Aaaand time for the next installment of Maika in crazyland! Lol...I've decided her character...is going to be a complex one. Not a very likable one, at that, but hey, that makes for an interesting story, doesn't it? *w*
Anywho, more characters introduced in this one. Enjoy-!
I've been counting down the days till we will be able to meet, dearest Yohio. One more week until the concert. My heart can hardly handle the anticipation.
What have you been doing to prepare, I wonder? Lots of rehearsals, I bet. If only I knew where those were located…
I have simply been going about my normal, boring days. My shifts have gotten longer at my job. Do you remember? I work as a waitress in a small cafe. The NOVA Cafe, it's called; you haven't visited in so long…
Well, this time of year, as the rain begins to pour, more and more people want some hot beverages and accompanying treats to survive the chilly weather. It's been pretty busy the past few weeks.
Today was a little less frantic, though; I was able to relax between customers, along with my fellow workers, Bruno and Clara. They're nice people; although I'm not as close of friends with them as I am with Oliver, it's fun to hang out with them. I can't really confide in them or gush too much about you with them, but I do enjoy having absentminded small talk with them time and again.
Bruno, Clara and I switch between our jobs as waitresses/waiters and beverage-maker throughout the day, and at least one of us is left with cleaning up and closing the cafe when night falls. Sweet Ann and Big Al (as they like to be referred to as,) are the chefs of the food, and also the owners of the shop; also lovely people, but much older than I. Today, Clara and I were waitresses, and Bruno was the man behind the counter crafting up everyone's frappuccinos and hot cocoa. I was relieved to know I didn't have 'cleaning duty' tonight; the more time I waste at work, the less time I have to continue my research for you.
I would like to say this day was like any other day, but actually, something annoying happened today, darling. Something awful and lame and terribly annoying. It irks me just thinking about it, honestly.
I'll begin with the less headache-inducing incident first, I suppose. Sonika visited the cafe today. I don't believe you know her…? She's just an occasional customer who lives close by, giving a girl-next-door kind of vibe, bubbly, earnest, and friendly. Her presence interests me only in that every time she enters the cafe, I swear I see Bruno's eyes light up like an excited puppy of some sort. But it looks like he tries to hide his delight, trying to play it cool or something, and he often just welcomes her with a warm, calm smile when she approaches the counter.
"Well, if it isn't Sonika," he'd typically say, "What brings you here today?"
To which she would giggle and their chit-chat would commence. This happened today, naturally.
Lately, though, I've been noticing a different expression on Clara's face when she notices Sonika entering the cafe. Her eyes seem to darken. Today, her charming smile she would flash to the customers even dropped straight down into a dreadful frown. She made it a point not to look at the two when Bruno and Sonika had their usual conversation. But I know what that is about. I can read faces very well, you know, dear. And that look painted on Clara's pretty little face just so happens to be the sweet, sweet look of jealousy. Hoh…
I will keep this a note for future reference...in case it would ever come in handy to… 'utilize' this information. ...That doesn't make me a bad person, darling, I hope you know. I am just not afraid to do ANYTHING I can...for your sake. Don't you know? So, even such a thing as manipulation isn't so awful when it's for the sake of someone you love so, so dearly…
I gave Clara a seemingly clueless smile then, as if I didn't know what could possibly be wrong, and expressed concern for her tired-looking features. This caused her eyes to widen as if she was caught doing something she shouldn't have been, and she merely shook her head and grinned at me, as if to affirm she was just fine. We both then returned to our jobs.
This...this was where things took a turn for the worse.
I was fetching a tray holding three hot cups of coffee for three young men, at first sitting patiently at their table. They didn't look like they were from around here.
Suddenly, I heard the rustling of papers. A magazine…?
That's when they started talking.
"Man, SeeU looks so hot in this bikini!"
"Bro, you're so lucky to have gotten this issue. I heard all the copies were gone from the bookstores in practically the blink of an eye!"
"Yes...I slept outside the store the night before, so I was one of the first ones there when it opened."
I flinched as I waited for Bruno to finish up making their coffees. Surely, they didn't say the name I thought they said, right…? I must have misheard…
But no, they continued talking...and I knew…
"Oh god, look at her in this shot! SeeU looks really good in white, too."
"Heh, I'd like to see her in white. At my wedding!"
"Pfff, like hell, man. SeeU's probably gonna marry a hot musician or some shit."
I could feel my blood beginning to boil, even hotter than the beverages that would soon arrive to their table. But I couldn't stand it, I couldn't stand listening to this any longer…
Of course I had to be reminded that SeeU was a damn model, as well as an amateur actress, who was quickly gaining popularity due to a lucky break in a recent drama television show. She started just as a girl on the internet posting pictures of herself, and one day won an ulzzang, or Korean "prettiest face" contest online, which is all where her career began. ...Yes, sweetheart, I researched all of it. Just for you.
