TING!
"Welcome!"
"Hello beautiful! I don't think work has begun yet, though."
"Oh, it's you, Hikaru. I didn't notice. What about the others?"
"We're here too."
"After all, we cannot trust him around you, ne Haru?" She sneered a laugh.
Hikaru, Hana and Haru are my triplet friends from school.
TING!
"Welc-"
"No need to be formal. It's me."
"Yusuke, I never thought you'd come here." Hikaru snorted to Yuusuke Igarashi, another school friend of mine.
TING!
"Table 15, as usual, I guess?"
"Yup, Hiroshi, you're right. Pull up some chairs from around." My chauffeur, Hiroshi Kojou, more of a family friend.
We all got together around the table. Haru helped me out with getting juice cans to the table.
"That's orange, sweetheart. Aren't you allergic to it?" Hikaru asked as I neared the table.
"I've taken the precaution, dear brother. You don't need to worry about it." Haru spoke up, as she passed me a can, which smelled of coffee and felt cold against my hand.
"60%"
"Thanks."
It was our once-in-a-week gathering at my workplace. We would set ourselves up at the last table of the café and chatter out our week's stuff which wouldn't be official. After all, I and Yuusuke would always be busy, and Hiroshi was at a senior university, (after all, we're just 14 while he is 19), so this would be an anticipated event for all of us. We would discuss Hikaru's antics, Hiroshi's girlfriend(s), Haru and Hana's popularity among boys, Yuusuke's embarrassing incidents at the student council (Which was only known to me) and I would leak out school's upcoming events or new staff, while Hiroshi would leak out my new trials at various activities and my hilarious failures. It was one time of the week we would never miss.
"You haven't changed yet, Saaya?" It was Aoi. Our hour was over, and it seemed like just a few minutes.
"You look perfect as usual, uncle Aoi." Hana put up.
"Yeah, not even slight stubble on your face, Aoi-kun." Hiroshi added.
Aoi Hyodou, as my mother said, was the cross-dressing nephew of the original owner, Satsuki, of Maid Latte. After she left to Hokkaido, with her husband, the reins automatically fell into Aoi's hands. His own profession is a fashion designing franchise in Paris, with sub-units in Japan and US. He would often fly off away from Japan, leaving the café in the hands of Mei, the eldest amongst us maids, 17, to be precise. Aoi always looks 20, though his real age would be something 29, about 5 years younger than my mom.
"Your shift is about to begin, so get changed into your uniform quickly." He said, ignoring their comments. After all, it was something he heard almost every day, every hour.
"Do I help you to change, Saaya?" Hikaru ended with a cheesy tone.
"Shut up and get lost, flirt." My favorite quote.
"But Satoshi always did that to Haru."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
"Saaya, I'll be having a guest later, so once you are done with your get-together, reserve table 15 for him." Aoi was the first to break the silence. I didn't reply.
"I need an answer. Saaya, you get me?"
I nodded. Yuusuke's phone rang. He picked it up, but didn't speak.
"Hey Saaya! Dad has reached Philippines. He says Aunt wishes to talk to you. Where's your phone?" I took my phone out from my side bag. 16 missed calls. 14 from mom, 1 from uncle Tora, another from Aunt Chiyo. I walked off to the changing room and got into my maid uniform.
Myself, Saaya Ayuzawa . Or practically, just Saaya. I am 14, and the Kaichou of Seito-kai at my school, Miyabigaonka. My mother, Misaki Ayuzawa worked as a legal advisor for the Igarashi corp. and my father was someone non-existent for me. But for the last eight months, he was my most dreaded person on earth. After that incident. I had never even seen his face in front of me, though I read a lot about him, and hid it all from mom. Currently, my small family includes myself and my mother, and sometimes, little extensions of Aunt Suzuna, Uncle Hinata and Shu, my cousin, and also Uncle Tora, Aunt Chiyo, fuku-kaichou Yuusuke and my chauffeur Hiroshi Kojou.
My phone rang again. "Mom? Sorry. My phone was on silent mode, so I didn't know. How was your flight?"
"Awful." Her one-word reply for every flight.
'And as usual, you would have crushed aunt Chiyo's hand.' I giggled at the thought.
"I was worried when you didn't pick up your phone. Where are you now?"
"I'm at the café and don't worry, I came with Hiroshi." That was one person she could trust blindly, and yes, I wasn't lying.
"Take care, Saaya."
"You too, mom. Miss you."
"Bye."
Beep.
I finished changing and went out. Mei, Ayame and Yuko had already started working as customers entered, the bell at the door ringing frequently. Aoi tapped at my shoulder. "Clear table 15 after your friends leaves, and when he comes, tells him to wait for some time. I have some important work, so I have to leave for now, I will be back soon." I nodded and traced my learned path towards the last four end tables, where my customers would usually take their places.
"Hello Kaichou!" It must be Kira. I walked over to table 13 and greeted her. "Hello! So, what would you like to order today?" I always cut off the part of Master or Mistress, much to Aoi's discontent. He would call me headstrong, which I was, and I didn't work under compulsion, my mother did long ago. I work here completely for fun. Okay, not completely for fun, part for fun and part to pass my time.
