Chapter 380.2 - Short Story |
Short Story. Everyday Life At The Café
"Let's just give it a try."
"Don't just try for the sake of trying… How about quitting the café altogether?"
"I can't close the place where everyone takes a break. Some might cry and be sad, you know."
"Do you have customers asking you to cry and close it?"
There are no customers like that.
Surely there aren't, right?
Jorm and I discussed how to make Neapolitan Pizza with alternative ingredients.
Oh, this and that, I search on the smartphone while not letting up on the culinary research.
"Y-yes. Is it about your order?"
A woman sitting at a table calls me, and I get a little flustered.
Oh no, there's another pair of customers.
I clear my throat and decide to respond seriously. She's not someone I usually see around here.
I can see a trace of a child in her. So she might be in her early teens?
The cute girl's blonde twintails' suits her well. I find myself captivated by her smile.
"I was wondering if the plant pot is for sale."
She points to the corner of the counter where a plant pot is. The semi-transparent glasswork tree in the pot doesn't seem to be a real plant; it looks like a craft.
"That's not for sale. It was for early verification. So I could sell it, but… it will wither soon, you know?"
Maintaining that would be quite a challenge. It would be shocking if it withered quickly.
"It's okay. This is a gift."
Before I knew it, another person had moved to the counter, lifted the plant pot, and smiled. It's the first time I've seen silver hair, except for Sena.
"Well, then, I can't sell it anymore. It's a plant that withers quickly, and it would be bad for the recipient."
"I'm stuck and want to try it. Please."
The petite girl bows deeply. She doesn't seem desperate, but she still seems to need it.
What should I do? Oh well, it's fine. I already told her it might wither.
"Well, sure. You don't have to pay… There's a high chance it will wither."
I can't take money for a defective product, after all.
"Thank you. If it doesn't wither, I'll come to thank you someday."
Paying for the meal, the girl smiles like a blooming flower. She seems genuinely happy, and it makes me happy too.
"Thank you as always. Feel free to come again."
"Yes, if I have the chance."
With the plant pot in hand, the girls bow and leave the shop.
"Well then, thank you for the meal, lovely young ladies."
As I opened the door, the 2 girls turned around, flashed mischievous smiles, and with a playful chime of the doorbell, they disappeared into the backlight.
"I wonder what those girls were up to."
I shrugged as I let out a black wind from my body and turned back to the black-haired, dark-eyed girl.They were some strange girls.
To see through my disguise, those wandering adventurers must possess quite formidable powers.
"Sneaking into this world secretly, they're undoubtedly troublesome folks. Hey, you, this appearance attracts customers, you know?"
"What are you talking about? You don't get it. In this kind of secret hideout-like café, there should be a calm and mysterious master! If a beautiful girl is the owner, it won't feel like a hidden café anymore."
I pouts and rebuts. Jorm doesn't understand the concept of romance.
"The sales are fine because I can make money with the perfect lottery ticket method I devised."
"Is there any point in running a café?"
"I wanted to live a leisurely and carefree slow life. That's why I open this shop 4 times a month."
With separated work and I'm still a hard worker. It's impressive, isn't it?
"Whatever. More importantly, for the next approach. Should I try the fake marriage again?"
"Is your reference material still from shojo manga?"
I chuckle at Jorm, who is lost in thought. Then, the doorbell rings.
"Ta-no-mo~! Today, I will definitely finish the super ultra-final parfait!"
The energetic girl who came in enthusiastically raised her voice.
"Mii-sama, can I clean up the trash in this shop first? There's bulky trash left."
"It might be burnable trash~. I'll burn it~."
While uttering dangerous words, her friends also enter. For some reason, they seem hostile towards Jorm, but it doesn't concern me.
They must be coming from school. Everyone is in their school uniforms.
"Hey, then let's have a parfait! Where are the others?"
"I am the manager."
"Tamamo is also the manager~."
"The manager is not for sale~."
Well, I think I'll make a parfait that 2 people can't finish today.
A parfait that can only be eaten by 3 people working together!