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Café Mew Mew is the busiest Mint has ever seen, but that's not her problem.
She sits at her usual corner table and sips her afternoon tea, watching the rest of the café's unfortunate staff rush to and from the kitchen, nearly tripping over each other in the mad scramble to staff the crowded tables in the small café dining room. It's near the end of summer — so of course, all of the young café regulars are making their stop at the café as often as possible before the school year resumes. Every table is occupied.
Mint hadn't expected the crowds to be much of a problem this year. Not with the addition of three new wait staff. But alas, Ryou Shirogane's lack of staff training regiment and his innate ability to ignore café operations in favor of his basement studies meant that Quiche, Pie and Tart were mostly left to their own devices.
It wasn't their fault, really. After all, they didn't know the first thing about the job when they started … and they still had yet to learn how not to float off the ground when their minds wandered.
Mint knows they're trying, at least.
Mint watches Pie silently drop off a plate at a table of middle school girls and turn back to walk back to the kitchen without so much as a smile.
Her stare is interrupted by Ichigo Momomiya, who marches up to her table with a conviction that often means trouble. Mint sets her teacup down on its saucer with a delicate clink. She blinks up at Ichigo as her teammate yanks the café chair back and throws herself down in it as if the mere act of pulling out a chair is an inconvenience to her.
"Mint!" Ichigo hisses. "You won't believe what I just heard!"
Mint is sure she can. In fact, nothing around the café surprises her much anymore.
She blinks at Ichigo, observing her posture; the twitching of one of her brows.
"Well?" Mint says finally. Out with it, already.
"I was just on a date with Aoyama before my shift," Ichigo begins to prattle, lowering her voice and speaking through her teeth, "and he said when he was here visiting the café a few days ago, Quiche had the nerve to touch his shoulder when he was sitting in one of the chairs! Isn't that so creepy?"
Mint hadn't seen that. She flips through her catalog of memories for a moment, and plucks out the ones she recalls where Aoyama has interacted with Quiche.
There aren't many. The two had been largely ignoring each other since Aoyama came back to Tokyo for summer break. Though, Aoyama had been making a point to glare at Quiche anytime he came even close to Ichigo.
Mint shrugs one shoulder lightly and stirs her tea with a small golden spoon. "I don't see what the fuss is about," she says simply.
"They hate each other!" Ichigo insists. "Isn't that weird that Quiche would do that?"
"What did Quiche say to Aoyama?" Mint asks, digging a bit deeper. She picks up her tea and sips it as Ichigo falters over her response. The taste of calming jasmine and honey sweeps over her tongue and warms her senses. A stark contrast from the fidgety ball of nerves sitting across from her.
"Well, that is—" Ichigo starts, before cocking her head to one side. "I don't think Aoyama mentioned it. But like, it's weird either way, isn't it?"
Mint arches one brow. Aoyama hadn't divulged his conversation with Quiche to Ichigo. She files that tidbit of information away for later. "Why does it bother you so much?" she asks again.
Ichigo opens and closes her mouth, looking a bit like a fish out of water. Mint refrains from saying as much, though she smirks to herself over the comparison.
"Look, it's just weird," Ichigo sputters finally. She rises from the chair abruptly. "Just … can you tell me if you see anything weird with those two? I don't want them getting in any more fights."
"Of course," Mint replies simply. She smiles up at Ichigo and picks up her teacup once more. "I'll let you know."
Ichigo appears satisfied, nodding once before turning and marching back to attend to her tables without a word about Mint's afternoon tea break.
"Hm," Mint hums to herself. She's deep in thought, mulling over the gaps in Ichigo's story.
She lifts her teapot, and pours herself another cup of jasmine tea.
It's late in the evening when Masaya Aoyama enters the café, and visits Mint at her table.
She's resting from a long day of work, taking an evening tea at her usual table when the boyishly handsome Aoyama finds his way to her. He stands awkwardly off to the side of the table, as if aware of the fact that he is interrupting sacred time.
He is, but Mint's curiosity is piqued as to why Aoyama would bother to speak with her. So she greets him with a small smile.
"Hello, Aoyama," she says. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"Hi Aizawa," Aoyama says. He smiles with warmth like the sun, with a dash of awkward charm. "May I sit for a moment?"
