After finishing the staff meal, Sig went to the bartender table together with Ruggie and Jade to get ready for business.
Saturday is the busiest day in a week at Mostro Lounge. A large queue was already lining up at the entrance, waiting for it to open.
"Be prepared for the flow of people! Kishishishishishishi!" said Ruggie.
"Um...ok?" said Sig.
Two minutes later, Mostro Lounge is finally open, and Azul was busy taking the customers to their tables.
Within a few seconds, waiters started handing drink orders to the trio.
"I need two Cherry Vanillas and one apple juice to Table 4!"
"Three Mystery Drinks to Table 7 please!"
"I need one Raspberry Lemonade and one Coconut Limeade to Table 8 please!"
"Let's start working then. Sig, would you please finish the orders for table 4?" asked Jade.
"Sure," said Sig.
For the Cherry Vanilla, Sig made a vanilla milkshake in the blender by mixing milk, vanilla ice cream and some vanilla seeds scraped from vanilla beans. He then layered two drinking glass with the milkshake, then cherry puree until it has a total of 8 layers. He then placed three ice cubes into another drinking glass and poured in the apple juice.
"Oh, Sig. Would you serve the drinks to table 4 as well? I would like to introduce you to my friends," said Azul.
"No problem," said Sig. He put the drinks onto a tray and followed Azul.
On table 4 sat Deuce, Ace and Anna.
"Hello there, Deuce and Trappola siblings. Allow me to introduce you to our newest member of Mostro Lounge," said Azul.
"Ola. I am Sigmund Brachyura. Call me Sig is fine," said Sig.
"Hello, Sig," said Ace and Deuce.
"Here are your drinks," said Sig as he placed the drinks on the table.
"Thank you, sir. During hot days like these, a glass of chilled apple juice is all I need!" said Anna.
Sig blushed at the radiant smile on Anna's face.
"Are your wounds fully healed, Ace?" asked Azul.*
"They are, though the one in the abdomen still hurts a bit," said Ace. "But this glass of cherry vanilla makes me forget the pain!"
*From "Fall of NRC!?"
Sig noticed the spade-shaped patch on Deuce's right eye, and the heart-shaped patch on Ace and Anna's left eye.
"Pardon me...are those things on your eyes...birthmarks?" he asked shyly.
"Oh no, they are painted," said Deuce.
"Oh really!?" said Sig nervously. He then looked towards the bartender table.
"Well excuse me...I better help with the drinks!" He then ran off.
Deuce, the Trappola siblings and Azul looked at each other with confusion.
"What's with him?" asked Ace.
"I don't know. He often seems nervous and gloomy, but I assure you, he's really nice," said Azul.
"I wonder why he covers his left side of the face?" asked Anna.
"Maybe he's shy," said Deuce.
After finishing the order for table 4, Sig immediately helped with another order. This time he needed to make three Cookie Dough Milkshake and two Mystery Drinks.
For the Cookie Dough Milkshake, he made the vanilla milkshake again, but this time with some slightly crushed chocolate chip cookies added. After pouring the mixture into three glasses, he garnished them with a dollop of whipped cream and chocolate chips on each.
For the Mystery Drink, he simply added one gummy per colour into two glasses each and pour in the chilled soda.
"Service please!" said Sig as he handed out the drinks.
Azul, Jade, Floyd and Ruggie were very happy with their new colleague's performance.
"He's really quick!" said Floyd.
"He has the experience, after all," said Jade.
"Probably more than us," said Ruggie.
A few minutes later, another order was assigned to Sig. This time it's three Coconut Limeades.
He combined coconut water, lime juice and simple syrup in three glasses filled with ice cubes. Then he garnished each glass with a lime wedge.
"I know you're busy, Sig, but please let me introduce you to my friends again," said Azul.
"Oh...okay..." mumbled Sig nervously.
He and Azul went to table 2, where Vil, Rook and Epel sat.
"So this is the new beverage chef you're talking about?" said Vil.
