"Hmm, so you actually cooked all of that yourself?"
"Mmm, when I was working as Minalinsky I learned how to cook pretty well."
As Maki-chan awed at the the omelet and small salad that I made myself for lunch, I couldn't just help but be really happy about how she was impressed about the lunch I made.
Ever since that day me and Maki-chan found out we were childhood friends, we decided to start off as normal friends. I don't know why, but she wanted to keep our friendship a secret to everyone for now.
Sure it makes me a little sad that Honoka-chan and the others can't find out about how me and Maki-chan were actually childhood friends but... I'm happy that the two of us can have lunch together...
"Hmm? What are you all happy about? Does your lunch actually taste that good?"
"Ah, No it's not that..."
With a bit of red on my cheeks, Maki-chan just does a small chuckle as she takes a bite of a fried egg.
It wasn't just any fried egg, it was made with the highest quality eggs, and even the smell of it was enough to make me drool a little... I guess that's the lunches you get when you're the daughter of the owners of a hospital.
"Weirdo."
Doing a small pout, I wasn't mad, I was actually a little happy from Maki-chan's words, since majority of times her insults weren't meant to hurt others, it was just her way of expressing her feelings,
I then see Maki-chan gaze at the salad I made, it was a regular salad, just lettuce, some sliced up carrots, and slices of tomatoes that I covered with some vinaigrette to make it tasty.
"Do you want to try some Maki-chan?"
"W-what? N-no! I-I wasn't looking at your lunch because I wanted some!"
Ah, she's so dishonest~
As red flushed Maki-chan's cheeks, I knew from the dinner we had at the restaurant Maki-chan really liked tomatoes, since majority of Italian dishes are made with tomatoes, and seeing how happy she was when eating them was really cute.
With a fork, I grab a piece of tomato from the salad I made, and bring it near to Maki-chan's face.
"Maki-chan, say "Ahh...""
Maki-chan's face immediately became beet red when she noticed what I was trying to make her do,
"W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-WW-W-W-WHAT A-A-A-A-A-ARE YOU DOING?! DON'T TEASE ME LIKE THAT!"
Hmm? I wasn't trying to tease her though?
As I gazed at Maki-chan's beet red face with giggle, I couldn't help to think how cute she was.
Maki-chan then immediately grabbed the fork from my hands and ate the tomato slice.
My face instantly became red when she did it,
"Huh? What's wrong? Didn't you want me to eat this?"
I didn't realize it till now but... The fork I was going to feed Maki-chan the tomato slice with was the one I was eating from and... She just did, so that's... A indirect kiss right?...
Maki-chan gazes at my red face in confusion until she takes a glance at the fork and finally realizes why my face became so red.
Maki-chan's face became dark, she took a big deep breath in and then gave me back my fork.
"Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-YOU... BIG AIRHEAD!"
"EKK! I'm sorry Maki-chan!"
"I know you're a airhead but come on... Don't leave out important stuff like that..."
"Mmm... I'm sorry Maki-chan..."
As lunch was ending soon, our emotions were diverse, Maki-chan was still really embarrassed from the events that occurred, while I felt like it was my fault for making all of this happen...
As I gazed at the lustrous green grass that we sat on behind the school to have our lunch, Maki-chan gazes at me and sighs,
"Hey... You know it's not all of your fault. It's also mine since I didn't realize it was... Er... Your fork I was eating from..."
Maki-chan's cheeks became red in embarrassment as she was finishing her sentence.
Maki-chan's trying to cheer me up?... But it really is my fault for not noticing first...
With more guilt filling my heart, my gaze on the ground become heavier, while the frown on my mouth became bigger, Maki-chan noticed that her attempt to cheer me up didn't work, she just does a small sigh.
"Hey, that tomato was really delicious... I wouldn't mind if you started making me salads for lunch too..."
"Eh?..."
Turning my gaze from the grass to Maki-chan, I knew that she was trying her best to hold back the embarrassment she had, her face was bright red, but she tried so hard to hold her prideful character back to cheer me up...
My large frown changed into a large smile,
"Sure, Maki-chan!"
Just because me and Maki-chan were childhood friends didn't mean that we couldn't have the relationship that I have with Honoka-chan and Umi-chan.
As I laid own my regular sized light green colored bed, I tightly wrapped my arms around "Pillow-tan" while gazing up at the ceiling of my room.
"Pillow-tan" was what you could call my version of Maki-chan's, Usagi-tan. Sure I didn't always carry it around with me when I was a child but I always did sleep with it, and I always liked embracing it whenever I was deep in thought.
"I'm still happy that we're starting off as friends though."
