The girl wore a refined ensemble of a white-gray blouse and a long black pleated skirt, elegantly accented with a black silk ribbon at the collar. A pure black shoulder bag with gold trim hung gracefully from her shoulder. Her twin-tails, draped like luxurious satin, shimmered with an air of sophistication.
The outfit looked expensive, classy and well-fitted. But upon closer inspection, it seemed slightly faded, likely from too many washes.
Kazami Haru recognized her at a glance. That extraordinary aura and beauty could only belong to Togawa Sakiko, former founder of CRYCHIC in MyGO!!!!!.
Whether it was her exceptional looks or powerful presence, she always exuded a noble grace. It was the kind of cultivated elegance that only came from years of high-status upbringing, something no ordinary person could fake.
"Welcome~ This way, please."
"?"
Sakiko clearly hadn't expected that. She had double-checked that this was indeed a Western-style café before stepping in, yet the laid-back greeting from the staff made her think she'd walked into a street market by mistake. She instantly fell silent.
No, maybe this was just the café's unique method of screening applicants.
Rabbit House was a café known for its excellent pay. The salary was well above standard, making it highly competitive. Sakiko was certain that getting hired wouldn't be easy.
This oddly informal staff behavior might very well be part of the test, a way to gauge her composure under pressure.
Even if she had no idea what was going on, she had to maintain her grace and respond with proper etiquette.
"Good afternoon. I'm Togawa Sakiko, I called earlier about applying for a position. Thank you very much for taking the time to meet with me."
"Ah, so you're the newbie the manager mentioned?"
Only then did Haru recall what the store manager had told him before rushing out earlier.
So the applicant was Sakiko-sensei herself? Just moments ago, he had assumed she was a customer stopping in to have coffee with a friend.
Looks like even Sakiko-sensei couldn't resist this café's high pay?
To think she would sell her looks for a well-paying and relatively easy job… Has even Sakiko-sensei fallen this far?
"?"
Sakiko tilted her head slightly in confusion. Her amber eyes sparkled with uncertainty as she stared at the ponytailed, sharp-looking young man in front of her.
Could this all be a misunderstanding? Was there no mysterious 'situational awareness test' after all?
No, things couldn't be that simple!
Maybe this strange staff member was deliberately trying to lead her astray. This could still be part of the evaluation. She couldn't let her guard down!
"The manager's out at the moment. Before she left, she asked me to take care of your interview. Please follow me, Togawa-san."
"Of course."
Kazami Haru was one of the café's most trusted part-timers, so being asked to interview a newcomer wasn't unusual. The only issue was… he'd never done it before. So, he'd have to make it up as he went.
He flipped the store's sign from "Open" back to "Closed,"
—setting a new record for the café's shortest open time.
This casual attitude made Sakiko even more cautious. Judging by his appearance, he seemed to be around her age, yet his easy confidence suggested he was very familiar with the café.
Wait… does this café hire high school students?
Still harboring suspicion, Sakiko followed Haru to a window-side table.
Since the café was now "Closed," they could sit wherever. Plus, enjoying quality coffee freely was one of the employee perks at Rabbit House.
"What would you like to drink?"
"…Just some warm water, please."
Her shoulders remained tense—clearly, she hadn't relaxed.
Haru retrieved a jar of premium freshly roasted beans and began grinding them.
The rich, layered aroma of coffee began to spread with each practiced movement. The faint bitterness in the air seemed to soothe Sakiko's nerves, slowly helping her unwind.
Warm afternoon sunlight spilled through the windows, casting patterns on the solid wood table. It lit the side of the boy's face in golden hues.
His gaze stayed fixed on the coffee cup, focused and unwavering. That elegant profile was so mesmerizing that even Sakiko found herself momentarily entranced.
She had to admit, this boy's looks were on another level.
"Here. If you're going to work here as a barista, you'll need to learn these basics."
"…Understood."
Sakiko carefully accepted the cup with both hands, her slender fingers wrapped gently around it. A small sip revealed a mellow, roasted sweetness that filled her mouth. Slightly startled, she glanced at Haru from the corner of her eye.
She had been skeptical of him just moments ago, but once in work mode, he was surprisingly reliable!
Then—
"…So bitter. I'll need a lot of sugar."
Just as she began to feel a bit of admiration, Haru ruined it by dumping spoonful after spoonful of white sugar into his own cup.
Of course, Haru had no idea what was going through Sakiko's mind. His attention had just been hijacked by a sudden flicker from the The Ultimate Romance Simulator inside his head.
[The Ultimate Romance Simulator]
[Host: Kazami Haru]
[Skills: "Piano LV2," "Music Theory LV2," "Barista LV1"]
[Items: Infatuation Card, Skill Upgrade Card]
[Evaluation: Born with stunning looks and irresistible charm, you possess extraordinary talent in music theory, enough to be called a "genius." You may one day reach the level of a master. A truly outstanding young man in every regard.]
Thanks to the previous simulation, Kazami Haru had acquired a Skill Upgrade Card—an item that could raise any skill below LV5 with ease.
He hadn't had "Barista LV1" before.
That skill popped up right after he brewed a cup of coffee, leaving him genuinely confused. Did that mean you gained skills just by completing relevant events?
If he kept collecting different skills and leveled them up through simulations, wouldn't he eventually become some all-powerful, jack-of-all-trades kind of person?
What kind of "romance simulator" was this?!