Nino's POV:
RECOMMENDED SONG While reading: Cheating on you~Charlie Puth
„So where did you bring me this late at night?"
I asked Sato curious, I remember him saying we need to go somewhere but I don't know where.
„Here."
He said without having a certain expression and pointed to a restaurant,
„Huh?!"
„A r-restaurant?!! What is this? A date?!"
„Don't huh me. Remember? You said you wanted to get a job in the kitchen. This place needs staff in the kitchen and Customer service."
He explained, I was suprised that he not only remembered what I said but also searched for something.
„This guy. He really listens doesn't he?"
„Oh, I see. Good job for finding it, for someone like you."
I said while crossing my arms and going ahead,
„Your words are too kind for someone like me your highness."
Sato said while smiling,
„Pfft! Hahahahah"
As embarrassing as he was, he knew how to make me laugh.
Afterwards we entered the restaurant and made our way all the way back in to their rest area and office.
We introduced ourselves to the manager and went straight to business, we did good with our qualifications.
Now the chef wanted to see us in practice, we'll have 2 days on trial.
After that he would decide he said, I got a place in the kitchen and for some reason this moron Sato applied as a waiter.
His communication skills with strangers are definitely lacking, I don't know what his thought process was.
But we will see how it ends, at end of the day I'm happy that we got a place to work and support Ichika.
„It went surprisingly smoothly wouldn't you say?"
Sato asked me after leaving the restaurant,
„Yes luckily it did, but I'm kinda suprised. You? As a waiter? How come?"
I still asked him in the end,
„I know it's kind of suprising, but exactly that's why I did it. My lack in communication skills is obvious, I wanna change that. You probably think that I'm dumb for applying for a job, I know I won't be able to do well in."
Sato told me, it was obvious he was slightly embarrassed while telling me.
However I think it's admirable, I thought he was satisfied with his social standing.
Who would've thought that he wanted to change,
„It's fine isn't it? Don't worry about doing well, you're doing this for yourself. If you embarrass yourself or not doesn't matter, your existence in itself is embarrassing."
I told him while not letting the opportunity slide to insult his dumbass for looking so vulnerable,
„You get even more creative with your insults nowadays Nino-san."
He said while looking at me shockingly,
„When I'm looking at you, ideas just flow in."
I said while walking ahead, I wanted to arrive at his moped before he does.
„Auch."
He just said and got on his moped.
Akio's POV:
2 days after our application, we had already our 2nd Trial day.
At moment I'm...
„2 Fondoulacrossaint with special Penzilini and Drioga."
In the middle of work.
Unfortunately I'm struggling real hard, I got scolded multiple times and even had to take a forced break.
On the other, the girl I applied with is...
„Here's the Drioga-Salad with Mexican dressing and Parmesan."
„Ouhh, good job Nakano!"
Doing a great job.
Nino also struggled a bit on her first day but soon managed to keep up with the rest of the staff.
„Nino is really awesome, hopefully she gets this job. Compared to her I'm unmeasurable worse. I wish I could at least do good enough to not embarrass myself."
Memorizing and writing down the order wasn't the problem, bringing the food to the customer also wasn't the problem.
The problem was:
„Sato kun like I already said, the job of a waiter also contains shining out a positive aura. I don't expect you to be the most likebale person in this restaurant but could you at least smile a bit?"
Getting called to his office and getting scolded wasn't the first time, like he said the problem was my aura.
In customer service you are in contact with other people all the time and in restaurants especially is one rule apparent The customer is king.
That's why sending out good vibes and kindness is essential, however that's exactly the areas I suck at.
„I think I just give up hahhhh."
I sighed and thought to myself while doing nothing in our break.
„What's the matter this time?"
Nino approached me and sat down beside me, we were near the storage rooms of the restaurant.
No one would be here on breaks, so it's a great spot for me.
„Huh?! How did u find me Nino san ?!"
I was suprised that she really found me,
„Easy, I just thought to myself If I were a loser and wanted to be all alone, were would I hide."
Ouch, that was direct attack.
„I-I'm not h-hiding hahahah."
I tried to deny her hunch,
„Cmon, it's obvious."
She said and didn't even look at me.
„Haah. It's harder than I expected..."
There was no use in denying it anymore,
„What is?"
Nino asked with big eyes, which was weird.
She definitely should know why I'm hiding,
„Of course customer service."
I said to remind her,
„Huh? That's the reason you're hiding?!"
„Huh? Why does she act like she doesn't know?"
„H-Heh? o-ofcourse it i-"
„You moron, that was obvious from the beginning right? But that was the reason why you started in the first place. And here I thought that the staff was bothering you and you were hiding from them!"
„So that was what she thought..."
„..."
I didn't say anything and just looked down,
„All that big talk before, was that just for show? Were you just trying to show off in front of me?
You knew that this was something you suck at,
You knew this would be something that would tug your nerves.
But that was all the more a reason for you to start right?
So why are you hiding now?
Pathetic."
Nino stood up and left me alone in this empty hallway that for some reason felt cooler than before,
all I could hear were hear footsteps that echoed throughout this hallway.
Cooler=colder in this substance.
„So embarrassing!"
I said to myself while biting my lip to suppress my anger towards me.
Nino's POV:
„Was I too harsh?"
I thought while going back to the restaurant kitchen area, somehow it always ends up like this.
