Chapter I – She Can Normally Talk After All.
|| January 10, 20** || Saturday || 11:13 AM
"Hey, can you get the cream for me? It's in that fridge." Satou pointed out where it was hidden. Harumi nodded in return.
Harumi was getting used to the work the past two weeks. Her shift also starts every evening. She only attends a full shift whenever it was Saturday or Sunday. But…she also noticed all of her new co-workers weird personalities. She can't say she hates because it was pretty… amusing. She tries to hide though, every time she faces Souma. She has somehow the hunch that he's a pretty hardcore sadist.
She also found out that Yamada was living in the attic. Inami and Taneshima explained the situation Yamada has. Harumi was certainly not convinced. Like Takanashi, she saw through Yamada's lies. She didn't say anything about it though. She also met Otoo the day after she was introduced to the crew. She saw a pretty interesting scene too; Yachiyo almost cutting Otoo in half. Saying that she was shocked is not a surprise. Every person would be shocked if they saw that too.
Harumi walked away from them as she gets the cream in the fridge. Souma watched her walk away from a distance, so as Satou.
"She's pretty interesting, don't you think?" Souma said. Satou replied while he scooped the ice cream and put it in the glass.
"I don't know what you're planning to do but if something bad is going to happen, don't involve me with it. I don't want to get involved in your sadistic fantasies." Satou casually insulted him. Souma's grin remained but furrowed his eyebrows.
"That's really mean, Satou-kun." Souma said while returning back to his work. Harumi later arrived, giving Satou the packet of cream. Satou said thanks. Harumi nodded, returned to her station and began preparing the ingredients beside Souma. Souma wasn't surprised, the pass few days, Harumi was working hard in her work and rarely talks. It's in her character I guess.
"Why are you working on the parfait instead of Yachiyo-san?" The moment she said that, Satou's concentration disrupted, causing the packet with cream in his hand squirt out its content. Souma held back a laugh and at the same time, he's surprised that Harumi asked a question for the first time.
She really doesn't reply to what you say and she merely nods to what you teach to her. I guess people can be curious. But why did she have to mention Yachiyo? Souma wondered.
"I always see her working on parfaits and give it to the manager. Is it normal for her to give the manager countless parfaits for free?" Harumi continued on asking while continuing her work. Satou's face darkened and Souma had to cover his mouth to hide his laugh.
"It's something you do not need to know." Satou replied while cleaning his mess, realizing his mistake. That moment, Taneshima entered the room. Souma watched, grinning happily while Harumi continued on her work, as usual.
"Satou-kun, can you reach me the glasses on the cupboard?" Taneshima asked. Satou faced her with his face darkened. Taneshima flinched and shivered.
"D-did I do s-something?" Taneshima asked worriedly. Satou's face lightened. Taneshima sighed, almost inaudibly.
"You did not do anything wrong." Satou said patting her hair. Taneshima let him do it for a couple of seconds…but later, he ruffled her hair roughly.
"S-satou-kun!" Taneshima whined while trying to stop him from doing weird things to her hair. Harumi turned to see what's happening. She saw Satou turn Taneshima's hair into a coconut tree. Her eyes widened a bit, a very rare expression on hers. This was the first time she saw him doing things like that to Taneshima. Maybe she doesn't really know what's going on because her full shifts are only on Saturday and Sunday, unlike school days where she has to work at evening.
"…" Harumi watched quietly as the two fought in front of her. Not literally fighting, just Taneshima, trying to pound him and Satou pushing her face away from him.
"Waaaah~!" Taneshima whined as she still tried to punch him. Satou merely watched her while Souma grinned happily at watching them. He's definitely a sadist. Harumi thought with a sweat on her temple.
"…What's going on here?" Takanashi asked, as he peeked in the cooking room. Taneshima finally stopped and turned around to see Takanashi. She ran and hugged him.
"Katanashi-kun, Satou-kun is bullying me again!" She shouted as she sobbed on Takanashi's uniform. Takanashi was baffled to see Taneshima's hair like that. Then again, Satou does this to her almost every day so he wasn't that surprised.
"Satou-san…" He said while holding onto Taneshima's shoulder. He turned to look at Souma.
"Souma-san, what happened here? What caused him to tease sempai?" He asked as he patted Taneshima's back.
"Well…a certain someone reminded him of his nightmares." He said glancing at Harumi. Harumi furrowed her eyebrows.
"What did I do?" She asked as if she didn't do anything wrong. Taneshima and Takanashi turned in her direction.
"You talked!" They both shouted with fingers pointed at her. Harumi sweat dropped. Souma still had his smile. Satou still stood there motionless, also watching what's happening.
"So? What's the big deal? It's not like I'm mute. Tch." She said, pointing out the obvious.
