Disclaimer: I don't own Little Witch Academia or any of its characters. They belong to Trigger.

A/N: Hello my lovelies, I'm back with chapter 1 proper! Not to mention, with a new story cover too! Courtesy of the lovely Hoodie_Dragon for her fabulous work!

Also, happy Dianakko Week everyone! Personally, I won't be participating this year due to the themes. Creativity-wise, they proved to be a difficult task, especially with so little time to write all seven prompts in time. So instead, I decided to participate in my own way with uploading chapter 1 today! I felt mighty proud with what I wrote, but I'll leave the final verdict up to you guys! Please enjoy! XD

Chapter 1: If Only I Knew Your Name

It's a beautiful spring in the month of March in Wedinburgh. The town's citizens went about their day at their usual pace whether it was enjoying their day off, doing some shopping, going to school, or simply heading to work. And, it was no different for Wedinburgh's medical practitioner, Diana Cavendish...

"Alright then, Mrs. Kinsley, that should do it. Everything seems to be healing up nicely." Diana informed the older woman as she finished bandaging her patient's leg. "If his recovery continues on like this, Thomas will be up on his feet in no time."

"Thank you, Dr. Cavendish." The golden haired woman spoke gratefully with a smile, looking down at her teenage son as she ruffled up the boy's hair a bit. "When will my little Tommy be able to start physical therapy?" She asked.

Thomas groaned to himself while crossing his arms, his cheeks obviously having a pink hue on them. "...Mom, please."

Diana stifled a laugh at the back of her hand. When she composed herself, she answered her guest, "Well, it's just a simple fracture. With a lot of rest, and if Thomas is feeling up to it, he should be able to start with his rehabilitation within the next few weeks. For now, let's just schedule another check up..." She swirled around in her chair, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she updated her patient's information. "Okay, I actually have a spot open at exactly two o'clock for the twenty-fifth, which will be on a Tuesday. Is this alright with you, Mrs. Kinsley?"

"That's sounds perfect, Dr. Cavendish!"

"Very well. I shall you see you both then, please be careful on the way out."

"Thank you so much!"

"It's no trouble at all."

"Come on, Tommy, say thank you to the nice physician." Mrs. Kinsley told her son, gently helping the boy up from the bed.

Once the teenage boy gratefully accepted his crutches, he nervously looked up at Diana as he mumbled, "T-thank you, Miss Cavendish."

Diana smiled at the young boy. "You're welcome, Thomas. And don't you worry, you'll be better before you know it." She reassured him.

"Thanks again."

"Yes! Thank you very much, Dr. Cavendish!"

The physician kept on smiling and waving until Thomas and his mother left the premises, only to let her smile waver just a bit before she stopped waving altogether. A tired sigh soon escaped from her lips as she leaned back against the office chair, stretching her arms over her head while she did so before she sat back up again.

Diana then rolled down the left sleeve of her lab coat, checking the time on her wrist watch. Thirty more minutes and it will be noon soon. She rose up from the chair and exited the room, walking up the hall that led to the front of the clinic.

The front of the establishment was a moderate sized room with its front doors and windows being entirely made of glass. The walls were pristine white with a couple of paintings and health posters hung up in some places, and potted plants decorated each corner of the entrance so that they could get much needed sunlight.

Many chairs lined the walls of the waiting room with a couple of coffee tables situated in front of the furniture, various kinds of magazines laying on top of them for the guests to occupy their attention. As of now, the clinic was slow in terms of business at the moment. No customers in sight.

Turning to the left, the young Cavendish saw her cousin, Maril, manning the front desk.

"Hey Maril," Diana called out to her cousin, walking up behind her desk. "I just wanted to let you know that I've scheduled another check up for Thomas Kinsley on your behalf."

"Thank you for telling me, Diana. When's the date?" Her cousin inquired, turning her head to the right as she looked up at the physician.

"On the twenty-fifth, exactly at two o'clock on the dot." Diana responded while adjusting her glasses.

Maril gave a nod, facing her computer as she looked up the appointment files for the day. "Okay then, I'll be sure to give Mrs. Kinsley a call the day before the appointment to remind her of it."

Looking over her cousin's work, Diana got curious enough to ask, "Maril, do I have any more appointments scheduled for today?"

"Hmm, let's see..." The older Cavendish hummed as she went to check on her cousin's request.

As she did so Maril certainly did not miss the way on how Diana's finger kept on tapping against the edge of her desk, a nervous tick that the girl had developed over the recent weeks.

Admittedly, depending on the day, Maril found the sudden development to be rather cute, but on other days she couldn't help but voice out her annoyance... "Diana dear, can you please stop that?" She asked politely with a hint of amusement in her tone.

Finally becoming aware of what she was doing, Diana immediately seized the action. Her face was red with obvious embarrassment as she apologized, "I-I'm sorry!"

Letting out a giggle, Maril merely smiled as she replied, "It's quite alright, Diana. I was mostly teasing you."

Oh no... The physician thought to herself in suspicion. If her cousin was already teasing her about something, it was never a good sign. In fact, if Maril was teasing her already, then surely, both Aunt Daryl and Merril wouldn't be far behind in that department. I really need to be careful.

"Yes, well," Diana let out a nervous laugh of her own, averting her eyes toward one of the few paintings that hung on the waiting room. "You have yet to answer my question, Maril."

