A few minutes later the attendant returned, this time with a woman beside her.
She looked to be somewhere in her late twenties, dark hair tied back with a few loose strands framing her face, a fitted blouse and dark trousers giving her the look of someone who ran the place without needing to try very hard at it. Calm eyes, an easy smile, the kind of presence that put people at ease before she'd even spoken.
She stopped at their table. "Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon," Clara said.
"I'm Tamiko Nohara. I own this place." Her eyes moved down the table in an easy, practiced way, and then stopped.
On Tyler.
More specifically, on his eyes. Deep blue, clear in a way that didn't quite belong to an ordinary face. She held the pause for half a second too long before she caught herself and blinked it away.
"One of my staff mentioned you're interested in reserving the lounge," she said, pulling a chair from the next table and sitting with them.
"Yes," Clara said.
"Then let's talk about it." Tamiko glanced at their uniforms. Something about them tugged at her memory. "You're from Central Academy?"
"Yes."
"Do you happen to know a kid named Aaron?"
Clara smiled. "He's in our class. He's actually the one who suggested this place."
Tamiko's whole face opened up. "That explains it. He lives next door to me." She laughed softly. "When I first moved to Darsen City, he helped me more than I probably deserved. Showed me around, told me where to buy things, even helped set up this place."
"That's exactly like him."
"It really is." Tamiko glanced around the café. "I've only been here a short while, so having someone like that nearby made it a lot easier."
Eris listened quietly. Whatever Tamiko's relationship with the town was, she seemed genuinely comfortable talking about it, which was already a good sign.
Clara straightened. "We wanted to reserve the lounge for Sunday evening."
"That should be possible. Sundays are quiet in the evening." Tamiko looked toward the space. "How many people are you expecting?"
Clara glanced at Eris. "At least thirty."
Tamiko's eyebrows lifted. "Thirty."
"We're organizing one last get-together before middle school ends. Still in the planning stage, though." She gestured at Eris and Tyler. "They're helping me figure it out."
"Since we're still fairly new, and you're Aaron's friends, I'm sure we can work something out that fits a student budget."
Clara clapped her hands together. "Really?"
"Of course."
"That's great!"
Eris smiled. Tamiko looked faintly amused by the enthusiasm and pulled out a small notepad. "So. Do you already know what you want?"
Tyler looked up from his plate. "We were thinking a fixed menu."
"A fixed menu?"
"Instead of everyone ordering separately, we pick a few dishes ahead of time. For a group this size, it should get us a better price too."
"That's actually easier on our end as well." Tamiko opened the notepad. "What were you considering?"
"Four food options," Eris said. "One spicy dish, one quick bite, two mains."
"Two desserts," Clara added.
"And drinks," Tyler said. "The café specials, if possible."
Tamiko wrote it all down without pausing. "Shouldn't be a problem." She looked toward the lounge. "What about the instruments?"
Clara's eyes went bright. "We can use them?"
"The piano and microphones, yes. The rest too, but I'd want someone responsible in charge of them."
"That's completely fine."
"And we'd like to keep the open floor clear," Eris said.
"That's possible."
"Can the tables be rearranged?"
"Within reason."
Tamiko kept writing. "Private lounge, thirty guests, fixed menu, drinks, desserts, instrument access." She looked up. "How long were you planning to stay?"
"Sunday evening," Clara said. "Probably a few hours."
"That's fine." Tamiko went quiet, running the numbers, weighing guest count against food, drinks, dessert, the lounge, the instruments. The three of them watched her pen move without saying anything.
She turned the notepad around.
"For thirty students, somewhere around this."
V₣10,000
Clara leaned in first, then looked at Eris. Eris checked the figure herself and her shoulders eased. "That's within what we planned for."
Tyler glanced at it. "Works for me."
"And if more students join?" Clara asked.
"Then you only pay for the extra food and drinks. The lounge fee stays the same."
Clara looked visibly relieved. "That's really good."
"I'd rather keep it simple. You're students." Tamiko closed the notepad. "If you're bringing a large group, I'd suggest locking in the dishes early. Makes it easier for us to prepare."
"That's exactly what we wanted," Tyler said.
Clara glanced back at the lounge, the food, the price, all of it lining up into something that no longer felt hypothetical. She turned back to Tamiko.
"Can you give us one day?"
"One day?"
"I need to run it by the class. If everyone's in, we'd like to hold it here."
"Of course." Tamiko stood from the chair. "Take your time. Just let us know by tomorrow so I can hold the lounge for you."
"Thank you."
"It was nice meeting you all." Her eyes drifted toward Tyler once more, caught on the same blue, and she looked away a beat faster than she had the first time. A polite nod, and she turned back toward the counter.
Clara leaned back and exhaled. "Well, that went better than I expected."
"Ten thousand for thirty people," Eris said. "We confirm the final count tomorrow."
"Which means the hardest part's done."
Tyler glanced around the lounge. "Space works. Food works. Price isn't terrible."
"Not terrible?" Clara repeated. "That's your way of saying it's good."
"I'm being generous."
Eris laughed softly and picked up the menu. "Now we just need the fixed dishes."
"Something spicy," Clara said.
"No."
"Why not?"
"You nearly died eating the tofu."
"I did not nearly die."
"You were drinking your latte like it was medicine."
"It was spicy."
"Exactly."
"We need something everyone can eat," Eris said. "Chicken. Rice. Something sweet. That's probably enough."
Tyler tapped the page without looking up. "I'm taking the Chicken Ramen."
"Took you long enough."
"I was deciding."
"And you landed on ramen."
"Yes." He closed the menu and stood. "I'll go order it."
"Do you know where?"
He gave her a blank look. "The counter."
"Very impressive."
"Back in a minute." He walked off.
