“W-what’s wrong?” Su Ruanruan looked at the frozen Youyu, getting even more flustered. “Is it really that ugly? I’m sorry, I’m just too stupid…”
“Stop!!!”
Chu Youyu suddenly shouted, jumping off her stool. She grabbed Su Ruanruan’s mouth, her face turning as red as a ripe tomato.
“Forbidden! You are forbidden from doing that gesture from now on!”
“Eh? W-why? Didn’t you just…” Su Ruanruan blinked her large eyes with an innocent look.
“Because… because it’s too ugly! Yes! Too ugly! It ruins the shop’s reputation!” Chu Youyu shouted guiltily, her eyes darting around. “Anyway, this move is sealed! Aside from practicing in front of me, you are absolutely not allowed to do it for customers! Do you hear me?”
“Oh… I understand…” Su Ruanruan lowered her head dejectedly.
“Um… I’d like to try too.”
At that moment, a cool and somewhat expectant voice came from the side. Saginomiya Shiori walked over.
She had watched the previous scene and found it quite interesting. The heroic beauty solemnly made a heart shape with her hands and said in a deep, magnetic, boyish voice, “Moe Moe… Kyun.” (Referencing Artoria)
Boom— Su Ruanruan instantly turned into a steam engine. A handsome face paired with such embarrassing lines—the gap moe was lethal!
“Whoa! Shiori is so cool!” Su Ruanruan’s eyes sparkled uncontrollably.
“Enough—!!” Chu Youyu, who had been ignored, completely snapped. She squeezed between the two of them. “No flirting! Since you don’t have any magical talent, come learn something practical! Learn how to make coffee from me!”
—
Dragged behind the coffee-scented bar, Chu Youyu’s aura immediately became professional.
“Listen up, you klutzy maid. Making coffee isn’t as simple as pouring water over powder.” Chu Youyu picked up a coffee bean like a strict little teacher. “Do you know what kind of bean this is?”
Su Ruanruan looked blank. “Uh… a black bean?”
“It’s Arabica!” Chu Youyu tapped her head with a folding fan, frustrated, and began a hardcore explanation. “Coffee beans are mainly divided into Arabica and Robusta. Our shop uses high-altitude Arabica beans for their rich flavor and fruity notes. Those cheap Robusta beans are bitter and high in caffeine, usually only used for instant coffee! How could my shop use such trash?”
“Oh! That’s amazing!” Though Su Ruanruan didn’t really understand, she clapped in admiration.
“Hmph, of course it is.” Chu Youyu’s tail figuratively wagged as she skillfully operated the expensive espresso machine. “Watch closely. After the Crema Extraction, we do the latte art. Your hands must be steady, and the pour must be gentle…”
With a slight flick of her wrist, a perfect heart-shaped latte was born.
“I want to try too!” Su Ruanruan was eager.
Five minutes later…
Chu Youyu stared at the messy, white blob in Su Ruanruan’s cup that was split down the middle. She fell into deep thought. “What… what is this?”
“It—it’s a heart!” Su Ruanruan explained guiltily. “It’s just… a slightly chubby heart!”
“This is clearly a butt!” Chu Youyu exposed her ruthlessly, but seeing Su Ruanruan’s aggrieved face and the milk foam on her nose, her anger dissipated.
“Fine, the early bird gets the worm.” Chu Youyu sighed and walked behind Su Ruanruan. Since she wasn’t tall enough, she had to stand on her tiptoes.
She reached out her small, soft hands and gripped Su Ruanruan’s hands, which were holding the milk pitcher, from behind.
“Eh? Youyu?” Su Ruanruan stiffened. Her back was pressed against Youyu’s soft body, and she could hear her milk-scented breathing right by her ear. This back-hug posture was far too ambiguous.
“Don’t move! Relax your wrists!” Chu Youyu’s voice was right by her ear, sounding bossy to hide her embarrassment. “I’m teaching you personally. If you still can’t learn, just wait and see how I punish you after business hours!”
Under Chu Youyu’s guidance, their hands overlapped as the pitcher swayed gently. The white milk foam bloomed, finally forming a small leaf that was at least recognizable.
“I-it’s a success!” Su Ruanruan turned her head in surprise, her lips nearly brushing Chu Youyu’s cheek.
Both of them froze, their breaths mingling.
“Hmph, b-barely acceptable.” Chu Youyu suddenly let go, her face as red as an apple as she fled. “I’m going to check the cleaning!”
—
As the afternoon sun filled the streets, the cafe reached its true peak hour.
