It was 2pm in the afternoon. The soft sunbeams passed through the windows of the café. Minami Kotori or better known while working as Minalinsky was cheery as always. The morale was high and the customers were all enjoying their meals. She smiled happily knowing that she was able to bring happiness to others. Her mind drifted back to the scenes of last night. A hint of red spread across her face as she recalled how she was suddenly hugged right in front of her house. She was really glad that her parents did not see the awkward situation. She shook off the thoughts as she heard the bell attached to the door ring, signaling that customers had arrived. She took a menu from the counter and proceeded to the door.
"Welcome back, Master."
She greeted in the traditional manner of a maid café with a smile that was one of the few traits that defined the legendary maid of Akibahara, Minalinsky. She almost dropped the menu when she was it was the same ponytailed teenager she had went out with yesterday. Matsuo Kazuma had entered the café.
He clearly was in surprise too as she noted his expression immediately changed. It was however not the time to react in such a familiar manner with a customer. She noticed a second guy with him.
"A table for two?"
She asked carrying out her role as a maid to her fullest. He simply nodded in response.
"Let me guide you to your seats then."
She guided him along to a non-smoking table for two people. Along the way, she heard comments from the person that Kazuma was with saying "Ka-san, you're acting strange, lovestruck?"
It was surely a comment just to joke around however with him not denying it made Kotori even more off pace than she was earlier. After letting them sit down, she excused herself to grab them cold water as they thought of their orders.
"So, Ka-san is she the one?"
She could hear his voice from the other end of the café, she really wondered if he was speaking that loudly on purpose. It was going to be a bother to the other customers if the person continued speaking so loudly. She walked on over with the water with every intention to ask the person to quiet down only to be beaten to it.
"Shun, keep your volume down, it's disrespectful."
"Alright, alright. I get it."
That was the exchange of the two teenage guys. She then realized that the guy Kazuma was with was the same guy who confessed to Nozomi. She had not seen the purple haired senior of hers since sneaking up on her late last night.
"Have you decided on your order?"
She asked them as there were other customers to attend to, she had to be swift especially during this rush hour where customers coming in the dozens were no surprise.
"An omelette fried rice and lime juice."
Both of them responded almost immediately. Were they close? Or was it merely a coincidence? She seemed to be caring too much on a personal friendship between them. After all, in the current pretense, she was a waitress and they were her customers. Whatever interpersonal relationship they may have outside, mattered not so she should not be so curious as to what they were talking about.
"Right away, I shall return shortly. Any request for the design of the ketchup drawing?"
The guy called Shun simply said to surprise him while the ponytailed haired teen seemed to be thinking hard as somehow his face turned a quick shade of red.
"A self-portrait."
She looked away immediately. What was he trying to imply? She walked off giving the order to the cook as she went off to serve other customers that had just entered.
'He didn't seem to know that I worked here. Is it a coincidence?'
She greeted and escorted the customers to their seats. They were regulars and thus Kotori immediately got their orders out to the cook.
Suddenly her hand was caught by one of the customers. It was the regular she normally served.
"Minalinsky, are you okay? You don't seem as happy as you usually are."
She wished to scream. Unlike the warmth she felt yesterday, chills began to be felt down her spine. There were clear rules against harassing maids however, there were people like him from time to time who feel they are an exception.
Suddenly, the sound of a chair fiercely being dragged quickly was heard and a customer stood up.
"Yo ! How many years has it been, man?"
The overly familiar tone came from the ponytailed teen. The guy called Shun simply had a smirk on his face as he saw Kotori held back her scream.
Kazuma walked closer in an almost frighteningly calm manner.
"W-who are you?!"
The regular bespectacled customer stammered. Kotori knew from that reaction. He did not know Kazuma at all. This act was part of something else. The guy's grip tightened causing a small squeal coming from Kotori. Kazuma's right hand swung around the neck of the guy, putting him in almost hug-like position while softly whispering something which only Kotori could hear.
"Let's take this outside punk, read the bloody rules and don't pester her."
Kotori was immediately released and the guy who was dragged outside immediately fled.
The manager had stepped out wanting to assist but apparently her job was over. Kotori was quite baffled. She had not seen him get angry like that however, she felt glad nothing happened. What happened after Kazuma stepped in however surprised her, she expected the manager to thank him for avoiding violence or helping to save her employee however she bore witness to him bowing to the manager for causing a ruckus.
"Minalinsky, was it? Forgive me for causing such discomfort by bringing such hostile acts in the workplace."
He said as he bowed to her as well.
'Talking all formally like that, he really intends to act like a customer until the end. If that's the case…'
Kotori thought as such as she tried to think of a response.
"No problem, Master."
She responded as such taking her leave as she attended to other customers.
The amber eyed teen had calmed down. Her discomfort from the customer had faded and she felt slight warmth from being saved, yet she also felt a slight feeling of… anger? She was not sure what it was but it did not feel right.
The bell chimed once more bringing in three very familiar faces.
The Yamato Nadeshiko of the group, Sonoda Umi. The fortunetelling planner, Tojou Nozomi and the orange haired cat-girl, Hoshizora Rin stepped into the café.
"We came to play nya~"
The energetic voice of the cat-girl rang as Kotori shifted her attention to them.
Coincidentally, the only table that could seat three people was right beside Kazuma's table.
"Matsuo-san?"
Kotori heard Umi's voice calling out for the ponytailed teenager. She felt a pang of anguish that swelled within her. She felt discomfort with her childhood friend talking to him. She felt it twice as much as he acknowledged her and gave a slight nod.
'This… doesn't feel right.'
Kotori thought as she went off to get the drinks for her friends as well the two omelette rice that were prepared for the guys.
When she came back, she saw that their seating order had changed, the guy called Shun was sitting opposite of Nozomi while Umi was seated beside Kazuma and Rin was opposite of the Yamato Nadeshiko.
She felt herself gripping onto the tray she had slightly firmer than before. Especially when she saw that Umi was engaging in a conversation with him, she realized what ominous feeling she had… It was jealousy.
