Yuuto Hoshino was absolutely certain about…
it was that things would only get worse.
— Costume fitting! — announced Sakura Aoyama, entering the club room with a huge box in her arms. — The best moment has arrived!
— I disagree — said Yuuto immediately.
— You haven't even seen it yet!
— I don't need to.
— Yes, you do!
She dropped the box onto the table with a dramatic THUMP.
Haru was already beside her, practically glowing with excitement.
— This is going to be amazing!
— This is going to be embarrassing — corrected Ren, leaning against the wall.
— This is going to be necessary — said Misaki, flipping through a clipboard. — We need to test the café's visual concept.
— Exactly! — Sakura opened the box. — And I picked the best ones!
Yuuto closed his eyes for a second.
— That's not a good sign.
---
— TADA!
Sakura lifted the first costume.
A uniform… clearly themed.
With exaggerated details.
And ears.
— …no — said Yuuto.
— YES! — Sakura smiled. — It's perfect!
— It isn't.
— It's cute!
— It's unnecessary.
— It's memorable!
— It's avoidable.
Ren started laughing.
— I want to see him wearing that.
— You won't — Yuuto replied.
— He will! — said Sakura. — Everyone will wear one!
— I refuse.
— Refusal denied.
— That's not how this works.
— Yes, it is!
Misaki looked up.
— Actually… it might help attract customers.
Yuuto fell silent.
— …you too? — he asked.
— Of course.
— Betrayal.
— Strategy.
Sakura held the costume in front of him.
— Try it.
— No.
— Try it.
— No.
— TRY IT.
— …
— …
— …
— Just for testing — Yuuto finally said.
Sakura froze.
Haru almost shouted.
Ren clapped.
— I KNEW IT!
— This is historic — said Ren.
— Shut up — Yuuto muttered, taking the costume.
---
A few minutes later…
The changing room door slowly opened.
Absolute silence.
Yuuto stepped out.
Wearing the costume.
Perfectly fitted.
And completely expressionless.
Sakura blinked.
Once.
Twice.
— …
— …
— …say something — said Yuuto.
Haru was shaking.
— This… this is amazing!
Ren was holding back laughter.
— You look way too serious for that… and that makes it even better.
Misaki was analyzing.
— It works.
Sakura…
was still silent.
— Sakura — Yuuto called.
— Hm? — she finally reacted.
— You insisted on this.
— Yes…
— So?
She looked away for a second.
— …it looks good.
Silence.
Ren looked at Haru.
Haru looked at Ren.
— She bugged out — Haru whispered.
— Confirmed — said Ren.
Sakura quickly crossed her arms.
— I mean, it's acceptable! It's not a big deal!
— I see — Yuuto replied.
But for a moment…
a faint smile appeared.
And disappeared.
Sakura saw it.
And looked away again.
— Next! — she said quickly. — My turn!
---
Sakura came out of the changing room in an even more exaggerated outfit.
Full of details.
Ribbons.
And energy.
— Well?! — she spun around.
— Loud — said Yuuto.
— That's not a compliment!
— But it suits you.
She stopped.
— …
— …
— …okay, that was a little bit of a compliment — she admitted.
— A little.
— I'll take it!
---
After the costume fitting…
came the rehearsal.
Which was basically an excuse for more chaos.
— Alright! — said Sakura. — Let's simulate real service!
— Again? — Yuuto asked.
— Yes!
— I already participated.
— Now it's the advanced version!
— That's unnecessary.
— That's evolution!
Ren raised his hand.
— I want to be the weird customer.
— You already are — said Yuuto.
— Fair.
Haru jumped in.
— Me too!
— No! — said Misaki. — One at a time!
— Organization — Yuuto muttered.
— Always — Misaki replied.
---
Ren sat down, crossing his legs.
— Good afternoon — said Sakura, getting into character.
— Good afternoon — Ren replied with a suspicious smile. — Do you have anything… unusual?
— We do! — Sakura pointed at Yuuto. — Him!
— That's not on the menu — said Yuuto.
— It should be!
Ren laughed.
— I want that silent service.
— It's not a product.
— Everything can be a product.
— No.
— Maybe.
— No.
— Okay.
Haru couldn't hold back anymore.
— My turn!
— No — said Misaki.
— Please!
— No.
— Please!
— …quickly.
— YES!
Haru sat down.
— Good afternoon!
— Good afternoon! — Sakura replied.
— Do you come here often?
Silence.
Yuuto looked at him.
— That's not original.
— I got into the role!
— You did it wrong.
Ren laughed.
— This is getting worse.
— This is getting better! — said Sakura.
---
In the middle of the rehearsal…
something changed.
Without warning.
Without planning.
— Yuuto — Sakura suddenly said.
— Hm?
— Let's do it properly.
— We are.
— No… — she shook her head. — For real.
She sat in front of him.
No exaggeration.
No acting.
— Customer and attendant — she said, calmer.
Yuuto observed her.
— Alright.
Silence.
But not uncomfortable.
— Good afternoon — he said.
— Good afternoon — she replied.
— What would you like?
— Hm…
She thought.
But didn't answer right away.
— I don't know.
— Then… I can recommend something.
She looked up.
— You recommend things?
— Sometimes.
— Then… what do you recommend?
Yuuto thought for a second.
— Something simple.
— Why?
— Because… sometimes, simple works better.
Silence.
Sakura smiled.
But not like before.
Softer.
— Then I trust you.
Yuuto paused.
— You trust too easily.
— Maybe.
— That's risky.
— But… — she tilted her head — …interesting.
He looked away.
— You like that word.
— I do.
— I noticed.
— Of course you did.
---
— …that was different — said Haru, breaking the moment.
— It was — Ren agreed.
Misaki closed her clipboard.
— It worked.
Sakura stood up quickly.
— IT WAS JUST A TEST!
— Of course — said Ren.
— Totally — said Haru.
— Evidently — said Misaki.
Yuuto remained silent.
But this time…
it wasn't the same silence as before.
---
At the end of the day, while everyone was leaving…
Yuuto stayed behind a little longer.
Notebook open.
"She was quiet today.
For a few seconds.
And… it was louder than anything she's ever said."
He paused.
"…that's dangerous."
— Yuuto!
He turned.
Sakura.
— You still write about me, right?
— Sometimes.
— Only sometimes?!
— Frequently.
She smiled.
— That's better.
— Why?
— Because it means I'm interesting.
He thought.
— You are.
She blinked.
— …you said that too easily.
— It was an observation.
— Even so.
Silence.
But light.
— The festival is going to be complicated — he said.
— It will.
— You're going to cause problems.
— Definitely!
— …
— …
— …I'll be there — said Yuuto.
Sakura smiled.
— I know.
And, for the first time…
neither of them tried to say anything more.
Because…
they didn't need to.