Wayside - 1920s Japan Dramedy

Yuko and Alfred were left in silence, their only company now the harsh sunlight beaming through the window above the countertop.

"My." Yuko shifted on her heels nervously, examining Alfred's stone-like face for some semblance of emotion. "I never imagined I would be witness to such a lively fight between the two of you, but there's a hundredth time for everything."

She was borderline furious with the man before her, but nevertheless her eyes never left his sun streaked face. She studied every crease, every crinkle that she had fallen in love with.

He was an idiot, but she loved him.

And she loved him, but she wasn’t blind.

He needed to give her answers and explanations.

"What would you have done if Mister Kamoi had asked me instead of Lucy?" Arms now crossed, she let out a small laugh as her shoulder rose and fell, eyes still glued to Alfred.

She could tell he was getting flustered, his slicked hair turning into a mop as he shook his head.

"You weren't out that day, he couldn't have asked you even if he wanted to."

"You're not answering the question."

Eyebrows raised and a slight smile playing on her lips, Yuko waited. She would wait all day if she had to, or at least until they had to reconvene with Mieko and Mister Kamoi.

"Okay." Just like his niece moments before, he threw his arms up in front of him, hands then slapping on the front of his trousers as both arms fell in unison. "I guess I would have been angry about some guy putting you in an uncomfortable situation."

Yuko was thankful that there was no questioning tone at the end of his statement, for had there been any hint of hesitation at all, her hands would have been around his neck.

"I really hope you would be, especially after how me met in Chicago." Arms tightening across her chest, she allowed herself another brief laugh before continuing. "So why is it so hard for you to understand why she's upset?"

"I know what you're trying to do Yuko. Mister Kamoi isn't like the guys who held you up in Chicago." Alfred shook his head "He's clean-cut, he was going to pay Lucy, and she's still unattached. I have no reason to be mad, but you-" Hand slipping from the cool tile of the sink, Alfred shuffled over to Yuko as he grasped for purchase atop her shoulders. "The reason why I would be angry if he asked you? You're my girl, Yuko. I'm not gonna share the girl I love."

"I...I know you love me, Al. And I love you." She fought off the butterflies swirling in her belly as his words of devotion threatened to let him off the hook. "But don't you also love your niece? Just because she's unattached doesn't mean she has to work that kind of job."

Alfred didn't answer immediately. His glasses slid to the tip of his nose as his head lowered in thought.

Of course he loved Lucy, they were the same flesh and blood! She was just such a pain in the ass to those around her sometimes that he couldn't help but snap! She was–

She was actually a lot like him.

"Of course I love her, she's just..."

"A handful."

"Exactly."

"Just like you."

The two of them shared a giggle before they bumped foreheads, their tried-and-true love language for when words weren't exactly enough.

Yuko huffed. "Well, I for one, see why Lucy felt the way she did.”

"Lucky for her, she doesn't have to worry about work now anyway." Alfred's breathing grew shaky, hot puffs of air flaring across Yuko's already-heated face. "Everything's going to be fine now, I promise. That is–" A swig of air filled his lungs as he searched his brain for the right words. 「You will marry me?」

「Al.」 She nearly snorted at his failed but adorable attempt at romance, and at such an inopportune time no less. 「It's 'marry with me.'」

"What!? That's what I said isn't it!?"

There it was. She snorted.

"No, that's not what you said. All of those free lessons I've been giving you, wasted!" Her hands padded up the white fabric of his shirt, pulling him further down by the collar to give his forehead a flick. "We've already agreed to get married, Al! You don't need to ask me again!"

She pulled harder on his collar, their noses now touching. "Wait–" She blinked once, he blinked twice. "Why are you asking me again? What do you mean?"

"Mister Kamoi says we need to get married if we want this to work." His sudden blurb was childlike in nature, the situation comparable to when a kid would go clinging to their mother's skirt for comfort before confessing to a wrongdoing.

"He...he said that?" Her hands recoiled back to her sides as she took a few steps backwards. "And...you still came to an agreement with him, even though you know I wanted to wait until we were more settled."

Alfred was silent once more. He didn't know what to say, rather, what she wanted him to say. Hadn't she told Lucy earlier to "trust him?" If she was telling Lucy to trust him, she should too!

"I know we wanted to wait until we had our lives more sorted out and settled, Yuko." He found his hands now gripping the edge of the table. "But instead of waiting until we're settled, we need to do this in order to be settled." He mindlessly kicked one of the table legs, raising his brows at Yuko. He was expecting some sort of answer, hoping she would be able to see where he was coming from.

While the love they shared knew no end, the time they had together did.

Yuko was angry. She should have known that this would be the end-result. Alfred couldn't stay a traveler forever, nor could she keep avoiding marriage.

It wasn't fair to him. It wasn't fair to her, either.

She was expecting to stay angry at Alfred for lunging into a deal that required them to marry, but the more reality hit her, the more she knew that it wasn't completely him that she was upset with.

She was more upset with her circumstances.

"I-" One hand shot up to her forehead while another clenched at her side, floundering for some imaginary support. "I just don't want to deal with him."