"Just to summarize, girls dress up in frilly maid costumes and work as waitresses in cafes."

"I thought 'summary' made things shorter. I think that's what I said exactly."

"Yeah, you are correct. I was just having a difficult time understanding why this is a thing."

"Thing? It's not an object. It's a job and a…fetish?"

"It's a 'thing' as in a 'fad' or something popular that everyone likes to take part in," Tom explained. "And your class is doing a maid café for your school festival?"

"Yes, unfortunately. They voted while I was away," sighed the girl.

"Your costume is ALMOST as short as those buruma you wear to gym class," Kagome read out of the corner of her eyes as she held up the costume and looked at herself in the mirror.

"Unfortunately…at least we wear tights with it."

"There's something seriously flawed with your education system."

"Hey!"

The next day, Kagome was standing at the door to her classroom waving in guests with one hand and pulling down her dress with the other. "Irrashaimase! Come enjoy a hot cup of tea and some homemade cookies at Sunshine Café! Welcome! Irrashaimase!" 'This is so embarrassing….'

"Kagome-chan! Switch places with Himeko-chan. She burned her hand and can't serve anymore," the class rep commanded.

"Hai!" she gave her outfit one last tug and grabbed a silver serving tray. "Hello….young masters….how may I serve you today?" She asked.

"Hi!" Two guys of probably college age sat at the table by the window. The auburn haired guy was squinting at the chalkboard to read the menu while the bleached blonde boy was eyeing Kagome.

"I'll have a café latte with some sugar cookies!"

"What do you recommend, Cute Miss?"

Kagome ignored the nickname. All the customers today called the maids of the café 'cute' or 'pretty' and, by now, they had stopped blushing and had become desensitized. "I think an iced mint green tea would be very refreshing, Master."

"Then I'll have one of those, Cutie, and a chocolate cupcake." The blonde threw her a toothy smile and she bowed before leaving to put in her order. She paused just slightly as her skirt brushed against something, probably the edge of the table, before continuing on. 'This outfit is ridiculous…'

"Eri-chan, get me a café latte, some cookies, and a cold mint green tea with a choco cupcake on the side please!" she ordered as she went behind their makeshift counter.

"Hai!"

Kagome took a breather and rummaged through her backpack underneath the table. Tom's script greeted her as she opened up the diary. "Somebody's been busy having fun."

"Who? Is this sarcasm?" she scribbled and then drew a frowny crying face.

"Yes. That is sarcasm."

"Just one hour and then I'm finished and can walk around."

"Can you explain to me why your voice has gone up two octaves? It's quite cringe worthy."

She closed the notebook after Eri finished plating the guys' orders.

"Here you go masters. Enjoy." She turned around and jumped a little as silverware clattered against the floor.

"Oh! Clumsy me! I'm sorry!" Blondie went to reach for the fork a step in front of her but she, being the good waitress she was, retrieved it for him.

"Oh don't worry about it young master! I got it! I'll get you a new one!" She bent over as modestly as she could in her dress before scurrying off to find a new fork.

The next 45 or so minutes were super busy and Kagome kept one eye out for the girl that was supposed to relieve her of her duties.

"Can I take these from you young masters?" She returned to the guys' table and collected the plates and cups. "Would you like anything else?"

"Yes, actually. I'd like to know when your shift ends, Maid-chan," blondie asked as he leaned his head on a propped up hand.

"I don't think you need to know okyakusama. Thank you for your business," she ended with false cuteness and a short bow.

A girl came up next to Kagome and let her know, "I'm here to relieve you, Kagome-chan."

"…Thanks Kaori-chan." She made a face as the blonde's expression brightened.

"Kagome-chan! What a unique name." He followed her as his friend flirted with Kaori who was more receptive of advances. Kagome didn't blame her. The auburn haired guy was better looking and less sleazy. "Would you like to show me around the school?"

"I'm sorry, but no." Kagome gave him a small, fake smile. 'And not actually sorry.' .

