“Yuko, doll, for God’s sake, they’re not following you!” Alfred huffed in exasperation. “Hell, it’d be front page of the newspaper if your aunt ever stepped foot in this part of town.”

His heart flipped as her grasp on his arm grew tighter with every step they took.

“It’s not just that.” Yuko whispered. “There’s no one here who looks like me.” Her eyes didn’t know what to focus on as she and Alfred made their way further into one of his regular haunts - a rinky dink pub catering to the downtown’s poorer classes.

“Well, that can go two ways.” Alfred gave her hand a squeeze. “What’s bothering you more? We can try somewhere else.”

“Neither is bothering me!” She murmured as Alfred pulled her a chair. Once settled at their table in a corner as far away from the smoke and shouts as possible, Yuko properly scanned her surroundings. It was just as she had expected, and, although she would never admit it, feared.

To be in a place with no other Japanese people was something she had quickly grown accustomed to during her short time in Chicago, but to be the only person who had never worked a day in their life? This was a situation she had never anticipated prior to meeting Alfred.

“Come on, it’s clear you’re just a little bit uncomfortable.” Alfred chuckled, briefly plopping a hand atop Yuko’s head. “This might make you feel better - my friend Max who’s meeting us later? He was the son of a rich farmer in Poland! But with the war and all they lost everything -”

“Alfred, I’m waiting,” Yuko could feel her eyebrow twitching.

“We didn’t give our order yet. Waiting for what?”

“For the part where this is supposed to make me feel better.”

“Well I thought it’d give you some common ground! Your family is rich, my friend was rich-” Alfred made a scale with his hands to drive his point home.

Yuko rolled her eyes, unable to stifle a laugh. “Well, if my aunt and uncle dare to knock on my bedroom door tonight, I might be disowned completely.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I thought that was gonna happen after you hugged me in front of them the other day.” Alfred joined in on her laughter, remembering her aunt’s admirable attempt to remain civil after Yuko had clearly disobeyed her instructions to turn Alfred away.

“I waited for you.” Yuko whispered, lightly tapping one of the shining pearl earrings framing her face. She looked down at her lap as her cheeks reddened with shame.

Was it shame? It didn’t feel like shame to her, but what of everyone else? What of her aunt and uncle, and Missus Morris and Hiro?

What of her father?

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“But why wait for me?” Alfred shook his head in confusion. “I’m really not anything special.”

“But you are!” Yuko continued, gripping the edge of the table. “Al, you asked me what I was thinking. On the first day we met. Do you know how rare that is?”

“Is it really that rare?” Alfred blinked. “I asked because I was worried about you.”

“And you listened to me!”

Alfred hadn’t the slightest clue what she was on about. Simply being in her presence was an honor to him, so how could he imagine someone who wouldn’t listen to a girl as smart and pretty as she was?

“I think I am so lucky to meet you. It’s so…” She fussed with her words, “wonderful. You listen to women!”

Alfred nearly choked on his own saliva, thanking god that a waiter hadn’t come yet to witness his demise. “Uh…yeah! Yep, I aghuh-!” He punched his chest, “Listen to women, oh yes.”

His shoulders tensed as she looked him up and down, tilting her angelic head ever so slightly to the side. If she ever knew his past, how many nights he wasted on the lowest of the low, she would think differently.

“If I’m able to make you feel better, I’m happy to listen.” He felt a heavy weight squeezing atop his heart. He couldn’t bring himself to look anywhere but into the glimmering, dark eyes of a woman far too good for anyone he could ever dream of becoming.

And yet, here she was, singing his praises simply for lending an ear.

Suddenly the root of all of his guilt, his niece, flashed across his mind, and for a second Alfred swore he could find her weeping eyes somewhere in the depths of Yuko’s own.

“And I’m happy to listen to you, too.” Yuko reached across the table for his hand. “Are you okay?”

Alfred felt a tear fall onto his free hand.

“Oh, yeah I’m fine!” He forced a chuckle. “Now I’m just wondering, before my brother died, if I listened more to Lucy, my niece - hell, not just her, everyone - he would still be alive.”

“Alfred, there’s nothing to do about your brother. But Lucy is still alive. Maybe if you showed more of this side of you to your niece, and to others, you would be-.”

“I think that ship has sailed for Lucy.” Alfred had to cut her off. He couldn’t bear hearing more.

“Hm?”

“It means there’s no chance for us to be close again.” He shook his head. “All I can do is hope she makes the right decisions on her own.”

“Oh, Al.” Yuko gripped his hand tighter. “Don’t think like that. Please don’t. You can still help her. You can.”

“How?”

“Write to her.” She took a deep, shaky breath. “Don’t forget about her.”

“I never wanted to forget about her.” He quickly wiped another tear away. “But what if she wants to forget about me?”

“I promise you - I promise you, that is not the case.” Yuko made no effort to hide her desperation. She wasn’t able to bring herself to write to her father, but perhaps if Alfred had the courage to write his niece, Yuko’s own bravery would follow suit.

“Will you be here? Will you be here with me if she comes?” It was a long shot, of course Alfred knew. He might have better luck becoming a millionaire than tearing Lucy away from her beloved childhood home.

“If you want me to be with you, and her, I’d be honored.” Yuko sensed his unease and gave him a reassuring nod. She hadn’t the slightest clue how she could, would, break away from her aunt’s calculated plans, but she’d be damned if she didn’t go down without a fight.

“Well,” Alfred sighed, flashing Yuko a small grin as he waved down a man who had just come in. “I guess I’ll make a trip to the post office tomorrow, huh?”

“Mhm.” Yuko smiled, straightening her skirt and hair. “And maybe sneak me out again.”