s a t u

e p i g r a p h

in this world of happy endings

would you rather be

my endless saga?

s a t u

Making her way to the Kaze's

, Kira Cho almost fell for the second time today.

The first one happened this morning when she was too busy thinking about what to eat for breakfast when her roommate slash best friend shove her out the door so she can use the bathroom first because she was late for work. She trip over her towel and fell off her butt, she was sure her butt was still bruising, but that's not the point right now.

The point is, right now she was late. Really, really late. It's nine forty five p.m and Kaze's

the most popular and the nearest record store closed at Ten, which gave her at least ten minutes to get there –only if she can make it and another five to grab the record her brother wouldn't stop talking about and pay for it. She knew for sure no one would be at Kaze's . Well, except for Kaze himself, of course.

She still couldn't believe that she forgot. Yes, she forgot to check the date, and she forgot –or more like procrastinate herself on buying this record. To say that she feel horrible for forgetting her baby brother's birthday party was an underestimate. She's was about to pass out when she check the calendar.

So there she is, walking as fast as she could because she couldn't bare running even though she know she's late while muttering stupid, stupid, stupid like a mantra to reach Kaze's

in time, hoping that it still has open sign when she get there.

*

Samuel Gale or known as Saga, was too tired to listen his friend heartbreaking yet funny story on how his date ran away the minute he sees him, yes you read it right, it's a he, he didn't even gave his friend a sarcastic comment like he usually do, since his brain couldn't think of anything else other than his warm inviting bed.

So the moment his friend, Daniel or Danny for short about to jump on how he ran for his date to ask him why he ran when he saw him, Saga couldn't help but yawn.

"Did you just yawn?" Danny asked, clearly offended.

"No," Saga replied, yawning.

"Oh, c'mon man. I didn't even get to the juicy part."

"Yeah, yeah. Continue,"

"Anyway, as I was saying. I ran after him and –okay I can't do this. Just admit it you yawn didn't you?"

"Yes, I did."

"Ha!" he yell through the phone, "I knew it! Did my story really worn you out?"

"No," he yawn again. "But covering for your stupid shift did."

"Okay, fine. That's reasonable." Danny was silent for a while, "How about you go to Kaze's

and buy yourself something? It's on me I promised."

Saga eyes lit up the minute Danny mentioned Kaze's, "Are they still open?"

"They close at ten so you better be hurry."

"I can take whatever I want, right?"

"Knowing you, you probably buy the whole damn store if I said yes. So two only."

"Five." He tried negotiate.

"Three."

"Deal. I see you tomorrow with my new five records."

"That's not—" before Danny could protest, Saga already hang up the phone. He took a U-turn, and drive his way to his favorite record store.

Danny is so going regret this.

*

Running her hand through the stack of CD, Kira found herself looking at one CD with a picture of four guy posing like a Calvin Klein model, making her frown. It confused her, how does that even possible to make that as a CD cover? Shouldn't it be more about the music and not the cover?

"Well, that's predictable." Said a voice beside her, making her look up from the CD cover.

"Pardon?"

"Predictable." He repeated.

"What was?"

"You."

Kira raised her eyebrow, "How come?"

"You see, you've been staring at that boyband CD cover from the moment I walk into the store. From the look of it, you probably just fangirl-ing over it right now or maybe, you were day dreaming about one of the guy before I interrupt you. Then, after you walk away from this store, you probably tweeted them of how much you love them even though there's tons other girls that tweeted the same thing, and you probably dream of the days when you finally able to meet them and the thought of never meeting them drives you insane."

Kira couldn't believe what she just heard. She didn't even know who was this guy five minutes ago and now he was already stereotyping her as one of those fan-girl not that it's a bad thing, she used to fan-girl over Jonas Brothers and still is actually,  just because she was looking of a boyband CD cover?

"Is that really?" She said looking at him from head to toe. "What about you then? Let's see, ripped jeans, and a dirty converse. Also a shirt with a ridiculous band name, what is that? Onion rings? That's one hell of a name for a band, does their first single called dip me in sauce? You probably one of those die-hard rock band, probably the one that stand near the speaker so you're a bass zombie. While the truth is, you adore Barbie and Ken relationship and you watch porn before you fall asleep."

The guy was looking at her with an amusement look on his face, he turn away for a second, clenching his jaw. Kira swore she never saw someone clench their jaw as attractive as this guy.

"I'm Saga." He said after a few seconds of silence.

"Saga?"

"It's actually Samuel Gale, but I go by Saga."

Kira turn her attention back to the stack of CD, avoiding his curious eyes. "That's interesting."

"What?" His eyes follow her moves, "You're not going tell me your name?"

"Well, Saga." She glance at him, "My father told me not to give my name to strangers."

"Ouch," Saga place his right hand on his chest, "I thought we were bonding the minute we bruise each other's ego."

