Chapter 2: New Phase [2]

Once upon a time, a man who was wise once said.

"Hard work always pay off, whatever you do"

If you were questioned whether you believe in this statement, what would you answer? Would it be a yes? Would it be a no? Maybe something else than yes or no?

For Rei, he believes that the answer to that is on the third option. There is no definite answer for him, after all, it could be one of the first two choices.

In math, it like gambling on probability.

Thinking about probability, the chances of having a yes and a no is by one-half. Imagine it as you doing a coin toss guessing whether the one would appear is heads or tails.

In one possible conclusion, it all comes down in luck. And luck is something that can't be 'perfectly' calculated.

In short, there's no straightforward answer to whether or not hard work always pays off. There can be situations where it benefits you somehow, but not in the ways you want. Everyone probably feels a little bit differently about the effects of working hard.

When working toward a goal in the pool, there are going to be many ups and downs. It's easy to let the downs really get to you, and not give yourself credit for the victories.

"That's why when asking the question of whether or not all your hard work is ever going to pay off, there's a lot to take into consideration"

Taking out his phone, he checked what time it was as he continued his steps right towards his destination.

Seeing what time it is, Rei commented in his mind, 'Well, I'm quite early for my shift but there should be no problem with that seeing this...'

What Rei was seeing was the numerous rush of people on the streets. But specifically, there was one direction that mainly of these people were going to.

That was a cafe, and that is also the place where he needs to work at.

"Similar to a rush hour as usual," Rei uttered with a smile as he arrived right in front of the cafe establishment in Tenguu City.

Ahead of him was quite a number of people. The cafe could be considered to be nearing in full capacity at any moment now. Surely, even the staff would be overwhelmed by some extent so any help would be required.

At least, Rei thinks so.

With that said, Rei didn't walk right through the front door of the cafe. There's no way he would meet those rush of people head on.

Instead, he proceeded to go in the back alley and enter in another door inside it.

"Back alleys are the best"

And for some odd reason, Rei commented with a delighted expression.

Arriving in front of the back door, Rei clapped his hands as he cleared his mind.

"Time to get to work"

With those words, Rei proceeded to the 'battlefield'.

——

After a few hours had passed, here is the situation.

Rei Ainsworth, a Spirit, Reincarnator, and a foreign entity has his hands tied in work. Just like a slave—no, servant is a more plausible word.

"Boy, take table 5's order," The man—his colleague who was preparing a cappuccino pointed. His eyes were darting here and there as he was doing it, even so, there were no signs of flaws nor mistakes on his work.

Talk about professional.

"On it," Rei immediately responded before he walked away.

Here he was doing 'work'. He isn't expecting something in return—or in other words, payment, since it was him doing this as a 'payment' for his skips.

In short, it's just a simple cancellation of payments. Easy to understand.

Rei would continue to work here until the next weekend if everything goes right. Overall, he had no qualms, his skipping in his shifts was quite often which was coincidentally the time when the staff were crucial because of the rush of customers.

Talk about E-Rank luck.

Wearing a semi-formal outfit that consists of a black shoes, dark socks, black slacks, and a button-down gray dress shirt topped with an apron in the front.

Overall, Rei's looks would be more or less qualified to be handsome and an attractive young man.

The time was around 10 A.M in the morning, this hour was also the most busiest time this cafe had mainly from Mondays to Thursdays.

Rei pondered to himself at first as for why many customers always go in this cafe for almost everyday. And after working here and observing the city for quite some time, he somehow familiarized some quirks that most people have in Tenguu City.

One of that was their like in coffee—or in general, cafes.

Yes, that's it. Other than that is something that Rei decided to ignore since what's the use of that information anyways? Practically none, well, for now or maybe not.

And so, he arrived at table 5 which two customers were seated as they fiddled with their phones.

"May I take your orders, miladies?"

Noticing his arrival, the two turned their attention right towards him.

"Then pretty boy~ Can we order an additional two cups of Café au lait please including two slices of strawberry cake," The customer A—or rather, a beautiful classy woman requested.

Her tone somewhat implies that there is something more behind it. But Rei ignored it.

'Work comes first before anything at this moment'

Rei just politely nodded with as he took note of the woman's order. As he finished, he made an eye contact with the woman alongside with her friend who was intensely looking at him for some reason.

The friend of the said woman just chuckled in response.

"Big Sis, trying to poach some young men again? Don't you get tired?" Her friend—or sister perhaps, asked.

"Mou~ Can't you see that this pretty boy is that of high quality? It's such a waste to not have a taste of him when he is this... mm, ripe," The woman replied as she licked her lips as she eyed Rei.

The talked in whispers, but Rei definitely heard them, why 'couldn't' he? Also, the gaze that this woman was still locked on to him even while whispering to her friend... or sister, maybe.

'What's with them really?' Rei thought to himself as he doesn't plan to say it out loud.

Instead, he responded with a smile and said with the trademark call to every customer in this cafe. "Mm, order noted, milady"

With that finished, Rei decided to walk away and give the order but was suddenly stopped as he felt someone hold the hem of his clothes.