"One chocolate soda, please."
"Sure."
"One for me too." From table 15. Hiroshi.
"And fruit ice cream jelly for me." Yuusuke added. Apparently, they were the only ones staying after our get-together got over.
"Okay. Make sure you leave soon after that, Aoi-chan has guests there." I added the names and table numbers to my scribbled notes and traced back my path to the kitchen, as my friends laughed over the change of uncle Aoi's gender. Miyuki, the chef handed me the orders, as I stood by the counter, whistling. I carried the tray off to the tables and served Kira first. "Thanks Kaichou! You work for us here as well." The student council secretary said, as I moved on to the next table.
"Without cranberries?"
"Without cranberries." I said, and as I handed Yuusuke his favorite fruit jelly with ice cream and a topping of seasonal fruits, Hiroshi pulled me down by my tie. "What the-"
"Thanks Hiroshi-kun!" Yuko said, trying to suppress a giggle.
"Let others pass, Saaya, if you don't wish to clean off broken glassware." He finished as he let go off my tie. I deliberately hit his head with the empty tray as I walked off to the other customers, banging into one.
"I'm sorry, but I believe I had reserved that table." He said in the kindest possible voice, which didn't seem even a bit friendly, but completely cold. Definitely not a regular customer. Reserved table. Aoi's guest.
"Oh, I'm sorry sir; I'll have it cleared right away." I said and walked off to Yuusuke and Hiroshi. Except, Yuusuke had left. "Take care. I'll be in the car if you need me. And keep your phone with you." He said in my ear and left. A perfect substitute for my mother. No wonder mom trusts him so much. I picked up my phone from my pocket to show it to him and then put it back in and started to clear the table. He neared the table, took his seat rather hurriedly, shaking the table in the process.
"Wow! He looks so handsome!"
"He has blond hair!"
"His eyes look as bright as emeralds!"
"Looks a bit older than a teenager, doesn't he" Everyone in the café started mumbling since his advent. I decided to ignore them.
"Mr. Hyodou is currently not here, he has left for some important task. He has asked you to wait, sir. Would you like to order something?" I asked, sounding as polite as I could. I wouldn't want to hear a scolding from Aoi after disrespecting his guest.
"Nothing for the time being. When will he return? Did he tell a specific time?"
"He will return soon, sir. You seem impatient. Can I help you out in some way?"
"Sorry. It's personal."
"Okay, sir."
"I believe this to be a Maid café. Shouldn't the honorific be Master?"
"Mr. Hyodou allows us our way, sir; he doesn't compel us to comply, and the customers are fine with it too."
"Oh."
I left the place over to move towards Kira. She had been there for long, and calling over for me.
"Kaichou, he looks super cool! Who is he? Do you know him? What is his age? Is he your friend?"
"I do not know of him except that he is the owner's friend, Kira. Or maybe a person from the designing line." I mouthed, my voice not beyond a whisper, as I left.
Table 15 was occupied without an order till it was time to close the café. Every other customer came and left. He still did not leave his seat, as he looked around the café.
"Sorry, sir, but it's almost time to close the café. Could you please come again tomorrow?" I asked with a pasted grin on my face.
"You may close and leave. I'm not leaving until Aoi comes."
"Sorry that I am asking, well, you don't need to answer, but, could you please tell your reason for waiting? We might be able to help, sir."
"I said it's personal. You all can leave for home. I'll wait." He sounded kind, yet hurt. I don't know why, but I felt a sense of security around him. I felt bad for making him wait. I went and changed into my casuals, a black tank top with black trousers, which Ayame said complimented my yellow hair. I picked up my phone.
A
Aiko
Akane
Akiyo
Amaya
Ami
Aoi
I clicked his name, and I heard it ringing. 'Wow. Guess he forgot his phone…' I thought, as he picked it up. Before I could even say hello, "I'm busy, I'll call you later" came a whirlwind of words. Not that I could help the stranger anymore. It was all silent around me; all other workers had left, leaving me to wait for Aoi. As if I would do that. I took a can of juice from the refrigerator as I picked up my bag to leave. I walked out towards the door, as I heard uncle Aoi from across the room. "Could you please come here for a moment, Saaya?" I turned my direction and walked over to Table 15. "Yes, what is it, uncle Aoi?"
"Does he still cross-dress?" The guest asked me, but didn't seem to laugh.
"No, sir, our Aoi-kun is just Aoi-kun. His past doesn't play his part as a girl, rather, girls fall at his first sight." I said with confidence. Yes, many girls roamed about him but he never took interest.
"Geez, you never change. Saaya, this is my guest, Takumi Usui Walker. And you are holding orange juice."
Pfffffff
I spat the mouthful of juice right onto him, or maybe his guest. I felt disgusted for having talked to him.
"Shut up and get lost." I said in a small voice.
". . ."
"I said shut up and get lost! Aoi I resign."
"But Saaya-"
"And don't you dare follow me like you do." My words hit as hard as whips, as I clutched my bag and ran across, making a few chairs fall, as I dashed out of the door and it slammed shut behind me.