Chapter 280

The following morning, I headed downtown to buy the study books Miyuki had asked for, making a pit stop at the cafe first.

Swish.

Unlike when I came in for my shifts, I strolled confidently through the front automatic doors.

“Ah! Junior! Good morning!”

My eyebrows twitched as Chinami greeted me from the counter, dressed in a cafe uniform and apron.

“Master? Why are you back there?”

“Muhuhu... My close friend Renka asked me to help out for the day. I'm here as a temp!”

“Is that right?”

“Yep.”

“I see. How's the work treating you?”

“It's great! It's fun answering customers' questions, and making the drinks is just as exciting. I can't make anything too complicated yet, of course, but I'm still having a blast.”

This perfectly suited Chinami's bright personality. Setting her up with a cozy little independent cafe in the future didn't sound like a bad idea, though knowing her, the menu would be almost entirely peach-themed.

“That's a relief. By the way, isn't that uniform a bit huge on you?”

“Yep! It's the uniform you used to wear, Junior.”

Perhaps embarrassed by the thought of sharing my clothes, Chinami crossed her arms down in front of her and squirmed shyly. She looked so agonizingly cute that I could have died. I wanted to shower her with kisses right then and there.

“You didn't get a new one?”

“The Boss offered me one, but I declined. I didn't want to be a nuisance when I'm only working for a single day.”

Our Chinami really was an angel. Her heart was just too soft. She was so sweet it drove me crazy.

“Where did the President go?”

“She's in the storage room. But what brings you here, Junior? Did you come to hang out?”

“No. I came downtown to buy some books and decided to stop by.”

“Books? What kind of books?”

“Math books. Miyuki told me to buy them.”

“Junior Hanazawa did?”

“Yeah. The three of us are studying with Miura tomorrow. Miyuki is tutoring us.”

“Aha. Since Junior Hanazawa gets such good grades, she must be helping the two of you out.”

“Exactly.”

“Do your best! Let's aim for the top five in your second year!”

When she talked about something so impossible with such a hopeful voice, I couldn't help but want to try. I was chatting happily with Chinami, who had even clenched her fists in encouragement, when Renka emerged from the storage room.

“Huh?”

Her arms were loaded down with stacks of cups and cup sleeves. She stopped and stared at me, her eyes going wide.

“What? Why are you here?”

To think that was the first thing she'd say upon seeing me. Was her training still lacking? Training a slave wasn't like raising a child... It was genuinely exhausting.

“Hello to you too.”

“...Hi.”

“I'm here as a customer today.”

“If you try to use that as an excuse to boss me around, I won't let it slide.”

Renka set her supplies down on the inner counter. Chuckling at her forced, frosty attitude, I spoke.

“Cute threat. I don't plan on doing that, though.”

“Good. What are you drinking?”

“I'll take an Americano.”

“Pay up.”

“You're actually making me pay?”

“You said you were a customer. Of course I'm making you pay.”

“That's cold.”

“I'll give you a coupon. Get over it.”

Even after fooling around so much last night using her Ino-chan persona, she was still acting all high and mighty today. Did she think I wouldn't mess with her just because Chinami was here? I narrowed my eyes and stared her down. Renka flinched, but stubbornly tilted her chin up in defiance.

“450 yen.”

“Are you kidding me? It's 300 yen.”

“That includes a tip.”

“What kind of cafe charges a fifty percent tip?”

“This one.”

“Is that how you're going to play it?”

“What. Got a problem with it?”

“Plenty.”

“...”

I dropped my voice slightly. Catching the hint, Renka snapped her mouth shut, evidently realizing it was time to back down. Her quick intuition in moments like this was somehow even more irritating.

“I'll pay by card.”

“...I was just joking around. Don't take it so seriously.”

“You didn't sound like you were joking.”

“Forget it. It's on the house.”

“Fine by me. I'd like our Master to make the coffee, though.”

I shrugged and turned to Chinami with a fond, coaxing smile. Her face lit up instantly, breaking into a beaming grin.

“Ah, should I? I'll add some peach syrup to your coffee, then!”

“Excuse me...? No. Please don't.”

“Why not?”

The way she tilted her head to the side was so agonizingly cute that I wanted to agree to whatever she asked, but I had to draw the line there. Peach syrup in coffee? Just imagining it tasted atrocious.

“People don't usually put peach syrup in their coffee.”

“Well then, how about adding a shot of espresso to iced tea for a Peach Americano?”

“That's... also a little...”

“Why not? Don't you like peaches too, Junior?”

“I do, but a peach coffee variation is a bit... unfamiliar. Plus, I don't really have a sweet tooth today.”

“Is that so? I suppose I'll just make you a regular coffee, then.”

“Please do.”

