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Looking at the refilled cookie container at the counter Valerie decided today was the worst day, yesterday had been bad but today had already beaten it. And it had only just begun. It wasn't that he didn't like his work. He honestly believed he had one of the better jobs out there, his worst nightmare was still waking up and finding himself stuck with a regular hours desk job in one of the thousands upon thousands office buildings in the world, it was just people after all this time still commented on the name.
Valerie is a perfectly fine Elvish name in the part of the world he was born and raised, he never even knew people could object to it. His name-tag has it written down nicely in all four common languages used, still people asked him if it was misspelled. Or they thought they were doing him a favor in calling him Val. Most regulars had gotten it in their heads that his name was Valerie, not Val, not Valerio, or Valerium -seriously, who would want to name their kid that-, except the troll from the main office branch that called him in an hour before opening to have their annual work evaluation conversation. His head bonks on the counter.
"Oh Valerie, had a rough night?" The mildly concerned but cheery voice lights up his mood. Looking up he finds one of his most favorite set of customers waiting to be served.
"Nah, just had an early morning with a suit that doesn't believe in those fancy names some people give their kids." He fosters the energy to pull in a lopsided grin. "So you two are in for your regulars or are you planning to be adventurous today?"
Phichit grins his shit eating grin that Valerie has learned to highly distrust, Yuuri side-glances it and simply sighs. Oh yeah, this spells trouble.
"Well," the extension of the word sounds far less playful coming from the boy as it would from anyone else "since I had one of my dreams last night. I will go for my regular coffee but with the caramel sauce doubled," his eyes flicker to Yuuri who simply looks up pleadingly at both him and Phichit -which is remarkable as they are across from one another- before letting his shoulders slump, "and Yuuri will change his normal bubble tea for a large, hot Mocha Cappuccino, double whip, with hazelnut syrup and sprinkles on top, hold the cream. But only if you promise to serve the bubble one to the first to order exactly that."
When Yuuri mouths an 'I'm sorry' Valerie gets it. Seems Phichit had a semi prophetic dream again, and instead of just waiting what will happen he's trying to force the situation. The boy is one of the main reasons people believe this place is the hot spot for soulmates to find each other. He had been here when that first couple sparked off, and had it all over social media before anyone else had even registered what had happened. He was also fairly certain it was the boys fault the place was now in common passing called True Love Central and not True Love Cafe.
The owner had complained to Valerie about it as if it had been his personal fault, which in a way it was as he had caused the mess up that had made the two meet, but to give him heat for the fanart, that changed the cup of coffee in the u of True and the cookie in the o of love in the v being drawn as a heart, had been too much and Valerie had threatened to step down for that. The owner quickly realized this meant he would have to run counter himself Valerie had been given a massive raise for as long as the hyped lasted, both had thought it would be a lot shorter than 3 years.
Phichit coughs to get his attention making him realize he was spacing. "Sorry, I am a bit tired. I can do that, and I assume this also means that I can't start working on your orders till that other order is made?"
Phichit starts nodding his head so vigorously Yuuri looks afraid it might fall of.
"Fine but only if you guys also order some lime pie, we got a double delivery this morning and as that suit was still hasling me I was unable to send it back with the delivery guy. So now I have to sell them too." Valerie gives Phichit his own shit eating grin, seeing they are from the same part of the world he knows the deal is off if he doesn't agree.
"Can we have at least have a glass of water with the pie?" Yuuri looks up worried. "Peach dragged me out of bed promising me a nice drink before I even had time to wake up."
"Sure Yuuri, and just to show my good will the water is on the house."
He sends them to the corner booth, knowing this gives them the best view over the whole place while Phichit starts his live stream. That live stream was one of the other reasons the place was so well known among the dozens in the area. The people following his streams loved the idea of being there when he made a new recording, so Phichit had to do them at odd times. Valerie guessed the place would be swamped in no less than ten minutes after it started.
The owner came out the back while Valerie was writing Yuuri and Phichit's orders on the clipboard he used for later deliveries, after he put their pie and water at their table, the man looked around the nearly empty place. The moment he saw Phichit set up his laptop he mumbled something about getting a coffee before they were to swamped to even allow the boss to get a simple cup. He shooed Valerie away mumbling he knew how to get his own drink. Valerie just hopes that this time...
Klank. Krsss Kths. Thoing. And the lights behind the counter go out.
Valerie looks at his boss. "Please tell me it was just a fuse. Because else you will have to be the one to call the mechanic." Seriously if he thought his day was bad before, it just proved to be able to get even worse. His eyes turn to the door when he hears the tingle of new customers entering. To his luck it's just a couple of Phichit's friends, well not a couple, couple, even if they were rarely seen without the other, come in.
