Witch club

 Lunch with a friend, sunshine, a secret portal back to campus. It should’ve been a good day. But time… always finds a way to catch up. I acted normal, praying for a normal afternoon. And Elka? She’d already moved on—or at least acted like she had. Maybe that’s what I envy most. Her eyes were full of spirit, like they already knew their purpose. “Let’s go for a sweat,” Elka said.

“Isn’t it almost time for afternoon training?” I asked. “We will learn with our Senpai, no classroom in the afternoon.” It’s always sweet to cure depression. Right place, right time… “Is that the one you want to check out?” I asked. “Yeah… It’s popular, right?” Elka replied, eyeing the thick crowd in the shop. Lunch rush wasn’t dying down anytime soon. “Should we go to that shop instead?” I said and pointed to the lower crowd shop.

"...Sure, why not?" The place looked more like a haunted house than a shop. Quiet. Dim. Cursed, maybe. But at least it wasn’t crowded. Haunted beats crowded. Pushing a door, ringing a bell. “Welcome!” the waitress said.

“Eh?” “Eh?” “Eh?” Elka, Emil, and I echoed… “Err… Welcome to the witch club cafe. Please order at the counter.” Emil said… in a waitress outfit. “Careful,” She muttered. A cafe welcomed us with a cat at the entrance, floating lamps of all kinds, and a group of animals playing jazz music. The place was one thing. Emil in that outfit? My brain short-circuited. My brain rebooted when we reached the counter. Elka didn’t know how to react while I was… trying my best to hold my laugh. It's weird seeing Emil in a waitress outfit.

The outfit is cute… “What do you want, customer?” Never mind, it’s Ruri-senpai behind the counter. She’s pretty, but still serious. I glanced around, trying to find the order until it revealed itself through magic. The name floated above the menu. I didn’t recognize what it even served. I stared, but my mind didn’t process. I paused for too long, and Ruri snapped her finger. “Do you have any recommendations, Ruri-senpai?” I asked quickly. But before she could open her mouth, someone elbowed me. It hurt. I could barely breathe. Deadly stare from Elka. “What was that for?” I said. She turned to smile at Ruri. “Did you forget, huh? Call her only by name, a first step.” She whispered. Right. First step. I gave Elka a thumbs up. She nods, satisfied with it.

“Got any recommendations, Ruri?” I said. “Huh? What do you want, Auron? 10 minutes after this, I will clock out. Let’s talk after that.” Ruri’s tone didn’t compromise. That’s the false answer. Silent tension. Why is it activating an extreme Ruri mode? How can I go back to normal? I turned to Elka for help. Her eyes wavered with hesitation. She didn’t expect things to turn out like this. So, you have a weakness, too, huh, Elka? Next stop is Emil… It’s her turn to hold her laugh.

“I-I’m sorry, Ruri-senpai… Anything sweet for me, please.” I ordered and walked straight to the table. The waitress followed me. It’s Emil. “Nice try, boy,” she said. I shook my head slowly. “It’s worth a try…”

“What’s with that pout? Jealous of our rhythm?” Emil giggled. “Don’t be. You just haven’t found your rhythm yet,” Emil grinned. “But it’ll come.” Different pace, how would I know? Elka approached the table, eyes lowered, hands folded in front. But yeah, I’m truly jealous of her. “I’m sorry, Emil-senpai. I shouldn’t have let him speak that way.” Elka said. Emil rubbed Elka's head to comfort her. “Um, Um, it’s fine… It’s Auron's problem to figure it out and handle his instructor. Our job is to support and observe.” Emil said, trying to sit. “Wait, aren’t you still on shift?”

Emil took a long breath. “I’m sorry, dear customer,” she said flatly, glancing at the clock. “Six minutes left. You might want to watch your back after that, customer,” she added. I glanced at the clock and back at Emil. I steepled my hands, resting my arms on the table. “So it’s 6, maybe 5 minutes right? Where is my order?” “We’re currently preparing for you, dear customer,” Emil replied and walked off with sharp steps, her fist clenched.

“She’s my Senpai, Auron,” Elka murmured. “Don’t go dumping your attitude on her.” Elka defended her, even after I made it awkward. Both of them are meant for each other… too kind. “Sorry, Elka,” I rubbed the back of my neck. “You should say that to Emil, not me.”

5 minutes. The order is finished. Emil walked to our table, serving the order. I feel the tension, sipping my drink. Elka waited for my response. I gathered my strength before she turned back, and I spoke up. “Sorry, Emil… I just went too far.” I said. With a flick, she changed out of her uniform. “What’s wrong with you today?” she mumbled and kicked me. I couldn’t even respond, feeling guilty. “I just don’t feel like myself… if that answers your question,” I said. “Annoying,” Emil replied and shook her head. I could see the vein in her hand as she held back her anger, casting her favorite heating spell. The steam rose as she poured for all three of us. She poured milk into my tea, the exact way I used to like it. We all chuckled. And Ruri walked to join everybody.

With a flick of magic, glasses snapped, and a sheet appeared. Ruri slid on her glasses. It’s time for the today section. Emil clapped her hands. "Since everyone’s here, let’s talk about our upcoming training," Emil said, sipping her tea until it was empty. "Auron, keep the tea coming until the meeting’s over," she added. I stood up. Well deserved. Guess I’m the designated tea server now… At least I didn’t have to change my outfit. Ruri’s professional as always; she didn’t mention my weird behavior earlier. As for Emil, she probably sees me like an annoying little brother… but forgivable.

“The second year meeting with the teacher has some of the crucial points we need to tell you,” Ruri said. “You may or may not know this, the school has every right to expel you if you don’t pass the test. I’m not trying to pressure you—just a reminder. So, Auron, don’t let pride get in the way; your discipline matters. Casting by hand won’t mean much if you can’t pass by year’s end. They will have a study outside of school for one week at Brendwyn west of Azmere,” She added. Even if she didn’t mean it, Elka and I already felt the pressure.

“Why do we have to go to Brendwyn?” I said. “We held a vote, and this route is the safest for the teachers, us, and the Magical Council’s business. They’re worried tourism will decline if we end up destroying something.” Ruri replied. “Because Sevith and Eira are on a border? Did you come from a Sevith, Elka?” I asked. "Yeah, it’s a nice spot for tourists, it connects three countries, after all." She nodded. A new location could elevate everything—who knows what we’ll discover? I’m genuinely excited.

“And the latest, which is most important for us. They want the instructor and trainer to get close. That is what we currently do, yeah… But you should expect Caelis to move in with us.” Ruri said. I glanced at her. None of it would matter if I failed. The one person I could rely on was her. But if I couldn’t pass any of this… I had to stop thinking about Aeter. She’d be too far ahead to catch.

I’ve come this far to become a professional mage—that’s the goal, having a time spell is an advantage, especially for mastering hand casting early. And now, I’m being trained by one of the best. Everything looked fine. So why did I still feel left behind? “Let’s just start the training for Brendwyn,” I muttered, sipping tea.