Vol 1 Chapter 4 (2/2)

”You could hear the commotion from here? That sure is a problem for a shop in the service industry.”

I placed a gla.s.s of water and a wet towel on the table.

”But it looks fun.”

”I wonder about that; some even start crying once in a while. At any rate, I have confidence in our coffee. And none of our dishes are half bad.”

”I see. I would like a cup of that good coffee then. And please add your recommended confectionery to the order.”

”Then how about our recommended blend plus the owner's hand-made apple pie?”

Since Tsukimori nodded, I bowed respectfully and said ”Certainly.”

I forwarded the order to the kitchen staff.

”You sure are an unfriendly guy.”

Mirai-san was there making a frown instead of food.

”You think so? Actually I am trying to be more amiable when I attend guests, though.”

”When does that happen? To me, there's no difference. Seriously, what does she like about a guy like you?”

Her eyebrow raised, she sceptically mustered Tsukimori.

”I forgot to mention, but she is not my girlfriend.”

”She isn't?”

”No. Just a cla.s.smate.”

”Then tell me what a beauty and mere cla.s.smate wants from you.”

”It's not me, it's the café. Apparently she is a fan of cafés.”

Since there was no merit at all in telling her the truth, I just made something up.

”That's all? Boring.”

”As always, you are so self-centered it's almost refres.h.i.+ng. I'm dead sure you would have been irritated even if she was my lover.”

”It's refres.h.i.+ng because I'm honest! To begin with, I think there must be something wrong with those that are delighted about other people's happiness. Every one of them is either a hypocrite or just scheming something.”

”A lovely opinion loaded with prejudice, I have to say.”

I wasn't as dismissive as I may have appeared, though. In fact, in my mind I even had to agree with her–is it because of that warped personality of mine?

I felt inclined to ask her, who was ”honest” by her own judgment and ”erratic” by everyone else's, for her opinion regarding a certain question.

”Mirai-san, may I ask you something?”

”Mh? What is it?”

”What do you think about someone who doesn't grieve over their misfortune?”

”Sounds fishy to me,” she answered quick as a shot. ”Misfortunes are called that because you they make you sad, right? If you don't get sad, then you can't call it a misfortune.”

”I see,” this time I actually put my agreement into words.

I darted a sidelong glance at Tsukimori.

Tired of waiting or just interested in the café's decoration, she was looking around the shop. Apparently, the white ceramic cat and black gla.s.s cat set was to her liking; she stood up and examined it up close.

Who in this café would have guessed that she was in fact a hapless girl who had lost her father only recently?

I reckoned n.o.body.

One could never observe a stirring of extreme emotions in her. She would always appear calm and mature.

I didn't know whether she purposely controlled her feelings or just simply wasn't the type of person to show them, but she didn't look sad at all to me.

Of course, it wasn't unthinkable that she just didn't want to unsettle the people around her and was thus desperately hiding her sadness. Or that might actually be the normal reaction of a girl after such a mishap. After all, the deceased wouldn't return, and mourning forever can't be called very healthy either.

But those are just pieces of theory. Is it really possible to deal with one's feelings in such a short time? Especially if it's sadness?

I recalled Mirai-san's words.

Indeed. It seemed fishy.

The dessert was able to satisfy Tsukimori's tastes.

”It's delicious,” she praised while happily finis.h.i.+ng up her coffee and apple pie without leaving anything over.

I headed to her table to clear up.

”Has everything been to your liking?” I asked, whereupon Tsukimori darted a discontented glance at me.

”Are you telling me to leave?”

”I see you are quick on the uptake.”

”I really like this café.”

She flashed a smile as if she would start to hum any moment.

”Aha. Pleased to hear that. But don't forget that there are lots of different cafés in the world. You ought to try them out as well.”

”I really like this café,” repeated Tsukimori with exactly the same smile and exactly the same words.

”I see sometimes you aren't quick on the uptake,” I mostly repeated myself as well.

Suddenly Tsukimori stood up and walked further into the shop, apparently towards the kitchen. When I followed in wonder, she was giving the staff a natural greeting and smiling like a blooming flower.

”Pleased to meet you.”

It was obvious at a glance that her rosy greeting got the staff fl.u.s.tered. Apparently all of them were quite excited about her. Well, except for Mirai-san who remained unimpressed.

”I am Youko Tsukimori, a cla.s.smate of Nonomiya-kun's,” she introduced herself with polite manners.

”Ah, yes, Nonomiya-kun told us,” answered the manager respectfully despite being way older than her.

”I have to say this is such an adorable little café.”

”Thank you very much!”

The manager blushed slightly, moved by her radiant smile.

”I am so jealous of everyone—”

The staff looked at her in surprise. A girl, who seemed to have anything one could be jealous of, was jealous of them.

”—Because you have the privilege to work at such a wonderful café.”

Youko Tsukimori looked plainly stunning, set aflame in the twilight. Although that was probably due to the backlight from the sunset. In that very moment, everyone was fascinated by her exceptional aura.

”I can't even imagine what bliss it would be to work at such a wonderful place.”

Being the person in this room that had the most resistance against her, I smiled wryly at her star-like att.i.tude. I also found that she had gone over the top with that exorbitant exaggeration.

However, the manager's next words erased the smile on my lips.

”...um, Tsukimori-san, you said?”

”Yes.”

”Would you like to work here?”

”Mister Kujirai—”

I couldn't keep silent. I wanted to keep him from committing a grave mistake. Faust, you are bargaining with Mephistopheles!

However, someone seized my shoulder and held me back. The smell of chocolate was in the air.

”Just watch,” Mirai-san said with a mischievous smile. Here we had another devil.

