crossing puzzles

“The checked scarf?”, asked Hitoshi.

A bright lamp hung above his head. His eyes sank under the shadows.

“Right.”

He got up from the table. His right hand was trembling.

“Bang! Bang!”, the muzzle exploded as it cocked up under his left palm.

The woman slid down her seat, her face contorted into mock exasperation. A scarlet fountain spurted fitfully from the cavity that filled her chest. A sheet of paper fell from her right palm and crumpled open slowly as it landed like a feather.

It was over in less than two minutes. He waited. He always waited till it was over.

“Let's try another place for a drink”

“Yes”.

He came back for his coat and walked out the other door.

“I don't like to cross puddles”.

“ I see.”

The two left together. In a few minutes, they opened the door to a smoke-filled bar.

“I don't like being fumigated either.”

“Very well, Hito”.

He smiled and kept walking. The neon cast a pink glow on his face.

“What do you like, by the way?”.

“Crossword puzzles.”

Tetsuya stopped.

“What now?”

“You're joking, of course?”

“No. Why?”

“I mean, she was working on one, wasn't she?”.

“That was a Sudoku”.