Shuu laid his head on the counter with a sigh. He'd been working at least four hours, and still no sign of Kaneki-kun. Originally he'd assumed that he and Kaneki would be working together 24/7. He'd forgotten to factor in their work schedules; which, like today, didn't always line up.
"C'est ennuyeux," he lamented, suppressing a yawn. He was exhausted. He'd spent the entirety of the previous night cleaning out his room - which, when he first arrived, was being used as more of a storage closet. He had to sweeping the floor, wipe down counters, and sort through miscellaneous Christmas decorations before he was finally able to take a good look at his surroundings - and what he saw was not impressive.
It was small. Smaller than Hori's apartment. In fact, Shuu was certain that he had closets back home that were bigger. But at least there was a kitchen area, and he had his own tiny bathroom. So he rolled out the futon for the night, and although he still preferred the four-post king sized in his room back at the estate, he had to admit - this setup was definitely an improvement over Hori's couch. He was asleep in minutes, dreaming of all the fun interactions he'd get to have with Kaneki the next day.
And yet here he was, a victim of fate's cruel joke. He glanced idly at the clock on the wall. He had at least an hour to go before Kaneki arrived, if the schedule posted in the kitchen was anything to go by. On top of that, he was tired and sore. His back still hurt from the amount of time he'd spent bending over. He'd always admired the dedication of his servants, but he'd never fully appreciated the physical toll their work must have took on their bodies...
A loud BAM jolted him to his senses. Shuu started, staring up into the spectacled eyes of his tossle-haired, cantankerous coworker, Nishio Nishiki.
"Straighten up," Nishio ordered coldly. "The lunch crowd will be getting here soon; you can nap on your own time."
Shuu started to protest, then caught himself. He couldn't go mouthing off at his coworkers - at least not yet. He'd have to do his best to get along if he wanted to keep his job and stay close to Kaneki.
"You're right, Nishio-san," he said, standing. "I should start a fresh brew right away."
"No," Nishio said quickly. "The last brew you made tasted like shit. Just...go serve those customers over there."
He cocked his thumb toward a pair of old ladies seated by the window. They giggled and whispered to each other as Shuu looked over. He straightened.
"Nishio-san," Shuu said, making sure his voice was loud enough to carry over to them, "I didn't know we served goddesses at Anteiku."
Their giggling grew more frantic. Nishio's face soured.
"Your attitude is annoying," he muttered, heading into the kitchen.
Shuu hid his exasperation behind a smile. Working with someone as...direct as Nishiki wasn't proving easy. At least the other worker on staff, Yomo, wasn't quite so openly hostile. It was difficult to tell really, since he would only communicate with Shuu through a combination of pointing, staring, and one word sentences.
Thankfully there was still old Yoshimura. He'd made sure to send Shuu some words of encouragement on his first day, and had even consoled him over the brewing fiasco. "Well," he'd said, chuckling, "at least it's got the right temperature." Then he demonstrated the proper way to brew, while Yomo and Nishio bustled about steadily ignoring them.
Oh, well. At least the customers seemed to like him so far.
"When did Anteiku get such a handsome waiter?" one of the old women asked cheekily. Her companion looked on with a scandalized (yet simultaneously delighted) expression.
Shuu bowed. "Thank you, madam. It is my first day. I hope you will forgive me any blunders I might make."
"With a face like that, I'd forgive anything," she said. Her companion practically screamed.
He spent a few more minutes chatting with them, learning about their many years of patronage, as well as the woman's eldest grandchild, who had just obtained a governmental position and was currently very, very single (she gave Shuu a pointed look). He left when he noticed other customers drifting in, aware that he had probably wasted too much time as it was.
"Nishio," he called, turning to head over to the bar, "one rose milk tea and a vanilla chai latte with extra - "
His voice trailed off. He had noticed a customer standing by the bar. A very handsome customer, who looked uncomfortably out of place in his smart peacoat and designer sunglasses. He removed them as Shuu approached, bowing deeply.
"Shuu-sama," he said, "forgive me for my tardiness. I am here at last."
It was a little awkward to be so formally received at work. Nishio was giving him a weird look, and the old ladies were whispering again. Nevertheless, Shuu couldn't help but smile in absolute delight at the sight of his old servant and friend.
