Noon had barely passed when Dawn's classes for the day ended. She was walking out of the building, pushing her way through the usual mass of students.

Suddenly, the people started parting, curiously staring at the girl who was standing in the middle of the road with her red bike, her head above almost everyone else's. Whispering befell Dawn's ears.

"For real?" she muttered to herself as she approached Cindy. The tall girl looked overjoyed at the sight of her friend, the hidden smile showing in her eyes. Heavens but she is beautiful.

Above the scarf were two slightly upturned eyes, wide-set and of ruby red hue. Between them, a thin nose separated them, showing freckles.

Her hair was falling down in long, slightly wavy strands of white, as bright as the surrounding snow. It reached far down her back, almost seeming to glow on the contrasting black coat Cindy was wearing. As she started moving towards Dawn, the long cloth revealed similarly colored tights. The coat looked like it used to close from neck till hips, but the zipper had broken. Only a few buttons held it closed at the girl's chest.

"Have you been waiting long?" Dawn asked, wondering how the girl knew when to expect her.

"I don't know, I just stayed after my classes were over."

"Sorry to make you wait then, but I can't hang out now. I have to get to work."

"Thought so... wa-want me to take you there?" Cindy patted her bike again, looking hopeful.

"Sure, thanks. Just follow the main road."

They hopped on and took off in the direction of the café that Dawn worked at.

"You know where to go?" Dawn asked when she noticed Cindy taking the shortcuts she herself always used.

"I've seen you go t-there. And I've been there once because I wanted to talk to you..." Cindy murmured the last part, seemingly embarrassed.

"So how come we hadn't met at the cafe yet?"

"I... I ran away before you came to take my o-order." A few seconds of silence followed, then she continued, "Sorry for being c-creepy..."

"It's fine." She simply wanted to befriend me. Nothing wrong with that. I think.

Trying to change the subject, Dawn asked, "How come your hair is so white? Do you bleach it?"

"N-No, I have a-albin-n... albin-in..."

"Albinism?" Dawn helped her out and Cindy nodded. Thought so.

Her white hair, pale skin, and ruby eyes were all caused by her condition, though it's more common for animals to have it. It usually made exposed skin very sensitive to the sun.

"So is that why you hide most of your face and skin?"

"Uhm... yeah... In summer I always need my pa-parasol with me. And sung-glasses."

"That's got to be so annoying," Dawn exclaimed, imagining how restrictive that had to feel.

"You have no idea! E-Especially when it's wi-windy. I'm always sca-scared of another p-parasol breaking!" Cindy responded, speaking the words faster than she could without stuttering. She seemed happy for Dawn to relate to her. The shorter girl laughed.

A minute of silence followed, but this time, Cindy broke it. "Erh, Dawn, w-where are you from? You look d-different."

She's starting to ask questions herself. I'm glad.

"My mom is Japanese. She moved here when she got married. I got most of my appearance from her, that's why I look Asian."

"I see... I like your eyes." Cindy looked back and the two girls shared a smiling look, until-

"Lamppost, lamppost!" The tall girl turned around and managed to steer around the streetlamp they were about to hit.

An audible deep breath of both sides followed, and Dawn spoke, "Well, that was close."

Both laughed.

×××

Dawn sighed yearningly and looked down. She found her index finger covered in red lipstick. She had fidgeted with her lip again.

"The cafe isn't far from college, you know that, so we reached it shortly after." Dawn kept telling the story, taking out three mugs from her bag.

"I brought my new vacuum flask today. Thought I'd surprise you with some good coffee from the cafe. Or well, the smell of it."

The flask had 'Gingerbread Cafe' and a small gingerbread house printed on it. A Christmas present to the part-time employee of the year, Dawn Hikari. She poured a cup.

"Wish they'd given me a raise instead of this cyan and orange thermos bottle. What a weird color combo." She took her cup and leaned back on the table, enjoying the heater's warmth next to her.

"I made it just the way we like it. Two-thirds espresso, one third frothed milk, one cube of sugar." Her eyes lingered on the liquid as she swirled it in the cup. "You know, I'm not sure whether this really was how you liked it. It was just how you drank it every single day. Like a ritual."

"Guess I can tell you now. I wouldn't have dared to suggest going against your usual back then, but... this isn't how I like my coffee. Never was."

"A third coffee, a third cocoa, the rest milk. A good amount of sugar. That's what I actually like. And in summer, iced coffee. Or you know, just something completely different. I don't do the exact same thing every day. Why drink the same cup each morning? What had changed you so much? We three used to try things out, be spontaneous-" We three. She brought three cups, not the usual two.

She got goosebumps and trembled. Why did she suddenly feel freezing cold?

"I brought him up again, didn't I? ...Sorry. You will hate me for this, but - well you hate me for everything I said today anyway, so... Every morning, at 6:20, I place mugs on the table, as I used to. Not two, but three. I never stopped." Heavens how could it be so cold?

"Every morning, I fill one cup with two-thirds espresso, one third frothed milk, and one cube of sugar. Then I fill the other two cups with a random creation I want to try. When I come home each evening, Dad's and your cups are still there."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. 

"I shouldn't mention him, I promised I wouldn't mention him, but- you never told me why. I don't hate him, though I know you did. But you gave me no reason to. Neither did he until he went away."

Dawn hopped off the table, arms crossed, and pressed against her body. She touched the heater and her fingers felt like they were touching ice. It had never been on, to begin with. Hadn't it been warm and cozy here until moments ago?

Dawn groaned and rushed to grab her coat. "What's going on? And why am I even telling you all of that? I never told you about these things, I-" It was her.

"It's her, Cindy. She changed me. That girl reminded me so much of Dad. How she had fun trying out coffees with me. How she is freakishly tall. How she... disappeared."

Dawn - now wrapped in her coat and a blanket - slumped to the ground against the wall.

"I... I should continue."

A tear rolled down her cheek.