Sato does something I can't stand, I insult him for it and end up regretting it.
But even so,
„That guy really needs to get his stuff together, he won't be able to introduce himself properly to my dad like this!"
„Nino we need you here!"
Immediately after I got back, I had to jump straight into chaos again.
Another 20 minutes went by,
„Nino could you grab the ticket from the chashbox?"
The leading chef asked me so I obviously had to go, while going out of the kitchen I was once again able to see, how busy this restaurant was.
I looked around and saw that all the tables were either reserved or occupied, but theres something else I saw while looking around.
„Sato?"
He was back working, when he told me he went to hide I thought he was going to stay hidden.
I mean all of us noticed that the boss even gave him breaks, so for him to gather his courage to try it once again...
„Looks like you do have some guts."
I praised him in my head,
„Thank you for your visit, we hope you enjoyed your food."
Sato said goodbye to the customers this time around, the last time I checked he didn't.
That was definitely improvement but the cherry on top was,
„Pfft! What is that? Hahahaha!"
What I saw was the weirdest and most forced smile I have ever seen, however he did smile.
He tried his best, that was what made this enough.
I grabbed the ticket and made my way back to the kitchen,
End of the shift and last trial day:
We got called to the owners office, obviously he wanted to tell us how it went.
I went side by side with Sato which made me kinda tipsy....Would be what I would love to say!!
However no matter how deep you're in love,
you can't get tipsy when your love is shaking and looks like he's dying inside.
„Hey Sato, calm down!"
I told him,
„I-I-I-I a-am-m c-c-calm-m"
„Oh shut up you idiot."
Even though he said he is calm, one look was enough to know he was either lying or delusional.
„Look. I know it didn't went well for you but so what?! Just try another restaurant if this one doesn't work, and then try even harder and be better."
This was the only thing I could say to him now, smearing honey over his mistakes would be idiotic.
„Y-You're r-r-right, I c-could try the restraunt that was across this one. I could give you a ride to this restaurant then, way more economical."
„Since when did this idiot care about being economical and also..."
„What are you talking about? If they won't take you, I'm not working here either."
I had no intention of working somewhere without him, I would lose my chance to get closer.
„Huh? Why?"
Sato suddenly stopped shaking and looked me dead serious in the eyes,
„Eh-ah-Eh I-I don't wanna work in a place where I don't know anyone."
His sudden intense gaze caught me off guard and I lost my composure,
„I-Is t-that s-so?"
And there he was back to his panicky, shaking and nervous self.
„Yea, and now let's hurry up!"
I told him annoyed and went ahead,
20 minutes later:
„Too bad"
I said a little disappointed,
„I'm sorry Nino San."
Sato apologized and looked really down,
„Being sad won't give us a job, so cheer up."
We were walking side by side, instead of riding his moped.
The reason is simple, our next destination is only a minute away.
A small kitchen that's sells food of any kind, it's a spot mostly for people who struggle with money.
„Welcome, how can I help you?"
The lady at the counter asked,
„We would love to apply as Part timers."
I told her, afterwards we told her our qualifications.
And to our surprise,
„Alright, you can start next week."
„Huh? Without trial days? That easy?"
„O-Ok thank you very much!"
Me and Sato bowed thankfully, this somehow didn't feel real.
„No need to be so formal, rest and prepare yourself for next week. I can see that you guys are exhausted from working at that restaurant."
The lady dropped a surprising information,
„How do you know we worked there?"
Sato asked her suprised,
„I went there today, I'm suprised you forgot me young boy."
The lady confronted Sato, apparently he should've remembered her.
„Ah-!"
Sato let out a noise like he remembered something,
„Now I remember! You were that person with that big hat."
Big hat Sato said,
„Good thing you remembered, now go get some rest. See you next week, I expect you to be here on time!"
The lady said to us in a serious tone,
„Yes boss!"
Me and sato said in sync and left, once we were out of the building I had to ask Sato something.
„How did you not recognize her at first? It was only a few hours ago."
I had to ask, Sato wasn't the type to forget so easily.
Actually one of his first mistakes in that restaurant as a waiter was the he didn't write down the order anywhere, he memorized it and passed it to us.
For small orders it wasn't a problem but for big orders it was a pain for the kitchen so the owner of course took action.
But even if it was a clear mistake as a waiter, you can't deny his talent in memorizing.
So for him to forget a face so easily? That was a bit weird,
„Don't get it wrong Nino san, this lady was definitely there today. However she was in disguise."
„Huh? Disguise?"
„Disguise you say? What kind of?"
The way he phrased it, it sounded like some spy stuff.
„She wore a big hat that covered the clear view of her face and a huge coat. If you don't go closer to her, you wouldn't even be able to know if she was a women or a man."
I guess everyone should do what they want,
„You think it was to spy on their food and recipes?"
I asked excited,
„Hm, who knows."
And that guy only let down my excitement.
„You really irritate me."
I said annoyed,
„You want me to drive you home?"
Sato asked for some reason,
„Yea that wouldn't be bad."
I answered, of course I want to be driven.
„Alright, so make sure I don't change my mind."
„Huuuh?!!"
„What does that mean?!"
I got a little louder and asked, but Sato ignored me and went ahead.
„Ey Sato!"
I went after him still a bit agitated, it was a bit of out of character for him to say that.
However that's also the exact reason why I felt kind of happy?