The bells of the cafe door alarm the eager workers as two, small, practitioners make their way to the table near the window adorned with flora. The sun shone through the glass and bounced all over the over-grown ceiling that held the wards, as customary of every shop in the MLA street mall.
The new barista follows their movement from behind the pastry counter as they seated themselves on opposite sides of the table, chatting away. They were both small, but he knew better to assume they were children, as some MLA residents were about that same height.
The young, bright boy had been waiting patiently behind the counter for costumers. As the blond gathers his notepad and pen, happy to take their order, a hand on his shoulder halts him.
"Roji!! Wait a minute..! Come over here…" With a terrified look, the shop owner ushers him into the back of the cafe where the other baristas were hiding.
Roji tilted his head as the shop owner peeked across from the door at the pair sitting at the window. "Eh? What are we doing? Why are you all hiding here-?" A co-worker quickly shushes him and peers out the door with the shop owner. The workers in the corner were shivering and had cold, pale faces.
Eh? Eh? Eh??
The blond looks around frantically in confusion and worry. Was there danger? He didn't sense any ghosts…and weren't those wards on the ceiling doing their job anyway? What's wrong??
Another one of the baristas notices Roji's confusion and pats his shoulder. "You're new so you probably don't know…" She points to the pair sitting at the window.
"Outside, there's a customer who orders the most insane combination every time…" She shuddered. "If it's not absolutely perfect, Muhyo ridicules and mocks us…he's really famous around here like really famous…"
"if the customers keep seeing the most powerful Executor in MLA insulting our shop we might have to…close down..!!!" She squeaked out the last part like that scenario would be the end of her life if it happened.
Roji was shocked at this, he too considered this problem as a threat, as that would mean he'd go jobless again. As the girl went in the corner to hide, Roji made his way over to the door for a closer look.
"What do we do…?" The blonde hastily whispered to his boss, trying to look over his head to get a good look at the situation.
The two were still chatting away, and the black-haired one was laughing at something.
Roji observed him, noticing the cool black cape that fluttered at a side against the cool breeze that wafted towards him from the customers coming and going through the front door.
His sleek jet black hair was shaped in a peculiar way that reminded him of a certain vegetable, which made Roji's stomach grumble, thinking about the onion rings he had for lunch the other day.
And…
Shining blue eyes darted quickly to his own as the executor noticed him. They made eye contact for a moment before Roji winced and hid behind the door once more.
Muhyo giggled after seeing the barista run back to their little hiding spot, grinning slightly with his sharp teeth. Biko wrinkled her nose in annoyance at his amusement.
"Why do you always insist we come here? You know they're afraid of you by now. I told you, I can make us a pretty good coffee any day." The Artificer huffed as she fiddled with the cafe menu.
Muhyo kept looking at the peeking shop owner while holding his cheek with his palm, eyes glistening in playful delight. "This is more amusing…hehe"
Biko grumbled and looked out the window at the shining sun over the bustling streets of Magic Law Association. The trolleys rumbled by and kids from MLS poured into the many shops.
She chuckled a little, reminiscing about those days when she, Muhyo, Yoichi, and Enchu would all raid the candy shops after school.
Yoichi was especially interested in the bubble gum with the busty model on the wrapper, Muhyo bought Jabin instead of candy, Biko always talked with the candy maker about the chemistry of making sweets, and at the end of the day, they would all combine the rest of their savings to buy Enchu anything he wanted.
Enchu always insisted they get him the cheapest one, the blueberry jellyfish gummies.
She caught Muhyo staring at that same candy shop for a moment and they both quietly smiled at the fond memories. Biko had a feeling that was the real reason Muhyo liked this particular cafe so much, as he always sat here at this particular spot as well, judging from the video calls they often had around this time.
This was the first time they'd gone anywhere together just to "hang out", no work involved.
The only reason Muhyo had invited her this time was because she had ranted to him last night over the phone and ended up crying so much. Biko blushed and hid in her scarf a bit, embarrassed.
She smiled slightly nonetheless and looked at her friend, grateful he invited her here to make her feel better.
Even though Muhyo seemed heartless and cold, deep down she knew he cared and had a heart of gold…
Suddenly, there was a crashing sound in the kitchen and a sudden burst of yelling, to which Muhyo had to cover his mouth to keep himself from laughing.
Biko's eyes narrowed in annoyance and she wrinkled her nose again.
…Nevermind…
Someone had tripped over the caramel jugs and landed on the dishes in an attempt to hide from the door, resulting in an argument amongst the cafe crew.
"Well someone has to go out there!! If not, he might complain! And so will the other customers!!" One yelled, legs wobbling.
"My hands are shaking so much, I don't think I could even pour the cream…" Another weakly quivered.
"Mine too!" and another "Me too!" showed each other their shivering hands. Everyone was too afraid to fail. Jobs were awfully hard to obtain in MLA, and losing one could be detrimental.
Tired of all the yelling (and of shivering in the corner), Roji stood up suddenly from the floor and marched the kitchen door that led into the pastry counter. At least if he failed, he could work somewhere less stressful…
The cafe owner stared at the blond boy, terrified. "Kusano!? What are you doing!??" He put his burly arm out to stop the boy, but Roji tried pushing through.
"I know you said I'm not qualified to make drinks yet, but I've been telling you I have worked in these kinds of cafes before sir!! Let me try!!" the blond whined, trying to prove he could do this.
Finally, the owner let him through, giving up and already biting his nails in fear of the cafe's inevitable doom. Roji triumphantly straightened his cute brown badge that said his name and walked over to the table where the executor sat.
Muhyo grinned, noticing the boy making his way over to them.
