[YYC]
A CERTAIN SPECIFIC MEETING PLACE
The air was cold inside Nyan^3. Even if the air condition was turned off and humidifiers were set to a medium amount of degree, the customers inside the café filled with frills and girls in cat and maid costumes were wearing heavy clothes; it's winter season after all.
Even so, the café was still at its open moments and male customers are equally seated in various chairs, the waitresses skating left and right, taking order menus and acting cute.
On a certain spot in the café, sits a female figure looking out the wide glass. She is wearing a fluffy, light-pink colored jacket and a pair of baggy jogging pants. Around her neck is a cherry colored scarf, a cat charm necklace dangling over it. Being the only girl customer in the shop, she would get obvious stares from the main regulars but no one would take the initiative. People are shy after all and people who go to cafes like Nyan^3 are certainly the shyest kind.
A waitress in a costume skated up to her, pink twin tails waggling.
"May I take your order? Nya~"
The girl in pink turned around and looked at the menu placed on the table. The words "coffee" and "cake" clicked in place.
"I'd like to have a slice of strawberry cake and coffee please."
She smiled and handed back the menu. With a friendly gesture, the waitress smiled back and skated away to the counter.
Pink eyes and twin tails. Now where have I seen that before?
Asking herself, Rui looked out the window once again. The streets are mostly deserted other than the vendors setting up their shops and preparing for another day of work and trade. Across her is a vegetable vendor she had brought enough supplies from to be considered a frequent customer. He noticed her looking out and waved. She smiled and waved back.
A bell rang out throughout the café, signaling the arrival of a new customer. As per custom, the waitress scurried to the entrance and lined up, greeting the new guest.
"Welcome master!"
The newcomer gave a slight wave of his hand and tipped his hat, obvious to the glaring eyes of the jealous customers who have gotten accustomed to the greeting personally. He was wearing a thick grey jacket and cargo pants, his build seeming to be fit for ones who attend a daily gym, a fedora perched on his head.
With a sigh, he walked towards the girl in pink and lightly tapped the table, signaling his arrival. The girl shuffled in her seat and gave a wide smile.
"Lumi! You're here."
Lumi set his hat on the table and sat down opposite her.
"Yep. This is the assigned meeting place, no? It appears the others haven't arrived yet."
"Don't worry. I just got here a few minutes ago and order a drink and food, how's about you order something too?"
Right on cue, the waitress with pink twin tails came skating by. She set a plate with a slice of cake on the table and started pouring coffee on a white cup. Stealing a glance at Lumi, she winked.
"How about you, master? What can I get you for this fine, cold morning? Nya?"
The waitress in the maid costume with cat-ear headband almost felt like she was purring. Rui couldn't help but let out a small giggle as Lumi smirked with a slight embarrassment.
"Hmm. I'll have a coffee then."
"Will be back with another cup then, Nya~"
The waitress clapped her hands, smiled and skated away.
"She kind of reminds me someone. Someone from a show I've watched. She seems oddly familiar."
"Well, we are at Nya^3 after all."
Ignoring her friend's look of slight confusion, Rui took a sip from her cup and looked out the window. The vendor across the street was eagerly trying to advertise and sell his products to a tall man in a white lab coat. Accompanying the man was a young girl dressed in a light blue one-piece with a matching frill cap on her head. Rui's eyebrow rose up at certain recognition.
At that moment, a face suddenly appeared and thumped on the glass. On the other side was a face grinning with childish ignorance. Rui almost fell back and let out a cute scream of surprise. Lumi looked at the face on the other side and laughed.
A few minutes later, a guy was sitting beside Lumi who was grinning ear to ear. The newcomer smiled at the pouting Rui.
"So sorry. I couldn't help it. You are so gullible to pass you know."
"M-marc. Y-you idiot. D-don't shock me like that. You know how f-feeble I am to jump scares."
"That's exactly why I couldn't help it. Hahaha."
Rui whimpered and took another sip at her coffee to calm her nerves. Deep down, she was pretty happy that another friend came to the meeting place.
Marc leaned back and sighed.
"Ah. It feels so great to be out of school today. There's nothing better than hangin' around with a couple of guys after a day of sitting and reading."
"I was kind of expecting you to not come and follow us from behind the scenes instead."
"You're hurting my feelings here Lumi. Don't treat me like some lowly lurker."
"You are a lurker."
"I'm a gentleman lurker my friend."
The same twin tailed waitress came back at the exact moment, bringing with her a menu. Like the others, Marc just ordered a cup of coffee and resumed his attention as Rui takes another sip of her coffee.
"So… Are people still coming to the meeting today?"
"I just received a few messages from the others. I guess they couldn't come. It seems like people are pretty busy these days."
"Awww. And I just came up with a couple of donger jokes."
With a giggle, Rui cuts on the conversation and sets down her cup.
"Marc, please. Lumi and I aren't interested in your donger jokes."
"That's exactly why I expected the others to come. They appreciate the dongers more than you two."
As the two guys laughed in front of her, Rui smiled. Inside, she is happy that the meetings are still taking place but kind of sad that not many people are able to attend much due to the various things they have to do in life. With a sigh, she continually sips the last ounces of coffee in her cup while Marc receives his and starts drinking.
Minutes pass as the trio continue with their idle talk. After a while, Rui stands up.
"So, shall we be off to walk around?"
The bells in the doorway of the café give out a familiar ring as the maids line up, a typical shop custom.
"Goodbye masters!"