The café's interior was predominantly warm-toned, with seating in a mix of orange, green, and white, all complementing the bright and spacious hall layout.
It gave off a warm, chic vibe.
It was the perfect spot for white-collar workers burdened with work stress to unwind after work or even to get some work done, a solid choice indeed.
One had to admit, the young lady's sense of aesthetics was spot-on; at any rate, Arisugawa Hoshina felt the café's décor perfectly suited her own tastes.
Glancing around, one was struck by a sense of expansive comfort, from the clean, tidy floor to the soft, cozy sofas, the stylishly minimalist reception desk... and there behind the reception, Haruka Yuzan was still there, wiping down the surface.
"He's been at it for what, over ten minutes now! Even if you're slacking off, at least switch it up a bit! This is just too much!!"
The tomboy always spoke her mind, so seeing Haruka Yuzan perpetually "slacking off" and not working definitely irked her, prompting a pout.
Chiba Shimizu ran her hand through her hair that fell by her ears, and looked over with her clear eyes. The boy seemed off, his cheeks flushed, head bowed, absorbed in something only he knew.
He twisted rhythmically, as though listening to music.
But he wasn't wearing headphones, was he? It was rather strange. Although he usually seemed quite laid-back, at least when he worked, he wasn't one to skive off too much. What was up with him today?
"Hmm, it is indeed odd."
Arisugawa Hoshina took a couple of steps forward, her fiery figure and cool attire swaying provocatively in the air, as eye-catching as her explosive temperament. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ n0velfire.net
"Hey, have you seen Sister Reiko?"
Seeing the tomboy approaching, Haruka Yuzan stopped his "rhythmic" movements and seemed to step back half a pace, his hands dangling idly, busy with something unknown,
"You're talking about Sister Reiko?"
"Yes!" Arisugawa Hoshina nodded, eyeing him with a hint of suspicion.
In response to the tomboy's interrogation, Haruka Yuzan's face remained unfazed, his heart steady as he flashed a sunny smile,
"I think I just saw her head over to the kitchen to help Misaki out. Why don't you check there?"
"What... what are you doing?" Arisugawa Hoshina grew more suspicious at his smile.
"Nothing much, just cleaning. Want to join me?" he said, casually swinging the cloth in his hand.
"Like I'd join you, you've been loafing around here for the past ten minutes. Humph!"
The tomboy huffed, tossing her golden tresses, and strutted into the kitchen with an air of arrogance.
Her caramel skin, gleaming from the sun's rays and a sheen of sweat, made her healthful beauty shine. Her pert figure moved with a primitive wild grace.
As soon as she entered the kitchen, Arisugawa Hoshina's anxious voice could be heard,
"Ah! Misaki, what's happened to you?"
The camera shifted to the kitchen,
where the tomboy, upon entering, immediately spotted Misaki Saki slumped stiffly over a chair, her youthful and tender body covered by a loose vest.
The ordinary gaze swept over her exposed soft, pale legs and arms, which looked incredibly cute, continually enticing the darkest of impulses in people's hearts!
A young girl with a middle-school vibe appeared... unfortunately, her state didn't look too great. Her cute face was colorless, her usually rosy lips had turned a shade paler—a picture of utter exhaustion, pitifully listless.
"Misaki, what's happened to you?"
Alarmed, Arisugawa Hoshina hurried over and asked anxiously.
She had no time to look for Sister Reiko now; the little one before her seemed to be on the verge of passing out!
Wasn't it just taking out the trash? Could something else have happened on the way?
When the tomboy walked in, hope flickered in Misaki Saki's eyes, but her frail, pitiable form looked like an NPC about to expire, imparting one last quest.
"Hoshina, you finally came, I... I feel like I'm about to..."
Arisugawa Hoshina, affected by the atmosphere, clasped the little one's hand worriedly, her eyes brimming with endless tenderness,
"Yes, I'm here. What is it?"
"I, I, I'm about to die of exhaustion! Waaaah, never again will I take out so much trash alone!"
At this point, the poor kid was on the verge of tears, who knew the toll dragging a trash bag nearly her size out hundreds of meters had on her slight frame?
After three trips back and forth to the dumpster, she had nearly thrown herself in there too, waiting to be hauled away in the garbage truck for recycling.
But, having boasted she could do it, even if she had to crawl, she had to make it happen,
Waaaah, it was so tough.
"I've missed you so much, Hoshina, waaaah..."
In an instant, tears streamed down her cheeks, washing over her face. Her expression held all her woes—as if words were too bland to express her sorrow.
Seeing this, Arisugawa Hoshina took the little one into a compassionate embrace, her hand gently stroking her back, trying to give the freshly harrowed soul a trace of security and solace,