"Alright, alright, you don't have to get your knickers in a bunch."

"Do you really have to say something so crude?"

"What else am I supposed to say in order to get a reaction out of you?"

"Maril...!"

"Okay, okay," The receptionist relented. "You actually won't have any more appointments until three. You have absolute free time until then." She informed her cousin.

"Thank you. Was that so hard?" Diana spoke up, a bit exasperated than she had meant to.

Maril pouted. "You're no fun, Diana..."

"Correction: I can be fun, I just choose not to!"

"So~, you're admitting it?"

"That's it. I'm done."

Before she passed the corner to enter the hallway, Diana poked her head out from the corner to say, "If anybody needs me, I'll be in my office."

"Alright, Diana dear." Maril waved goodbye to her cousin. Once the physician left, the phone started ringing, and the receptionist immediately picked it up to say, "Hello, and thank you for calling the Cavendish Wellness Center! What can I help you with today?"

Walking down the hallway once again, Diana passed by the patient and examination rooms and when she made it toward the end of the corridor, she walked through the rehabilitation area.

Unlike the rest of the rooms in the clinic, the rehabilitation area was a large open space where their patients can focus on the physical part of their recovery.

When she made it to the very back of the building, Diana entered her office, a room that her dear mother used to occupy a lot back when she was still alive. Unlike her mother, who kept this office in disarray with countless amounts of paperwork, Diana has a much organized work ethic.

Not that the woman wasn't a hardworker, of course. Sometimes, her mother would literally be buried in the mountain of paperwork that not even the rest of their family could see her working on them half the time, but no matter how busy she was, her mother always made time for her. Always showering Diana with constant love and attention.

Most days, this room made her feel close to her mother. And on other days, this small space made Diana feel empty and lonely beyond belief...

Sure, she still has her aunt and her cousins. But, in a way, it just wasn't the same.

Aunt Daryl was truly kind and understanding with her throughout the years. The elder Cavendish not only took over the clinic for a time, but she also treated Diana like one of her own. Her cousins, Maril and Merril, are also kind to her. In some ways, Diana saw them more as her older sisters than actual cousins, truth be told.

However, despite the close relationship Diana has with them, it was still nowhere near to the familial love she used to have with her mother... Her one true family, as it were, besides her father, of course.

Letting out a low sigh, the physician walked toward her desk, sitting rather heavily on her office chair. She soon raised her hands up, untying the ponytail holder in order to free her long, fluffy mane from its restraint before proceeding to take off her glasses and laid them on the table.

Diana merely laid her head back and closed her eyes in momentary respite, only to open them again to glance at a photograph that sat by itself at the corner of her desk. It was a picture of their family back when life was so much simple.

Sometimes, I really wish I could go back... The physician thought solemnly.

Before Diana felt her vision blur with tears, she quickly tore her gaze away, swirling around in her chair to face away from the photograph altogether. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of something else...

It was the cup she received by ordering her usual at the café a few weeks back. When she finished with her latte, Diana washed it and kept it with her because, honestly, she just didn't have the heart to throw it away. Reaching for the cup, Diana let her fingers trail the coffee lid, right where the compliment was written with a permanent marker.

The girl's handwriting was small, cramped, a bit messy, and obviously last minute. Understandably so, considering that the restaurant was pretty busy at the time.

Just thinking about it brought a small smile to Diana's face. "You're beautiful."

The young Cavendish couldn't explain it, but just whispering those words brought a light fluttery sensation to her chest, her ears turning red with slight embarrassment. It's not that she wasn't flattered, but it has been a rather long time since she's received a compliment like that.

Not that it wasn't her first, but in a way, it was. It was her first genuine compliment, compared to the constant admiration she had while growing up. It was refreshing, different, and to top it off, it was from someone she didn't even know.

Those words were actually enough to peak Diana's curiosity, and that wasn't the only thing to capture her attention...

Long, brown hair.

Deep, red eyes.

And that sweet, cheerful smile that could turn someone's dull day into a bright one in an instant.

If only I had time to ask her name... Diana thought sadly, her shoulders sagging in disappointment.

Two knocks on her door caught Diana's attention, and she swirled her chair around in time to see her aunt walk into her office. "Oh. Good afternoon, Aunt Daryl. How are you?" She spoke up in greeting.

"Good afternoon, Diana. I'm doing well." The elder Cavendish returned the greeting with a smile, shutting the door behind her. "Sorry, I knocked about four times, but there wasn't a response... and so, I let myself in."

"Oh, really now? I didn't notice..." The physician gave a meek response, hiding the cup inside of her lab coat. Of all times, why did she have to approach me now? She thought to herself, clearly distressed.

"Well, it has come to my attention..." Daryl's smile only grew wider, evidently catching her niece in the act of trying to hide something. "That you've been quite distracted lately."

At hearing that Diana instinctively tensed up, folding her hands in her lap, and in doing so... the container fell out of her lab coat.

The young Cavendish paled significantly at her sudden blunder. B-bloody hell!

"Aha!"

"W-wait a moment-!"

Before Diana could even get up from her chair, her aunt had obviously beaten her to it by grabbing the container from the floor first.