"..?"

Rei blinked in response and turned his gaze back wondering if the woman somehow forgot to order one more thing or so.

But that way of scenario was brilliantly shattered as the woman slipped a card on his pocket in a very smooth manner as of it was natural.

"Pretty boy, if you'd like, what's placed in there was my number~ Contact me later if you want to have some...fun~ Okay?"

"Oh... if I have some spare time, I will gladly accompany you"

'If there would be in the first place,' Rei added in his thoughts with an imaginary tired expression.

"Eh? Count me in as well!" Her companion complained with a pout, not minding that her voice was audible enough for some people nearby to hear it.

"Threesome? It's been a while, you have no problems with that right, pretty boy~?"

"...."

'Talk about thirsty'

Rei maintained his work expression, a welcoming, cool, and ideal barista. However, his eyebrows slightly twitched, not that anyone noticed it except himself.

The two woman in question, if you were to ask Rei about how they look like, then he wouldn't deny that they are attractive and beautiful in a sense. They exude this kind of maturity and aura that would seem interest men, alongside their bombshell bodies topped with their seductive tones that would incite most men.

'Overall, these chicks are some thirsty thots'

And Rei doesn't plan to spend some time with overused goods casually.

Honestly, this wasn't the first time someone approached him with those kind of intentions. Rei honestly found those weird. As in, why wouldn't he?

If it's some back alley or a private room, then he would somehow understand but to ask in such a public place? Are they that 'thirsty'?

In the end, he just saved those numbers on his phone... well, he would delete it later for safety purposes. Having many contacts would be beneficial if you look at it in a broader manner, but only so if you have use on them.

Who knows if someone would question why he has that many contacts? But honestly, he could just shrug it off and say it's just his friends or something but...

'Yeah, speaking about Tohka... she wouldn't try to try to peek on my phone or something, right...?' Rei pondered.

And obviously, he already has an answer.

Tohka would, by all means necessary, to act like that at least one time or another when he introduces her to the thing called modern technology—or appliances.

Delivering the order to the counter, he started to roam around to receive orders from customers.

As a barista, it was also his duty to make the order himself but the staff was already full on that regard. Well, he could make some for he has learned how to do it, but that only happened even less than 10 times as far as he could remember as he worked in this cafe.

"Rei, order's on table 5 is up"

"Nn, thanks," nodded Rei in response as he walked away with a tray on his hands delivering it to those ladies from before.

"Pretty boy~ You not the one who made our order?"

"Sadly, not," Rei responded as he pointed his finger on the main counter which is filled with staffs inside and customers outside. "As you can see, the place is practically full, and I don't want to get in the way"

"What a shame. Either way, don't forget what I said, my Sis here wants to jump in as well. Having two flowers in your hands is something that many men would kill for, right~? Don't you think it's good?"

"Of course," Rei said before momentarily adding in his mind. 'Not'

Saying so, he placed their order on their table as the two waved goodbye to him in a very... catchy manner which some people eyed him because of it. And playing with that kind of thing as well, Rei waved back as he proceeded to take orders here and there.

And so, time passed doing the same thing once more. Rei could feel that his expression was starting to get strained.

As he picked up another order from here and there, and finally, it was finally lunch. It was the time for him and other employees to take a break and change shifts.

Unfortunately though, Rei shift would continue up to 5 P.M, so he would only take a temporary break after this.

To be honest, nothing really happened much after that which has to be noted as especial or interesting in some way.

All he needs to do now is to wait for his shift to end and finally go back home where Tohka was probably waiting for him in the front door.

'Living with Tohka and working part time like this for a while isn't so bad to be honest,' Rei commented within his mind.

Overall, this was the start of a new phase of his story if he were the one making a chapter on it.

The day was nearing its end, and Rei was just spending his time cleaning the tables. It was then, a passing thought which he somehow said with a mumble passed on his mind.

"Speaking of lunch, Tohka wouldn't have problems heating the food I made. I already thought her how to but..."

It was then, his words were halted by a sinister foreboding thought.

'She wouldn't burn the whole mansion, would she?'

Rei immediately shrugged it off to get it out of his mind. As a result, it somehow worried him more and he was now itching to end this shift already.

Everything noteworthy would've at least ended at this moment.... yes everything noteworthy would've ended so until then.

A second later, the store bell rang signifying that somebody or some people entered the cafe.

Much to his bafflement, he could only give a surprised smile and uttered. "I see... so in the end, it suddenly turned out like this huh"

With those words, Rei couldn't help but ponder if E-Rank luck who he presumes that he has, worked on this kind of circumstances.

——

.

.

.

.

.

——

[A/N: For some reason, I can see the drop of quality of this chap compared to the previous two of this volume....

Anyways, just comment your thoughts in the comments section guys, and some mf rushed surprised exams (quizzes or short exams tbh) were being given to us this week. As in, wtf?

It's out of schedule really here...

Okay, I just made this note to rant some useless stuff(?). And you know the rules, a longer chap release after this like usual

With that said, bye guyz]