Chapter 2: Chapter 1 – Chatto Cafe

I was in the cafeteria, looking for my friends Hiroki and Yuuna when I heard Yuuna's voice behind me. I turned around to see her and Hiroki sitting at a table near the entrance, and I couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. I had been so absorbed in my thoughts that I hadn't even noticed them sitting there the whole time.

"You guys were here the entire time? You could've at least called out to me. I was starting to panic, thinking I went to the wrong cafeteria." I said, trying to hide my embarrassment.

"Then maybe it was better if we just kept our heads down and our mouths shut," Hiroki replied with a smirk.

I let out a sarcastic laugh. And It seemed that Hiroki had already explained the entire situation to Yuuna, and as I sat down in front of them, I was immediately bombarded with questions by Yuuna. I had no choice, but to explain to them everything that had happened.

"Well, you'll get a next time. It wouldn't be that rare to run into her, and since you both study the same courses, you're bound the run into her." Hiroki said, trying to comfort me.

"Uh, Yeah..."

Yuuna chimed in to break the awkward silence.

"Anyway, let's discuss our plans for this afternoon. Have you two found any places hiring part-timers?"

The main reason we had met up in the cafeteria in the first place was to discuss our part-time job search. Even with scholarships, the university fees were still a heavy burden on our wallets, and we also had to worry about our apartment rent. Although we did receive allowances from our parents, we didn't want to rely on them too much and add to their burden. After all, our parents had been hesitant about us going to Tokyo to study, and we wanted to prove to them that we were capable of taking care of ourselves here.

Yuuna excitedly shared that she had found a promising opportunity at a convenience store just a few blocks away from our apartment building. Meanwhile, Hiroki was still in the process of looking for a job, or maybe he was just being lazy, as per usual. As for me, I had already landed a part-time job at a local cafe called "Chatto Cafe."

This afternoon would be my first shift at the cafe, and I couldn't help but feel a mix of nerves and excitement. I had never worked with tea or coffee before, but the cafe seemed popular, with a steady stream of customers lining up outside when I had gone to inquire about the job. The owner, an old man, was running the entire shop by himself, his energy and enthusiasm were contagious to the point he didn't seem that old.

"Looks like it's time for me to head to my next class. I'll see you two later at the apartment."

"Yeah, mine too. Catch you later."

"I think I'll take a stroll around campus and explore a bit before my next class, besides I have an hour to spare."

Hiroki said after Yuuna and I were about to go to our classes.

This is actually my last class for today, but I'll immediately go to the cafe when it's over. After all, I still have plenty to learn about my part-time job as an assistant barista. I don't want to blow my chance at my first job by being incompetent.

◇◇◇

As I walked into the bustling cafe, I was immediately greeted by the owner, Tamura-san. "Good afternoon, Tamura-san," I said.

"Oh, Saito-kun, you're here early. You should take a seat first. I'll get to you in a minute," he replied, as he continued to serve a long line of customers.

The cafe was small, but it was packed with customers, a testament to the delicious food and drinks they served. I couldn't wait to try something from their menu later.

As I searched for a seat amongst the crowded tables, it was clear that there were no vacant seats. All of them were occupied by customers. I decided to stand in the corner and observe Tamura-san as he worked. I couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration and respect for him as he served dozens of customers all at once, without missing a single step. I couldn't imagine how exhausting it must be to do this every day.

As the number of customers began to settle down, I finally found a seat. A few moments later, Tamura-san walked over to me. "Sorry for making you wait, Saito-kun," he said.

"Oh, no, because of it, I was able to observe you working, and I got a general idea of how things work here."

"Well, that's good to hear. Then are you ready to start your first day?"

"Yes, but I'm afraid that my skills are still lacking, and I still have a lot to learn."

Tamura-san then told me to change into their uniform at the staffroom, and so, I did. I couldn't help but feel a bit nervous about potentially messing up, but I pushed those thoughts aside and went out to the counter to help Tamura-san.

"Great, you're here. There's some pen and paper in that drawer, and the menus are on the end of the counter. Go take the orders of the customers lining outside," he instructed.

