Akiko stared across the table at her... date.

She supposed this was a date.

After all, they were both dressed up in cute outfits—neither too casual nor too formal—and this little outdoor cafe was the perfect spot for romance.

Her date was a girl, which she hadn't been expecting when she'd signed up for this blind date event (free lunch and free tickets to Fuuto Tower's observation deck in exchange for the participants consenting to an interview about what a great time they had on the radio station's yen), but it's not like that was a bad thing. Akiko wasn't about to complain about a free lunch, regardless of who she was sharing it with—and that would be true even if she were straight.

The weird part was that her date was Wakana Sonozaki.

"Don't read too much into it," Wakana grumped. "There were an odd number of signups so I got matched with you at random. I was hoping for someone cute."

"Excuse me?!" Akiko demanded. "How am I not cute?!"

Wakana clicked her tongue against her teeth. Before Akiko could yell some more, though, a waiter stopped by to hand them their menus and take their drink orders.

Wakana blushed. Before she could say anything, Akiko blurted out, "We're here as part of Wind Wave Radio's blind date promotion!"

The waiter glanced between the two of them skeptically.

Wakana covered her face with one hand. "It's true," she groaned.

"Ah, so... the Coupleccinos," the waiter guessed.

Akiko nodded, grinning, as Wakana grumbled something about what a stupid name "Coupleccino" was for a drink. The waiter nodded and rushed off to have their drinks made.

"I can't believe this," Wakana said. She flopped against her seat back dramatically. "Of all the people in Fuuto I could have been matched up with, it's that impostor maid."

"I thought you said I was funny," Akiko protested.

"Your humor is different from the kind of humor a romantic partner should have. You're more like a court jester."

"What did you say?!"

Before Akiko could dig into her messenger bag for an angry slipper, the waiter returned. "Two Coupleccinos," he said, and set down a mug in front of each woman. Each one contained coffee with crushed peppermint candy pieces sprinkled in. Interlocking hearts were drawn in foam on the surface of each drink.

Akiko clasped her hands together and sighed. "So romantic..."

Wakana groaned.