Fruit Parlor Café
Recipes for a Fruit Parfait
Introducing the Staff: Blackberry
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Hello, My name is Ishida Uryū. You will probably recognize me if you have ever been to the Fruit Parlor café. I am the waiter with the moniker 'Blackberry.' I work for a very eccentric man, Urahara Kisuke. The rest of my coworkers have formed the consensus that Manager-san is insane, and some days I am inclined to believe them. Other days he's just a highly odd man who doesn't know how to be quiet. Each of his employees is given a different fruit-related moniker. Manager-san says it's to complement the name of the store. It's quite annoying when someone who knows me from the café tries to get my attention on campus. Ah, yes. I am 20, attending the Torano College of Fine Arts in my third year. I'm majoring in fashion design with a minor in costume design, and anyone worth their salt will know that they are very different things.
My father is my only living family member, and we are estranged. He didn't approve of my career choice, as he wanted me to follow his lead and become a doctor. I think he wanted me to inherit his hospital when he retired. Ever since grandfather died, we have not been on speaking terms, either. It's not something I like to discuss. My mother died when I was young, which was unfortunate for me, as my father did not really know how to raise a child. As a result, grandfather took over most of that. He was more a parent to me than my father was. I live on my own now, in the college dorms. Urahara's café came as a blessing, as they pay well enough to help me cover most of my tuition and housing, as I got in on several scholarships.
So, my coworkers. I work with possibly the most mismatched parcel of people I have ever known. Half of them are quite polite, tolerable individuals. The other half is completely insane, I swear to kami-sama. Okay, the tolerable, sane half. Kuchiki Byakuya is a very polite fellow, upper class and somewhat sad. I heard he was grieving, because his fiancée passed away earlier in the year. I feel somewhat bad for him. Schiffer Ulquiorra is a calm, blank sort of person. Not much fazes him. He seems somewhat lonely to me. He only moved here because his mother died, you know. He's a good person to have a debate with, as he builds very convincing arguments. Hitsugaya Tōshirō is somewhat bad-tempered, often snapping for no reason. He has high stress levels, and I've tried to recommend seeing a doctor, but he doesn't seem to think he needs to. Perhaps an acupuncturist? He might listen to that one. He's a very stubborn individual, and I think he may have a stress disorder from his parent's divorce. Hisagi Shūhei is an interesting individual, very 'technosavvy,' as he puts it. He does have a definite gift for technology. I respect that sort of thing. Unfortunately, he's also the best of friends with several of the rougher sort, and is fairly rough himself.
On to the half I can't stand, then. First off is Abarai Renji. He's loud, rough, and I'm almost positive he's got to be yakuza with tattoos like that. He likes to fight, as do his friends. I'm not sure how he and Hisagi, someone I find mildly tolerable, are so very close. It's a rather confusing situation, theirs. Next is Kurosaki Ichigo. He doesn't usually initiate fights, which is something of a relief. He will if he gets riled up enough, and he will also participate in fights. Otherwise he's a rather intelligent person. Last is Jeagerjaques Grimmjow, who fights at the drop of a hat. I think he may also be a yakuza, though he doesn't have tattoos other than the ones around his eyes. Who gets tattoos around their eyes, anyway? Other than a masochist, which I'm fairly certain Jeagerjaques is not. You never know, though. He also likes to try to rile people into fighting. Kurosaki is his most successful victim, although his favorite seems to be Schiffer. One has to be a master at the art of indifference to ignore Jeagerjaques as Schiffer does.
On another note, I think Inoue-san is coming in today. It's always a delight to see her. Maybe she will bring her friend, Arisawa-san, to keep the others occupied. It's always nice if I can hold a conversation with Inoue-san without having the idiot brigade interrupting.