"You almost didn't talk in the whole two weeks! You would only nod! How can we talk to you?! Let alone hold a full conversation?! The day you only talked was the day manager introduced us to you, so how can we not be surprised?!" Takanashi explained while his glasses glinted with light. Taneshima nodded, agreeing with him.
"You shouldn't be surprised. She barely talks to both of us so I think it's not really a surprise." Souma calmed Takanashi and Taneshima. Takanashi sweat dropped.
"Barely…?" Takanashi murmured. Taneshima stopped sobbing and later said she's going back to work. She's going to work with her hair like that? Harumi thought with a bead of sweat trickling down her temple.
"Taneshima-san." Harumi called Popura. She turned around.
"What is it, Takukega-san?" Taneshima asked. Harumi approached her.
"I'll fix your hair for you. Come." Harumi said, without waiting for her reply as she dragged her away from the cooking room. Souma and Satou watched them as they disappeared from their sight.
"That was fun-" Before Souma could continue his sentence, Satou's death grip on him stopped him. Takanashi watched as Satou beat the hell out of Souma, while Souma begged for his life. He sighed. Why is he not surprised? He thought sarcastically before leaving the two alone.
Harumi encountered Yachiyo who is carrying her katana, as usual. Harumi was really shocked the first day but she really didn't show it. She remained silent about Yachiyo's katana.
"Harumi-chan, Popura-chan, where are you two going? Aren't you going to work? Also…" Yachiyo paused, looking at Popura's coconut hair.
"What happened to your hair Popura-chan?" Yachiyo asked with beads of sweat on her temple.
"Satou-kun bullied me again." Taneshima replied, remembering what happened in the cooking room.
"What happened this time?" Yachiyo asked. She knows that Satou wouldn't do such a thing if there wasn't a reason. She just doesn't know what it is, of course. She's literally dense about Satou's feelings for her.
"I don't know Yachiyo-san." She said with her tears streaming down her face.
"Ah! Takukega-san said she would fix it for me though. Is it fine if we stay in the break room for a while to fix my hair?" Taneshima asked, without realizing she already stopped crying. Weird. Yachiyo pondered her request for a minute.
"I guess so…just get back soon, ok?" Yachiyo agreed but also reminded them. Harumi nodded, quietly saying thank you.
"Thank you, Yachiyo-san!" Taneshima happily thanked Yachiyo. Yachiyo nodded in return and continued working.
"Let's go, Takukega-san!" Taneshima grabbed Harumi's hand and entered the break room. Taneshima sat down while Harumi looked for a brush in her bag in the girls changing room. Harumi came back seconds later, seeing Taneshima wait for her.
"Sorry to make you wait." Harumi said while positioning herself behind Taneshima. Taneshima smiled.
"It's fine! I should be thankful for you doing this to me. Thanks, Takukega-san." She thanked her.
"You are welcome." Harumi said, starting to untangle the weird strands of her hair which is probably molded by Satou's art.
Minutes later, Taneshima started talking.
"You're gentle when doing this to my hair. I kind of expected you yanking my hair. Hehehe. Sorry." Taneshima giggled. Harumi sweat dropped, starting to untangle the coconut tree.
"Why would you think I'd yank your hair?" Harumi asked, kind of offended, I suppose. Taneshima replied almost immediately.
"Well, my first impression on you in the first day was kind of cute. But…you never talk. Also, whenever we talk or ask questions, the way you would look at us feels like you're glaring at us." Taneshima honestly told her. Harumi stopped a second.
"Hmmm…" Harumi hummed, taking in what she said and continued fixing her hair.
"Are…you angry?" Taneshima asked, a bit worried of what she feels at the moment.
"No. I'm happy that you're honest and told me what you really think of me." Harumi replied. Taneshima's face lightened and she turned her head around gently, curious to see Harumi's face. Once she saw her expressionless face, a bead of sweat formed on her cheek.
"You don't look like you're happy at all." Taneshima murmured. However, Harumi heard this and replied.
"Most people say I'm not sincere but I really am happy that you are honest with me." Harumi replied, this time, smiling a bit. It's not the sort of smile you'd see on Taneshima that is really wide and happy-happy. Taneshima was surprised. It was the sort of smile that is rarely seen on a person with the same personality like Harumi. But Taneshima knew that this time, Harumi was really sincere.
"You have a pretty smile, Takukega-san." Taneshima said, mesmerized by her smiling face. When Harumi heard what Taneshima said, a small tint of blush appeared on her cheek, another rare expression.
"J-just turn around. I can't properly fix your hair." Harumi replied, gently turning her head around. Taneshima thought for a minute.
"You honestly talk a lot Takukega-san. Why don't you talk like that at work too?" Taneshima suggested. Harumi flinched.
