--- The same day ---
Afternoon, the sun set, class 1 of Itan Private High School, was, for the most part, empty.
Left behind were the usual troupe, Akiyama, Komi, Najimi, Agari and Tadano.
Preparing for a small excursion to Akiyama's new workplace.
"Let's go~", said the upbeat Najimi.
And thus, the troupe went towards "☆ STAR PASTRY".
On the way there, Najimi, Agari, and Tadano engaged in conversation, Komi and Akiyama walked side by side in silence.
On one hand, Komi is still widely incapable of conversing.
On the other hand, Akiyama, is still vexed by his feelings being incited by Komi this morning. The sight of dazed, somewhat sultry, Komi silently calling his name, "… Shoji? …" had too much destructive potential.
He kept saying to himself, he didn't want more than a friendship with Komi, and yet.
It's been just a few short days, and yet, Akiyama's resolve is slowly melting away.
Truth is, he is just scared, scared of changing this 7-years-old relationship between him, and until now, his pretty much only friend.
Akiyama is not stupid, he knows that Komi, like him, holds a certain amount of affection for the other party.
Who wouldn't?
But the uncertainty of what might follow if he does indeed take a step forward is what scares him off.
""There it is!"", Najimi exclaimed, followed up by Agari, with unusual enthusiasm.
In front of them stood the shop '☆ STAR PASTRY', despite its name, the exterior, and interior of the small pastry shop were fairly plain.
Even though that was the case, it was still almost filled to the brim with customers.
As the troupe entered the shop, the same cutesy clerk, named Akane, greeted them.
"Welcome~!", Akane said.
"Ah, Shoji-san, you start tomorrow, not today.", Akane thought, that Akiyama mistakenly assumed he had work today.
The reason behind this gesture was nothing big, as they now were co-workers they both decided on being a bit more familiar with another, nothing more, nothing less.
But for one specific person, this small and harmless gesture was a bigger deal than one might assume.
...…
*Shoji-san, she said*, Komi yelped in her mind.
"Shoji-san, Shoji-san", it kept reverberating in Komi's head. Displeased, her mouth distorted into a へ shape.
Komi's shift in mood was not hard to deduce, as the troupe, and the clerk, Akane, had noticed.
"W-Well, today I came with my friends.", Akiyama tried defusing the situation, feeling validated by his earlier thesis on Komi holding some affection for him.
Defusing the situation, he tried, only to worsen it.
Komi didn't know why, but hearing Akiyama say "I came with my friends." irritated her even more, especially after Akane acted so familiar with him, her expression sank.
Akane, having high EQ as a clerk in a primarily female-oriented shop, noticed what was wrong, and what might be the cause of it.
"So Akiyama-kun, came with his friends and his girlfriend? Then let me guide you guys to a table", Akane said in an attempt to heighten the mood of Akiyama's, presumed, girlfriend.
Unlike Akiyama's attempt, this bore fruit, Komi expression changed from へ to one of a maiden in love. Redness struck her face, extending up to her ears and down her neck.
*G-Girlfriend*, the repeated in her mind, while she squealed on the outside.
Akiyama, in his infinite wisdom, decided against correcting her.
In the background stood Tadano, his eyes overshadowed, his mind falling into depressing thoughts.
*Why, why… Why can't I be it?*
*Even though I like her so much…*
*In front of me, she is so stone-faced, and for Akiyama she displays all sorts of expressions.*
*Why?*, Tadano mumbled in his mind.
That's right. Tadano realized, already a lot earlier, that he is helplessly in love with Komi. But for him, Komi might as well be unattainable.
In a heavy mood, he went after the others.
His mind racing with ideas how to make Komi switch her aim from Akiyama to him.
"Here you go, a table for five!", Akane said as they arrived at a table next to a window facing the road.
As the group sat down, Akane handed out a menu for every one.
"Can I already bring you guys something?", Akane said.
"I'll take a coffee, with sugar please.", Akiyama ordered.
Followed by Najimi, "I take an orange juice".
Agari, "I also will take an orange juice", continued in a round-robin.
"For me, it'll be a cappuccino", Tadano said, still downtrodden.
Komi, said nothing, took her menu, faced it towards Akane, and pointed to the "Coffee".
"With sugar?", Akane followed up.
Komi nodded, "With milk", Akane next asked, Komi shook her head.
"So the same as your Mr. Boyfriend, hee~ Alright, I'll be right back.", Akane smirked.
Najimi replicated the same expression, teasing Komi and Akiyama, "Mr. Boyfriend, eh~".
Akiyama and Komi's faces both tinted red.
This made Tadano's expression sink even more.
After they received their drinks, everyone ordered an actual meal, with Komi again following Akiyama's example, even though the black coffee was far too bitter for her.
Throughout the whole stay, Komi only stared at Akiyama.