I don't own Chrome Shelled Regios

"Why on earth would a guy wish to work here?"

"Ummm... well, since I know felli-sempai pretty well, i felt a bit sorry for her because she looked so out of place in a shop like this... but more than that, i just thought she might want someone she actually knows better to be around to talk to her and help her out..." layfon scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"so let me get this straight... you wish to work here, without payment, and are willing to deal with being the only male worker, all for the sake of felli-chan? are you in love with her or something?" the man asked frankly.

"no way, that's not it at all – she's my friend, and because of that, i just want to help her out is all. she's always helping me out to begin with, so i just want to pay her back is all..."

"...very well. i see no problem with this then. but what to do about your costume..."

"i already have something in mind actually..." and layfon described the outfit he had thought of. he also told the man that he already had bought the outfit, too.

"that's perfect! my, you might just become a great designer like me!" the man's eyes sparkled a bit as he looked at layfon.

layfon nervously smiled and said, "...that's probably impossible sir – i'm already a military artist, so such a job is somewhat..."

"i see, i see... well, in any event, you can start tomorrow. is that alright?"

"that's fine."

"do you want me to tell felli-chan?"

"i think i'd rather just surprise her... otherwise she might protest..." the last part he muttered under his breath, so the man-in-pink couldn't hear.

-x-x-

"Lay-Layfon...?"

"Ah. Hello, felli-sempai. how are you today?"

"fonfon, what are you doing here?"

"what does it look like? i'm working."

"why at a place like this?"

"because felli-sempai is at a place like this. and since felli-sempai seemed to be having a bit of a hard time working here, i thought that you might find it easier if there was someone you knew working here as well... was that wrong of me?"

"no... thank you, fonfon..." she whispered the last part, holding her tray up to hide the lower half of her face, blushing furiously. Pretending not to notice this, layfon smiled at her.

"well, shall we get to work then? felli."

the blush on felli's face deepened. "h-hai." she quickly scampered away, her cheeks still completely red.

and that was how layfon's first day working at café mira began.

-x-x-

layfon quickly went around each of his assigned tables, asking for orders from the various girls who came to eat there. ever since layfon first began working at café mira, it had become suddenly extremely popular amongst, not just boys, but girls too.

"hey, i'm layfon, and welcome to café mira. can i get you anything, or would you like some more time to decide what to order?" the smile on layfon's face was genuine – or, at the very least, it looked so genuine that nobody could tell that it wasn't.

the moment layfon had started working here, it became quite obvious that he was a natural at the job – he welcomed customers with a real smile, was both friendly and polite to everyone, and he memorized the menu almost quicker than felli did. the owner of the store was ecstatic – he kept saying that with layfon and felli working there, café mira was sure to become the most popular restaurant in zuellni.

but the really amazing thing was that it actually did become the most popular one – to the point that they were often forced to tell some customers that they were completely full, and to come back another time. it was always layfon who told them this. he always managed to phrase it in such a way that nobody ever got mad or upset.

"hey, celia-san, can you help me out with tables 3, 6, and 7? i just need somebody to deliver the drinks to the tables," layfon called over to one of the waitresses. she scurried over, and happily took the list of drinks for each table from him.

"thank you, celia-san," layfon said, smiling. the girl blushed, nodded quickly, and scurried away. that was how all of the waitresses but felli reacted to layfon. however, felli had a tendency to try to kick layfon, call him an idiot (while blushing furiously), and walk away, leaving softly smiling layfon in her wake (despite the slight pain in his leg). however, he did ask her to not kick him when he was carrying food around, to which she willingly complied with.

in any event, layfon was now in the kitchen asking another girl, this time named laysha, whether she had the dishes for tables 2 and 3 ready. "no, sorry layfon-kun – it'll be ready in a moment, though," the girl said, smiling.

"thanks, laysha-san," layfon said.

and the day went on in a similar manner, with layfon helping out wherever he could, including in the kitchen sometimes (the cooks always enjoyed this, as they kept saying that layfon made the dishes better than they did – not that he agreed, though).

finally, it was time for felli to go home, and so both her and layfon changed into their normal attire and left the shop, layfon saying goodbye to everyone.

"fonfon."

"what is it, felli?"

"are you possibly a lecher?"

"no way, that's impossible – i'm really not popular with girls in that way, seriously. what brought that question up?"

"nothing, you just seemed to be getting along with all of those girls quite well – it was suspicious."

"i see... well, in any event, good night, felli – see you tomorrow." they had reached felli's dormitory and layfon bid her farewell before going. felli stared after him.

(he said... 'good night, felli'... he really is... he works there because of me... he really is...) she quickly shook her head, and went inside.

"what's wrong, felli? your face is all red," her brother asked, in concern.

"it's nothing..."

"doesn't sound like nothing from the way you say it..."

"tell me, onii-san – what kinds of things do you think layfon likes?"

"oh? why are you asking? could you possibly be...?"

"if you dare finish that sentence, i'll make you feel pain," felli said. but the fact that her face was completely red was a dead giveaway. kallian frowned.

(she... likes him? in that way? felli... what did you do, layfon alseif, to make my felli-chan like you...?) ignoring his thoughts for a moment, he thought about felli's question.

"well, i myself don't know what he would like, but why don't you just ask him?"

"that kind of thing is..."

"well, why do you want to give him something in the first place?"

"a thank you..."

"i see... well, why don't you give him a kiss?"

"what kind of perverted thing are you-"

"i don't mean anything like that – just a chaste kiss on the cheek and a quick "thank you" should do it, don't you think?"

"oh... i suppose..." felli thought about it as she walked away from her brother without another word.

(geeze... not even a thank you, huh? well, i don't mind. she seems happy enough – happier than she used to, anyway. i suppose that's because of layfon? really, just what goes on between those two?) kallian was lost in thought as he went to his own room and prepared for bed.

-x-x-

the next day, however, when felli decided to do as her brother suggested (she did it on the way back to her dormitory with layfon), she made two single mistakes – fatal ones too, though it wasn't her fault (well, not really anyway).

after all, how could she have know that she would accidentally trip (slightly) and kiss layfon on the lips? and it wasn't her fault that she didn't sense the person with a camera who was hiding while watching them.

when she found out who did it, however, she beat the person until they couldn't move – which sucked for sharnid, but unfortunately the beating came too late, since the picture was officially already around the entire school before she ever found out.

poor felli-chan – she was just thankful that layfon continued working with her at the café. although it did piss her off a bit that all of the girls were still treating him the same way...

yeah, she didn't stay there much longer. the place pissed her off too much. but it did make her happy that layfon resigned at the same time she did.

it also made her even happier that the kiss she gave him didn't do anything bad to their relationship. they carried on just as they did before, much to her pleasure.

later, however, she realized that she actually somewhat enjoyed that kiss... she only realized it after the incident happened again when she fell on top of him.

he didn't seem to mind it too much, though... or he wouldn't have kissed her back like he did.

THE END