"Not yet—at least not in the first year. I only know from hearsay. Otherwise, my friends wouldn't have dared suggest wanting to meet you."
Iroha bit her thumb, staring at the floor. Her small cheeks puffed up and deflated as she seemed lost in thought.
But quickly, she lifted her eyes and asked curiously, "So, Senpai, who's your girlfriend? Don't tell me… it's that 2D wife everyone's otaku friends keep talking about?"
Though her tone was innocent and cute, devoid of overt discrimination, such pure, unfiltered prejudice could cut even deeper.
"…Don't look down on 2D relationships. What's wrong with having a 2D wife? She doesn't cry, doesn't make noise, doesn't whine—"
"Stop!"
Iroha cut him off, rudely stepping back two paces and staring at him with a strange, disgusted look.
"Senpai… you're not actually…?"
Alright, this girl didn't just have prejudice—she carried the typical disdain fashionable girls held toward otaku.
"No, I was just speaking on behalf of writers." Yuu shook his head and stepped away from the counter. "Who it is? Maybe you'll find out tomorrow. If there's nothing else, I'll head home first."
Iroha shuffled closer lazily, small fingers tugging at the hem of his sleeve. She shook her head behind him and shouted without grace:
"Senpai, you could've just told me now! Why make me so curious~~ You're truly worse than I thought, dangling a girl's feelings like this!"
Even when she was annoying and yelling, the girl still looked adorable.
That was Iroha's principle—she maximized her charm in every interaction. It wasn't just limited to being a café worker; with her methods, she could probably gather a loyal following as student council president or build strong relationships with other clubs.
It wasn't some abstract act or lie—it was simply her survival strategy.
Because of that, Yuu didn't hate her, but he couldn't say he particularly liked her either—
"Ah! Wait… Could it be Senpai is deliberately keeping me on a string to make me his backup option? I'm so sorry!"
"Even though Senpai is handsome, great at piano, skilled at everything, and honestly the ideal type for most girls—I don't hate your type, but I can't accept a playboy juggling two girls at once! I want my first love to be simple, so I'm sorry—don't make me your backup!"
…Yeah, that was exactly why Yuu didn't particularly like her.
Tilting his head at the tiny girl who released his sleeve and bowed deeply, Yuu was momentarily speechless.
For some reason, one word surfaced in his mind—Jikoen-Otome.
A girl who acts superior and pretends to be the main character.
But when she lifted her head and grinned mischievously, Yuu dismissed the thought and smiled back.
"A lowly junior like you still has a long way to go before becoming a backup."
"Ah, Senpai is so mean—! I was just joking! Why did you reject me so seriously?"
She turned and waved. Yuu picked up his bag, preparing to leave the café.
"Tenkuji-kun, wait a moment."
His mustached manager hurried out of the storage room, holding a store shopping money pouch, and said somewhat sheepishly, "If you have time now, could you help me go to the convenience store to buy a few things? I have a dinner meeting with a distributor later, and I need to stay here to receive the coffee bean delivery, so I can't go…"
Yuu took the pouch and looked at him, puzzled. "Buying things isn't a problem…"
"I'll have Isshiki-kun accompany you. She can carry the items back, so you won't need to make a round trip." The mustached manager glanced at Iroha. "Is that alright, Isshiki-kun?"
"Sure, it's not time to go home yet…" Iroha pouted, tilting her head in confusion. "But why not just send me alone? Why ask Senpai for help?"
"Because there are some specific brands I need to buy. If I write them down, I'm afraid Isshiki-kun might get confused. So, I figured Tenkuji-kun could teach her while they're out." The manager wiped sweat from his forehead and gave a bitter smile. "I completely forgot about this. Thank goodness Tenkuji-kun didn't leave yet. Otherwise, during this busy season, Isshiki-kun's burden would've gotten even heavier…"
"There you go, Senpai! Did you hear that?" Hearing this, Iroha immediately turned toward him. "Until I can replace the manager… or rather, become the strongest waitress in this shop, you can't just leave! This is about responsibility!"
Yuu laughed. "Your true colors finally show. Besides, you just don't want to take on more responsibility, right?"
If the sky falls, the tallest person bears the weight—and right now, besides the manager, he was the tallest.
Everyone knew Iroha had a lazy heart.
"Ehehe~" Acting cute, she lightly tapped her own head and cheerfully walked off toward the changing room.
"Then, Senpai, wait for me outside! I'll come out after changing to accompany you on our date~"
Yuu's lip twitched slightly. "I already have a girlfriend. Aren't you being a bit…?"
Iroha widened her eyes in shock, covering her small mouth with her hand. "Oh, I forgot… What a shame. I can't tease you as much as I want anymore."
"I've never once felt teased by you." Yuu shook his head resignedly.
The mustached manager watched them warmly from the side. After Iroha closed the changing room door, he smiled and said:
"You two get along so well, you're like siblings."
If only he hadn't heard that Yuu already had a girlfriend, the manager's wording might have been a little more ambiguous.
After all, ever since Iroha started working there, Yuu had sincerely taught her, and she had studied seriously. The manager had witnessed their relationship grow steadily from the beginning.
Though some people discouraged workplace romances, for a manager who ran the shop purely for enjoyment, the occasional romantic comedy unfolding in the café was the best possible thing.
Too bad…
"Maybe. Though my little sister is far cuter than her."
Yuu's expression didn't change, his tone unwavering, as if stating a universal truth.
Not long after, the cheerful, pretty high school girl emerged from the changing room.
"Let's go, Senpai! Let's go shopping at the convenience store!"
"Why are you so excited?"
"Hehe, it's like getting off work early~ How could anyone not be excited to get paid while going out for a walk?"
"Ehm, Isshiki-kun, I'm still right here…"
"…Ehem, I didn't say anything just now."
Under the mustached manager's complicated gaze, the two stepped out of Angel Coffee one after the other and walked toward the nearest convenience store.