"W-well…it's tiring and I'm the type of person who does not like to talk during work." Harumi hastily explained. Taneshima accepted her excuse, not really thinking about it and actually believing her.
"Hmm… I see!" Taneshima said.
A couple of minutes later…
"Done." Harumi said as if she finished a very spectacular art. Her sparkling eyes were saying it for her. Taneshima touched her hair.
"I can't see. Did you design my hair Takukega-san? It kind of feels like…" Taneshima said as she gently patted her hair behind.
"Braids…?" Taneshima murmured. Taneshima was about to ask why she designed it that way but was interrupted by Yamada, who just came down from the attic with a ladder. Yamada silently stared at Taneshima. She then stared at Harumi, then back at Taneshima.
"W-what's wrong Aoi-chan?" Taneshima asked. Yamada suddenly beamed with sparkles and a radiating light around her.
"T-Taneshima-san, you look really cute! Who designed your hair for you?! Is it Takukega-san?!" Yamada asked as if she wants it done for her hair too. Taneshima nodded. Yamada then looked admiringly at Harumi.
"T-Takukega-san, did you really do this to her hair?!" Yamada asked as if she didn't believe Taneshima at all.
"Y-yeah." Unlike others, Yamada was too awestruck to be surprised by Harumi talking. Yamada suddenly bowed in front of her.
"C-can you do it to my hair too?!" She requested…or rather demanded, the way she shouted said that for her. Harumi's temple formed a bead of sweat. She nodded. Yamada smiled happily.
"T-thank you!" Yamada thanked Harumi. Yamada positioned herself on the chair, waiting for Harumi to design her hair. Harumi, with no other choice, positioned herself behind Yamada. Taneshima then positioned her two braids in front of her.
"Am I really that cute..?" Taneshima asked no one in particular. Harumi started sectioning Yamada's hair separately.
After a few minutes, Yamada's hair was already done faster than Taneshima. Basically Taneshima has a longer hair (also, her hair was molded by Satou a while ago) and Yamada's hair was shorter.
"I'll get the full sized mirror!" Yamada exclaimed running away from them and returning faster than flash with the full length sized mirror.
"Here it is!" Yamada exclaimed again. She positioned herself in front of the mirror, admiring herself.
"Taneshima-san, look at yourself too!" She pushed Taneshima towards the front of the mirror. Taneshima was silent for a while, and then blushed.
"W-well, I won't say I'm cute but I like it!" Taneshima exclaimed, also happy at how she looked like. Both girls were too excited looking at the mirror, not noticing Harumi get something in the girls changing room.
"Taneshima-san, Yamada-san, face me for a bit." Harumi said. Taneshima was the first to come towards Harumi and positioned herself in front of her. Taneshima tilted her head, asking if there was something wrong. Harumi took a shiny and cute hair clip, possibly even more expensive than Inami's, from her pocket. She arranged Taneshima's bangs side wards and put the clip on her hair on the side without the bangs.
"There." Harumi said. Yamada looked at Taneshima then smiled brightly. She approached Harumi while Taneshima admired herself in the mirror again.
"What about mine? Do I also have one?" She asked excitedly. Harumi took the flower and butterfly designed hair band on the table and put it on Yamada's hair. After that Yamada briefly said thanks and looked at herself in the mirror. Harumi sighed in relief, glad that she was done and can return back to work. After Taneshima and Yamada looked at the mirror they thanked Harumi.
"Thank you very much, Takukega-san!" Both of them said, chorused. Harumi nodded in return.
"I need to get back at work. See you." Harumi said and was gone after walking away from them. A few seconds later, Yamada perked up.
"She talked!" Yamada exclaimed. Taneshima sweat dropped.
"You just noticed…?" She hesitantly murmured. Taneshima turned to look at the mirror again.
"I'll go back to work now Aoi-chan. See you later!" Taneshima skipped away from her and returned to work.
"See you later!" Yamada's late reply. She sighed.
"I guess I'll work…" Yamada unsurely murmured and later shrugged her shoulders. She also went to work.
|| 3:03 PM ||
"Sempai!" Takanashi exclaimed as she saw Taneshima taking an order from the counter that Harumi gave her. Harumi turned her head, hearing Takanashi's voice call out to Taneshima.
"Oh, Katanashi-kun! Hello!" She greeted while holding the tray. Takanashi stared at her for a second.
"So cute~!" Takanashi said and patted Taneshima's hair. Taneshima smiled.
"Isn't it? Takukega-san designed it for me!" Taneshima happily said, not bothered by Takanashi who is patting her hair. The second Takanashi heard Harumi's name, he stopped patting Taneshima's hair and paused midair.
"Eh?! Really?!" Takanashi exclaimed, not believing what Taneshima said. Taneshima nodded joyfully.
