The Maid Café

-Hello. This is SaiRE00 here.

-Um…so this was based on a rather self-indulgent AU idea of mine. Please don't take it seriously. Enjoy.

-Written second person, with no gender implied. If you find anything wrong, please don't hesitate to tell me. No really, please.

You heard there was a recently opened maid café here, so you came over to check it out.

At first glance the shop front looked rather simplistic, with a checkered shade-top over the front door. The windows were covered with dark-red curtains, so you couldn't see inside the café. However the café was not closed, the shop sign was still hung, saying "Open".

"…"

"Guess its time for me to see if the food is good."

You see, you're not one of those nerds who come to maid cafes solely to gawk at cosplaying catgirls. As a restaurant blogger it is imperative that any new restaurants should be sampled by you. Many people looked to you for your services in paying for favorable reviews for their business. Because of your identity you had to keep a low profile…

…which explained why you were wearing a baseball cap with a flu mask. It looks weird, you know, but it hides as much of your face as possible.

Take a deep breath. Let's go.

"Um…H-h-h-hello…"

You were greeted by the sight of a young man…wearing, out of all things, a maid outfit.

A young man in a maid outfit. He looked shy, around his twenties or so. The frilly dress fit him surprisingly well.

Am I seeing things? Wait, don't get excited. Remember we're here for the food, not-

"Excuse me…um…h-how ma-"

"One. Just one." You reply quickly. Clearly your suspicious presence here perturbed him.

The young man led you to a table in a corner of the restaurant. "Um…please, have a seat." As you sat down you glanced at his name tag. It read Elsen.

Elsen fiddled with the hem of his dress nervously. "So…anything you want? To drink?"

"Water is fine."

"O-ok…" He scurried off to fulfill the order. While he was away you took a look around the restaurant. It was surprisingly cheery and bright. The restaurant was quiet, with the patrons eating their food in silence. The window to the kitchen was open. You could see the chef – a man wearing an apron over a baseball uniform – cooking. His assistant, a masked man, helped wash the dirty dishes. The smell of yoshoku filled the air, making your belly growl. It was around lunchtime, after all.

You took off the flu mask and baseball cap. Each time you went out to sample a restaurant, you made sure to change your appearance for two reasons: it was fun to dress in a variety of strange outfits and you did it out of necessity, as said before.

Today you were wearing what you called your "Extremely Ordinary" outfit. Brown hair, a plain purple shirt with nine-point pants, and some sneakers. Surely no one would recognize you. You made sure to keep whatever selfies you posted on your blog consistent in appearance: which was to say, the persona running the blog was a smart businesswoman – unlike you. The real you was a college student, struggling to acquire a history major.

Opening the menu, you took a glance at the options. There sure are a lot of choices…but for a restaurant like this…The best choice to test this restaurant…

The classic maid food: an omelet.

"Here's your water…Is there anything you want to order?"

You look up to see the wait – whoops, maid – anxiously looking at you. Honestly, he looked like as though he was about to fall apart any moment.

"I would like the omelet." You said simply.

"Would you…um…like ketchup with that?"

"Please do."

"Is that it…?" You could almost hear the sigh in Elsen's voice. "Yes," you replied. "Ok…please wait for the food…"

You watch Elsen walk behind the noren curtains leading to the kitchen. The cook appears to be expecting him and holds his hand out for the receipt. Elsen placed the receipt in the cook's hand and walked out. You quickly look away and pretend to be observing the entrance of the restaurant.

Taking out a notebook, you begin to jot down some notes about the restaurant. "Let's see…interior décor, service…" you mutter to yourself. "Only one waiter for some unfathomable reason…"

"Me?"

You nearly jump up in surprise. Elsen stands over your table, looking expectantly at you.

"No, no. I was just saying random things to myself. Don't mind me," you say. It appears that Elsen is interested in what's in your notebook. And just earlier he was on the verge of fainting, you think. I have to distract him somehow…

"So, how's business here? Does it ever get busy here?" You ask. "Only during dinner," Elsen replies. "Its because of the weekday dinner deal we have here." He points to a poster tacked on the wall, reading "Combo Meal! Weekdays Only, Dinner Hour! Just $8.99!".

"I'll think about coming here during dinnertime. How does that sound?" Elsen's face beams up unexpectedly. "Yes, that would surely help. It will help business around us. After all…um…forgive me if I'm wrong but…aren't you the famous food blogger Paragon's Food?"

No way.