PJ's Coffee

[GGJ5]

‘‘The history of coffee in Louisiana is rich and strong. For more than two centuries, the finest coffee beans from around the world have always come here first. Coffee arrived in New Orleans in 1720 when French explorers introduced it to the city. Today, one third
of all the coffee in North America lands first on the docks of the Crescent City. Savor a cup of coffee almost anywhere in North America and you’ll taste New Orleans. Naturally, the largest coffee roasting plant in the world is located here too. Every cup of

coffee PJ’s brews represents our commitment to the legacy and culture of the Crescent City. We travel the globe to hand-select only the finest coffee beans - from Sumatra to Ethiopia, from Colombia to Kenya - everywhere for the best coffee." (from the PJ's Coffee Website.)

Everything from straight coffee to fancy frapps to bagels to cakes to herbal teas is served at PJ's, and the staff is usually very welcoming and hospitable. Most often behind the counter are either Monica or Tyrone, two students at UNO who spend their free time trying to earn a buck... sometimes both at the same time if they are overstaffed. More often than not the place is populated by college students like the employees, though the demographics vary as much as the coffee they sell.

(Monica and Tyrone are NPCs. Use with care. Tips are appreciated.)

[hanashyrexchana]

OOC: Nothing planned, feel free to jump in... I just felt like writting something. BIC

Juliet Echo Eco

Today's forecast called for 62 degrees, partially cloudy with a 30% chance of rain. A warm, beautiful day... to Juliet, who had spent the last seven months of her life in North Dakota, just twenty miles away from Canada. The greater majority of New Orleans, however, seemed to disagree. They wore light jackets and jeans as they hustled about, doing their business. Juliet, on the other hand, was wearing a light blue and white striped tunic and jean shorts. She wasn't completely out of place- plenty of people were wearing just as little, if not less. Still,she couldn't help but feel just a bit tourist-y. While she had no idea how long they would stay in New Orleans, it would be nice to feign some sort of sense of belonging. It always was.

It had never never really suited her to move around so much. She would rather settle down and make some actually bonds with people, instead of hanging out with random people who would never bother to call after she left. But she was stuck doing so until she could raise enough money to go to college or buy an apartment somewhere- until then, she had to room with the folks. Which wasn't so bad, with Mason around. It wasn't like she could just abandon him. Their father usually worked at night, sleeping all day, and their mother... well, she meant well, but with her in control Juliet had a sinking feeling that Mason would never be treated like an actual person. Not at school, not at home, not anywhere. Not with Juliet gone. On th subject of colleges, she wasn't even sure if she wanted to go yet. Being a barista suited her just fine.

Whether she was going to college or not wasn't exactly her problem at the moment- either way, she needed a job. Juliet had spent most of her morning (and a good chunk of the afternoon) moving from coffee shop to coffee shop, carrying about a bajillion copies of her resume. Most of the places had told her straight out that they weren't hiring, but a few had taken a good look and promised to call back. Which was a start. All she really needed was one call, and she'd probably be set. Still, it wouldn't hurt to hit a few more shops before heading home. PJ's wasn't exactly her style- usually, she preferred the small, organic-serving place, filled with mismatched couches and locals artists work. It really didn't matter, though. A job was a job. Before making her way up to the counter, she decided to search the crowd in order to figure out the general audience. Just a bunch of college kids... what was she expecting?

The smurf theme went off from inside her purse, telling her that Sam had finally worked up enough backbone to call her. It had been a week since she had left town, and the only contact they had had was a short text conversation. 'I miss u alot' he had wrote, about four days ago. Juliet hated text speak. Her reply had been 'I miss you too. A lot is two words. <3 Juliet' He didn't text back. So NOW he was calling. Just as she had been preparing to go up to the counter. Sighing, she set down her bag and papers on one of the tables as she fished out her phone. “Yo, Sam,” her voice sounded much happier than she actually was; she had a feeling where this call would go. “What's cracka-lacken'?”

”Hi. Ummm... Not much. Sorry 'bout not calling sooner. I, uh... I've been busy.”

“No problem.” Insert long awkward silence. “New Orleans is great, in case you were wondering.”

”Oh, yeah.... they have Matty Grass there, right?”

“Mardi Gras.”

”Right. I had some of the bread once. Almost choked on a baby-thing.”

