Scandinavian connection...erhh..maybe ?

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It was a bright and still fairly warm mid-day in Tokyo, the sun was shining but there was every so often a hint of cold winds and it was clear that winter was right around the corner if not already here. Soon enough snow would start to fall, Avalanche would start off and the time was just looking to be an enjoyable period in AFW. Finding herself at a rather quaint café which her sister had told her about the young Northman strolled in and moved into the shop, the wooden floor and the general aesthetic looked more than pleasing to the eye. The young blond would move up into the lovely café after she had hung up her jacket at the coat rack and then proceed seat herself by the window, the pleasant sun light shining in through the windows as she would look out at the few people who walked around the streets.

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It was not long until she was met with a waitress at the establishment and would be given a menu which she would be allowed to look through, the place was far from busy so the waitress dressed in a rather cute garb almost like that of a maid stood and waited for Belinda to make her order...which only served to make Belinda want to hurry more so no to force the young woman to have to wait for too long. " Ah..I'll have a black tea and a strawberry shortcake, please." Belinda spoke in what was a quite awkward but certainly improving Japanese as both her girlfriend Akiha and her sister Cecilia had helped her out every now and then to improve her language skills...if there was only one thing she was allowed to be jealous of when it came to her sister it was how easy different languages came to her. That was if there was only one thing to be jealous of...

Belinda would sit and wait with a rather pleasant smile on her face as she started to hum a light tune...unlike most people who'd probably picked up their smartphone and started to surf the web or listen to music, Belinda much preferred to take it easy at times, most of the times it was simply more pleasant to stay unplugged rather than to always be online or hooked up to some kind of electronic, especially when one could simply enjoy the peace and quiet of such a lovely little shop.

It had been no more than about a week since the Scotch-Norwegian American had arrived in Japan. She was still getting acclimated to the people at Friction's facilities, filled with so many different people from different parts of the world. She was swimming in various languages being thrown around, but thankfully, a majority of people spoke English. However, once she was walking around the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, all bets were off on hearing familiar words unless they were spoken at her.

It was partly for that reason that Astrid had put on a pair of headphones as she walked around, today. The platinum blonde needed to just drown out these words that she couldn't understand. What was she thinking, agreeing to set up a Japanese branch of the music studio? She could barely speak or understand the language. Sure, she had picked up basic words, but not enough to have a conversation. How did she expect to find talent if she couldn't speak with them?

Astrid's mind was buzzing with anxiety. She needed to clear her head. As if to answer her prayer, the blonde looked up at a sign that indicated the building was a café of sorts. A cup of coffee seemed like it might do the trick. Dropping her headphones to around her neck with the faint sound of blues rock coming from the little speakers, the American girl entered the building. She looked around to see a waitress in a maid outfit taking the order of some cute blonde at a table. Deciding to sit nearby, Astrid nudged her volume down slightly, made her way to an adjacent table, and sat in a chair that faced the stranger. Not very long after getting comfortable did the same cute waitress come to her with a menu. Not wanting to risk browsing through all of the choices, she simply put in her order in a bit of slow english, "Can I just get a mochaccino with extra foam, please?" Astrid smiled while handing the menu right back, hoping the waitress understood.

Belinda found herself humming a song which she herself had quite enjoyed for many years. She was humming a song from Nujabes known as Reflection eternal, specifically she was humming the piano notes in the song. The pleasant melody resounded throughout her head as she awaited her little treat for the day. It was quite odd to be in other countries, at least for Belinda. Unlike her sister she often found herself missing her homeland and the tradition that came with it, one of which was something called fika. The small moment during the day when someone takes a break and eats a light meal, drinks a coffee or a cup of tea, anything really. One can eat something sweet, a sandwich or just a fruit or vegetable. Hence why she often found herself going out during the day to a café like today and enjoying a light bite to eat.

As she sat an admired the beautiful day, the lovely natural sunlight coming in from the winding right onto her table and the pleasantness of the silence in the shop, Belinda's eyes soon noticed a rather pretty girl who entered the café, she would look on at the woman but she never stopped humming. In Belinda's mind it felt rather rude to the memory of Nujabes to stop in the middle of the song, which she had memorized since long ago. It was a song she listened to when she was feeling blue, when she was feeling happy. Nujabes in essence produced the music which Belinda listened to predominantly. While she had other groups she too listened too, Nujabes was the only constant in her music library, and while she might not be that big of a music fan...she sure did enjoy it at times.

