Akaashi wasn't entirely bad news, though it was still unfortunate that he had to see you at a time like this.
It was clearly embarrassing when he kept looking down at your skirt. His brows furrowed in confusion while he was taking his time surveying your outfit.
You tried to keep a straight face when it was impossible to not get flustered. It was the same feeling when you were caught red-handed doing something. You wanted to run.
"A- eh.."
You stuttered in an attempt to grab his attention.
He was unfazed by his recent discovery. In fact, he was waiting for you to escort him to a table.
You breathed in, swallowing unease. Slowly for sure, your five senses were working properly again, so you bravely put on a smile, swaying your hand to the side like a servant greeting her master back at the manor.
"Welcome, Master."
For a moment, Akaashi was comprehending this peculiar sight. Once he had enough, he looked away in an instant to stifle his laugh.
"A-Akaashi!" You whimpered, overwhelmed with embarrassment, "R-Right this way, please..."
He followed you quietly to an empty seat. You handed him the menu book.
"Here you go, Master. Our today's special is Parade Pudding. Oh, if you're not feeling for something sweet, we also have savory dishes that might be to your liking."
To your surprise, he studied the menu meticulously and just nodded in approval.
"Please don't hesitate to call if you need any help."
You hurriedly left him to tend the other customers while another reason was to keep a safe distance from him.
"Woah, that man is so handsome. Do you know him, [nickname]?" Honoka asked while waiting to pick up an order.
"N-no, of course not," you chuckled, deliberately avoiding eye contact.
The past minutes seemed to have lasted longer than before. You were sure it's been more than fifteen minutes ever since he arrived, but the clock hadn't moved significantly. It's like time just froze with Akaashi in the room.
You heaved a despairing sigh because of his intimidating aura that had a large impact on your confidence. He just won't take his eyes off you.
He didn't even talk to you whenever you placed his orders on the table. Was he happy with the food? You could never tell.
He seemed satisfied with the omelet, but he never said thank you or anything else. He just sat there with an unchanging expression. He was so hard to figure out.
After some time, you finally printed his bill and delivered it to him. He paid more than what he was charged. 'Oh, to have this much money to spare' was your immediate thought.
You bowed to him as he was leaving. He glanced over his shoulder before opening the door. He smiled.
"Thank you."
Then he left.
"Come again, Master."
You muttered to yourself. Neither glad nor sad.
You were restless before that he had to know about this, you were afraid of what might come of it. Then there was this feeling at the bottom of your heart, telling you that it's okay, he would keep this to himself.
Akaashi was not the type of person to spread rumors. He won't talk about the things he saw today to anyone.
You could trust him with this one. Hopefully.
──────────
You finished your shift in the afternoon and changed back to your clothing, feeling dizzy for thinking about Akaashi.
You grabbed your bag and closed the locker. Satsuki thanked you for today's work and then you exited the building through the back.
Once you opened the door, someone had been waiting for you in the alley.
He hadn't heard you coming out, he was busy looking at the street, colored in the golden radiance of the sunset.
He leaned on a wall, crossing his arms. You let go of the door handle and successfully caught his attention as it closed shut. You met his eyes once more, clearly seeing how calm and collected he was.
"Have you been waiting for me?"
"More or less."
You checked your watch, "That's like a solid two hours."
He shrugged nonchalantly, "I managed."
You idly adjusted your bag position so it wouldn't bounce against your thigh when you walked.
"So..., are you here to laugh at me?"
He smirked, cocking an eyebrow, "Why would I ever do that?"
"Well, I thought it must be pretty funny to see me as a maid."
"It's not something to laugh at. Besides, you were doing great than I imagined."
He straightened his posture and walked out of the alley, giving you a silent gesture to come along.
You jogged to his side, "How did you know I work there?"
"I didn't. I just happen to see you through the window as I walked by the place."
"I thought the window is a two-way glass," you mumbled.
"How long have you been working there?"
"About a month I guess."
His strong analytical mind put the pieces together, from the date of your resignation to the beginning of your sleep-deprived.
"Is this the reason you left the team? Because you have to work?"
You sighed and looked away, "Yeah. I'm sorry about that."
His expression softened, "Oh [surname], you don't need to apologize. We accepted your decision, didn't we?"
The two of you continued walking in silence.
What a coincidence to meet him here when his house was on the other side of the town. Was he merely taking a Saturday stroll around Tokyo? It did look like it from the way he was dressed. It was the first time you ever see him in glasses too.
Akaashi stared at you who was lost in thought. He lightly bumped your shoulder.
"So, [nickname]. Can I come again some other time?"
"You want to visit the cafe again?"
"Why not. The omelet rice was good. And with you around makes it even better"
You chuckled at his statement, "Yeah, sure. Make sure to give me a good tip, though."
It had gotten easier to warm up with him. He may look like someone who's hard to approach, but once you made the first move, he would gladly converse with you.
"How is everyone doing?"
"Err...," he ran a hand through his hair, "We still have no luck finding a new manager."
You grew uneasy. You just remembered you hadn't looked for your replacement before you quitted. You knew the other day something felt a little off whenever you think about them.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. It's my fault. I totally forgot to look for someone to fill my position."
"Woah, calm down [surname]. It's not your fault. It's just Bokuto-san. He declined every possible recruit because he only wants you."
He huffed, rubbing the back of the neck, "We're currently running out of options and he's getting dejected more often."
You got the picture in your head.
Having to keep up with Bokuto on a daily basis was sometimes tiresome enough for him. It's hard to imagine Akaashi dealing with the captain's mood swings almost every day.
You gave him a comforting pat on the back.
"I'm sorry to hear that. I'll try talking with Bokuto-san when I have the chance."
"[surname], you don't have to do that. It's really not your responsibility anymore."
You firmly shook your head, "No. I shouldn't leave things unattended. By leaving unprepared, I just put a lot of trouble for the team. Especially you Akaashi."
"Ah... well then, I'm not going to stop you," he took a bow as a way of showing his gratitude, "Thank you, [surname]."
You quickly stopped him by putting your hands on his shoulders, "Akaashi, that is not necessary. Come one, we're friends."
He couldn't help but chuckle at your reaction.
It would be easier if you just returned as their manager. Akaashi made it clear that the team couldn't function properly without you, although that notion was a little exaggerated at some point.
Too bad you didn't have time in your schedule to attend practice. Maybe you could work this out on your own. You shouldn't give him false hope.
The orange-ray shimmered down on you while the sun began to drown in the distance. It's getting dark and you still have to buy groceries.
"Are you heading home Akaashi? Where are you going after this?"
"Hm... just strolling around I guess. My parents are having guests tonight anyway."
"Want to come over to my house?"
***
Note:
Okay for those who don't know this a crossover with the manga/anime Maid Sama! by Hiro Fujiwara (๑•ᴗ•๑)♡
None of the characters in the maid cafe are mine and no, Usui will not show up (>︿<｡)
Read until the end for a special surprise (∩•ω•∩)♬