"Oho! What is this?" Daryl spoke up in curiosity, holding up the cup to inspect it closely. As she did so, her blue eyes caught sight of the store's logo, which was an accurate depiction of the Charioteer constellation. "A cup, and not just any cup... It's a cup that you can only get in Auriga's Café, an establishment that you have not visited in the last few weeks, if I'm not mistaken."

"S-so what?" Diana begrudgingly sat back in her seat, trying to look anywhere except her aunt's inquisitive gaze. "...I-I just haven't been in the mood for lattes lately, that's all."

"Hmm-hmm," The elder Cavendish hummed amusingly, her sharp eyes catching on to another detail the cup contained. "Yes, of course, whatever you say... 'You're beautiful'."

The physician groaned out loud, her face turning a deep scarlet in humiliation as she leaned forward against her desk and buried her head in her folded arms. I wish I could just disappear!

Daryl couldn't help but laugh merrily at seeing her niece's reaction. After a few minutes, she composed herself to say, "Diana, darling, this is nothing to be embarrassed about! In fact, I'm happy for you!"

Surprised to hearing such a response from her aunt, Diana barely lifted up her head, only her wide blue eyes being visible over her folded arms. "Y-you are?" She mumbled, her voice being slightly muffled.

"Of course I am! It's about time that you started thinking about romance!" Daryl remarked happily as she rounded around the desk and enveloped her niece into a warm hug. "Though, if I'm being honest, this scenario turned out for the best! Now, your cousins and I can stop plotting behind your back by trying to set you up on a date or two!"

Well, aren't I lucky? The young Cavendish thought sarcastically to herself, resisting the urge not to roll her eyes as she hugged her aunt back.

When she pulled away from the embrace, Diana spoke up, "Aunt Daryl, I appreciate the sentiment, I really do, but..." She trailed off soon after.

"But, what?" Daryl repeated softly, gently laying a hand on the girl's shoulder. "It's okay, Diana. You can tell me."

"I..." The physician trailed off again, sighing for a bit before she mustered up the courage to say, "I don't know her name." She admitted.

"What?"

"That's it. I don't know her name."

"I see, so your secret admirer is a girl..." The elder Cavendish spoke aloud, only catching on to that specific detail in her niece's statement. "And, here I thought that you were going to find yourself a good husband." She added soon afterward with a chuckle.

Diana pouted. "Does it matter?"

"Yes, it does! When it comes to my niece's happiness, of course." Daryl responded with a wink, setting the cup down on the table. She then leaned against Diana's desk and began interrogating the physician, "Alright then, let's cut to chase, shall we? You obviously met this girl in Auriga's Café a few weeks back, correct?"

"That's right, she was working as a cashier that day." The young Cavendish nodded in confirmation. "And, unfortunately... I didn't have the chance to ask for her name due to how busy the restaurant was." She finished saying with a disappointed sigh.

"That may be so darling, but the solution is simple. You're already a usual at the café, aren't you? Just walk in, order your usual latte, and if she's working, that's when you can ask for her name and go from there. Simple!" The older woman gave her foolproof plan, clasping her hands together for a job well-done.

You make it sound so easy... Diana thought irritably.

"And, to help you out..." Daryl pulled herself away from the desk, opening one of the drawers to take out a pad of sticky notes. She then got a pen and wrote down a couple of items on the piece of paper. Once she finished, she ripped off the page and handed the list over to her niece. "This should help you get close to her, and maybe go through a conversation or two before you have to leave."

Confused, the physician looked over the note and read it aloud, "Three chai tea lattes, a mocha espresso, and four chicken avocado sandwiches...? Isn't this a bit much, Aunt Daryl?" She asked her guardian.

"It's not for four hungry Cavendishes." The elder Cavendish chuckled. "Your cousins and I have yet to have lunch, and I know for a fact that you also have yet to eat anything, Diana."

The list itself looks simple enough, but I still don't see the point of it- And that's when Diana finally registered the last part of her aunt's sentence... Oh, dear Merlin... A CONVERSATION!? I-I don't think my heart can take it just yet!

"A-aunt Daryl, I-I don't think I'm-"

"You don't need to think about anything, Diana. If you do, you'll overthink things, and when you overthink, you're definitely going to be a nervous wreck over something so simple."

"B-but I-"

"And, don't even think about coming back to the clinic until you've talked to that girl! That's an order, Diana!"

What on earth did I just get myself into? The physician mused, clearly distressed.


It has been about a month since Akko had left Japan to come and live with her Godmother in Britain. Compared to the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, living in a small town like Wedinburgh was a nice change of pace. It was quiet, peaceful, and most of all...

No nagging from my parents. The brunette thought to herself in contentment, smiling a bit over her little triumph. She was free, she could finally focus on herself, on what she wanted.

Working at her Godmother's café is a very good experience for her, which helped improve her skills in the kitchen. Cooking was not just her hobby, it was her passion. Sadly, her parents don't see it that way...

For as long as Akko can remember, her parents had hardly ever supported her on anything while growing up. Not in her interests, not in her favorite sport, and especially not in relationships! In their eyes, unless it was something that would greatly benefit her future, her parents would just scoff and discourage her from pursuing something she wanted.

Well, not this time! The brunette thought with determination.

"Akko, can you come help me please?"

"Yeah, stop looking out the window and help us."

