Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 289: Interlude - 8: Ruya-Paw Café

Invisibly, through the light of the rising Sun and the streets of slowly crowding people, the two scattered out the carriage and into the City Centre.

Emerging seemingly out of nowhere were two cat-women who walked down the streets as casual as anyone else. Asobi kept a hold on the green-leather handbag she borrowed from the palace to keep her wand and most of both of their things in.

Asobi snapped her fingers and the business card with the address appeared in between her fingers.

"Hey," Jotou took the card to read, "No more magic, remember?"

Asobi’s ears flickered, "That wasn’t magic, magic; it was ’magic’, magic silly."

Jotou looked to the street signs, figuring Downtown was probably further down the streets. "I guess parlour tricks are fine... but keep it to a minimum, okay?"

"Okay sis!"

Jotou supressed her own chuckle, "Alright Amelia. Where’d you even get the name from?"

"Hm? I made it up, duh! Then just used the last name you did; we looked kinda like each other, enough to at least pull of the trick!"

"Props to you for coming up with it on the spot then."

"Mhm!" Asobi shook her head with a sigh. "Silly Anastasia, have you forgotten I’m the," she leaned closer to Jotou on one foot to hush, "the Amazing Asobi?" before she stepped back and walked along.

"I can fool, I can trick, I can do it all before your mind has the chance to tick~! An actor has to be on their tippy-toes Ms Keel and ready to put on a dazzling display! For the world is your audience and the show never ends!"

"Sounds exhausting," Jotou replied.

"Said the overthinker."

"Hey," Jotou’s tail swung left and right as she glared.

Asobi giggled like a gremlin, "Sorry, but sisters mock each other, don’t they?"

’I’m more surprised she had a comeback. The show never stops huh... I know what you can actually be like Asobi; but sometimes, you’re such a mystery to me.’ "Well, we’re not actually sisters."

"Hm, true. But it’s all a part of the show for now. We can be something different in the future," Asobi held a wide beam that... slowly drooped into a slight pout. She gazed to the pattern of the streets for a second.

"I guess," Jotou remarked before glancing to her. Her ears pricked, "What’s wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing," she chuckled it off and took Jotou by the hand, clutching the strap of her handbag in the other, "Let’s go! We’re gonna be late for work!" she rushed Jotou through the streets as the other kept up with her steps.

_

Café... One would imagine a relatively medium building, maybe a couple stories high for two floors? What Jotou and Asobi beheld however...

A large white villa of two stories, not too far from the main streets of Downtown, but tucked away in an alcove between the lush trees looming over.

The only flora surrounding the villa and along the short path were no taller than someone’s ankle. Ask any tourist what this place was and they’d say some noble’s estate without a doubt.

If it were not the large sign in cursive letters advertising ’Ruya-Paw Café’, nobody would be the wiser. Nearby two other districts and routes into Cravolta City and not dreadfully far from the train station either—it was prime real-estate.

The two peered all around as they walked towards the entrance gates—which were wide open considering it wasn’t opening hours yet.

Cool rainforest breeze drifted through the branches, carrying the songs of birds and chirps of morning critters. Despite the trees, not much shade clouded over the café itself; there was ample room for sunlight all around, except the back.

Morning dew twinkled across the shimmering grass of the gardens to the left. Tables of white marble, that shone without a speck of dirt or moss, had room for large umbrellas to be fitted into the centre.

Surrounding them were wooden stools, some however with proper chairs instead—all made of dark rainforest wood of which some of the bark could still be seen on the edges.

The plentiful space had canopy swings under shade, basket chairs made of wicker filled with soft material and benches along the edges. To their right were large spaces for carriages to park and steeds to be stationed.

They made it to the end of the path with a, "Woah..." spoken by an awestruck Asobi. Floral scents escaped the partially ajar gilded wooden doors, as the two set foot onto the front porch shaded by the awning.

The freshly mopped wooden steps creaked along their approach and they stopped at the doors to give a couple of knocks... "Hello?" Jotou leaned her head slightly in.

"We’re not open yet, come back in an hour," a voice echoed back.

"We’re not customers, we got a job here?"