Mint nods. "Of course." She gestures to the seat across from her, and begins to prepare another cup of tea. She sets the teacup and saucer down in front of him with a delicate clink just as he pulls in his chair.
"Are all of your Western teas imported as loose-leaf?" Aoyama asks. "I've been spoiled with some of the best teas while studying in the United Kingdom, and I find myself wishing for nicer ones of the kinds I had in the UK when I'm back here in Tokyo!"
"Mm, yes," Mint replies simply. She pours from the teapot into Aoyama's cup. "I don't care for the house teas Keiichiro orders for the café patrons. But he tries his best. One lump or two?"
"One, please."
Mint drops one lump of sugar into Aoyama's teacup with tiny, golden pinchers. "Thank you so much," Aoyama says as she replaces the sugar jar.
Mint observes how he stirs his tea quietly, without the obnoxious plinking noise of the spoon against the side of the cup that she often witnesses from café patrons. Aoyama knows his teatime etiquette. Mint is secretly pleased.
Mint is never one to rush into conversations, so she lets the silence simmer between her and Aoyama a bit. The café continues to bustle around them, the last seating of the evening still wrapping up their desserts.
"So, I'd like to talk to you about something a bit … odd," Aoyama begins. He looks nervous; sheepish, even. "But um, I was talking with Momomiya a bit about it, and she said you know a lot about what goes on in the café, so I figured you'd be the best person to ask."
Dancing around the topic — just like his girlfriend. Mint blinks at him, waiting for him to elaborate further. Eventually, he does.
"So since I've been back in Tokyo and visiting Momomiya … well, that is, it's sort of before that, too …" Aoyama sighs and shakes his head. "I'm not getting to the point, am I?"
"You are not," Mint concurs. She takes a sip of her tea. When she sets her cup down, Aoyama looks defeated.
"I'll just say it, then," Aoyama sighs. He leans in closer, glancing around the café before whispering: "Do you know if Quiche … um, how do I say this … flirts with men?"
Mint blinks. She begins to flip through her memory catalog again, thumbing through pages of recollection. Memories whirl through her mind like scanning through a book. Here, there — oh, and there too. She recalls brushes at the shoulders; coy smiles. Small exchanges with patrons that left them blushing as beet-red as their girlfriends they'd entered with.
"Yes," she replies simply. "Occasionally. Though you have to understand, the vast majority of our patrons are girls."
Aoyama looks a bit taken aback with her answer. "Hmm," he hums, pursing his lips together. "I see." He lifts his teacup to take a sip and casts his eyes over the dining room. He seems uneasy.
Mint's interest is piqued. "Ichigo mentioned your conversation with Quiche the other day."
She knows the question will agitate him, and it does. Aoyama looks uncomfortable, shifting in his seat. His attention immediately snaps back to Mint.
"Did you see it?" Aoyama blurts out. "I, that is … the conversation."
Mint takes another sip of tea, letting Aoyama simmer in discomfort for another moment. "Does it matter?" she asks back. "I heard he touched your shoulder. And that you didn't tell Ichigo what he said to you."
"I-is Ichigo upset with me?" Aoyama says, a hint of panic in his tone.
"No," Mint replies. "She's never upset with you. You should know that. I was just a bit … taken aback that you didn't disclose the full conversation with her. Considering you think it might have been intimate in nature."
"It was not—"
Aoyama stops himself mid-sentence and inhales deeply in an attempt to calm his nerves. "It was not intimate," he starts again. The word intimate trips off his tongue awkwardly, as if it's foreign to his vocabulary. "But he said something odd to me, and along with him touching my shoulder, I felt … strange about the whole thing."
"What did he say to you?" Mint asks.
Aoyama sighs as if he knew the question was coming. "Just that I should visit the café more often," he mutters. "You know how he is. The usual cryptic nonsense."
"That doesn't sound cryptic to me," Mint remarks. She arches one brow and stirs her tea.
"No, but …" Aoyama says, looking around the café again. "When he touched my shoulder, he said something like, 'I promise I won't bite'. Which was … weird, for him."
"It's not," Mint counters. "That's perfectly in-character for Quiche."
"No, but, it's weird for him to say that to me."
Mint shrugs one shoulder. "Weird for you? Understandable," she says simply. "However, it's perfectly within the bounds of how Quiche likes to flirt." She sets down her spoon. "He earns the highest tips in the house, you know."