"Yep. He's Sig Brachyura," said Azul. Sig bowed, then his eyes sparkled upon seeing Vil.
"It's you...Mr Schoenheit!" said Sig.
"You know each other?" asked Epel.
"Well, even if they don't, everyone knows Vil considering his popularity," said Rook.
Sig knelt down in front of Vil as if he's proposing to him.
"Mr Schoenheit...I don't know if you remember me, but...you came to the restaurant I used to work at during Easter for your reality show!"
"Did I...oh! I remember now. I was doing a show featuring the best restaurants back home. Your restaurant is the one that has a taco and burrito buffet section, as well as a minibar, right?"
"Yes. Amamos a Mexico! That's the one!" said Sig. He sounded excited, but as usual, his face remained blank, only his widened eyes showed his true emotions.
"Yes indeed. I'm sorry that I don't remember you, but I do remember the delicious tacos and nice Agua de flor de Jamaica there. I shall come again during the summer holiday," said Vil.
"Please do!" said Sig. Suddenly he gasped.
"Oh crap...I made a fool of myself again!" said Sig. He bowed again and ran off.
Azul sweatdropped while the Pomefiore trio looked at each other.
"He's...strange," whispered Epel.
"Why didn't he show on his face that he's happy to see Vil?" asked Rook.
"I'm wondering about the same thing, Rook. He's been poker-faced all the time, since day one," said Azul.
The lunch continued until two o'clock, and with Sig's help, everything went smoothly with no delayed or mistaken orders.
The Octavinelle trio, Ruggie and Sig quickly cleaned both the restaurant and the kitchen.
"Thank you for your help, Sig. You're truly amazing!" said Floyd.
"My pleasure," said Sig.
"Evening's gonna be busier, so be prepared! Kishishishishishi!" said Ruggie.
"Uh...got it," replied Sig.
"Sig, can I have a word with you?" asked Azul.
"Su...sure!" said Sig.
"Oh no...did I do something wrong? Was it because of what happened in table 4 and 2? Did I make a mistake on the orders? Were the customers not happy with the drinks? Did I say something offensive? Or is it..." Sig mumbled to himself, scared, wondering if Azul was going to lecture him.
"Relax, Sig! I just wanna have a chat with you, to know you better!" said Azul, who heard him mumbling.
Sig sighed in relief. The two arrived in Azul's office.
"Well, good job on your first shift! Me and all of Octavinelle, along with Ruggie, are satisfied with your performance," smiled Azul, sitting on his chair.
"You're...you're welcome. Gracias for your compliment!" said Sig, sitting on one of the sofas.
"And please don't worry about what happened at table 4 and 2! You're just nervous, right?"
"Ri...right,"
"But now, I have something serious to discuss with you."
"Eh? What is it?"
"No matter it's me, Jade, Floyd or my friends, they noticed that even your voice is normal, your facial expressions are blank and you never smiled. Why was that? Do you have facial paralysis or anything like that?"
"Oh..it's..." Suddenly, Sig heard voices inside his brain.
"It's all your fault!"
"Don't you dare smile again! Ever again!"
"We'll definitely never forgive you!"
"You're an unlucky charm! Why don't you just go away!"
Sig fell to the ground and panted heavily, covering his ears.
"No...please! Stop yelling! I'm sorry...I'm so sorry!" yelled Sig. Tears started filling his eyes.
"Woah! Calm down, Sig! Are you alright? Did I say something?" asked Azul nervously. He came to Sig and tried to help Sig up, but Sig slapped his hand.
"No...please! Leave me alone! I'm just a lowly piece of trash who bring misfortune to people! Please, stay away from me!!!!" Sig screamed and ran out of the office.
Jade and Floyd walked around Mostro Lounge and then saw Sig burst open the office door and ran away, crying. The two walked towards the office.
"Azul...what just happened?" asked Floyd, confused.
"I don't know...maybe I stirred up some bad memories?" said a dumbfounded Azul.