(Juwan's POV.)
.
"Yo Juwan, can you pass me my cig?" My co worker asked me as I hand it to her.
"You taking a break?" I asked her as she pulls one out of the box.
"Well, there's no people around anyways." She said as she goes out through the staff's door.
The repairs on the cafe finally finished so here I am, back to work. There's really no people around like usual other than some men in suits that orders some drinks then do their business then leaves.
My co-worker and I already knows that this shop is a front so we don't really mind it. It's more surprising to see normal civilians and students honestly.
I checked my notebook, looking at my savings. My paranoia is telling me that I should get another job even when the pay here is amazing.
But if I do get one, what type of job? I hid my notebook as I heard the chimes on the cafe's door ring.
"Welcome to Marron Clair." I said with a smile, even closing my eyes to make sure that I'm enthusiastic to serve them.
"Pftt."
Eh?
"You sure are a hardworker, Juwan Dela Cruz."
I opened my eyes to see who it is and saw Lecitia in this world's casual outfit.
"..."
"Speechless because of how happy you are to see me?" She asked, her voice filled with sarcasm as she rest her arm on the corner.
"What are you doing here?" I asked her, my server facade gone as she smiles.
"I don't know if you'll believe me but... it's really just plain coincidence." She said as she looks at the menu.
I felt the nose of my bridge scrunch as I just let out a sigh. I stretched slightly as I look back again at her.
"So, you ordering something?" I asked as I sat down on the chair behind the counter.
"Well, I guess ice is abundant in this world." Lecitia said as she points at a milktea.
"I'm quiet curious in this concoction." She said as she hands me money for payment.
"...How did you even get money to spend in this world?" I asked her as she walks at the waiting area.
"I'm a queen darling, wealth isn't a problem for me." She said as I make her milktea.
Yeah, no. I'm not gonna give myself a headache trying to understand the logic of how she gets this world's-- no, this country's currency.
"Do you like it sweet?" I asked her as I was adjusting the sugar level.
"Yes." She answered briefly as she checked on something.
I finished making her drink as I give it to her. She looked at me and smiled.
"What?"
"...Are you available to be commissioned?" She asked as she points her finger at me.
Suddenly a system window appeared. I looked at her, her demeanor still calm and collected. I read the contents of the system window.
[[ Blood Hunt Warp: Yellow.
Chance of a Black Card Holder appearing: 80%]]
Yellow?! Her warp was Orange for fuck's sake!
"...I don't think I'm strong enough for--"
"You are." She said, still smiling as she puts down her finger, taking a straw and stabbing it on the top of her milktea as she takes a sip.
"Mhmm, tasty. So, are you available or not?" She asked.
I stay silent, thinking about the pros and cons. It is the Blood Hunt warp where I can farm Ark Krystals for levelling up.... but I also don't know how the fuck it would work since I'm not in the game anymore.
Along with the potential of a black card holder appearing, the disadvantages for me are just too much.
"I'm sorry but I--"
"80,000 Aven Dollars."
"When do you want me to go?"
80,000 BABY! RRAAHHHH!
That could make me last 4 months without working! Thank you Lecitia! You're a damn diva! Such a Queen!
Lecitia giggles at how fast I changed my mind as she takes another sip of her milktea.
"I'll inform you." She said with a smug smile as she walks out the store.
As soon as she left, I sat down as I pull out my notebook again, writing down the money that I'll potentially get.
Suddenly, I heard my phone vibrate.
I grabbed it and checked to see why it vibrated. It was Lovely, she messaged me so I immediately opened the lockscreen and checked her message.
"Are you still at work?"
"Yep yep." I replied back to her as I put my notebook back on my bag.
I stayed silent as I fix the necktie of my uniform. Lovely didn't reply back so I just put my phone back on my bag.
A few minutes passed when the door of the cafe opens as the chimes rang loudly.
"Welcome to Marron--"
"Made it!"
I look at the customer who entered the cafe and saw that they were wearing casual clothes but they're pink hair still shines through even when the sun already set.
"Lovely?" I uttered her name as a smile form on my face.
She looked at me as she raises her hand slightly to wave. I can't help but let out a happy sigh as she moves closer to the counter.
"H-hi!" She said, her face is slightly red.
