Chapter 2
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A/N: Hey, me again. Anyways, let's get started! :D
Enjoy.
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After finally going back into the serving area, Miku was once again confronted by Star.
"Just go up to the tables with the red dots on the side. Those customers are usually aware that if there's a new waiter, then they'll only be waiting those tables. Just put on your best impress of the apprentice sorcerer, and off you go!" (codes for orders)
Miku lightly called for her to wait a moment, but Star was already attached to the sides of the stove. Miku sighed, and walked out towards one of the tables with red dots (Was that... ketchup?) and smiled, saying brightly, "Hi, what can I do for you today?"
There was a girl who looked like she was about ten, with blackish brown hair and eyes; a boy who looked like he was maybe seven, with blonde hair and an eyepatch; and a girl with silvery blonde hair who looked around nine.
The brunette looked up then said, "Um, I want the hot chocolate with sprinkles." She looked at the boy, who Miku could barely hear.
"He wants tea with double cream and three sugar cubes, and I want the strawberry milkshake," the blonde relayed. Miku nodded, thankful for the beverage codes written at the top of the notepad. She bowed a little, like everyone else usually did, then walked towards the kitchen without getting bowled over by the other waiters and waitresses, most of whom were running. When she reached the kitchen window, she went to put the slip down-
But there was a girl with pink hair, who, even though she was balancing at least thirty cups, moved in a graceful and fluid way. She placed cups with differently tagged plates on the sill, then grabbed another ten slips and vanished.
Miku quickly learned that if she didn't want to get walked on, she had to practically parkour everywhere. It wasn't uncommon for the servers to jump around a table, and very often Miku watched one of the waiters look up and fall into a perfect split, allowing someone to jump over them. Very rarely was it a girl that was jumping over a waiter.
Miku was now going to probably forgo skirts, too. At least, really tight ones. Like the one she was wearing now.
She continued to take orders, but then realized something. One of the tables with the red dot, somewhere near the left, no longer had a red dot. She couldn't see it, and was lightly confused. All those tables were filled, so...
Miku noticed then that on one of the tables, where the dot usually was, a girl's hand was hanging. It was probable that she was just covering the dot, but...
Miku delivered another round of drinks and a cake to her tables, then went over to the table after about five minutes.
"What took so long," the girl- the one with her hand hanging over the possible dot- muttered, pressing about fifty buttons on her phone with one hand in less than ten seconds.
"Neru!" The girl across from Neru, who had silvery white hair, one hell of a chest and red eyes, glared.
"What?"
"Um... is that...?" Miku tilted her head a little, trying to lightly move Neru's hand.
And indeed, there was a perfect little red dot.
"Oh, okay. Guess it is the right table," Miku sighed, relieved.
"Wait, what? Neru, did you cover up the dot?"
"Hey, she should have memorized the tables already. Not my fault if she doesn't remember."
"Neru!"
"Is that your order?" Neru drawled, her phone dropping out of her hand a little. "Because I'm right here."
The other girl sighed. "Fine. I'm getting the vanilla malt, and Neru..."
"Haku." She mocked the other's tone, smiling smugly.
"...Lemon Ice Surprise."
"Wait, no no no! Take it baaaack!" Miku watched as Haku laughed and Neru began rifling through the menu, trying to find something she liked.
After a few more seconds, she got a root beer, and Miku smiled lightly.
"You sure? I think today's surprise has cat hair in it," a passing waitress with brown hair and freckles said happily. Neru looked sick.
"I'm sure..."
Haku laughed again as Miku took the menu and put in the order.
The cafe was open until midnight on Sundays, and on most weekdays it was open to three AM. Apparently college students who were nearby were mainly insomniacs, and liked the coffee, as it helped them stay awake to write essays and do homework. Sometimes high school students came in too, and every so often there was an overachieveing middle school student who came in. Those kids were usually in eighth grade, or coming with their older sibling.
However, on Saturdays and Mondays...
The cafe was empty at nine and reopened the following day at five AM.
At around eight thirty, Miku noticed a sudden increase in the number of customers, who usually asked if they could get their order to-go. At eight fifty-five, the only one left was a boy who was waiting for a small espresso.