Maki-chan herself asked me after the dinner we had at the restaurant if we can be friends at school too, that was enough for me, enough to make me so happy that I wish nothing would ever change.
"But I still want to become closer to her..."
All that Maki-chan and I were doing as friends was, hanging out during lunch whenever Umi-chan dragged around Honoka-chan to finish Student Council work. We even exchanged emails and phone contacts but she rarely texts me due to her busy home life.
"Mmm, since she does need to take over her parent's hospital."
Unlike me, Maki-chan had a bright future already written out for her, I didn't know if it was really her dream to take over her parent's hospital but I knew she loved her parents too much to not take over it.
"She's pursing her dream while I..."
I started to frown and almost felt like I can cry, remembering the day when I was about to leave Japan for the fashion program that my mother told me that could help me pursue my dreams as a fashion designer.
"But if I did leave..."
If I did, I would have never known about how me and Maki-chan were actually childhood friends.
Shaking my head and slapping my cheeks lightly, I let loose all the negative emotions inside me and do a small sigh.
"I can't think about that, since if I did go, everyone would have been sad and me and Maki-chan would never be friends."
The fact that me and Maki-chan were childhood friends in the past and how we are friends now was enough to make me forget all the negative thoughts that still lingered within me after I decided to stay.
"I can't be selfish..."
The part of me that kept on thinking the thoughts, "You should have gone.", "It was so that you can pursue your dreams!", I considered that the selfish side of me, a side that I knew everyone would hate me for...
As I was about to descend into a dark mindset again, my phone started vibrating.
"Eh?! Can Maki-chan be calling me for once?!"
Excitement and joy filled my face and mind, replacing all the dark emotions and thoughts that I had.
Just the thought of Maki-chan taking a break from her busy life to call me was enough to make me jump for joy, but as soon as I saw the caller ID, all my excitement was replaced with bummer,
"Hmm? It's a former co-worker, Yurina-chan?"
I was actually upset enough to hang up on them, but she was a girl that I worked with and became friends with when I was working at the maid cafe as Minalinsky. I quit when I was going to leave Japan but ever since I didn't, I never had any plans of working there again.
Yurina-chan was a good friend and I gave her my phone number to call me whenever work was piled up and they needed more people, or if she called in for a sick day and needed me to work in her place.
"But why is she calling me now?"
I was actually a little curious to why my former co-worker would call me, if she was calling me it had to be an emergency so I can't pass her up.
Accepting her call, I bring my phone up to my left ear,
"Ah, hello! It's been a while Kotori-chan! Sorry to call you so suddenly..."
"Mmm, it's fine, I'm just a little surprised that you called me since I don't work at the cafe anymore."
"Well that's the thing..."
"Eh?"
So something was really up at work?
As I continued to keep my phone close to my ear, I waited for my former co-worker, Yurina-chan, to tell me the reason why she called me, by the tone of her voice, I could tell that it had to involve something with the cafe, since if I was still working there she wouldn't sound like her phone call was a burden.
"Kotori-chan, we have a special event at the cafe and two of the maids have caught fevers... I wanted to ask if you and a friend can take their place..."
"Eh? Really?! I hope they get better!"
"I know, but still..."
I was actually worried for the two maids, it was spring, and getting a fever around this time would be quite serious, but that was the least of our problems.
"Surely I can work! I still have the maid outfit, but a friend too?..."
It would have been fine if it was just me who had to work, but knowing that she asked me if I can bring a friend along means that she couldn't find anybody else and put all her hopes on me.
"I know, I'm sorry... We couldn't find anyone else, but surely if you do find a friend who can help, we'll provide the costume and give them the basic training!"
She had a lot of faith in me, but I didn't know who would be willing to help...
"What about your friends in that idol group that came to perform here back then? Can one of them help?"
"Wonder Zone", that was the first song I wrote for μ's and which we performed at the maid cafe I worked at. We all wore maid dresses for the performance so I'm pretty sure that's why she was reminded of that.
I couldn't let her down though, I needed to assure her that I could find someone who could help!
"Umm! I will find someone who can help within the group! And when I do I'll call you back, OK?"
"Thank you Kotori-chan... You're such a life saver! The event is tomorrow night, I'll leave the rest to you!"
Eh?... TOMORROW NIGHT?!
"Umm! Wait!-"
Before I could ask her anymore she finished her call.
I just sat on my bed with a blank expression, I had nothing that I could say or do to express how I was feeling, all I did was quickly look through my phone contacts and called the one person who I always called whenever I was in trouble.
"Oh! Kotori-chan! What's up?"
"HONOKA-CHAN!"
"Whoa! Kotori-chan?!"
