As we left, I noticed a classmate had started talking to Shiina-chan. Shiina-chan was answering her like a normal person. It sounded like the classmate was saying ‘Nice job!’ and Shiina-chan was just wincing as if to say ‘No, I need to try to sell more...’ Interesting! Shiina-chan had had a lot of trouble in the past, but she seemed to be fitting in pretty well now! Of course, one little interaction didn’t tell the whole story. It’s just a thought that the scene inspired in my mind!
We looked around a lot of other places after that. It was past lunchtime now, so even more people were showing up. The place was just bustling! On the way, we passed by where the theater club was carrying some big props around. I had a little trouble when some plywood fell over and hit me right on the top of the head, but otherwise, I was just fine! It broke the skin, but that happens a lot, so no problem!
“That reminds me. What’s going on in Kanie-san’s class? They’re doing a cafe, right?” I asked, after the bleeding stopped.
Isuzu-san’s face took on a strange cast. “Actually... Seiya-kun asked us not to come,” she said.
“Not to come?” I questioned. “Why?”
“He didn’t say, though I believe I can guess... regardless, his words were, ‘You can come to the culture festival, but don’t come to my class.’”
Latifah-sama looked really sad about this. She probably really wanted to go to the cafe where Seiya-san was being a waiter.
“Is that all right, Latifah-sama?” Isuzu asked.
“Yes,” she said. “If Kanie-sama insists, then we must not go against his wishes. Regrettable though it may be...”
“Let’s go!” I exclaimed.
“Ah?” Latifah-sama and Isuzu-san both looked stunned.
“Just forget what he said!” I told them. “He’s probably just shy! He doesn’t want his suuuuuper cool awesome manager self to be seen working a day job! That’s what I think! Am I right or what?!”
“But...”
“Let’s go!” I insisted. “The whole ‘don’t come’ thing was probably just posing! Come on! Come on!” At times like these, you had to take initiative! I took Latifah-sama’s hand and strode forward! We were on our way to class 2-4!
“Ah, Biino-san...” she said.
“Don’t worry, don’t worry! If he makes it a whole thing, you can throw me under the bus!” I suggested. “I don’t mind a bit!”
Isuzu-san followed, looking a bit lost. She wasn’t trying to stop me, though, and that meant it was okay to go! Let’s roll!
There it is! Class 2-4! They were doing a cafe! Kind of cliché, really! “Hello!” I said. Then I entered the classroom, bringing Latifah-sama along.
There he was! Kanie-san! He was dressed as a waiter with a bow tie! So cool! He was taking orders from some other customers (girls from other schools)! They were falling all over him!
“Kanie-san! We decided to drop by!”
“Um...” Kanie-san was at a loss for words. I guess he was surprised! But he went right back to his customer service smile, as he turned to address the guests. “...I beg your pardon. That was a cafe latte, a chai tea latte, and a chocolate gateau?” he asked. He seemed really at home there! Had he done work like this in the past?
Another waitress came to meet us. “Welcome,” she said. “Table for three?”
She was a short girl in glasses. Her name tag read “Mikasa.” She looked at Latifah-sama with just a little bit of suspicion... Since she was wearing the school uniform, she was probably trying to remember if she’d seen her at school before. I mean, she’s the kind of person you’d remember! I think a lot of people had been looking at her that way today! Mikasa-san guided us to a four-person table by the window. Latifah-sama and Isuzu-san both looked very nervous.
“Come on, it’s fine! It’s just a normal cafe, see?” I thought maybe there would be some kind of punchline reveal, like that it was going to be a cross-dressing cafe! But it wasn’t!
“O-Of course...” Latifah-sama agreed.
“Kanie-san looks very handsome!” I exclaimed. “Clothes make the man, right? Isn’t that the saying?”
“Let us forget him and look at the menu,” Isuzu-san said, and did just that. There were about... twenty kinds of drinks? It was a lot, anyway. They must have worked really hard!
“Your Highness,” she said. “Would you care for some tea?”
“Certainly,” Latifah-sama agreed.
“They seem to have chamomile, chai latte, and Darjeeling...” Isuzu-chan told her, reading off the list.
“Darjeeling, if you please.”
“Bando-san,” she said next, “what about you?”
“Hmm... I think I’ll have a cafe latte. And a slice of cheesecake!” I held up my hand, and Kanie-san came over.
He looked pretty upset. “I told you not to come...” That was the first thing he said! What a mean jerk!
Latifah-sama looked very apologetic. “Kanie-sama, you must forgive me. I simply... wanted to come, so very much...”
“Fine, it’s fine,” he sighed reluctantly. “Biino dragged you along, right?”
“Brilliant deduction!” I agreed cheerily. “But it’s no big deal, right?”
“Wrong,” he told me flatly.
“Don’t be like that!” I protested. “It’s not like we’re gonna make any trouble!”
“Er... Kanie-sama... Perhaps we should go...” Latifah-sama looked awkward and started to stand up, but Kanie-san quickly stopped her.
“Ah, it’s... it’s fine. You haven’t done anything wrong, Latifah.”
“But...”
“Don’t worry about it,” he told her. “I’m complaining to Isuzu.”
“Of course,” Isuzu agreed sourly. “I don’t expect any special consideration.”
“Hmph,” said Kanie-san. “Just have your drinks and get out.”
Then, remembering his job for the day, he continued. “So, what did you want?”
Isuzu-san put in their order, and Kanie-san sulkily wrote it down. ...Huh? That conversation before... There was something off about it. What did Kanie-san just call Isuzu-san?