Meet Me In Autumn

1: First Leaf

“One Americano, please.”

“Kat, can you take the order? I'm doing something–”

“Can you please make it faster?!” a customer standing just on the other side of the counter, with her brows dodging and forming a straight line, shouted in her animatedly small but raising voice, evidently annoyed and losing patience just for single seconds wasted when no one attended to her order immediately.

Katarina stood far from the shouting girl silently, stoic and unable to move, as she continued grumbling nonsense and shouting like the café staffs weren't human with feelings at all. Mean. In accord with the shocked look she was only able to give, she was literally just about to take her apron off because her shift finally finished and Yuna is taking over, her uniform somehow tainted with spilled coffee, looking nothing but indecent. The moment a woman's voice echoed in the whole café, she was bewildered, hesitated to attend — looking like someone who just got ripped off a muddy blouse, of course, she won't come out petrified and dirty for anyone's displeasure to avoid more conflict. Another shout. It brought her back to her trance, and she can only listen, “WHY THE HECK IS NO ONE COMING TO GET MY ORDER?!”

Katarina cleared her throat and grabbed onto anything she can use to cover her coffee stained uniform, then instantly ran towards the front, smiling awkwardly and using her soft voice, “calm down, miss, I'm deeply sorry,” she bowed apologetically then shot her gaze up, flashing a corporate, bright and welcoming smile she has always used while dealing with a wide variety of customers daily then asked the woman politely, “can I get your order, please?”

A sharp stare. Katarina took a step back, her frame almost hitting the cupboard behind, and she thanked all the gods and goddesses she can name for not actually knocking it down. It has appeared to her that this woman is somehow classy, of all the confidence to make a scene, she looks so high. Her orbs were terrifying, sharp, and darting, the kind of look that will directly make its way into someone's bones and into their soul.

She never felt very little in her life.

From time to time, she takes small glances over her shoulder, back to the slightly opened restricted door, to see if Yuna is near to finishing all the self fixings to make her look very neat.

“I. SAID. ONE. AMERICANO. ARE YOU DEAF?!” a loud noise with notes rising in each word. Katarina turned to clear her almost dry throat, nervous, her knees about to shake. In her two years of working in that café, it was her very first time to encounter such a scene by herself, no one to call, because their manager, Sally, was always there to attend into every complaint.

Most attention instantly darted into the commotion, and Katarina couldn't feel more embarrassed to be in that unwanted situation with a hot headed customer. “No, Ma'am, I ain't deaf. Please tone down your voice for it will bring inconvenience to other customers. I am deeply sorry. Your Americano is coming, please wait for it.”

“NO! I WAITED FOR TOO LONG, MAY I ASK WHERE YOUR MANAGER IS?!”

“She–”

“The manager is unattended at the moment. I'm sorry,” Yuna replied in her place, finally coming out and revealing herself and throwing an apologetic look to Katarina who's still wearing a contemplating and confused expression. Yuna pushed Katarina off the counter gently, murmuring a small sorry before facing the complaining woman with a calm expression, although she was also about to just shout and throw yells just how the customer did to Katarina.

She let out a heavy sigh when the backup came fast, then let the pale girl handle the tiny problem that needs a little talk for a compromise. Sensing that the heated at the moment was finally subsiding and all the other people inside the café went back to minding their own businesses after the commotion, Katarina walked out of the counter then took her apron and cap off, throwing a piece of cloth she can't already tell where she got except for the fact that she used it to cover her uniform earlier. She placed her things on the designated place inside her locker, hanging most of the spare shirt neatly before carelessly throwing some more inside because she won't definitely be needing them outside the café for today.

She could still hear the customer complaining angrily, now barely shouting but still too loud for Katarina's own liking, while she also hears Yuna trying her hardest to make it up while keeping her calm. Yuma's voice is not even raising at this point, but she can already recognize a taint of massive frustration while the pale girl leads the customer towards a table for two.

In a minute of pure noise from afar, Yuna came back behind the counter and started doing the woman's Americano, whispering and hissing curse words and profanities about how stubborn that customer is. The woman is ready sitting, seemingly mad still, leaning and resting her back on the couch while closing her eyes tight and massaging her temples, looking so frustrated and stressed.

Katarina stared, looking at the strange woman. To think of it, that was the first time she ever saw her ordering… or maybe it's just her shift finishes too early before lunch and the woman mostly visits after her time? The woman was pretty, of course, who would be too mean, confident and think highly of herself if she wasn't holding a great look? But the pair of eyes she possesses screams loneliness and sadness. Dark, big circles and an emotionless depth.

She shook her head. The last thing she must be worrying about now is the stubborn customer who just brought her near to having a panic attack.

