“Alright.” I waved my hand. “Can we focus on the drink and not my helpers?”
Aki crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s going to be hard to do that.”
“Very difficult.” Yuki nodded.
“Well. . .” I smirked. “Do your best anyway.”
Chuckling, Katsumi and Natsumi set two crystal glasses down. The ice inside each one had been cut into a sharp matching shard rather than a sphere.
The Twins stepped forward together. Aki took the left side. Yuki took the right.
Katsumi poured the whiskey into one glass, filling it halfway with golden liquid.
“Whiskey-amber for Aki.” To not piss the twins off, I pointed to Yuki instead, pretending like I couldn’t tell them apart.
Hiro snorted, seeing through my bullshit.
I cleared my throat, turned to Aki, and pretended he was his twin. “And for Yuki. . .a nice cold vodka.”
Natsumi poured.
I waited until both glasses were full and then turned to the Twins. "You two have been one creature your whole lives. I could never split your drink. It would be an insult.”
Katsumi and Natsumi poured both glasses into a larger one.
The grey settled at the base.
The amber rose to the top.
"Two bodies." I looked at the glass. "But the same heart uniting them."
Toma whispered to Kaede, "I bet they’re going to cry.”
Kaede snickered. “Like you?”
Toma frowned.
Smiling, Katsumi reached for a small crystal vial and tipped a measured pour of high-proof shochu and then sprinkled pale blue dust over the surface.
Natsumi did the same on her side, but the dust was rose-gold.
“Ash of cherry blossom for Aki.” I gestured to the powders. "Ash of plum blossom for Yuki. Two trees that bloom back-to-back."
Both powders sat on the surface barely touching each other.
Daisuke leaned forward.
Aki's mouth had gone soft.
Yuki was staring at the glass like it had spoken to him.
Katsumi picked up the long match. I nodded. She struck it. Natsumi struck one beside her. Two flames lit at the exact same second.
"Aki and Yuki, you both have two burning spirits.” I smiled. "That’s why this drink is called, Twin Flames."
Katsumi lowered her match to Aki's surface.
The shochu caught.
