Chapter Text
Amongst an aisle in a supermarket, a silver-haired young woman felt out of her element as her overly insistent companion searched through the aisle with a keen eye.
"Oh, Enterprise! They have an endless selection of teas in this place! This is like heaven for tea drinkers everywhere." The companion of Enterprise was none other than Shoukaku who hummed sweetly as she settled at a section that contained the teas she was most fond of. The excited woman wore a red long skirt with a white blouse, giving her a casual appearance. She also wore a gray light jacket that filled out her style.
Enterprise, her less-than-stellar and composed companion tugged on her blue turtleneck due to her anxiousness about seeing many new things. "Hmm... where is the instant coffee?" She whispered wearily, with just enough volume to garner a sharp eye glint from Shoukaku.
Enterprise felt that look go down her back and her hands started to sweat. She quickly and subconsciously rubbed them dry with her black pants.
The younger silver-haired woman of the two smiled sweetly and inched closer to the anxious woman. She then playfully rubbed her shoulder with Enterprise's own. "You know, I got your sister to try tea for herself and she enjoyed it so much that now she drinks with me in the mornings. I haven't seen her even touch coffee once. Something to think about, dear big sister."
Enterprise jolted and forced a half smile. "Right... I'll... um... give it some thought… Shoukaku." She timidly darted her eyes with a defeated small smile appearing across her lips.
Shoukaku felt sour as she laid her heart out bare only to be swept aside by the older woman's guarded mannerisms. "Hmm... say it back. Call me dear sister, too!" She moaned, cutely clutching the right arm of Enterprise.
A sweat drop formed on Enterprise, and she scratched her cheek in shame. "It's... a bit early for something like that, don’t you think? Not that I think that your relationship with my sister is going to fail."
Shoukaku's eyes sparkled with gloomy tears, yet the Japanese native held herself together. "I don't know if I should call that brutal honesty or not. Don't think about that at all! Your sister and I are like two peas in a pod. Anyway, you should try it and see for yourself— the tea, I mean. Think of it as a form of thanks to me since you're living under the combined roof of myself and your sister."
Enterprise could feel the sudden shift in tension in the atmosphere. It went from Shoukaku acting wounded to her delivering the harsh reality that Enterprise was under the care of her little sister and her girlfriend. With a defeated sigh, Enterprise nodded. "Fine, but there's so many to choose from. It's a little daunting."
Shoukaku clasped her hands together. "I recommend Kuki Hojicha for you. It's a nice green tea that will remind you of that bitter black sludge you drink." She energetically pointed to a section a few feet to the right of Enterprise.
Enterprise turned and looked upward to see the green Kuki Hojicha boxes hovering above her on the high shelves. A good arm stretch would do the job of acquiring one. "Well, it is hard to function without my black sludge," said Enterprise sarcastically.
Shoukaku laughed and agreed as she moved away to check out another brand of tea.
Regardless, she knew that it would make Shoukaku happy and figured that it was worth a try of this particular tea. As soon as her hand reached for the box she had her sights on, a strawberry scent and the presence of someone else joined her in that section of the aisle.
Both of their hands had simultaneously reached for the same box— ultimately clashing with the other. Enterprise awkwardly ended up using the most force to grab it and held it like a murder weapon to a guilty person.
"Oh, sorry about... that." The violet eyes of Enterprise then met the blue eyes of the woman she had just taken it from. While she had initially been embarrassed and remorseful, all that went out the window once she gazed upon the white-haired woman who had also gone for the same tea. Time had seemed to slow down, and blood rushed to the silver-haired woman's face as she gazed upon a gorgeous and elegant lady.
She had an aura of elegance and grace that didn't oversaturate itself to the point that she gave off a pompous aura. Her clothing consisted of a dark coat that covered a blue dress that appeared to be a kind of maid’s uniform. She was modest in regards that she entered the store trying to conceal her eye-catching uniform. She probably just got off from work and had made the stop at the supermarket.
The silence lingered for a painful second, with Enterprise's face warming up like a heater. This woman clearly checked all her boxes and she felt like a fish out of water.
The white-haired woman offered a charming smile to dispel their clumsy and awkward introduction. "Oh, it's quite alright. It seems we were both laser-focused on the same tea that we didn't account for our surroundings," she giggled modestly while placing a hand to cover her mouth as a reflex. Her accent confirmed that she was British. While Enterprise never thought that mattered to her, she found herself loving that quality about the woman before her.
Enterprise felt herself grow weightless as if she had died from seeing such an adorable display of cheerfulness. Was this the same feeling her sister always told her about when Shoukaku would laugh?
"I can see you're a fan of Kuki Hojicha," said the woman in uniform, attempting to start a conversation.
Enterprise wasn't known for holding a conversation and found herself fumbling hard. "Uhh... yeah, it's great." Her inner self was mentally face-palming herself as she just put herself in a situation where the elegant woman would probably then start to ask what qualities about the tea she liked.