After reassuring her things are fine and resting good inside her locker, Katarina heaved a sigh once more. She went to Yuna and patted the pale girl's shoulder to remind her that she should be professional and not burst all the anger at work because she looks about to pick a fight.

Katarina herself was annoyed, too, but Yuna was mad in a different level like she just found her long-lost enemy, a rival. She looks so done, and it was the first time Katarina witnessed that side of her.

On why she was so mad on a customer makes Katarina want to burst into a huge episode of laughter. The pale girl is an easy-going and cheerful person, she's always smiling brightly, so it was a great and rare view to see her mad.

Yuna always get together with people and even laugh with some, other regular customers even became her friends. And the woman was indeed annoying and great at the same time to make Yuna mad in just a couple of minutes and shouting.

“She looks and speaks like a Japanese, she's so ahh, what do you call this?! I don't know, but I hate her guts!”

“Japanese, huh, aren't you just bitter? That peach ex-girlfriend of yours is Japanese–”

“Shut the f**k up, Kat. You're not funny.”

“Okay, okay.” giggled Katarina.

After a while of watching the mad Yuna, who pretty much looked like a raging tofu, while laughing at one corner by seeing the girl's unfathomable face, Katarina decided she has to go already. She picked up her bag and bid her goodbye, in which Yuna just nodded before shooing her away using a free hand.

She waved goodbye for the last time before opening the sliding door, making the chimes hanging above sing in chorus as she stepped one foot out. The cold wind brushed through her face almost instantly, gently sending shivers down her spine to the soles of her feet.

She hugged herself and let the air envelop her into a cold and satisfying hug. She almost forgot that winter is coming anytime soon, and she is still wearing a thin sweater that will surely won't be able to do its work in protecting her body from the cold.

Although shivering and shaking, she still found herself smiling at the feeling. And right before walking away, she took another look inside the café, getting a last glimpse of her friend with sharp eyes, eyeing a customer on a specific table.

Acting very weird. She must have encountered that customer more than once. Katarina laughed with the thought before walking away from the entrance.

It was her time to once again let the cold wind welcome and embrace her into her own fantasy and imaginations…

The leaves that turned red covers the ground as she walks upon the silent but busy street while looking around for something spectacular, something interesting to observe just so she could waste more of her free time. She wants to indulge herself into a deep analyzing, and she needs a little distraction before she drowns herself again into the abyss of confusion and over thinking, but nothing came to look appealing enough, at least except the sky, the falling red leaves and all the tall trees on the side of the street, aligned in a straight and satisfying pattern.

This is peaceful, somehow. She feels free and unburdened, she feels like a child without any problems at all rather than picking which toy she should play for that day, and who among her playmates should she approach for companion and casual fun. Although not really because life wasn't as easy as picking toys, but as hard as a child getting a coin all by himself, without asking for it, just so they can buy candies.

Her time for herself is getting lesser and lesser as she grows older, the time left for her is also getting thinner and thinner as the clock tick-tock and run uncontrollably. She used to despise growing up when she was in high school until her college days and until now, without fully realizing that she's inevitably growing up and older as days pass by.

People tend to get what they hate the most as the destiny plays, and they also tend to love what they hate, for that was the thing they unwillingly accept. She hates growing up, which contradicts the fact that she has, she needs, and she should grow up as the world and time requires.

The long, stressful day of working to pay her bills, buy her needs or provide some of her wants by herself just finished like a snap. Nothing's new and she is used to the set-up, and she couldn't ask for more, either. Well, not really…

She can now do everything she wanted, anything according to her own will. She feels freer, and this is liberty…

As she walked alone, she got a clear view of people strolling, ambling and playing in her sight, enjoying the left days of autumn before the winter comes by.

But her thoughts were, in reality, flying…

Sharon…

She pursed her eyes tightly, and stopped at where she was standing. She felt her heartbeat raise a beat by recalling a memory she has always wanted to repeat…

••••••••••••••••••••••

Their hands and fingers locked tightly, with their pulse beating in a strangely synchronized pattern under each other's touch. Both their long hair were dancing ever so gracefully as the wind blow.

Their lips curve in a happy and genuine smile while they sway and throw their hands in the midair like children happily hopping and jumping while walking down the street.

“You know, one loves the sunset when one is sad…” the girl beside her spoke and took their hands off each other than turned to face her while wind continues to make their hairs dance as it was continuously blown and frame their jaws messily, their hands gearing up into the battle, time by time, tucking strands behind their ears.