Miku was surprised, then realized that most of the other waiters and waitresses were sitting in the booths, seats, sighing and one of the waitresses with blonde hair looked asleep.
Meiko emerged from the back room- Miku hadn't seen her all day- and stretched, sighing. "Damn, my back's stuck again."
"Do the chair thingamajig." The blonde who Miku had assumed was asleep spoke, and Meiko groaned before sitting down in one of the smaller chairs, leaning back so far her hair almost brushed the floor. Then there was a crack, and Meiko's face relaxed.
"There it is," she muttered. "Who needs a chiropractic when there's a perfectly free chair."
"That wasn't free, Mei," the blonde replied. "Paid half my rent for it."
"You didn't have to."
"But I did because I'm a kind and amazing person."
Finally, the boy left, and Rin came from the kitchen to lock the door and flip the sign, which now was showing 'CLOSED' to the empty street outside.
After another minute, the pink-haired girl Miku had seen earlier emerged from the kitchen, smiling tiredly.
"Drinks."
Meiko hummed, taking a mug with a rose on it from the tray. Rin took a teacup with a yellow flower, and so on until there was only one cup left- a mug with a very pretty teal morning glory painted on the side. The girl offered it to Miku, who smiled and accepted it, noticing the excess Cool Whip and sprinkles on top. She took a sip and brightened, tasting the richest chocolate mixed in with a sweet, sweet fudge.
The pink haired girl took the seat in the booth across from the blonde who had been talking to Meiko, taking a sip of her own drink.
"Thanks, Luka." Luka nodded in reply.
After a minute, the brunette with freckles looked over at Miku, smiled, and asked, "So, how are you liking the job?"
Everyone suddenly looked at Miku who smiled back. "Well, I think I learned what a true workout is," she said, and everyone laughed.
"Don't worry, it gets worse," the chef with salmon hair said, grinning. "I'm Momo, by the way."
"Rin," Rin called.
"Lily," the blonde who was still halfway asleep murmured lazily.
"Avanna!" The brunette with freckles.
"Alys," the waitress with dark blue hair.
"Kaito." Waiter with cobalt blue hair that she met first.
"Kiyo," a black haired man- who was sitting at the register, Miku hadn't seen him move all day.
"Gakupo~" A waiter with long purple hair tied in a pony tail waved.
"If you don't know me you're in trouble," Star said. Miku laughed.
"No, if she doesn't know me she's dead." Meiko walked over to sit next to Lily, who hummed.
Star tilted her head, then asked, "So can you do anything other than run?"
Miku chuckled a little, then said, "I can cook kinda well."
"Ooh, maybe she can help us," Momo said happily. Meiko squinted.
"That'll have to wait for next Monday." Momo groaned, and Rin hissed a little.
Lily sighed. "Anyways, tomorrow you'll start wearing good running clothes, and you might want to start jogging here, if you took a taxi today. Get some excersize, a little warmup per se."
Miku nodded, then yawned a little. Kiyo chuckled.
"Aww... she's tired..."
Meiko yawned then too, and then Lily yawned, and suddenly everyone was yawning. Miku yawned twice.
Suddenly someone laughed, and then everyone else was laughing for no reason other than it was probably a little late.
"Luka... does this have caffeine in it?"
Luka smiled and said nothing, but her eyes spoke loudly enough.
Avanna groaned. "Meiko, can we little ones go now? Some of us need sleep unlike certain goddesses who never even need coffee," she muttered, earning a laugh from Meiko, Lily, Luka and Alys.
"Sure, goodnight. And Miku?" Miku stopped, having begun to get up.
"Hmm?"
"You can keep the apron, but wear it each morning. Do whatever you want with it, as long as it's still fully functional."
"...Thanks."
Miku walked home that night, staring at the dim stars above and wondering about nothing in particular.
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A/N: ...I've already ruled out a few people who weren't introduced yet. Oops.
Oh well, just means less competition on who gets Miku, amirite? BD
...Should I be ashamed that I am making a chart for this already? Like, who likes Miku the most?...you tell me. (Won't post it until story's over)
Anyways, hope you like! :DDDD