The Arrival

"Hmmm?" Fuu leaned over, twisting her head this way and that as she peered at the curious paper. It hadn't…no it hadn't been slipped under the doorway last night. Was it the bill? Her dark eyes squinted as she extended a hand to pick up the mysterious envelope.

"Jin."

A pale fist reached past her ear and neatly removed the letter from her prying scope.

"It says 'Jin'."

She gazed up quizzically at the severe recipient, depositing the paper in the fold of his sleeve. A half-hearted embarrassment colored her cheeks and she reprimanded, "Don't sneak up behind me like that, jeez, reading over my shoulder, no concept for personal…"

Jin rose an eyebrow in anticipation of self-contradiction. Fuu stood her full height regally and dusted off her knees before flouncing into the hostel central room past a bleary Mugen.

"Wow, you pissed her off already? Your jack-assitude never ceases to amaze me."

Jin replied to this profound wisdom with serene silence.

A heavily lidded pair of eyes traveled slowly back and forth across the table.

Fuu, squirming on her cushion.

Jin, sipping tightly from his cup.

Fuu, bouncing on her decreasingly neatly folded legs.

Jin, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

Fuu – chopsticks jittering vegetables into her serving of rice, Jin – raising a carefully controlled spoonful of soup. Fuu – chewing her sleeve hem – Jin – brushing a stray lock from his cheek – Fuu – shaking the table – Jin – readjusting glasses – what the heck was going on?

He was definitely missing something big.

Just as Mugen slumped forward to engage himself in the situation, Fuu squealed,

"Did you open it?"

He gave the words a good few seconds to clarify the conundrum as Jin stared flintily across their lunch. His understanding diminished, decidedly.

"Whaat?" Mugen intoned with intentionally excessive volume. The lack of focus on himself was disturbing and needed to be remedied soon, or at least be modified to include him. Presence by voice was not acknowledged at all; Jin and Fuu continued an intense stare down unmoved.

"Did you?" she whispered. Jin gave the slightest of affirmative nods, keeping his eyes unwaveringly focused on the girl across from him despite the beastly visage that had invaded her side of the table.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Recognition finally came in the form of a rough shove to the shoulder as Fuu rounded on him.

"If he doesn't want to tell you, he's not going to – and I'm not either!" Mugen scowled at her and scooted his cushion towards Jin, unreasonably seeking a better reception.

He covered a stubbly face with a muting hand and muttered, "What's she going on about? Did we get the bill or something?" Jin, though strongly tempted to follow Fuu's example and push the unseemly creature away from him, decided it was just to provide a basic answer.

"I received a piece of personal mail of no interest to either of you."

Mugen leaned back, resting on his hands and leered, "What, Mommy send you a care package?"

He ignored such entirely rude repayment to his judicious treatment and returned his gaze to Fuu as she wheedled, "But what'd it say?"

He blinked once, disappointed by her undying curiosity, before finishing the last bites on his plate.

Mugen persisted, poking Jin's thigh with an extended toe, "Someone out to hire you?"

His reply was a smarting slap to the foot.

Fuu twisted her napkin in excitement, asking, "Is it a hotel survey? We registered under your name…"

Jin's expression darkened and he stacked his utensils forcefully on his bowl.

"Debt notice?" offered Mugen.

"Wanted statement?" mused Fuu.

"Not a pay check…"

"Advertisement?"

"Market prices?"

"Festival notice?"

"Product trail?"

"Thank you letter?"

"For what – pssh! What has he done? Academy ad?"

"Oh my God!"

Jin rose tersely.

"You're not being drafted, are you?"

He stared from Fuu – doe eyes fixated, hands to her cheeks in self-induced panic – to Mugen – disgustingly ignorant look of mingled confusion and disbelief in place.

"Haa…" Dark eyes shut behind their glasses and he turned from his companions, evidently but subtly vexed.

In a last ditch effort to evoke a verbal answer, Fuu and Mugen blurted,

"Health notice- "

"-from a brothel!"

A brief pause of anticipation was curtailed by the snap of a navy sleeve as Jin tossed the letter on the table in defeat and made a curt exit. The two gazes found the envelope at the same time and quivered on its off-white corners.

"Eh!"

"Mine!"

Fuu was easily out maneuvered but flung her arms around Mugen's shoulders and thus secured a viewing position. Eager fingers unnecessarily ripped the top of the already opened paper and unfolded the pristine sheet. A slow transformation of expectancy to incomprehension to revelation played out on Fuu's features and Mugen jostled her irritably, growling, "Read it to me!"

She sat up straight, oblivious to the demand, and let her mouth fall open in shock.

"Oh my g…"

"Woman, read it to me!" the uninformed ruffian jabbed her in the side.

"Wha? – oh!" Fuu grabbed the now crinkled letter and furiously rattled off the message as Mugen listened, an intent look belying his stratospheric curiosity.

The letter read, Fuu glanced up to Mugen, wringing her sleeves in distress. "Eeeeh…I'm gonna go find Jin," she deliberated aloud, leaving her befuddled table-mate. "And be nice to him when you see him later!"Fuu commanded as she exited the dining room.

Mugen stared after her, lip twitching in a confused gape until the sound of a wall panel clicking into place jolted him into action.

He downed his tea and slammed the cup back on the table. Untamed strands of brown blurred as he shook his head vigorously. With that, he swallowed and bounced to his fee, marching purposefully in pursuit, preceded by a raucous query of, "Did you say that last bit was 'I love you'?"