[Vol.2] Chapter 62: Part-time job (Pt.2) - Incompetence.

Now stranding in front of me was Mocha-san, self-consciously wearing the cafe's uniform, with Hitomi-san supporting her from behind.

I stood there, puzzled, wondering why she was wearing the cafe's uniform.

"So, what do you think?"

Hitomi-san inquired for my opinion, referring to Mocha-san's clothes that seemed like she helped put on.

Snapping from my thoughts, I replied.

"Oh, ah- yeah. It looks great. It really suits you."

I told Mocha-san, scratching my cheek slightly, beginning to be conscious as well from complementing the opposite sex.

Well, I'm a guy as well. It has barely been a week since I first met Mocha-san, and I didn't want to appear like a playboy to someone I barely know. [The guy who caused the hundred carry incident.]

More importantly, I was confused as to why Mocha-san was wearing the cafe's uniform, but before that, I made sure to complement her outfit first and told them what they wanted to hear. [Someone who has a sister.]

"T, thanks..." Mocha-san bashfully thanked me, thinking 'His prince mode sure is dangerous.'

Shortly after, Aria-san and her maid Mei-san stepped out from the staffroom also. And to my surprise, there I saw Aria-san wearing the same cafe uniform.

Aria-san's cheeks are slightly flushed yet still forcing a straight face. She seemed self-conscious too wearing the frilly waitress uniform resembling that of a maid's.

Feeling devious, 'I wonder if it still works?'

Wanting to test my theory, I pretended to accidentally mutter under my breath.

"Cute."

I muttered, loud enough for Aria-san the ojou-sama to hear.

She frowned, hiding her embarrassment.

"It's not like I wanted to wear this," She told me, then silently muttered under her breath, "stupid."

She wasn't necessarily lying, Mei was the one who insisted her to work in the cafe along with Me and Mocha-san.

My lips curled up seeing her reaction. 'I guess she didn't change much, huh.'

Seeing a somewhat familiar expression, I put on a slight smile as though satisfied.

I'm not sure what exactly happened, however, it seems like Mocha-san and Aria-san are now also employed in the cafe. Boss Roji-san explained that both of them recently got employed moments before I arrived.

I don't know the details, but he somehow found the funds to afford three salaries only yesterday. I just hope he didn't get scammed, and this wasn't a case of those scamming the elderly phone calls.

"M-Master, I'll do my best!" Mocha-san stutteringly told me, obviously nervous yet determined about the idea of working and interacting with people.

"Call me senpai." I corrected her. "We're working so, and I got employed first so call me that."

I demanded, to which Mocha-san quickly complied.

"S, senpai!" She answered with hints of cringe on her face.

I looked towards Aria-san, which Mocha-san's gaze follows as well. She frowned, looking back at me with a cold glare.

"I'm not calling you that." She told me.

'I wasn't going to though...' I was just concerned about if it was alright for such a lady of high-class to be working at a humble cafe.

After Boss Roji-san finished his orientation to the two, we started servicing the customers for real. Hitomi-san and Aria-san's maid Mei occupied a table in one corner, waiting and watching over their friends/master.

And so, customers started to come by. I tended the counter while Aria-san was stationed inside as a waitress, while Mocha-san was stationed outside because we already had the inside covered.

I purposely insisted I work the counter as it looks cooler and mysterious, like the way he looks at you, he clearly knows something.

I'm not sure why but, more people are coming in than usual. Well, I say usual but I've only seen this place over the weekend and yesterday, so I easily accepted it was only an assumption that this place wasn't frequent.

Most people coming in were of our age, it's understandable since we are close to school, and the cafe is placed at a commonly used route.

Two girls walked up to the counter.

"Welcome to Blue Moon cafe, how may I help you?" I flashed a bright smile, perfectly put together like a proper person working at customer service.

The bright smile blinded them, 'W, what customer service!' they thought as though an idol provided fan service just now. 'The rumors are true!'

Actually, when I started working yesterday, words got out that there's a handsome guy working at a certain cafe. That probably explains why there are more people than usual today, most of them are girls, though I'm completely unaware of this...

I'd say, I was doing my job well. Meanwhile Aria-san,

Noticing her master putting on a frown, which is unwanted for customer service, Mei-san corrected her calling Aria-san out in whispers.