When the platinum blond haired girl sat herself down on an adjacent table Belinda would simply look on at the girl as she kept humming towards herself. She waited until the girl had finished ordering and for herself to finish up the song. Before she brought her hand up and made a friendly little gesture of a light wave and a nod towards the fellow patron of the establishment. It wasn't a very Swedish thing to to really...while it wasn't all to uncommon it wasn't something everyone did and the archetypical way to think of Swede would be for them to simply shy away and look at something else...though Belinda was an unusually friendly person.

Not long passed before the waitress came over with a plate and a cup and served Belinda from the right, calmly placing the orders down onto the table and offering the girl a light bow. " Arigato." Belinda responded as she herself bowed her head lightly before the maid clad girl moved away from Belinda's table, the blond would look down upon her shortcake and tea before she'd take up her tiny desert fork and take a piece of the cake, placing it into her mouth and the feeling that followed....

Belinda's world melted away for a few moments as she savored the delicious flavor. It was as if angels were massaging her tongue...such a sweet yet wonderful taste that was packed with a gentle punch of flavor! " Mmmmh~" Belinda hummed out at the wonderful taste of her treat, giving a rather bright smile as she savored the taste as much as she could.

A deep, audible sigh came from the Tennessee native's lips after the waitress smiled and nodded at her order and made her way to the kitchen. How much of a fool was she making of herself by slowing down her words? Surely she wasn't the only non-Japanese speaker the area had seen in even a short span of time. Still, it was a relief that her coffee order was understood.

It wasn't very long until Astrid faintly heard a rather pleasant humming. She couldn't quite place the tune, but it was an enjoyable melody. Her ears pointed her in the direction of the source, which sat right in front of her. When the humming blonde waived and nodded at her observer, Astrid cracked a light smile and politely waved back. She wanted to go talk to the stranger, but at the same time, she didn't want to make a scene. Then again, how else was she going to make her way around this new country? The very people that led the platinum blonde here hadn't even made contact with her yet.

Soon enough, her fellow patron's snack and drink arrived. Arigato? That was one of the few words Astrid had picked up, but the little bow was still something a little different to her. The waitress disappeared again, likely to get Astrid's mochaccino, and the unfamiliar girl started to eat her snack. It was a bit amusing to the blonde to see her neighbor seem to enjoy her treat so much. She couldn't hold back a light giggle, which quickly was followed by her hand coming up to her mouth in hopes that the girl hadn't heard her. At the same time, the waitress had returned with the mochaccino.

Astrid lowered her hand to the table only after regaining her composure. A nervous smile formed on her face as she swallowed her embarrassment before turning to the server and saying that word of thanks with her American accent, "Arigato," which she followed up with the little bow she had seen the Swedish girl give. The Japanese waitress moved on from her table, which left Astrid to sniff her drink before giving it a small, but rather audible sip.

Belinda had to be a bit curious at the manner of which the other patron of this establishment seemed to be paying attention to her, after hearing the girl's like giggles and feeling her eyes on the Swede for some while, Belinda couldn't help but wonder just what was going on...though it seemed as if the fellow patron was just curious as well although there was nothing wrong with that. Still it seemed as if it would be a very awkward tea time for Belinda if she was just going to sit here at a table across from the girl and they would awkwardly act curious and giggle or look at the others gestures and actions.

While this probably wasn't a very normal action for most Swedes, it wasn't uncommon for Belinda to act against the norm. As such after she saw that the platinum blond had gotten her coffee drink she would attempt to move up, grabbing her tea and her cake as she'd attempt to make her way over towards the other girl's table, trying to move in closer to the seat opposite of the young girl and speak. " Excuse me, would you like some company ? Feels kinda awkward to just be sitting as we are right now, don't you think ?" Belinda would let out and if the other girl didn't mind, then Belinda would seat herself down from across the girl, giving her a bright smile as she'd offer her hand to the Platinum blond cutie.

After placing down her tea and cake of course. " My name is Belinda, Belinda Northman. Pleasure to meet you." The young Swede would let out as she'd keep her bright and cheerful attitude quite literally showing on her face. Like a warm summer breeze or perhaps that of a blazing pleasant summer sun. Depends how deeply one would be affected by such cheerfulness.

The warm liquid and froth entered Astrid's mouth, which prompted her eyes to close as the mixture slid down her throat. It was rather tasty, but it did seem to lack the same level of sweetness she was accustomed to in the States. She let out a big sigh as her eyes reopened to see that Belinda was looking her way. Had she heard the music producer's giggling earlier? The thought made Astrid's cheeks turn slightly red.

