[ It's always an adjustment whenever she disappears and returns to Visium and Lumindeas, memories of her time in this land flooding her mind when she reawakens in the garden, alone again.
And this time, memories of her entire summer vacation spent with the Thieves flash through her mind's eye. A summer spent with Zenkichi and Sophia, and the journeys she's watched them go on; the pain, desperation, but the sheer determination and hope they demonstrated together.
After a couple of days of resettling back, it's time to return to the cafe and get back on track there. As ever, she's grateful Minato and Akira have worked diligently to keep it afloat. So when she enters, she's ready for business as usual, until she notices the tall boy who seems to be mopping her floors. Not Minato or Akira.
[ it's only his second day at the cafe, but he thinks he's getting a better feel of it. minato had kindly showed him around earlier, pointed out things he needed to know and introducing him to a few of the staff. why a dog and a starfish are part of the employees he'll never know, but it's fine. he passed the vibe check and now here he is, mopping the floors in between the flow of customers.
he looks up when she comes in, and the first thing he sees is her fluffy hair. didn't minato say that's what the owner had? ]
She feels very small next to him, nervous, but if he were a threat Koromaru or Bi-chan would have jumped in by now. Instead, the star demon twirls behind in the kitchen, forgetting its responsibility to the cafe. ][ She's polite in turn, but quickly finds her voice and courage to ask what he's doing in her cafe. ]
Who are you... sorry? You're not one of my staff...
[ my staff. so this is the owner, then. unji straightens up on instinct but then thinks better of it halfway through, slouching a little and leaning against the mop handle. she's much shorter than him and he's already big; she's probably wondering what the hell he's doing here. ]
Sorry, Minato-san said you could use the help, so he's been showing me around. He also said you've been out for a while, so I thought I'd clean up a little.
[ There's a couple of owlish blinks from her before Haru's taut shoulders begin to ease up at the mention of Minato. ]
He did that? Oh...
[ She was out for a while— perhaps he was worried about the cafe and its customers. She'll have to remind herself to thank him later. ]
I hadn't realized we had gotten new staff. Forgive me for that.
[ She bows her head politely and as her eyes catch the floor, she notices they're very clean. ]
I'm Okumura Haru. I own Sip and Blossom. [ Which he already knows... ] Um, welcome! I'm sorry, I'm still getting caught up with matters since returning.
Nah, it's my bad, I should've said something. He was just trying to help.
[ it feels a little awkward to be on the receiving end of such politeness, but he bows in turn, one hand coming up to rub the nape of his neck afterwards. he definitely feels like he overstepped, but she hasn't kicked him out yet, so... maybe it's fine? ]
... Nice to meet you. If you want, I can finish up here and come back again later when you're more caught up.
[ it must be a shock to come back and be met with all these changes. ]
[ She moves toward counter, setting down her purse and tucking it away somewhere. Then she grabs an apron, tossing it over her head and grabbing the strings so she can tie it together. ]
Zuma-san, right? If Minato-kun said you can work here, I trust his judgement.
[ She's never had to train someone before, so now she wonders what she should do next. Minato and Akira were naturals and didn't need much prodding, outside of poking Minato whenever he dozed off. ]
Then... it's nice to meet you as well! I look forward to working together.
Yeah. Likewise. [ he clears his throat. ] And just Zuma's okay.
[ zuma-san lowkey gives him hives. haru seems like a proper lady and he's just a deadbeat punk in comparison. ]
I don't think Minato-san had a chance to tell you yet, but I don't really have work experience... and I got a record. [ not sure if that even matters here, but he may as well be upfront. ] But, uh, if you need help with cleaning or fixing stuff, I can do that.
[ Goodness, he sure looks like he could take on an officer or two.
But she's even more curious as to what could have been happening for him to do that. Most people where they come from don't lash out the way they do and for the ones that do rebel more openly, like Ryuji or Ann, they were being victimized to a breaking point. ]
Oh!
[ At least he's honest. ]
That's terrible to hear. I hope things have gotten better since then.
[ As for the officer? ]
I imagine that officer made things worse and was not helpful at a time you needed the support.