Being given my first task for the day, I felt both excited and uneasy. As I stepped outside to take the orders of the customers waiting in line, I greeted them with a smile and a friendly "Good afternoon, welcome to Chatto Cafe. Is there anything you'd like to order? Here's the menu in case you haven't decided yet." The customers gave their orders, and I took note of each one, trying my best to remember everything.

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I took the orders of customers for a good few hours, and by the end of it, I was already exhausted. But as I looked at the owner, who had been doing this every day, I couldn't help but raise my respect for him.

Finally, the long line was starting to dissipate as the day started to get darker. And after several minutes, customers were no longer seen, and we closed up the shop.

"You did great out there today," the owner said to me, "As a reward, you can have this cake."

"Thank you, sir," I replied, "I'm grateful for your offer, but I cannot accept it. As a worker, it is just my responsibility to tend to matters like these."

"This cake will be thrown out anyway if no one takes it. So, it would be better if you'd take it. Besides, there are more leftover cakes, and honestly, I've started to grow tired of eating them too much. I also bake a new batch of cakes every morning. We don't use leftovers to serve customers the next day."

Feeling a bit more at ease, I accepted his gift with gratitude. "Thank you."
"Oh, lastly," the owner said, "You don't have any experience in being a barista, right? If you have time, I could teach you some of the basics right now."

I willingly accepted his offer, and within the next few hours, he taught me how to use the pieces of equipment and some techniques in serving both tea and coffee. He even told me a bit about the history of the shop. He mentioned that he started this coffee shop along with his wife when they got married.

A few moments later, a girl came rushing into the shop, abruptly opening the door. "Dad, it's already late at night, and you're---" She stopped mid-sentence as she noticed me, and went in complete silence, averting her gaze and looking somewhat embarrassed.

"Shiori? Oh, sorry. I didn't notice the time. I was teaching Saito-kun here about serving beverages. He's the part-timer I was talking to you about yesterday."

"I- I see..."

"Oh, and Saito-kun, this is my daughter Shiori."

Feeling a bit awkward from the girl's sudden entrance, I tried to immediately relieve the tension by introducing myself. I slowly walked up to her and spoke, "I'm Saito Kazuki. It's my first day here at this cafe, and it's nice to meet you."

"Uh, yeah... I'm Tamura Shiori. It's nice to meet you too," she replied, still a bit uneasy.

Introducing myself didn't work out as well as I expected it to be, the awkward tension still hung thick in the air. Tamura-san's daughter, Shiori, seemed to be in a hurry to leave, her eyes averted and her body language indicating her discomfort. I didn't want to impede their father-daughter relationship, so I decided it was best to take my leave.

I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and pretended to receive a text message.

"It seems like they need me back at my place. I guess I'll be taking my leave for today. And thank you for the cake," I said, as I picked up the box and smiled at Tamura-san.

"I do suppose it is already getting too late. Well, I'll see you again tomorrow then. Oh, and Shiori, since you're here could you help me take these back home..." Tamura-san said as he gestured toward a tray of leftover pastries.

I said my goodbyes and slowly walked out of the cafe, making my way back to my apartment. The cafe was located close to our apartment, so it only took me about five to ten minutes of walking to get back.

As I opened the door to our apartment, I was greeted by the sight of Hiroki lazing around, watching television.

"So, where's Yuuna?" I asked as I set the cake down on the kitchen counter.

"She's in her room fixing some stuff. Anyway, what's in the bag?" Hiroki replied, glancing over at the box.

"Oh, the owner of the cafe was nice enough and gave it to me earlier."

"Sweet, I was looking for something to snack on all evening. Hey, Yuuna, get over here, Kazuki brought some cake!" Hiroki shouted towards Yuuna's closed door.

"You know it's not healthy to eat something so sweet this late at night," Yuuna replied from her room.

"Anyway, I'll put the cake here. I want to go to sleep, I'm exhausted," I said as I placed the box on the counter and began to make my way to my room.

"Suit yourself, I'll just be eating here," Hiroki said as he walked toward the kitchen.

As I lay in bed, I couldn't help but think that maybe I should start exercising every morning. I couldn't afford to be this easily exhausted every day after a few hours of work. But that would have to wait for another day. For now, I needed to get some rest.

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