"Aria-sama, don't forget to smile."

Mei-san lifted the end of her lips with her fingers, though her eyes remained unexpressive.

Aria-san taking Mei-san's advice, her frowning face shifted to a smile, though you could tell it was purely because of work.

She tended the handful of tables inside the cafe and was doing quite well more than I expected.

Meanwhile, Mocha-san standing outside, anxiously putting on a grim expression, doesn't know exactly what she should do at the moment.

'What am I supposed to do here exactly?'

People were mostly inside the cafe, so she just stood outside doing nothing. But not for long.

Eventually, the handful of tables inside got occupied and people started to sit at the open air extension, at the terrace and near the road.

Putting on this awkwardly forced smile, Mocha-san anxiously tended the tables.

Time elapsed and the cafe became packed with people. With that, work became busier.

I was managing the counter pretty well, while Aria-san was getting tired of putting on this welcoming mask working as a waitress.

"This is quite tiring."

Aria-san muttered, sighing near Hitomi-san and Mei-san's table.

"But isn't this what you wanted, Aria-sama? You even included the pink haired girl." Mei-san commented.

"Hm, I don't know what you're talking about." Aria-san refuted Mei-san's claims.

Truthfully, this really wasn't what Aria-san initially wanted. She wanted to buy the cafe to get closer to a certain someone, and hiring Mocha-san just came in as a plus. Or so she tried telling herself.

However, Mei-san knew she wanted to help Mocha-san slightly, having the same misunderstanding that she was poor.

The way Mocha-san desperately tried to tag along in my gig, and carrying a flip phone around, really gives that impression. I mean, who really carries around a flip phone in this day and age? [It was for a dumb reason.]

"Speaking of which, are you sure she's alright?"

Mei-san inquired, looking outside the window, with Mocha-san in view that seemed like under a lot of pressure and stress from servicing the customers.

She was slow, messed up orders, didn't meet eyes with the customers, and clumsy due to overly thinking things that clouded her judgements.

People outside were patient with her, while some showed signs of annoyance with her behavior.

In contrast to the inside of the cafe only housing six tables, the outside had over ten tables that Mocha-san is tending to.

Hitomi-san and Mei are already occupying one of the tables inside, and Shiori-senpai ate slowly occupying the other, wondering 'Who are those two girls working with him?' she glared.

That means Mocha-san was doing twice as much work compared to the two of us working inside.

People outside started complaining at her, complaining about the cafe's inability to provide proper costumer service. It seemed like she was on the brink of tears, blaming herself for her incompetence, yet still holding it in, trying her hardest not to cry.

Mei-san looks at her, muttering "She's incompetent."

It was her professional opinion as some who works as a maid at the Tamami Household.

People have their own pace, and being around incompetent slows down that pace, making them a source of annoyance of their incapability to match their speed. If she continues to lag behind,

"She won't survive in this world if she stayed like this."

Hitomi-san and Aria-san couldn't really deny Mei-san's opinion. Even if Hitomi-san wanted to defend her friend, it was the rule of the world that the weak gets devoured and trampled on.

After finishing her meal, Shiori-senpai requested for the check and walked up to the counter to inform me she leaving.

"Thanks for your patronage, dear costomer." I flashed a bright smile to Shiori-senpai.

She thought, 'I guess seeing him diligently working isn't so bad either.'

After Shiori-senpai left, Hitomi-san walked up to the counter and called out to me.

"Yukiya-kun. Aren't you putting Mocha-san, your disciple in too much pressure? Don't you think she could use a little help?"

"No, she can handle it." I replied, thinking. 'It's just bring food and cleaning the tables. What's so hard about it?'

I couldn't really see how Mocha-san is holding up outside as the wall blocks my vision from the counter.

"I, if you say so..." Hitomi-san uttered in worry, wondering if Mocha-san would be alright in my hands.

Hitomi-san was aware Mocha-san became my disciple, and before we started, I told Mocha-san we will assassinate people's tastebuds with our food.

This means this was an assassination role-play. With Hitomi-san being aware of Mocha-san and I's situation, I thought that the two of them caught on to what I was trying to do.

Somehow, we manage to pull through ending our shift at 8:00pm. With Mocha-san completely burnt out, physically and mentally exhausted after dealing with people for the rest of the day.