Our tour around the school came to a short but necessary pause at the facility room downstairs. We unexpectedly meet Lucius there, and decided to ask for suggestions..on where to visit around the school
"I see," Lucius said, leaning back against a terminal. "Well, you have a bit of time. You should all go to the maid cafe the Student Council is hosting in their club room."
The air in the room seemed to vibrate instantly. "WHAT?!" Yuki and Izame screamed in unison, their voices echoing off the metallic walls of the facility.
"There's a maid cafe?" Izame's eyes went wide, sparkling with a mix of disbelief and pure, unadulterated hype.
"I can't wait to go! We have to go right now! Let's go, let's go, let's go!" Yuki cried.
Before Izame could even offer a verbal "yes," Yuki lunged forward. She grabbed Izame's wrist with surprising strength, spinning her around like a ragdoll. Izame let out a startled "Wha—!" as she was suddenly yanked off her feet.
Yuki didn't just walk; she bolted. She dragged a stumbling, laughing Izame behind her, their footsteps drumming a frantic rhythm against the floor. They vanished through the doorway in a blur of skirts and flying hair, their excited chatter trailing off down the hall like a fading siren.
"Okay, let's go, Silver, before they actually get lost," Makoto urged, watching the empty doorway with a stunned expression. "They're fast."
"Wait, Lucius, where is the Student Council room?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady despite the chaos.
"Straight upstairs, then take a right. It's room 105," Lucius answered, looking amused by the whirlwind that had just passed through.
"Okay, thank you! Let's go, Makoto!"
We took off at a jog, our shoes squeaking against the polished linoleum. We caught up to the girls at the base of the stairs, where Yuki was still tugging at Izame's arm as if she were trying to pull a stubborn tetherball.
"Do you guys even know where you're going?" I panted as we pulled up beside them.
Yuki paused for a split second, her face a mask of pure, cheerful confusion. "Uhh... nope!"
"I thought so. Follow me," I sighed, taking the lead.
"Alright, this is it," Makoto said, pointing to the large double doors of Room 105.
A hand-painted sign hung from the handle, decorated with frills and glitter: MAID CAFE - WELCOME!
"THE MAID CAFE!" Izame and Yuki gasped in unison, their faces pressed against the glass for a split second before they pushed the doors open.
"Woowww! It's beautiful!" Yuki whispered, her voice full of awe as we stepped inside.
The Student Council room had been completely transformed. Pink and white lace draped over the long meeting tables, and the smell of sweet pastries and floral tea hung heavy in the air. Heart-shaped balloons floated near the ceiling, and soft, upbeat music played from a speaker in the corner.
"Welcome to our maid cafe!" two girls chirped, stepping forward to greet us. They wore matching black dresses with crisp white aprons and frilly headbands. As they spoke, they held their hands together to form heart signs with their fingers. "We have seats for the four of you open in the back!"
They led us to a section of the room filled with low tables and plush, velvet-covered couches. Makoto and I sat down together on one couch, while Yuki and Izame settled onto the one directly across from us. This put Makoto face-to-face with Yuki, while I sat directly across from Izame. Once we were settled into the soft cushions, one of the girls pulled out a notepad. "What would you like to order, masters and princesses?"
Makoto looked over the menu and settled on a black coffee. Yuki, still bouncing in her seat, chose a brown coffee. Izame leaned over the menu, her eyes darting between the options. "I'll just have the house tea, please."
"And for me, I'll take a Chai tea," I added.
"Excellent choices! Thank you for ordering!" the two girls said with a synchronized bow. They waved playfully and walked off, their petticoats swishing as they navigated the busy room.
Yuki leaned over the table, tilting her head toward me. "Silver, what's Chai? I've heard of it, but I've never tried it."
"It's a type of tea made from simmering black tea with aromatic spices—usually things like cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger," I explained. "It's really good, especially if you like something with a bit of a kick."
"Hmm, that does sound good," Izame admitted, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at me from the couch opposite mine.
A few moments later, a waiter in a full maid ensemble arrived with a tray. "Here are your drinks! Be careful, they're quite hot." She set the cups down one by one on the low table, finishing with a small flourish. "Have a wonderful day!" she said with a bright smile before spinning on her heel and heading to the next table.
"Woah, that smells amazing, Silver," Izame said, her nose twitching as the steam from my cup reached her. She leaned forward over the table, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Can I have some?"
"Nope. Not a chance."
"Pretty please?" She leaned in even further, her eyes widening into the most exaggerated puppy-dog look she could muster.
"I won't fold that easily, Izame," I said with a grin, holding the cup slightly out of her reach.
To tease her further, I picked up the cup and took a slow, deliberate sip right in front of her. The spices were perfect—warm and comforting.
