AUTHOR'S POV
"F/n, I have your outfit."
"Coming, Sumiko-san~."
F/n held her costume with pride: a custom-made cheetah jumpsuit featuring a tail, matching ears and a collar with her name.
"You're going to attract so many customers today!" her manager squealed.
"Your nose is bleeding, Sumiko-san~," F/n girl mentioned, giving her superior some tissues.
"Oh my!" she giggled, stuffing her nose. "You know how I am."
F/n smiled and slipped into her outfit, completing the feline look with eyeliner, a few whiskers and a little black cat nose. Sumiko squealed, complimenting her on how beautiful she looked.
"Sumiko-san, you need to take care of yourself," F/n said, giving her more tissues. "I wouldn't want my pretty manager to get hurt~."
The light and almost teasing tone naturally present in her voice only made her manager spiral further out of control.
"You're so caring, F/n-chan!"
F/n kissed her cheek and walked to the front to take over her coworker's place. The comments started when F/n showed, but oddly enough, it was nothing inappropriate. Even if it brushed that peak, F/n was hardly bothered by it. She smiled through everything, getting orders and serving the customers well.
"N/n-chan, can we get a nya?"
"Ara, Mistress, you are asking a lot. What will I get in return~?"
The purr in her tone made the customer's face burst with colour.
"N/n-chan, don't tease me!"
The cheetah-clad maid hid her laugh and eventually meowed for the table. The hour passed, and it was soon time for F/n to take her break.
"Mako-chan," she called from the front. The taller woman looked up from the cash register and called their supervisor, who would take the cheetah's place. Her manager arrived with hearts in her eyes.
"F/n-chan is such a hard-working girl," she cooed.
"Well, it's your turn to work, Sumiko. Go give F/n a break."
When Sumiko switched in for F/n, she jogged to the back of the shop and lay on the couch.
"You look like a cat," one of her coworkers noted.
"Arigato, Misaki-chan~," F/n purred, stretching her back. She held her phone and texted a few friends to pass the time. F/n suddenly received a message from an old high school friend.
MESSAGES
Yūji-kun
Are you working today?
F/n-chan
Haiii
Yūji-kun
I'm bringing someone special this time.
Thank me later😉
She wondered who the special guest could be, considering his entourage. She secretly hoped Kazuma would be the one he brought. She hadn't seen him since graduation. As the fifteenth minute of her break arrived, she placed her phone down and rolled off the couch.
"Get up, F/n; I'm not carrying you to the front."
She giggled, hanging onto Misaki's shoulders as they left the staff room. "And I was hoping to give Misaki-chan more work."
The younger girl shook her head and went to the door, leaving F/n with Sumiko.
"Here are your tables," she instructed. "Give them a little fanservice."
"Naughty, Sumiko-chan," F/n playfully scolded. "I have other ways of taking care of my customers ~."
As she took her manager's place, two more customers entered the cafe.
"I'm not surprised you visit a place like this."
"The girls are cute and very doting," Terushima told his friend. "Especially this one maid called N/n. You might recognize her."
"What do you mean?"
"You'll see."
The dull atmosphere outside was completely different from the bright energy in the cafe. Misaki greeted the masters and sat them at a table. Kazuma was stunned into silence and quietly followed Terushima.
"Misaki-chan, is N/n here?"
Terushima smirked when Misaki glared.
"What do you want with her?"
"Misaki."
The woman cleared her throat and smiled after Makoto called her.
"Yes, she's here. I'll tell her to pass by your table. Enjoy your time, young masters."
She returned to the door without intending to tell F/n they were there. So Makoto told her instead.
"N/n-chan, your friend is here."
"Hm? Is Yūji here?"
"Him and someone else."
F/n looked past her and saw a familiar hairstyle.
He hasn't changed, hehe.
She smirked and quietly sneaked behind him. Terushima, seeing her coming, gave no reaction. She leaned close to Kazuma, whispering his name in his ear. He froze and shivered intensely. As soon as his body calmed down, he realized who was behind him. He would never forget that voice.
"F/n?"
"Ara~, you do recognize me, Kazuma-kun," she purred. She smiled at Terushima, thanking him for bringing Kazuma with him.
"It was nothing, beautiful."
You hugged Kazuma and kissed his cheek before sneaking back to work.
"Wow, lucky you got a kiss from your high school crush."
"Don't say it out loud," Kazuma said, trying to keep things quiet. "What if she hears you?"
"N/n-chan," Terushima called. F/n's ear perked, and she walked back to the table.
"Coming~."
Kazuma couldn't look her in the eye when she stood beside Terushima.
"Don't leave without us, alright?"
"Yes, Master," she replied with a purr. She returned to work while the boys watched her every movement. Kazume couldn't keep his eyes off her for a minute.
"You'll drool at this rate," Terushima told him. Kazuma straightened himself and smacked his cheeks a few times.