Kira roll her eyes, grabbing her baby brother's favorite CDs and walk to the cashier with him following behind her. "The bond still not strong enough."

Saga gave a nod for Kaze that is for sure listening to their conversation since the beginning, "What about ice cream then?"

"Today's Monday. The best ice cream parlor in town was closed every Mondays."

"Cash or Credit?" Kaze asked making Kira turn around and face him.

"Cash." She replied handing the money and he, handing her the record. Saga gave Kaze a friendly nod before he turn to face her again.

"Okay, well. What about coffee?" Saga asked again still trailing behind her while she walk through the exit door.

"What if I can't sleep because I drank too many caffeine?"

"Then we'll talk until you fell asleep."

"But what about your 'watching porn before you fell asleep' ritual?" she tease him. She was facing him now, they were standing outside of Kaze's

and she was holding a small paper bag with her brother favorite band CDs and Saga's hand was on his jeans pocket.

"It can wait." He play along.

"You're not giving up, are you?" Kira narrow her eyes at him, she couldn't help but smile.

"No, not really."

"One coffee."

"That's all I asked."

*

The thing about living in a town that for some reason went to sleep after nine p.m is that they couldn't find an open coffee shop at this time, since it was almost midnight and the town coffee shops usually closed at ten. So they ended up at coffee 24, the only coffee place that open twenty four hours –It was on their name for God's sake and they sell best coffee –so she's been told. 

"Good evening, what can I help you today?" said the cashier guy, giving them his best smile.

"Black coffee for me and—" Saga paused, looking at her.

"Tea please, I hate coffee." She replied shrugging, "No offense." She said again, smiling sheepishly at the cashier guy when she realize what she said.

"So," Saga started when they took a seat. "why four sexy boy band?"

"Why onion rings?" she asked back.

"I asked you first." He gave her a pointed look, "And it's O'lion rings,"

Kira smile faded, "Wait a minute, did you just said O'lion rings?"

"Yeah, you know them?"

"Yes." She purse her lips, oh she knows them alright. "They kinda sucks."

"Hey!" he gasp at her, "Don't insulted my favorite band."

"Well that's because your favorite band sucks. Especially their leader singer."

He narrow his eyes at her, "No, he is not."

"Yes, he--" Kira stop talking when the waiter come and put down their beverages, pausing their conversation. "As I was saying--"

"Let's just not insulted my favorite band, okay? I'm more interested hearing why a girl like you ended up fan-girling over a boyband."

"A girl like me?"

"Yes,"

"I wasn't fan-girl over their cover, I was looking at their cover because it was at the top of the stack when I was searching for my little brother's favorite band." She shrugged.

He put his chin on his left hand supporting it, and narrowing his eyes at her.

"What?" she asked.

"What?"

"You don't believe me, do you?"

He shook his head.

"Well, Samuel, you can believe whatever you want to believe. At least I told you the truth." She said, sipping her tea, still manage to look at him through the rim of her mug.

Samuel.

It's been a while since someone called him that, people know him as Saga and he got annoyed when people call him Samuel, or Sammy, but no, not her. He like it when she called him his real name.

"So, my favorite color was green." He said out of the blue making her chuckle. He couldn't help but smile too.

The minute he walk in the record store he forgot what his purpose is and he walk straight to her, she was like a magnet and she pull him to her without even her knowing. They started talking about everything, she told him about how she forgot about her baby brother's birthday and he told her about his life with Danny as his best friend. And before they know it, it was almost one in the morning and Kira was really, really exhausted.

"I'm still not okay with the fact that I have to drop you here," Saga said, looking at the blinking neon light from Kaze's.

"It's just five minute walk, I'll cope." Kira replied, opening her door.

"Then let me drive you there," He follow her out.

"Not tonight, Samuel." She cross her arms over her chest, "Maybe next time."

"So there will be next time?" He mocked her and do the same thing. Crossing his arms and lean his back to his car.

"I said maybe," She narrow her eyes at him. "Thank you for the coffee."

"You hated coffee."

"True, well. For the tea, then."

"Will I see you again?" he straighten his posture, looking alarm.

"There's a possibility." She smiled, "I really have to go now."

"Can you give me your number?" he took a step closer,

"How about, I'll give it to you the second time I saw you?" she crossed her arms over her chest,

He took another step and gently put the stranded hair behind her ear. "Do you think I deserve a goodbye kiss?"

"A what—" before she know it he already crash his lips to hers and the only thing she could think of was how she had been right when she made a bet with herself about his soft lips. The kiss was gentle, yet demanding. And Kira knew it would make her hard to sleep because every damn time she closed her eyes she will remember their farewell kiss.

"Name." He said when they broke the kiss. His lips was swollen and she was still out of breath.

"Kira." She answered, her head still spinning because of the kiss. "My name is Kira."

"Well, Kira," He wrapped his arms around her waist, "I expect to see you soon."

He pecked her lips, "Very, very soon."