The red-eyed girl snapped out of her brooding, turning her head in time to see her friends, Lotte and Sucy, cleaning up a couple of tables in the restaurant.

"Oh crap, sorry girls!" Akko apologized to them, heading over to one of the tables to start collecting the dirty dishes.

Sure, the restaurant wasn't busy right now, but that still doesn't mean that she can slack off. Once she safely secured a good amount of dishes in her hands, the brunette made her way over to Sucy, who's hauling a dish bin around the café while collecting plates as she went. When Akko approached her, she carefully deposited them into the dish bin.

"Thanks." The lilac-haired girl thanked her, currently picking up a couple of cups from the table she's clearing up. "It's good to know that you haven't completely zoned out on us." She teased.

"Zoned out? What is that supposed to mean?" The red-eyed girl questioned her, sounding offended.

"Sucy means that you've been staring out the window since you've started your shift." Lotte helpfully responded. She then added, "In fact, if I'm not mistaken, you've been doing that a lot these past few weeks."

"I-I have?" Akko stuttered nervously, walking behind the register and into the kitchen to wash her hands. Once she finished, she grabbed a couple of paper towels to dry them before she walked back to the front again. "I mean, well, the weather has been nice this entire time. I kind of wish I could go out and enjoy the fresh air." She mentioned rather casually, hoping to divert the conversation.

Unfortunately for her, Sucy didn't fall for it.

"Yeah, sure~ you do." The lilac-haired girl remarked in a sardonic tone, making her way to the kitchen to start soaking the dirty dishes.

Throwing the paper towels away in a trash can, Akko couldn't help but slam her hands on the counter. Just hearing her friend's sarcastic tone was enough to rile her as she exclaimed, "Oh, come on! It's not like I'm wrong!"

"It still doesn't change the fact that you're lying to us, Akko." Lotte spoke knowingly, starting to spray and wipe down the tables in the restaurant.

"If I'm remembering correctly, there were like three days out of the week that were nothing but rain." Sucy cut back in.

Akko huffed and crossed her arms, averting her eyes as she did so. "Okay, maybe, but it was only those three days! The rest of the time was perfect running weather!"

"Who even cares about the weather to begin with?"

"I mean... Some- Some people actually think about the weather more than you think!"

By now Akko's voice was faltering, not that her lying was foolproof. Sucy was continuing to stare on with a raised brow, while Lotte put away her cleaning materials and came back to the group. She had still been keeping up with the conversation, as made obvious by her slight grin.

"Now, now, Akko." The short-haired girl chuckled. "There's nothing that you could say to us that would change the way we look at you..."

"It would change my opinion." Another snide remark came from Sucy.

"Sucy!" Lotte lightly chided her before turning back to Akko. "Don't mind her, she doesn't mean it. Go ahead and say it, your secret is safe with us!"

"Partly..."

"That's enough out of you!"

Well, why not? It's not like I have anything to lose... The brunette conceded in defeat.

"Alright, you girls win." Akko took a deep breath and exhaled soon afterward, and once she gathered her thoughts together she began to confide in them. "I honestly could care less about the weather, but what I DO care about presently is that God has answered my prayers and graced her presence in our lowly café."

Between the two of them, Lotte was confused from hearing such a broad statement, and Sucy merely stared at Akko with a blank stare.

"Who are you talking about?" The lilac-haired girl deadpanned.

"I actually have to agree with Sucy on this one. Who's 'she'?" Lotte asked.

"Well, to be honest... I don't know. We were so busy a few weeks back." Akko shyly admitted with a chuckle, nervously scratching the back of her neck.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute." Sucy interrupted her. "Akko, you do realize that you work at a café, right?"

"Yeah, what about it?" The red-eyed girl inquired while tilting her head in confusion, clearly not knowing where her friend was going with this.

The morbid girl sighed rather heavily, bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose in frustration as she began to explain, "When you work at a café, the cashier, who's the one that takes the customer's order, usually writes down their name to make it easier for them to call on the person once their order is ready! So, I'm asking right now: Did you or did you not write down her name?"

That's when everything clicked for Akko, and noticeably she started to go rather pale, quickly averting her eyes from Sucy as she responded, "Um, well, you see... I asked her, but I kind of didn't register it at the time..."

"What?"

"I just... didn't register it. I-I mean, I did hear it, but I got too distracted by her beautiful voice to the point where I... didn't even write it down."

"Then, what DID you write?!"

The brunette felt herself shrink under her friend's intense glare, twiddling her thumbs as she mumbled, "...A compliment."

"A compliment? What kind?" Lotte questioned her, curiosity filling her tone. "O-oh! If you don't mind telling us, of course!" She added quickly with a nervous laugh.

"Yes, Akko." Sucy merely arched a brow, clearly unamused as she impatiently drummed her fingers against the counter. However, regardless of her actions, she decided to play along. "What, pray tell, was the compliment?" She inquired.

And now, Akko was embarrassed, her face taking the same shade as her own eye color. But after a few minutes, she replied, "You're beautiful."

A rather unsettling silence followed soon afterward, and none of the girls said anything for a good while. Once the silence lifted, one of the girls obviously wasn't too pleased at hearing the brunette's response...

"Atsuko Kagari, if I had the authority to fire you, I would. But, sad to say, that's not in my job description. It is, however, in Lotte's..." With that, Sucy turned to look at her shy friend. "Lotte, fire her." She demanded.

