Childrens of Terra

Layla II

[Floor 44: Septimus, 15/09/317 AC]

The marketplace bustled with activity, bathed in the warm morning light. Vendors and customers mingled, their voices trying to one-up each other. Crates of fresh produce, delivered from the more agricultural floors, sat beside the stalls that lined the streets.

Amidst the crowd, Layla walked in a hurry. A gentle breeze flew from the riverside, blowing her long blonde hair.

Traveling almost 10 floors wasn't exactly a short affair, especially considering the morning rush she got caught in. It must've taken at least 30 minutes, which means that she's now dangerously close to running late.

Her destination was a cafe, located near the center of the market. A small place, sandwiched between a bakery and an alley. The cafe wasn't open yet, but Layla heads towards the smaller door off to the side of the building instead.

As she entered, her nose was immediately invaded by the smells of coffee and freshly baked cakes. Inside, a young black-haired man could be seen, fiddling around with the various machines on the storefront.

Seeing that he hadn't noticed her arrival, Layla gently nudged his shoulder "Shaun?"

Broken from his reverie, Shaun let out a decidedly unmanly shriek as he jumped away from her "Don't surprise me like that!!!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you!"

"Eh, it's fine." he sighed "It was my own fault for not paying attention to my surroundings." Going back to his machines, he shot a warm smile towards her "Regardless, I'm glad you could come today Layla."

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Layla quickly went to the backroom to change into her uniform. She usually works here whenever she does not have an appointment, so this wasn't her first time.

Going back to the front, Layla grabbed some cakes and placed them on the counter. Grabbing a knife, she started to cut them into several slices.

"Thank you for coming today Layla, handling the cafe alone was pretty hard these days." Shaun idly checked the various coffee machines, making sure they worked correctly. "I managed to hire some kids as a part-timer, but they can only work after lunch. Not to mention they're not as skilled as you yet."

The jade eyed girl couldn't help but feel guilty about that, she used to work here full-time. Shaun was just starting out at that time, and she was still trying to find her footing as a hired help.

"I'm really sorry, I was being selfish wasn't I? I know how hard handling the cafe can be, yet I left just like tha-"

"Hey hey hey, don't worry about it." Shaun grasped her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile. "It might be a little tiring, but this is nothing I can't handle."

Releasing her shoulder, he continued "I wouldn't lie and say I didn't miss your help, or companionship, but I'm happy that you managed to find success. Our path might differ, but as long as we can remain friends I don't mind."

"Shaun..."

"Alright, let's talk more later, okay." His smile took a teasing note "Those cakes won't cut themselves."

Looking at the knife on her hand, and the mostly still unsliced cakes, Layla blushed. "Ah, I'm sorry!"

---T3RR4---

As the last customer filed out, Layla couldn't help but let out a tired sigh. She honestly forgot how tiring manning the cafe was. The part-timer that came after lunch helped, so it wasn't as tiring as when it's only her and Shaun, but still...