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Chapter 13 - Love at First Mishap (Chapter 13)

‎Vol. 2 — Chapter 13: Welcome to Café 2-B

‎The school gates were crowded from the moment they opened.

‎Parents, siblings, students from other classes, and even people from nearby towns filled the campus, eager to explore the Cultural Festival.

‎Balloons danced in the wind, food stalls sent delicious smells through the air, and music played faintly over the school's speakers.

‎Inside Class 2-B, the café was officially open.

‎"Alright, team!" Yuna clapped her hands. "Let's make this the best maid-and-butler café ever!"

‎"YES, MA'AM!" the class cheered.

‎Yuto stood near the door, wearing his black vest and white gloves. His bowtie felt tight, and his hands were slightly shaking.

‎"I feel like I'm gonna mess up…" he muttered.

‎"You won't," Yuna whispered, smiling as she adjusted her maid headband. "Just smile and be polite. Like we practiced."

‎He looked at her for a second—her cheerful energy, her confident presence—and found himself smiling too. "Okay."

‎---

‎The first few customers were classmates and parents. Yuto greeted them nervously.

‎"W-Welcome, my lady… your table awaits…"

‎"You sound like you're being held hostage," Ren whispered while passing by with a tray.

‎"Shut up," Yuto hissed, blushing.

‎But gradually, he got used to it.

‎He carried drinks, handed menus, and even made some people laugh with his stiff, awkward manners. Daiki and Souta were even worse, tripping over their own feet and spilling orange juice on a desk.

‎By lunchtime, the café was getting full.

‎"Table 3!" someone shouted. "Need another butler!"

‎"I'll go!" Yuto raised his hand.

‎He grabbed a tray and walked over.

‎And there—sitting at the table—was Yuna.

‎In her maid uniform.

‎Smiling playfully.

‎"Welcome, my lady," Yuto said, trying to keep a straight face. "Your… table awaits."

‎Yuna giggled. "You kept your promise."

‎"You're my first table today," he admitted.

‎"I'm honored."

‎Yuto served her tea with trembling hands.

‎"I can't believe we're doing this," he said as he placed the cup down.

‎"Why?" Yuna asked. "It's fun."

‎"It is," Yuto nodded. "It's just… I never imagined high school would be like this."

‎Yuna leaned forward slightly. "Neither did I. But I'm glad I met you."

‎Yuto froze for half a second.

‎Then smiled.

‎"…Yeah. Me too."

‎---

‎After Yuna's break, things got busy again.

‎Students rushed in, some curious about the class's reputation, some just looking for a place to sit and snack. Word was spreading that Café 2-B had a lot of cute maids and cool butlers.

‎Even Rika was pulling in customers.

‎She stood near the entrance with a small sign and a calm, professional look.

‎Every now and then, she glanced at Yuto.

‎And smiled quietly to herself.

‎---

‎Midway through the afternoon, Daiki burst through the classroom door.

‎"Guys! There's a class next door giving out free cotton candy!"

‎"Let's go after this shift!" Souta shouted.

‎"I want pink flavor!" Yuna said.

‎"I'll go if you go," Rika added.

‎"Okay, okay, we'll go together," Yuto said, laughing a little.

‎He looked around the room—his classmates working hard, customers enjoying the food, decorations swaying from the ceiling—and felt something warm in his chest.

‎This was nice.

‎This was real.

‎He didn't feel like hiding anymore.

‎---

‎When the sun began to set, the festival slowly started to wind down.

‎Some guests still lingered, sipping tea and taking pictures, but the energy had mellowed into something softer.

‎Yuto walked outside for a breather.

‎The hallway was quiet.

‎Then he heard soft footsteps behind him.

‎"Hey," Rika said.

‎He turned.

‎"You're doing great today," she said with a soft smile.

‎"Thanks. You too."

‎They stood in silence for a moment.

‎Then Rika asked, "Are you going to tell her?"

‎Yuto blinked. "Tell who what?"

‎Rika rolled her eyes. "Yuna. That you like her."

‎Yuto's eyes widened. "I—what—how—?!"

‎"Everyone can see it," she said, laughing. "Even Souta figured it out, and he thought the Earth was flat until last year."

‎Yuto buried his face in his hands. "Am I that obvious?"

‎"Only when you look at her."

‎He lowered his hands slowly.

‎"…Yeah," he said. "I think I do like her."

‎Rika looked at him for a moment longer.

‎Then smiled again.

‎"Good. Then you better not mess it up."

‎"I'll try not to."

‎---

‎As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting golden light over the schoolyard, Yuto stood at the classroom door, watching everyone laugh, clean up, and chat about the day.

‎It had been one of the best days of his life.

‎And somehow… he knew tomorrow was going to be just as important.

‎End of Chapter 13.

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