The short-haired blonde gasped, "What?! I can't fire Akko over something so silly as that!" She practically shrieked in objection to Sucy's absurd request. "Besides, I can't fire her. Akko outranks me."

Sucy's visible eye widened in surprise at this sudden revelation. "Akko outranks you? On what grounds?"

"She's the boss' Godchild, Sucy." Lotte reminded her. "I've mentioned it to you once before, remember?"

"Tsk. Nepotism..." The morbid girl scoffed with a roll of her eyes.

"Aw, come on, Sucy!" Akko whined. "I'm not that bad, am I?"

"Hmph, that depends. You do have your days." Sucy answered honestly while grumbling, "But, there's still something I don't quite understand... Sure, okay, you unsurprisingly didn't write her name down. But, how can you not remember her name if she apparently left such an impression on you?!"

Freaking out, Akko started to explain herself, "I'm sorry, Sucy! I just can't remember, and trust me, I'm STILL kicking myself over it!"

Ever the mediator, Lotte began to calm her morbid friend. "Now, now, Sucy." She spoke in a soothing manner, "We're all human. We certainly can't recall everything from the top of our heads, especially if it's something from a few weeks ago." She stated reasonably.

"Look, I may not remember her name, but I do remember how she looks like!" The red-eyed girl insisted.

Sucy couldn't help but chuckle, but it held no humor in it. "This ought to be good..."

"Sucy, please." The shy girl lightly scolded her co-worker. She then sighed and turned to Akko to say, "Don't mind her, Akko. How did this customer look like?"

"Hmm, let's see..." The brunette thought aloud, bringing a hand up to her chin as she started to recall the details from that day. "She had honey blonde hair. Long, soft, wavy, and very fluffy with tea green highlights. Deep, blue eyes. Hidden behind a pair of black rimmed glasses. My first impression of her was aloof, like a lone wolf. She probably didn't even notice me because all she wanted was to order a latte, but before she left... our eyes met." Her voice softened significantly as she let out a contented sigh at the end.

"Oh, brother..." Sucy groaned while rolling her eyes, obviously resisting the urge not to vomit.

However, it was quite the opposite reaction for Lotte, who clasped her hands together while her soft blue eyes sparkled in joy, all the while exclaiming, "How romantic! And, all of it happened just from a single compliment?"

"Pretty much, yeah..." Akko mumbled in embarrassment, letting out a nervous chuckle soon afterward.

"Well then, congratulations. I guess." The lilac-haired girl droned, stepping away from the counter. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some dirty dishes to attend to."

The moment Sucy had left, a new voice called for Akko's and Lotte's attention. "Girls."

Both of them turned their heads in time to see their boss, Chariot du Nord, coming out from the kitchen.

The older woman had a slight look of disapproval on her face as she stared at them. "Girls, just because the café is slow right now, it doesn't mean that there isn't any work to be done." She then clapped her hands in emphasis to that statement. "Don't just stand there, chop-chop!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

From there everyone went back to work, and the flow of the restaurant got a bit busier after that. Akko and Lotte manned the front by taking orders and tending to their tables while Chariot cooked the food as more orders arrived in the kitchen. And as for Sucy, besides cleaning dishes in the kitchen, helped out the others whenever they needed it.

Before long, it was two o'clock in the afternoon and the café had slowed down significantly after the lunch rush. The morbid girl cleared up dishes from the tables before she went back to the kitchen, the brunette sprayed and wiped them down while the blonde passed a broom around the restaurant.

As they cleaned up, Lotte had approached Akko with a question...

"Hey Akko, about that woman you talked about... Did she happen to stop by after that day?" The shy girl asked out of the blue.

"Hmm, now that I think about it... I don't think she has, not from what I've seen anyway." The red-eyed girl responded.

Lotte stopped sweeping the floors for a moment. "So, she hasn't stopped by the café at all since then? Are you absolutely sure?" She asked again.

Akko paused in her work, trying to recall the last few weeks yet again. "Well, I mean, some days I do see her stop by from outside, but for some reason she doesn't even step inside the café at all. At most, she'd take a side glance through the window, only to suddenly turn tail and walk off. The only time I've truly seen her up close was when she came in to order that latte. I guess I must've scared her off or something..." She finished saying with a weak laugh, almost as if hoping that truly wasn't the case.

Well, that's certainly one way to think about it. Unless... The short-haired blonde stifled a laugh of her own, covering it up with the back of her hand so that her friend wouldn't think that she was laughing at her misery.

"Oh Akko, I wouldn't think that at all. For all you know, she's probably just shy." Lotte suggested.

Akko looked unsure, pouting as she said, "Do you really think so?"

The shy girl flashed a bright smile. "I know so!"


After what seemed like a harrowing walk, Diana now found herself in front of the building that would spell her emotional doom. The blonde haired girl stood just across the street, order list in hand, just staring at it. There was no reason for her to be acting like this, it was just a shop after all, but recently, it didn't feel that way.

Instead, it felt like entering a court or a law office or any equivalent of a place that's designed to stress people out. Even the cheery, quaint exterior with its flower beds so neatly arranged and it's rustic outdoor seating couldn't calm her soul. This was going to be more difficult than she thought.

