“Meli, would you like to get some tea inside?”

This proposition was a little more than common courtesy. After their moment in the alley, Hana needed Melissa to stay a little bit more. Also, she had some hōjicha at home (which is perfect alongside their pastries). It is better to share such a moment with a friend, isn’t it?

Hana then quickly opened the door, removed her shoes promptly (a courtesy gesture Melissa instinctively performed as well), and went to warn her roommate she brought a guest.

Hana, speaking loudly: “I am home~! Andrew, I invited a friend to have some tea with me. Would you like to join us? [after a short moment] Andrew?”

But nobody came.

Hana: “Maybe he went out to meet friends or a client. It is not a problem. Come, Meli, I will prepare some tea for us!”

Melissa: “Ojamashimasu〜！” (“Sorry to intrude~!”)

Hana was always baffled to see how flawlessly Melissa was speaking Japanese. She had no french accent doing so, and seemed to speak the language as fluently as if she grew up speaking it. Actually, it was very common for them to switch between French and Japanese (a usual behaviour between bilingual friends).

Yet, the main issue here wasn’t linguistics. She was alone with a lesbian. Indeed, she was her friend, and one of the most caring (and beautiful) person she met. But that was the problem: her friend seemed both out of her league, and so attractive at the same time. Also, what Lizzy said at the boba store has been haunting her ever since: was Melissa this magnetic she could turn girls into rabid lesbians?

However, Hana brushed off the idea quickly: she was just inviting a friend to get some tea, and said friend had been nothing but sweet and wholesome toward her. The young lady felt a little bit ashamed of her concerns.

As for Melissa, she found the apartment quite charming. Hana’s touch was instantly noticeable: several plushies coming from anime licenses (Hamtaro, Doraemon) or pop-culture license (like this funny Kermit the frog laying on the couch), or a nice collection of kyūsu on top of a bookshelf. Said bookshelf was stuffed with books (maybe from Hana’s assignments). The gray sofa was large and seemed fluffy yet firm, and the glass coffee table had Hamtaro-based glass mats on it, contrasting with the creamy white walls. The living room felt cozy.

As Hana brewed the tea, Melissa unpacked the two buns out of the bag. They were still warm. The sesame aroma was fragrant, and soon enough joined the toasty scent of Hana’s beverage which fitted the smell of the round brioche 

Both sat and tasted their delicious tea-time treats, while they chatted and relaxed after such a stream of emotions and heavy feelings.

Hana: “Say, Meli… there is something I would like to ask you a couple of times now.”

Melissa, intrigued: “Hmm? Feel free to ask, sweetie: I’m ready to answer!”

Hana: “Well… It is quite delicate to ask. [after a deep breath] How were you led to speak Japanese this good? You have no foreign accent, and you speak it as fluently as a native!”

Melissa: “Oh, that’s simple: my mom’s Japanese and put me right to a Japanese language school to learn the language. She also dragged me each August in Japan to visit her folks and friends… In fact, I even brought Lizzy with us one year, back when we were dating.”

Hana: “Oh, I see.”

Melissa: “Did you want to ask me anything else, sweetie?”

Hana: “In actuality… There is so much I would like to ask. You seem so mysterious, Meli…”

Melissa, nearly laughing: “Mysterious? ME? Far from it! Actually, you’re way more mysterious than me, Hanabi!”

Hana, chuckling: “Eeh?! I am not!!”

They remained silent after that, and each had a bite on their respective treat, letting the nutty deep flavor of black sesame roll on their tongue along with the fluff of the bun. Between each bite, they rinsed their mouths with a subtle toasty and caramelized tea with waxed wood undertones. It tasted straightforward but elegant. Hana clearly knew her fair share about tea!

Before they realized, it was already 6:30pm and both were kind of hungry. Therefore, Melissa suggested they order food to eat as soon as possible. After looking at all the options available around them, they settled for a seemingly succulent bánh mì chay each (with extra chili paste for Melissa). The latter were fond of these sandwiches, which was a staple of Lizzy’s lunches back in school.

Their order came around twenty minutes later, with two oolong cans included. The sandwiches seemed well stuffed and the baguettes were light and fluffy yet crusty and sizeable. Also (last but not least): no mayonnaise! They added a bit of margarine, though – nothing too dramatic, since it is discreet and gives a rounder taste to their bánh mì. Melissa asked if she could have a little bit of soy sauce; Hana agreed and went to the kitchen to bring her some.

Hana, across the room: “Would you like to pour the sweet shōyu, or the regular one?”

Melissa: “Huh, you’ve got sweet soy sauce? Isn’t it, like, yucky to put sugar in this stuff?”

Hana, amused: “Well, it is quite unusual, but I have to admit I am quite fond of it since I went on a family trip to Kagoshima. They produce homemade sweet shōyu there, you know.”

Melissa, dubious: “I’ll take the same you’ll pick, then.”

Of course, Hana picked the sweet sauce. Melissa was unsure at first, but got a bite from her friend’s sandwich and the syrupy tones coated her mouth in a sweet and savory ballet.

