Chapter Five

The Crimson Flower Cafe

Day three of my job search and there had been absolutely no luck, I hadn't even been called back for an interview. I slumped over my computer, letting my long pale hair fall in my face.

"Argh!"

"What's the matter now?" asked Hanako, playing his umpteenth round of solitaire on the edge of my bed, how a ghost had come across a deck of cards was anyone's guess.

"How many wishes can you grant?" I asked hopefully.

"Only one," he said, very clearly cheating at the game, "would you like to change your wish? There's a 48 hour warranty,"

"No," I said, brushing the hair out of my face, and returning to my laptop, frustrated. There had to be something. My mouse hovered over an ad that I had ignored several times, a maid cafe called The Crimson Flower.

"That looks promising, try that one," said Hanako over my shoulder, making me jump again. It would take a while for me to get used to his disappearing and reappearing antics.

"The maid cafe?" I asked, he cupped his chin with his thumb and forefinger, and nodded approvingly, looking me up and down again.

"Yep, I can see it now, try calling me Hanako-sama."

"I'd tell you to go die, but you've already done that," I sighed and clicked the ad. I would apply, because it was the very last ad that I qualified for, but I doubted I'd get the job.

~oOoOoOo~

I had been absolutely floored when I got a call back from The Crimson Flower, it was the only place I had heard back from, but they had gotten in touch with me within the day. And when I arrived I saw why: they were criminally under staffed. There was such a big crowd that for a moment, I thought I was back in the city. I pushed my way up to the cashier, where a beautiful girl with dark blue hair was chatting up a customer like he was an old friend, this girl seemed to be the cause of all the fuss in the cafe, she wore a knee length black dress and a frilly white apron with a heart pattern. When I got up to the counter, she turned her million dollar smile on me, and even my heart leapt.

"H-Hello, I'm Yashiro Nene, I'm here for the interview?"

"Oh! You're Yashiro-san! I heard about you from the manager, she's really excited to have a new applicant!" she said, clapping her hands together, "Sakura-chan, will you please take her back to the manager?" She motioned to an equally stunning girl with lime green hair and a bored expression, if these two were the standard here, there was no way they were gonna hire me. The green haired girl led me into a small office that was probably once a broom closet.

"Yashiro Nene, right?" asked a woman sitting at a squat mahogany desk, even the other two girls paled in comparison to this woman. She wore a pale pink kimono adorned with tiny red fans, tied with a forest green obi, her blonde hair was tied in an elegant knot at the base of her neck, with a silk ribbon decorated with tiny silver bells. Her brilliant green eyes were narrow and calculating, which distracted a little from her ethereal beauty.

"Yes, Ma'am," I ducked into a bow, partly to be polite, partly to get away from her stabbing gaze.

"Please, sit," she motioned to a chair opposite hers, I did as she told me, moving like my joints needed to be oiled. "I've read through your resume," she said, shuffling through a sheaf of papers in her hands, "and I'd like to ask you a few questions, do you mind?" her painted smile was pretty enough, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Not at all," I had never been more nervous in my life, not even when I'd asked Koji out. My very future depended on this interview.

"Are you able to work long hours without complaint, and deal with sometimes rude and beligerant customers with a patient and cheerful attitude?" She folded her hands on the table, and for a minute I saw a flash of desperation in her eyes. All I needed to do was say yes.

"I think so, Ma'am, I've never worked in a maid cafe, but I've certainly dealt with rude and beligerant people and long hours, I'm sure I could adjust." I said, trying to keep myself from squirming too much.

"That's just what I like to hear," she set down the papers, "when can you start?"

"That easy?" I asked.

"I'm going to be honest with you Yashiro-chan, we're in desperate need of help right now, and I was willing to hire the next stray cat who crawled in here off the street, but you stumbled in and, if you're willing to work, this could be a good position for you. What do you say?"

"I won't let you down!" I said, "thank you!"

~oOoOoOo~

I walked home with a pep in my step. Things were finally starting to look up, I had a place, a job, a matchmaker. I swung open the apartment door, eager to tell my new phantom friend about the good news, but there was no sign of him. I sighed and stripped off my jacket, sitting down and resting my sore feet. I dug my new work uniform out of my bag. My dress was a mint green, and the apron was lacey and white with a black lining, it was embarrassing, but I loved it. Yako-san, the manager said that I could accessorize as I so chose, and I was eager to add my own personal touch to the outfit.

"Very nice," I put down the dress and saw Hanako, leaning against the door frame, "I take it you got the job, huh?"

"Yes," I shoved the dress back in my bag, feeling my cheeks grow hot under his stare, "I was going to go buy donuts to celebrate, where have you been?"

"Scouring the streets for the perfect man," he ran a hand through his shaggy hair, "so far no good, but don't you fret, I'll find him. When do you start?"

"Tomorrow at 1:00, I'll be home around nine."

"That late?" He asked, "are you sure it's safe?"

"In a little town like this?" I asked with a chuckle, "I'll be fine, I come from the big city remember?"

"Don't be glib about this," he said, his eyes were hard, almost icy, "Kamome is far from safe, especially at night time, and I can't protect you, not outside of here." He looked down at his hands, clenching and unclenching his fists, "unfortunately, I am very limited."

"If it makes you feel better, I can go buy myself some mace after work," I offered, he gave me a wide smile.

"That'll do," he said, "for now."