"It's a Sunday morning." Ginta pointed out, hopping to his feet as well. "I don't think there's any skin clubs open this early, and their food usually sucks anyway. But we could go get waffles. I know a place with great crepes, and they have this coffee that's like mocha caramel cinnamon latte with about five shots of espresso in it, so it really gets you going." He didn't think about the fact that the last time he'd been in there, it had been with Ryouma. Letting a break-up--if that was what it was--spoil a good restaurant, especially one with really good sweets, was a stupid idea. He'd decided rule twenty-five applied to restaurants three years ago, when he'd split with Tomoya.

Of course Tomoya hadn't been in a position to be showing up in any of their old haunts, right afterwards. And when he'd turned up again, he'd gotten the hint pretty quickly: Ryusaki's Grill, the izakaya on Temple street, Rocking Horse World, Heaven, and all the other clubs and bars and restaurants that they'd once frequented together were Ginta's now.

But Ryouma wouldn't be likely to show up, Ginta told himself. Or Kakashi. Definitely wouldn't see Kakashi in there, since the man didn't like sweets much and seemed to prefer soldier pills to liquid caffeine.

He really wished he could stop thinking about that damn man.

Asuma was giving him a look. Ginta grinned and stretched, cracking his back, forcing gloom away. "What do you say? I'll even treat, for old-time's sake... But next one's on you. Got to keep up appearances: hazing the rookies includes making them buy their senpai meals."