Leo looks up with a big smile that quickly morphs into a worried expression. "Valerie! Why is it so dark at your side of the counter? did you decide to finally give in and join the dark side after all?" Guang Hong giggles at the joke, eyeing Leo through his lashes quickly turning his view on Valerie when Leo's eyes move towards him. Valerie just sighs at the old joke.
"Nah. The boss thought that he was capable enough to get his own cup of coffee. Ended with hopefully just blowing a fuse." Gives them his cheeky apologetic look. "So it might take a moment before I can serve you guys your regular, in the meantime..." he smiles wider "can I offer you two a slice of Lime pie and a glass of water. The water will be on the house, the lime pie half price." He can hear Phichit make a hissing sound.
Both Leo and Guang agree to that deal, they take their slices to the table Yuuri and Phichit are already sitting.
"Why were you hissing Phichit. It's not for you to complain about pie." Guang Hong looks at his friend a bit confused when his only reaction is his famous pout. Yuuri decides to answer for him.
"He hissed because we paid full price for our slices, but he forgets that he made a special request and the lights behind the counter hadn't blown yet." Yuuri sticks a bite of pie in his mouth and gives Phichit a sly smile. "He forgot that by asking Valerie something he deserved to be billed full price, plus he dragged me out of bed way too early as well."
"Oh, whatever." Phichit takes a bite from his pie. "The pie is good and we are all here so we can start with the live stream. I feel today is a good day for love and I don't want to miss it from happening." He presses the button to go live. Turning the laptop to get all four of them and the counter in sight.
The lights are still down when the first fans come into the shop, all leaving their orders for later, being asked to wait under the pleasure of a slice of Lime pie. By the time the boss comes back out of the office to tell him the fuse was completely fried and they are out of replacements his list has over twenty orders on it. Realizing this means that he'll has to go over to the hardware store to get a new one, leaving for at least half an hour at best, means Valerie has to hope no coffee addicts come in before that time, makes him drop his head on the counter and moan. That is it. The day just got worse.
Forty minutes, two screaming customers, one glaring witch, three giggling teens trying to make him look in their eyes, and a text that it is busy at the hardware store later the place is filled to the brim, the Lime pie is nearly sold out, and most of the regulars are present. Including some couples that found their soulmates here and are all waiting to see if Phichit's announcement that today was a good day for love would be true.
Looking around Valerie knows he can do one of two things. He can tell everyone that there won't be anything but water for the rest of the day and send them home, or he can see if he can get them help him rearrange the tables in such a way he can bring some of the outside tables into the shop from the storage. It was sad enough they weren't allowed to have an outside terrace anymore that was more than two feet from the storefront, no need not to utilize the tables.
After tossing the options out at least ten people jump up telling him they will help him get the tables. Seeing the response he pulls his new floorplan out of the drawer in the office and hands it to Phichit. At least for once the kid's following comes in handy as the tables have all been moved to their new places by the time Valerie and his six helpers come in with the chairs and tables to fill the now cleared room.
His boss comes in, huffing about how much he doesn't like crammed places, just when Valerie places the last of the menu cards on the extra tables. He doesn't even comment about it and simply goes into the back, clearly stumping down the stairs to switch the fuse, Valerie doubt he'll be back before it's time to print out the days proceeds. Not that it mattered, because now that the lights were back he could finally work on the massive backlog of orders he accumulated.
Taking one look over the floor he notices that a lot of people had also changed seats, Yuuri and Phichit had traded their booth with a group of girls he knew were into all things ghosts opting instead for a smaller table near the window. Guang Hong and Leo were now seated with Isabella Yang, a psychology major believing that her third eye could help people see the truth about themselves, and her current project Seung-Gil who looked very closed off, as usual. A few tables away from them set a fairly known choreographer who went by the nickname Masumi, which Yuuri had explained was Japanese for pure or something, that was a person that could use some company as Valerie was certain he had never seen the man enter with anybody, ever.
The boisterous Leroy kids were in a table booth near the door, always trying to one up each other today was no exception. He recognized a small group of businessmen from a nearby office building, who were looking as if they really needed their coffee to come, and the group of teachers that were flexing their wings clearly on the point of causing mischief. He assessed which orders had to be done first and started to work in such a way he could get out as many orders at the same time.
The end of the list was coming in sight when Christophe Giacometti walked in with what Valerie could only assume was his latest conquest and the conquests dog. The two men were completely taken by whatever subject they were talking about, surprising Valerie when he heard them speak French. Chris and him locked eyes, just like they both had done that very first night at the club, both disappointing that no sparks had gone off but not disappointed enough not to have ended up in both of their beds at several occasions.
