Part 1:
"Crap, Crap, Crap…"
Chloe ran through the streets, trying to make her way to her job. She didn't mean to be late, but got caught up in some meetings at school that delayed her exit.
"Damn…I didn't plan on showing up late to work! Man, I hope my boss doesn't yell at me."
Chloe quickly entered the cafe, and was immediately met by her boss.
"Oh, there you are Chloe!" she said with a smile.
"Sorry I'm late…" Chloe said, bowing her head. "I got caught up in a meeting after school."
"It's fine Chloe. I know you won't make a habit out of it, and hey, if it makes you feel better, the temp hire started today."
"Awesome…" Chloe said, still trying to catch her breath. Normally Chloe was good at running long distances without losing her breath, but the summer heat made the air very dense and hard to breath. Chloe couldn't help but wonder how she didn't pass out on her way to work.
"Anyway, I'm gonna go ahead and get changed."
"Alright, but before you do, do you mind attending to those customers over there?" Chloe's boss said, pointing towards a couple of girls sitting at a table in the back of the restaurant. Chloe felt her facing getting red, as she instantly recognized those girls from her school.
"Just my luck…" she said to herself.
Chloe slowly walked over to the table, hoping by some miracle that the people in question wouldn't recognize her.
"Oh, hey it's Chloe! What are you doing here?" said one of the girls at the table.
"H-hey guys." Chloe said in a low voice.
"Would you like to join us? We're planning on having some tea and cake." One of the other girls said.
"I can't guys…I know this is gonna sound really embarrassing but I work here."
"What? You work here?"
"Yeah…you don't have to repeat that part out loud. In fact I'd prefer it if you didn't…"
"My bad Chloe, it just came as a surprise to us. We didn't know that you had a job."
"Yeah…it's not that bad of a gig though, and the boss lets me have a discount on all the food in here."
"Awesome! Maybe we should join you and work at the cafe?"
"Please don't…" Chloe thought to herself.
After taking her classmates' orders, she headed back into the kitchen to notify the cook. Before she entered the door however, she bumped into the new guy working at the cafe. This new guy being of course are very own Yuuki.
"Sorry about that Yuuki said, lending her a hand."
"Thanks…but next time can you please try to watch where you're going? I'd like to not get injured on the job." Chloe said in an annoyed voice.
Yuuki wanted to apologize again, but Chloe simply walked off.
"Well…so much for making a good first impression at this job." Yuuki said to himself.
Part 2:
It was 30 minutes till closing time at the cafe, and activity had slowed down by a lot. Customers weren't coming in as much as they were earlier, leaving Chloe to clean the tables and watch the register.
"Man…what a day…" Chloe said to herself out loud. "First I show up to work late, then I run into classmates, then I run into the new guy who works here. At least it's just about over now…" she said with a sigh.
It was at that moment that Yuuki walked out of the back area, cleaning supplies in hand. Yuuki was about to wipe down the tables when Chloe called her over.
"Hey, new guy."
Yuuki turned to face Chloe.
"Yeah you. What's your name?"
"Yuuki. I'm working here temporarily until the owner finds more work." he said to chloe.
"Also I'm sorry for bumping into you earlier…"
"It's alright…mistakes happen." she said in a low tone.
For a moment, things were quiet in the store, with the only sound coming from cars and people walking by outside. That's when Yuuki decided to strike up a conversation with Chloe.
"So what's your name?"
"Hmm?"
"I asked what your name was?"
"It's Chloe…"
"Hey Chloe, how was your shift today?"
Chloe was taken back by Yuuki's hospitality. She was used to people at school striking up a conversation with her, but not people at work.
"Say, what's your deal? Why are you trying to chat with me? Do you happen to have a crush on me or something?"
"I just wanted to chat to make time go by, that's all." Yuuki said.
"I see…well, if you must know, today was a bit stressful for me."
"I'm sorry to hear…" Yuuki said as he began whipping a table down.
"Yeah…first I show up to work late, then I see some friends from school show up…"
"Is it a bad thing that you see friends from work show up here?"
"I mean…I don't really mind it…but at the same time it's kind of embarrassing. They're out doing after school activities and I"m here…stuck in a cafe."
"I feel you…I mean I don't mind working here…but I'd rather go home and play Legends of Astrum."
"Legends of Astrum? You mean that new virtual game that came out a couple of months ago?"
Yuuki nodded.
"Cheez, no wonder you need this job, I bet just getting the headset for that game cost you an arm and a leg.
"Well…to be fair I did get the headset for free from a friend." Yuuki said, recalling his strange encounter with lady Labyrista in the park that fateful day.
"Wow…consider yourself lucky then. I know a couple of friends of mine have been wanting to join that game. I'm still on the fence about it."
"Well, hey, if you do decide to join I can show you around." Yuuki said with a smile.
"Thanks…" Chloe said. "You sure you're not trying to hit on me though?"
"Positive…" Yuuki said, though he'd imagine he'd have a hard time explaining to Chloe why he knew so many females in that game.
At long last the work day ended. Chloe got out of her work clothes and back into her school clothes and headed out the door of the cafe. She and Yuuki went their separate ways, walking two different directions when going home.
That said, Chloe did feel a type of warmth in her chest. It wasn't love, but it was a feeling of happiness. Maybe talking to this new co-worker before he left wouldn't be such a bad idea.
Luckily for her though, she'd be seeing Yuuki again in the future…