"By flirting?"
"Naturally."
Aoyama sighs and sits back in his chair. He crosses his arms and resumes staring into the middle distance. Mint senses an additional layer of agitation; something deeper brewing than just a mere one-time annoyance. When Aoyama turns to look at her again, he wears a carefully-crafted mask of a smile.
"Thank you for the tea, Aizawa," he says cordially. "This has been helpful."
"It's my pleasure," Mint replies. "It's a rare joy having tea with someone who appreciates the art form like you do."
That garners a more genuine grin from Aoyama. It meets his eyes this time. "Likewise," he says. He pauses for a moment, as if hanging on a thought. "Ah, um, Aizawa — would you mind if we kept this conversation between us?"
Mint smiles the same coy smile she always wears when she's about to make a promise she can't keep.
"Certainly, Aoyama. Just between us."
It takes a surprising amount of time before Aoyama returns to her table at the café.
Three days, in fact. Which is two days more than she thought he'd spend mulling over her information before he would come back for more.
Aoyama sits down at her table without being directed to, which Mint would normally take as rude. But his brow is furrowed with stress and his shoulders are tense up to his ears, so Mint assumes he is not feeling quite in his right mind. She silently begins to prepare another cup of tea.
"So, um, Aizawa," Aoyama begins. He clears his throat when he sees what Mint can only assume is her vague displeasure reflecting onto her features. "Oh, um, I apologize for inviting myself to sit. Is this a bad time?"
"Not at all," Mint replies cooly. She begins to pour Aoyama's cup of tea. It's ginger this time; something different from her usual botanicals. The aromatic spice fills the air between them as she finishes the pour and sets the teapot down.
Aoyama sniffs. He picks up his teacup and breathes deeply. A calm, practiced facade stretches over his features. "Thank you," he says. The carefully-crafted smile is back. "And, thank you for talking with me the other day. I've been thinking a lot about what you said."
"You have?" Mint responds. It's not a question as much as a remark.
Aoyama clears his throat. "Yes," he replies. He takes a sip of tea. When he sets down his teacup, it clacks loudly on the saucer. Aoyama flinches — grimacing — and continues: "What are the odds, do you think … that this whole situation is just Quiche's way of getting to Momomiya through me?"
Mint blinks. It seems as if Aoyama made several leaps of logic between their last conversation and the one they're having presently. She says as much: "What makes you think that?"
"Well, besides the obvious fact that Quiche is somehow still pursuing Momomiya even after she's told him to lay off probably 1000 times…" Aoyama starts, annoyance darkening his tone, "...I don't see much other reason for him to try to bother me. I mean, he's literally tried to kill me before."
"He tried to kill Ichigo, too," Mint points out. "The past is the past, Aoyama. I don't see the aliens as enemies, either."
"Right," Aoyama sighs. "But I suppose it's a bit … different for me. Since, you know … I'm dating Momomiya. And … also that Deep Blue lived as part of me."
Aoyama sighs. He shakes his head lightly, as if to dismiss thoughts from his head. "Quiche doesn't let me forget that. He still addresses me as 'my lord' sometimes. I think he knows it gets under my skin."
"You don't like when he calls you that?"
Aoyama opens and closes his mouth. "Look, it's just not respectful of everything I've been through," he mutters finally. He casts his eyes to the side.
Avoident. Interesting. Mint makes a mental note: conflicting feelings about a pet name.
"Would you like my honest opinion?" Mint asks. She deduces that she has to be a touch more delicate with the conversation in order to keep his trust, so she decides to place that power in Aoyama's hands.
"I … sure," Aoyama sighs. He is clearly reluctant to hear the answer, but Mint chooses not to read between the lines. If he wants the truth, he will get it.
"I think Quiche has taken a liking to you," Mint says, "and I'm not sure he knows what to do about it, either. That is — considering the fact that he is still pursuing Ichigo while also pestering you."
Aoyama stiffens. Mint detects a hint of a reddish blush forming as he stammers: "Th-that doesn't make any sense."
