silent street, with the exhaustion of standing for many hours, speaking three languages to multi-national customers. The click of heels amidst the cobbled streets blared with neon signs made unusual reflections for Izayoi. She has seen weary faces in the plane, and seeing the actual California seems like a joke-unlike the song she played her escapist dreams that strangely serenade her way to Totosai’s joint along with a blinding white light. Izayoi pushed the shutters up to hear the shutters open, to see instead of a grizzly face, but instead a handsome man,and Izayoi knew that damn face instantly.
Izayoi shouted loudly to the man swaying back and forth to the beat of the drums “WHAT THE HELL?”
Toga barked loudly, instead of his smart police uniform, he took in a simple cobalt blue checkered shirt, biting a cigarette in his mouth- fixing the lighting, before bumping his head off. “WHAT????”
“YOU TOOK OVER TOTOSAI’S SHOP??? YOU AMONG….” Toga shook his head, unaware of Izayoi’s protests. “WHAT AGAIN???”, letting loose over a dead lightbulb and placing it unto the steel cupboard.
“YOU TOOK OVER TOTOSAI’S SHOP….”
“Perhaps….” Toga smiled wistfully, purposefully making the radio lower, gazing over Izayoi’s uniform- how she tied her messy hair into a French twist and how she finally put some lipstick on her face . And oh she smelt like good perfume too. “Your boss Totosai is a shrewd businessman despite his..well grumpiness……and I own this place because, like you- he want to explore other businesses…”
“And guess what, it started with me buying fish and chips, and you can say it is history…” Toga looked over the pinned napkin with the smudged air ticket. “Now I decided to repurpose the store to be the best shack in all streets….” He must be sentimental. Izayoi thought to herself, and perhaps for old times’ sake I shall order something before my next flight.
“Oh do you happen to have a bolo bun….”
Toga chuckled to himself, wiring the lights again. “WHAT???”, this time he seems more relaxed in that outfit than his previous job, though he looks so handsome in his uniform.
“Do you happen to have a bolo bun….” Izayoi yelled to Toga again, watching him sigh, as he looked over the packed food. “No I am afraid not, maybe at most- can I offer you a siu mai instead, apparently one of Totosai’s employees got this recipe from his grandma and I think it will be a hit….”, as he replayed that song again- passing a stick of siu mai from the table alongside with a cup of hot milk tea in a paper cup.
“Let me know what do you think…” Toga smiled to Izayoi, watching her pout a little, taking a delicate bite of the siu as to not ruin her lipstick. “ And oh, yes, I do love this song- reminds me of sunny days amidst rain- is California what you have imagined Izayoi…” Toga stretched his arms up and down, watching her reaction, of secretly enjoying that snack.
“I suppose it contributed to your taste in loud music…” Izayoi found her head slightly throbbing from the loud music blaring from the speakers “Unfortunately it is dull, and to eat sandwiches daily amidst cold air is not fun at all, we just did a red-eye flight- oh that baby- she screamed her lungs off during the whole damn…”
Toga smiled quietly, as he took himself a cup of hot coffee listening to her complaint. “With a little time, I get used to things…oh the uniform looks good on you.” Izayoi found her cheeks burning over that compliment, watching Toga tugging the cigarette unto his ear, seeing Izayoi preen her skirt and adjust the necktie in her blouse amidst the glassy surfaces, forming distorted reflections
“You look good with this, well…” Izayoi tutted at Toga, switching over to a dream pop track on the radio, lowering down the volume, and laying aside the tools. The lighting can wait for a brief moment. “I was thinking, once we can iron things out” Toga quickly snatched a tea egg, munching it in front of Izayoi. I want to invite you to our grand opening of the shop, and oh I will be naming it ‘Midnight Express’ “ showing her a pamphlet for the opening of his store
“I am afraid not…” Izayoi puffed her cheeks, glaring at that fluttering ticket. “Got another plane to catch, I suppose, and oh it may be a long trip….”, Toga leered closer to Izayoi, gazing at the blurry boarding pass on the board.
“Then write to me when you reach this place…”, Toga snatched back the pamphlet, pinning it to the board. Izayoi hopped down from her seat, unsatisfied by her snack, this may churn my stomach for the long flight. “You probably not read it anyway huh?”
Quickly Toga snatched the blurred boarding pass and showed it to Izayoi “Would you let a person on board with a boarding pass like this? It's dated today, but it got blurred in the rain. I don't know where it's taking me. Do you?”
There is a gaping hole in the boarding pass, and I did it with a bad pen and hurriedly.
“I can’t tell where it will take me….”
Izayoi gave a rueful chuckle. “No idea, but I'll give you another….”, taking a clean napkin to draw a boarding pass, wiping off the grease from the siew mai. Toga laughed at how bad Izayoi’s drawing is, but it is much clearer than the smudged words. “Great…” Toga chuckled to himself at Izayoi’s concentration, thinking of the many destinations that a potential shop owner want to run away to.
“Where do you want to go?” Izayoi indifferently stated to Toga, unaware of the flickering lights and the aroma of paint perfuming the still renovating store, two souls swapped to different places. Toga saw her gaze to be confident and stern, no longer dreamy and lost.
‘Doesn’t matter, wherever you will take me.’
A/N: So this story has been in the drafts for a year or so, as it was supposed to be the story for the 'OTP day' but I did not finish in time due to my burnout from completing 3 stories, and also, another time for Inuparents week- but again, I cannot finish it, so when I saw that Slice of Life prompt, I knew I have to do it, as Chungking Express is sorta slice of life in a way or another.
Originally for the film, Toga's character is simply the policeman-Cop 663 with not much background, however, I decided to combine a previous story with Cop 223's quirk of eating pineapples corresponding to his birthday, to his character- but overall- it was almost true to the original film which I highly recommend, as I want to incorporate more. I have a lot of fun doing Togaiza as these characters!
Anyway feedback and comments would be great here <3