"Ah, Valerie, mon ami. Remember I told you about my old boarding school roommate?" Valerie nods, he had heard numerous things about the illusive Victor. Seemed the man had gone out into the world on a quest to find something right out of High school even though every top ranking University had been begging for his enrollment. Chris makes a tada movement to the man next to him. "It seems he has finally decided to visit me in person instead of popping up on my telephone screen."
The man, Victor, gets a definite pinkish dusting over his cheeks. "Honestly Chris, if I knew this was how you were going to introduce me to everybody I might have chosen a different city to move to." The playful wink tells Valerie that Victor actually finds his friends behavior amusing. "That said you promised me the best drink in town so."
"Yes, I did my friend, and Valerie here will deliver. Even if your taste is abysmal." Chris crinkles his nose a bit before ordering his normal cafe latte. Victor just smiles when Valerie tells him there is a small backlog so if they take their seats he will get to them as fast as possible.
"Ah don't worry, we have the time. But he is right I have some odd preferences for coffee. So if you could be so kind as to get me a large, hot Mocha Cappuccino, double whip, with hazelnut syrup and sprinkles on top, and hold the cream please." Victor smiles. "Makka always tries to get a sip of my coffee if there is cream in it." The dog barks softly at the mention of their name. Valerie simply nods and sees the two move to the table almost right next to where Yuuri and Phichit are seated.
Phichit who is sending him very pointed looks indicating he heard which order had been placed. Knowing there was no way around it he started on the last ten orders from the list and the ones from Victor and Chris. When he's finished he puts all the cups out on the counter but places Victor's next to Phichit and Yuuri's behind Chris, before calling out everyone's names. He is certain to place his hand over Chris's cup and his thumb on the one with the bubble tea that sports Yuuri's name when he calls out for Chris to come and take his order. He makes a motion for Phichit to do the same, before calling the Leroy kids that their tray is done. All of them arrive at the counter at the same time issuing enough of a hassle that Chris never even checks the names on his cups.
Now all Valerie can do is wait and see if Phichit's dream will have any more reason than two people getting a drink they technically did not order.
It was right when the oldest Leroy son walked in when all hell broke loose.
Victor opened the lit to his drink, clearly intent to spoon out some of the topping, looking a bit amazed at the content. He put the lit back on and checked the side to see the name written down. Valerie saw him make a soft comment at Chris who shook his head denying any involvement in the mix-up before raising his voice only a little bit to ask who Yuuri was as it seemed he had received that persons order.
Yuuri made notions to Phichit to forget about it, but those movements got caught by Chris who pointed it out to Victor. Seeing the two men at the table right behind them Victor leaned over and simply turned the cup in front of Yuuri around to see if it sported his name. When it did he simply switched them around, turned around and placed his own cup on the table in front of him.
Valerie thought that would be it, but then Victor turned around and offered his hand to Yuuri in a clear intent of introducing himself to the blushing man. Yuuri being more polite than is normally good for anybody took the hand and looked up. When blue met brown sparks erupted around their interlocked hands, making both smile. This would have normally been the end for this but it seemed that Victor's dog was a big fan of meeting new people and jumped up.
Their leash though had been wrapped around one of the table's legs causing it to shift, hitting Chris straight in the groin. For he was slowly standing up to meet the man who was clearly meant for his friend. In response Chris ended up comically tossing his espresso in the air before landing back first right on Masumi's table. His espresso made a small somersault before hitting Isabella full in the back.
She shrieked of the sudden heat, jumped up causing her drink to topple over and spill right towards Guang-Hong who got pulled aside by Leo. Valerie is surprised seeing those sparks erupt as he finally realized they had apparently never actually locked eyes before. Isabella in the meantime was desperately trying to pull of her blouse, while also trying to avoid the sparks coming from her friends, Victor and Yuuri, and Chris and Masumi once Chris had finally opened his eyes. She made a violent jerk pulling her blouse over her shoulders completely missing Makka's leash that had been pulled tight in the dog's effort to get closer to Victor.
Jean-Jacques will forever mention this day as the day an actual angel was dropped into his waiting arms the moment he walked into the coffee place he always visited with his siblings. Their sparks are some of the brightest Valerie had ever seen. Isabella never even mentioned the fact she had been practically half undressed when it happened.
Seung-Gil seems to take a quick overlook and comes to a conclusion when he settles on Phichit clearly recording everything that is going on. Not even once second guessing his action he gets out of his seat with the full intention to give that media horny elf his piece of mind. In all honesty Valerie didn't think either one actually ever stood a real chance.
The commotion leads to the boss to walk into the storefront. he simply overlooks the five new couples shooting out happy sparks at each other, the coffee dripping from several tables, the discarded blouse, and the defeated look on Valerie's face.
"We are never going to lose that idea that we are the place to be to meet your soulmate are we?"
Valerie simply shakes no and drops his head on the counter. He should have called in sick that morning.