First cup : Dandellion
"Welcome." the sound of voices welcoming him in alongside the ring of the bell brought a strained smile to his face.
It was always a bit awkward to have all of the café's staffs' eyes on him whenever he stepped inside.
"Well, what do you know. The kendo master is here again." said the woman with brown locks who manages the cash register. Her words can be quite rude to some, but Joe knew that she meant no mirth.
"Luka, he's a customer. Be nice." the man with blonde hair said as he peered through the small window which connects the kitchen and the front of the café.
Luka blew a raspberry at the apprehension. "Honestly, you need to chill Don. I was only messing with him. Besides, Joe knows that I meant no harm. Right Joe?" she asked to which Joe paid no heed as he sat down at his usual table.
"Always the talkative one, aren't you?" sighed Luka as she went back to focus on the ledger in her hands.
"We'll be right with you shortly." Don said as he went back to work on whatever it is he was doing before Joe came in.
Finally, being granted the space and the silence, Joe reached out for his notebook from the satchel bag that he brought with him. He was too focused on the notes and simulation plans for his next kendo class that he didn't even notice the petite figure walking towards him with a tray in her hands.
"A penny for your thoughts Joe-san?" her voice was sweet, and soft like a bell. Joe looked up to see the small figure dressed in a simple and frilly white summer dress, pink poppies embroidered at the bottom part of the dress and the short puffy sleeves complements her milky white skin. Her hair was half up half down with a pink silk ribbon tying the upper part in place.
Her lips carved up a sweet smile that invoked a small, genuine smile from Joe too.
With precise and graceful movements, she began to set the delicate porcelain teacups in place in front of Joe.
"2 sugar cubes as usual I assume Joe-san?" she asked.
"Ah." his answer was short, but it brought a smile to the young woman's feature. Her cheeks rose up in a knowing smile as she starts to place 2 cubes of sugar into the cup and began to pour the hot liquid from the teapot.
"It's dandelion tea for today Joe-san. It is slightly mild and has a hint of floral scent. Some people even say that it tastes similar to coffee." as she drawls about the tea, Joe on the other hand, can't seem to take his eyes off of the young woman as she goes on and on about the dandelion tea. Most of her words goes unregistered in Joe's head as he continued to drink in her features that shines so bright, that can even rival the shining sun.
"Ahim. You are gonna bore the guy to death if you kept talking about the beverage that he is supposed to drink." Luka quipped from the register.
"Oh my, how foolish of me. I am so sorry Joe-san. I must be such a nuisance talking on and on about tea out of all things." blood rushed to her cheeks out of embarrassment, giving a nice shade of pink to which amused Joe.
"No, it's not a nuisance." was his short answer which again brought a smile to Ahim's face.
"Oh well, what do you know, he does talk."
"Luka-san! That is not very nice."
"Relax, Ahim. It's not like what I say would chase him off. He's a regular here for the view, not due to my snarky comments." Luka said as she throws a look in Joe's direction which he responded with a glare. Luka grinned as she continued "I can assure you that your favourite regular here would be coming in here for years to come. Trust me." Ahim sighed at the answer knowing that there is no way to win against the brunette. Not that she minded that anyway.
Still, she bowed apologetically to Joe. "I'm so sorry Joe-san."
"It's fine." he muttered under his breath that only Ahim can hear.
"Well then, I'd better go back in the kitchen to see if Don-san would need any help with anything. Enjoy your tea Joe-san. Call me if you need anything." and with that she disappeared into the kitchen area where if he strained his ear, he was still able to hear her soft voice conversing with the blonde-haired cook.
At times when she chuckled or giggled from whatever antics Don had said, Joe unknowingly smiled. Ahim's laugh was simply music to his ears. Luka who was watching from her spot at the cash register grinned even harder.
"You know… your eyes could have burned a hole into her head if you kept staring at her any longer. That or people would just think that you're a pervert."
Joe who was in the process of sipping the piping hot tea and eventually burned his tongue as he choked on the hot beverage.
Luka who was watching the whole thing laughed in amusement. Joe glowered in her direction.
"Oh my… that was fun. To see you off guard like that. That's a first."
Things were quiet again as Joe reached for the glass of water, gulping it down slowly in an effort to cool down is burning tongue. Luka, on the other hand was lost in her own thoughts. Mulling over the words in her head. At times biting on her lower lips as she contemplates whether she should say what's on her mind or not.
"Joe…" Luka started while her eyes were glued on the male kendo master. "Don't give her hopes if you can't commit to it."
For once, Luka's tone was dead serious unlike her usual spunk. Joe who noticed it looked straight into her dark brown orbs.
"Don't…" she paused. "Don't hurt her. Please." Her tone was almost pleading. Her usual fiery attitude was gone alongside the easy-going attitude that she often masks herself into.
"If you are planning to toy around with her feelings, I beg you to leave and never to come back again." The last few words came out in a whisper, but Joe was still able to catch what she had said.
With an equally fierce and stern eyes, he said. "I have no intention to hurt her." was all that he said but it brought some sort of relief to Luka as her shoulders drooped a bit, a sign of her finally relaxing.
The sound of the café's bell snapped the two out of their reverie as the new figure entered the space with much commotion.
"Luka! Bring me food! I'm starving!" Luka sighed at the sight of the individual with unruly black hair and a playful smirk on his face that just busted into the store and sat on the empty seat that was opposite to Joe's.
"I swear Marvelous…you need to get some lessons on manners from Ahim or something." Luka sighed as she called over to Don and Ahim in the kitchen, relaying the message that one of their regulars has already arrive.
A few minutes later, Don and Ahim came out of the kitchen with trays in their hands. Don was nagging to Ahim as the young woman insisted that she got it all covered. "Ahim… let me get that."
"I assure you, Don-san… I can do this. I have been practising remember? Besides, if I tripped or anything, Marvelous-san wouldn't mind it much right?"
"If only I have the meal on the house, then I am perfectly fine." his response was met with a hard smack on the head from Luka.
Joe snickered while Don laughed out loud at Marvelous who was throwing daggers in Luka's direction. Ahim who was dumbfounded, quipped up a question. "What is it? What happened?"
The room was silenced for a few second before Marvelous decided to answer. "Luka just used her inhumane, and totally unfeminine strength to smack my head."
"Well, that was simply because you asked for it, freeloader." was Luka's response and the pair continue to banter with each other while Don was trying to mediate between the two. Ahim who was standing at the side smiled to nobody in particular but Joe whose eyes didn't leave her face was enamoured by the perfect smile once again.
"How nice it would be if I can actually see all of the things that are currently happening with my own eyes." Ahim said in the form of a whisper but unbeknown to her, Joe heard the whole thing. Instantly he wiped the smile from his face.
Sometimes, when she is within the safe sanctuary of the café, Joe Gibken at times forgot that Ahim de Famille was blind.
A/N: Hello there! This is my first time writing a Super Sentai fic and I decided since it's the first, why don't I write one of my favourite couple from Gokaiger? So, here is the first chapter so far. I know it can be quite confusing but do stick around for the rest of it. Comments and critisms are very much welcomed .