Mint wants to remain cool and calm, but she can't help the thrilling buzz rising in her chest. It seems almost certain to her now — Aoyama is developing a bit of a crush on Quiche. Fascinating, considering how he had always been so hopelessly devoted to Ichigo. Yet, not surprising, considering Quiche could say the same. How far-fetched is it, really, that two boys who both fell tremendously hard for the same girl, and went through life-changing experiences as part of a war between worlds, somehow found a connection forming between them? Did they really think they'd stay enemies forever?
Mint hadn't expected Aoyama and Quiche's connection to be a romantic one, though.
How will Ichigo respond to all of this? It's not as if Aoyama would ever leave her for Quiche — certainly not. But Mint knows there's something strange brewing between the trio … something she's dying to unpack.
It really is the gossip of the century.
Mint plinks her perfectly-manicured nails on the side of her teacup. It's all she can do to contain her excitement.
"Have you tried talking to Quiche about any of this?" she asks.
Aoyama chews on her question with an expression like he's tasted something sour. His face is still a shade redder, his eyes swimming with wide-eyed confusion. "Wh-why would I talk to him about something like that?" he stammers. "Should I just, you know … ignore it?"
"Because that's clearly working for you," Mint remarks.
Aoyama lets out a heavy breath and casts his stare over Mint's shoulder. His brow furrows. Mint senses he is annoyed with her remark, and she half-wishes she'd kept it to herself. Though, prodding the perfectly-poised dreamboat of a boy Ichigo so often prattles on about is — dare she say — a bit fun.
But she relates to Aoyama in many ways — and he's certainly better than most of the company she keeps at the café — so she knows the twinge of remorse in her gut is not unjustified.
"Listen, Aoyama," Mint sighs. "I just think this issue could be resolved through better communication, that's all. Speak with Ichigo. Speak with Quiche, if you'd like. But if I were you, I would try to address this directly instead of letting all of this … fester."
Aoyama lets his gaze fall back on her. He sounds defeated as he sighs: "You're right, Aizawa. It's all just a bit strange, I guess."
"Stranger than six human-animal superheroes, three aliens, a kid genius and a human in rollerblades running a café in the middle of Tokyo?"
That garners a light chuckle from Aoyama. His disposition lightens, his shoulders relaxing. "I suppose not."
He rises from his chair and nods to Mint. "Thank you again, Aizawa."
"My pleasure," Mint replies truthfully, with a small, coy smile. "Here to chat anytime you need."
She secretly hopes it will be soon.
Mint doesn't expect Quiche to drag out a chair and ungracefully slump over it in the middle of her afternoon tea break, but she can't say she's surprised. He grins at her with his sharp canines and eyes like a cat.
Even when dressed up in the ridiculous café uniform, he still looks like a predator.
"Mint," he says simply.
"Quiche."
Quiche's habit of using the Mews' given names instead of their surnames used to bother Mint, but she's used to his generally rude disposition by now. In fact, it's one of the least rude things about him.
Mint gestures to the tea set vaguely. "Would you like me to pour you a cup?"
"Nah," Quiche says airily. "That stuff is gross." He glances around the table, and notices the dish containing the sugar cubes. He plucks one out of the dish and pops it in his mouth.
Mint scowls in disgust. "Those aren't for eating."
"You put them in your tea," Quiche counters, "so what's wrong with me just eating them instead? They taste like everything else we serve in this café."
Quiche picks up another sugar cube and tosses it up in the air. He leans to one side and catches it in his mouth.
Mint replaces the lid on the sugar jar with a firm clack. She scowls at Quiche, who grins back at her as if he's just won an argument.
"What do you want, Quiche?" Mint asks firmly. The words pack a bit more anger than intended as they leave her tongue.
Quiche raises one brow and smirks. "You've been awfully cozy with Aoyama recently."
She's a little surprised that Quiche took note of her conversations with Aoyama, but Mint doesn't show it. Without missing a beat, she replies: "I could say the same about you."
That garners a wider grin from Quiche, who sits up straighter in the café chair. He looks immensely pleased with himself. "So he has been talking about me."
"I'm not in the business of disclosing the topics of private conversations to people who invite themselves into my personal space and eat my sugar cubes."
Mint takes a long sip of tea and casts her gaze over the café, willing her stare to seem blasé, uninterested. She can feel Quiche staring at her, but makes a point to watch Lettuce narrowly recover from a near-disaster involving a tray of strawberry milkshakes instead. Lettuce laughs nervously and loads the milkshakes off of her tray as quickly as possible. Mint sighs and turns her stare back to Quiche.
