Chapter 10: Part Time Job
"Is this where you work?" Hikaru Hitachiin scrolled the darkly tinted windows of his limousine down. Reflected in his eyes was a little café tucked in the corner of the alleyway.
Haruhi blinked and followed his line of vision. Her heart lifted. Now here was somewhere she was familiar with. The colorful umbrellas, plastic chairs and tables had been set up outside because it was sunny. The doors were thrown widely open in welcome and she could see the solemn wooden tables and her friendly workers inside.
"Yes-" she opened the car door abruptly and felt the breeze fan over her like relief, "I work here whenever I don't study." Her neck suddenly prickled. She glanced at him. His face was still and strange in profile. She couldn't work out whether it was of wonder or sadness. It made her slightly uncomfortable. "Isn't it a great place?" she asked impulsively as if to cheer him up.
"Yeah," he tore his gaze away from the place. An impish grin appeared magically on his features as he turned to face her. "For a commoner that is to say," he teased. Then he stuck his tongue out and his voice became contempt. "Man I came all the way to see some gay umbrellas."
"Thank you for escorting me," Haruhi replied with dangerous sweetness before slamming the door closed.
"Hey!" he called after her. She was adorable when she was angry. His window rolled down further. He was wearing a lazy smile. "Don't you want me to see you dressed in a cute waitress outfit?"
"Forget it," Haruhi muttered. "Don't even think about following me." She made her way to the "staff only" kitchens. The further away she was the better. Peace! Finally some peace and comfort!
"Fujioka!" The amiable café owner greeted her enthusiastically. "You've come just in time. We're short of people today." Haruhi nodded. She did not look back to the shiny limousine, the smooth leather seats and that goodbye-have-a-good-time-darling smile from her /escort/. She firmly tried to fix her happiness and eagerness in helping out with the store in her mind but her mind was busy with other thoughts. Like how annoying, frustrating and unpredicable her new "fiance" was.
"Savoury pumpkin scones and freshly squeezed orange juice for table 18."
The scones had just come out from the oven. They were a wonderful warm color and lightly dusted with flour. They spoke of delicious promises and shook ever so slightly like something special was going to happen. Haruhi frowned as she picked its plate up. She had felt the same the first time she had seen those scones. The food at this Western café never changed, even in two years.
A young couple sat at table 18. Haruhi placed the scones on their table and the two icy glasses of orange juice. The man smiled at her politely and the woman nodded. As she left the silent table, she couldn't help thinking that their actions had looked rather obligatory.
Two fateful years ago, when she begun working at this cheerful café, the first dish she served was pumpkin scones. The scones had introduced her to Kairi. It was a very normal and decent first encounter, nothing like her first encounter with Mr Hitachiin.
"Chai Latte and lemon tart. Table 15."
The couple at table 18 were sipping their orange juice as Haruhi passed them. The warm scones had not been touched. The woman looked like she wanted to butter one but her eyes flickered towards her partner.
She and Kairi didn't talk much at first, like the couple at table 18. At least he didn't demand to be talked to. But the next day he had come again, ordering a different dish.
"Beef and cranberry sandwiches. Table 6."
A young girl was leaning over the table which was smothered with books. Haruhi finally managed to put the sandwiches on top of a closed mathematical textbook. Today's work was vexing. She was the only waitress there and it was busy as hell. Why did every day of this week have to be vexing?
"Here are your sandwiches," she smiled at the customer. "You need it. Study well."
Those were the exact same words she had first said to Kairi. He had been a serious university student back then. Later she found out he was studying commerce – a degree that finished one year before her law degree. He came to the café every day. Before she knew it, they had started a solid friendship because of shared goals and work ethics. They both worked for their careers, neither inheriting a successful business through family unlike one rich, lazy heir she had unfortunately been acquainted to recently.
"Assorted crackers and dip. Table 10."
Table 10 was situated in a weird crook of the wall. Haruhi reached it easily, her feet and mind beginning to tire of the same routine.
"Young maid…" a voice wheezed with an obvious pervert's intent. Haruhi dropped the crackers and left just as quickly. Some old geezer always sat there, he always came at around 11am and always ordered crackers and dip. What's with men and maids? Haruhi thought, annoyed.
"French Toast. Table 11."
She was making her way down a zigzag aisle when she saw the shadow behind the screen. Her mind froze momentarily.
"I was waiting for an hour," a shrill voice snapped loudly, interrupting Haruhi's mind freeze. Haruhi gave the toast to the elderly couple on table 11 with a quick polite smile. She headed for the kitchens again. The woman on table 18 had given her a start when she had spoken rather loudly. Oooh, trouble in paradise, She thought as she wove seamlessly through the tables. There's always some disputing couple.
"Hey Fujioka-san!" The cooks waved at her from the kitchens. "Chicken and corn soup. Table 14." Haruhi hurried herself back into the routine of work. That shadow of a figure sitting outside again; it glimmered at her from the mirror on the back wall. It can't be… she found herself reassuring her uncertain mind. Why am I reassuring myself?