Juliet had to resist mocking him out. After all, he was an okay guy, interesting enough, what with his mask collection and blue hair. Plus, he was nice enough to say he wanted to try a long-distance relationship. Then again, most guys said that. She already knew from experience that it wouldn't work. She had made a bet with herself already. If he was calling saying e had hooked up with Jessica, she'd buy herself pistachio ice cream. If it was Rosalie, cake batter.

”Um... I saw that is was 62 degrees there to-day.”

Great. Already talking about the weather. “Yeah. It was pretty sweet.”

”Cool, uhh-” He was cut off by Rosalie's trademark giggles, followed by ” Just tell her, Sammy!” He swore under his breath.” Yeah, um... Rose is here.... uh...I don't think-”

“That it's gonna work?”

”....yeah. Sorry.”

“Mhmm. What-ev.”

“Err, talk to you la-”Hanging up, Juliet quickly switched to her contact list, deleting Sam, Rose, and Jessica. Just for good measure.

Leaning back in her chair, Juliet felt her throat start to swell up. She had something like this would happen- but she had hoped it wouldn't. It wasn't like she was completely infatuated with Sam, but it would be nice if she could just once keep a boyfriend for more than a month after she moved. “Good riddance.”Wiping her eyes, she continued the conversation with herself. “Great, the jerk made me cry. It's not like I can apply for a job with my eyes all puffy and red. And I didn't even bring cash, so I can't get myself that ice cream....” Resting her head on the table, she decided to simply sit there, watching the crowd go by until she got bored or until she got kicked out for loitering. Whichever came first.

[More than Music]

OOC: Kagayaki is meeting Juliet, because we can't resist. : D Watch us get behind HERE too!
BIC:

Kagayaki Aidou

He didn't really know where he was. He often didn't. But what he did know, was it smelled like coffee; sweet and strong wafts of the fragrance attacked his senses and seeped into his clothes. He'd never get the smell out, he just knew it as he slipped inside the source – a small shop he could only guess sold coffee – and he was completely overpowered.

Kagayaki didn't really like the smell of coffee. Some people did, he knew that. Like, his okaasan for example. She loved smells like tea, coffee, vanilla, lavender and so on. The 'beautiful smells of the world' she said. Well, he didn't really like them, and they annoyed him greatly, but he had somehow learned to deal with them.

Personally, he liked smells like each person's smell – for everyone has one, and it is incredible how they are all different for those who don't wear cologne or perfume - and the rain. Simple smells like the smells that even scentless things have. Things that most people didn't really appreciate. And, to his dismay, he now remembered one of the things he loved the scent to most; Yumi. Oh, she'd had a wonderful smell. A very lady-like smell, that was totally a fault of her own; she used no perfume. Her fragrance filled the air as soon as she walked into the room, and it had made Kagayaki smell for a long time.

But now... he didn't want to think about it.

Well, since he didn't like the smell of coffee – nor the taste of it; nasty stuff – he had found something to do when his okaasan would come to places like these, either for smelling or writing purposes – because all the important American writers wrote in a coffee shop, she had said. Kagayaki would talk to the people there.

Oh what fascinating people came to coffee shops! As his deep brown eyes scanned the room from beneath his black baseball cap, he found himself smiling and sticking his hands into his pockets – which he only really did when he was trying to contain himself; something he had done to keep himself from his childhood habit of playing with his fingernails, which had evolved into a sign of shock or happiness - with delight. He nearly blended into this place, with his so-rarely common colored clothes on today – a black t-shirt with an exploding skull on it that Yukitokun had bought him some time ago, and a pair of dark bluejeans – and that made him happier than he could say.

To be part of the crowd. It was Japanese nature, but sometimes, Kagayaki felt like a fish in with birds when he went out. It was because he was so expressive with his dress; most people weren't so expressive as to wear bright colors like he did. But he couldn't get rid of his nature, so he'd decided to do with his clothes as he did with his emotions; change out every once in a while.

He saw a college kid, pointedly drinking coffee as he studied with furious concentration. He saw a group of young ladies, sitting at a table and talking with an excited tone as they all drank coffee together. He saw an old man, watching everyone with a squinted eye that held great judgment, drinking coffee alone in a corner. He saw a couple, the woman watching with a smile as her companion drank his coffee. He saw two boys about Ninokun's and Tomashita's age, drinking at intervals, between laughs as they showed off for the group of girls.

