Sato was completely caught off guard. The last thing he expected was to run into Aoyama Nanami here of all places.
More importantly… he had now yet again bumped into Aoyama Nanami while she was working part-time.
"Hey! Sato! What are you looking at?"
Eriri's voice snapped him out of his daze. He took a breath and turned toward her, finding her staring back with a suspicious look.
"Just saw someone I know."
"Someone you know?"
Eriri blinked, then instantly tensed up.
"W-Wait, don't tell me it's someone from our school?!"
She swallowed nervously, her face full of tension.
If someone from school found out she was a closet otaku… no, that part wouldn't get her exposed. But if someone misunderstood her relationship with Sato right now?
They'd totally think they were a couple!
A couple?!
Her cheeks turned beet red again. Her eyes glazed over, and it looked like steam was coming out of her head.
"It's not."
Sato's answer relieved her a bit. She followed his gaze and soon saw a vibrant, pretty girl in a maid uniform walking out from the back of the café.
It was the same girl who had hurried in earlier.
At that moment, their orders were ready, and the girl, along with Nana-chan, each carried a tray toward their table.
Seeing this, Sato's expression grew more peculiar.
Clearly flustered from arriving late, Aoyama Nanami still hadn't fully caught her breath. Even in her maid uniform, her breathing was uneven, and her chest rose and fell gently with each breath.
She carried her tray with practiced hands, took a deep breath, and looked up—
And froze.
Her eyes locked onto Sato's, wide with shock.
What is he doing here?!
"Nanami?"
Beside her, (Kanari) Nana-chan noticed her strange reaction and paused, watching her with concern.
"I-I'm fine, Kanari-san."
Nanami took a deep breath. Her cheeks turned pink, then she lifted her chin with sudden resolve.
She'd already been spotted, no turning back now!
With a 'might as well get it over with' mindset, she gritted her teeth and approached Sato.
But the closer she got, the more she wanted to run away.
I can't do this!
In her mind, a soft, whimpering voice cried out.
"Master, your coffee and cake are here," Nana-chan said, her warm smile unfaltering as she placed their order on the table with perfect poise.
"M-Ma… Ma…"
Aoyama Nanami tried to stay composed, but the words stumbled from her lips. She simply couldn't say the line.
By nature, she was a serious and reserved person. If it weren't for this café's flexible hours and high pay, she'd never have taken a job as a maid.
And even now, the feedback she usually received was along the lines of, "Wow, such a stiff maid," or, "She might lack energy, but she does seem like a real, serious maid."
Sato chuckled and waved a hand. "It's fine. If you can't say it, don't force yourself."
Nanami let out a sigh of relief, though her face was still burning.
Nana-chan picked up on the odd dynamic, curiosity flickering in her amber eyes.
"Do you know Nanami-chan, Master?"
Eriri also gave Sato a suspicious look. If this maid wasn't a schoolmate, then how did Sato, who had only just moved to Chiba, not only know her but know her this well?
"Well, I guess you could say I've run into Aoyama-san a few times. We've gotten to know each other a bit."
"But the weird part is, every time I see her, she's working at a different part-time job…"
Sato paused, looking at Nanami with a bit of amazement.
She flushed deeper. Everything he said was true.
First time? Food delivery.
Second time? Working at a convenience store.
Third time? Maid café.
"So… that's how you two met?" Eriri still sounded skeptical. Just that didn't seem enough for them to be familiar.
"Well, some things happened," Sato said with a smile, glancing at Nanami.
He remembered clearly that the first time they met, she fainted right in front of his house.
"I'm truly grateful."
Nanami also remembered. She bowed deeply.
"No need. You've already thanked me so many times. You don't need to do it every time we meet."
Nana-chan and Eriri exchanged curious glances, clearly lost in the context of their conversation.
"Yes!" Nanami nodded, then glanced down and noticed the tray still in her hand.
Realizing she hadn't completed her task, she quickly placed the remaining items on the table and bowed again.
"Please enjoy your meal."
Then she looked at Sato. "If you need anything, feel free to call me."
—
After Nana-chan and Nanami left, Sato and Eriri finally returned to the topic they came for.
"If I want to serialize a manga," Eriri asked nervously, stirring her coffee with a small spoon, "where do you think I should start?"
Though her alias, Kashiwagi Eri, was a well-known name in the doujin world, like many fan artists, she dreamed of going pro.
In truth, even without Sato's invitation, she had already been thinking about shifting her career.
It wasn't that she disliked the doujin scene, it was just too niche, too underappreciated. She longed for a bigger stage.
Sato nodded thoughtfully. "Your art style is already quite defined, which makes it tough to tackle certain genres, like high-energy shounen. Things like horror or mystery, which rely on distinct stylistic tones, might also clash."
Eriri's heart sank a little.
As a doujin artist, her style naturally leaned toward the… seductive side.
Which made a genre switch quite tricky.
"So, on one hand, you could start studying a more grounded art style. On the other hand, we can think from a genre standpoint, choose a type of story that fits your aesthetic."
"…"