”Err, actually, there is a vacant post at the moment. And since you are Nonomiya-kun's cla.s.smate, we don't have to worry about your background. So, if you'd like, we would gladly welcome you, Tsukimori-san.”

The other staff members nodded their heads in agreement, too.

It was just like group hypnosis. They must have been mesmerized by the devil and lost their minds.

”I am really happy about your offer, but... can you really make do with me? To tell you the truth, I have never worked anywhere before,” answered Tsukimori hesitatingly after wavering for a short while.

”No no, don't worry! Everyone has to begin somewhere. Besides, I'm positive that you, as someone with outstanding manners, are suited for this kind of business!”

Sure, her acceptance among the customers would be outstanding! They can only see her superficial side after all.

”I'll gladly accept your offer then if you have so much confidence in me,” replied Tsukimori with a bright smile.

Everyone welcomed her warmly with a smile as well. I was the only one who made a sour face, while feeling awfully removed from that ring of blessings.

Because I knew better.

I knew that a bold and determined character lurked beneath her surface, which showed only a beautiful girl of excellent character who was thus loved by everyone.

To make things worse, bright Tsukimori was well aware of her own attractiveness. And just now I had learned that she also knew how to use it correctly.

”Why are men just so weak against pretty girls?” whispered Mirai-san into my ear after she had pulled me by the shoulder, the counter between us.

”A good question. After all, the guys in this café are all 'weak' against you as well,” I answered casually.

”It feels just wrong when you're giving compliments. But it's no bad feeling. Let me pet your head as a reward.”

Mirai-san's palm approached my head, but I refused gloomily. ”I'm not in the mood. Please don't confuse me any further.”

”No need to be reserved! If you want, I may even give you one piece of my chocolate?”

”Are you okay with it? Aren't you against the employment of Tsukimori?”

”You want me to object, don't you?”

”Well, only your objection would be able to put an end to this welcoming mood.”

”Can't be bothered. There's no reason to object.”

”Why?”

I was surprised that Mirai-san would allow such a farce.

”Because it's d.a.m.n funny to see you protest so blatantly when you usually act so cold!!”

Mirai-san cackled.

”...you do realize how awful your personality is?”

”You're worse off than I am, right? If my intuition doesn't fail me, Tsukimori isn't the type of woman a helpless guy like you could handle.”

”Doesn't bother me. I don't plan on making a move on her.”

”You may think so, but what about her?”

Mirai-san narrowed her eyes and peeked searchingly into my face from close up.

”No use punching me, for your information.”

”Yeah yeah. Looking forward to the next few days.”

Without caring about my strong rebuff, Mirai-san waved her hand and toddled back into the kitchen.

It felt like it was just a matter of time until she would get wind of our odd relations.h.i.+p—a woman's intuition?

I told myself that I had to make sure Tsukimori wouldn't say any unnecessary things to Mirai-san.

”I work here now.”

The girl in question, Tsukimori, approached me merrily in spite of all the headaches she was causing me.

”It's still not too late. Won't you think it over again?”

My reply was cold, but my heart was colder.

”Thank you for worrying about me. But since the manager was so kind to offer me this position, I will try my best!”

She cutely clenched her fist, full of confidence.

”I'm not worrying. I am bothered.”

”I am looking forward to working with you, colleague.”

Tsukimori's smile hadn't cracked even once.

Mirai-san had mentioned that I was not someone who could handle her.

I found myself right in the course of experiencing just how spot-on she was.

The next morning in the cla.s.sroom.

All of a sudden, Tsukimori came to my desk and said with a smile as warm as sunbeams s.h.i.+ning through the leaves of a tree and a voice as soft as a gentle summer breeze to Usami:

”I have been employed at the café Nonomiya-kun works at.”

Time stopped in the noisy cla.s.sroom. At least, Usami did—like a clock whose battery had run dry.

”...eh? Youko-san? You work together with Nonomiya? Why? Eeh?”

Her bewilderment made her look like one of those automatons that jump out of striking clocks every hour.

It was like a déja-vu of yesterday.

”The shop manager asked me to help them out because there was a shortage of staff. I am a little anxious because, well, I have never worked anywhere before. But the manager a.s.sured me that I will be fine,” explained Tsukimori unaffectedly.

”You should talk! ...You're the one who made him say that.”

It was me, naturally, who spat out those words in a volume no one could perceive.

”Maybe I should join you...”

”Don't skip your club. You have to do your best and become a regular player.” I was able to predict the direction this conversation would take, so I put a stop to it in advance.

”Why don't you stop by this weekend, Chizuru? I may not be able to keep you company since there's still a lot I have to learn, but there's still Nonomiya-kun. Right, Nonomiya-kun?”

I glared at her smiling face for the brink of a second. She tilted her head slightly, asking ”Hm?” and retaining her unbreakable smile.

”Yeah, you're always welcome in our café, Usami.”

I swore to myself to complain to Tsukimori afterward.

”Okay! I'll drop by! I'll definitely drop by!”

Usami rejoiced grandly, her eyes sparkling. Her straightforward reaction made a good deal of my gloomy mood just flow away.

But there was a serious problem. Judging from the looks of my cla.s.smates, it was obvious that they would raid the café this weekend. And this time it seemed quite difficult to stop them.

”Listen up, everyone! Nonomiya is giving us some explanations!!”

Kamogawa came clapping me on the shoulder with a disgustingly gentle smile. Behind him stood a group of guys with the same disgusting smile on their faces. It was the guys-alliance, and they demanded justice from the one who had stolen the march from them.

It was sickening.

”I am so going to protest to Tsukimori,” I swore determinedly.

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