The girl's lips pressed into a cute pout while speaking using her softest voice. The looks on her tantalizing brown orbs, which contains hundreds of different emotions were chaotic yet peaceful, can never be understood by anyone for it was too complex to interpret and explain, though Katarina could positively look through her and read her like an open book if she wants to. The girl's nose and the beauty marks across her face were clear and highlighted in Katarina's gaze, as it is her most favorite spots on the girl's face. Though her figure was hidden in thick clothes, anyone who would see her will be able to tell she got pretty statistics, amazing body proportions, and a perfect anatomy underneath. With her perfect and straight posture in addition.

Katarina gulped upon a realization that she has been staring at her for too long. If it wasn't with the girl's slight giggle at her face, she wouldn't have woken up from daydreaming. Aware that she was caught, she cleared her throat and changed her face into a confused look rather than the admiring one wore before, and asked, “What's gotten into you? That's so sudden.”

The girl just shook her head and let out a chuckle, again, before wrapping her arms around the Katarina's arms and pulling her to continue walking. The girl then rested her head on her broad and angular shoulder.

She always feels safe whenever she holds Katarina's hands, rests her head on the latter's shoulder, locks their arms, and sniffs Kat's calming scent.

It was unexplainable even to Katarina, and she never bothered finding out the reason, and instead enjoyed every single time the girl would advance a move. The only important thing is she have her by the side, breathing the same air as her, safe and sound.

“What time will your shift finish tomorrow?”

“The usual. Why?” Katarina answered.

“Nothing, let's meet here again.”

“What's new?? We always meet when you are not busy, yeah?”

The girl shrugged, giggling, “should we go home earlier than usual? I'm tired and exhausted today, maybe I need a bit more rest.”

“Won't we wait for sunset? You love it.”

“Of course we will, silly! But should we go home right after seeing it?”

“No problem. We'll see each other tomorrow, right?” Katarina flashed a smile. “Pfft, we sound like lovey-dovey girlfriends who'll miss each other after an hour of separating. Cringe.”

Just spending time with her only girl like this makes Katarina happy.

They weren't lovers, no sir, if that's what anyone thinks of. They ain't dating, nor they are meeting with mutual and romantic feelings… or neither of them was aware that such feelings could be involved between two innocent girls, between friends. They were simply just best friends who found a safe place beside each other in that street, that exact same street where they met two years ago.

In summer, they rarely see each other. Sharon was busy with her life and Katarina was minding her own business just too. They find time to visit their only place for a while, sure, and it is the fate playing a usual destined game if they bump into each other while waking down the street at the same time.

In winter, they rarely meet. They were both inside their home, freezing in the cold while wrapped around covers and warm blankets, too lazy to even stand up from slouching. They like spending their time alone without any disturbance… although Katarina has to bear with her part-time job, of course, just so she won't starve.

In spring, they rarely meet. For no reason at all…

But when it is autumn, every day, they make time to always see each other with so much joy and longing for the time they lost, the happiness evident, not even hidden.

Autumn is their season, the only time they are free and together. For the two years of knowing each other, they used to meet every day during fall and spend the rest of their day together, but thereafter, no texts nor calls, not a single attachment.

They got a weird but comforting friendship that is willingly present whenever they need it the most. A connection not too troublesome and, literally, everything they could ask for. They got no said agreements, but they trust each other enough that they will show up in autumn, so they could meet and spend time together again — and fortunately, nobody has broken that unsaid promise, even if they weren't aware of each other's addresses nor any contact.

They don't even know why they are so comfortable with each other, or how they formed a strong bond, on how they formed a good friendship despite the only short period of time they spend together, and a little knowledge about each other's personal lives.

They don't even know why they feel safe and secured in each other's touch and hugs.

They don't even know how they hold hands and smile genuinely every time their eyes meet, how they move without a bit of discomfort but pure happiness that at least they were beside each other and can lean on each other's shoulders and backs every time without the fear of being judged, that at least they were together during this season of the year, that at least they met and became the healing process and relief they've longed and been finding for years.

They don't even know…

And everything just happened like a pure shock, a sudden burst of the best moments to scar in their minds and keep on their hearts.

In a blink, their souls connected in a way no one ever made them feel. In a spark, they were attached without knowing the real reason behind that sudden attachment. In a heartbeat, their hearts linked, and they became each other's buddies through thick and thin.

Well, at least during autumn and some minimal times for the rest of their year….

As the sun set down with them silently sharing the comfort of each other's presence, watching as the bright star fade into the horizon, they also made their way towards a bus stop slowly, walking without pressure and rush. It is a farewell, they called it a day, the moment Katarina stepped on the last bus, waving and bidding her goodbye with sad eyes but a smiling face for the facade.

Sharon silently wished to prolong their time, but couldn't do anything but wave and mouth a goodbye.

A last look at Sharon made Katarina contented, happy, smiling all throughout her ride home…

…without her knowledge on what was coming ahead...