Expect more Zaizen stories! Oneshots and Multi-chapters alike! I LOVE THIS KID!
Disclaimer: I only own the characters not made by Konomi-sensei
I always saw him whenever it was my shift, ALWAYS. I landed a job as a waitress at Fleur De la Cour, the swankest cafe in the Kansai region. It was only a part time job, so I would only be on shift every other day or so. I still have schooling. The only reason I got the job was because my brother-in-law's father co-owned the cafe.
Anyway, every shift I had, he was there. He always had a different girl with him each time. It's not that he two-times; I just think the girl who was before just didn't click with him.
His name was Zaizen Hikaru, and he was one year my junior at Shitenhouji Chuu. My classmates often spoke about him, male and female alike. The boys would ramble on about the really good play he made in a tennis match and how it's expected of Naniwa's boy genius. The girls would speak of different things. Like how cute he was. Or they would ask Zaizen's friends (and my classmates), Oshitari Kenya and Shiraishi Kuranosuke, anything about Zaizen. From what his favourite food is, to what is his type.
Today he came to the cafe with a girl who had dyed brown hair, thousands of pearls and a lot of frilly, pink pieces of clothing. I recognized her style as a 'princess gal'. I never liked the style, I found that a lot of the 'princess gals' I met were fake. Fake eyelashes, acrylic nails, dyed hair with extensions, everything was fake.
I watched with my blue eyes as my other brother-in-law, Kei, (my sister's husband's little brother) showed them to a table near the window. Kei was in his second year of high school.
Kei came over to the counter I was behind to give the "couple" some time to order.
"He's back my little darling baby sister-in-law," Kei smirked.
"Well no duh he's back. And can't you call me by my actual name?" I frowned, cleaning a cake pan.
"Fine, Kaori-chan, do you think this one will last?" Kei looked at the two as the girl fired off into a ramble that probably was completely uninteresting to Zaizen.
"Are you shitting me? Look at her! I'll give him twenty minutes," I scoffed.
"That's a sucker bet. A better one would be how he's going to escape," Kei laughed. He got up to serve them because they looked ready to order.
"Hmph," I snorted. Why can't Zaizen give up with those girls? He keeps picking the wrong ones.
"And I suppose you're the right one?" A voice from behind me spoke. I twisted my head to see my sister's husband, Daisuke.
I blushed as I realized I said the last part out loud.
"Well, no! But the girl's he brings are so fake! By the way, if you mention this to Kei-nii, I will kill you," I hissed.
"Zipping it up. By the way, you sound jealous," Daisuke mocked.
"Shut up, I do not..."
'I'm not jealous. Even if I was it was only because I can't get dates left and right like he can.' I thought.
But what Daisuke-nii said really got me thinking about Zaizen Hikaru.
~---~
The next school day, I actually listened to what my friends had to say about Zaizen.
"He's a bit bitchy, that boy. But it's actually kind of cute. You would need a lot of wit to match his. I bet you could do it, Kaori," Naoko said.
"I think he has a sweet side. I heard his favourite movie was Amelie," Ayaka sighed.
"Really?! He likes Amelie?" My eyes lit up, I've probably watched that movie, like, twenty times.
"And he's smart too! He's a genius, remember?" Miyu reminded.
"What does he like?" I asked.
"Uh, he likes western music, mainly Indie rock, he's a total computer wiz that likes to blog and he likes family-oriented girls," Miyu listed off.
"That's strangely specific..." I mumbled.
"Quiet you, just because he's such a nice catch. But I could never go out with him. I'm not his type and I'm older. He has eight classes of second years lined up to date him. It's not like we have a chance," Naoko sighed.
I smiled as I listened to my friends ramble on, 'he's actually really cute...'
~---~
Zaizen stared and listened like a little child getting told a fairy tale as his senpais, Kenya and Shiraishi, told him about Kaori Akiyama.
He asked them about 'the waitress girl with the pretty blue eyes' and now they wouldn't shut up. It's not as if THEY liked her. It's just that Zaizen really did say 'pretty blue eyes'. So they were excited (Kenya especially) by the fact that Zaizen was interested in an older woman. One different than any other girl he's dated no less.
Kenya rambled on about her super snarkiness and her strange love for foreign things. A few things Zaizen did pick up were Amelie, non-Japanese music and something totally random, lollipops.
Zaizen contemplated on asking her out. But he remembered he had a date that afternoon. And as disrespectful as Zaizen was, he wouldn't cancel the date. He knew where to draw the line.
~---~
I unconsciously frowned when I saw Zaizen come into the cafe with another 'Princess Gal' on his arm (probably one from the same clique as the other girl).
Kei-nii also had Daisuke-nii's tables to serve because Daisuke had to fill in for one of the bakers, who was currently on vacation. So Kei told me to serve the couple because he was busy.
I've never talked face-to-face with Zaizen before. But there was a first for everything right?
"Welcome to Fleur De la Cour! Is a seat by the window alright?" I put on a smile. But it was a lot more fake then the smile I gave to the other customers.
"Yes, that's fine, but it better be clean!" The girl said.
"Of course, right this way," I led them to the spot and waited for them to get sorted out.
"Would you like anything to drink?" I asked.
"Yes, I want ice tea. And I don't want you serving us; can I have the guy over there instead?" The girl pointed to Kei-nii.
