The Café Besides the River

After a bit of walking, the small company finally arrived outside of a small café from the other side of the road besides the river. The café had a wooden nameplate hanging outside of the front door. On the the nameplate with green letters was written "Tea and Sympathy".

The three of them enter the front door. A small bell on the inside of the door jingles as they enter. The atmosphere inside the café was really relaxing. They were small round wooden tables with cozy chairs in the middle, and square tables besides the windows which small groups could sit with view the river outside. The square tables had couches with red fabric lining, and each table had one small glass with an aromatic candle inside.

All lights inside the café where light yellow which give a heart-warming and relaxing feeling to the aura of the whole space. They were few customers in the café, considering the past hour the customers where drinking some refreshments to relax from work before they return to heir homes.

As Ryota walk inside with Ryosuke and Sayaka lead the way, they sat to the bar of the café. It was a casual old school bar, which you could sit leaning against the bar. From the inside of the bar was standing a huge well build man with wearing a bartender uniform, and cleaning some glasses.

"Yo master, we brought back Nyoka, where's the boss ?" Ryosuke asked the bartender

"She's upstairs i will call her, so where did you find the little rascal this time ?" the bartender asked with his deep heavy voice

"Ah this gentleman here encounter Nyoka and..." Ryosuke begyn to explain as the bartender examine Ryota with his dark eyes.

"So you tried to steal our cat, little fellow ?" he asked Ryota while looking daggers at him

"Ah what ?! No no no i was just wondering around and i know this cat and...." Ryota started apologise a bit frightened by the accusation of the bartender

"Master stop teasing the poor man, he doesn't know your sense of humour" Ryosuke scolded the bartender

The bartender continue looking intensely  Ryota in his eyes until he bursts to a loud laugh.

"BUHAHAHAHA..oh my goodness your face, I'm very sorry sir i was just joking around with you" he said to Ryota while he was trying to stop laughing

"Oh for Goodness sake, give the man a break master....I apologise for his brute behaviour Ryota" Ryosuke apologise while Sayaka which had sit to one of the chairs besides the bar while still holding Nyoka into her embrace said to the bartender

"Master tries to be funny.."

"Ah i see ehehe, it's okay no need to apologise" Ryota said breathing slowly.

"Ha i knew you will understand my friend, this guy has a sense of humour" the bartender lean to him and pat his shoulder with his iron fist.

He wasn't much taller than Ryosuke but he was way more muscular and huge. He had dark short hair and square beard. His eyes also where dark like the ones of a bear. He was really a bit scary fellow, but when he was smiling was a bit more easy to approach.

"Anyway i will get the boss, don't give the poor man any more trouble okay master ?" Ryosuke said as he walked through the stairs towards the up floor of the café

"Sure thing Ryosuke" the bartender answered waving to him.

"Ehm, i didn't manage to introduce myself, my name Ryota Endo, should i also call you master ?" Ryota asked him

"Oh right, my name is Nobuyuki Hasegawa, but of course you can call me master, everyone calls me that way when they order drinks." Nobuyuki smiled to him proudly

" I see, Hasegawa right ?"

"Yep, my hometown is at Ryūkyū Islands, back in the day, i was working as a part timer to a bar, my dream was to become a bartender to luxury bar in Tokyo, but i didn't manage to get the job so I end up in Kyoto from a recommendation of a relative of my mother" Nobuyuki lean to the bar as he was talking casually

"I see, do you still want to move to Tokyo"

"Nah, Tokyo is way too big city, for me it's important to also get to know with your customers, not just serve them drinks impersonally, of course i would get better salary and quality customers...."

"Ara ara, i didn't know we were such lowlife for you high standards Mrs Hasegawa" a melodic voice sounded from the side of the bar

Nobuyuki turned to scared, while Ryota look curious to the source of the voice. A tall beautiful woman was standing at the corner of the bar looking at them. Behind her was standing Ryosuke, sighing heavily with his palm on his face

"Ah no of course not, i was just saying" Nobuyuki started to apologise to the strange woman

"Are you on your break Nobuyuki ?" the woman asked him with a serious tone on her voice.

"Ah, ehm no but i just-"

"Then you better go back to work, okay Mrs Hasegawa ?" the woman asked him with a tone which didn't leave room for any objections

"Ah yes of course right away" Nobuyuki answered apologetic and quickly when back to inside the bar and started cleaning the glasses. Ryota look at him surprised, by the side of a such big man to be so obediently and quiet all of a sudden.

"Now what we have here ?" Ryota turned hearing the woman's question to him

"This is the man boss"

"Oh how delightful are you the man who took care my sweet Nyoka, thank you so much" the woman's tone and expression changed completely, to a polite and heart-warming tone.

"Ah, yes that's me...wait boss!?" Ryota looked surprised at the young woman in front of him

"That's right, she's the owner of this café" Ryosuke explained to him 

I thought it will be some kind of grandma with great love for cats, he thought while taking a better look at the unexpected appearance of the woman. She had long, dark orange-red hair tied into a braided side ponytail, dark grey-blue eyes, and wore crimson red lipstick. She donned a white blouse under a dark cloak, paired with a grayish-purple tie and brooch. She wears thigh length boots and a long, slitted pencil skirt.

She politely bowed in front of Ryota

"Nice to meet you Sir, my name is Masami Fukunaga" 

"Ah, nice to meet you too miss, my name is Ryota Endo" he politely bowed too to her.

"My what a gentleman, oh there is my little rascal" Masami said looking at Nyoka still into Sayaka embrace. She gently took her and cuddle her softly into her embrace.

"Where did you go again my sweet fluffy ball... oh i told you a thousand times never to leave me" Masami nuzzle softly against Nyoka fluffy face. 

"Meow, Meow"

"Oh my sweet sweet morsel, never leave mama again okay, i will feed you anything you want..but it's okay for today my cute little thing, you made a perfect excuse for us to invite Mrs. Endo so i forgive you my cute little thing" she plant soft kisses to the Nyoka hairy face.

"What ?, what do you mean an excuse to invite me ? Do you know who i am miss Fukunaga ?"

"Ara ara, my lips have slipped, but now that the cat is out of the bag, or to be more precise back to my embrace there's no reason to hide ourselves" she gently give Nyoka back to Sayaka

"To answer your question Mr. Endo yes we knew already who you are, oh and please call me Masami, no need to keep the types we are about the same age i think." she said to Ryota with a polite tone while wiping off some cat hair from her skirt

"We have been knowing you for quite a while and i have to say you have the qualifications for the job we need you to" Masami continue speaking

"Job, I'm sorry miss Fu... I mean Masami but, as you already should know i have a job, and i I'm not interesting on finding another job'

"Oh i know that Mrs. Endo, but that's okay you don't have to worry, the job we need you it doesn't have long shifts, it won't interfere your current job" Masami said with a reassuring tone 

"And what's that job exactly that you want me specifically ?"

"Killing demons" Ryosuke answered with a cold tone behind Masami