However, that did not happen. The white-haired woman merely accepted the simple response with a head nod. "My roommate turned me toward this particular brand of tea after she got some from a friend of hers."
"I have a similar story, too. Talk about a cycle that comes full circle," joked Enterprise to ease her tension on her previous fumble.
The two chatted a bit longer, feeling the pleasant energy from the conversation that flowed smoothly. It would have gone great if it wasn't for a certain potential sister-in-law disturbing the moment.
"Ah, Ent, they have a bargain on instant soups in aisle six!” Shoukaku's overly happy and exuberant tone pulled Enterprise out of her moment when the other silver-haired woman excitedly hugged her from behind. The Japanese native then began to urge her to accompany her until she realized that the other woman had been talking to someone.
Enterprise staggered initially then gave the maid a frantic expression that said she didn't know what to say.
The maid's smile diminished noticeably. "Oh..." Her eyes had read the situation and saw the new silver-haired woman as someone close to the woman she had been talking to. "...you two are rather close if you don't mind me asking." It was clear that they weren't sisters, so were they...?
Shoukaku composed herself and sweetly smiled at the woman. "Of course, I plan to bring her into my family soon."
The white-haired maid blushed. Her suspicions had been confirmed and it made her disheartened. Regardless, she stood enthralled by the confidence and brazen attitude of the silver-haired woman. "Well... congratulations are in order. You two seem like a very happy couple."
Shoukaku's smile was now ornamental as no authenticity resided. In fact, she stared forward, processing what she heard along with a series of rapid blinks. "Co... uple?" She uttered that too softly.
Enterprise compulsively jumped in. "Thank you." Affirming the statement of the other woman. She had not thought to correct her as her heart had been fluttering in the presence of the white-haired beauty. As a defense to shield herself from this fire in her heart, she had snuffed out any possible chance to get shot down if she did get the nerve to ask her out.
A despondent expression flashed across the maid's face, long enough for Shoukaku to quickly see that it was a maiden's look who was steeling herself from a grim disappointment. She then beamed at them and bowed courteously. "I wish all the best for the two of you. Seeing a couple like you inspires hope in me to one day find that same spark." She laughed infectiously and turned the other way. She quickly walked faster and out of that awkward situation.
Enterprise fully returned to the situation just in time to feel a harsh jab at her side from Shoukaku. "What the hell was that?!" She demanded with a ferocity.
"Huh?"
Shoukaku steamed even more from the response. "You didn't correct her." Irritably stated the younger silver-haired woman.
"I... I... why didn't you do it?" Asked Enterprise with the same valid and angry energy.
"Because I was shell-shocked that she thought you and I were a couple and more so when you confirmed it."
Enterprise diminished and scratched her cheek. "It's not my fault. Your brazen attitude when you hugged me didn't leave much room for speculation. And what was with that suspicious remark about I plan to bring her into my family soon?"
The Japanese native covered her face from embarrassment. "Eek! Gah... okay, maybe that statement left no room for interpretation."
As the two bickered back and forth like an old married couple, the true significant other of Shoukaku casually appeared, holding a treasure trove of snacks.
"Shou, Ent, check out these snacks they have at aisle eleven. Super discount at 50%—what a deal." She grinned without a care in the world. She wore beige shorts and a light blue top with a green jacket that went only to her midriff.
"They are probably close to expiring soon then," said Enterprise. Usually, a good discount always has its dark spots.
Hornet merely gave a bashful smile, uninterested in the reasonable truth. All she cared about was that she had the money and the appetite for them.
"Hornet!" Shoukaku threw herself at her girlfriend and proceeded to display a guilty show of affection. Perhaps the implication of appearing to be a couple with her soon-to-be sister-in-law left a sour taste in her mouth. To her, merely appearing was the same as cheating. "Ah, sweety, it's just so awful. Enterprise was having a moment with some beautiful girl and that girl thought that Enterprise and I were a couple. Enterprise then said thanks, the most tactless thing you could say in a situation. Even if that woman was right, anything but thanks would be acceptable. Something like, she keeps me honest, she's my rising sun or even a wish for the one who said it to find that same love would have been acceptable. It's no different than saying thanks when someone says I love you."
Enterprise clutched the nearest shelf as Shoukaku's words blasted holes through her. She wasn't proud of what she said but it was the first thing that came to mind. "I wasn't having a moment, and my mind was just trying to find an out to the situation."
Hornet's face produced a sweatdrop and she forced a supportive smile. "Oh boy. And here I thought Enterprise didn't need help to shoot down other women potentially interested in her." Regardless of the outcome, the blonde grew proud of her older sister for going with the flow.
Enterprise silently brooded. She inhaled and exhaled. "Hornet, it wasn't like that. While it was nice to talk to her, I don't have time for dating. My focus is solely on my career and getting back on my feet to move out from your place."
