Host bar // kazuscara [EDITING]

8

Mina had excused herself to the bathroom. For this brief moment, it was just Kazuha and Scaramouche at the table again.

Kazuha's shock had rendered him speechless, making the air around the two men awkward and tense. 

They were silent for a moment, until Kazuha broke the tension. 

"Was she... telling the truth?"

Now it was Scaramouche's turn to be completely speechless, heart racing from stress, "Kazuha, it doesn't matter if this friendship is transactional or mutual. At the end of the day, we are friends." He took a deep breath, "She was right, this is my job. But that doesn't mean she's absolutely correct. I care about you, Kazuha. I care about your problems, and I know that means a lot to you."

Scaramouche sighed, "So please, don't listen to her like she knows what we are."

Mina was out of the washroom, and was walking towards them. She signaled Scaramouche to follow her outside, so he pardoned himself and told Kazuha he will be back momentarily.

He followed Mina out to the entrance of the bar, but he was taken by surprise when the girl broke down and started wailing in front of him.

"Miss, please, calm down. What's the matter?" Scaramouche comforted, patting Mina's shoulder and bending down to look at her. 

Mina shook her head, "You don't understand. You can't use your manipulative little voice on me. You were the one that made me like this."

Scaramouche sighed, "I understand. But please, just see me as your friend for now. I want to listen to your problems and make you feel better, let's just set Kazuha aside for a little while."

Mina sniffled, "Mr. Scaramouche, I'm sorry for disrupting the bar earlier. You can probably understand why I was that way."

Scaramouche nodded.

"For as long as I could remember, he has always been the cutest, most friendliest co-worker I've had. He makes sure to check in with everyone, always completes his tasks, and even takes on burdens that he's not supposed to." 

"He had a big crush on me, I knew that for a fact. I know how he used to blush when I talk to him, and how he stutters when trying to impress me."

Scaramouche sighed, "Miss, I understand, but things are always changing, people move on, and that's just a part of life."

"I understand. It will take me a while to move on from Kazuha. I don't know if I'll ever move on from him," she chuckled, "but one thing is for sure."

Scaramouche's eyes flickered in curiosity.

"He's moved on to you. I've seen the look in his eyes, it's overflowing with affection." Mina whimpers slightly as she comes to terms with the fact, "I don't know if you feel the same way as him, but I wish with my entire heart that he doesn't experience rejection the same way I did."

"So I ask of you, Mr. Scaramouche, please, don't break Kazuha into pieces."

Scaramouche can only laugh as Mina glared at him with teary eyes, "Miss, I'm not sure if you're hearing yourself. I'm just a host, and whether people start developing feelings or not is completely not my problem."

Mina furrows her eyebrows in confusion.

"You are a smart woman, I must say. Most people who come into host bars don't know they're being exploited. And you were right, I see Kazuha as no one but just another client. There are so many people that come through these doors every day to see me, you think I'm going to suddenly develop feelings for someone I've just met a few days ago?"

Scaramouche sneered, "I've worked this profession my entire life. That's thousands of people I've entertained in a lifetime. See all those people in the bar? I don't see them as people, they're just wallets. And wallets take time and effort to snatch. Kazuha is no exception."

"You can tell him about what I said to you today, I don't care." Scaramouche smiled, "He wouldn't believe you."

Mina's eyes were swelling with tears. She turned, and walked away silently. 

"...See Kenta? The walls are peeling. That means the humidity is too much for this establishment. I think you should call a specialist to fix this issue before this building collapses."

"...I see, I'll remind management- Hey, Scaramouche!"

Kenta took notice of Scaramouche as he entered the bar, nudging Kazuha.

"Oh, hello Scaramouche." Kazuha smiled as he waved to him.

Scaramouche settled with the two of them as they took the liberty to have a short conversation together. 

"Scaramouche, what did Mina say to you?" Kazuha asked him, to which Scaramouche searched for a lie.

"Oh, so her name is Mina," Scaramouche chuckled, "nothing, really. She just started shitting on you and calling you names. I really had to listen to her call you an 'Average American Joe', which honestly wasn't cool at all."

Kazuha rolled his eyes, "So that's how she deals with rejection. She just starts calling me shitty names. Does she still think she could win me over after calling me an average american Joe? I think that's worse than being called a Hikikomori!"

"Well you really do sound like a Hikikomori, you're basically confined to your work desk."

Kazuha sighed at Scaramouche's remark, "Don't even remind me. I so wish I could escape, but I really find no meaning to life other than work and more work."

Kenta exclaimed, "That sounds like absolute hell."

Scaramouche chimed in, "That's why you need me as a friend!"

"Well," Kazuha confessed, "I think you might've given me another reason to life."

Kenta gasped, "Kazuha! Are you flirting with Mr. Scaramouche?"

Kazuha buried his face in his hands while Kenta poked at the back of his hands, threatening for an answer.

As Scaramouche watched the two of his companions banter, he could only sigh at his own misplaced hubris. 

---

Completely revamped there are like no hints of the original chpt. 8

EDITED

959 words