[ he's gotten so used to people immediately recoiling that what she says makes him pause for a moment, a blank look on his face before he thinks, yeah, actually. she's not wrong. ]
... Yeah. They're better now.
[ he can never get his family back, nor can he undo the damage that he's done, but the least he can do is keep moving forward. to keep helping people who still need him. ]
Some of them are okay. But most of 'em are shit, yeah.
[ he's just glad she doesn't seem put off by him. not many people in his life have taken a chance on him. it's a nice feeling, despite also being very foreign. ]
He just showed me where everything is. I haven't worked the register yet... just been cleaning and putting stuff away. [ a pause as he shrugs. ] I figured you'd want someone more friendly looking to deal with customers.
[ he's still not sure how he'll fare on the customer service front, but he'll do his best. for now, he watches the starfish twirl its way over, somersaulting through the air as it floats around her. ]
Is it yours? From this place?
[ koromaru being in the cafe is fine but of course he's curious about the floating starfish. ]
[ decarabia inches closer but unji keeps his hands to himself, watching haru scooping it into her arms. his experience with yokai is still limited as it is, but this little guy looks... pretty domesticated already. ]
Nothing to be scared of. He's just vibing.
[ besides, he doubts haru would let it hang around the place otherwise. ]
Is there anything I gotta know about him? Does he need... water, or something.
He doesn't really need anything, but you can give him one of Koromaru's treats on the counter once in a while.
[ Completely normal to share.
Anyway.
Haru releases Decarabia and it floats away, back to vibing on its own in a corner somewhere. ]
I'll make sure to get you a key soon so you can have access to the cafe. Um, [ she looks around and points to the dining area ] this is where customers eat. Sometimes they get their food and drink at the counter, sometimes we bring it over.
[ And she gestures for him to follow her behind the counter. ]
I guess I won't be showing you the register for now, but we do keep some supplies here and they need to be restocked when running low.
[ feeding him dog treats... you know what, he's not going to question it. he follows along behind her as told, listening intently to everything she points out and making note of where things are located. the cafe isn't too big, and while he's never spent a lot of time in cafes in general, the layout is at least familiar. ]
Got it. [ thankfully, supplies are universal. ] Do you do the restocking yourself?
[ it kind of seems like she does a lot... it's just the vibe he gets from her. if he's not going to be on the register, the least he can do is help with the manual labor as much as he can. ]
The boys restock, too. We all take turns to help around with everything.
[ Maybe it's a strange decision, so she turns to face him to explain: ]
We're not a large cafe, so everyone sharing the responsibility helps, including myself. I think it's more fair that way.
[ So no one has to feel burdened by any one particular thing at their job. She wonders what her cafe back home will look like in terms of management, but here... it works. ]
I do pick-ups for ingredients and other purchases on my own, though... [ Sizing Unji up, he's probably a lot stronger than herself and Minato... probably Akira, too. ] Sometimes it's quite heavy for myself.
[ even if it is strange, he wouldn't know about it. but it's good to know that the tasks are shared and she isn't the only one keeping things together. maybe that's why minato went out of his way to ask him to help. they each do what they can.
but he latches on to that last part, perking up a little. ]
If you need another pair of hands, I got you. [ man, he almost sounds desperate. making a bit of a face, he shrugs again. ] Sorry if I'm coming on strong. I always gotta have something to do... I get all in my head if I'm just standing around.
It's nice to stay busy, isn't it? [ If she had taken more time off, Minato and Akira wouldn't have complained, but she has a responsibility as the owner, so here she is. ] If I may... you said you had arrived in this reality recently?
[ Having traversed through it very recently, she nods in understanding.
But her expression falters for a split second at his next question. ]
I'm sorry, but we don't really know. Some people have been here for years and others are here only for a short time. We haven't been able to figure out what the cause is.
[ And while she's glad to be back, that lingering frustration reminds her there's so much work to do here. ]
But many of the people here are kind and will help you, if you feel overwhelmed or confused. Like Minato-kun!
