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 Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2023 6:29 pm
Ever since Faeth introduced Reiko t that cute little bakery, she regularly found herself wandering back on her own. It was a great place to meet her friend, but it was also just nice to visit anyway.
Also, the girl behind the counter was kinda cute, and that was a fun bonus. She seemed nice, and Reiko hadn't really had the chance to talk to her--but today, when she came in, it was just quiet enough that she felt like maybe she could make some small talk at the counter before sitting down to devour her delicious treat of the day.
"Hi," she said, as she came up, looking over everything available like she wasn't going to grab an eclair and maybe a lemon bar or something, "everything looks great today, as always."
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Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2023 7:41 pm
Leah smiled brightly at the customer, as she was expected to do. Smiling was coming easier and easier the more that she did it, and it was honestly starting to feel natural. The ‘customer service voice’ was almost perfected as well.
She was simply an absolutely wonderful human! There was no doubt about it.
“Welcome! I have seen you in here before, it is very nice to see you again! I am so very glad that you think it all looks good, I have to admit I am partial to everything that we make here, so I will always agree with you on that statement!” Repeat customers were the greatest, they were friendly, like this girl was, and they seemed to actually care.
“I see you are not here with your purple haired girlfriend today? Is she ill? Would you like me to wrap up an eclair for her as well?”
She was here so often that Leah knew her order by heart, but…it was difficult not to. She was always so…utterly enthusiastic about the eclairs.
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Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2023 9:12 pm
Reiko laughed. The girl's enthusiasm was almost infectious--sure, it was probably mostly Customer Service Smile stuff, and Reiko had done her share of that before she quit her shitty job to do YouTube full time (and even then, there was a degree of it with the Youtuber Persona she had to put on) but it was still nice. And so Reiko met the smile with a smile, and nodded.
"I really like coming here. It's such a nice place." It really was, too; the food and the atmosphere were just perfect, honestly.
And then the girl behind the counter....called Faeth her girlfriend.
Her smile dropped to something more shy and embarrassed, and her cheeks flushed pink. She supposed the assumption about her and Faeth made sense--they were here together all the time, and this was kind of an ideal place for a date.
"Oh, Faeth and I are just friends! She's dating someone else, actually, it's really not like that between us!" Which, she hoped, sounded very convincing, because she was starting to wonder if she wanted it to be like that between them.
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2023 5:02 pm
Leah frowned slightly, tilting her head to the side and trying to figure out just what the girl meant. “But…she holds your hand and buys you sweets…that is how you show affection, at least from what I’ve seen and learned. Sweets are…”
Looking thoughtful, she shrugged. “Sweets…and eclairs for her…they are simply a way of showing you affection, they are her favorite you know. And I can not imagine her sharing them with anyone unless they were special. That must mean that you must be special to her!” Her eyes had begun to sparkle. She did enjoy watching romantic movies, and this…this was simply a perfect recipe from most of the ones that she had seen.
“Perhaps her love with someone else is not enough! Perhaps you are the true key to her heart!”
Too late, Leah realized that this…this wasn’t the best talk for work. “Ah…My apologies! I did not mean to get into your business! How…um. How may I help you?”
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2023 12:24 pm
Reiko felt her cheeks heat up more and more--honestly, the longer this conversation went on, the more a distant part of her mind--a part that had sort of shut down and become an observer to the situation--wondered why she wasn't whistling like a teakettle.
It wasn't....untrue, any of what Leah was saying, but the poor girl--she obviously just didn't have the right context!! She'd only seen little snippets of their relationship.....in situations that might perhaps appear somewhat date-like....to an outside observer who didn't know....which of course this very sweet girl behind the counter of this very nice bakery was....
Ah, Reiko sohuld probably say somerthing. Poor Leah probably felt terribly awkward.
"That's all...very true, but Faeth is just a very affectionate friend, I think! Nothing else going on at all, aha." That was very convincing, good job. "...I don't think I'd say no if she wanted there to be, though."
....Less good job, letting that slip out. But ti was out, now, and it was more true than Reiko was entirely comfortable with.
"Ah, anyway! J-just one eclair today, and a lemon bar, please? Thank you very much, you're very kind, and maybe I'll....talk to Faeth. About things."
Ah, she was such an idiot.
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2023 12:34 pm
Leah hesitated and then broke into a bright smile, nodding. “The eclair is on me! And the lemon bar will be three dollars and eighty five cents! I hope that your talking to her works out in your favor! You two bring me much joy. I hope to have a friend like that one day.”
Honestly, she just…hoped to have friends one day. It would be nice. Right now…well. Since she had made this choice, the only people she ever really saw was her family. Nick and Arias and Caius…not that she was upset about that! And she saw the customers too! They were very important.
“How do you go about it? Getting friends to go have fun with? I believe I have issues with…meeting people. Expressing myself. But. I do try,”
She bent down to get the two baked goods out of the container, placing them both in a small to-go box and straightened up again. “...Perhaps, we could be friends? That may be far too forward but. I would enjoy it.”
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2023 1:54 pm
Reiko nodded, producing her debit card to pay for the lemon bar. "Thanks! You're really sweet," she said, brightly. At least this wasn't a complete disaster! That was good!
And also, yeah, she guessed that she and Faeth were kinda sweet. It felt nice to know that she'd brightened the day of the nice girl behind the counter, here, and sort of...had an impact in a place she regularly went to.
What an odd sensation. At least, in her offline life.
"Ah, I just got really lucky with Faeth, I guess," Reiko said. "We kinda ran into each other, and got to talking? But I'm not very good at making friends either, so....I'd like to be friends with you, yeah!"
It sounded great, and Reiko couldn't help but feel excited by the prospect.
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2023 3:21 pm
Leah’s face hurt by how wide her smile was, and she nodded eagerly. “Then! I must say that I have gotten really lucky with you! Thank you for wishing to be my friend, I hope that you enjoy the lemon bar and the eclair, and I hope that you visit again soon! You and your Faeth!”
Sadly, there was another customer behind Reiko, or Leah would have said more, but…that was all right. THis was her job…and if she made friendships during it, that was well and good, but the Bakery did have to come first.
At least for today.
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