Watching groups of high school girls pour in, Chu Youyu made a decisive move and pointed at Saginomiya Shiori. “Shiori! Those tables out there specifically asked for you! Go serve them!”
Forced to work, Saginomiya Shiori headed out with coffee in hand, instantly sparking a wave of screams in the lobby.
Only Chu Youyu and Su Ruanruan were left behind the bar.
As Su Ruanruan wiped the glasses, she peeked at the Young Lady skillfully operating the machine.
“Um… Youyu,” Su Ruanruan couldn’t help but ask. “Your family is so rich, so why are you working so hard to run a shop yourself?”
Chu Youyu paused, turning around to lean against the bar. Her lips curled into a tsundere arc. “Idiot, it’s called sentiment! And…” She glanced shamelessly at the Black Silk Maid Outfit Su Ruanruan was wearing. “Only by opening a shop can I rightfully make cute girls wear the clothes I like to satisfy my aesthetic needs!”
“…” Su Ruanruan was speechless. So it was just for her personal desires!
“Besides, this Young Lady is giving you a salary of 300 per hour! Room and board included. Where else are you going to find such a good Boss?”
“Three—300?!” Su Ruanruan was so shocked she nearly dropped the cup, her eyes turning into money signs. “3,000 a day… 90,000 a month… Oh my god!”
Seeing Su Ruanruan’s shocked little expression, Chu Youyu felt she was much cuter than before—easy to tease and obedient. In that case, there was no need to keep that Debt as leverage.
Chu Youyu walked up to Su Ruanruan, patted her shoulder, and said generously, “Hey, Su Ruanruan. Regarding those debts… I think you’ve been doing well lately, and we’re basically ‘besties’ now, so you don’t have to pay it back! Let’s just call it even!”
“Eh?! I-I don’t have to pay it back?” Su Ruanruan’s pupils shook.
“Hmph, it’s just a month’s worth of pocket money to me.” Chu Youyu waited triumphantly for Su Ruanruan to burst into tears of gratitude.
However, Su Ruanruan hesitated for a long time before lowering her head and whispering, “No… I can’t.”
“Ha? Are you stupid?”
“Because…” Su Ruanruan looked up, her red eyes shining with a weak but stubborn light. “It’s only right to pay back what I owe. You treat me so well… if I don’t even pay the money back, I’ll feel like I’m taking advantage of you. I want to pay it off through my own hard work!”
(‘If I don’t pay the money back, I’ll feel like I’m being completely kept like a pet! That’s too dangerous!’)
Chu Youyu looked at this stubborn little idiot, a nameless fire rising in her heart. I gave you a way out, and you didn’t take it! I’ve been hinting so obviously, and you still want to draw a line between us?
“You idiot! You don’t know what’s good for you!” Chu Youyu snapped, her cat ears standing straight up. She cornered Su Ruanruan against the bar one step at a time. “This Young Lady said you don’t have to pay, so you don’t have to pay! You dare talk back to me?”
“B-but it’s a matter of principle…” Su Ruanruan trembled, having nowhere to retreat.
“Principle? Fine, you want to talk about principles with me?” A devilish smirk appeared on Chu Youyu’s lips. “Since you want to pay back your debt so badly… then I’ll collect some ‘interest’ right now!”
“Eh? W-what interest?”
“I want this—take that! Tickling Torture!”
Chu Youyu reached out her two wicked hands and accurately struck the sensitive flesh at Su Ruanruan’s waist.
“Eek—!!”
Su Ruanruan jumped like she’d been electrocuted, letting out a high-pitched cry.
“Haha… stop, don’t tickle there! Youyu… hahaha! I was wrong! I was wrong!”
Su Ruanruan was extremely ticklish. She writhed in the cramped space, laughing until tears came out as she tried to dodge the demonic claws. But Chu Youyu’s hands nimbly slipped into the gaps of the apron, attacking every sensitive spot through the thin fabric.
“Are you still going to talk back? Hmm? Do you still want to stick to your principles?” Chu Youyu interrogated her fiercely while tickling, pressing her body against her to feel the soft texture beneath her hands.
“I-I don’t dare… hahaha… help… I’m going to die…”
Finally, Su Ruanruan collapsed onto the floor, her cheeks flushed and her clothes disheveled. Her legs, wrapped in black silk, kicked weakly at the ground, and tears hung at the corners of her eyes. She looked as though she had been severely bullied.
“Hmph, I’ll let you off this time.” Chu Youyu withdrew her hands, satisfied. Seeing her in such a pitiful and lovely state, she gave a prideful snort. “Remember, in this shop, my word is the absolute rule! If you dare refuse my kindness again… next time won’t be as simple as tickling!”
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