Clara watched him go. "He waited that long just to order ramen."
"He was listening."
"Or being indecisive."
"That too."
Clara turned back. "Thirty people. Private lounge. Fixed menu. Drinks. Instruments."
"And we need everyone to confirm."
"Someone's going to complain."
"Of course."
"About the price."
"Or the food."
"Or the lack of instruments."
Clara sighed. "People are exhausting."
"That's why we give them the numbers up front."
"Ten thousand.
Thirty students.
Everything included."
"Assuming thirty."
"Right."
They kept working through the details, the piano, the microphones, dessert, until a voice cut in from a nearby table.
"Hey."
Neither girl looked up. A cluster of high schoolers sat a few tables over, one of them leaning toward his friends, pitching his voice just loud enough to carry.
"Those two are pretty cute."
"Yeah."
"Sisters?"
"Friends, probably."
"Either way. Beauties."
Clara turned a page. "Chicken katsu's probably safer than fried chicken."
"Agreed," Eris said.
The boys exchanged a look.
"They're ignoring us."
"Maybe they didn't hear."
"They heard."
"Hey. Beauties."
Nothing. Clara kept reading. "One noodle dish, one rice dish, maybe."
"Good."
The boys laughed behind them.
"She's really ignoring us."
"Maybe she's shy."
"Hey! We're talking to you."
Eris took a sip of her drink.
Clara lowered her voice. "They're getting louder."
"I noticed."
"Should we move?"
"Why should we?"
A staff member passed, murmuring something to another employee about Miss Tamkio wanting her in the office, and the second employee nodded and disappeared toward the back. The boy at the other table clocked it immediately.
"Well. Now we're alone."
Eris sighed. "Wonderful."
He stood, crossed over, and dropped himself into the empty chair at their table without asking. The scrape of the legs made Clara flinch.
"So," he said. "What are you two planning?"
"We're having a private conversation," Eris said.
"So?"
"So mind your own business."
He laughed. "Damn. She's serious."
"Are you finished?"
"Not really." He leaned closer. "What's the event?"
"None of your business."
"A party?"
"Maybe."
"Graduation?"
She ignored him. Clara reopened the menu. "Let's just finish this."
"Sure," he said. "I'm interested now."
Eris gave him a flat look. "That's unfortunate."
"What's your name?"
Neither answered.
"Seriously?"
"Move the chair back," Eris said.
He leaned against the backrest instead. "You really want me to move?"
"Yes."
"Make me."
Clara's jaw tightened. "Don't."
"I wasn't going to," Eris said, then looked back at him. "I'm not wasting time fighting someone who doesn't understand basic manners."
His grin widened. "I like your attitude."
"I don't care."
Clara pointed at the menu. "Chicken katsu or ramen?"
"Chicken katsu," Eris said.
"Definitely?"
"Definitely."
The boy watched them, visibly annoyed at being outpaced by a lunch order. "Are you seriously going to keep talking like I'm not here?"
"Yes."
"That's impressive."
"It's easy."
He turned to Clara. "Are you the nice one? Or are you just pretending not to hear me?"
She turned a page.
He tapped the table. Eris looked at his hand. "Stop."
He withdrew it. "Sensitive."
"Observant."
"What's your name?"
"We don't owe you our names," Clara said without looking up.
"I'm just asking."
"You've asked enough."
"Which one of you's older?"
"Why do you care?" Eris asked.
"Curious."
"Find something else to be curious about."
"Both single?"
Clara finally looked at him. "That isn't your business."
"Just a question."
"Not asked politely."
"Then how should I ask?"
"Don't."
"You two always this serious?"
"Only when people won't leave us alone."
He laughed. "Brutal."
"I've been called worse."
Clara shut the menu. "Can we please finish the reservation?"
"Sure." He leaned back. "But I'm curious about you two now." His eyes drifted toward the counter. "Who's the guy?"
"Tyler," Clara said, before Eris could stop her.
"Your boyfriend?"
"No."
"Then which one of you's his girlfriend?"
"Neither," Eris said.
"Really."
"Yes."
He grinned. "He's lucky."
Clara frowned. "What does that mean?"
"Nothing."
"Stop making comments about us," Eris said.
"I'm complimenting you."
"We didn't ask."
"Compliments don't need permission."
"Talking to strangers does."
His friends laughed. He leaned back further. "You really hate being bothered."
"I hate being bothered by people who don't understand simple words."
"Which words?"
"Leave."
"That's one word."
"It should be enough."
"Not for me."
Clara glanced toward the counter. "Tyler's taking a while."
"He'll come back," Eris said.
The boy smiled. "Maybe he ran away."
Something in Eris's eyes sharpened. "Don't talk about him."
"Why? He's not even here."
"Exactly. So leave him out of this. Don't mess with him."
"You're protective."
"No. Practical."
"What's the difference?"
"Protective means I care about you. Practical means I don't want you causing another problem."
His friends laughed at that too. He didn't seem to mind. "So you admit I'm a problem?"
"You're sitting in our chair after being told to leave."
"It's just a chair."
"Then stand up."
"Maybe I like it here."
"That's your problem."
Clara touched Eris's sleeve. "Let's just move."
Eris eyed the chair. "Fine." She started gathering the menus.
He put a hand on the back of it. "Wait. You're actually leaving? Because of me?"
"Yes."
He laughed. "Don't make a scene."
"You made the scene."
"It's just a conversation."
"No," Eris said. "It's harassment."
His smile faltered. "Harassment?"
"You invaded our table, refused to leave, and kept talking after we told you to stop."
"Come on. We're joking."
"You've been told to stop."
He glanced around the café, gauging the audience. "Don't make this serious."
"It got serious when you refused to leave."
Clara said, quietly, "Eris, let's go."
"Clara."