Waitress

After another tiring day at school, Masaki was waiting at a bench opposite of the school’s entrance. He wore a pair of sunglasses so as not to stand out too much. The person he was waiting for was the one and only Akane Ishihara, one of the school’s most popular girls. The two of them were going to go to have a meetup after school. Definitely not a date. Just a meetup to discuss the contract details for his production job.

Akane Ishihara… just the two of them…

This is the first time we meet up on purpose…

The other times had been either coincidences or were instigated by only one of them. From now on, their paths would collide on purpose, although strictly for business reasons only. This was Masaki’s job now, after all. He had to stay professional no matter what happened. His and Akane’s future depended on it after all. The fact that she was such an attractive beauty shouldn’t have any effect on their business relationship.

At that moment, Masaki could see Akane stepping out of the school’s tall entrance doors. As her brown boots tapped the concrete tiles that paved the schoolyard, she swiped a pair of sunglasses out of her handbag and put them on her nose, in one seamless motion.

She looks so cool! Moviestar like even…

The absence of her usual posse of followers was noticeable. At least that would make it easier for them to leave the schoolyard together without people getting suspicious. After spotting Masaki sitting on the bench, she briefly tipped her glasses to indicate she was aware of his presence. She then leaned against the wall and started fiddling with her phone.

Masaki waited for about a minute before getting up. He stretched his legs and started slandering towards the school’s exit. He didn’t look behind to see whether Ishihara-san followed him, that would have raised too much suspicion after all. All he can do is trust that she was able to keep up with him. After leaving the schoolyard, he proceeded his way toward the meeting place he had thought of.

After about a fifteen-minute walk, he stopped at a quiet street next to a small river that ran through the city. On the river bank sat a small coffee shop, usually only frequented by this neighborhood's elderly population, as it was situated next to a big retirement home. Not a place where high school kids such as himself would usually meet, Masaki thought.

No chance for us to run into any unwanted onlookers here.

He took off his sunglasses and entered the business. He sat down at a table for two, against the room's back wall. Masaki stared at the door.

Let’s hope she didn’t lose me on the way here.

Luckily for Masaki, Akane appeared before the business’s glass door not long after. Aside from the sunglasses, she had also put on a baseball cap - with her long red hair flowing underneath it. She turned around her head in confusion - turning around 360 degrees before looking inside the business.

Her worrying looks so cute!

Her deep blue eyes met with Masaki’s, after which she took off her cap and sunglasses and proceeded her walk into the coffee shop. She walked up to Masaki’s table and sat down on the chair opposite him.

“Good afternoon, Tsuchiya-san”

Akane said with a serious expression.

“Time for you to fulfill your promise.”

Before Masaki could get his laptop out of his bag, an elderly woman walked up to them.

“What can drinks can I bring you, young high school sweethearts?”

Masaki took a brief look around the cafe. It seemed like all the elderly customers had their focus turned their way. They seemed all too interested in the two high schoolers that had just entered their hangout place. A sight they must not see often - something Masaki failed to account for.

His head turned red as he tried to explain himself.

“We are not -”

But Akane interrupted him.

“A cup of coffee for each of us please..”

“Do you want some sugar, sweety?”

The waiter asked the girl sitting across the table from Masaki.

“No thanks, may he wants some.”

Masaki shook his head - even though he usually drank his coffee with loads of sugar.

I can’t look like a little girl in front of Ishihara-san.

While waiting for their drink, Masaki opened his bag and grabbed his laptop and some paperwork. He started explaining to Ishihara-san some of the details that were usual for a record contract.

“I still have to consult my dad on the final terms of the agreement.”

“It would be great if I could meet the band's manager to discuss these details with them as well.”

Ishihara-san looked a bit confused.

“Manager? Wasn’t that what you were going to be?”

“I am a producer, not a manager, that is the person that has been responsible for organizing your performances and managing the business side of that.”

Akane rubbed her head.