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( sip & blossom )
And this time, memories of her entire summer vacation spent with the Thieves flash through her mind's eye. A summer spent with Zenkichi and Sophia, and the journeys she's watched them go on; the pain, desperation, but the sheer determination and hope they demonstrated together.
After a couple of days of resettling back, it's time to return to the cafe and get back on track there. As ever, she's grateful Minato and Akira have worked diligently to keep it afloat. So when she enters, she's ready for business as usual, until she notices the tall boy who seems to be mopping her floors. Not Minato or Akira.
... now why is a customer cleaning her floors? ]
Pardon me.
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he looks up when she comes in, and the first thing he sees is her fluffy hair. didn't minato say that's what the owner had? ]
Hello.
[ well, might as well try to be polite. ]
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And kind of intimidating in appearance, too.
She feels very small next to him, nervous, but if he were a threat Koromaru or Bi-chan would have jumped in by now. Instead, the star demon twirls behind in the kitchen, forgetting its responsibility to the cafe. ][ She's polite in turn, but quickly finds her voice and courage to ask what he's doing in her cafe. ]
Who are you... sorry? You're not one of my staff...
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Sorry, Minato-san said you could use the help, so he's been showing me around. He also said you've been out for a while, so I thought I'd clean up a little.
[ is that overstepping? oh, well. ]
I'm Zuma. I woke up here recently.
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He did that? Oh...
[ She was out for a while— perhaps he was worried about the cafe and its customers. She'll have to remind herself to thank him later. ]
I hadn't realized we had gotten new staff. Forgive me for that.
[ She bows her head politely and as her eyes catch the floor, she notices they're very clean. ]
I'm Okumura Haru. I own Sip and Blossom. [ Which he already knows... ] Um, welcome! I'm sorry, I'm still getting caught up with matters since returning.
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[ it feels a little awkward to be on the receiving end of such politeness, but he bows in turn, one hand coming up to rub the nape of his neck afterwards. he definitely feels like he overstepped, but she hasn't kicked him out yet, so... maybe it's fine? ]
... Nice to meet you. If you want, I can finish up here and come back again later when you're more caught up.
[ it must be a shock to come back and be met with all these changes. ]
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[ She moves toward counter, setting down her purse and tucking it away somewhere. Then she grabs an apron, tossing it over her head and grabbing the strings so she can tie it together. ]
Zuma-san, right? If Minato-kun said you can work here, I trust his judgement.
[ She's never had to train someone before, so now she wonders what she should do next. Minato and Akira were naturals and didn't need much prodding, outside of poking Minato whenever he dozed off. ]
Then... it's nice to meet you as well! I look forward to working together.
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[ zuma-san lowkey gives him hives. haru seems like a proper lady and he's just a deadbeat punk in comparison. ]
I don't think Minato-san had a chance to tell you yet, but I don't really have work experience... and I got a record. [ not sure if that even matters here, but he may as well be upfront. ] But, uh, if you need help with cleaning or fixing stuff, I can do that.
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[ After all, how does one gain experience if they can't work?
But she does slow her movement, interest piqued when Unji brings up his record.
... what kind of record? ]
A record? Have you been convicted before?
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[ he sounds pretty matter of fact about it, but there's no use hiding it. haru deserves to know what she's getting into. ]
I was in a bad place for a while. Angry all the time. Doesn't excuse what I did, but I'm trying to make up for it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZuxPKUVGiw
But she's even more curious as to what could have been happening for him to do that. Most people where they come from don't lash out the way they do and for the ones that do rebel more openly, like Ryuji or Ann, they were being victimized to a breaking point. ]
Oh!
[ At least he's honest. ]
That's terrible to hear. I hope things have gotten better since then.
[ As for the officer? ]
I imagine that officer made things worse and was not helpful at a time you needed the support.
hELP
... Yeah. They're better now.
[ he can never get his family back, nor can he undo the damage that he's done, but the least he can do is keep moving forward. to keep helping people who still need him. ]
Thanks.
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[ If Minato offered him a job, then there isn't much of a reason to worry her head off. He must be good company or have a good heart.
Haru smiles, sweet and friendly. ]
Don't worry; we don't like the police, too.