"Kanae!" he cried, rushing forward to grasp his arms. "What are you doing here? How did you find me? Can I get you something to drink?"
Kanae, who seemed a bit confused as to which question he should answer first, was cut off by Nishio.
"Oi, Tsukiyama. The order?"
"Ah yes! Just a moment! Listen, Kanae," he said more quietly, "do you mind waiting for a bit? I need to take care of these customers."
He nodded toward the old ladies, who giggled and waved. "Ah, yes, certainly," Kanae said, wringing his hands. He hovered by the door awkwardly for a few more moments before choosing an empty table in the corner where he could get a good view of Shuu.
Seeing his master like this was...difficult. Dressed as a common waiter, taking orders from these lowly, bourgeois peons; it was all he could do to keep himself still. But Kanae had to admit, the uniform suited Shuu-sama well; so well, in fact, that he blushed each time Shuu-sama made eye contact with him, smiling or making an apologetic grimace as he passed from table to table.
'Of course,' Kanae thought, 'Shuu-sama would be handsome in anything, even those second-rate rags.'
His appearance, however, was only secondary. What was far more important was how happy he seemed. He chatted and laughed with each customer as he took their orders, and he poured their drinks with dignity and enthusiasm. It almost felt like the old Shuu-sama again; except this time, there was a slight nervousness in his smile that had never been there before, an intense concentration in his eyes when he thought no one was looking...Kanae suddenly recalled Mirumo's words: "I want to see him struggle with life, and come out victorious..."
'I understand him now,' Kanae thought, watching as Shuu-sama hurriedly wiped up the contents of a cup he had spilled, blushing and laughing sheepishly at the annoyed customers. 'This kind of hard-working Shuu-sama' - Kanae looked away, gripping his chest - 'really makes my heart pound!'
"Sorry I kept you waiting."
Kanae looked up, his face reddening to be caught in such an embarrassing pose. "N-no," he stammered, "I am the one who should be sorry, that Shuu-sama has to do such unseemly work, while I sit and do nothing..."
He was interrupted by laughter. "Nonsense, Kanae; this is my job, after all. Now then," Shuu said, taking a seat, "how is everyone at the estate? Mastumae, my father - I trust everyone is well?"
"Ah, yes! But, Shuu-sama, is there a place we could speak more privately?" Kanae shot the surrounding customers an uncomfortable glance.
Shuu hesitated. "Yes," he said at last, somewhat uneasily. "There is a place like that...I suppose..."
He stood, and as Kanae followed him upstairs, he couldn't help but sense something ominous in the air…
It was was just as bad as he'd feared. The peeling wallpaper in the left corner, the scuffs on the floor, the unflattering fluorescent lighting...Kanae took it all in with a sort of subdued horror as he sat at the table, legs folded neatly beneath him. To think, the Tsukiyama Shuu (who possessed such painfully acute aesthetic sensibilities) had been staying living and sleeping in this dreadful space…
"My apologies for the wait," Shuu said breezily, emerging from the kitchen with a tea set on a little silver tray. "The stove top takes a while to warm up."
Kanae shifted uncomfortably. "Please, Shuu-sama, allow me to - "
"Now, now," Shuu chided with a smile. "You are my guest, Kanae. Besides, you are much more pleasant than any other customer I have yet to serve."
Kanae settled back down reluctantly, his brow knit as he watched Shuu set the table.
"Why that sour face?" Shuu asked gently, glancing up at he filled Kanae's cup. "Is my service not to your liking?"
"No! Of course not. Shuu-sama is a most exemplary host!" He paused, staring hard at the little flowers on the saucer. "It's just..."
Shuu sat down across from him. "Just what?" he asked, helping himself to the sugar.
"Just simply intolerable!" Kanae burst out, startling them both. "To think, all this time, you have been living in such - such..." He paused, searching for an apt description as he observed a particularly dark stain in the tatami mat. "...inadequate conditions," he finished at last, lips pursed in a hard line.
Shuu sighed. "It is a step down from the manor, isn't it?" he admitted. "But I haven't stayed here the entire time I've been away, you know; only for the past few days. Hori must have mentioned that. I'm assuming you spoke with her if you knew where to find me."
'Tch. As if her shabby little mousehole was any better,' Kanae thought, gripping his teacup tightly. "If Mimuro-sama knew about this, he'd be appalled," he muttered aloud. "I must inform him. He will surely call you back to the manor at once."