“Do bands have another person taking care of that stuff? I’ve just been doing that all by myself…”

So aside from creating the setlist, practicing with the band, writing songs, and getting straight A-’s at school, she has been managing the band as well?

She’s absolutely incredible…

“Well, in that case, we might have to find you someone in the future.”

“For now, please find someone like a family member to go through the contract with you.”

In one big motion, Akane grabbed Masaki’s hand and moved her head closer. Her sudden movement startled him - he had no idea what was happening.

With her head close to his, she started whispering in his ear.

“You aren’t trying to make me do anything unruly with these contracts, Masaki-kun?”

Only that? She scared me there, for just a second.

“Nooo… no I wouldn’t.”

“Just industry standard stuff in there…. nothing special”

Akane sighed - she moved back in her chair and started smiling again.

“I just have to make sure you don’t put in pervy stuff like us having to kiss or anything.”

Is she trying to flirt with me?

It must be her trying to mess with me.

“Kiss? This is a purely business meeting, Ishihara-san.”

Ishihara-san giggled.

“Alright, you don’t get to kiss me then.”

She took another sip of her drink.

Masaki shrug off what just happened and proceeded with the meeting.

“If you keep being annoying like this - I am not going to let you listen to what’s on the laptop.”

“I am sorry for teasing you Masaki-kun. Please let me hear what you’ve been working on.”

He opened the music program and passed the headphones to Akane.

Before hitting the play button, he had to make some disclaimers. He started fiddling a bit with his school uniform sleeve.

“What you're hearing here is only an early prototype. A lot of stuff can still change.”

Masaki hesitantly hit the play button - and the track he had worked on so hard started playing in the headphone that sat in Ishihara-san’s head.

“Is the volume loud enough?”

She nodded her head and then proceeded to listen to the whole track in complete silence.

All Masaki’s attention was focused on the red-haired girl. He hoped to see a smile, catch her bopping her head. He was desperately looking for any indicator of how she thought about the track, but he couldn’t find any. She just sat there - listening to the track.

After a couple of agonizingly long minutes, she passed the headphones back to Masaki.

Masaki started at her, desperately looking for a sign of approval. She opened her mouth and began to speak.

“Is that you playing guitar in the background?”

After listening to the whole thing, that little detail is the first thing she asks about?

Masaki couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

“I dabble in playing some guitar from now and then.”

“I doubt you can do it a lot better than you.”

“And the orchestra, is that you playing too?”

Masaki couldn’t help but chuckle - because of the serious tone she used while exclaiming that question.

“Well, obviously”

She looked confused - so Masaki added.

“That’s a joke - I use a computer plugin to simulate that.”

Akane started smiling.

“Aha-ha, you got me there for a second. It sounds so realistic… so awesome, like the rest of the song!”

“You did a great job with it Masaki, I could see myself and the girls performing this.”

“So will this be our first single?”

Masaki scratched his head.

“It could be… we can consider other options as well. I don’t know if you have written some tracks yourself?”

He could see Akane think.

“The acoustic song I sang at the concert - I created that myself.”

She did write that about me, didn’t she?

“Well, that one is great but better suited for a B-side or an album in the future.”

Akane nodded.

“No problem, I liked the laptop song a lot, I think the other girls will like it too.”

Masaki was relieved, it seemed like his effort was appreciated.

“I can add a little bass and drum solo if they want to. That would be fun to do during concerts.”

Masaki looked Akane in the eyes.

“I have one task for you, and that is to write the lyrics for the song.”

“Alright… alright”

“I can do that. I totally can.”

Akane gave her email and Masaki mailed an exported version of the track he made to her with his laptop. After which he closed it and put it away in his back.

“I’ll mail you the final contracts once they're ready.”

“Thank you for meeting with me Ishihara-san.”

“It was a pleasure”

The two of them stood up, shook hands and Akane left the restaurant.

“Here is the bill, mister”

The elderly waitress handed him a piece of paper.

While Masaki paid the bill, the women gave him some unwanted advice.

“She’s a real beauty - I am sure she likes you as well. Make sure to not let her slip through your fingers.”