The Muse

First looks

IBUKI'S POV:

Peko ordered an espresso and I ordered a latte. We got our drinks and sat down to talk.

"So I've been looking around for you. I found there's an open mic night at this cafe in a month." Peko started before taking a drink.

"How'd you find out this early?" I asked, amazed at my friend's work.

"I have my ways." She responded with a grin. This caused me to laugh a bit.

"Alright alright. Go on and keep your secrets." I said in between dying chuckles.

"I will. Anyway, the reason I bring this up is because some agencies may be there. Plus, it's being recorded and uploaded onto MeTube, so agencies could find it and you could become a hit!" Peko exclaimed.

I loved Peko dearly and was grateful for her enthusiasm in helping me, but I have zero inspiration. The only good news is the night is a month away so that gives me time to find a muse.

I nodded and we each took a drink.

As Peko and I continued to chat, I watched a girl come into the cafe. He had long purple hair, and wore a black crop top with a purple overlay and black shorts. She had purple eyes that anyone could get lost in, if they looked too long. She looked a little anxious but never the less, she walked up to the counter confidently.

"Earth to Ibuki. Helloooooo."

"Huh? What?" I asked, snapped out of my fantasies. Peko simply giggled and turned to look at what/who had my attention for so long. She looked at the girl in the shorts and then looked at me again with a smirk.

"What?" I asked, my face getting slightly red. She began to raise her eye brows up and down. I knew what she was getting at.

"No. No! She's probably straight anyway." I responded, shaking my head.

"You could at least be her friend first and then eventually ask her out if she's not." Peko said before taking a sip of her espresso.

Damn. I hope she isn't straight. Was the last thing I thought before something went wrong.

MIKAN'S POV:

I walked down the steps and headed for the cafe. I had texted myself what Nagito and Hajime had wanted as well as my order since I don't do too well in public situations.

Yes, even ordering coffee is hard for me. Strange, I know. I don't know why, but I have always had a hard time with social interactions.

It's strange because it took so little time for me to get used to Hajime and Nagito. Maybe because they were the hope while I was in deep despair. Who knows?

I was a few feet away from the cafe when I saw two guys walk in. One of them looked like they could kill me with a single punch so I hid in a nearby alley.

I looked to see where they had gone, and they walked into the coffee shop.

Great. Oh well, I'll just get in, get the drinks, and leave. No issues need to occur.

I walked into the shop and didn't see them anywhere.

Good. I should be safe.

I looked across the room and instead of seeing the two guys, I saw a girl. She was so pretty.

Dang. She's so pretty. Is she looking at me? Did we make quick eye contact?

So many thoughts ran through my head as I walked to the counter to order.

"H-Hi."

"Hello! What can I get you, hun?"

"C-Can I get a tall P-Peppermint Mocha, an espresso with a p-pump of coconut milk, and a tall s-strawberry drink with two sc-coops of strawberries and t-two pumps of sugar, to go pl-please?" I asked frantically stuttering and looking a t my phone.

(A/N: don't judge me with the espresso thing. I'm not a fan of coffee)

"Of course, hun. Would you like a drink carrier?"

I simply nodded and paid with cash. I have a card, but unfortunately, this place only takes cash. It's kind of annoying to be honest.

I went to wait in the 'pick up' line, when I felt a hand on my shoulder. It felt like a man's hand, and I was instantly scared. I knew it wasn't Nagito or Hajime, because this hand was putting pressure on my shoulder, and they would never do that... at least not as much as this man was.

Taking a deep breath, I turned my head slowly to look and see him. One of the men from the group.

I started to get extremely scarred and my lip began to quiver. Suddenly, he started laughing.

BARISTA'S POV:

I was a fairly normal day in the cafe when this group of men came in. They looked real shady as they came in and went to the bathrooms in the back right away. It wouldn't be odd for one to have gone back, but with both of them going back at the same time, I knew something could be up, or it could be my imagination.

I couldn't focus on them too much because after they came in, an anxious girl walked in. She stopped and scanned the room for a bit and then her face turned a tint of red. She walked up to the counter with confidence despite her anxious face.

"H-Hi."

"Hello! What can I get you, hun?"

"C-Can I get a tall P-Peppermint Mocha, an espresso with a p-pump of coconut milk, and a tall s-strawberry drink with two sc-coops of strawberries and t-two pumps of sugar, to go pl-please?" She asked frantically stuttering and looking at her phone.

Poor girl. She's so anxious. I wonder why.

"Of course, hun. Would you like a drink carrier?"

As I watched her pull her money out, I say the guys from before come up behind her. She moved to the 'pick up' line and one of the guys followed her.

Of course the one guy with muscles went to harass her. Poor girl was anxious enough. Maybe they were the reason.

I was about to take their order when I heard one of the guys laugh with one hand on her shoulder.

???'S POV:

I was walking with ------- to go get coffees. I noticed a girl walk across the street and get closer to the cafe with her head down. She looked up and panicked when she saw me. She ran into the nearby alley and I chuckled slightly.

"Hey babe, head back to the bathrooms when we get in there. I'll explain then." I said between small chuckles.

He nodded and we walked in. We headed straight to the bathrooms and began our little 'meeting'.

"Alright, -----, what's this all about?"

"Did you notice a girl dodge into an alley as we walked up?"

"Nah."

"Anyway, she had her head down, saw me and ran. I say we mess with her. We play the 'you cut in line bitch' card and see how she reacts. Someone as anxious and plain looking probably has no friends so no one would stand up for her."

"I don't know babe..."

"Oh well. I'm doing it. Are you gonna try and stop me?"

With the hesitant shake of his head, we walked back out. I went behind the girl. I put my hand on her shoulder and she started shaking. She turned and her lip was quivering a bit.

"Heh."

This'll be fun.

A/N: Look at that. Little longer and more characters! The two guys I'm introducing are characters from game one The dashes that censored their names were hints to the characters that I thought would be cool to place in the chapter. The one character is similar to the game design, while the other is a little more rude.

Words: 1323