Sometimes those one considers heroes, end up being a villain in disguise. However, the victim is not always the victim.
***Rose pov***
March 17, 2017
9:15 AM
I really do adore the aroma of sweets and coffee. Red Velvet is my favorite flavor, also Geisha coffee beans. The color red is quite amazing in my opinion, as well as Black and White, but nothing compared to red. It is a family heredity to love sweets and coffee, which is why I decided to make culinary skills my major. Once I hit 23 I opened my own coffee shop, Crimson Hearts. This was actually last month, and I am still surprised I have had such great success.
"Good morning Rose" Old Mr. Daisy is an old family friend, always here at the same hour.
"Good morning Mr. Daisy, how are you today?" Giving him a smile behind the counter.
"I'm quite well today, business seems quite busy this morning, huh?" He says smiling as he looks around the busy shop. I return the smile to him.
"Indeed it is, there is going to be a festival today, in a school that's a block away." He nods. "Well, what can I get you today?"
"The usual, by the way, what is this?" I look at what he points, the Sakura Cheesecakes from the festival.
"Ah, those are the orders from the festival, they'll come pick them up soon. And actually, I have a spare one; would you mind a piece? It's on the house."
"Thank you child, but I must deny it. I need to go on a diet." He laughs as he pats his stomach, and I smile shaking my head.
"It'll be $7.25, give me a moment and your order will be ready."
****
6:19 PM
A young girl walked through the alley ways seeking for a warm place to sleep, no boxes were around, the woman who collects cardboard must've passed through these alleys today, she thought. She would had slept at her school gym, but there was a festival today, or there was meant to be one, the earlier rain caused it to be postponed for the next day. Azumi was her name, a 17 year old girl. A victim of rape by an older classmate of hers, whom she knew since diapers. She was all the town ever talked about; she was "the boy who cried wolf". After the incident, she immediately reported him, but there was no proof that he did it, he had his friends testify that he was with them at the time, making it impossible for him to have raped her. She yelled at them with tears in her eyes, fury raged through her blood and all she did was throw herself in the floor and said, "You are all liars, he raped me. He raped me and you guys know it, yet you lie? How can you cover a friend when he has committed such action". Her parents were ashamed of her "lies", however, once they found out she was pregnant she was disowned. Their family name was much more valuable than their own daughter.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBL1WhmhcO
Days went without roof or a proper meal, however, today she sought shelter in Rose's cafe to escape the sudden rainstorm. She shivered, but was glad to be received by the sudden warmth. She took a seat and took out a book to read in the mean time.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1123cgGuHJ
Rose noticed her, how dirty she was, and how customers immediately gave her glances of disgust. She immediately walked towards the young girl and offered her a job at the cafe. Azumi didn't know how to respond, she believed it was a joke, and turned to look if there were any of her classmates in the shop. Daichi was a student with such high reputation, almost the whole school took his side instead of hers, and many of his followers wanted revenge on Azumi trying to ruin his reputation. At school he didn't bother her, but he did cause others to hurt her.
"Sweetie, are you alright? Please stay seated." Rose walked back to the kitchen and grabbed her a bowl of Miso soup and Cherry Tea Lemonade. Azumi immediately thought of dashing out, but couldn't since she was seated in the table closest to the kitchen, and Rose managed to hurry out with the food. She placed the food in front of Azumi with such gracefulness.
The girl looked at the food in front of her with wide eyes, she was starving. "I don't have any money." Her stomach growled loudly as she said this, and at that point she felt to just eat the food and run out, but her gut didn't let her.
"Silly, this is on me. A young girl can simply not go hungry in my shop." She smiled at Azumi, and ignored the disgust glances that others gave. Azumi's eyes immediately watered, Rose's smile reminded her of her family, but ten times better.
"Thank you", it was all that Azumi could get out. She immediately started to eat, as Rose sat in the seat in front of her to watch her eat. She didn't want her to just dash out without eating food.
"Now dear child, would you like to work here?" Azumi knew she needed the money, she needed it especially to get a small roof to stay in at least. She nodded her head in tears. Something gave Rose a sense that she needed help, she knew about the raped girl, but never knew who it was. She especially never imagined it to be the girl in front of her.
"Why are you crying?"
"Nothing, I am just happy. Thank you very much." She said as she wiped her tears.
