Monochromatic: Haikyuu Fanfic

Chapter 27: Rose

Today is slow for every business, with people busy in their workplace during the weekdays, the shops, boutiques, stores, and cafes are found with no visitors - perhaps a visitor or two every two hours, but they'd soon leave, and nobody else would come.

One of those businesses said included the maid cafe. The place is a safe haven for warmth, the smell of neglected coffee and chocolate drifts around, and mellow tunes emitted from the radio. The snow continues to dance down, softly and gently.

"Isn't it a bit too early to start snowing..." Ayame says, hand pressed up on the wide glass pane. It feels cold beneath her skin. Even so, watching the snow fall calms her, eyes flickering at the white specks as she listens to Tachibana.

"Weather is always unpredictable, Ayame-chan," Tachibaba says, slumped on the counter from boredom, "things like flash flooding or severe thunderstorms come even when the day started with a clear sky - don't be fooled by it. You would know that," she says.

'Thunderstorms' rings a horrid, unpleasant bell in her, sighing shakily. Her breath fogs up the glass with a white patch before replying: "....unfortunately."

Ayame wipes the fog with her hand, only partially swiping the fog off before her hand halts, eyes narrowing to the cleaned area while the rest around it is blurred, focusing on a small shop across the street. The windows are glowing from the inside, and Ayame leans forward to the glass.

"Hm...I don't remember anyone owning that place before."

"What, the small one down across from us?" Tachibana gets up to check it out, "that place has always been empty. I wonder..."

That's when Tachibana lights up, shaking Ayame's shoulders erraticly, "we should check it out! Maybe they're a new business, and we should totally make them feel welcome! Go get the extra slices of spongecake from Naozumi and let's all go!"

Ayame deadpans, "...so you want us to pop out of nowhere over there, not knowing if it's businessowner about to start out, or burglars busting in to steal, and say, 'hey! we're here to give you guys cake. Let's be friends.' "

"Don't be so bitter, Ayame-chan!" Tachibana says, "come on! You may never know unless you try!"

"No. I'm not coming out with this on," she gestures to her maid outfit, sleeves stopping only at her forearms, "it's not enough to keep me warm, plus I can't move in this if they ended up being burglars."

"Come on! They've been there for ten minutes already! They can't be burglars! Even if they are, we can take em! " Tachibana reassures, "plus it's just crossing the street, a little cold wouldn't hurt you!"

"Says someone with warm leggings on and long sleeved outfit," Ayame says with a pointed look.

Tachibana ignores her, turning to the direction of the kitchen and yelling, "Naozumi-kun, can you get the spongecakes? Let's close early today, we've got a place to visit!"

Ayame sighs exasperatingly.

***
"Fukui-san? Do you know where the ribbons are?"

With a heavy cardboard box in her arms, Fukui heaves, propping the box at the counter with a huff, "right here."

Makino smiles gratefully, "my, my, Fukui-san! That's a pretty heavy thing to carry up from the basement."

The manager glances at the stack of boxes at the side, they're of different sizes, some small; some large, and she wipes cold sweat from her forehead, "we can unpack the rest tomorrow. Thanks for helping, I'm a pretty wimpy woman after all."

Fukui shakes her head, "don't worry! It's heavy, but I don't mind."

Before Makino opens her mouth to reply, the entrance bell rings.