"Stop teasing me!" Izame pouted, dramatically dropping her forehead onto the lace-covered table with a soft thud. Then, she bolted back up, a look of sudden determination on her face. "You know what?"
"What?" I asked, lowering the cup.
"If you don't want to give it to me, I'LL JUST TAKE IT!"
Before I could react, she lunged across the table. Her hands clamped onto my cup, and she pulled it toward her, taking a quick, triumphant gulp.
"What—WHAT?!" I stammered, my face heating up from the sheer unexpectedness of it.
"You see? It was just a little sip. It wasn't going to kill you," she said, leaning back into her couch with a satisfied smirk. She turned her head toward Makoto and Yuki, who were now doubled over on their respective sides, clutching their stomachs in laughter. "What's so funny, guys?"
She looked back at me. I was frozen, my hand still hovering where the cup had been. I slowly pressed my palm to my forehead, realizing what had just happened.
"Izame... did you just drink from the same side I did?"
The smirk vanished instantly. Izame froze, her brain clearly rewinding the last ten seconds. A deep, violent shade of crimson spread from her neck to her ears. She slammed her hands over her face and whipped her head around, trying to hide against the back of the couch.
"What an idiot," I muttered, though my heart was racing a lot faster than I cared to admit.
"SHUT UP!" Izame yelled from behind her hands.
She may be harsh and unfiltered, I thought, looking at her flustered state, but that's what makes her cute. As Izame continued to hide her face against the velvet of the couch, a shadow fell over our table. I looked to my left and saw a familiar figure standing there, arms crossed and an amused brow arched.
"Hey, Maki," I said, trying to regain my composure.
Maki turned fully toward us, her Student Council armband catching the light as she stepped closer to our table. "I didn't expect to see you here, Silver," she said, her voice carrying that calm, authoritative tone she always used.
"Me neither, but we had some spare time to waste before training," I replied, leaning back into the cushions.
Maki scanned the group, her gaze lingering on the flustered Izame and then shifting to Makoto and Yuki. "And I also didn't expect you to have friends," she added, covering her mouth with her hand in mock shock.
"Come on!" I groaned, but it was too late—Makoto and Yuki were already bursting into fresh fits of laughter.
Maki ignored my protest and turned to the girl hiding her face. "Hey, Izame. Nice to see you again."
Izame finally peeked out from behind her hands, her face still a lingering shade of pink. "Nice to see you too, Maki," she mumbled, trying to act like she hadn't just been having a meltdown.
"I hope you keep taking care of my foolish brother," Maki pledged, giving a small, graceful bow toward her.
"Oh no, it's okay! You don't have to bow—he's really not so bad," Izame said, waving her hands frantically in the air, clearly feeling awkward.
"Am I really that bad that you have to bow?" I asked, looking between the two of them with a bewildered face.
"Anyways, what are your names?" Maki asked, shifting her attention to the other side of the table.
"I'm Makoto, and this is Yuki," Makoto replied with a friendly nod.
"Are these your friends, Silver?" Maki asked me, her eyes twinkling.
"Yes. I thought it was obvious."
"I'm jealous that you have such cool friends," Maki laughed, shaking her head.
"We can be friends too!" Yuki offered brightly, her energy matching Maki's sudden warmth.
"Wow, I would love that," Maki accepted. She looked back at me with a mischievous grin. "They're way too good for you, Silver."
"Look who's talking, loner," I shot back with a grin of my own.
"I have friends!" Maki stated, her expression shifting to a slightly mad look.
"I don't see them," I laughed, gesturing to the empty space around her.
"Alright, you're asking for it!" Maki said, balling up her fist playfully as she stepped toward the couch.
"Alright, let's calm down now! It was just a joke!" I said, throwing my hands up in a defensive gesture.
Everyone at the table laughed, the tension from earlier finally melting away.
"I hope all of us get along like you and Maki do, Silver," Makoto said, watching our banter.
"Me too. They're like the perfect brother and sister," Yuki agreed.
"Right? I always thought that too," Izame added, finally sitting up straight again.
Suddenly, a woman's voice crackled over the intercom: "All students, please proceed to your first class. Students, please proceed to your first class."
"Oh, it's time for us to go. See you guys," Maki said, her posture shifting back to that of the President. She looked at me one last time, her expression softening. "I'll let you off this time, Silver, but you should get going. You don't want to be late for your first training session."
She gave us a final wave and walked back toward the front of the cafe.
"Geez, that girl..." I muttered, standing up from the soft couch.
"All right, guys, let's get going!" Izame said, her usual energy returning as everyone stood up and made their way through the crowded cafe.
As we reached the entrance, the maids bowed in unison. "Thank you for coming to our cafe! Please come again!"
"Thank you for having us!" we said in sync, waving goodbye as we stepped back out into the hallway, heading toward whatever Lucius had waiting for us at the training grounds.