With tears forming in my eyes, when we were children even now, I would cry to Honoka-chan whenever I was in a pinch, since every time she was able to solve them (while majority of times it was Umi-chan who did.)
"Honoka-chan! I need help!"
"EH?! Kotori-chan?! Is your life in danger?!"
Panic started forming in Honoka-chan's voice, I'm pretty sure anyone would panic if they heard me calling them like this suddenly...
"I need someone to help me work at the maid cafe tomorrow!"
"Eh?... That's all?"
"Mmm!"
Slightly nodding, I then hear Honoka-chan doing a relieved sigh,
"Gosh, don't scare me like that..."
"Sorry..."
Sniffling a bit from the tears I cried before, I earnestly apologized for making Honoka-chan worry like that.
"But, I thought you quit didn't you?"
"Mmm, but a friend who works there said they're having a special event and they need me and a friend to help since two maids caught fevers..."
"Man, talk about bad timing..."
"Mmm..."
I was really anxious to see if Honoka-chan would help me, since Umi-chan would be out of the question, since she would be too embarrassed to even wear the maid outfit... And I don't have the phone numbers of the other members in my phone, besides Maki-chan...
"Sorry, I can't..."
"Eh?..."
I could feel all hope within me being replaced with despair as soon as Honoka-chan said those words.
She sounded sad when apologizing, so I was certain the reason why she can't help me is a good one.
"Umi-chan is going to make me check over the school funds tomorrow, and hearing that you're going to work tomorrow, it's going to be extra hard..."
"Oh, I'm sorry..."
Now knowing that because I'll be working tomorrow I won't be able to help Honoka-chan and Umi-chan with student council work, the despair I felt was replaced with utter guilt.
'Don't be, it's pretty much my fault for not being able to do all the work myself... Muu... I can't believe Umi-chan is working me so hard that I feel like this."
Giggling a bit, I then do a small smile, "Umi-chan just really loves you, Honoka-chan!"
Honoka-chan just does a small chuckle, "I just wish she could show it in a kinder way."
The conversation we shared was enough to take most of the guilt off my shoulders,
"But what are you going to do now?"
After this, surely I had to do everything in my power to find someone who can help me or I just had to put all my effort into doing it myself,
"Kotori-chan I know you, you have to find someone, I don't want you overworking yourself by deciding to do it all yourself."
"Honoka-chan..."
Honoka-chan was my best friend in the whole world, she would know what I'm thinking, it made me happy but it wasn't going to solve the current issue I was dealing with.
"Kotori-chan! I know you'll find someone! If you can't, I'll work so fast that I'll run over the maid cafe and help you myself!"
"Honoka-chan you don't have to!..."
Hearing Honoka-chan willing to work this hard for me was enough to make tears form in my eyes, but I couldn't let her do that...
"Come on, we're friends Kotori-chan! Let's just hope it doesn't come to that... For my sake..."
Honoka-chan did almost a small painful chuckle as she finished her sentence.
"Mmm... Don't worry I'll make sure it won't come down to that, for your sake!"
"Thanks... Well, good night and good luck Kotori-chan!"
"You too Honoka-chan! Sweet dreams!"
Honoka-chan finished her call, as soon as we were done I placed my phone on the small cabinet that was beside my bed, wrapping my arms around Pillow-tan tightly, I fall back on my bed.
"What am I going to do?..."
I had to think, I couldn't make Honoka-chan go over her limits, and I couldn't overwork myself since I would just worry everyone.
"Friends, huh?..."
When you're friends with someone, you only know that they're your real friends until they tell you themselves that they would help you in any situation. Honoka-chan and I shared a strong enough bond that we would help each other no matter what, but in this situation...
"Friends?... Wait!"
No I couldn't... Reminded of the friendship I had with Maki-chan, I couldn't do it, she's a busy person I couldn't trouble her with it but still...
"This could be a chance to deepen our friendship, no?..."
Or it could ruin it. All I wanted was for the two of us to share a bond similar to the ones I shared with Honoka-chan and Umi-chan, but doing this would be a huge risk since if Maki-chan sincerely rejected me that would mean...
Slapping my cheeks, I then grab my phone from my cabinet and call Maki-chan.
I couldn't think like that... Maki-chan herself asked me if we could be friends, I need to believe that our friendship is real!
As I anxiously awaited Maki-chan to pick up, I was determined to not let my fear get the best of me...
"Hello?"
She then picks up, now was the moment for me to accept whatever decision she makes,
"Maki-chan, sorry for calling you at this time..."
"Don't be, but what's up? You sound weird."
I didn't notice, but I wasn't able to erase all my anxiety, tying my best to get rid of it, I try my best to reassure her to not worry about me,
"I-It's nothing!..."