What a magnificent place to be! So many different people, all with different lives, different issues, and different ways of dealing with the world, all bound together by one thing: coffee. People don't realize how much it brings them together to love something together, or how much it means to them to be able to drink something that pleases them so much that they drink it every day.

Ah, what a place to be.

Then she caught his eye. A young lady, a pretty one, laying with her head hopelessly on the table. Kagayaki tilted his head a little as he watched her. She looked sad. He didn't know why she was sad. But she seemed to need some comforting. Kagayaki looked around to see if she was waiting for someone. After a few minutes, he shrugged, and slowly came over.

With eyes wide like a child – as they tended to be – and an expression of curiosity and concern, he touched her shoulder gently. “Alr is... you okay?” he asked, quietly. “P...Plretty girlrs... no been sad.” He smiled comfortingly. “W...Waitin... for... someone, yah? Orl... no?” He shifted a little, glancing around then looking back at her with another smile. “Can... can sitted herl?”

[hanashyrexchana]

Juliet Echo Eco

With her cheek on the table, Juliet watched the crowd of people laze onward. Some of them rushed, some were holding hands, some were alone but clearly blissful. Staring at her cellphone, which was still in her left hand, she wondered if it was possible to have a person without physically possessing them. Sure, there was unrequited love, but wasn't the point to not have them? Then again, maybe it is possible, and neither of us were in love at all. Sam had told her he loved her. Three times, in fact. Each time she had smiled sheepishly, blushed, and told him the same thing. Maybe this is my punishment for lying. Her phone vibrated, as if saying 'No, duh.' it was a text from her mom. 'Any idea what time you'll be home?' Juliet ignored it, rolling her head so her forehead laid flat on the table. To study the pattern closer, of course.

A hand touched her shoulder.'Probably the lady at the counter- here to make me leave.' Rolling her head back to it's original position, she saw it wasn't even a lady. It was some Japanese kid. Well, not really a kid. He looked about two years older than her, and his eyes were huge."Alr is... you okay?" Staring at him, Juliet tried to decide if he was really concerned, or if he was some jerk trying to pick up some desperate girl. Which she was not in the slightest. Anyway, his voice was quiet and gentle, and he did look rather concerned. She concluded that either way, a conversation was just what she needed to get her mind off of... well, everything. Juliet faked a smile as she lifted her head up, wiping her eyes with her free hand.

"Y-yeah, I'm just... having a bad day, really." Her cellphone beeped once, telling her to respond to her mom's text. She ignored it, but held it up for the guy to see. "Bad phone call, you know?"

"P...plretty girlrs... no been sad." His smile wasn't smug or flirty, but it didn't seem right. It looked so... practiced. " W...waitin...for...someone? Orl...no?" he looked around, as if looking for someone who might be approaching the semi-isolated table.

"No...no one at all. I'm pretty much alone for to-day" Juliet had to grimace from the truth of it.

"Can... can sitted herl?" He looked back at her, smiling again.

"Hm? Oh, uh... yeah. Sure, why not? Go ahead." She waved her hand to-wards the seat next to her. "So... hm. What brings you here?"

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

"Alr is... you okay?"

She looked very sad. Very very sad. And he could tell as she looked up at him. He watched her with compassionate eyes. Kagayaki remembered feeling like that. Many times. One time wasn't that long ago. In fact... just a few days.

"Y-yeah, I'm just... having a bad day, really." she told him, and he smiled sadly. Yeah, he really knew how that was. She held up what he identified as a hand phone ironically. "Bad phone call, you know?"

He nodded. "Yah." Like a breakup phone call? Yeah, he remembered having one or two of those. They were horrible. "P...plretty girlrs... no been sad." He smiled nicely at her. " W...waitin...for...someone? Orl...no?" Kagayaki glanced around, checking. He didn't want to intrude.

He just wanted to help.

"No...no one at all. I'm pretty much alone for to-day" she told him, not sounding too happy about that. So he asked her if he could sit down. "Hm? Oh, uh... yeah. Sure, why not? Go ahead." She gestured towards the other seat. "So... hm. What brings you here?"

Kagayaki nodded as he sat down, then looked up at her, mentally translating what she had just said. "Eto..." A mental thwack from himself. He needed to speak English. He blushed. "Sorry... Ah, rlonrly." he said, smiling gently. "No one... tarlks to." He nodded to confirm himself, then looked down. He wanted to ask her why she had been so upset by the phonecall, but that would be rude. And, to start off, he didn't know how to say it. Ah, he wished he was better at speaking English! "Ah, you?" He looked up, hoping that keeping his sentences short would prevent him from looking like the stupid person he knew he was.

