Birds of a Feather (Sakura x OC)

Chapter 2: A Surprise Encounter and a New Beginning

It was early the next morning when Yuna made her way to Café Pothos, her nerves making her fidget with her hands. As she approached the café, her hopes high, she pushed open the door, only to freeze in surprise.

There, sitting on the counter in front of Kotoha — who was busy polishing a glass — was none other than Sakura, the guy with the split-coloured hair. He was munching on a sandwich, but when he saw Yuna, he froze, his sandwich nearly falling from his hand. A slight blush crept up his cheeks as he scrambled to act nonchalant, glancing away with a scoff.

The door clicked shut behind Yuna, and she slowly made her way to the counter, her head lowered. She glanced up occasionally, catching Sakura's eye before quickly looking away. Kotoha, unfazed, greeted Yuna with a warm smile and motioned for her to sit.

"Good morning, Yuna-chan! Please, have a seat.", Kotoha said cheerfully, placing a steaming cup of coffee in front of her.

"Th-thanks.", Yuna mumbled, taking a sip of the coffee and enjoying its rich aroma.

Kotoha beamed at her. "You're welcome."

Sakura, still visibly flustered, glanced awkwardly between Yuna and Kotoha. His cheeks were tinged with pink, and he tried to focus on his sandwich.

"So, Yuna-chan.", Kotoha began, "I've thought it over, and if it's alright with you, you can start working here with me. How does that sound?"

Yuna's eyes widened with excitement. "Really?!", she exclaimed; her voice louder than she intended.

The sudden exclamation made Sakura's head snap up, his eyes wide with surprise. He quickly looked away, trying to act nonchalant.

Kotoha nodded positively. "Yes, really. We can use another hand. I'd be glad to have you."

Yuna's face brightened. "Oh, thank you so much, Kotoha-san!"

Sakura couldn't help but stare at her smile for a moment before he looked away, clearly flustered. He resumed eating his sandwich while Yuna and Kotoha discussed the details of the job.

Kotoha continued, "So, your first shift will be tomorrow around 5 PM. That's when we get the most customers."

Yuna hesitated, her fingers nervously fidgeting. "Um... . I could start today too. I'm free, and I haven't enrolled in my new school yet, so... ."

Kotoha considered this for a moment. "Alright. We don't get many customers early, but it's the perfect time for you to learn. It's settled!"

Yuna beamed and finished her coffee. "Okay! I'll just need to grab something from the back. Can you watch the counter for a moment?", Kotoha asks as she signals Yuna to come behind the counter.

"Sure.", Yuna replied, her gaze shifting uneasily between Sakura and the empty café. Kotoha left, and Yuna was left alone with Sakura, who continued to eat his sandwich, now more intently focused on it.

An awkward silence stretched between them. Yuna fidgeted, trying to think of something to say. "S-so, do you come here often?"

Sakura looked up, his face slightly red. "Uh, yeah. I guess."

Yuna nodded, her face flushing. "I'm still figuring out the area. It's kind of overwhelming."

Sakura's fingers gripped his sandwich tighter. "Yeah, I know the feeling. Makochi can be... complicated."

They both fell silent, the air thick with unease. Sakura glanced at Yuna, then quickly looked away, clearly uncomfortable.

Just then, Kotoha returned and quickly took Yuna behind the counter, showing her around. Yuna did her best to absorb everything as she tried to avoid Sakura's gaze. After a while, Sakura left, and Yuna was left with Kotoha, who began teaching her everything.

+++

The next few hours were a blur of learning how to make coffee and handle the small café. Yuna was busy but enjoyed the challenge. When an elderly woman praised her coffee, Yuna felt a sense of pride.

Later, Yuna decided to head to the park by the lake to relax. On her way back to her apartment, she realized she needed to buy groceries. She walked to the nearest Family Mart, which felt like it was miles away from her place.

After arriving Yuna took a shopping basket and began searching for the food she needed. "I need rice... .", she muttered to herself as she scanned the shelves. If I have to carry it all home, smaller packs would make more sense, but bigger ones are cheaper... . She sighed in frustration and decided on the smallest pack. Reaching for it, she frowned when she saw it placed high on the shelf.

She tiptoed and stretched, trying unsuccessfully to grab it. After two or three failed attempts, she crossed her arms in irritation. Feeling defeated, she turned to leave, her stomach growling in protest. That's when she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around, startled.

To her surprise, it was the brown-haired guy from yesterday. He was smiling kindly, holding out the rice she had been trying to reach. "Isn't this what you wanted?", he asked calmly, his smile never wavering.

Yuna's cheeks flushed as she took the rice from his hands. "Th-thanks.", she mumbled, staring at the floor.

He chuckled lightly, clearly amused by her awkwardness. "You're the girl from yesterday, aren't you?"

Yuna's eyes widened. "Um, I-I don't know w-what you're talking about... .", she stuttered, her voice trembling slightly as she avoided his gaze.

He chuckled again, leaning in a bit closer. "You were the one peeking through the café window, right? I remember your eyes."

Yuna's face turned crimson as she bit her lip. "Sorry.", she muttered, barely audible.

"Sorry?", Suo said, his tone soft. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not upset. I just wanted to make sure it was you. I'm not mad or anything." He straightened up and extended his hand. "I'm Hayato Suo. What's your name?"

Yuna glanced up, her face still flushed. "I'm Lu Yuna."

"Yuna.", Suo repeated, nodding thoughtfully. "It's nice to meet you. How about I walk you home? It's getting dark, and it's not safe to be out alone."

Yuna hesitated, her hands clutching the rice tightly. "Oh, you don't have to—"

"I insist.", Suo said firmly. "It's no trouble at all."

As they walked together, Yuna stole glances at Suo's distinctive clothing — a traditional Chinese-style changshan layered under his school uniform. "Your clothes... they're really different. I've never seen anything like that before."

Suo looked down at his outfit, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Oh, this? It's a bit of a family tradition. I like to wear it because it's comfortable and has meaning for me."

Yuna nodded, her curiosity piqued. "It looks really unique. I've never seen anyone dress like that before."

"Thanks.", Suo replied. "I suppose it's not the most common style around here. What about you? Do you have a specific style or something you like to wear?"

Yuna shrugged, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Not really. I just wear what's practical. I don't really think much about it."

Suo smiled gently. "That's fair. Practicality is important. But it's nice to see different styles and how they reflect people's personalities."

Yuna glanced down at her simple outfit, feeling a bit self-conscious. "Yeah, I guess. I never really thought about it like that."

When they reached her apartment building, Yuna took the bags from Suo's hands. "Thank you so much for helping me. I really appreciate it."

"No problem.", Suo said, his smile warm. "See you around, Yuna."

"See you.", Yuna replied, watching him walk away. She went inside, feeling a mix of relief and curiosity about her unexpected encounter. After cooking a simple meal, she went to bed, tired but pondering the day's unusual events.

+++End of chapter two+++