I then hear Maki-chan doing a annoyed sigh over the phone,
"Hey, don't say that, from the time we've been hanging out together, I know when you're lying."
"Really?... How?..."
"You're a bad liar."
Maki-chan was right, I was a terrible one, since from all the guilt I got from doing even a small lie I would eventually break and tell the truth.
"Tell me what's up and I'll see if I can help out."
As soon as Maki-chan finished her sentence, I felt like all the negative emotions in me were replaced with a warm feeling in my chest, my heart starting to beat faster and my cheeks becoming red, I just giggle with tears forming in my eyes,
"K-Kotori?"
Maki-chan's voice was full of worry from my sudden change of mood, but I couldn't help it...
"I'm so happy that we're friends, Maki-chan!"
"E-eh?!... O-Obviously we are! What made you think that we weren't, you idiot?!"
I could hear and almost imagine that Maki-chan was so embarrassed from saying that her face was pure red.
Wiping the tears from my eyes I decide to tell Maki-chan everything...
"I see..."
"So can you?... I mean if you can't that's fine..."
"God you can be a real idiot sometimes... Of course I'll help out."
"Really?!"
Hearing Maki-chan agreeing to help me out at the maid cafe tomorrow made me so happy I could jump in joy around my room but I held it back, since my mother was sleeping in the next room.
"I-I just decided to since hearing the whole situation, OK?!"
Ah... Maki-chan was being dishonest again~
Giggling, I just do a sigh of relief with a large smile,
"I promise to help you out as much as I can when we work!"
"H-hey! I don't need your help!"
I could hear Maki-chan was so embarrassed, I loved teasing her when she got like this but I better hold back or she would get so mad at me that she could decide not to help anymore.
"Tomorrow night, right?!"
"Mmm!"
"Well then... Meet me at the school gates after school, we'll head there together."
Ah, this was the first time Maki-chan's been so nice to me~ I'm so glad we're friends~
As I did a cheerful giggle Maki-chan talked back,
"Hey, you're thinking about something weird aren't you?!"
"Maybe~"
"God you're so... Well good night, make sure you get enough rest for tomorrow."
"You too, Maki-chan! Sweet dreams!"
"WHAT- Uuu!... You big idiot!"
Maki-chan in embarrassed rage hangs up on me,
"Eh? Maki-chan?"
Why was she so mad?... Well... I'm just so happy that she was able to help me solve all my problems. Now the real work starts tomorrow!
"What the heck? What are you so happy about?"
"This is the first time we've walked together, I'm just really happy!"
"Uuu.. You..."
As Maki-chan released a small sigh, the both of us continued to walk down the path that led to the school to the maid cafe, which was all the way in Akiba, I could see from the the red that was almost a vivid orange from the evening sun that formed on her cheeks that she was holding back all her embarrassment.
Since the thought of wearing a maid dress and working at a maid cafe was enough to break the prideful character that she had.
Knowing that she was willing to go through all that just to help me out, formed a huge smile on my face.
"You know, I'm surprised you don't act like the way I thought you would."
"Eh?"
What could she mean by that? Haven't I always acted this way?
"You know what I mean!... Teasing me and stuff... God you act like Nozomi..."
"EH?! Really?!"
Maki-chan does a small embarrassed nod,
"I didn't know I acted like that!... If you want me to I can stop-"
"You idiot, I'm not telling you to stop- Er... I mean... God, why does it always have to be like this when I'm with you..."
Doing a small giggle as Maki-chan did a small sigh, I smile at her,
"So you don't mind if I tease you?"
"W-what?!... Wait I didn't mean that!... Uuu... Just act like yourself!"
Maki-chan was so cute whenever she was being dishonest, I think anybody would love to tease her whenever they had the chance. Knowing the two of us were friends, I could do it whenever we were together.
"We're here."
As the both of us made it to our destination, the both of us saw that there was a long line of both girls and boys waiting to get in the maid cafe.
"What the hell?... What can be up that made so many people want to come?!"
Both me and Maki-chan awed at the extent of the line, majority of times, males would come over to the cafe so that they could enjoy being served by maids while females came over to enjoy the delicious meals we had on the menu.
"Whoa! Isn't that Minalinsky?!"
"And it's Nishikino Maki!"
As two people within the line noticed us, they knew who we were, me for being Minalinsky the famous ex-maid of Akiba, and Maki-chan for being a member of μ's.
"Ah damn... Something tells me we're going to attract a crowd..."
With a irritated sigh, Maki-chan prepared herself, foreshadowing what was about to happen.
"Eh? What do you mean-"
"OMG! IT'S MINALINSKY! SHE'S BACK!"
