Natsuki's eyes widen as we stare at Ace.
"W-work here?" Natsuki repeats.
Oliver nods. "That actually won't be a bad idea. We need workers, and we can pay you four."
"You'll pay us?" Sayori asks.
"Well yeah." Oliver says. "It'll be a job."
Jess walks around the counter and joins us in the middle of the room. "We can assign you jobs now, if that's what you want."
"Really? Now?" Sayori jumps in excitement, her eyes wide.
Jess shrugs. "Sure." He then looks down at his clipboard. "Anyone know how to cook?"
We immediately glance at Natsuki, who smirks.
We never had much food in the first place, but when we did, or didn't, LaLa would teach us how to use our resources wisely. Natsuki was practically our chef, her being able to follow recipes the best, and actually enjoying it.
The pinkette crosses her arms. "Yeah, I can cook."
Adrien chuckled and clapped his hands. "Great! We needed a chef!"
Natsuki glared at him. "What? You guys didn't have a chef?"
Adrien chuckled, nervously glancing off to the side. "Well, we aren't exactly open yet.."
"Thanks cupcake." Ace adds. Before letting the smaller girl say anything back, he turned to Jess. "What else?"
Rolling his eyes, Jess glanced back down at his clipboard. "Well, a waitress, obviously."
Sayori raised her hand, jumping in place. "Ooh! I can do that!"
"Just you?" Adrien asked.
Oliver nodded. "Yeah, Monika or Yuri can join you."
I laugh in embarrassment. "Ah, well me and Yuri aren't exactly great with other people.."
"Really?" Oliver asked, his eyes focused on mine. "I thought you'd be good at that kind of stuff."
"I mean, I can organize things. I'm just not the best with people." I admit, losing eye contact and starring down at the floor.
Natsuki then walks up to me, leaning closer so she can whisper without anyone else hearing. "Are you sure about Sayori?"
I nod. "She's great with people."
"But she's a klutz!" Natsuki yells whispers back.
I roll my eyes. "She's not that bad."
Jess gains our attention as he speaks, writing things down on the paper connected to the wooden clipboard he held. "Okay, Sayori's a waitress.. Since we'll be up there, we need someone to take care of things in the office. Like organize money and deliveries."
"Yuri could do it." Natsuki suggests quickly, before furrowing her eyes brows when all eyes starred at her. "I mean, she's productive and stuff. She can deal with all the lonely crap."
Yuri smiled softly, a glow of amusement in her eyes. "I-I could do that."
Jess smiles before returning neutral. "Sure, okay." He looks back up from his clipboard and frowns harder. "What's Monika going to do then?"
I smile bashfully. It's funny, normally I'm the one in control, but here I was, following orders. If I had any orders to follow, anyways.
"Well.." Oliver scans his blue eyes up and down me before turning to his friends. "We need a singer?"
Ace crossed his arms. "What? But the band's called The Boys. We aren't exactly going to make Monika a boy."
"Well, we need someone to sing!" Oliver defends. "And I can exactly hit our high notes very well."
"Wait, a band?" Sayori asks.
"Yeah, what are you guys even doing, anyways?" Natsuki asked. "If you aren't cooking or organizing or setting tables?"
"Well," Oliver smirked. "We weren't gonna say it, but the cafe needs music, so we decided to start a band."
"Ohhh.." Sayori gasps. "Is that what the stage is for?"
Adrien nods. "Yeah. But we need a singer."
Natsuki chuckled, while Sayori jumped up and down, surprising me as she wrapped her arms around me. "Ooh~ Monika can sing! She can do it!"
I can't help but feel embarrassed. "I guess I can try," In my last time, LaLa would teach me to sing, and I would fiddle around with the keyboards at school. I would never think I would be signing for real though.
Jess sighed. "Okay, cool. You three can listen to her, Natsuki, and Yuri, follow me. I need to show you the kitchen or office stuff."
The two girls nod, and the three walk out and behind the counter, walking in kitchen first. Sayori let go of me as Oliver led us up to the stage. At the higher leverage I scan the room, looking over the empty tables that could be killed with people eating and talking.
"What should I sing?" I ask, smiling. Trying to trick myself into not feeling nervous.
"Uhm, anything.." Oliver says, shrugging.
Ace walks over to the drums and picks up the sticks that laid atop of the stool. "Should we play with you?"
"Without Jess?" Oliver questioned.
Ace shrugged. "Sure. He's only on bass."
I watch as Adrien nods and picks up the red, electric guitar, while Oliver stands behind the keyboard and one of the smaller microphones. I take my positions at the lead microphone and stare down at my only audience. Sayori.
Her smile is radiant and warm, giving me encouragement. But also giving me a wave of anxiety. I try to shake off the feeling and take an inhale.
I look back at the group behind me, "What song?"
Ace sits down on the stool behind the drums and twirls the drum sticks in his fingers. "Uh, how about we do a simple one."
"Like?" Oliver pestered, confused.
"Do you know.. Redemption, by Besomorp, Coopex and Riel?" Adrien asks.
I nod. "I think I know the chorus."
"Alright then." Oliver smiled, relaxed. "We'll start with the instrumentals."
I nod and turn back to face the front, noticing Sayori is now looking with wide eyes of curiosity. Once she notices my eyes face hers, she smiles and cheers. I smile. Until I shake it off and get more serious.
"Okay," Ace starts from behind me, clapping his sticks together. "One, two, three!"
The music starts, and my mind instinctively counts down until I can start singing. The drums keep a slow beat while the guitar and piano add the main music. I shift on my feet before leaning forward to the microphone and take an inhale.
"You'll break your back to make me feel again~"
Pause.
"Suffocate to make me breathe again~"
Pause.
"Lose your mind from endless praying~"
Pause.
"Somethings never change," Take an inhale. "Never change, Ooh~"
"Redemption never came~."
The music gradually fades as the first chorus ends. Sayori gets the hint and starts clapping immediately, squealing in joy.
"That was awesome! Yeah! That was so cool!" She exclaims, laughing and racing up to the bottom of the stage.
Adrien brings the guitar over his head so he can bring the strap up and over his shoulder, placing the guitar down. "Wow, that was great."
Ace stood up. "Yeah, not too bad."
I glance at Oliver, noticing his blank expression, his eyes wide as his hands are frozen over the keys.
Adrien walks over to him. "Oliver?"
"Woah.." He gasps, his eyes not leaving my gaze.
I smile lightly, "You liked it then?"
"I love it.." He whispers, still in amazement. "Like an angels' soft voice.."
I look back down at Sayori, who smiles warmly at me. "You did so good!"
"Really?" I ask as she climbs up on the stage to hug me.
"Of course you did!" She giggled. "I loved it!"
"So," Our attention is brought to Jess as he jumps on the stage to join us. " I guess we're calling it, The Boys and M, short for Monika."
I smile. "I'm glad to help!"
"Alright!" Adrien yells, throwing his fists in the air excitedly.
Though, I can't help but keep my eyes on Sayori. She said she loved it.. That makes me feel nice.. I'm glad she loves it..