Work Text:
This cold autumn morning Tsugumi Hazawa woke up a little bit earlier than usual: she was burdened with sad thoughts. Unwillingly, she got out of her warm bed and went to the window. The weather was matching her current mood: the sky was crowded with dark grey clouds and a strong wind appeared. Tsugumi sighed heavily and quickly began to pt her clothes on: she wasn't allowed to be late on work.
After arriving to Hazawa's cafe, the girl glimpsed at the clock on the wall and sighed with relief: there was no need in hurry, today she came even earlier than usual. After quick walk she was having a little dyspnea, so Tsugumi sat down at the coffee table and thoroughly looked around the room. A lot of her memories were related to this place: Afterglow's gatherings, meetings with girls from other bands, part-time working with Eve... Hazawa's school years were truly a success. Not many people are capable to be a straight-A-student, work in both cafe and student council, play the keyboard in the band and have so many different friends! Tsugumi's future in college was also expected to be brilliant, but unfortunately, her anxiety and tendency for overworking let her down: Hazawa lost her conciousness on the important exam, and for this year her way to the university was closed. And after that her father unexpectedly broke his leg, so now Tsugumi was forced to work full-time in the cafe, so her family wouldn't go bankrupt. The fragile girl was very tired from this work, because there were a lot of visitors every day, and not all of them were kind and friendly to her. But Tsugumi was hurt the most at the moments when her friends were visiting the cafe. Of course they always greeted her, invited her to sit with them, even wanted to help her with work, but Hazawa was feeling alienated, because all of them had already started a brand new life in the college, which she lost so stupidly. At work Tsugumi was always trying to smile widely and pretend that she was completely fine, and she excelled at that, but when she was alone by herself, she was absorbed in anxious thoughts. Tsugumi knew that it was not everlasting, those were just temporary difficulties; her father would recover soon and exams would be passed next year, but the sadness never left her soul.
Tsugumi was thinking about all of this for about five minutes, and when she looked at the clock again, she saw that there was only one minute left before the opening. The girl quickly put on an apron, hooked the sign "OPENED" on the door and stood at the counter. Usually it was very lively at the morning, because everyone wanted to drink a cup of coffee to wake up completely, but today no one appeared here for some reason. "Maybe everyone wanted to stay at home in such a cloudy day?" Tsugumi thought. "But I can understand them: my eyes are so sleepy now..."
"Hey, Tsugu! Don't sleep, you there!" With her forehead being hit by a slit, Hazawa opened her eyes widely and saw her: Haneoka's former student council president, Pastel*Palettes' guitarist, her role model and simply eccentric, always cheerful girl with so many talents - Hikawa Hina!
"H-Hina-senpai? What are you doing here?.." Tsugumi winked a few times, reassuring herself that it wasn't her hallucination or dream, but Hina herself. Pink sunglasses, lemon yellow t-shirt with dinosaur, blue jeans jacket and orange breeches - acid-like imige of the guest was completely in her character, but was contrasting drastically with weather and atmosphere in the cafe.
"I came to drink a cup of coffee, of cource! Since I don't have my studies today, I've decided to visit my old friend, and here she is, sleeping while standing!" Hina laughed loudly, and Tsugumi blushed. She had just slept at work!!! What a shame! What happened to her?..
"S-senpai, I'm so sorry... There weren't any customers, and I had nothing to do..." Tsugumi mumbled in her defence. She was feeling so miserably at this moment!
"It's OK! I guess it's so boring to stand here like this, waiting for customers?.." Hina said sympathetically. But at the same moment she put on the sunglasses and winked mischievously:
"Make me a mint cappuccino as an excuse!"
"W-What!?" Tsugumi was shocked. "We don't have it in the menu..."
"Everything happens for a first time! You've overcome more difficult problems, so let's go, I believe in you!" Hina encouragingly clapped Tsugumi on the shoulder and sat down at the nearest chair.
Hazawa looked at Hikawa bewildermently, but she was doing something in her phone and wasn't paying attention to her... or was she just pretending?
"Is she kidding me!? Well, it's in her style... But I can't disappoint my customers, so I'll make it! I think it's the same cappuccino but with mint syrup? We have it here, I've seen it!" With these thoughts Tsugumi began working.
Ten minutes later the coffee was done.
"Here's your request! I hope I made it right!" Tsugumi put the minty-green coffee with tiny hearts and stars on it in front of Hina.
"It looks very delicious! Let's try... Yes! A very bopping coffee! You did so well, like always!"
"Th-THank you very much, Hina-sempai!" Tsugumi blushed again, but now it was of embarassment. She always liked receiving compliments from the younger Hikawa sister. At such moments, she felt like someone more than an ordinary modest girl.
Hazawa turned around and was going to return to the counter, but Hina suddenly grabbed her hand.
"Wait! Sit here with me, let's talk a little! Do you like working here?"
"Honestly, not really..." Tsugumi sat in front of Hina and lowered her head down.
"Why? I think that making others' wishes come true and making people happy is so bopping!"
"You just think so. This is so exhausting actually. And many customers are so fastidious! And you know..." Tears appeared in Tsugumi's eyes. "I wanna go to college, I wanna see my friends more often! I can't do this because of work..." Hazawa sobbed quietly.
Hina froze for a moment. She knew about Tsugumi's failure at the exam and about troubles in her family, but it seemed nothing to her, because now Tsugu could gain a totally unique experience, and what could be more bopping than new experiences?.. But it seemed that Hazawa had an opposite opinion on this situation. Hikawa wanted to cheer her up so badly, but consolations were one of her few weak sides. So Hina just put her hand on Tsugumi's shoulder and said in her usual manner:
"May I come here everytime I have a free minute? I loved your mint cappuccino so much, I would like to drink it one more time and to try your other coffees!"
"Is it true? I've made it for the first time in my life..."
"And I've tried it for the first time in my life, what a conceidence! As I've said, everything happens for the first time!" Hina stood up. "Well, I need to go. See you soon!" Hikawa quickly, but firmly hugged Tsugumi. She was embarassed again: did Hina really like making her blush?.."
"Goodbye, Hina-senpai. I was glad to see you!" But Hina was already gone.
"She's truly something..." Tsugumi mumbled, returning to the counter. She looked at the window and suddenly saw that the clouds were gone and bright rays of sun were there.
The girl smiled widely and genuinely for the first time in many days: Hina managed to give her hope.