Besides. Looking silly was always better than looking stupid, in the mental sense.

[hanashyrexchana]

Juliet Echo Eco

He looked nice enough. Then again, most guys did. But he was being so sweet… just like Sam was. He’s just seeing if you’re okay… no need to freak out. Juliet assured herself as he asked how she was. “Y-yeah, I'm just... having a bad day, really." She held up her phone for him to see. “Bad phone call, you know?” The boy nodded sympathetically, then smiled and asked if anyone else was meeting with her. “No…no one at all. I’m pretty much alone for to-day.” At this, he asked if he could sit. It took her a few seconds to figure out what he was saying, but she was quick to recover when she did. “Hm? Oh, uh… yeah. Sure, why not? Go ahead.” Waving towards the empty seat, Juliet had to wonder how long this kid had been in America. Of course, being in the country didn’t mean you had to speak English, but he seemed to be trying pretty hard. Sort of like Mason, when he read or sang, or even just talked. He would stutter, use minimalist vocabulary (when Juliet wasn’t forcing him otherwise), and rearrange sentences such as ‘I want to go to the park.’ into ‘To the park I want to go.’, earning him the nickname of Yoda in several of his previous schools. Realizing that the guy was still there, Juliet tried to start up a conversation. “So…hm. What brings you here?”

”Eto…” He said as he sat down, still smiling. "Sorry... Ah, rlonrly." So you come to coffeeshops and talk to random people? Okay, that’s cool, I guess. Just a bit trusting, but hey. Not everybody assumes the world is out to hurt you. You’re just weird like that, Juliet. "No one... tarlks to."He said, nodding again. ”Ah, you?”

“Well, I was job hunting, but then…” She waved towards her phone. “My ex called, and I started crying, so I can’t go ask for a job ‘cause that’s unprofessional…” As she spoke, Juliet started to speed up her sentences. "And now I'm talking to a stranger about my problems, and that's really weird of me 'cause I never tell NO one what's wrong, AND this is only my first week in New Orleans, usually it takes a guy at least two weeks to dump me after I move, and I think I'm starting to cry again. Shoot. Today just sucks." Stopping to catch her breath, Juliet realized that she was indeed crying. "I'm sorry, I havn't even asked your name." After wiping her eyes she held out her hand for him to shake. "My name's Juliet, and you're the nicest person in the world to sit here and take this crap from me."

[More than Music]

OOC: This is so cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute <333333333
BIC:

Kagayaki Aidou

”Eto… Sorry... Ah, rlonrly. No one... tarlks to." he told her, nodding. ”Ah, you?”

“Well, I was job hunting, but then…” her voice trailed off as she pointed to her handphone. “My ex called, and I started crying, so I can’t go ask for a job ‘cause that’s unprofessional…”

Kagayaki frowned sympathetically. "Sory."

"And now I'm talking to a stranger about my problems, and that's really weird of me 'cause I never tell NO one what's wrong, AND this is only my first week in New Orleans, usually it takes a guy at least two weeks to dump me after I move, and I think I'm starting to cry again. Shoot. Today just sucks."

She was talking very fast, and Kagayaki felt his eyes go a bit wide. He was sure exactly what she had said, but he caught 'New Orleans', which he remembered to be the name of the town... or city... he could never remember the difference in this language. He also caught the term 'dump me' which he strained to remember was a term that Yukitokun had used in the same place as 'breaking up'. At least, he hoped that was what she meant. It didn't seem like the right context for the literal form of 'dump'.

She paused, breathing again, and he saw tears in her eyes. Kagayaki's mouth fell open. What was he suppose to do now? "I'm sorry, I havn't even asked your name." she said, wiping her eyes and extending a hand to him. He shook it with a sad half-smile. "My name's Juliet, and you're the nicest person in the world to sit here and take this crap from me."

Kagayaki laughed. "Daijobu desu... Alrighto, yah." he assured her, unable to catch himself before speaking Japanese but at least remembering to say what he'd meant to in English. He bowed with his head out of pure Japanese habit, forcing himself to run over it in the right language before saying it, and making sure that he used his given name. That was what she had just told him... right? Everything here was so confusing! "Kagayaki desu." Then he jumped. "Sory! Oh, I am Kagayaki." He laughed. "No crap is," he continued, "how you feer... impoltanto." He sent her a wink, hoping it would make her feel better.

