"Wow, that was great, Ko-chan!" Yotaku clapped heartedly as I danced off the end of the beam, tea cup in hand. "You've really adapted to my lessons to a level I didn't imagine possible just a month ago." She walked to the wall to turn off the huge fans she had set up to make it harder to walk along the beam.
"This is it, you've passed my last test, and I'm sure you'll impress your friends from school when you see them next." She came over and patted me on the head, smiling. "If you ever want to come and help out at the cafe again, I will gladly accept you. Though I suspect you probably have better things to do."
"I'll consider it, though I want to be paid in something other than cake next time I come!" Yotaku-sensei laughed and nodded at my joke. "Of course, dear."
"Make sure you take your costume with you when you go this time, your school cafe starts tomorrow, and you won't be back here before then. I've already mailed your friend's costumes to them as well, so don't worry about them. I hope you have fun and make a lot of memories in the next few days." She gave me a hug like an adoring mother and then saw me off at the door after I changed back into my school uniform. Finally, all my work paid off, and all that was left was to get my rewards!
* * *
The former homeroom of Class 1E was completely unrecognizable at this point, with all the desks replaced with small tables and chairs, a bar set up, and a curtain pulled over the door leading into Class 1F. A tiny maid was running around frantically, with a bundle of tablecloths in her arms as she tried to set all the tables at once.
"Gaah, we're never going to be ready in time!" I quickly spread a tablecloth on the table in front of me before someone put their arms around me from behind and spoke into my ear.
"Ko-chan, calm down, we're going to be alright. There's still an hour before we start and all we have to do is set the tables and put up the signs in the hall." Matsuko scooped me up off my feet in a princess carry and took me back into the other classroom we turned into a kitchen, where she deposited me on a chair and sat down next to me. "You've been running around all morning, let Naruyo finish the place settings and the signs. You can't be worn out before you even open the cafe, can you?"
"Haaaaaah." I finally took a breath and looked around. Boxes of pastries were stacked up on the table, ready to be served, and there were piles of menus ready to be given to customers. Maybe she was right, I could take a minute and cool down my nerves. "So what now? Just wait?"
"Why don't you show me the results of your training?" She slid the cup of tea she was drinking from across the table. I nodded and picked up the cup and went over to the hot water machine to fill it back up. Even on ballet boots, I felt like I was gliding across the clouds as I filled the cup and came back over to Matsuko, doing a little pirouette in the middle. Finally, I did a little curtsey as I placed the saucer and cup in front of Matsuko and lightly said "Your tea, My Lady."
Matsuko slowly sipped the tea then quietly clapped her hands. "Amazing. Like you were a completely different person. You know, I think Asami was hoping you would crash and burn in training. I can't wait to see what she thinks of your performance. Maybe next time we should do this on an ice rink so you can skate around and deliver cakes like that." She looks pensive as if imagining the scene.
"AH!" I suddenly remembered something important. "None of you are in your costumes yet? Where are they? We can't have a maid cafe without maids!" I turned around and scanned the room for costumes on hangars or something.
"Pft. I was wondering when you'd remember that. The tailor sent the boxes to the school, and they arrived yesterday. I don't think anyone's opened the package yet, it's under that table over there." Matsuko pointed to a box under one of the tables in the corner. I quickly retrieved it and placed it on the table. I pulled at the box but Matsuko put her hand on mine. "Chill. The box isn't going anywhere. Go get a knife and cut it open slowly so you don't damage anything." I stared blankly for a second then nodded.
I carefully opened the box and pulled out the paper on top. I started reading, but my eyes glazed over as I comprehended what was on the paper. "Dear valued client, Thank you for your order. I hope your servants enjoy their new uniforms as much as I enjoyed making them. I await your future orders with anticipation. Enclosed: Five Butler Uniforms" The letter dropped to the table as I quickly dug into the box, hoping it would be a mistake. Unfortunately, it was not a mistake, and all I pulled out of the box was a black swallowtail coat and slacks.
"W-wait.. this is a mistake, who's package is this?" I flipped the box shut and looked at the label, but it was addressed to the student council. "My Lady.. what do we do? We don't have the costumes..."
Matsuko nearly spit out her tea when she heard my address. "Did you just call me "My Lady"? You know you're the president, right? You're the boss, not me." Despite her words, she was smiling triumphantly, and patted me on the head.
"Oh.. um.. sorry, it just sort of slipped out. I've gotten so used to that sort of address since working at the cafe, so I didn't really think about it." I blushed with embarrassment at the thought, but this wasn't the important part. "What about the costumes? Our event is going to be ruined!"
"Slow down, panicking is not going to help anyone. Let me make a phone call." Matsuko pulled out her phone and dialed a number as she walked away from the table. "Hi, yes, Yotaku-san? We seem to have a problem. I think one of the orders got swapped with ours. Do you know anything about that? Okay, I can wait." Matsuko hung up and came back over to me.
