III - Dining Hall

Charlotte swallowed nervously, watching Aurora leaned her face closer as mismatched eyes glinted with brow furrowed.

"You," Aurora gasped step backwards with her trembled finger pointing out at the exhausted student in front of her. 

"I saw your face in my dream! You appeared as…as my knight!"

Gasp!

Everyone paused their conversation, their gaze focused on the two students, some whispered to their classmates, some squealed in excitement.

"Oh my gosh! That girl fell in love with another girl!"

"I can't believe someone is in love!"

"Marry her, Aura!" Quincy shouted, waving her hand.

Charlotte's eyes wide in disbelief, face flushing crept up to her neck, she asked confused and didn't understand what she's saying.

"E-Eh? Really?"

"Hmph!" Aurora pouted with huff, smacking Charlotte one more time with her hand fan.

—Smack!

"Ow, pardon me miss princess—!"

—Smack! 

"Oi! Stop smacking—!" Charlotte whined, clutching the crown of her head as a head bump formed obviously.

"Ow…"

Aurora hissed like a cat, folding her fan with a huff turn on her heel but until she paused once more before storming off, spun around with her brow narrowed, pointing her folding fan at Charlotte.

"I'm not done with you, dummy! Don't you think it's over now and I'll find out exactly who you are." she warned, her tone was eerie calm that sent shivers through Charlotte's spine.

"Ugh, I hate this academy."

The loud school bell rings, it's the signal that's the end of the lunch period. Aurora blushed; she realized she just shouted about her private dream in front of the entire cafeteria, muttering under her breath.

She immediately turns on her heel, storms next to her class with Quincy and Sarah to follow after her.

Anyone was back to their usual conversation, while Charlotte's friends nudged her before they left her behind, standing while rubbing her neck.

"What did she say?" she said to herself, wondering how this goddess girl can be so fierce, just like from her other mother.

She shrugged and headed towards the exit for the next lecture.

Never mind.

꒰ა ✦ ໒꒱

Inside the dining hall was very loud because students from across the entire town were visiting to grab something to eat to satisfy their cravings.

The bell, above the doorframe, chimed as the new visitors stepped inside.

Charlotte arrived, exhausted yet she's trying her best to make customers delightful and satisfied carrying a wooden tray of food between her hands. 

She's wearing a working apron instead of Asahi Uniform and spent herself joggling at night to provide for her family and for herself too.

A bell chimes, a new customer stepped inside that makes Charlotte's eyes wide in disbelief.

That girl…again?

Aurora's piercing gaze roamed around the dining hall, behind Aria her younger sister followed by her familiar friends Quincy and Sarah.

"Woah, I can't believe this restaurant was absolutely delicious!" Sarah squealed, eyes lightened up.

"Wait, seriously? Come on! I can't wait to taste their most delicious food I've ever tasted before."

Aurora pinches the bridge of her nose, shaking her head in mild annoyance.

"Okay, okay stop this nonsense let's grab something to eat, I'm starving!"

Aria's one of her ears twitched, arms on the back of her neck staring at her sister with a mischievous grin, teased.

"You sure, sis? The girl you encountered earlier is staring at you."

"What?! Where?"

Aurora frantically roamed around after her sister's teasing and her gaze immediately locked right into Charlotte, who's still holding a heavy tray of food.

No freaking way, she's here!?

Charlotte stared back with a disbelieving look across her face, hands wobbling like a jelly until she snapped and fixed her position before she turned on her own heel to take the other's order on their respective tables.

Tch, I feel distracted.

Aurora sat calmly, face still faint red, took a sip of water while Aria kept scanning through the menu card, hoping her favorite food was there, she mumbled sweat forming on her forehead.

"I hope nectar pancakes are here."

Quincy and Sarah chatting about academics stuff, laughing and of course the earlier embarrassment about their friend accidentally shouting at the girl, Quincy shifts her gaze towards Aurora who's still focused on the book menu.

"You know, Aura. While we wait for the prince-like charming of yours."

"Ehh—?!" Aurora's face turns bright red, hissed with her ears flat against her sides.

"She is not my princess charming!"

"Relax, sis," Aria patted her sister's shoulder. "You're friends just teasing you."