For once, he was glad he understood English profanity. This knowledge had come accidentally, but he had actually learned that one directly from Yukitokun. Again, on accident. It was very awkward for Yukitokun to explain it, but he finally understood it and had remembered it...

Just in case.

He looked around, then back at... Ju... Julie? Oh, he'd forgotten already! He was so stupid. Ju... Jul... Juliet! There it was. Yeah, like that silly play that his mother had shown him. Romeo and Juliet. Okaasan was crazy about it. That's how he'd remember then. "Needed... anthin, maked you... feel better, yah?"

[hanashyrexchana]

Juliet Echo Eco

’Fail, Juliet. Epic fail.’ She thought to herself as she started listing off her problems to the poor guy sitting next to her, staring at her with kind and confused eyes.’ He looks… almost sympathetic. What a word. “I know your pain. I’m as pathetic as you. We’re in the same boat.” Well, duh. Lots of people get breakup calls. You’re not special at all, Juliet.’ Finishing her little rant, Juliet felt tears come down her cheeks. ’Great job. What happened to being made of brick? Aren’t you not supposed to let people see you cry? This boy is a stranger.’ But he didn’t look annoyed. Sure, his mouth had dropped open, but it was probably because ‘she was crying and he had no idea what to do’ or something along those lines. He looked concerned. He was really, truly concerned. ’Maybe he’s one of those things people call Angels.’ Juliet thought as she finished crying and wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry; I haven’t asked you your name. My name’s Juliet and you’re the nicest person in the world to sit here and take this crap from me. “ She held out her not tear-covered hand and he took it, shaking it sadly.

”Daijobu desu… Alrighto, yah. Kagayaki desu.” ’That’s… Japanese, right? That must be where he’s from. Way to force your emotion on a foreigner… I wonder if he even knows what I’m crying about. He seemed to realize he wasn’t speaking English anymore, because he translated. ”Sory! Oh, I am Kagayaki. No crap is, how you feer… impoltanto.” He winked and laughed for her. ‘Is it? Really? Juliet found herself smiling with him, though there were still a few tears in her eyes. He was doing wonders for her, but oh! he wasn’t done yet. "Needed... anthin, maked you... feel better, yah?" Simply amazing.

“N-no, well, yes there is, but you’ve really done enough. Really. Thank you, thank you very much. I am happy just talking with someone right now, thank you.” She stumbled over a few words, but she tried to talk clearly. “What would be best, I think… would be to change the subject.” Thinking for a second, she brought up the only thing her mangled mind could think up at the moment. “You were speaking Japanese, yes? I tried teaching myself once, but I only learned a tiny, tiny bit. My attention span isn’t very large, you see.” It took a few seconds for her to remember any of the language. “Umm… Watashi wa hachi… ichi desu? Yes?” She laughed a little. “See? I’m horrible.”

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

”Daijobu desu… Alrighto, yah. Kagayaki desu.” Then he realized he wasn't speaking Japanese anymore, and felt very bad. ”Sory! Oh, I am Kagayaki. No crap is, how you feer… impoltanto.” He sent a wink and a laugh in her direction, hoping to make her feel better. He hated seeing depressed people. Especially depressed girls. "Needed... anthin, maked you... feel better, yah?"

“N-no, well, yes there is, but you’ve really done enough. Really. Thank you, thank you very much. I am happy just talking with someone right now, thank you.” she said, and Kagayaki nodded.

"Un."

“What would be best, I think… would be to change the subject. You were speaking Japanese, yes? I tried teaching myself once, but I only learned a tiny, tiny bit. My attention span isn’t very large, you see.” She paused for a moment, and Kagayaki's eyes sparkled. He loved it when people tried to speak Japanese. Absolutely loved it. “Umm… Watashi wa hachi… ichi desu? Yes?” At this, they both laughed. And he knew enough English to know her mistake! That felt good. Her pronunciation was off, but in an adorable way. Really. “See? I’m horrible.”

"Iie, iie." he told with with a wink. "You meaned, 'watashi wa ichi-hachi desu', yeah? You... is... eight... ten?" He smiled at her. "What meaned, yeah? Been okay... learned new things... no good sometime." He looked at her with concern. "Can getted you sometime to eated? Drinked?"