She continued glancing back and forth between the café and the list, obviously stalling for time. By all means I could turn back and say they were too busy, right...? She thought to herself as she took a deep breath. But the thought was quickly pushed away when she came to another realization, No, knowing my aunt, she would rather I wait in line than come back empty-handed... so I guess I have no choice in the matter...

Diana took one last solemn look inside. The patrons that were there seemed to be having a fun and relaxing time, much like how she used to. The interior remained the same as ever, in fact, she believed it hadn't changed since she graduated high school, so a long time ago. The only difference now was the staff, and while she came to know and recognize two of them, one remained but a stranger. While she may have fooled herself into thinking she was reminiscing, she was actually just looking to see if the problematic person was in there.

The blonde, who she had come to know as the manager, had been inside, as always. The same came to be of the lilac haired one, who was not known for being friendly, but always did her job.

Okay... Diana steeled herself, so far so good...! She had begun to cross the street, still looking inside to make sure all was safe.

And then she saw it. Just as she had finished crossing the street, she saw it. The brown hair and red eyes waltzing in from the storage room. The blonde stopped in her tracks immediately, and her legs felt like they would give out from under her at any moment. She just stared in horror through the window.

No... NO, WHY?! Her mind was racing, WHY DID SHE HAVE TO WORK TODAY OF ALL DAYS?! I mean, I know the reason my aunt sent me here was to talk to her, but at the same time... I feel... CURSED!

And while she stood there, her cover was blown. The blond manager spotted her and gave a smile and a wave, it would be too awkward to just leave after being seen. Feeling in much less of a good mood, she slugged her way up the steps and entered the store. Her life was in Merlin's hands now.

As soon as Diana walked inside, her nose was invaded with the rich, strong smell of warm coffee. And it certainly didn't take long for the scent to be toned down as her nose also picked up the smell of fresh pastries and the other delicacies the place had to offer.

Just like always. The physician thought calmly to herself.

Walking over to the register, a couple of the patrons looked up from their meals as they smiled and waved at Diana as she walked, and she kindly returned the gesture.

Just like always.

She then waited in line, and once it was finally her turn to place an order at the register Diana would be tended by a short-haired blonde with glasses.

Just like always...?

Similarly to that fateful day, she was tended by someone else...

Long, brown hair.

Deep, red eyes.

And that captivating smile that can make someone's heart flutter in an instant, or make it stop in this case.

"Hi, welcome to Auriga's Café! What can I get for you today?" The brunette asked her in a cheery voice, and her smile seemed to have grown a bit wider. Whether the girl did it genuinely or because of her job was still up to debate, at least that's what Diana told herself.

Instead of responding like a normal person, all that came out of Diana's mouth was... "...Ewgs."

The cashier couldn't help but stifle her laugh, trying her best not to be rude, but obviously failing all the same. She composed herself enough to ask, "I'm sorry, but did you just say eggs?"

Another giggle flowed from the girl's lips, and despite the current embarrassment she was feeling, Diana had never felt so alive.

Luckily for her, nobody was behind her to witness this humiliating moment. Plus, most of the patrons in the restaurant were distracted so she didn't have to feel overwhelmed. For now.

Diana fiercely shook her head, stuttering, "N-nuh-uh."

"Okay...?" The red-eyed girl raised her brows in amusement. "No eggs. Then, what can I get for you?" She asked again with that sweet, tender smile still gracing her features. "I don't think we can serve just eggs, but we can put fried eggs on a bagel for you, if you want?"

"N-no, I-I'm terribly sorry! T-that's not what I meant!"

"It's okay, take your time."

Come on Cavendish, it's just small talk! Just put in the order already! You can do that much, can't you? The blonde scolded herself, trying her best to stop the sudden tremors she was experiencing.

Noticing Diana's nervous demeanor, the girl tilted her head in concern. "Are you okay? ...You look pale."

"I-I'm fine..." The physician finally managed to respond with a shy smile, looking anywhere except the cashier. She then remembered that she still had her aunt's list in hand, and so she shakily handed the list over to the girl. "I-I'll just have what's w-written in there..."

Looking at the note, it took no time at all for the brunette to quickly put the order in the register. "Alright then, we have... Three large chai tea lattes, a small mocha espresso, and four chicken avocado sandwiches, correct?"

"C-correct."

"Great! That'll be 47.50 pounds, please."

This part of the process was much easier for Diana to do as she painlessly handed over the necessary payment and received her change along with her receipt.

"There you go! I'll let you know when it's ready!"

"T-thank you. I'll be waiting by the porch outside."

And with that, the physician sauntered off, walking the walk of both shame and humiliation over her "confident" performance.

Meanwhile, Akko made a copy of the order ticket and stepped off the front counter to head toward the kitchen, dropping off the order to her Godmother. And when she walked back to the restaurant floor, she belatedly came to a realization...

"Kuso! I completely forgot to ask her name!" She said aloud to practically no one.

Or, so she thought...

"Seriously, again? I really wish I had the authority to fire you now." Sucy commented disappointingly. She was currently taking her break along with Lotte on one of the café tables.

"I actually have to agree with Sucy on this one Akko, there literally wasn't anything to stop you from doing so this time." Lotte stated. "I mean, I still wouldn't fire you, but come on."