There was a table that Kairi always sat at when he waited for her. Table 1. It was situated outside in the sun. It was one of those tables with a colorful umbrella. Haruhi carried the hot steamy soup to table 14 with her back to the entrance door. Her neck prickled like someone was watching her. She looked around hastily. It was the perverted old man from table 10 gawking at her. She glared furiously back at him.
"Banana smoothie and orange poppy seed muffins. Table 15."
Still, Haruhi kept her back to the entrance door as she delivered the next order. Kairi had stopped coming to the café ever since he finished his degree. Kairi was involved in the same fiancée swap program as she was this week. Kairi was definitely not that shadow sitting outside by table 1.
"Chicken Pie. Table 18."
The café was starting to fill up with many people stopping for lunch. It wasn't fair, Haruhi pondered as she passed a group of chattering friends. She still had to study and work industriously, whereas Kairi already started his own career and had thrown his study life out the window. It was like he was trying to drift away from their shared common life into something new.
"Coffee. Table 1."
"Bean Salad. Table 18."
Haruhi did not know why. She pushed the order for table 1 down the line of orders and instead picked up the order for table 18.
"Staying for lunch?" She spoke conversationally to the young couple, trying to suppress the odd twisting feeling in her stomach. They ignored her. It seemed like they were in their own tight world.
"Sorry. I have to leave," the man stood up startling Haruhi. He threw some money onto the table and left the woman to sit there by herself.
"Um…"Haruhi looked uncertainly at the salad she had to deliver. She put it down on the table. "Are you okay?" The woman still sitting there looked sort of rigid. "He never used to be that way," she tried to laugh it off and wave the situation back to normal.
"Fujioka!" The chefs poked their heads out from the kitchen. "You haven't taken the order for table 1 yet. It's getting cold."
Haruhi hurried back, the odd twisting feeling resurfacing. Yes, I guess people change…
If it was Kairi sitting out there by the table, then she was glad to see him. But she doubted it. It was probably some old woman who liked sitting in the sun; someone with yellowing teeth and enjoyed having a cup of coffee everyday.
The shadow drew nearer. Haruhi sighed and focused her thoughts elsewhere. Like how she had worked here for almost two years and how repetitive the work was. The shadow was definitely that of a young man. Haruhi's heart sank. As she walked out the doors, she quickly arranged her face into a sweet smile of surprise. She turned around the corner, her arm muscles ready to put the cup of coffee on the table and her voice ready to say joyfully; you've come back again! She reached table 1 and opened her eyes expectantly.
"Is that sweet smile for me?"
The smile dropped off her face instantly. Her heart sank straight to the ground. That odd twisting feeling transformed to rage. "You've come back, again??" the words popped out her mouth but with a tone filled completely with disgust.
Hikaru Hitachiin only beamed at her. "No," he said joyfully, directly taking the cup of coffee from her trembling hands. "I've been here since I dropped you off. I've been watching you work through the windows."
"What am I?" Haruhi huffed. "A cat you play with and watch every second?"
He watched her admiringly. "In a way," he said seductively. Inside her mind, something like a drum had exploded: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! "Did you think I'll just leave you alone?" he laughed, merry at his own ingenuity. "You're my fiancée." He sipped his coffee. "Wow!" he looked at the coffee unbelievingly. "This coffee has no texture of the coffee beans."
"It's instant," Haruhi muttered. "If you don't like it, don't drink it." She attempted to snatch the cup away but he held onto it like treasure.
"I love it!" He replied, dodging her attacks easily.
"Really?" Haruhi's eyebrows twitched at the glow of /happiness/ on his face. Forget it, she told herself wearily, you can't get away from the evil snatches of this devil. This "devil" was sitting on the table like he had all the free time in the world. Haruhi's legs were beginning to get sore by standing for over a few hours. She started to get extremely angry. "Don't you work, at all?" She snapped, in an attempt to get rid of him.
He only pointed at the laptop in front of him. "I can work anywhere." Just ignore him. Haruhi attempted to return to the kitchens and stay there to the ends of the world when he reached out a hand and tugged at her apron. "I want your handmade obentoo for lunch." He cocked his head and added a smile at the end of his order. It was a very evil smile. It had nothing to do with manners or politeness.
"This café doesn't sell that," she wrenched her apron away. "It's Western orientated."
"So?" he lounged on his chair, eyes glinting. "Make it on the menu then."
"There are no ingredients," Haruhi snapped back.
"So?" he closed his eyes. He was deliberately making it difficult for her. "Go buy some then."
"I'm a waitress," Haruhi emphasized. "I don't cook the food here."
"So?" he grinned. "Make an exception for me then."
"Fujioka-san!" The store manager had run out to check up on her. "The orders are piling up oh!" Her eyes went big and round at seeing the pair of them. "Who's this?" her eyes moved curiously at the rich handsome man and she began to speculate. "Oh!"
