"Excuse me, are you Nagasaki Sosei?"
By a bench outside a coffee shop, Chihaya Aine spotted the girl with light brown hair.
"That's me. So you must be Chihaya Aine, right?"
Sosei's warm smile eased the knot in Aine's chest just a bit. The girl in front of her was kind, approachable, and had this gentle vibe that made you like her instantly. If it was with someone like her, maybe Little Ace's wild idea wouldn't seem so bad.
Yeah, the only reason Aine was here meeting someone was because of that mysterious rabbit-like creature. After yesterday's failed attempt to rope her in, Aine got a random text on her phone today after school.
It was from Nagasaki Sosei. A quick chat revealed that Sosei had known Little Ace for a while and had been dealing with demons at night for nearly a year. She only learned about Aine because she'd just met up with Little Ace earlier today.
"Nice to meet you." Sosei, dressed in a white dress with a honeysuckle pattern, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, flashed a soft, charming smile. "First time meeting, but we might end up as teammates down the line. If there's anything you wanna know, just hit me up."
"Uh… sure, thanks for the heads-up!"
Sosei's mature vibe and calm tone had Aine instinctively nodding, almost bowing out of respect.
"No need to be so stiff," Sosei chuckled. "We're gonna be partners, so I'll just call you Aine, cool?"
"Totally fine!"
Aine's nervous voice made Sosei's eyes crinkle with amusement. "I said relax. You're in high school too, right?"
"Yeah, first year…"
"Same here."
Aine blinked, caught off guard. "Wait, you're a first-year too, Sosei?"
The way Sosei carried herself, all poised and confident, made Aine assume she was older. The idea that this girl, who'd been fighting demons for almost a year, was her age hadn't even crossed her mind.
"Just Sosei's fine. Let's head inside and talk."
"Uh, okay."
They'd agreed to meet at Haneza Coffee, a spot Sosei seemed to know well. Aine followed her through the glass sliding door, and before they even sat down, she spotted a familiar face.
"Welcome~!"
A blonde girl behind the counter beamed with enthusiasm, her manners polished to a T. Only problem?
"Nero?"
Aine knew her.
"New waitress, huh? Someone you know?" Sosei glanced at Nero, then back at Aine, waiting for an intro.
"Uh, that's Nero. She's… my classmate," Aine mumbled, her confidence shrinking.
Maybe it was because Nero always seemed to one-up her at school, but seeing her here made Aine feel oddly small.
"Pardon me." Nero, apron on, dipped into a curtsey with a bright smile. "I'm Nero Fortuna, Aine's classmate. May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?"
"Since you're Aine's friend, just call me Sosei," Sosei replied smoothly. "Fortuna, huh? You just start working here?"
Watching the two exchange polite but distant pleasantries, Aine felt her presence fading into the background.
Seriously, Nero? Why's she everywhere I go? Isn't she supposed to be some rich noble? Why's she working a gig like this?
"Just started today, not even officially on the clock yet," Nero said with a grin, stepping out from behind the counter and gesturing to a table. "This way, please. Know what you'd like?"
Clearly, Nero picked up that Sosei was a regular and didn't need a menu rundown. Sosei sat down and played along. "Hot Earl Grey for me. Aine, got a favorite?"
"I don't really drink tea, so I'll just go with your pick," Aine muttered, deflated.
Truth was, she just didn't want to ask Nero for a menu.
"Two hot Earl Greys, then," Sosei decided.
"Got it~ Two hot Earl Greys, coming up."
Nero jotted down the table number and order on her notepad, gave another polite nod, and headed back to the counter.
Aine watched her go, letting out a quiet sigh. Sosei, still smiling, waited until Nero was out of earshot before leaning in. "Not exactly besties, huh?"
No names, but it was obvious who she meant. Aine waved her hands frantically, then slumped. "It's not like we're on bad terms… just regular classmates, y'know?"
Sosei's raised brow said she wasn't buying it, but Aine knew she'd let it slide. Sure enough, Sosei switched gears. "Her name sounds foreign. Her Japanese is really good, though."
That just stirred up Aine's self-pity. She couldn't help the bitter edge in her voice. "Yeah, she's pretty impressive."
The words came out dripping with envy. Aine cringed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Sorry, didn't mean to sound like I'm whining."
But Sosei just smiled faintly, like she hadn't noticed the undertone. She pivoted again. "Little Ace mentioned you haven't made a wish yet?"
"Yeah… I'm not sure if I've got anything important enough to wish for."
That was a big reason Aine hadn't signed on with that weird creature.
"Makes sense. It's a big decision to think over."
Sosei's gaze drifted to the counter, where the backroom door had just cracked open, revealing the café's staff area. She paused, giving Aine a moment to think.
Soon, Nero emerged with a tray of porcelain cups. She approached their table, setting the pristine white cups down with a smile. "Two hot Earl Greys. Enjoy~"
"Thanks!" Sosei smiled back.
Aine gritted her teeth but forced a nod, her expression sour. "…Thanks."
"No need to be so formal with friends, y'know."
Aine's eyes widened as Nero's smile turned playful. With a wink, she grabbed the tray, gave a quick nod, and headed back to the counter.