Sunset ^beta

Ushimaru sighed, tiredly. She had just arrived at her break time, so she was leaving the room while taking off her ghost mask.

Her class was making a haunted house for the festival, which had been a success, thanks to Kamitani-san.

He hadn't even tried to scare anyone. Just his neutral facial expression, with a little fake blood, and his position in a darker part of the room was enough to make most people fearful. As one of the several guides who had taken clients to him since the morning, Yuki knew how great he had been without even trying.

As she looked around the campus, she noticed that there were many food stalls, all of which were pretty varied. It even seemed that the students had talked among themselves not to repeat the type of food while they were deciding. The mixture of smells that reached her nose were good and made her salivate a little, and even though her stomach was craving something, Yuki didn't plan on buying anything there.

Ushimaru was determined to see the advanced class before going to eat. She was curious about what Maria-chan's class was doing, as she also felt her chest tighten with longing for her friend.

They didn't have much time to debate, or exchange messages, about the plans they had as they prepared for the festival.  Soon, all Yuki knew was that Inomata's class was making some kind of coffee.

Rounding a corner of the building, she came across a line of people. Yuki noticed that they were standing outside the closed door of the advanced class, probably waiting their turn to enter. Luckily for her, the line wasn't that long, so she wouldn't feel her stomach rumble with hunger for long.

While Ushimaru patiently waited for time to pass, she used her phone to send text messages to some friends she hadn't spoken with since the beginning of the festival.

With every step she got closer to the door, the more she heard laughter and squeals.  This made Yuki realize that most of the people in line were girls, which made her mind start to come up with some theories.

She suspected that the advanced class was probably making a butler coffee. The mere possibility of not being able to see Inomata because the boys were the ones tending to customers made her sad, with a small hurt pout on her lips.

When she got close enough to the door, which was now open, she saw that she was right. From the short distance between her and the room, she could see several suits passing by, although it was too quick to try to see if there were any maids there too.

Yuki lowered her head, feeling a little tightness in her chest. Yeah, maybe it wasn't on her break when she'd see her cru—uh...friend, her friend!

Upon realizing where her thoughts were going, Yuki's heart began to pound fast and hard. She felt her cheeks heat from the blush that was gathering there, and she began to fan herself to try to cool down her face.

Okay, she has a tiny crush on Maria-chan.  She needed to accept that, just as she had accepted the fact that she would never date Kashima-kun. Still, it was very difficult to take over what she felt. Ushimaru was afraid that her feelings for the other could disrupt the beautiful friendship she had with Inomata.

"Next customer, please."  The boy's voice at the door reached Yuki's ears, bringing her back to reality.  Realizing that it was her turn to enter, she felt ashamed for having disconnected from the world, so she entered the room looking at the floor.

Still embarrassed and not paying attention to where she was going, she almost bumped into someone. However, before she could apologize, her attention was drawn to the room's decor and the suit-clad students.

Not only the boys, but the girls as well, were wearing suits. Her face was heating up with each person she looked at, and half oblivious, she decided to sit at the closest available table to herself. To avoid continuing to stare at people, she took the menu that was on the table and placed it close to her face, in order to hide there.

Ushimaru did not read anything that was written. She was too busy trying to cool down her cheeks — which she was pretty sure were red — as she replayed what she'd seen since she'd entered the room in her mind.

"Yuki-chan?"  Someone called her not long after she sat down. By the way her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the voice, Yuki knew she was screwed.

Looking up from the menu, Ushimaru saw that Inomata was in front of her. The expression on her face showed concern, and she held a notepad in her hand.

Maria-chan was wearing a suit.

If her face had been warm before, it was scalding hot now.  The mere sight of Inomata in a black suit, with a white blouse under her jacket and a black tie was too beautiful for her little mind to comprehend.  It also didn't help that the girl's black hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, giving her a sexier look.

Yeah, it looks like Ushimaru couldn't keep denying her feelings that easily.

"Yuki-chan, are you alright?" Her friend questioned, concern evident in her eyes.  Inomata's soft hand didn't take long to touch the other's forehead, trying to check for a fever.

"Ye-Yes, I'm fine Maria-chan!" Ushimaru's voice was slightly shrill. She still felt her heart beating in her throat, but she was already starting to control her breathing, "I'm just…surprised."

Seeing that her friend was calming down, Inomata moved away, intending to give her some space. Still, the look she gave Yuki continued to show concern.

"Are you referring to my uniform?" She questioned, taking a look at the formal black shirt and pants she wore. “It was that pervert's idea. He said that if everyone, girl or boy, dressed like that, our cafe would be a success."

"You look great this way!"  Ushimaru said, now in a slightly calmer tone. She was feeling happy, despite the small outburst, to finally be able to see and talk to her beloved friend.

The way the red bloomed on Maria-chan's face made her even more beautiful under her gaze.

"It's just a simple suit." retorted Inomata, slightly embarrassed. Then, as if she noticed something, her eyes widened. She suddenly straightened her posture and gave a little cough before asking, "And what would you like to order, miss?"

Hearing that cordial tone, Ushimaru felt her palms sweat and her throat go dry. She couldn't understand how Inomata looked so handsome in that outfit or why she wanted to see her dressed like that every day.

"Uh, what's your recommendation?"  Yuki asked, slightly at a loss as she hadn't actually read the menu and had no idea what they were selling.

"I would recommend that you order the Special of the House , which is just white tea with a slice of lemon pie." Inomata said, a hint of a smile on her lips. "Actually, it's a very good dish for something made by teenagers."

Ushimaru chuckled. Even though Maria-chan was trying to be a good waitress, she still kept her bold and direct side.

"Yes, I would like to have that then."

With a bow, Inomata moved away from the table to go take the order.  Yuki finally understood why some girls were giggling excitedly, squealing or even blushing — it was hard not to understand when she saw so many cute students dressed in formal attire and acting like dedicated butlers.

She pulled out her cell phone and texted Saikawa, asking him to stop by the advanced class when he had free time.  She suspected that he would love to see the student's idea and would probably be super thrilled with their diligence.

It didn't take long for Inomata to return to find Yuki looking softly at the tables in front of her.

"Here is your order, miss." The friendly voice of the other brought Ushimaru's gaze to her friend with a content smile on her face.

"Thank you, Maria-chan."  As soon as she saw the plate, her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't had food in a long time.

She started to eat right away, feeling the wonderful taste of the pie touching her tongue and making her even happier.  However, when she noticed that Inomata was going to see other customers, Yuki called her.

"Is there something wrong with the order, miss?" Inomata questioned with a bit of concern in her voice, looking down at the plate that was already half full.

"Oh no, it's very delicious!"  Ushimaru exclaimed, perhaps a little too quickly to reassure her friend. Seeing that Maria-chan was waiting for her, she asked, with shyness in her voice and her warm face, "I was just thinking…  Could we go home together today?"

The way Yuki looked at Inomata was so intense, that it didn't even look like she was playing with the fork she used to eat her pie while she waited for an answer.

Maria-chan's lips slowly lifted into a beautiful smile before her eyes.

"I would love to."