The early mornings in Tokyo always come particularly early. At five o'clock, when the sky has just taken on the pale whitish hue of fish bellies, Sakura Sato is already standing at the door of "Sakura Tei" maid café, unlocking it with her key. She takes a deep breath, and the air still carries the dampness of night dew and a faint floral fragrance.
"Good morning! Sakura Tei, let's do our best today too!" she says softly to the empty café, her voice as clear as the chirping of birds in the early morning.
Sakura takes off her coat, revealing the black-and-white maid outfit underneath. This uniform is one of her most cherished possessions – the deep black dress is neatly tailored, the white ruffled apron is spotless, and the collars and cuffs are embroidered with exquisite cherry blossom patterns. She carefully smooths out every wrinkle to ensure she looks flawless.
"Sakura-chan, you're here so early again." The shop manager Yumi Matsumoto pushes the door open, and upon seeing Sakura already busy, a gratified smile appears on her face.
"Good morning, Yumi-nee!" Sakura turns around and bows, her movements as standard as if they've been rehearsed a thousand times. "I want to prepare today's special desserts first; the customers will definitely like them!"
Yumi looks at this girl who has just turned twenty, and a complex emotion flashes in her eyes. Sakura has only been working at "Sakura Tei" for three months, but she has already become the most popular maid in the shop. She has a special charm – not the kind of cuteness put on deliberately, but a genuine sunshine and enthusiasm from the heart.
"Don't overwork yourself. Today is the weekend, and there will be a lot of customers," Yumi pats Sakura's shoulder and heads to the office at the back.
Sakura hums a song and starts preparing ingredients. Her movements are quick and precise; as she flicks her wrist, the dough in her hands seems to come to life. Making desserts is one of Sakura's specialties, and she believes that delicious food can heal people's hearts.
"Today's specials are cherry blossom daifuku and matcha tiramisu..." she mutters to herself while working. "Ah, I need to remember to remind customers that the matcha powder might be a bit bitter..."
Other maids of the café arrive one after another, and the shop gradually becomes lively. Sakura is like a busy little bee, shuttling between the kitchen and the front desk, helping to arrange tableware, adjust the positions of tables and chairs, and even remembering to replace the fresh cherry blossom branches in the small vases on each table.
"Sakura-senpai, can you teach me how to tie this bow?" Megumi Ono, the new maid, walks over timidly, holding the apron strings that she can't tie properly.
"Of course! " Sakura smiles, her eyes curving into crescents. "Look, loop it like this, then thread it through from below... There you go! Megumi-chan learns so fast!"
At exactly ten o'clock, "Sakura Tei" opens for business on time. Most of the first batch of customers are regulars, and they greet the maids warmly as soon as they enter.
"Sakura-chan! You're so cute today too!"
"Miss Sakura, the earl grey tea cake you recommended last week was amazing; my girlfriend loved it so much!"
"Sakura, can I take a photo with you? My friend says you're the cutest maid in Tokyo and insists I prove it..."
Sakura handles each customer with ease, her smile never seeming to tire. In the eyes of customers, she is the perfect maid image – sweet, considerate, and always full of energy.
"Master, welcome back!" Sakura bows to a young man who has just entered. "Would you like to try our new product today?"
The man nods, blushing. Sakura leads him to a seat, and when handing over the menu, she winks: "Today's special is the cherry blossom daifuku made by Sakura herself. There are only ten limited ones, and master is lucky – the last one is still left!"
The café's business continues until ten o'clock in the evening. After seeing off the last customer, Sakura helps clean up the shop. Although her legs are sore, her mood is still pleasant.
"Sakura, can you come to my office for a moment?" Yumi suddenly calls her after closing the door.
"Okay, Yumi-nee!" Sakura wipes her hands and follows the manager to the office at the back.
Yumi's office is much simpler than Sakura imagined. Apart from a desk and a few chairs, there are almost no decorations. The only eye-catching thing is a piece of calligraphy hanging on the wall, with the two characters "Jenyi" (benevolence and righteousness) written on it.
"Sit down." Yumi points to the chair opposite, then takes out a thick envelope from the drawer and pushes it in front of Sakura. "This is your bonus for this month. You've done a great job."
Sakura opens her eyes in surprise: "But... I've only been here for three months..."
"Exactly because of that." Yumi's expression turns serious. "Sakura, you know that 'Sakura Tei' is not just an ordinary maid café, right?"
Sakura tilts her head, a little confused: "Aren't we one of the most famous maid café chains in Tokyo?"
Yumi lets out a soft laugh, a complex emotion in it that Sakura can't understand: "On the surface, that's true. But actually... we are a property of the 'Aokura-kai'."
"Aokura... kai?" Sakura repeats this unfamiliar name, and suddenly realizing something, her face turns slightly pale. "Is it... that Aokura-kai?"
No one in Tokyo's underground world doesn't know the "Aokura-kai" – one of the largest yakuza organizations in the Kanto region, controlling one-third of Tokyo's entertainment industry and part of the port trade. Although it has tried hard to whitewash its image in recent years, its gang background is well-known.
"That's right." Yumi looks directly into Sakura's eyes. "Are you scared?"
Sakura's hands unconsciously clench and then relax. She thinks of all the abnormalities she's seen in the past three months – those mysterious customers who visit late at night, the unknown goods occasionally carried through the back door, and the sudden respectful tone Yumi uses when answering phone calls...
"I... I don't know how to answer." Sakura says honestly. "But I like this job, and I like making customers happy."
Yumi examines Sakura, seemingly evaluating the truthfulness of her words. After a moment, she nods: "Good girl. Actually, your usual work won't change at all. It's just that... from now on, you may come into contact with some special customers. They seem no different from other customers on the surface, but you need to pay extra attention to their needs."
"I understand." Sakura takes a deep breath. "I'll do a good job."
Yumi shows a satisfied smile: "I knew I didn't misjudge you. By the way, tomorrow night at nine o'clock, an important customer is coming, and he specifically asked for you to serve him. Wear the formal black dress, got it?"
"Yes, Yumi-nee."
When walking out of the office, Sakura's hands are still slightly shaking. She never thought that her dream job as a maid would be related to the yakuza. But strangely, apart from the initial shock, she doesn't feel much fear. Deep down, there's even an indescribable... excitement?
Back in the changing room, the other maids have already left. Sakura slowly takes off her maid outfit and hangs it up carefully. The girl in the mirror has a round doll-like face, shoulder-length black hair, and big, bright eyes – she looks like an innocent and lovely maid no matter how you see it.
"Aokura-kai..." Sakura mutters the name softly, and suddenly smiles at the mirror with a smile different from usual, a hint of danger in it. "It seems... not bad either?"