"She is going to get back to us. Keep it together Ko-chan. Even if we don't have the uniforms, we'll still make it work, I promise." She sat down and put a hand on my head, which was strangely comforting. We sat together for a few minutes while she waited for a return call.
Finally, her phone rang again and she picked it up and walked to the other side of the room. "What did you find out? She did? Well I can deal with her separately. Can we get some replacements made or sent? ...Fine. Alright, I'll tell her, but I hope you have an idea to make it up to her, and to me. I trusted you to know how to handle yourself." I could get an idea about what happened just from hearing Matsuko's side of the call, and my spirit slowly crumbled as she put the phone back in her pocket and came back.
"You probably got the gist of it from here, but there's been a mistake. Our package and the one for one of our other clients, an important CEO, have been swapped. Unfortunately for us, the client liked the costumes you designed so much that he insists on keeping them for his own use. And worse, our tailor is busy with an urgent order from another big client and won't be free to help until next week." Matsuko explained the situation slowly.
"But next week will be...." My eyes were already tearing up.
"Too late for our cafe, yes. I'm sorry Ko-chan. The work you've done this time is nothing short of tremendous, and everyone here has noticed. Even if it won't be quite as you wanted, let's still go and give the school a show, okay? This won't be the last school event of the year."
Matsuko quietly patted me on the back as she just sat with me for a few minutes.
"...So will you guys just go in your school uniforms?" I finally got control of myself again.
"Hmm, well, I'm thinking, we have these butler uniforms, right?" Matsuko stood up and held up one of the butler jackets up to her chest. "What do you think, could I pull it off?" She put it on the table and then boldly started stripping on the spot. In just seconds her blazer and shirt were laying on the table, revealing her entire torso to the entire room. My heart immediately started racing as I saw Matsuko's incredible chest, and I had to restrain the urge to jump straight into her arms right now.
I only had a few seconds to try and remember that image before she threw the butler's shirt around her shoulders and buttoned it up. After that, she immediately dropped her skirt to the floor and started putting on the slacks in one quick motion. After buckling the belt, she put on the tuxedo jacket and bowtie before doing a slow spin in front of me. "How is it?"
I have to admit, despite me being quite hung up on getting her into a maid uniform earlier, I was quite smitten with her looks as a butler. Before I even noticed it, I was blushing deeply, and only after she took my hand did I snap out of my daze. "I guess that means it looks good." She giggled quietly before turning to the door and speaking loudly. "Naruyo, will you come in here for a second?"
A few seconds later Naruyo came through the curtain, with a banner in hand. "Yes? Decorations almost complete."
"I hate to do this to you but I need a last minute change to our banners. Can you change the name to "Maid & Butler Cafe? After that, hurry up and get changed, it's almost time to start." Matsuko was arranging the remaining butler uniforms into sets on the table for the other girls.
Naruyo looked around the room and gathered the situation without much trouble. "Affirmative. Give me a minute. You look good. Both of you." She sat down at the table and started scribbling on the banner with a marker.
"Well, let's break the news to the others and get them ready." Matsuko left the room and returned with the other three council members. "Ok girls, change of plans. I put out your new uniforms, so hurry up and get dressed, we have a line outside already."
Asami looked at me triumphantly, "What a shame. At least we can still run the cafe without those ugly maid costumes." She took her outfit and was about to leave before someone chimed in from the side.
"Those are some shameless words from someone who got her a--" Hinari was interrupted by a kick to the shin, which she ignored, before picking up her uniform. "No maid outfit? Ko-chan, you must be devastated, huh? Don't worry, I'll help you any way I can. We'll surely make this the best cafe." She gave me a kind look and shot a smug look at Asami before heading to the corner to change. Ah… Hinari is kind of cool too.
Before long Matsuko came back in from outside. "Ready girls? It's show time! Ko-chan, why doesn't the class president go open the doors?" She smiled and gave me a wink. I stood up and steeled my heart before I headed for the door.
As Matsuko mentioned a few minutes earlier, there was a line all the way down the hall. I opened the door and smiled at the first few people. Before I even opened my mouth, someone had started asking "Wasn't it a maid cafe? Why's it butlers now?" My face darkened but I had to force a smile "Things.. happened. At least we still have one maid though, right?" The crowd cheered at my response, and I heard some comments yelled down the hall "We got the cutest one, we're still on the air girls!" "Ah, I actually like butlers too, I hope they're handsome"
Ha... I guess it will be alright in the end. I backed away and welcomed people into the cafe. The room was immediately filled to the brim and I had to stop more people from coming in. "Please wait until some tables are freed, My Ladies." I pulled the ribbon across the door to block it, but I heard more catcalls as I went back into the room.