Yui practically skipped down the street. It would have been obvious to anyone passing by that he was a tourist who had never been to the city before. He moved so fast that for once Al felt thankful that his legs were long enough to keep up. Yui continuously got distracted by various shops and sights, but Al’s growing migraine reminded him to look for a café. Al looked downright crabby by the time they found one, and the young female barista who greeted them at the door jumped with fright when she saw his worn face in an expression of what she might have interpreted as murderous rage.

“W-welcome, sirs,” she stuttered, while taking in the man’s black hair, beard, scarf, and trenchcoat in contrast with his ghastly white face. She seemed to think she had seen the grim reaper out of the corner of her eye.

Though Al knew her fear was just from sudden surprise, and certainly not anything serious, it had affected him as well, and he had taken a step back towards the door without realizing it. 

“Come on,” Yui waved, beckoning Al into the café, as if saying it’s safe.

Sure enough, Al did feel safe here. The small number of people in the establishment were happy, and that feeling spread to him. Al often felt like a sponge, soaking in the emotions of everyone around him. Sometimes it was hard to pinpoint his own emotions within the whirlpool of others’.

Yui ordered a pumpkin spice chai latte, since it was in season.

“I thought you didn’t drink coffee,” Al’s narrowed eyes gave Yui a sidelong glance.

“But I’ve always wanted to try this,” Yui whined.

“Alright, but if you start walking any faster, I’m going to need a leash,” Al said.

“Whoa, that’s the first time I heard you joke!”

“Who said it was a joke?” Al smiled. The mood in this café was certainly contagious.

Al stepped up to order himself some Earl Gray tea, but the girl wasn’t looking at him this time. Now that she was done being startled by Al’s appearance, her eyes lingered on Yui. With that outfit, Al wondered how she didn’t notice him first. The girl’s eyes drifted downward. She was definitely checking him out. Al cleared his throat.

“Oh, sorry,” the barista snapped back to reality. She blushed a little. “What can I get for you?”

After they got their drinks, they sat down at a little square table for two.

“Mm, that’s good,” Yui practically moaned, as he drank a couple sips of his hot beverage. “So, anyway, your power…” He looked up and saw Al glaring at him. “Your condition,” he corrected, “it’s really rough, huh? You can’t switch it off, ever?”

“No,” Al blinked and pursed his lips. “It’s stuck with me wherever I go. Sometimes it gets so bad that I can’t breathe. Imagine the worst you’ve ever felt in your life, except more… confusing, because it could be mixed with a bunch of other emotions. If there are people who are ecstatic and people who are miserable around me at the same time, it creates this awful, overbearing confusion. And sometimes even people being happy can be too much. I’ve felt so many people’s happiness at once that I felt like I couldn’t contain myself.”

“That sounds good to me,” Yui shrugged.

“No, it’s… it’s like it makes me not me,” Al tried to explain. “It’s like a drug. I guess it could be like if you have too much caffeine.” He pointed to Yui’s cup. “It’s like some kind of high, and it makes me feel… like I’m not in control of my body.”

“Oh,” Yui sank a little in his chair. He reminded Al of a sad puppy with its ears folded down. “I shouldn’t have had you come to work with me last night. Be honest with me. How bad was it?”

Al put his cup down and balled his hands into fists. “Bad,” he admitted. “I was grieving. I’ve never had a kid, but… I felt it. In that moment, I was Timmy’s mother.”

“His mother?” Yui echoed. “Not his father?”

“No,” Al said. “I was feeling Anabelle’s emotions specifically. Her attachment to her child. And her grief. It’s hard to explain, but it was definitely a motherly attachment. As if I had given birth to him. So, yeah... I lost a child last night.” His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles went white.

“I’m sorry,” Yui said, breathily. “I shouldn’t have roped you along.”

“No, it’s my doing.” Al stretched out his fingers and pushed a strand of wavy hair out of his face. “I chose to come with you, and I don’t regret it.”

“You don’t?”

“No,” he admitted. “I needed to make sure Anabelle would be alright. I connected with her when she called you. Or maybe I should say her emotions reached me. At that point, I was already hooked in. I couldn’t have rested, thinking that girl might’ve killed herself after having felt her pain. So I had to find out if you were going to help her… what you were going to do. And I wasn’t disappointed. What you did was incredible. Assuming it really does last.” He took a sip of his tea at last. It had cooled down just enough for his sensitive taste buds.

“Can I ask you something else?” Yui asked.

“You already are.”

Yui chuckled, and then he collected himself. “Can you feel me? My emotions? Can you sense what I’m feeling right now?”

“That’s just it,” Al said. His eyes squinted as he took in Yui’s form. “I can’t feel anything from you. It’s never happened before. You’re the only person I’ve ever met whose emotions I can’t feel.”

“Is it ‘cause I’m such a chill guy?” Yui asked as he leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head.

“No, I’ve met other ‘chill guys’,” Al chuckled, “they all emit a little bit of something, even if they’re feeling relaxed and content. I would still catch some of that contentment. But with you… it’s like there’s nothing there.”

“You saying I’m not real?” Yui raised an eyebrow.

”Honestly, that’s what I thought at first.”

“Huh?” Yui’s mouth widened into an open frown.

“When you knocked on my door yesterday, I heard you, but I didn’t sense your emotions,” Al admitted. “I thought I was going crazy.”

“Well, I’m real,” Yui said. “I promise.”

“I believe you,” Al scoffed. “I don’t think I’m that far gone. I think it might have something to do with our ‘abilities’ bouncing off of each other.”

“Like they might cancel each other out?”

“Could be.”

“I can’t have that,” Yui complained. “You could jeopardize the health of my patients!”

“Well, I hope that’s not the case,” Al sighed. “Whatever it is, you’re special.”

Yui perked up at this statement. Now he looked like a dog expecting a treat.

“Not to be weird, but,” Al looked at his cup of tea. “I’ve never been able to enjoy another person’s company without constantly being reminded of their mood. It’s amazing to be able to be with someone and just be… me. Without my disorder getting in the way.”

Yui smiled and blushed a pretty pink. “I’m glad to be of service.”

“Bet you say that to all the girls, huh?” Al smirked and took a sip of his tea.

Yui left his business card on the counter on his way out.