[ The cafe is an anti-cop establishment— ]
What has Minato-kun shown you so far? I'm happy to take over and train you on the rest.
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Some of them are okay. But most of 'em are shit, yeah.
[ he's just glad she doesn't seem put off by him. not many people in his life have taken a chance on him. it's a nice feeling, despite also being very foreign. ]
He just showed me where everything is. I haven't worked the register yet... just been cleaning and putting stuff away. [ a pause as he shrugs. ] I figured you'd want someone more friendly looking to deal with customers.
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[ What kind of manager would she be if couldn't help train someone? ]
Hmm... I'll show you around a bit then, but you can stay cleaning up today.
[ It's quiet for now and it seems like the other boys are handling the cafe fine, so she'll take the time to start showing Unji around.
But first, Decarabia is going to float in front of them, swirling clockwise as if to convey excitement. ]
Oh, Bi-chan! I hope I didn't make you worry too much.
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[ he's still not sure how he'll fare on the customer service front, but he'll do his best. for now, he watches the starfish twirl its way over, somersaulting through the air as it floats around her. ]
Is it yours? From this place?
[ koromaru being in the cafe is fine but of course he's curious about the floating starfish. ]
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Kazuya-kun let me have him. He watches the cafe when we close up, but it seems he likes to hang around us.
[ You would think she's talking about a dog and not a starfish looking demon.
When Decarabia gets too close to Unji, Haru's arms scoop it up into her arms and give it a slight hug. ]
You don't seem scared of him like some of the others were...
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Nothing to be scared of. He's just vibing.
[ besides, he doubts haru would let it hang around the place otherwise. ]
Is there anything I gotta know about him? Does he need... water, or something.
[ you know, since he looks like a starfish. ]
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[ Completely normal to share.
Anyway.
Haru releases Decarabia and it floats away, back to vibing on its own in a corner somewhere. ]
I'll make sure to get you a key soon so you can have access to the cafe. Um, [ she looks around and points to the dining area ] this is where customers eat. Sometimes they get their food and drink at the counter, sometimes we bring it over.
[ And she gestures for him to follow her behind the counter. ]
I guess I won't be showing you the register for now, but we do keep some supplies here and they need to be restocked when running low.
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Got it. [ thankfully, supplies are universal. ] Do you do the restocking yourself?
[ it kind of seems like she does a lot... it's just the vibe he gets from her. if he's not going to be on the register, the least he can do is help with the manual labor as much as he can. ]
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[ Maybe it's a strange decision, so she turns to face him to explain: ]
We're not a large cafe, so everyone sharing the responsibility helps, including myself. I think it's more fair that way.
[ So no one has to feel burdened by any one particular thing at their job. She wonders what her cafe back home will look like in terms of management, but here... it works. ]
I do pick-ups for ingredients and other purchases on my own, though... [ Sizing Unji up, he's probably a lot stronger than herself and Minato... probably Akira, too. ] Sometimes it's quite heavy for myself.
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[ even if it is strange, he wouldn't know about it. but it's good to know that the tasks are shared and she isn't the only one keeping things together. maybe that's why minato went out of his way to ask him to help. they each do what they can.
but he latches on to that last part, perking up a little. ]
If you need another pair of hands, I got you. [ man, he almost sounds desperate. making a bit of a face, he shrugs again. ] Sorry if I'm coming on strong. I always gotta have something to do... I get all in my head if I'm just standing around.
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[ She waves a hand. ]
It's nice to stay busy, isn't it? [ If she had taken more time off, Minato and Akira wouldn't have complained, but she has a responsibility as the owner, so here she is. ] If I may... you said you had arrived in this reality recently?
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[ hopefully she knows what he's talking about. ]
Someone told me there's people that have been here for a year or more now. Is there really no way back?
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But her expression falters for a split second at his next question. ]
I'm sorry, but we don't really know. Some people have been here for years and others are here only for a short time. We haven't been able to figure out what the cause is.
[ And while she's glad to be back, that lingering frustration reminds her there's so much work to do here. ]
But many of the people here are kind and will help you, if you feel overwhelmed or confused. Like Minato-kun!
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