Cherry's Story Chapter 11: Sweetheart's Chocolate (Patreon)

Months have gone by.

Long, tiring months, filled with research, writing, editing, re-writing, and reading. And tonight, Huiyin gasps and lays on head on top of her keyboard.

The dissertation is finally done…

Behind her, Mima still lays asleep on the bed, her hand barely grasping a book.

Huiyin has been sleeping over at Mima's ever since she realized how much she enjoyed their first sleepover. Lexa stays over every once in a while, but she preferred to take Huiyin aside and say things like, “You should spend as much time with Mima as possible. I'll be in the other room working, so don't worry about me.” The frequency of these comments led to the decision that Mima and Huiyin should sleep together in the same bed.

And now, Huiyin can snuggle with Mima and sleep away the stress of work.

She crawls under the sheets and hugs Mima before kissing her on the cheek.

I wish this would never end…

Her eyes growing weary, Huiyin starts to doze off and dream about being on a date with Mima again.

There’s only three weeks left before Huiyin has to leave Cadence Isle.

She knows that in the blink of an eye, she will be on the ferry back to Yayue.

“Um, Huiyin…”

That’s why she is clinging onto Mima’s arm so hard.

“You know that I have to work, right?”

Even at work…

“I don’t want to let you go,” says Huiyin. “I am gay.”

“I know, but I need to make the coffee…”

Huiyin begins to caress Mima.

“Give me a kiss, then I’ll let you go.”

“You’re so needy.”

“I am. Kiss, kiss.” go.

“We can eat something nice later tonight,” Mima

Mima smiles and kisses her. Huiyin finally lets says. “I know a good restaurant around here.”

“I just want to be with you,” says Huiyin. “If I get to cling onto you, then I am fine with anything.”

“You are so silly.”

“I am silly for you, cutie.”

Two weeks before her departure, Huiyin and Mima are eating at a Yayue restaurant on the Rococo Islands.

They are staying over at Mima’s grandparents’ house and as Huiyin finishes dinner, she reminisces over just how much Mima’s grandparents liked her.

“You’ve picked a good girl to dote on.” “We’re so proud of you, Mima.”

Mima was clearly embarrassed. Huiyin remembered Mima’s red cheeks and the feeling of a tight squeeze on her hand.

That was so wholesome…

When the two come out of the restaurant, the rain is pouring. They look at each other and realise at just about the same time that nobody’s brought an umbrella.

“It looks like we’ll have to run in the rain,” says Mima.

“That could be fun,” says Huiyin. “Of course, I will want a hot shower after that.”

“Yeah, me too.”

Mima sticks out her hand and tries to measure the force of the rain on her palm.

“Well, it might get heavier. Let’s make a run for it now.”

“I am ready.”

“Let’s go!”

The two of them start to giggle as they run through the rain.

A week left, and Huiyin is napping on Mima’s lap.

“This is my new home,” she says. “I am not going to move my head.”

Mima brushes Huiyin’s hair.

“You’re cute.”

“No, you.”

“You’re so cute I want to be with you forever.”

Huiyin drowsily opens her eyes and turns to stare up at Mima. “You’re so cute I want to bring you to Yayue.”

“No, you.”

“You.”

They begin to inch closer as they repeat “you”, “you”, “you” back and forth.

“I want to kiss you,” says Huiyin.

“I want to kiss you too,” says Mima.

It would be wonderful if this next kiss would never end.

The day before Huiyin has to leave, she starts crying every time she sees Mima.

She’s already packed her belongings and is spending her last night with Mima, but…

My heart is aching.

Huiyin‘s been trying to not look at Mima so she won’t burst into tears again. Seeing her reminds her that there’s only so many times she can touch her.

But she knows she wants to have one last look at her. Huiyin goes downstairs and tries to peek into the kitchen.

Mima’s cooking something and it smells nice. She looks so busy… Maybe now’s not the right time to subject her to her moping.

As Huiyin walks away from the kitchen, Mima calls out, “Dinner’s nearly ready!”

Dinner?

Huiyin looks at the clock and is taken aback by what she sees.

Was I … moping this long?