He's leaning back in his seat now; arms crossed, balanced on the back legs of the chair. Mint wonders if someone will see them, and come over to kick the back legs out from under him. Then maybe she won't have to endure any more of Quiche's annoying antics.
"Fine," Quiche says as soon as she meets his eye, "just answer one question for me."
"Depends on the question."
Quiche's golden stare narrows. Mint gets the distinct feeling he is not used to speaking with someone who can match the pace of his banter. He hesitates a moment, as if playing with the words on his tongue, before asking: "Do you think Aoyama will fold?"
Mint tips her head to the side. "By 'fold' you mean … respond positively to you flirting with him?"
Quiche raises one eyebrow. Mint interprets that as a "yes".
She shrugs one shoulder lightly and picks up her cup of tea. She knows she has to choose her words carefully. She watches the ripple of the liquid in her teacup as she says: "He tries very hard to hate you."
She takes a sip of tea, swirling the warm taste of ginger on her tongue. When she sets her cup down, Quiche is wearing a grin that looks like it was exactly the answer he was hoping for.
"Thanks for the chat, Mint," Quiche says. He rights himself in his chair and stands abruptly, dusting his palms on his pants.
Mint doesn't reply. Quiche stretches his arms above his head and adds: "I'd ask you to keep this between us, but I have a feeling you don't make that kind of promise."
A small smirk curls at Mint's lips. "Best not to ask, then."
They exchange a knowing look before Quiche saunters off to cause chaos elsewhere. Mint waits until he is a good distance from her table, then decides it's safe to remove the lid from her jar of sugar cubes.
Mint doesn't notice anything particularly odd amongst the trio of Aoyama, Ichigo and Quiche for a few days. That is, until she watches Quiche amble over to the table where Aoyama is seated one Wednesday evening. Aoyama has been sitting there for no more than a few minutes before Quiche is leaning over the table, and grinning down at Aoyama like he's something to eat.
Mint subtly scans the room, and notes that Ichigo is nowhere to be found.
They exchange a few words before Quiche takes a seat across from Aoyama. Mint knows Quiche is likely ignoring his tables, but the café is quiet — only half an hour 'til close — so he'll likely get away with it. Aoyama's back is to Mint, so she can't see his expression — but she notes how his shoulders are a little stiffer. He sits up a little straighter. They're talking for a few minutes, in voices low enough that Mint can't catch what they're saying, as much as she wishes she could make out a word here or there. Enough time passes that Mint begins to wonder to herself what Ichigo is going to say when she sees the two of them there, together.
And then, Aoyama does something Mint doesn't expect.
He laughs.
A small, fluttering laugh, but a laugh nonetheless. Mint sees Quiche's grin widen, evidently thrilled with Aoyama's reaction. Aoyama says something else to Quiche that Mint doesn't catch, and Quiche stands up from the table with a look on his face like he's just won a bet. As he goes to walk back to the kitchen, Quiche slides his fingertips up Aoyama's bicep and up over the curve of his shoulder — subtly, just light enough that it could be mistaken for an accidental brush of his hand.
Quiche makes eye contact with Mint as he walks past her table. Mint tries not to appear startled that he caught her staring at him; she raises one brow and lifts her teacup to her lips.
Quiche winks, and disappears into the back hallway.
It's a few more minutes before Ichigo reappears, and loops her arm into Aoyama's. She's dressed like they're going on a date. Aoyama appears stiff; anxious as he rises from the café table. He laughs a bit more than usual. And as he dusts his palms on his pants, he makes brief eye contact with Mint.
He quickly turns and leads Ichigo out of the café.
Mint watches them close the door of the café behind them, and takes a long sip of her tea.
Ichigo doesn't even give Mint time to change into her café uniform the next morning before she is dragging Mint out by her wrist and onto the café lawn. Mint clambors after her, trying to keep pace with Ichigo's angry strides while she's still wearing her Prada slingback heels.
"I thought we made a promise!" Ichigo hisses, whirling around and glaring down at Mint with a fiery, angry sort of panic. She finally releases Mint's wrist, and crosses her arms over her chest. "You were going to tell me if you saw anything weird between Quiche and Aoyama!"