"Oh, give me a break!" The brunette whined, crossing her arms as she began to explain herself, "I was totally in the zone, but she completely threw me off with her stuttering!"

The morbid girl raised a single brow, obviously skeptical and proceeded to question her friend with a single word, "Stuttering?"

"Akko, it's not that I don't believe you, but... That doesn't seem like her at all." The blonde said thoughtfully.

"But she did, she did!" Akko spoke insistently, flailing her arms around as she re-enacted her conversation with her crush. "I started off with the typical pitch of, 'Hello, welcome to Auriga's Café! What can I get for you?', and she then said, '...Ewgs.'" She finished saying before she was consumed by a burst of giggles.

Her laugh must've been infectious since Lotte and even Sucy herself couldn't help but join in too.

Unlike Akko, Lotte was a bit more respectful, her slight amusement lasting for a few seconds before she gathered her composure while Sucy kept on laughing without any remorse, but they've made sure to keep their laugher to a minimum so that they wouldn't disturb their customers.

"T-that's hilarious...!" The lilac-haired girl wheezed, obviously trying to catch her breath at the moment.

"It's really not, actually. It could've easily been one of us." Lotte spoke defensively on Diana's behalf.

"Yeah, right." Sucy snickered. "Maybe for you two, but not me." She said confidently.

The red-eyed girl merely nodded, not denying that fact from her friend. "True, true."

A ring from a bell echoed throughout the café, effectively catching the workers attention rather than the customers.

Chariot's voice could be heard soon afterward as she called out to her Godchild, "Akko, your order's ready! Come pick it up please~!" She said in a sing-song voice.

"Whelp, I guess that's my cue." Akko spoke up as she headed toward the kitchen.

"Okay, just be sure to properly introduce yourself to the nice doctor this time." The shy girl teased her friend.

Walking in and out of the kitchen with the order in hand, the brunette still surprisingly heard Lotte. Confused, Akko tilted her head as she asked, "Wait... How do you know that she's a doctor?"

"Oh yeah, we haven't told you yet. She's actually one of our usuals here at the café." Lotte informed.

The red-eyed girl looked betrayed by this sudden revelation. "What?! So, you girls actually know her?!"She interrogated them.

"Yeah, though we honestly think that she's out of your league." The lilac-haired girl gave her honest opinion.

"Sucy!" The blonde exclaimed in obvious disapproval. "You may think that, but I don't!"

"Okay, but I do think that." Sucy admitted happily.

"Geez... Thanks a lot for the support, girls. Can you guys at least tell me what her name is?" Akko droned while rolling her eyes.

"Nope!" Lotte answered with a fierce shake of her head. "Oh, and be sure to not forget her drinks! They're already done on the counter for you. Get them before they get cold." She notified her friend.

"You have to earn that right, you know. Just go up to her and ASK!" The morbid girl spoke a bit aggressively, mocking her, despite it being the truth.

Fine, I guess I'm on my own then. The red-eyed girl thought in defeat, sighing so as she got the drinks on the front counter. "Fine, I'll go and ask her myself. I'll be back."

"Good luck, Akko! You can do it!" The blonde cheered for her while clapping her hands, and Sucy merely waved her friend off with a small smile.


Outside on the restaurant's porch, Diana sat with her head down on one of the outdoor tables. The poor girl still felt embarrassed over her interaction with the cute cashier. She honestly never felt like this before.

What on earth came over me?! The young Cavendish thought in distress. She definitely never acted so out of character before in her life. It was almost as if she wasn't even herself, and yet... she was. I acted like a complete, stammering bloody idiot! Ugh!

"It's official, I can't show my face around her ever again..." Diana mumbled under her folded arms, sounding depressed.

"That's too bad, especially since I have yet to learn your name."

Diana's breath hitched in her throat, hesitantly lifting her head up in time to see the brunette exiting the café, approaching and setting the physician's order on the table.

"M-my name...?" The physician stuttered, all of a sudden feeling small by the barista's presence. Bloody hell, here I go again with the blasted stuttering! She chided herself.

"Yes, silly! Though, honestly, it's mostly my fault since I completely forgot to ask for your name in the first place. Two times now, to be exact." The cashier spoke in a light-hearted tone. She then began to introduce herself, "My name is Atsuko Kagari, but you can call me Akko! It's so good to see you again, Miss..."

"D-Diana." The young Cavendish responded, surprisingly finding her voice. "My name is Diana Cavendish. It's a pleasure to meet you, A-Akko."

Akko beamed at her. "You're quite shy, aren't you?" She teased.

"N-not really, no." Diana replied with a small giggle.

"Really? Because, you acted quite differently today compared to the last time I saw you." The red-eyed girl commented, recalling that fateful day once again. "You just walked into the café, minding your own business while you waited in line, and once it was finally your turn to put an order you looked so calm, cool, and collected. You ordered your latte with almost no care in the world, hardly paying attention to me no doubt, and then... Just when you were about to leave the restaurant, you finally looked down at your cup, and our eyes met!"

"Yes, you're right." The physician spoke with a smile, probably her very first one today. Her posture had relaxed significantly too, not that she noticed.

"However!" All of a sudden, Akko approached the doctor, pointing a finger at Diana.

