Maria took a deep breath as she stepped into the Sweet Blossom Café in her new, tighter uniform. Every movement felt different, more noticeable. She wasn’t used to the way the fabric hugged her, making her feel self-conscious under the warm café lights.
As she walked past the tables, she could already feel some customers stealing glances at her. Some smiled, others whispered. She tried to ignore it, keeping her head high and focusing on her duties.
— Maria-chan! Over here!
She turned toward the voice and found a young man waving enthusiastically. He looked to be in his mid-twenties, with messy brown hair and an excited expression.
— It’s my third time coming here, but I finally get to have you serve me! he beamed.
Maria forced a polite smile and approached his table.
— Okaerinasaimase, goshujin-sama! How may I serve you today?
The man, who introduced himself as Riku, grinned as he leaned forward.
— I’ve heard a lot about you already. You’re new, right? But you’ve already caught the attention of some… interesting people.
Maria’s heart skipped a beat. Was he talking about Hayato-sama?
— I… I don’t know what you mean, she replied carefully.
Riku chuckled.
— You’ll see soon enough. But never mind that. Let’s talk about you!
Maria blinked, unsure how to respond.
— Me?
— Yeah! I wanna get to know you better. Like, where are you from? What do you do outside of work? What kind of guys do you like?
Maria felt a slight wave of discomfort. She had been warned about this—some customers liked to get too personal.
— I’m sorry, goshujin-sama, but maids at Sweet Blossom Café don’t share personal information.
Riku pouted dramatically.
— Aw, come on! Just a little hint? I’ll order the most expensive item on the menu if you tell me your favorite color!
Maria hesitated. Saying her favorite color wasn’t a big deal, right?
— Pink, she answered softly.
Riku lit up.
— See! That wasn’t so hard, was it? Now I know something about you!
Maria sighed in relief. Maybe this wasn’t so bad.
— Then let me guess… you also like sweet things, right? Like, desserts?
— Yes, I do, she admitted, feeling a little more at ease.
— Then let’s make a deal! he grinned. If I come back every day for a week, will you share another secret with me?
Maria’s smile faltered.
— I… don’t think that’s allowed, goshujin-sama.
Riku waved a hand dismissively.
— Oh, come on. It’s just a game! No harm in that, right?
Before Maria could figure out how to respond, she suddenly felt a presence behind her.
— Riku, don’t pressure the maids.
Maria’s body stiffened.
That voice.
She turned her head slowly and found Hayato-sama standing there, hands in his pockets, watching them with a calm but unmistakably authoritative gaze.
Riku scratched the back of his head, looking a little nervous.
— Oh, Hayato-san! I was just having a little fun. No harm meant!
Hayato’s expression didn’t change.
— Fun or not, respect the rules. And respect Maria.
Maria felt her heart racing for a completely different reason now. Why was Hayato-sama stepping in?
Riku held up his hands in surrender.
— Alright, alright. I get it.
He turned back to Maria with a sheepish grin.
— Sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Maria-chan. No hard feelings?
Maria hesitated before giving a small nod.
— No hard feelings, goshujin-sama.
Riku smiled but didn’t say anything else. He simply placed his order, and Maria quickly excused herself to prepare it.
As she moved away, she could still feel Hayato-sama’s gaze lingering on her.
Something about the way he had intervened… felt different.
Was he simply protecting the café’s rules? Or was there another reason why he didn’t like seeing her with other customers?
Maria wasn’t sure.
But one thing was clear—her life at the Sweet Blossom Café was getting more complicated by the day.
To be continued …