"KYAA! MAKI-TAN YOU'RE SO PRETTY IN REAL LIFE."
A whole crowd started to form around us, it was the people that were waiting in line to get in the cafe, it looked as if everybody in the line were fans of us.
"I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SEE YOU AGAIN MINALINSKY! PLEASE, MAY I HAVE YOUR AUTOGRAPH?!"
A fan in tears cried to me, overjoyed to see me working at the maid cafe again.
Grabbing the paper he held out to me so that I could sign it, I did a small laugh while signing it,
"It's just for today, but I'm so happy to see you happy about me working here again."
As soon as I passed the fan my autograph, he immediately fainted with joy.
"Eh?! Are you okay?!"
"I can die in peace now..."
"KYAA! MAKI-CHAN! CAN I TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU?!"
"W-wait I don't really!..."
As a fan girl begged Maki-chan to take a picture with her, the crowd around us was getting larger, and really cramped, it was so cramped that I could feel the elbows of the people within the crowd bumping into me,
"Ow!..."
"Kotori-chan?!"
Maki-chan then immediately wraps her arm around me, protecting me from being hit by the crowd.
"Maki-chan?"
I know they didn't mean any wrong, I knew all our fans were overjoyed to see us, but anger started forming on Maki's face.
Did she care enough about me to get mad at her fans for my sake?...
Doing a small smile within the mayhem, I saw that Maki-chan was about to yell at the fans, before she could, a group of maids from the cafe ring a hand held bell to get control over the crowd,
"If all of you don't get in line right now, you won't be able to try our limited one night offer on our new "Kyaa! I only imagined it in my dreams, cake!""
Immediately as she finished her sentence the crowd obediently got back into the line, we were free from the large mob like crowd, but we just stood there with blank expressions,
"All these people are here..."
"Because of a cake?..."
Finishing each others sentences, I could here a giggle from a person I knew behind us,
"Not just any cake... it's the "Kyaa! I only imagined it in my dreams, cake-"
"We get it, it's a unbelievable cake."
Maki-chan cutting her off with a small sigh, the both of us turn around,
"Ah! Yurina-chan!"
"Kotori-chan, it's so good to see that you can help and you too, umm..."
"Maki, Nishikino Maki."
"Yes, Maki-chan!"
"What-"
Maki-chan's face became red with embarrassment when my former co-worker, Yurina-chan casually called her by her first name.
Yurina-chan was a university student who worked at the cafe so that she could make money to pay for textbooks she needed to buy for her studies, she was as tall as Maki-chan, and had caramel colored eyes while her hair was a light brown styled in a long ponytail.
We both became friends due to how the both of us had a love for cute dresses and strawberry cheesecake.
"Man... You two are so alike..."
"Eh?"
The both of us turned to Maki-chan with questioned expressions, she just does a small face palm,
"Nah, it's nothing..."
"Anyways, Kotori-chan! I'm so happy you came, the event isn't starting yet but look at the line!"
"I know! What is this "Kyaa! I only imagined it in my dreams, cake!" anyways?"
The line that this incredible sounding cake made, it sounded like it was something that a famous cake maker would make, I was really curious to find out.
"The manager wouldn't tell us but rumors say... That it's a strawberry ice cream cheesecake."
I could feel drool almost flowing from my mouth as soon as I heard the possible identity of this cake, Yurina-chan passing me a napkin she does a small laugh,
"I know how you feel, I reacted the same way! But wow... You guys created a mob."
Doing a small embarrassed chuckle, I bow in apology, "Sorry, even when you all are so busy preparing for the event."
"Don't be! That's what happens when you have the ex-legendary maid Minalinsky and member of μ's, Maki-chan right?"
The both of us laughing together, Maki-chan does a small sigh,
"Hey... Can we go in so I can be trained already?"
The both of us were so immersed in conversation that we forgot about Maki-chan...
"I know I agreed to do this... But no one told me any of the workers were fans of me!"
"GOD THIS IS ONCE OF A LIFE TIME OPPORTUNITY, I WILL SAVE THESE PICTURES ON ALL MY HARD DRIVES."
As a group of the maids who worked here were taking pictures of Maki-chan, they were right, this was a once in a life time opportunity (second actually) Maki-chan was wearing a maid outfit that was worn by all the workers in the cafe, red flushed her cheeks as her fans among the workers took pictures of her with their phones and digital cameras.
"Wow, Maki-chan seems really famous, I'm really disappointed in myself for not knowing her before hand."
Doing a small giggle at Yurina-chan who awed at the actions of Maki-chan's fans, I shake my head,
"It's fine, μ's still isn't that popular, but we will be once we move forward in this year's Love Live! Competition."