She starts scolding herself with murmurings about how she’s wasted the whole day being emotional and confused. Huiyin goes to sit down as her face crumples once more.

The kitchen doors swing open and Mima is carrying a tray of food.

“Here we go,” she says as she places the food onto the table.

Huiyin wipes her tears away and adjusts herself before realizing the smell of the food is actually somewhat familiar.

“I’ve tried my hand at cooking Yayue cuisine,” Mima says. “I have no idea if it’s good, but…”

More crying.

“Wh-What’s the matter, dear?”

Mima hurries to get a tissue from the table and tries to wipe Huiyin’s tears away.

“You’re smiling before seeing me off,” Huiyin says. “It is amazing. I can’t even do that for you.”

“I… I just want you to be comfortable, and happy, Huiyin.”

“I am. I feel safe with you whenever you are around.”

“That’s good,” Mima says. “It’s the same with me too.”

Huiyin picks up her chopsticks and tries a morsel of the cooked beef together with her bowl of rice.

“Is it good?”

“Yes,” Huiyin says while flicking a teardrop away from her eyes. “It’s really good. Like how my family used to do it.”

“I am happy you like my food. Time for me to dig in too.”

For once in the last month, Huiyin and Mima enjoy their food together without talking about the upcoming distance. Without planning how they'll message each other, or when they can next see each other, or how they'll deal with the aching loneliness of being apart. They enjoy their meal and each other. Within them both, the growing hope of a brighter future glows from within.

After dinner, they tuck themselves into bed together and hug once more. The two know that this will be the last time they will get to caress each other for a long time. The warmth of each other’s bodies, how comfortable it all is…  They make an effort to commit these things to memory.

The clock ticks into midnight.

Their eyelids shut, Huiyin and Mima doze off into the landscape of dreams where the present never ends.

After the last of Huiyin’s luggage is loaded onto the ship, the two stand at the pier overseeing the ocean that will take Huiyin away.

Huiyin glances back at the island one more time before looking at Mima.

“It’s been a year since I first studied here,” she says, “but the memories will be eternal.”

“And you are coming back soon,” Mima says. “You promised me.”

Huiyin nods.

“I’ll be back in your arms soon,” she says.

“You better,” Mima says as she begins tearing up.

The last of the passengers are boarding the ship. Only Huiyin and Mima are left standing on the pier.

Mima quivers. She falls down onto her knees as she’s struck by the realization that she won’t be with Huiyin tomorrow. She knows that’s going to happen in her head, but there’s a lag when it comes to realizing what that actually means everywhere else. Everything they talked about has now become real.

“I promised myself that I wouldn’t cry when I see you off,” Mima says as she tries to wipe her tears away with her hands. “And yet…”

“It’s fine,” Huiyin says. “I’m crying too…”

Mima looks up and sees the tears pouring down Huiyin’s face.

“I don’t want to leave,” Huiyin says.

“Then, don’t leave.”

We know it doesn’t work like that.

We know things can’t be like this forever.

Mima gets to her feet to hug Huiyin, their cries merging with the sounds of gentle waves hitting the docks.

I don’t want to let go of Huiyin.

I want to stay with Mima.

The ship’s horn rings out for the last time.

Why can’t I stay?

I want her to...

Huiyin and Mima let go of each other.

“I need to go…"

As she turns to leave, Mima grabs her arm.

“I-I’m sorry, but… ! I want you to stay… ”

“I want to, too.”

“Our time together has been too short… ”

“I know,” says Huiyin.

“I’m just … selfish.”

Huiyin launches herself towards Mima for one last kiss on the lips.

“I’ll be back,” she says in a whisper.

Mima’s eyes overflow with tears again.

“You really, really will? Because I'll be waiting, you know… ”

Huiyin smiles and says, “I will do everything I can to return.”

The full moon is shining behind Huiyin. She holds Mima's hands tightly and looks up at her.

"I love you, so, so much, Mima."

"I love you too, Huiyin…"

A shooting star streaks by.

“Have you tried the new chocolate latte at the Velvet Cafe? It’s so good!”