“Iced?”

“Yeah.”

“Understood!”

Humming a quiet tune in high spirits, Chinami began filling a cup with ice. As I admired her back—she looked as cute and chubby as a little panda—I shot a glance at Renka. She was snickering quietly, evidently amused by my utter helplessness against Chinami.

“What's so funny?”

“You're funny. Am I not allowed to laugh?”

“You've got a lot of complaints about society written all over your face.”

“So what.”

Hmm... Seeing Renka talk back so defiantly made me itch to put her through some anal plug training. Was it too soon? Should I hold off a little longer? I did already buy a plug with a cat tail attached to it... I'd have to give it some serious thought today.

“...Wh-What is it...?”

“What's what?”

“You just looked at me weird...”

“Are you getting paranoid?”

“It's not that...”

Swish.

Renka's eyes darted around anxiously until the cafe door slid open, signaling the arrival of a new customer. She instantly plastered a forced, bright smile onto her face.

“Welcome...! This is Cafe 24.”

Meanwhile, I claimed a seat in the corner. It wasn't long before Chinami carried a tray over and set it on my table. I patted the empty seat next to me.

“Have a seat.”

At that, Chinami's face flushed a bright, peachy pink. It seemed she was remembering the physical intimacy we'd shared here last time.

“Huh...? I'm not here as a customer today, I'm here on a part-time shift... That puts me in a bit of a tight spot...”

“There aren't many customers around anyway. Just sit with me for two minutes before you go back.”

“I-I really shouldn't...”

“To think I'm getting the cold shoulder from my own Master... I'm suddenly starting to feel really sad.”

“Ack...?! Am I really that untrustworthy to make you think such negative thoughts? If I'm here to work, I should focus and do my best, not slack off...!”

“Last time, you hung out with me for a bit while I was working.”

“Junior, you're a regular employee who has fully adjusted to the work, and we have to consider that you're quite close with the Boss, wouldn't you agree? I, on the other hand, am just a temp who came at Renka's request. If I start slacking off, how do you think Renka would feel after introducing me to the Boss?”

“Isn't it fine as long as we don't get caught?”

“Nuh-uh...! Uh-uh! You're harboring some very wicked thoughts...! That won't do at all. When I was here as a customer and you sat beside me, my heart was already pounding with guilt. Now that I'm the one on the clock, that guilt would be a hundred times worse. I am absolutely not sitting next to you today, Junior.”

She rested her hands on her hips and glared at me with a stern look in her eyes. For a moment, I saw the same Chinami who used to instruct me in the Kendo Club Room. I remembered how she'd helped me put on my Bogu and playfully tapped on my Men... Just thinking about it brought a smile to my face.

Regardless, it seemed I wouldn't be able to convince her to stay. I didn't want to get on her bad side, so there was nothing I could do. Slumping my shoulders in exaggerated disappointment, I poked a straw into the glass she'd brought me and took a sip of my coffee.

“Maybe it's because my Master made it, but this tastes way better than usual.”

“How could that be? The ratio of espresso to water is exactly the same as the guide.”

Sometimes Chinami left me completely speechless. There were moments like this, where treating her like a kid and giving her blatant flattery simply didn't work. She really was a difficult person to figure out. Was she secretly mad at me for turning down the peach syrup?

“That's just how it tastes to me.”

“In that case, I will happily accept the compliment!”

Ah... Her beaming smile was just too cute. An intense urge washed over me—the urge to pull her petite frame into a crushing hug, to grope her bottom, to slather her in oil and massage her soft, slippery skin, and to listen to her distinctively sweet, melodic moans.

“Well then, I'd better get back to work. Making drinks is so much fun, I want to try out all sorts of things!”

She clutched the empty tray to her chest, looking like the pure-hearted heroine of a cartoon. Her genuine excitement was painted so clearly across her face that it lifted my mood, too.

“All right.”

“When you're finished, leave your cup on the table instead of bringing it to the return counter.”

“Why's that?”

“Because cleaning up is fun, too!”

Our Chinami really had some unusual tastes. To think that busing tables was fun for her... Then again, it somehow suited her perfectly.

“Understood.”

“Enjoy your drink, then!”

“Wait a second.”

“Hm?”

She tilted her head in confusion. I merely puckered my lips slightly in response. Flustered, she quickly scanned the cafe to make sure no one was looking. Then, she hesitantly leaned in and pressed her lips, coated in a glossy peach lip tint, softly against mine.

The light, sweet sensation felt wonderful. I'd gotten to see a lively Chinami and a sullen Renka, and I'd be seeing Miyuki soon enough. My sugar levels for the day were fully recharged. If only I could run into Hiyori here, it would be the perfect day... Was it too much to hope for?