"H-hey! You guys took enough pictures already! Let me get focused before we have to work!"
"J-JUST ONE MORE PICTURE PLEASE!"
As Maki-chan's fans were pleading to her to have one more picture, our manager walked in and confiscated their cameras and phones,
"Now, now girls... You're bothering Nishikino-kun, she's going to be working here for the 1st time, she needs to prepare herself."
Maki-chan's fans then lower there heads in disappointment,
"Fine..."
"Thank you..."
Embarrassed from how far our manager needed to stop the fanfare, Maki-chan blushes.
Our manager does a small chuckle,
"No need to thank me Nishikino-kun, it's rare for us to have a idol work among us!"
"Manager what about me?!"
As I pouted from the fact he forgot about me, in realization he laughs,
"Ah, I'm sorry you too, Minami-kun!"
All of the maids then laugh along with our manager.
Our manager was a mature man in his 60's, he is what you can call your "cool grandpa" he had a kind nature and did everything in his power to make sure that work was fun for all of us.
"I know you all know that today is going to be packed because of our one night offer of, "Kyaa! I only imagined it in my dreams, cake!" but some customers are going to want other dishes before having it, so make sure to focus but have fun, OK?!"
"OK!"
All of us shouting in agreement, Maki-chan walks up to me and Yurina-chan with a small smile,
"This doesn't seem like a bad place to work."
"Oh! Would you and Kotori-chan be willing to work here again after this?!"
In excitement, Yurina-chan would be overjoyed to hear if she could have two new friends to work with, Maki-chan shakes her head with a small sigh,
"Nah, me and Kotori have to focus on winning this year Love Live! along with the other members of μ's"
"Yeah, sorry Yurina-chan..."
"Nah, it's okay! The both of you working with us today is enough to make me happy!"
It would be nice to become Minalinsky again and work with Maki-chan, but knowing that this year's Love Live! will be the most important one for μ's, we had to put all our effort into winning it.
"Still, Maki-chan we did train you but do you know how to handle customers?"
"H-huh? I so can! Leave it to me!... Man I just hope I don't make this night harder than it should be..."
Hearing Maki-chan mummer something under her breath, Yurina-chan claps her hands cheerfully,
"Wow! As expected of an idol! Well me and the others have to greet the customers, you and Kotori-chan can relax here a bit before we start!"
"Yeah..."
"Good luck Yurina-chan!"
Before leaving with another group of maids, me and Maki-chan are left alone in the break room, Maki-chan then with a sigh sits on a small chair we had in the break room.
"What did I get myself into..."
"Maki-chan..."
Maki-chan looked like she was losing all motivation to work, despite everything, she looked like she was trying hard to keep some working spirit so that she could help out... It made me happy to see she was willing to work this hard to help me but I really needed to help her, so that I could make sure that she could make it through the night with no problems.
Placing my right hand on top of her head, I start rubbing it,
"W-W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
Even if she was in sheer embarrassment, I continued rubbing her head with my hand, in a soft voice I told her,
"Don't worry Maki-chan, you'll be able to do a good job, you already did a great job by just coming and helping..."
"You..."
I needed to do whatever I could to make Maki-chan motivated again, the best I could tell her was that she would do a good job and was already doing a good job, by willing to help me despite her prideful character.
"You can stop now."
"Oh, I'm sorry!..."
Immediately removing my hand from her head, I didn't notice I was rubbing her head for a long period of time, the fact that she kept letting me do it before she couldn't take it anymore made me do a small giggle,
With a small sigh, Maki-chan starts twirling a strand of her hair with her index finger,
"Well at least you motivated me enough... I guess..."
"Really?... I'm glad I could help!"
Maki-chan continued to twirl the strand of hair while avoiding eye contact with me, red formed on her cheeks.
"If you don't mind... I'll do it again after we're done working."
I could see that Maki-chan was shocked enough from my statement that she was about to fall from her chair, maintaining composure, her face was beet red,
"HEY! JUST BECAUSE I SAID IT HELPED DOESN'T MEAN YOU COULD DO IT AGAIN!"
"Then I can't do it anymore?..."
A frown started forming on my face, honestly the gesture of rubbing her head was my way of showing her that she was doing a good job, even if Maki-chan felt like everything was too much for her, I would always do it to cheer her own... Despite her character, since she's my friend.
"N-no I don't mean... God why does it always come down to this?... Er... We'll see, OK?!"
Turning her gaze away from me, Maki-chan crossed her arms in frustration, I didn't know how I should feel, happy or more upset? I didn't want to be a burden on her any longer so I chose to be happy,
"Thank you Maki-chan."