The streets are abuzz with talk of Mima’s newest addition to the Velvet Cafe’s menu. Students on study breaks and courting couples alike are queuing for the privilege to sip her latest creation. Her mom’s latte is also a hit with the older crowd.

Mima has hired several new workers — including some students — to help manage the increase in demand. The cafe is as busy as a thriving restaurant, and seeing so much new life breathed into it is giving her a thrill. Even when the cafe simmers down, she looks forward to sitting down, relaxing, and returning to her Yayue studies.

She’s been chatting with Huiyin in a mixture of Yayue and Celestian. Timezones are strange to adjust to since she’ll often find herself awake when Huiyin is planning to sleep and vice versa. The introduced attuned clock in the café, created by a student Huiyin knew, has helped somewhat — it displays the time in Yayue, and acts as a living portrait of the city, so at least Mima can check it quickly before calling Huiyin in the middle of the night. Lately, though, the two of them have found a way to communicate pretty often without impeding much on each others’ sleeping schedules or lives.

Huiyin is currently pursuing her dream of becoming a history professor and has picked up a job as an archivist at a museum of rural life. Her life seems to be just as demanding as Mima’s, but she always finds the time to send messages like these:

Huiyin: I miss you and your coffee.

Huiyin: How’s Cherry the Cat?

Huiyin: I wish I could climb up the Holiday Steps with you again.

Mima always looks forward to reading her messages. They give her motivation on the days when she feels down.

One day, just as she begins typing a morning greeting to Huiyin on her phone, she hears a knock on the door. She opens it and —

“Is this … hiring?”

The woman standing in front of her looks very nervous, and a little lost, but she's standing with an uneasy confidence and gripping a hiring poster Mima put up a few weeks back. Mima has a slight hunch about this situation. She smiles softly and knowingly.

“I am an international student at academy. My Celestian is not good.”

“That’s fine, come in.”

The woman looks around as if taking in the spectacle of the world she’s just entered. Mima walks her to her desk, very aware of just how much this feels like the first time she met Huiyin.

“Welcome,” Mima says as she sits down in her chair, “are you interested in working with us?”

“Yes, I have worked in a coffee place.”

“That’s good. Are you studying Attunements?”

“Yes,” the woman says. “History.”

Cherry the Cat leaps on top of the desk and begins to purr.

Even the cat knows.

She strokes the cat’s fur.

“Well, I think you’re hired.”

The woman blinks. “Really? No need to look at resume?”

“Nope, as long as you’re fine with that. You remind me of someone, and she was a wonderful person. If you want, you can look around and ask some questions about how we do things here. Would you like to look at the menu?”

The woman stares at Mima. She’s probably wondering if she’s joking, but Mima is definitely not. She nods.

Seated across from one another, Mima works on cleaning the back counter while the woman looks through the menu.

“The names for the drinks are very nice.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“I like Mom’s Latte. It sounds very nice.”

Mima smiles and remembers reading books together with Huiyin to find that elusive missing ingredient.

“Then, Fireworks Coffee sounds interesting.”

Of course, it’s a reference to Huiyin’s birthday, and how Huiyin and Mima looked up at the fireworks on that day.

“Sweetheart’s Chocolate . What is that?”

Mima grins.

“It’s a special latte made with the feelings I have for someone.”

“Hm?”

“It’s a drink that I poured my heart into making. I haven’t told the person about this yet, but when she returns to me, I’d like to make it for her. She’ll definitely realize how much I love her when she drinks it.”

“Wow… That sounds romantic.”

“Isn’t it? I’ve been waiting for her.” Mima picks up her phone and gazes at the lock screen: a picture of Huiyin reading intently. “I want to tell her how much I’ve missed her.”

“How long have you waited for her?”

“Almost a year. She lives in Yayue.”

“That is so far away.”

“But I know she will return,” Mima says, “she’s told me so. When she comes here again, I want to welcome her back. Back to her second home — Cadence Isle.”

Mima sees her newest employee off and goes back to her desk.

Immediately, she finds herself daydreaming about Huiyin again.

She hears the phone buzz.

It must be Huiyin.

Mima unlocks her phone and clicks on the Wondr notification before typing in, “Hello, I miss you, too.”

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