"I know, Aria. I know, this is just a prank."

Charlotte surveyed them in the distance and tried to act professional, took a long deep breath and walked over to their table, lowered her head and said.

"Ehem, welcome to our dining hall, princess."

Quincy and Sarah gasped, giggling after while Aria burst out laughing, clutching her stomach teasing her sister about her 'dreaming knight' working shift here.

Charlotte blushed, she'd realized she cannot hide, instead so she embraced her job after several days of practice before applying, stepped out to their table with a professional smile playing on her lips and immediately offered them a seat.

She recommends the dining hall's best selling meals to satisfy Aurora's cravings.

Aurora tries to be tough but to no avail, instead she huffs.

"Fine, I guess I'll try this, dummy."

Despite the piercing girl's words, she secretly admired how hard Charlotte sacrificed herself to support her family, a deeper respect between them underneath all the bickering.

"Uhh… I'll take the order of grilled roasted turkey with java rice."

Charlotte noted. "And is this all, Miss Princess?"

Aurora paused, blush began to crept up on her neck, and replied back.

"I-I uh, nothing. That's all that matters— wait!"

"Huh, what's wrong, Miss? Is there any additional to your orders?"

"I-I mean, I need four dawn sodas with whip cream and what's yours and I'll take out a box of vegetable-flavored jam doughnuts."

Charlotte noted.

"And?"

"That's all," Aurora said, crossing her arms around her chest while waiting for the trio for their own orders.

Charlotte hummed, offering her a small wink that made Aurora's heart flutter against her ribs before she shifted her attention towards the rest of the trio.

Aria raised her hand. "Oh, oh, oh! Me, me, me!"

Charlotte turned around and asked softly, holding a small notebook to take notes.

"Yes, Miss Aurora's sister? What's yours?"

"I want classic miso soup and nectar pancakes with extra nectar syrup please?"

"Okay, noted."

"What's yours you, two?"

Quincy and Sarah replied. "Same as our dear princess Aurora's order,"

Aurora shooting water from her nose while she was taking another sip of glass of water, coughing immediately turned away avoiding eye contact with her sister, friends and even Charlotte.

"Without a basket of doughnuts." Sarah finished, her face flushed faintly.

Charlotte noted, walking away as the order was coming soon, Aria stared at her with concern.

"Sis, are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine! I-I'm fine, thank you…" Aurora responded, coughing with small tears softly, asking her sister.

"Uhh… sis, could you grab me some napkins?"

"Of course sis, here." Her sister handed her a napkin, wiping the remnants of water from her nose with her face still blushing, her sister glared at her friends.

"Next time I'll smack both of your heads if you call me a princess once more."

"We won't." Both in unison, guilt but until Charlotte already arrived with the orders on their both trays.

"Here's your order, miss."

Aurora already recovered from the earlier, calmly taking her order.

Aria, her younger sister, began to consume her own meal in ravenous hunger, gaze softened as she remembered when they're as small.

"Sis, calm down before you choke."

"Mmmphh!~"

Charlotte chuckled, watching them devour their meals, however her gaze immediately focused on Aurora, who's now taking a bite of the special dish that Charlotte recommended.

Her eyes instantly lightened up as surprised, let out an unintentional sound of pure delight because the food was definitely delicious, hand on her cheek with a sound.

"Mmmphh! This…this is the best meal I've ever tasted before."

"Next time after class, we've decided to eat at this place as soon as possible!" Aria said, still nibbling her food.

Charlotte nodded at Aria with a soft smile before shifting her gaze back towards Aurora with a smug smile.

Aurora, realizing Charlotte has been watching her with the same smug smile, quickly covers her mouth with a napkin, feigns cough and tries to be tough once more.

She pulled her hand from her mouth and crossed her arms with huff.

"Hmph! It's… passable, I guess. But don't let this get to your head, dummy!"

Aria almost choked, swallowed before she looked at Quincy and Sarah and laughed because they knew Aurora absolutely loves it.

꒰ა ✦ ໒꒱

The restaurant was already closed at midnight, however the owner of the dining hall slammed his fist against the table, furious as he realized Charlotte was stealing the savings from the customers once again at this time, staring at the almost empty jar with few coins.

"CHARLOTTE!”