Maki glanced at me, almost looking like she could see what I was thinking, but I couldn't bother her more with my personal thoughts, We both needed to be prepared for the job that awaited us...
"Kotori-chan! Can you tell Maki-chan to go get the orders of table nine?"
"Yes!, Enjoy your meal, Master!"
As Yurina-chan called out to me, I finished serving a table full of customers, the customers were fans of mine so the waved goodbye to me with tears of joy or large smiles on their faces as I went into the kitchen to get Maki-chan,
Maki-chan did a loud sigh as she was cleaning dishes in the large sink we had in the kitchen,
"Man so many dishes... I'm just glad these people eat everything off the plate though."
"It's because, it's made with our love!"
"I know that they made me clean dishes for now because I'm a beginner but can I go out now?"
Cleaning dishes was beyond anything a rich girl like Maki-chan could think of ever doing, Yurina-chan and the other maids wanted to make sure that she only came out to serve the customers only when it got really busy.
Because in their opinions, today, cleaning dishes was the easiest job.
"Yeah, Yurina-chan told me to get you to serve the Masters!"
"Uuu... Just thinking of calling someone Master..."
Placing my hand on Maki's head, I start rubbing it,"You'll do a good job, and you did a good job Maki-chan!"
"H-HEY! Don't do that in public!"
In embarrassment Maki-chan grabbed my hand and took it off her head, doing a small pout, Maki-chan just sighs,
"Fine, thanks for that... Um, are you going to switch places with me?"
"Yeah, Don't worry Maki-chan, majority of the Masters are friendly and your fans!"
"Yeah, I could serve them if they suddenly didn't want pictures with me..."
Maki-chan did a irritated sigh as she took off the rubber gloves she wore when cleaning dishes, placing them beside the sink, Maki-chan starts leaving the kitchen.
"Good luck, Maki-chan!"
"Yeah, to the both of us."
Maki-chan leaves the kitchen to go serve customers, Yurina probably told me to get her because now was the time that everyone would start ordering the "Kyaa! I only imagined it in my dreams, cake!" now. And it was already plated, so Maki-chan just needed to place a small amount of plates on a tray and place the cakes in front of the customers, nothing too hard.
"She did a good job of cleaning the dishes though."
I was amazed by how sparkly the dishes Maki-chan cleaned were, despite most likely being her first time washing dishes, she did a good job.
"Maki-chan is Maki-chan, she could do anything!"
That was right, Maki-chan's prideful character would never let her fail in anything she did. So every time she would put 100% into everything she did.
Putting on the blue rubber gloves before getting ready to wash the dishes, I start to pump myself up,
"All right! I have to work hard too-"
"Kotori-chan..."
As soon as I was about to get pumped up, Yurina-chan comes into the kitchen with Maki-chan,
"Eh?! What happened?!"
Both of them looked very glum, Maki-chan looked really agitated for some reason, I was really worried.
"Well..."
"That creep! I can't believe-"
"Maki-chan, he was just teasing you please don't be mad..."
Hearing the words "creep" and "he" in their conversation gave me a vague idea that it involved a customer, I was really worried about Maki-chan, since she seemed so upset.
"He said sorry, don't be mad at him, it wasn't out of harm."
"Still! Asking me to kiss him on the cheek was far off the line! It's harassment for god's sake!"
Oh... So that happened. Majority of times when you work at a maid cafe, male customers (even sometimes female ones) ask you to kiss them on the cheek, every time it's meant as a joke, but knowing Maki-chan she wouldn't see it like that.
"Maki-chan, you can go ahead and clean the dishes again, I'll go and serve the customers."
"Wait! You've already worked hard enough you don't need to-"
"Maki-chan, I'm sorry for making you go through that..."
Guilt filled my heart, knowing Maki-chan had to experience negative emotions like that just because she decided to help me out with work today was enough for me to take on all the work myself, Maki-chan immediately walks up to me and grabs my shoulders,
"Listen... I'll try my best to do it again, I can't have you do all the work, OK?!"
"B-but, what if-"
"I'll just have to brush it off, I knew he didn't mean any harm, it was just so..."
Maki-chan's face was filled with embarrassed rage, I could feel the grip she had on my shoulders tighten, it became so tight it hurt a little, I then embraced her,
Maki-chan's face changed from embarrassed rage to pure embarrassment from my actions, I just wanted to show her how grateful I was, grateful to how she was willing to put up with all the emotions she experienced for my sake.
"H-hey, Yurina-san is still here!..."
"Wow... You two share such a nice friendship!... I'm actually a little jealous~"
Yurina-chan just did a small cheerful giggle as she witnessed the scene that occurred between the two of us, finally noticing she was still here by how hard Maki-chan was trying to push me away, I quickly let go of Maki-chan in embarrassment,
"Ah!... Umm I'm sorr-"
"Don't say "sorry." Apologizing for something you did that wasn't wrong actually pisses me off a little."