Melissa: “Wow!!! It’s delicious! I take back everything I said! It’s a blast! And I’ll sure bring my mom to Kagoshima next time we go to Japan! Now, please take a bite from mine, so we’ll be even.”

Hana, biting to Melissa’s bánh mì: “AAH！MECHAKUCHA ATSUi！！” (“AAH! IT’S SUPER DUPER HOT!!”)

Melissa, feeling sorry: “Oh, right… I ordered it with a lot of chili paste. Sorry, my mediterranean genes took over, and I didn’t think about your own sensibility. Really sorry…!”

Hana: “It is fine, please do not worry. I was just surprised. But you are a monster, Melissa: how can you bear such spicy food?”

Fortunately, a big gulp of the mineral and peachy oolong tea eased Hana’s sorry tastebuds. The poor girl was not used to such a level of violence from food. However, despite this incident, they were having a good, cozy, quiet time together. Their bond felt stronger as time fled by.

Hana: “Say, Meli: would you like us to watch a movie before you go? It would be a shame for you to leave right after dinner.”

Melissa, debating the proposition: “Erh, I don’t know. I mean, I have to go to work tomorrow morning, so…”

Hana, with a sorry look: “Please~!”

Melissa: “…Alright, alright! Gee… I sure can’t refuse anything to such a cute mug! [Pinches Hana’s cheeks]

Hana: “Chtop ith~!”

Melissa: “So, what do you wanna watch? Are you sure you’d like to watch a movie to begin with? I mean, a good show would be shorter, like an episode or two before I go?”

Hana: “Well, we would have to watch the following episodes afterward, then. With a movie, we can watch the whole story. Don’t you think it would be better?”

Melissa: “I guess. But do you have any DVD or BluRay here? You’ve got a PS5 there so…”

Hana: “Hmm… All of my DVDs are at my parents’ house at Ōmori, and the console belongs to my roommate. But I have Netflix on my laptop, so we can log in and settle on my bed.”

At this instant, Hana’s cheeks turned more crimson than usual. They weren’t planning to do anything naughty, but she would share her bed with a really stunning lesbian girl, who was so enticing that Hana felt like she… no! They are friends, and Melissa was nothing but respectful and wary of Hana’s boundaries.

Hana: “Anyway, please feel free to choose any movie you would want us to see. I have to put my pajamas on. Feel free to dress comfortably as well.”

Melissa: “Roger that, sweetie!”

As Hana went to the bathroom to change clothes, Melissa removed her jacket and launched Netflix. After a couple of categories browsed, she spotted the movie Liar Liar she watched during her childhood. That was a long time ago though, so she forgot most of its story.

When Hana went back to her room, she sported a Hamtaro-based pajama (she seemingly loved the orange hamster), while Melissa was only wearing her crop-top and the thong she bought the other day at Hana’s workplace.

Melissa: “Is everything OK, dear?”

Hana, mumbling: “…Wh…d…Bijin〜” (“Stunning~”)

Melissa: “You told me to be comfortable so… am I inappropriate?”

Hana: “Eeh… no, it is fine. I was just surprised. You are so~ beautiful…!”

Truth is, Hana was panicking inside. Melissa was so intimidating despite her caring nature. She had a voluminous haircut, a small face, large breasts and hips, a slim waist, and (very) long slender legs. Hana, despite her own hourglass figure (and overall being nicely endowed in her own right), felt like a child in comparison. Yet, Melissa  thought she was cute, and secretly wished to behold the nice body hidden by Hana’s modest outfit.

They quickly started the movie, and both leaned toward each other to feel more comfortable. However, they often paused it because Lizzy and Sam were openly flirting and teasing each other on their group chat. Neither Melissa nor Hana wanted to miss the tea. After all, Sam was Lizzy’s type (a well-endowed, caring, motherly woman), while Sam seemed rather intrigued by the strong and rebellious Lizzy 

As for Hana and Melissa, they barely noticed the movie and their evening turned into a cuddle session without them noticing. Hana was laying at Melissa’s side and put her head close to her neck, while placing her arm below Melisssa’s generous chest. The latter had her right leg between Hana’s knees, her arm around her friend’s waist and her hand resting on the maiden’s right hip. She also felt Hana’s breasts against her ribs: they were bouncy and a little fuller than they seemed.

The temptation to make a move was really strong, but Melissa felt something holding her back: it felt wrong to try anything at the moment. So, she quickly fell asleep. Hana noticed it quickly, turned off her laptop, and hugged her friend tight, without knowing why (maybe out of gratitude for her support earlier, and their friendship). Both slept soundly, and woke up in bliss. When Melissa noticed Hana’s embrace around her neck, Melissa felt as amused as ecstatic. It felt like a dream. A dream turned into a nightmare as she noticed her smartphone ran out of battery.

Melissa: “Hanabi, dear… just, what time is it?”

Hana, looking at her phone: “It is 9:30am. Why?”

Melissa, panicked: “Damn, I’m late for work!!!”