"I'm sorry, he's very busy-"
"No, I want him to serve us," she replied snootily.
"Very well," I sighed, "sir, do you want anything to drink?"
I saw the smallest eye roll from him to his date, "I'll have coke."
"Of course..."
I walked over to Kei, "Zaizen-kun's date wants you to serve them."
He rolled his eyes, "fine, take over for me here okay?"
I watched Kei-nii go left and right to fulfill the needs of Zaizen's date. Her behaviour pissed me off. But there was nothing I could do.
"That's the downside to this business," Daisuke-nii said from the kitchen window.
"Kei-nii must have the patience of a saint..." I mumbled.
"You need one to work here. It's really upscale in case you haven't noticed,"
"Shut up, I don't need you making my mood worse. That girl's behaviour's enough on its own," I sneered.
"I doubt it's entirely because of the way she's acting," Daisuke mumbled.
"What was that?"
"I said you're jealous."
"I am not!"
"Right, whatever..."
"This ice tea is WAY too sour! It has too much lemon! Take it out!" A girlish voice shrieked.
I snapped my neck in direction of Zaizen's table. His date was standing up and trying to get all in Kei-nii's face. But he didn't waver. Zaizen had his face in his hand in an ashamed way.
"Ma'am, I can't take out the lemon," Kei said.
"Then trash this and make me a new one!" She yelled, ready to throw the drink in Kei-nii's face.
I ran as fast as I could to Kei and held my arms up defensively in front of him as I felt the ice contents of her drink splatter in my face.
~---~
Kei watched as his youngest sister-in-law ran in front of him just as Zaizen Hikaru's date threw her drink at him.
His eyes widened as the lemon slice in the drink narrowly missed her right eye.
"I don't care if it is illegal, if you attempt to do something like that to Kei-niisan again, I will snap your neck," She hissed.
"Kaori, stop it. I'm sorry Zaizen-kun, but I'm going to have to ask you two to leave," Kei said.
"It's alright senpai. Come on Yamazaki-san," Zaizen sighed and walked out the door with his date in tow, she was still having a hissy fit, but she calmed down a little bit. Before they left, he saw Zaizen give Kaori an apologetic look.
Kei looked at Kaori as she wiped the drink out of her eyes. She looked up just as Zaizen turned away. Much to Kei's disappointment, their eyes did not meet.
~---~
"Are you alright?" Kei turned to me.
"Yeah, just sticky," I sighed.
"Here," Kei-nii threw a towel on my head, obscuring my vision.
"Thanks..."
"Don't do it again,"
"What?"
"Don't do that again," Kei said sternly.
"Okay," I looked out the cafe window to see Zaizen cross the street alone. There was a red handprint on the right side of his cheek. Unbeknownst to me, I just kept staring.
Suddenly, his midnight green eyes were met with mine. My cheeks heated up at the intensity of his gaze. As swift as I could, I stuffed my face in the towel Kei-nii gave me.
~---~
Kei watched in amusement as Kaori buried her face in the towel. He looked outside to Zaizen, who was smirking in amusement at her.
"Kaori-chan, you're on shift tomorrow. Now go clean up," he shoved her in the bathroom and ran outside.
"She's going to be here tomorrow too!" Kei shouted to Zaizen. He smirked as he saw the middle schooler's face flush pink.
Kei ran back inside to see Kaori come out of the bathroom.
"What were you out there for?" She asked.
"A little baby girl dropped her toy and her mom didn't notice," Kei replied nonchalantly.
"Oh okay..." Kaori wandered back into the bathroom.
'Oh I am good.'
~---~
I sighed, sucking on a lollipop. I wasn't supposed to have a shift today. But apparently, I DID!
The door swung open. I heard only one pair of footsteps, so I was surprised to see Zaizen Hikaru walk in.
"Oh, hello Zaizen-kun...You're alone," I greeted.
He scratched his head sheepishly, "yeah, I'm sorry about what Yamazaki-san did yesterday."
"It's alright. Are you only here for that?"
"No, I actually, wanted to ask you out," he grinned.
I flushed a deep red, "o-okay... Where do you want to go?"
"Have you ever been a customer here?"
"Well...no, but-"
"Then how about here?"
"She'd love to. Would you like a seat by the window?" Kei chimed, popping in out of nowhere.
"Eh?!"
"Sure," Zaizen shrugged.
"Right this way please," Kei grinned.
Much to my surprise, the date went absolutely perfect. I was on cloud nine when it was over. He's everything everyone said he was; sweet, witty, smart and simply perfect.
"I'll call you tomorrow?" Zaizen asked, getting up to leave.
"Well...but...I'm older then you," I was pretty sure he was kidding. I didn't think I would stand a chance with him. And here he was, asking me on a SECOND DATE. That's like, A NEW RECORD.
"So?"
You can't argue with that logic. "Okay then. But I want to go on the jet coaster at the amusement park!" I grinned childishly.
"Deal," he smiled a genuine smile. To me, it was one of the most gorgeous smiles ever, and I was pretty sure that, after today, I couldn't live without it.
I had a permanent smile plastered on my face as I saw him walk out the cafe doors.
"Wow..." Daisuke-nii said, "You really were the right one."
I sighed dreamily, "yeah..."