"So they've accepted their fate…" he chuckled into his palm and looked at the blond's balled-up hands swinging it his sides confidently. "Hehe, he forgot his notepad….they sure are brave today."
The blond stood next to the table and smiled his politest smile, trying to ignore the burning eyes staring at him from the back kitchen.
"Good morning, what can I get for you today?" he beamed in the two practitioners' direction. Roji hid his inward tears. This shrimp is the most powerful executor in MLS???? I'm doomed!!
The executor smirked up at the barista "Roji" (judging from his little brown ghost badge on his green apron) and folded his hands on his knee that was over his other leg. The poor boy had the misfortune of meeting him like this. He on the other hand was getting excited.
"Gimme an iced, Ristretto, 10 shot, venti, with breve, 5 pump vanilla, 7 pump caramel, 4 Splenda, and," the short boy lifted his index finger, "poured, not shaken."
Roji nodded and gulped, dizzily racking his brain to memorize the details of the impossible order. Muhyo delighted in the sight of the blond reaching for his notepad in his back pocket, and realizing in horror it wasn't there.
The blond shakily turned his head to the other boy in the pointy orange hat and green scarf.
"A-and for you…?"
The Artificer hid most of her face in her scarf, leaving only her big orange eyes visible.
"I wanna cake pop."
"What kind…?"
"Raspberry."
Roji nodded and run through the order again in his head, praying his memory didn't fail him.
"Alright! I'll have those out for you um..! Soon!" the blond boy collected their menus and quickly power-walked back into the kitchen.
Muhyo scoffed and turned to Biko with a devious expression in his cool blue eyes. "They always get something wrong."
Biko was not amused in the slightest. "Never took you for a Coffee Karen, Muhyo…"
That made him giggle into his palm. "Well, you're right. I'm not."
The blonde looked at him in surprise. Then why such a complicated order..?
The executor seemed to read her mind and gazed in the direction of the barista flailing his arms over the coffee counter. "My actual favorite brew is straight-up decaf, but it's just…" Muhyo practically drooled in his amusement watching the cafe workers yell at Roji and deliver him ingredients hastily, "I like watching them running around like that." Muhyo cackled into his hand as he observed them.
Biko groused under her breath. "You're so sadistic…"
"Hehe"
Roji almost burst into tears as he finished the frothed art on the drink. The other baristas stared at the brew in awe and fear, not knowing whether or not this would satisfy the executor.
They all stared at the cup in silence, unmoving and breathes held.
The blond swallowed and picked it up slowly, making the other workers flinch as if it would fall to the ground.
"I guess I should…go give it to him…"
"No no wait..!! We made two just in case right?? You need to test try it first!!" A worker harshly whispered, pointing at the spare drink Roji prepared in case the one he held did fall.
Roji hesitated before picking up the spare drink. What if they'd need to remake it? Muhyo was staring at them with such intensity he thought he could burst. His coworkers urged him on silently to taste.
He tentatively took a sip.
….!!
Muhyo sat up as he caught sight of Roji walking his way over to him. With the drink. The Executor couldn't contain his excitement as he grinned maliciously.
"Here is your brew, sir." Roji set down the drink carefully. "Iced, Ristretto, 10 shot, venti, with breve, 5 pump vanilla, 7 pump caramel, 4 Splenda," the blond looked at Muhyo's surprised blue eyes with his light brown ones, an odd glint to them as they were illuminated by the sun shining through the window. "And poured, not shaken."
Muhyo blinked rapidly, shocked this mere employee managed to memorize his order. As the fair-haired boy handed Biko her cake pop, Muhyo couldn't help but feel a different kind of excitment.
Roji smiles kindly at them beofre leaving, and the pair are left there together with Muhyo half smirking to himself with an eyebrow raised in curiosity.
Muhyo noticed a little slip of paper under the plate of his cup and picked it up to observe it. A free coffee and donut….? Is this a bribe?
He snickered to himself. If they included this then the coffee must not be all that great after all. His hopes died down as he prepared to judge this brew to his delciously harsh content.
The Excecutor shook his head as he picked up the cup with a smirk. "Look, watch."
Biko nibbled her decorated purple cake-pop in anticipation.
Muhyo closes his eyes and sips from the cup.
Huh.
He savors the flavor, eyebrows furrowing. He sips again as if the warm liquid had deceived him.
He opens his eyes slowly and takes a good look inside the cup.
Absolutely perfect.
Muhyo turns his head to the front counter and catches the expectant eyes peeking at him from behind the pastry door near the register.
The blond, catching the blue eyes of the awe-struck executor once more, scurries away to the kitchen, the green ribbons of his apron swishing in his escape.
Expression all a blur except for the warm brown eyes that matched the hue of the whole shop, and Muhyo found himself drowning in all the scents and smells and aesthetics of the cafe.
Hehe…
Biko nods, happy someone satisfied her friends sadistic ravish appetite. She was also happy that the cake-pops were as delicious as the reviews had said. She made a mental note to ask the shop owner for the recipee later, giving the restraunt 5 stars on her phone she fished out of her giant bag under the table.
Muhyo happily took a long sip of his perfect brew and swirled the fluffy frothed heart from his cup.
He smiled, his eyes never leaving the pastry door.
"Whaddaya know…they got it right this time.."
--
After the pair had long left and it was about closing time, the cafe hosted a party to celebrate the 5 star review Muhyo left on their website. There was balloons and cake that was used from the pastry counter leftovers. As they celebrated, the shop owner made his way to a grinning Roji and patted him proudly on the back.
"Amazing job, my boy! How did you even manage to whip up a brew like that? Not even I could have made it up to Executor Muhyo's tastes!" He bellowed.
A sweat dropped at the side of Roji's head as he meekly smiled and mumbled, "Four years of home ec. really does something to a person…."