"Hey, sis... I told you that it's not a burden for you to be staying with us. Mi casa es tu casa and all that."
"I think she's doing this out of a principle that she's the older sister and can't accept that her younger sister is helping her out, even though the company she poured her heart and soul into laid off half of its workforce, leaving our dear older sister unable to make ends meet," dramatically stated Shoukaku.
Enterprise frowned and a shadow loomed across her face.
Hornet got between them and eased the tension with a smile. "Don't rile her up after intercepting that love missile that was coming for her, Shou. Jeez, why is it that I’m acting like the older one among the three of us?" She was in fact the youngest one out of the three of them.
"Because you're so dependable and I like it when I rely on you, sweety," said Shoukaku. If she was good at one thing, it was shifting gears when it came to her mood.
Enterprise sighed. While she did admit it would have been nice to get the maid's number, she ultimately saw Shoukaku's antics as an intervention to keep her goals in sight. "This whole thing isn't a big deal. I didn't even get her name. I'm going on ahead to collect the rest of the things on my list now."
They watched her drift further away until she turned the corner into the next aisle.
"She still looks mad," added Hornet. Her sister had a tendency to separate her emotions from her reality. It worked better for her career, but she failed to perfectly apply it to her personal life.
"Wah, why did I bud in at the worst time?" Groaned Shoukaku.
“Hornet gave her a sympathetic smile. “Then make it right… in the Shoukaku type of way. Normally, I’d tell you to leave it be, but if you feel strongly about ruining my sister’s encounter then do what you do best.”
Shoukaku gained stars in her eyes and hugged her blonde girlfriend. “I know that I make you worry when I meddle in things but thank you for the support.”
Hornet wearily shrugged. “I learned to live with it. Besides, I wouldn’t have you any other way, Shou.”
(Sometime later)
The white-haired maid's grocery journey had brought her to her final stop, the bakery. As she inspected all the delicious and freshly baked bread, she felt someone approach her from her side.
"Oh, Hello again." That cheery voice had slowly begun to fade into the back of her mind when it resurfaced once again.
The maid's eyes turned up and met the eyes of the silver-haired Japanese native. "Huh, oh... you're..."
"Shoukaku, but please call me Shou."
The maid didn't know what to make of it yet and decided to at least introduce herself. "Belfast, but you can call me Bel."
"Our introduction before was so crude that neither of us gave each other's names," said Shoukaku, stating the obvious fact in the room.
Belfast smiled and nodded. "Yes... sometimes it can unfold that way."
Shoukaku's face grew anxious and serious. "Listen... the girl you were talking to, the one that you thought was my girlfriend, her name is Enterprise, but everyone calls her Ent."
"She… isn't your girlfriend?" She had been stuck on that lone revealment, and her heart suddenly started to beat faster.
"No! No no no. I mean, she's a nice girl once you get past her awkward and loner vibe she emits but I'm already taken by her lovable sister. Enterprise is just my dear future sister-in-law that I want to look after… even though she's older than me... hehe."
Belfast let a puff of air out and pushed a piece of hair behind her ear. "Earlier she had confirmed it, so I didn't think much against it." She smiled as it all made sense now when Shoukaku had said she wanted Enterprise to be a part of her family.
Shoukaku placed her hands on her hips. "Yeah, she can be a bit agreeable when put on the spot. Just shows that she thought you were quite lovely and didn't want to correct you, even if it was a detriment to her own desires."
"Oh... hehe. What a cute quirk she has," said Belfast.
Shoukaku sighed and happily agreed. "Yeah, she's a silly one but a good girl nonetheless. Say... were you interested in her?"
Belfast grew crimson and tried to hide her face. "You're so forward..."
"Well, I'm trying to right my wrongs here. I felt like I ruined one of those cutesy encounters you read up in a manga or anime."
"Her actions did tell me she was trying her hardest to make conversation," said Belfast. Her confidence grew when she realized that perhaps it was because she also liked her too.
The glowing face from the maid was all Shoukaku needed. She pulled out paper and a pen. "I'm going to write down her phone number if you're interested in calling her."
"She might not respond."
"Oh, she'll respond. I'll tell her to expect you to reach out to her. It's obvious that you like her, and she likes you with the way she gave me that glare after you left. If I hadn't been there then it would have gone the same way with you getting her number."
"Thank you. You didn't have to go out of your way to right any wrong from a fleeting encounter such as this one, but I greatly appreciate it."
"Pfft, fleeting encounters is how I met my Hornet. I worked at an antique shop back in my homeland and she came waltzing in thinking it was a buffet restaurant. She then bumped into an old Chinese vase and the rest... well... I can already see a double date in the future, so I'll let her tell that side of the story."
They both laughed and shared a bit more about the other until they went their separate ways for the time being. Encounters can be random, fleeting, and uniquely beautiful. Armed with the phone number of the woman that caught her eye, she planned to not leave this encounter as a one-and-done.