"Where are you staying?" Rose asked as she looked at Azumi's clothes, Black jeans with an old dirty sweater and a stuffed school backpack.
Azumi didn't know if she should tell her the truth or not, but she felt that after all that Rose had done she deserved the truth. "I actually was kicked out from home", she said looking down fiddling with the spoon with one hand and passing the other hand through her hair.
Rose was shocked, but she knew what she had to do. "In that case, you'll stay with me." she said smiling.
"No buts, and it is final, a young girl shouldn't be out there alone. It isn't safe." She said and stood as she heard someone enter the shop. She greeted the customers and headed back to the counter. Azumi was still shocked at what had just occurred, she was frightened, but something made her trust Rose. She continued to eat and sipped her drink, as she waited patiently for what was next.
Moments later it soon became peaceful for Rose to go back to Azumi. She picked up the dishes and said, "Follow me".
Rose led Azumi to the kitchen, and placed the dishes in the dishwasher. "Alrighty, first thing first, go clean up in the rest room behind this door and take some clothes from the closet in the left, pretty sure it'll fit you." Azumi nodded and did as told, moments later she came out with black jeans and a white button up shirt. It was barely 7pm, and the shop was still open, the rain had finally calmed down.
"See it fit perfectly, well a bit big for the jeans and sleeves, but it is good for now." Rose folded the sleeves up for Azumi, and folded the jeans.
"There, now let's just put this on you." Rose grabbed a light brown cotton apron and tied it on Azumi.
"You know, we haven't properly introduced." She stepped in front of Azumi and placed her hand out. "I'm Rose, Rose Amaya, and you?"
"Azumi Okano" Azumi said as she shook the elder's hand bowing her head.
"Yah, Rose it's Axel" Someone called out from the front.
"Ah, that's an old friend. We can talk about ourselves when we head home, mm? She smiled and Azumi simply nodded following her back to the front.
Rose continued to bake meanwhile Azumi cleaned the shop, she was never told what to do, so she simply thought she could clean in the meantime. Axel had brought in some plants for Rose.
Later that night Rose locked up the shop and Axel walked them home. Axel seemed like a good person in Azumi's eyes, an innocent type, but at the same time, that is the same thing she thought about Daichi and look how she ended up.
They arrived to a large house, which was much larger than her parent's house.
"This house was a wedding gift, sadly I didn't enjoy it much with my husband." This made Azumi think that she was divorced. Axel wished them goodnight and went to the apartment in front.
Once they entered, Azumi looked around as she sat in the couch, Rose sat in the couch in front.
"Now, let's get to know each other, I'll tell you about myself." She said as she tied her hair up.
"My name is Rose Amaya, from a medium family. My mother got pregnant twice, both pregnancies were perfectly fine. I went to the school right next to my shop. I enjoy sweets and good aromas, hence why I opened my shop. I studied in a culinary school, and I actually just opened my shop last month. I am 23 years old, I'm quite young to have a business, but I handle it like a champ. I met a guy in high school, whom I married when I was 20, sadly he passed away 2 years later with our newborn." She mentioned all that quite strongly, it seemed as she was quite over the pain, or maybe it still hurt her and she tried to be strong for Azumi.
"I'm sorry for your loss" Azumi said as she seemed guilty for having reminded her of her family.
"It's fine, it's fine, I know they are in a better place. Now how about you?"
"Well I am 14, soon to be 15 in a couple days."
"And you won't be spending it with family?"
"Sadly no"
"Dear shame"
"Mhm, well I'm a first year in high school, from a family of pure brothers. I am also the city's famous 'Girl who cried wolf'." She stopped to see how Rose would react, 'would she kick me out, or will she be the same?'.
Rose immediately figured out what she meant with the last part. "Your parents kicked you out even after what happened? What type of parents are those, oh sweet roses if I ever meet them." She seemed angry.
"Yes ma'am"
"What do you mean ma'am, call me Rose please. I am not that old." She said with a smile.
"Rose" Azumi said with a nod.
"Answer me truthfully, did that actually happen?" Rose said looking straight into her eyes, she teared up and nodded. Rose immediately drew her into a hug.
"He was my best friend..."She cried. "I cried out no, but he...he" Rose shushed her and rocked her in her arms.
"Rose, they kicked me out because" She cried even more, "I...I'm pregnant."
ns 15.158.61.12da2