A second passed before light footfalls neared the doors. Opening them up was a light tan, sharp-jawed man—lean and fit. He wore a coffee-brown vest over a long-sleeved cream white shirt.

Above the left breast pocket was the logo of the establishment—a little image of a paw of which a small sign hung down from with the café’s name.

Ties and trousers matching the coffee-brown of the vest, the cream white gloves were more noticeable. Even so, the more noticeable aspects were the two long, fox-like ears and the long fluffy tail behind.

Both taking on the hue of his chestnut hair, his bluish-grey eyes examined the two, "...You’re the two cat-women Daksh hired?"

"That’s us."

"Mhm!"

The fox-boy checked his watch, "Seven-o-five, a bit late, but come on in," he left the door as it was. Jotou and Asobi looked at one another and walked right in.

Walls of light browns and cream whites, while the floors were dark woods as far as they could see. The reception area had two stations for cash registers, while a table curved in the middle to help customers one would assume. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Registries, documents and pens were scattered about, yet to be put away. Down a short hall to the left were the bathrooms and to the right was a similar hall blocked by plates and utensils stacked upon a trolley.

Warm, yellowish-white lights were turned on in some places and others not. Behind the reception desk, were two archways into a spacious area with tables and chairs, but this was all they could gleam for now.

The man went behind the reception, brought up two pens and slid them across to the two of them alongside torn papers, "Part-timers, right? Write your names here, I’ll write it on a nametag and give it to you later."

Taking a pen each, the two wrote down Anastasia and Amelia. He took them back and checked, "Oh right, sisters. No identifications Daksh told me; so no funny business. If anything goes missing..." his ears spiked back.

"We just hop jobs a lot and don’t commit to one thing, that’s all. No need to worry!" Asobi fabricated with a smile.

"That’s even more concerning..."

"Where’re all the pets?" Asobi’s ears flickered.

"Being prepped for the day. You two don’t have uniforms. Follow me," he kept going like clockwork, barely making a smile or a frown as he did.

"Glad we don’t have to bring up our names much," Jotou snarked.

"Hm?" one ear turned back. "Waqar Hanolte, pleasure to be working with you," monotonously he replied.

"Doesn’t sound like it..." Jotou muttered.

"I’m just making sure all goes well before the café opens. Fresh faces are always welcome, but if things aren’t managed properly from the beginning, everything goes into shambles by noon. I’m sure we’ll have time to chat if we meet at break."

’How did he hear that- Oh...’ His ears were much taller and tail was much longer than Hotaru’s. "I take it you’re the manager?"

"Correct. I man the reception once the day starts. You two will be waiting tables."

"We were told we’d be managing some pets too?" Asobi uttered.

"Lightly. Mainly to just keep them in check while with guests, giving them small treats and maybe petting some. We can’t let newbies ’manage’ the pets, that’ll be when you’ve worked here for a while and know the pets enough."

"Fair enough," Jotou shrugged. They walked to where the hall was blocked by the trolley. Waqar pushed it further in till they could see the door to their left.

"Everything employee-related goes through here," he opened the door and inside were some tables and desks upon carpeted floors. Some staff glanced to their entrance, but continued about their business—there was an hour left till opening after all.

To the side were a wall of small lockers Waqar directed them to, "You can keep any personal belongings here," he fished out two keys and handed them. "Go on, we don’t have too much time."

Jotou and Asobi opened up their respective lockers; Jotou checked it out and closed it back, whilst Asobi set her handbag inside. She side-eyed Jotou...

"No wand, sorry," Jotou whispered as quietly as she could to avoid Waqar’s hearing... However, upon closer inspection of the staff... Tails and ears seemed to be a commonality...

She surveyed from a rabbit-eared woman who was doing calculations on her desk, while a man’s cat-like tail swished as he talked about shipments on the telephone that he held closer to the ears atop his head.

"Everyone’s, part-human..." Jotou muttered to which Asobi picked up on.

"This café has an exclusively part-human staff, you should know that... I’m surprised Daksh gave you this job on the fly and you accepted it.

Either you two are naïve or desperate. Job hoppers don’t have much reliable income, do they now?" Waqar crossed his arms.

"Sorry," Jotou said.