But no, what they were saying was just ridiculous. I couldn't stand it, I couldn't stand it…
I stomped over to them, restraining myself as much as I could, but it was so, so hard to control the rage that was fuming out of me. The final trigger was spoken once I approached, however, and I simply could not take any more of their torture. They had to say it, they just had to…
"What, you mean like that Yohio guy? Ahaha, I don't stand a-"
It was as if my hand had a mind of its own, darling, I swear! It was as if I was suddenly possessed, and nothing my right mind could shriek inside my head could stop my arm from lifting and chucking the tray full of three scalding hot cups of coffee straight at the three imbecilic fanboys.
They weren't facing me, and their moronic eyes were too glued to that stupid magazine for them to notice the drinks being hurled at them until it was too late. The blistering coffee splattered across all three of their ugly heads, and all over that wretched magazine, soaking all of it in burning liquid. I realized what I had done quickly and reacted immediately to save face; I collapsed to the floor, as if I had tripped, right before the first guy's blood-curdling scream rang throughout the cafe. Now, as the room would look up in shock at the scene, they'd see three idiots drenched in coffee, and a clumsy waitress attempting to scramble back to her feet after having made such a terrible mess; and thus, the event could be classified as an 'accident'.
Gasps drifted throughout the room as the boys continued screeching various words, such as 'It burns!' or 'My magazine!' Clara and Bruno rushed to the customers' aid, as I merely sat there, slightly agitated by the fact no one came to help me. I was the one who nearly sprained her ankle pretending to trip, after all!
Sweet Ann and Big Al peered at the scene from the kitchen, but it seemed they were too embarrassed to step outside and acknowledge such a huge disaster in their cafe.
I eventually assisted in helping to clean the table up, sputtering a million tearful apologies as I did so. The three left in tears, though I personally believe it was less because of their first-degree burns and more to do with the fact that their 'precious' magazine was not salvaged. After that scene, it transformed into nothing more than a brown, soggy, mocha latte-scented remnant of a few scraps of paper, with some ugly whore's worthless pictures bleeding down the pages.
I continued apologizing to Clara and Bruno even though they were clearly not harmed, and tossed a few 'I'm so sorry's towards Sweet Ann and Big Al as well. Clara looked like the endeavor had made her even more exhausted, and Bruno appeared more exasperated than angry as well. Though I bet if Sonika was still there, he'd have been secretly more pissed off at me than ever for doing such a thing in front of her. I'm sure.
Regardless, he still pulled me to the back of the building to have a private talk, much to my surprise. Was it really that big of a deal?
"Maika, what was that? Why did you do that?" He raised his fedora to run a hand through his hair as he asked me stupid questions. I blinked at him innocently and replied with a trembling voice.
"I-I...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I just…"
"Well, it really did seem like you did mean to, from where I saw it."
Shit. So he actually was watching the whole scene. I averted my eyes, hoping my annoyance wasn't evident in them. He merely sighed.
"Maika, I don't know what's been wrong with you lately, but it's really showing in your work. You've been forgetting to do cleaning duty this past month, you've been carelessly snapping at customers, constantly getting their orders wrong...and what was that one Asian guy who came here? You ruined his phone by dumping tea on to it!"
I winced as I was reminded of that time. Some purple-haired man was watching SeeU's drama on his phone as he was waiting for his order. I couldn't have just stood there and done nothing…!
Bruno gave another short sigh as I said nothing in return, still bothered remembering all of those dumb people…
He lightly touched my shoulder, snapping me out of annoying-land. I looked up at him, wondering why he felt it necessary to continue talking to me.
"Look, Maika, I can tell something's been up lately. Do you want to talk about it?"
He looked at me with deep, serious eyes. What a caring guy. It's too bad there's nothing I can really say to him. People were going to be irritating, and I was going to be irritated by them, until my mission of taking out the witch was complete and they could all stop being hypnotized by her. That was simply it; but I can't really tell Bruno THAT, now can I? He wouldn't really understand, just like Oliver. I flashed him a gracious smile.
"Thank you Bruno, but I'm fine, really. I will try to do better from now on."
He continued staring until he gave a final sigh and backed away from me, signaling I could leave. I gave him another smile, this time more apologetic than anything, and returned to my work. None of us workers really spoke a word to each other the rest of the day, and I returned home like any other night.
But that night, dearest, I slept ever so sweetly. My excitement for next week's meeting with you was fueling my dreams. No, I couldn't let such a silly circumstance bring me down! I will stay strong for you, even through awful incidents like that. As I pressed that dear picture close to me again that night, I shut my eyes and drifted away into a peaceful place...awaiting the upcoming thrills that I would soon experience.
Good night, Yohio...
Huehuehue *0* Time is tickingggg...!
And yeah I'll put as many references as I can in each chapter...xD
I was trying to make the three men be the three guys from ZOLA Project heh...and everyone knows who the purple-haired guy might just be...
But oh yeahhh ClaraxBrunoxSonika love triangle-ish thingyyy *A*/ Woooo-
There will be plenty more drama coming up too, I promise...wuehehe...alrighty see you soon uwu/
**** REVIEWS ARE LOVED DEARLY, MY DARLING XOXOXO ****