"So, why are you here?" I asked her, looking like a dumbass since I can't stop my lips from smiling.
"O-oh! It's because I-- uhmmm... Ah! I was bored so I came here to hang out!" She said.
Lovely, you don't like going outside at all you dummy.
"Really? I was hoping that you missed me so you came to visit." I said, acting sad as I lean in the counter getting closer to her face.
"W-Well--!" She uttered as I stifle my laugh.
"Stop flirting with the customer while you're on shift." My co worker said, suddenly appearing behind me.
"You done with your smoke break?" I asked her.
"What do you think?" She said as she wore her apron.
My co worker looked at Lovely and smiled as she looks at me. She suddenly unties my apron and removed the hat I was wearing.
"Don't make your girlfriend just stand here and take your break." She said as I remove my apron completely.
"Thanks." I told her as I went to the other side of the counter.
Lovely just followed me as she bows slightly to my co worker. We went to one of the seats as we started chatting.
"S-so umm! The reason why I actually came was because--!"
"I missed you." I cut her off as a slight smile forms across her face.
"I-- I missed you too..." She said, her voice gently getting more and more shy every word.
Not gonna lie, I was stunned by her saying that she missed me too. I covered my mouth as I try to hide how much I'm smiling right now.
"So? How are you? I was surprised when you suddenly chatted me that you were sick the other day." I asked her.
"O-oh! Umm! I'm fine now! It's just that I uhh... got sick watching too much anime hehe."
Lovely... you're such a bad liar.
"I see, that's good." I said as I gently pat her. She smiles as she clutches the side of my uniform.
She stayed silent for quiet a bit.
Suddenly.
"Umm, I heard from Cedric and the others that you sang for them the other day... was that true?" She asked , gently removing my hand to have a better to view of my face.
"Hmm? Yeah." I replied.
Her eyes looked down to her hands, her cheeks gently puffing up.
"Oh." She uttered.
Is-- is she pouting? Oh God that's so cute! Seriously, this girl!
I gently touch her face with both my hand, gently mushing her cheek as she looked at me with a confused expression.
"You're jealous, aren't you?" I asked her as her face turned red.
"N-no! It's just that--!"
"That..?"
"...! F-fine! You're right! I got slightly jealous! A-and it's wrong for me to get jealous!" She said as she holds my hand that are holding her cheeks.
"There's nothing wrong with being jealous, silly!" I told her, removing my hand from her cheek.
"There is! It's... I dunno, just kinda wrong?" She said as she do these cute hand movements.
"How so?"
"Well... I dunno, it's just... I feel like it's weird that I'm feeling jealous just because you sang for them." She said, slightly pouting.
"If that's weird to you then damn, I'm already way past that." I told her as she looks at me.
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
"I get jealous everytime you talk to Cedric, you know." I told her.
She stifles her laugh but fails as she lets out a small giggle.
"Hehe, I guess you are weirder."
"See?" I told her as I felt her hands gently tugging on my sleeve.
I wondered why as I let myself get pulled, leaning closer to her as her hand suddenly lands on my hair.
"You tied your hair." She said as she pats me.
"Well, it's for hygiene purposes." I replied as she kept rustling my hair.
She kept patting me, almost hugging my entire head as I stay silent.
"You know. I kinda didn't like that I wasn't able to talk to you that much earlier this day." She suddenly said.
"Hmm? What do you mean?" I asked.
"I don't know... I'm just-- it's weird."
"...Honestly, I thought you were enjoying your time with Cedric earlier and that Shorty is stopping me from talking to you." I told her.
"Sonaia did?"
"Yeah, cuz she's full on supporting you to go out with Ced." I told her as she giggles.
"Is it mean that I find it funny that you were supportive as well before, but now..."
"Pftt-- well... yes." I told her as she giggles.
"So, tell me. Am I doing good with stealing your attention?" I asked her as her eyes widen before laughing.
"Not at all~." She said playfully as I was mesmerized by how cute she is.
She looks up at me, her eyes just focused on mine.
"You're handsome, you know that?"
What?
Ha?
I felt my face heating up because of her words.
"I-- why did-- what?"
"I wondered the other day if you were just messing with me when you said you like me cuz you're handsome and I'm just... me." She continued as her eyes locked on my face as a smile forms on her lips.