And~, it was back to being tense once again as the young Cavendish straightened up in her seat, being rather startled from the girl's sudden exclamation. "...Y-yes?" She stuttered, gulping heavily as she did so.

"Ignoring someone is one thing, but not acknowledging me is a terrible offense, you know!"

"I-I'm sorry...?"

"So, what are you going to do about it?"

"About what?"

"You hardly noticed me on that day, and the following weeks after that you avoided the café like the plague. I'm assuming that behavior started because I was working in the restaurant on those days, right?" The brunette elaborated, which of course her comments made Diana shrink with guilt at hearing these facts. "That's a big no-no in my book! And so, Miss Cavendish, how do you plan to make it up to me?" She finished saying with a playful smirk.

Despite the girl's firm tone, Diana was very grateful to see Akko's smile because otherwise she would've gotten the wrong idea.

Playing along, the physician asked, "Alright then, Miss Kagari, how would you like me to make amends?"

Akko thought about it for a moment. "Hmm, that depends... How does your schedule look like, doctor?"

Not quite expecting such a response, Diana's face turned quite red in embarrassment. "P-pardon?"

"Oh my gosh, you're beautiful!" The red-eyed girl giggled, her laugh triggering the weird, ticklish sensation of butterflies in Diana's stomach. "I meant, are you free this weekend?"

Oh, Merlin... Is she seriously asking me out? ON A DATE!? The young Cavendish could hardly believe that this was actually happening, still trying her best to process everything. However, before she could answer, she had to make sure of one thing first...

"Do you... Do you really mean that?"

Akko tilted her head in slight confusion, but regardless she answered honestly, "Of course, I mean it. If I didn't, I wouldn't be trying to ask you out now, would I?" She then started to scratch the back of her neck, feeling a bit shy as she added, "You really are beautiful, Diana. I would be very honored if you want to go out with me sometime and get to know each other better, but... If it truly makes you uncomfortable, I'd understand and I promise not to bother you again."

Just hearing those words, hearing their truth, was enough to convince Diana. If she didn't know any better... the brunette seemed to be just as nervous, if not more so, about the whole dating aspect. Well, if the heavy blush on her face was anything to go by, of course.

Well, she is pretty cute, and she is being honest... The doctor conceded in her thoughts, finally coming to a decision. "I'd be happy to go out with you, Akko. Though, I do have to check on how my schedule looks for the rest of the week. Is this alright with you?"

"That's great, more than great, actually!" Akko smiled in relief, taking out a pen from inside her apron, "Mind handing me your receipt real quick?"

"Of course, here you go."

Upon fulfilling the girl's sudden request, it certainly didn't take long for the red-eyed girl to scribble down what she wanted to write before she handed the paper back to Diana.

"Here's my number. If for some reason our outing can't be this weekend, we can just re-schedule it for some other time." Akko told her, blushing furiously soon afterward as she quickly added, "O-only if it's fine with you, of course!" She finished saying with a timid laugh.

Diana returned that smile with one of her own, safely putting her receipt away in one of her lab coat pockets. "That's perfect. Thank you for being so understanding."

"No problem." The brunette replied as she looked over to the café, and while the restaurant didn't look too busy, Akko also knew that she couldn't leave the others hanging. It wouldn't be fair to them. "Well, sadly... I have to bid you adieu, Diana. I can't slack for too long, or else I might have to face my Godmother's wrath."

"That's alright Akko, I have to get back to my workplace anyway. My aunt and cousins are expecting me to show up with their food." The doctor reassured with a slight joke of her own, finally standing up from her chair as she picked up her purchases, balancing and getting the drink carrier with Akko's help. "T-thanks again."

"No biggie. I hope you have a nice day, Diana! Be careful on the way home, okay?"

"I will. And I wish you the very same, Akko."

And with that, the cashier had waved goodbye to the young Cavendish, heading inside the café to continue working the rest of her shift.

As soon as the girl left, Diana merely sighed, mostly in relief before a small goofy grin took over her face as she started to walk back to the clinic. While a part of her was sad that their exchange was short, another part of her felt excited for the upcoming weekend because for the first time in a while...

She felt truly happy.

A/N2: So~, what do you guys think? Like I mentioned before, I personally feel that I did a mighty good job with this chapter. Furthermore, I would like to thank AevumAce for giving me encouragement to go through with this project and helping me out with some opinions and minor details I had in mind for this chapter.

For my readers, I just want to say thank you so much for supporting this story. The reviews, faves, and follows are absolutely wonderful! I hope that this story will grow more in support as we go.

I would also like to thank my little sister, aka. Hoodie_Dragon, for making this wonderful cover art for this story! Thanks a bunch sis, you're the best! If you would like to see the cover art in its entirety, then you can got to my Tumblr. My blog won't be that impressive due to being a new user, but I'd appreciate the support all the same. My AO3 account is in the same boat as well, new user (crazyringo), but I'll be uploading my stories there too from now on to get my work out there. :3

And, as of right now, I honestly don't know when chapter 2 will be out. It is finished, but the chapter needs to go through some editing. Once I'm confident with it, I'll be sure to upload it as fast as I can. Until then, I'll be taking my time to write the other chapters as I go. Please let me know what you guys think on your reviews! I would love to read what you guys think so far for this project, faves and follows are welcome too! Stay safe and healthy at home folks, until next time! X3