"I need to serve this first. See you, Katanashi-kun!" Taneshima said as she left. Takanashi faced Harumi who is blankly staring off at Taneshima who left seconds ago.
"Sempai was so cute~!" Rather than complimenting Harumi's work, he complimented Taneshima instead. Harumi flinched and turned to look at Takanashi. She crossed her arms.
"I designed Yamada's hair too. Both of them let Satou-san and Souma-san see it a while ago. Yamada's still here though." Harumi said, turning to look at Yamada who is choking Souma from her hug. Takanashi turned to look too and sweat dropped.
"What did Satou-san say?" Takanashi asked, curious to what Satou told Taneshima.
"Well…I guess you can say he complimented her." Harumi murmured, unsure of the words she chose.
"Satou-kun, Souma-san! Look at our hair!" Yamada exclaimed and entered the cooking room with Taneshima. Satou turned to look at Yamada and then Taneshima. Souma approached the two while Satou still observed both of the girls. Harumi paid no attention to them and continued working.
"Eh~! That's so cute! Did Takukega-san do that to your hair?" Souma asked while smiling. Taneshima nodded happily. Yamada smiled proudly.
"We're so cute aren't we?" Yamada declared. Taneshima blushed.
"Well…not really-" Taneshima was about to say something but was cut off by Satou.
"The hair is the only one cute. Also, what made it even cuter are the hair ornaments." Satou bluntly said. Taneshima and Yamada reacted. Souma's grin still remained.
"What?!" They both said at the same time, shocked.
"Especially you Taneshima, if you wear those braids and have a cute hair pin, many more people are going to think that you're an elementary student." Satou lied. Taneshima's jaw hang open as the dark aura enveloped her. She weakly turned to Harumi.
"I-Is that true, Takukega-san..?" Taneshima asked weakly. Harumi stopped for a second and turned to look at Taneshima. She shrugged and continued back on work. All of them in the room remained still, especially Taneshima, whose soul came out from her mouth. Harumi sighed and dropped her knife at the table.
"Taneshima-san, that is exactly why you can't grow." The second Taneshima heard the word grow, she perked up.
"Eh?! Why?!" She asked. Souma and Satou watched, as well as Yamada. Yamada and Souma had grins plastered on their faces while Satou's face remained still.
"That's because you overthink things and that causes your body stress. Didn't you know that stress can lower your motivation and can make you smaller?" Harumi lied. Taneshima smiled and nodded, believing her words.
"I-I see!" Taneshima happily replied. Harumi nodded and came back to work.
"So don't get all sad and disbelieving. It will only stress you." Harumi said. Taneshima nodded again and smiled.
"T-thank you, Takukega-san!" Taneshima thanked her then bowed. She later left the cooking room, leaving the four in the room.
"That was impressive, Takukega-san." Yamada said, approaching Harumi. Harumi didn't respond.
"…" Even so, Yamada waited. Harumi sighed yet again.
"Why don't you go to Souma-san? He said that after work, he will tell you where he lives." Harumi lied. Yamada's eyes sparkled. Souma's jaw hang open. Yamada immediately got in front of Souma, yanked down his collar and hugged him.
"You're really becoming my brother! Thank you, Souma-san~!" Yamada happily hugged him as Souma struggled to get out of Yamada's grip. What the hell?! Souma thought. Satou looked at Yamada and Souma for one last time and then came back to work.
"…" Takanashi remained quiet as he finished listening to Harumi. Beads of sweat formed on Takanashi's temple as he stared at Harumi.
"Why do I have the feeling that you're somehow related to Satou-san?" Takanashi murmured. Harumi turned her head.
"Hmm?" Harumi tilted her head. Takanashi smiled awkwardly with furrowed eyebrows.
"Nothing…" Takanashi said. Takanashi put the tray where they take orders.
"Order up! Takukega-san, please get back to work." Satou said as he placed the orders on top of Takanashi's tray. Harumi only nodded and got back to work. Takanashi took the tray and looked at Souma and Yamada one last time. He sweat dropped.
"Be right back." He said and gone off to work.
Author's Note:
So yeah…Inami did not show up in this chapter but she'll be in the 3rd chapter. Sorry if I didn't add some fluff. It's just not my forte. I know this story's genre is romance but I'm having a hard time displaying it, but I think it is better not to rush the story and just focus on the humor and development of their friendship. I mean, you can't have romance so abrupt in a story where they just first met, don't you think so? Yah, I know I'm asking the obvious but duh, who cares.
So yup, thanks for your review in the last chapter Kurome. You're absolutely right! I didn't notice it until you told me. Hahaha. Thanks for your review though, I thought no one would ever review my story so…thanks! I'll try to proofread it more often. Still waiting for reviews, critics and (probably) flames. See you in the next chapter!