"Why not? Are you busy now? You're on break right? Want to go for a ride? I got a car." She froze as he grabbed her wrist and she stared at a teetering quarter cup of tea that was balancing on a few plates on the tray she was carrying.

"I'm meeting with friends." She carefully moved to pull her wrist out of his grasp and continued towards the counter

He intercepted her in a way that he maybe thought was charming or cute with his one hand on his hip and the other ruffling the hair behind his head in a sheepish manner. "How about I just walk with you until you meet them?"

"That's really unnecessary."

"Come on! You're cute. Wanna get to know each other?" He reached again for her and she stepped back and looked around for aid. Everyone else was busy but she didn't want to cause a scene. The café was going so well. They might even win as the most popular 'booth' at the school festival.

"I…already like somebody so sorry, but no." She dodged him and reached the counter finally. Removing her apron, she folded it and reached for her bag from under the table.

"You sure?" He brushed the hem of her dress and she squeaked in surprise before turning blazing eyes on him. "Tom-san, sorry but I'm going to use you as a weapon," she muttered in English. Her hand clenched the strap of her bag and she readied to swing it at the guy.

"That looks heavy, I'll carry it for you." He reached over the table to get the bag from her and more than brushed up against the decorative lace at her bust.

"How dare you!"

"Kagome-chan, you ready?" someone asked.

The fire in her eyes extinguished in a downpour of shock as she looked over Blondie's shoulder. "….Tom…san?"

"I was waiting for you but you took too long." It only took two more seconds for the rest of the room's occupants to notice the tall, dark-haired obviously foreign male in the room. He wore the clothes of a prep school nobody recognized and, to their inexperienced eyes, looked like royalty or, at the very least, fairly rich. Eri almost overfilled a teapot with boiling water when she saw Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome stand next to Kagome.

Tom took the opportunity to pick up a biscuit from the table and savored it. "Mmm….delicious. This is what you stayed up all night baking right?" His eyes glinted as they shifted towards the blonde guy. "Who's this, Trash?"

The Blonde froze at being spoken to. "Umm…."

"Somebody didn't pay attention to their English lessons. But even if you had tried, I would not be surprised if your tiny brain was incapable of knowledge absorption."

"I…," Blondie tried to start before shaking his head. "So-ri?"

"Your senses do not seem to be capable of registering social cues of rejection from my companion here." Tom turned to Eri who had approached in curiosity. "Do you mind if I have a cup of tea?" Tom asked in Japanese with barely an accent as he gestured towards the teapot Eri was still holding.

"Um…ah! Hai!" Tom sipped at the cup of white tea and resumed his confrontation with Blondie. Ah it was good to hear his own voice.

"Apologies. It does seem that you CAN understand rejection, because I am sure you experience it often enough, but you certainly lack critical thinking since you still pursue my…friend with the same old tactics."

"Tom-san…we should…um…leave?" Kagome tugged on his shirt sleeve.

The Englishman hummed as he put down the teacup. His fingers tingled slightly and he took it as a sign that Kagome was right.

"Yes, we should. Have a wonderfully horrible day sir." Tom shouldered Kagome's rucksack and took her hand, eliciting gasps and squeals from various females and classmates, and walked her towards the door. Kagome picked up the pace and past him, half dragging him out of the room but not before he snagged a few more biscuits.

Less than a minute later, they found themselves in a part of the school that wasn't being used during the festival.

"Tomu…," Kagome panted with her hands on her knees. "How….?"

"Hmm…I'm not quite sure how yet but this is definitely something I will work on." The young man placed the bag down on the ground, sure any second now, it would fall from his grasp anyway and cause him a headache.

"You waste energy to save me from that boy?" Kagome was looking at him with grateful eyes and he almost rolled his own.

"I would not call it a complete waste." The wizard devoured the last biscuit before slowing fading.

Just in time as Eri and a few other girls rounded the corner. "KAGOME! WHO WAS THAT HOT PIECE OF-!"