"Ah, yes," Mint replies calmly. "I should mention, they were talking a bit last night when Aoyama came to pick you up from your shift. It seemed like a friendly conversation."
"And when were you planning on telling me this?"
"Today, of course," Mint says. She blinks up at Ichigo's wide-eyed stare. "Why? Did something happen last night between you and Aoyama?"
Ichigo groans, and begins to massage her temples. "I mean, yes? Kind of?" she says. She begins doing that thing where she spins in circles while talking. Mint knows she does it to calm her nerves, but it just makes her look like a spinning top. It's dizzying to watch. "Aoyama said that … I mean that …"
Ichigo lets out another long sigh and blurts out: "Aoyama said that he wants Quiche to hang out with us which is the STUPIDEST thing I have EVER heard of and I don't know why he wants that weirdo hanging around when all he ever does is flirt with me and I guess both of us now and who put this stupid idea in his head—"
"—Ichigo," Mint says sternly, interrupting Ichigo's tangent, "you're not making sense. You're saying Aoyama would like you three to spend time together?"
"Yes! Isn't that absurd?!"
Mint shrugs one shoulder. "Not really," she says airily. Admittedly, it is a bit absurd — at least on paper — but Mint would rather stir the proverbial pot than attempt to calm Ichigo's nerves. She hasn't seen such a juicy drama unfold in quite some time, and as long as her friend isn't in any real trouble, Mint is inclined to see if she can poke at Ichigo's boundaries a bit.
"B-but — I mean," Ichigo stammers, "he's been, I don't know, flirting with both of us lately?! So why should we entertain him? Like, I feel like he's going to get the wrong idea if we all start hanging out!"
"You've already been coworkers with Quiche for a few months now," Mint points out. "Do you like being around him?"
Ichigo opens her mouth to blurt out something immediately, then snaps her jaw shut, hesitating for one moment. Mint makes a mental note of her hesitation. Interesting. It's a departure from the way Ichigo would typically react to a question about Quiche. Mint wonders to herself whether Aoyama's been in her ear about Quiche's merits, or prodding her to open up to him more about her perceptions of the flirtatious alien-enemy-turned-coworker.
Ichigo begins to go flush with a subtle shade of pink. Finally, she mumbles: "I'm not going to cheat on Aoyama."
"Well, of course not," Mint reassures her. "I'm just asking — would it be so terrible for all three of you to spend some time together? Maybe just to clear the air?"
Ichigo considers Mint for a moment. "I just …" she starts. She sighs again, averting her eyes to the side. "I just don't want anything to come between Aoyama and I when he's only here for the summer. And I don't know if I can ever really trust Quiche's intentions."
Mint tilts her head to one side. Ichigo continues to stare into the middle distance. She looks deep in thought. Mint observes her friend's expression carefully; the way her brow pinches together. The way she bites the inside of her cheek when she's thinking. It's clear she's been giving her current predicament a lot of thought.
"Why not just … try it out?" Mint suggests, breaking the heavy silence between them. Ichigo's focus returns to her. She blinks.
Mint lets out a small sigh. "You and Aoyama have such a solid foundation already. You'll both be present for each other the whole time. What's the harm in just … trying to spend time with him together? And if it goes badly, you can be at peace with the fact that you tried."
Ichigo sits with the suggestion for a moment. She chews her lip and picks at the skin around her nail beds.
"I'll … think about it," she sighs finally. She straightens her back and crosses her arms. "But um, in the meantime, if you could tell me if anything else weird happens between those two … I'd really appreciate it!"
"Naturally," Mint replies with a small smile. She sees a head of blonde hair poke out from the back door of the café, over Ichigo's shoulder. "As long as you take the blame for making us both late to our shift."
"We're not late to our —"
"Oy, Momomiya! Aizawa! We should have opened five minutes ago!"
Shirogane's voice rolls across the grassy hill behind Café Mew Mew. Ichigo immediately stiffens with a grimace. Mint simply smirks, and steps around her as she heads back towards the café.
"Keep me updated, will you?" she calls over her shoulder.