Maki-chan glared at me as she said those words, I could see in her eyes that she would actually be angry if I apologized for my actions.
"I'm going to go out again, this time without having to make you worry anymore, OK?"
Maki-chan with a determined expression is about to leave the kitchen with Yurina-chan, something in my heart was telling me to tell her something before she left, trying to find the words to say in a loud shout I yell,
"You can do it, Maki-chan!"
Both Yurina-chan and Maki-chan was suprised by the sudden tone in my voice.
Those were the only words I could find to tell her, Maki-chan just twirls her hair in embarrassment,
"You don't have to YELL it to me... I'll do my best to not let you down."
Maki-chan along with Yurina-chan then leave the kitchen together to go serve the customers, this time surely determined that no troubles would befall them.
Staring down at the bubbles that formed in the sink from the dishes being washed, I do small smile and whisper,
"I won't let you down either Maki-chan..."
"Thank you so much for your hard work today girls, I know it was tough, but with all your efforts we made it through!"
As majority of us were sitting down on the chairs in the break room to let our exhausted bodies rest, our manager was congratulating us for being able to serve all the customers despite being so packed for the "Kyaa! I only imagined it in my dreams, cake!" event.
"Now for your reward... You get to go home with a slice of "Kyaa! I only imagined it in my dreams, cake!""
"REALLY?!"
Both me and Yurina-chan with drool forming from our mouths, got up from our chairs in excited joy, our manager just laughs at the two of us,
"Yes! You all deserve it, Minami-kun, Nishikino-kun, I know you told me you were going to be busy with your idol group but are you sure you don't want to work with us again? We would love it if you could."
"We would too, well... If it isn't packed like this everyday, but for now the answer's still no."
Maki-chan with a small smile reassures our manager of our future plans, doing a small sad sigh our manager hands us the slices of the cake which were held in small white boxes, smiling at the both of us,
"You're welcome here whenever you want, along with your idol friends, we'll treat them as "Special Masters.""
"Thank you!"
Yurina-chan then hugs me and Maki-chan with river of tears forming from her eyes,
"I'm going to miss you Kotori-chan and Maki-chan~~~~~"
"H-hey! Uuu... Why have I been just been getting hugged all day?!"
Maki-chan with a embarrassed cry, all of us laugh at the warm scene we had in the break room.
"Are you sure you should be walking with me to my house? I mean I would have been fine by my-"
"Don't say you would be fine by yourself walking home alone at this time, you're a cute girl and there's many creeps out at this time."
"Cute?..."
"Wait!... I didn't mean..."
Maki-chan just does a agitated sigh, while my cheeks became a light red from her words.
Maki-chan decided that she would walk me home, since her mother would pick her up, my mom was too busy at a meeting to go and pick me up so Maki-chan insisted that she would walk me home since it was too dangerous to walk alone at this time.
It made me really happy to see she cared this much about me...
"Thanks for trying hard to cheer me on during work all the time though."
"Eh?"
Maki-chan looked away from me in embarrassment when I turned my gaze to her,
"Hugging me was out of the question, but... Thanks... It made me feel better..."
Doing a small smile from Maki-chan's words, I do a small nod,
"I'm happy I could help..."
"Something's bothering you, isn't it?"
"What?..."
Even I was confused from Maki-chan's statement, I didn't feel like anything was troubling me.
Maki-chan turns her gaze to me, her gaze was a serious one, looking like if I said something dumb she would be really angry with me.
"Kotori, start worrying more about yourself than others."
"Maki-chan?..."
"It pisses me off whenever I see you holding back your feelings, since you think they would just be a burden to me."
What is she saying?... Was I doing something wrong at the Cafe today?... Did I say something to her that made her have this conversation with me?...
"Maki-chan... I..."
Realizing that the two of us reached my house, Maki-chan glances at me intently then turns her back to me,
"Kotori, don't forget what I said... Good night."
As Maki-chan walked away from my home, I lightly waved goodbye to her and whispered,
"Sweet dreams, Maki-chan..."
I didn't know what I could say about how I was feeling right now from the conversation we just shared, the words "worry more about yourself than others" is the definition of being "selfish..." It was the side of me that I was trying so hard to keep inside me so that no one would hate me...
"Why did Maki-chan say that?..."
I didn't know but somewhere deep in my heart told me that after this day, I knew that something drastic was going to change my relationship with Maki-chan... And I knew that it wasn't going to be something good since I didn't even think about eating the cake that we got from the cafe today...