Then, she saw the blonde Swede rise to her feet with cup and cake in hand. However, for all that Astrid knew, the fellow patron had been living in Japan for all of her life, and she had just upset the girl by being so curious. That had all subsided as soon as Belinda spoke. A bit relieved that this stranger was friendly, Astrid gestured with her left hand at the empty seat, "Oh, yes, please," she giggled nervously. "I'm sorry for having stared earlier. I've only been in this country for..." she counted in her head, "...six days."

A smile finally adorned Astrid's face as she took her hand off of the coffee mug and extended it. "The pleasure is mine, I'm sure, Belinda. I'm Astrid Kernuish." The platinum blonde felt a warmness in the smile Belinda wore. Surely this girl couldn't mean any harm.

Belinda eyed the platinum blond girl as she allowed her to sit down, which Belinda would do. Seating herself down on the chair and placing her tea and cake down onto the table, with her hand extended for the handshake the would smile and nod her head. " Astrid huh ? Cute name ~" Belinda let out as it would be followed by a light giggle, the Swede would then pull her hand back and look on at her platinum blond companion for this little tea time.

" Though Kernuish ? that's a rather unusual name, isn't it ?" The Swede questioned as she would then take a piece of her cake and eat it, smiling brightly at the lovely taste as it made her mouth feel like it was experiencing pure bliss, she'd slightly melt into her chair before adjusting herself and moving up towards a normal seated position.

" six days in Japan though ? That's got to be exciting, I've been here for a year or two now. May I ask what you do ?" Belinda let out as she'd eye the blue eyes of the platinum blond, still keeping that friendly smile on her face...she had to admit that this Astrid was very pretty and judging from her physique...it did seem at least as if she kept herself rather well trained.

The platinum blonde girl couldn't help but have a slight blush come to her face when Belinda mentioned how she had a cute name as they shook hands. "Thank you!" she responded before taking another sip of her mochaccino. Then the blonde brought up Astrid's last name. She tilted her head as if confused. She had never thought of her last name as strange, but then again, she had grown up with it. "I've never really thought of it as unusual. It's Scottish!" she said with a smile coming to her face as her eyes closed. Astrid wasn't a native to the northern UK country, but her father had come over with his parents and sisters at a young age.

Astrid giggled again when Belinda seemed to comically melt into her seat again. "What's in that cake that has you turning to a puddle with every bite?" she teased before she raised an eyebrow at Belinda's latest question. Did she tell her the full story or just half of it? She was in Japan, where wrestling was not necessarily met with the same laughs many Americans would give. "Well, I kind of have two careers... I'm a music producer and sort-of a wrestler..." she trailed off as she mentioned the wrestling, hoping that Belinda wouldn't hear her. "What about you, Miss Northman?" The question was quick as if to try and pull the attention off of her trailing answer.[/color]

Belinda looked on at the platinum blond for a few seconds as she'd listen to her words, she couldn't say she had met many Scottish people, or perhaps she had and just didn't know about it. Though she did feel as if she had at least experienced something new today, and that felt rather good. After taking a second or two to look over the young Scottish woman the blond would nod her head. She'd then widen here eyes a bit as she looked on at Astrid...what she said about the cake only got the blond cutie to grin...

Belinda would take a piece of the cake off, a rather large piece with her desert fork and move it over towards Astrid. " Care the experience heaven ? ~" She'd let out in a joking and teasing manner as she'd offer a piece of the cake over towards Astrid. Though the woman following words didn't change her course of actions, instead Belinda would bring one of her hands back towards her cheek, pressing her index finger against the bottom of her lips. " Aaah, I see. " She'd look on at Astrid with a bright smile, tilting her head to the side as she closed her eyes, giving of a face as warm as a summer pleasant summer breeze. " I'm a wrestler ~ also suppose I'm an heiress and a future business woman I guess. Tehehe~" Belinda spoke as she'd keep up her warm expression towards Astrid.

Astrid's eyes widened as the fellow blonde cut off a large chunk of her snack cake. It was a bit refreshing to see that it wasn't just the South that was hospitable...at least when it came to food. "Aww thank you. I can't say that I've really had any treats here in Japan, yet," she said with a smile before picking up between her index finger and thumb and placing it on the edge of her saucer.

She sighed a bit in relief, sat back, and chuckled a bit, "So you're an heiress, business woman, and a wrestler, huh? Two out of three similarities aren't too bad for such a rare run-in. Do you mind if I ask what promotion?" It was like a weight was lifted off of Astrid's shoulders when she learned that her cake-sharing acquaintance was a wrestler. It filled her words with a confidence she hadn't exhibited since setting foot on the Japanese soil. The platinum blonde leaned forward to pick up the shortcake once more and took a bite with her eyes closed. "Mmmmh~" she hummed in delight as the delicious cake tickled her taste-buds.