"No relation," Haruhi swiftly interrupted.
At the same time, he had spoken charmingly. "I'm Haruhi's fiancé."
"Oh!" The store manager smiled, covering a giggle with her hands. It looked like the middle aged woman believed the devil's words more than hers.
"I'm devastated you don't sell handmade obentoos here," he continued to speak to the store manager. His expression turned sad and Haruhi swore she saw crocodile tears in the corner of his eyes. Come on, she mentally urged the manager who was easily tricked by his handsome face, guys don't cry that easily over such trivial matters. "Haruhi was going to make me some…"
"I did not," she interrupted sharply.
He ignored her completely. "I'm paying with this…"he held up a bill and let it drop onto the table. The store manager watched his every move, her mouth open in stark surprise.
"O-of course," she answered breathlessly, her eyes shining at his generosity. "F-fujioka-san," the middle aged woman tugged Haruhi's apron off and tied it around herself. "Go buy some basic ingredients and make a classic obentoo for this young man-"
"Manager!" Haruhi protested. She couldn't believe her eyes. A commoner's susceptibility to money was a very bad trait.
"Go on!" the manager became stern. "I'll waitress while you make it."
She had no choice. The last thing she saw while she was herded away to the supermarket on the next street was his damn smiling face.
--
She sliced their white bellies. The knife flashed in the air and bones crunched. Blood splattered. As she gutted the fish, Haruhi imagined the fishes had his face on it. She mixed the tempura coating expertly and deliberated made it extra thick. Oh, the fish could suffocate in them until they could no longer smile. She heated the oil, her face not flinching at the crackling hotness. When she plunged the fish in the oil, their faces would become deformed. Haruhi lightly contemplated putting a toxic amount of cleaning bleach in the food. It was unfortunate that the kitchen did not have any.
She finished the sushi and the onigri in a matter of seconds. The tempura fish and sauce were carefully put in the corner of the box and as a finishing touch, Haruhi added some preserved pickles and cucumbers. She felt satisfied at her effort. Haruhi liked cooking and she was good at it. Feeling a little more motherly, she wrapped the box in a cute towel. As she walked out the kitchens ready to deliver her parcel, she suddenly remembered who the obentoo was for. Wait. Why did I have to make it so good for him? She had no time to rip the towel off because the manager had spotted her and dragged her outside before she could protest.
The box lay on the table with the lid open. The delicious aromas wafted in the air. Hikaru stared at the food. His mouth was slightly open. Haruhi had her arms folded. The store manager was reminiscing her romantic youthful days.
"You cooked it for me…"he muttered, his tone of disbelief. He touched the towel as if in awe.
"Do not," Haruhi interrupted. "Get the wrong idea. This was bought with money."
"You cooked this?" Hikaru shot her a look of surprise. He tasted one of the fish. "This is surprisingly really good."
"Fujioka-san," the store manager was brimming with happiness. "I'll just let you two eat together okay? You're dismissed early!"
"No, wait!" Too bad. She was suddenly left alone with him. By the time Haruhi had grudgingly sat down, he had already finished half the food. She couldn't help but feel slightly pleased.
"Here." Haruhi stared at the obentoo. He had pushed it towards her. Oh, so now you want me to clean it, she was going to say but the box still had about half the food in it. She looked at him in puzzlement. "You made lots," he replied, not looking at her. "You haven't had lunch yet."
Her back was stiff. Her feet were sore. And she was indeed hungry. So Haruhi slowly chewed her way through the rest of the food. Tomorrow was going to be another tiring day at this café.
"You've worked here for a long time right?" Hikaru suddenly asked. She only nodded. "I could give you another job. It's less tiring and you earn more."
Haruhi's ears perked at the bit about earning more. She wiped her mouth with a serviette. "I'll try it then," she said wearily, surprising herself. Perhaps she just wanted to do something different this time. She looked at Hikaru. He had a peaceful, contented expression on his face.
"It's the very first time I've come to a commoner's café," he commented while stretching his arms out. "It's the very first time I've tasted commoner food," he grinned at her. Somehow she didn't feel annoyed. He looked very refreshed and delightfully happy like a child embracing with his new toy.
"It's also the very first time," his voice was suddenly warm in her ear. "I've shared an obentoo with you. Do you know what that means?"
His arm was dangling around her shoulders. She had let her guard down. "No I don't," she replied bluntly.
He only smiled. "Tomorrow you're coming to work with me. No more serving here."
"What?" Haruhi spluttered at the change in subject.
"You said it," Hikaru folded his arms sternly. "I'll try it then," he quoted her.
She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. What have I got myself in to? "What job is this then?"
"Secret," Hikaru teased her.
Oh well, Haruhi thought as she gathered her things and headed back to his limousine. It's time I leave the café anyway. I've been working here for far too long.
A/N: I was really hungry when I wrote this...xP Thanks for everyone's interest in this story!