Shuu practically choked on his tea. "Ah, no, no, no!" he spluttered, waving his hands excitedly.
Kanae's irritation vanished. "Do you need some water, Shuu-sama?" he offered, with genuine concern.
Shuu shook his head. He paused, clearing his throat as he composed himself. "What I mean is," he continued, this time more calmly, "despite all appearances, it's actually quite comfortable here! The size of the room feels quite cozy, don't you think? I plan to decorate it as my funds accumulate. You now, update the curtains, add a few small niceties...And I must say, embracing the commoner's lifestyle has proved a very entertaining experiment! I'm having more fun than I have in ages. So you the see the situation really has it's advantages."
An upset little wrinkle began form on Kanae's chin as he listened to this tirade. 'I always admired you, Shuu-sama,' he thought, "but to think, you were this courageous..." He bowed his head, and when he spoke his voice was thick.
"Please allow me to support you, Shuu-sama! I will do whatever I can to help you through this difficult time!"
Shuu cocked his head to the side. "Such an adorable, earnest face," he said, smiling fondly. "Just seeing it again is enough, Kanae."
Kanae went scarlet.
A knock came from the door. "Oi, Tsukiyama. Break time's over."
Kanae clenched his fist. Why the insolent little...
"Duty calls," Shuu said, rising to his feet resignedly. "No, stay, stay. Finish your tea."
Kanae watched him go with an ache in his chest. Would it really be all right to leave Shuu-sama at Anteiku by himself? He did seem happy, and he did seem safe, even if the living situation wasn't on par with usual Tsukiyama standards…
'I'll consult with Matsumae,' he decided. 'She'll know what to do.'
With that, he set to work on his tea. It had thoroughly cooled, but he made sure to drain his cup empty before heading down to the shop. Shuu greeted him at the foot of the stairs with a smile, shoving a brown paper bag in his hand.
"A coffee," he said, "and some scones."
Kanae felt his eyes sting. A coffee made by Shuu-sama... "I will enjoy it fully, Shuu-sama, to the last drop!"
Nishio rolled his eyes. "You should be thanking Kaneki; he's the one that made it."
Kanae froze. His eyes went to Shuu-sama, whose smile had suddenly grown a tad too wide.
"Kaneki?" Kanae repeated. "Kaneki Ken?"
As if summoned, the devil suddenly appeared, entering through the kitchen with an apron and a serving tray. "Excuse me," he muttered, maneuvering past them.
"Ah, Kaneki-kun!" Shuu called out, leaving Kanae shocked and bewildered as he chased after him. "You just got here, let me get that for you!"
"I'm fine. Stay out of the way and don't make troubles."
"Ha ha, well, if you say so!"
Kanae watched this scene with a deepening scowl, his stomach turning as Shuu-sama practically tripped over himself in pursuit of this arrogant little pig. Finally he couldn't stand it anymore. He stormed out of the cafe, nearly bumping into several customers on the way.
This was terrible. He'd imagined many potential dangers Shuu might face: food poisoning, head lice, loan sharks, second-hand clothing, starvation. But never in his wildest dreams had he imagined such a disastrous turn of events!
'I must tell Mirumo-sama,' he thought, pausing to look at Shuu through the window. 'Shuu-sama is finally starting to recover. If he gets close to Kaneki again, all that could be undone. It's too dangerous!'
But as he stared through window, watching Shuu chat animatedly with a group of customers, his resolution faltered. He looked so full of life...Suddenly, Shuu looked up. He winked, gave a little wave. Kanae's heart throbbed.
He knew then that he could never tell Mirumo-sama.
However, he couldn't leave things as they were, either. If he did, Shuu was left at risk. And yet if he tried to separate him from Kaneki, Shuu would be heartbroken and furious...
That was when it caught is attention. A flyer, posted on the cafe window, reading: "Hiring for 2" (this number had been crossed out and replaced) "1 serving positions, inquire inside."
Kanae glanced around to make sure no one was looking. Then he tore the flyer from the window, stuffing it inside his pocket.
Perhaps there was a viable solution to this problem after all…
TBC...
Thank you for reading! As always, feedback is appreciated. Also, sorry if the sign wasn't very clear. I couldn't use strikethrough since this is :P