Whatever that update will be, Mint has a feeling she is about to witness a dramatic conclusion to what is quickly shaping up to be the café's biggest drama since Quiche, Pie and Tart began working there. The mere fact that Ichigo would even consider bringing Quiche along on one of her and Aoyama's dates …
Mint's smirk grows wider as she opens the back door to the café and steps inside, relishing the feeling of the cool air hitting her face on the hot summer's day.
What a strange and wonderful time to be working at Café Mew Mew.
Mint has been taking more tea breaks than usual.
Not that she hasn't been working hard over the last two days. Quite the opposite. Mint has been taking a greater number of the café's tables so that no one can complain when she takes an extra break or two in between.
She wants to give all three parties involved in the café's latest drama ample space to approach her table while she sips her Earl Gray tea. But after her conversation with Ichigo, the café returns to relative normalcy, and Mint doesn't notice anything out of the ordinary. Ichigo finishes her shift uneventfully, and it doesn't seem as if Quiche works that day. Aoyama is nowhere to be found. Mint returns the second day, hopeful still for a development in the drama. It's mid-afternoon, and she's about ready to pack up her tea set and finish the last duties of her opening shift.
That is, until Ichigo arrives at the café … with both Aoyama and Quiche trailing behind her.
As the trio pushes the red door of the café open, Aoyama is laughing at something Quiche is telling him with a grin. Ichigo is looking around like she's scared of the eyes on her as she makes her way to the back of the café with a furious blush on her face. All three are dressed in casual clothes, but it looks as though Quiche is also scheduled for a shift, because he eventually waves to Aoyama and trails off behind Ichigo, following her to the back rooms of the café.
The whole thing looks incredibly friendly. Shockingly so. Mint takes in the details with practiced eyes, watching the posture of the trio; the way they carry themselves as they exchange glances.
She watches Quiche follow Ichigo to the back room out of the corner of her eye as she lifts her teacup to her lips. Quiche breezes past her with so much of a glance. But when Mint sets down her teacup, she lifts her eyes to see Aoyama walking towards her table.
He wears a genuine smile, and waves to her as he approaches.
"I suppose I owe you now, Aizawa," he says with a boyish grin.
Mint wordlessly nods to the seat across from her with a smile. He pulls out the chair and takes a seat. Mint only then notices he is carrying a canvas tote containing produce, and a bouquet – the kind that you get from farmer's markets, wrapped up in paper.
She lifts her teapot, but Aoyama holds out a hand to stop her from pouring a cup.
"I can't stay long," he says. "Otherwise, I would love to have a cup of tea with you. But I have some paperwork to finish before classes resume this fall, and I'm a bit behind."
"Understandable," Mint says. She sets down the teapot and smiles. "So," she begins. "Why are you thanking me, again?"
Aoyama laughs nervously. He wears a faint blush that suits his smile well. "The, um … outing went well."
"Your date?"
Aoyama's blush deepens. "Well, we're not exactly … that is, Momomiya and I, we need to um, unpack some things of course…"
"Naturally," Mint says with a small smile. She glances down at the bouquet of flowers. Aoyama follows her eyes. When he looks back up at her again, he breathes a long sigh and slumps his shoulders as if he knows he's been caught trying to downplay how delighted he really is.
"I–I guess I should thank you for … being here to listen. To Momomiya and I," Aoyama says quietly. "It's nice having someone else to talk with while we sort through all of this."
"Anytime," Mint replies. She meets Aoyama's flushed face and weary smile with a genuine smile of her own. "My table is always open for you to chat. Sit and have a cup of tea with me whenever you'd like."
"That means a lot," Aoyama says. His eyes brighten as he stands from his seat. "Though, I imagine having all of these people spill to you over a cup of tea gets tiring after a while."
Mint glances up as Quiche and Ichigo exit the back rooms of the café, changed into their café uniforms and arguing about something to do with the number of tables assigned to each of them. When she looks back at Aoyama, he is beaming while watching them, too.
It's delightful, and adorable, and everything Mint could have hoped for when she pushed and prodded all three members of the strange relationship towards each other over a steaming cup of tea. She can't remember the last time she felt this immensely pleased with her own ability to socially orchestrate an outcome amongst her friends.
Or, maybe it was just meant to be all along.
"Actually, it's not tiring in the slightest," Mint says finally, catching Aoyama's attention once more. She lifts her teacup to her lips and smirks.
"Quite the opposite."