Vol. 2 — Chapter 11: Rehearsals, Uniforms, and Unexpected Pairs
A few days had passed since the café idea won the class vote.
The classroom had turned into a mini construction zone—paper decorations were taped on walls, costume sizes were being taken, and the air was filled with the sound of scissors, laughter, and the occasional "Oops!"
Yuto stood awkwardly in the corner, holding a roll of tape.
"Hey, Butler Yuto," Daiki teased, throwing a headband at him. "Try this on!"
Yuto caught it. It had cat ears.
"I'm not wearing this."
"You sure?" Souta smirked. "Yuna might like it."
"Shut up!"
Yuna giggled nearby. "You'd look cute, though."
Yuto groaned and buried his face in the tape roll.
---
During the lunch break, the class gathered for uniform testing.
A big cardboard box arrived, full of rented costumes.
Girls took turns picking maid uniforms, and the guys reached for the butler sets.
Yuto found his—black slacks, a white button-up, a vest, and a small ribbon tie.
"Try it on, try it on!" Daiki chanted.
"No way," Yuto said. "Not here!"
But minutes later, Yuto stood in the changing room, staring at himself in the mirror.
He… didn't look awful.
The uniform actually fit pretty well.
He walked out slowly, back to the classroom.
And then—WHISTLES.
"Yuto!!" Daiki shouted. "You look like an actual host!"
Even Ren smirked. "Not bad."
Yuna turned to look.
Her eyes widened a bit.
"Wow…" she said softly. "You really do look like a butler."
Yuto scratched his head. "T-Thanks…"
Then Yuna added, "You're going to steal hearts."
"W-What!?"
She laughed.
"I-I'm taking this off!" Yuto stammered and ran back into the changing room, his face burning red.
---
That afternoon, rehearsal started.
"Everyone working the café has to learn the lines," Uehara said, handing out small scripts.
Yuto blinked. "Lines?"
"You're butlers and maids. You have to greet guests properly," she explained.
Yuto looked at the paper:
'Welcome, my lady. Your table awaits.'
He turned to stone.
"Nope," he whispered.
"Come on," Yuna smiled beside him. "Let's practice together."
They stood face to face in the hallway.
Yuto held his script. "O-Okay… um… W-Welcome… my lady… your—your table awaits."
Yuna smiled brightly. "That was cute!"
Yuto covered his face. "Don't say that…"
Rika watched from a few steps away. She was helping with the decorations and occasionally glanced their way.
Her expression was unreadable.
---
Later that day, while painting signs with Ren, Yuto asked something.
"Hey… does Rika seem kinda… off lately?"
Ren glanced at her from across the room. "She's just quieter than usual."
"She talks to Yuna a lot," Yuto said. "But not really to me."
Ren shrugged. "Maybe she's thinking."
"Thinking?"
"Girls are mysterious," Ren said wisely. "Especially when they like someone."
Yuto choked on air. "W-What?!"
Ren just grinned and kept painting.
---
At the end of the day, Yuna called out to Yuto.
"Wanna walk home again?"
Yuto hesitated for a second, then nodded. "Sure."
As they walked side by side, the orange sunset painted the sky.
"Are you excited for the festival?" Yuna asked.
"A little nervous," Yuto admitted. "But… yeah. I think it'll be fun."
"You'll do great," she said. "Especially if you keep making that cute shy face."
Yuto looked away. "Stop teasing…"
She laughed.
Then, after a pause, she asked quietly, "Yuto… do you like anyone?"
He froze.
The question came out of nowhere. Or maybe not. Maybe it had been floating in the air this whole time.
"I… I'm not sure yet," he answered honestly.
"I see."
She didn't sound disappointed. Just thoughtful.
Yuto looked at her.
"Do you?"
Yuna smiled and looked up at the sky. "Maybe. I'm still figuring it out too."
They kept walking.
Side by side. Quietly. But it was a comfortable kind of quiet.
And maybe, in that silence, something unspoken was gently growing.
End of Chapter 11.