Waqar scanned them from head-to-toe, "I see why Daksh would give you jobs in the middle of a street."

"Why’s that?" Asobi’s tail formed a question mark.

"Attractive faces work better for waitstaff. Now, follow me," he turned without a second glance and paced through the desks.

"Aw, thanks!"

"Just throws that out there and walks of," Jotou scoffed, with little bits of red across her cheeks.

"Tial, get the plates outside sorted, please," he ordered as he went past.

"Give me a second," the dog-man quickened his writing on a document. There were perhaps eight or nine staff in uniforms here, who gave passing glances to the newbies, but gave no mind.

A little hallway was at the end of the room; Waqar pointed left to large doors, "That leads into the café." He pointed right and to the doors further down the hall, "Personnel washrooms, don’t use the guests’ outside."

He opened the door right in front of them and let them poke their heads in, "Kitchens; you’ll be going in here and fetching orders for the guests. I figure you know how to wait tables and don’t need a rundown?"

"Shouldn’t be too hard," Jotou remarked.

"We were waitresses a few jobs ago!"

Jotou managed not to pull a face to Asobi’s blatant lie. "Perfect then, get the notepads in the offices for orders," he tilted his head to the room they just came out of. "Alright, uniforms," he walked deeper into the hallway.

One of three doors led into some closet space, "The other door has cleaning supplies and the bigger door is if you need any utensils, plates, cups, et cetera; but that you should have everything in the kitchens and the cooks’ll plate everything. So, it’s just in case."

He pulled out two female uniforms, "Smaller size," he tossed one to Asobi, "And medium," he passed to Jotou. "You can go put them on in the washroom or the closet, up to you; not much space in the closet though. I’ll be waiting so hurry," he walked out the hall.

"See you on the other side," Jotou took the garments into the washroom, followed by Asobi.

_

What walked out were both of them in uniforms of coffee browns and cream whites. A frilly white apron tied up to their collars with a large brown bow.

Their cuffs and skirts were frilly as well—white stockings of cream white with pawprint patterns and the same hued gloves. Two pockets in their aprons of which the left side had the logo of the café.

Asobi cheerily eyed herself in the mirror, twirling with her attire. Whilst Jotou knitted her brows, looking to the bowtie Asobi had to tie for her.

"Then what’s this for?" Jotou had in her hand, coffee brown ribbons and a few different sized bows that fell out of the folded uniforms.

"They’re for your hair silly," Asobi took one, "We’ll have to put all of them on you!"

"I think I’m supposed to choose..." Jotou recoiled. "Where’re yours?"

"Right here," she fished them out of her apron pockets.

"Why aren’t you wearing them then?"

"Hm," Asobi looked to the mirror, "I like my hair like this. Cut right around the shoulders, bangs parted perfectly to the right, it’s the perfect style already~! Maybe I’ll just tie a ribbon for fun."

Walking out, Jotou had a ribbon around her black ponytail with a bow atop, while Asobi had two random ribbons right beside her illusory cat ears.

"Ah, finally," Waqar saw them approaching. "Do they fit well? In case some pets get out of hand, we don’t need an incident."

"Well enough," Jotou looked down to her own chest and pulled her collar a little higher without disturbing the bow of the apron.

"It’s a bit looser than what I’m used to," Asobi smiled lifting the apron slightly.

"If you want to take one of the male uniforms, you’re more than welcome, but change quickly."

"No, no, it’s fine."

"Anastasia, everything fine with you?"

Jotou was tugging her uniform left, right, then up, then pulling it down realizing the skirt may be too high. However, the collar of the dress was nearly at her chin. She let go and it fell back to where it was, "Hey Sobi, my chest isn’t obvious, is it?" she hushed.

"Hm? It looks fine, is it not comfy?" Asobi eyed.

"No, it fits perfectly, it’s just, never mind, it’s just me- Yup, everything’s fine with me," she replied to Waqar. ’The apron covers it, it’s not like my cleavage is showing even remotely. I’m getting embarrassed over nothing...’

"Okay then, follow me and I’ll be showing you most of where you’ll be working. Quickly, it’s thirty minutes till opening time."

With their stations and work laid out for them, they would soon see the first wave of customers enter the Ruya-Paw Café...