"If I knew you were this into her, I would've shown you this place months ago."
"Do you know how long she's been working here?"
"Since her second year?"
"And you're telling me this now?"
"You were a rival back then," Terushima said, shrugging. "You still are. I'm only backing down because she has no interest in me."
Kazume was surprised. "Usually, you persist until the girl lashes out at you."
"What can I say? I'm mature now."
Right, mature, Kazume thought, remembering the times Terushima would skip class to play at internet cafes or go skating.
Eventually, they couldn't stay at the table, so Makoto offered to have them stay in the staff room. They agreed and waited for F/n in the back. She would come by from time to time and play around with them until her work shift was over.
"I want a hug too, F/n-chan."
"Ara~," she purred. "You get consistent hugs from me when you come here. I have to take care of Kazuma today."
"You're cuddling him."
"Go complain to your girlfriend, Terushima-san," she answered, with a shadow over her eyes. Terushima raised his hands in surrender when F/n's voice dropped an octave. She had laid on the couch, still in her uniform, with Kazuma leaning against her chest. He had fallen asleep multiple times as she ran her hands through his hair.
"F/n."
"Hm?"
"You're making me sleepy again."
She hummed in reply, lightly massaging his head with her fingers. He felt a shiver roll down his spine as he sunk into her embrace even more.
"You two are killing me over there," Terushima complained, angrily typing on his phone. F/n paid no attention to him, and Kazuma was too lost in the sauce to register a word his friend had said.
"You're still here?" Sumiko said, surprised, as she entered the employee lounge. "Your shift ended over an hour ago."
"I got so comfortable with Kazuma," she explained. "He looked so cute sleeping on top of me. I didn't want to move~."
"Stop teasing me," she heard him mumble. He was hardly awake enough to realize his position and only cared about having F/n hold him longer.
"Aww, you two are too cute together!" Sumiko exclaimed, jumping around. "Alright, but make sure to get out before closing."
"We will," she assured, still tending to Kazuma's hair. The boy had fallen asleep again, and F/n decided to let him sleep some more before waking him up. During this time, Terushima asked her the question to which he knew Kazuma wanted answers.
"How long have you liked him?"
"Since high school," she answered, smiling at the memory. "I always found it cute when Kazuma would try to help me carry things around for my club activities. Even when he was late for volleyball."
"That's why he was late?"
She nodded, "Whenever I had to carry costumes or stage equipment from the theatre club, he was always there to help. We hung out on weekends too. He often came over to my place."
"You two were having all this fun without me?" Terushima replied, legitimately surprised. F/n stuck her tongue and gently shook Kazuma awake. He groaned and raised his head, looking at the woman he rested on. He mumbled nonsense, trying to figure out where he was.
"I have to go home, Kazuma-kun~," she purred in his ear. The boy only buried his face deeper into her chest, unaware that Terushima was recording the whole thing.
"I promise some cuddles the next time you come." With much reluctance, Kazuma stood up, feeling cold from the separation. F/n stretched her back in cat fashion and went off to change. Terushima snickered as he watched Kazuma still waking up as he watched the girl leave.
"Don't follow her in there."
"I won't," Kazuma replied, pushing Terushima away. By the time F/n returned, he felt more alert. Wearing a light (f/c) summer dress and a fleece cardigan, she was even cuter than the boy thought possible. He took her gym bag, holding it over his shoulder as she held his hand.
"Let's go, Kazuma~."
Terushima chuckled and bid the two farewell as they made their way outside.
"Where are you going?" Kazuma asked him.
"My sister's asked me to meet them somewhere," he shrugged. "And I don't plan on being a third wheel. See you two tomorrow."
"Bye, Yūji~," F/n waved. "Send them my greetings."
He winked and jogged in the opposite direction, leaving the pair alone. They shared a look and couldn't help but laugh. As they made their way to F/n's house, Kazume could only focus on the warmth of their clasped hands. He didn't realize how warm she was until now. Then again, this was the first time he was so close to her.
He thought so intensely he failed to notice F/n lean close to his face. She blew on his neck, and he squealed, feeling the breeze pass by. F/n tried hiding her laughter as Kazuma frowned slightly at her little prank.
"That wasn't nice," he sighed. F/n clung to his arm, giggling at the ordeal.
"How about I make it up to you."
"How?"
She pretended to think hard, placing a finger on her chin. "How about—Oh! How about I be your girlfriend? Is that fair?"
Kazume ceased all functioning. For a moment, nothing made any sense and words jumbled into a mush of sounds as his body temperature heated to dangerous levels. But it passed quickly; he gathered himself to ask her if she was saying this as a joke.
She gently held his face and kissed his forehead.
"I never go back on my word," she smiled. Kazuma embraced her with surprising strength. She giggled as she returned the hug.
"Like the deal, Kazu~?" she asked. He kissed her cheek and nuzzled his face on her peach-scented neck.
"I love it."