"Is this what you feel when you call me cute?" She asked.
"W-what do you mean?"
"I might get addicted to it..." She uttered.
"With what?!" I asked her as she just giggles.
She just smiled at me, not answering my question at all!
[Seriously, you're so ugly, you know that?]
Suddenly, an unpleasant memory popped up in my head. I looked at Lovely as she sees me looking at her.
"...is it selfish of me to say that I'm glad that no one else knows how good-looking you are?" She said.
Wow, the contrast between them--.
I can't help but smile from her words.
"You know, I'll really get the wrong idea if you keep saying stuffs like that." I told her as I gently pat her back.
"It''s payback!" She said as she giggles.
"Still, it's dangerous. You know that I like you so if you keep saying those stuffs, then I might think that you like me too." I told her as she went silent but her smile never left her face.
Hey seriously, you're making my heart beat like crazy, woman! Don't just suddenly stay silent!
"I-- I don't know actually." She said, scratching her cheek.
"You're comparing me with Cedric aren't you?"
"I didn't mean to-- wait no! Stop reading my mind!" She said as she covers her head.
She went silent.
"I'm sorry. It's rude that I compared you to him." She said as as she clutches my sleeve.
"Don't worry, it's okay." I told her.
"...2 weeks."
"Hmm?"
"Give me 2 weeks, no-- 3 weeks! Then I'll properly respond to your confession!" She suddenly said.
I was dumbfounded by her sudden declaration as her eyes looks at mine with sincerity.
"...I actually wasn't expecting on getting an answer but... sure." I said as I can't help but smile.
She just held my hand, gently biting her lips as her eyes wanders around.
"What's up?" I asked her as she looks at me.
"I... I just remembered something." She uttered.
"Hmm? What is it?"
"O-oh! It's umm, it's just I-- I remembered when I suddenly hugged you the other day! I- I was just thinking that maybe I made you uncomfortable then and--"
"A...and, I dunno it's just that I umm...! I should've asked first before doing that right? I was kinda... hehe... I'm sorry that I--"
Jesus, this girl-- it's obvious what she wants.
I gently wrapped my arms around her as she stops talking. Her arms cling to me as I felt her relax. I felt her snuggle on my chest as her grip tightens.
"I'm selfish..." She uttered while still hugging me.
"To hug someone while not being sure of how you feel about them... yes, you are." I agreed with her statement with a chuckle.
"But you're the one who hugged me." She replied as she gently push away the hug to look at me.
"Because you're too obvious." I told her as she pouts.
I chuckled as she gently smacks my chest with her hands.
"...I want to hug you more." She uttered as she hugs me again.
"You can keep hugging me, I don't mind." I said as I pat her head.
"You're not uncomfy with it?" She asked as she looks up at me.
"Hell no! In fact, I'm so happy that you're hugging me, so just hug me whenever you feel like it." I told her as she giggle.
"Pftt hehe, you're a big dummy. You're spoiling me too much."
She lets go of me, completely satisfied after a long hug as she fix her glasses.
"You really really reallyy~! Confuse me, Juwan." Lovely said as she stood up.
"Well, I'm sorry. I'm gonna confuse you even more." I told her sarcastically as I stood up as well.
"Hehehe you're as bad as me, selfish!" She said in a teasing manner.
The both of us giggle as we walk to the cafe's door. My co-worker was at the back of the establishment, there were no other customers like usual, leaving Lovely and me all alone.
"See you tomorrow." She told me as she holds the door's handle.
"See you tomorrow, Lovely." I replied to her.
She puffs her cheek as she lets go of the handle, walking towards me.
"Vely."
"Eh?"
"Call me Vely!" She said as she looks up at me.
"Wait-- but Lovely--!"
"VE. LY!" She said as she puffs her cheek even more.
"...Vely."
"Good! See you tomorrow!" Lov-- no, Vely said as she left the cafe.
I stood still at the cafe's door for a few minutes. My thoughts are a mess, my heart beating like crazy, my face feels hot.
Haa... seriously.
I scratched my head, looking at the ground as my heart starts to calm down. I walk back to the counter, wearing my apron.
"Vely huh." I uttered.
I felt myself smiling as I clock back in to work.