The First Day

[7:54 AM, 20th June 2024, Thursday]

Ayato checked the time displayed on his smartphone before inserting it back into his jacket. He lifted his head and saw a signboard above the entrance that spelled out 'Minato Mirai 21 CAFE32'.

He shut his eyes for a moment and took a deep sigh. Preparing his mind, he took a step forward as the automatic door in front of him slid open, welcoming him into the spacious lobby.

Inside, tons of notice boards were fixed throughout the azure blue walls. Embedded into a wall to the north were a counter desk with synthetic potted plants placed in front of it, giving off refreshing vibes. The wall to the west were replaced with glass windows allowing sunlight to pass through the five seat booth along the side.

One would imagine a place similar to a large lounge or cafe, however because it was still early in the morning, about four to five people could be seen idling around the place, checking on the notice boards or reading books on the booth area.

Ayato felt nervous for a moment, knowing these people would be his coworker and senior from now on, working as an operator for CAFE32. Nonetheless, he embraced himself and walked towards the counter where a girl in a grey blazer and a beret was sorting out papers of documents.

"Um..." Ayato hesitated to grab her attention. The girl noticed him as she slid away the papers she was holding to the side.

"Hi! How may I help you mister!" She poked her body out and over the counter, her eyes sparkled as she grabbed everybody's attention within the lobby. Ayato stepped back a little, overwhelmed by her radiant energy.

"I'm here for this," he took out a letter from his jacket's left pocket and extended it to her. Noticing the letter, she swiftly grabbed it off Ayato's hand.

(This girl sure got some high tension,) he thought to himself as he looked around the pity gazes pointing towards them.

"Understood!" She gave a salute. "This way please!" She leaped over the counter and grabbed Ayato's hand, dragging him into a hallway going towards the back.

(Does she even follow the policy on this place!) He thought while trying to balance himself following her quick pace.

After running across the hallway, the girl made a brake as they reached the end of it. Ayato turned his head to the left wall to see a single happy open pane door with a nameplate that reads 'ADMINISTRATOR' fixed onto it.

*KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!*

The girl smacked the door violently.

(Eh?! That's your administrator's room right?!) Ayato stumped by her wild behavior.

"Come on in.", a guy's voice nonchalantly replied to her knocks from within the room.

"Excuse the intrusion! Officer!", the girl gave another salute before opening the door and flung Ayato into the room, perfectly landing him into an armchair. The girl then gave Ayato's letter to the person behind the desk.

"Thank you for your time! Officer!", the girl shouted, giving a cheery salute before hopping out from the room, slamming the door on her way out.

"What the..." Ayato tried balancing his head after such confusion.

He then saw a nameplate with 'AOI MATSUMURA[松邑 蒼]' written on it.

"Hahaha! Sorry about that. That girl can be quite lively sometimes."

Ayato slightly lifted his head to get a better look at the owner of the voice.

He was a man in his thirties, wearing a white lab coat that covered his cobalt blue shirt. The color of his eyes was the same as his light blue tie. Saturated cyan hair and a thin goatee beard. He gave the vibe of a high person with authority. However, his tone of voice may indicate an easygoing demeanor.

(This is Officer Matsumura then.), Ayato thought to himself.

"So...", the officer muttered, inspecting the content of Ayato's letter with a wry smile. "You're the rookie then.", he put the paper back down, as he faced Ayato.

"Y– Yes officer.", he stuttered.

"Hm... so you're the one huh...", the officer muttered, raising himself slightly from his seat as he gave Ayato a curious smile, rubbing his beard.

"E– Excuse me?", Ayato was puzzled by the officer's action as if he was implying something.

"Nothing, just me talking to myself.", he threw himself back onto his seat. "So. Urakabe-kun, why did you join the CAFE?" He grabbed some documents to his left as he skimmed through them.

Ayato was troubled by the sudden question.

"F– For the salary...", his answer faded, avoiding eye contact with the man in front of him.

"Hm... Is that so...", the officer paused. "Then how about your little sister?", he prompted, peeking through the papers as he sharpened his gaze.

Hearing this, Ayato froze. Looking back at the officer, he concluded that the papers Officer Matsumura was holding contains all the information there is about Ayato.

An organization having legal rights to their personal information is normal, especially one that is a worldwide defense-centered organization. But to be suddenly asked about a subject that he genuinely would like to avoid stunned Ayato for a bit. As such, he kept his mouth shut, shrinking his presence.

"Well, it's fine if you don't wanna talk about it.", the officer returned back to a smile as he shuffled the documents and slid it back to his left. "You haven't received your ID and armband yet right?", he asked.

"Y-Yes officer." Ayato straightened his back.

The officer then pressed the button of an intercom to his right and talked into it. "Shimizu-kun, please bring Urakabe-kun's ID and armband when you bring along Ikejima-kun with you.".

[YES! OFFICER!], a familiar voice replied from the intercom. From how energetic she sounded, Ayato assumed that it must've been the counter girl from before. He thought about how she must've been saluting to herself while on the line.

"Thanks Shimizu-kun.", the officer said as he lifted his index finger away from the intercom button before easing himself into his seat. "Please wait for a moment, Urakabe-kum.", he said to Ayato.

"Understood.", Ayato replied in a small voice. From the exchange of the intercom earlier, Ayato concluded that the counter girl—named Shimizu—must've also known about him too, probably this officer had told her about it.

(I just hope he doesn't tell her too much about me.), Ayato thought, worried from the earlier question regarding his little sister. (Also, who's Ikejima?) A question raised at the back of his mind, an unfamiliar name.

*KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!*

The door was slammed yet again.

(Ah, must be her.), Ayato thought about the counter girl. Even with the wild demeanor, she is surprisingly quick with her work.

"O– Oi! Youko! Stop with your dragging already!", A sharp, unfamiliar voice sounded beyond the door.

(Oh? That must've been Ikejima then.), he assumed, while thinking about how 'Youko Shimizu' the counter girl, must've been dragging everyone around here wherever she goes to.

"Come on in.".

"Excuse the intrusion! Officer!",

With the officer's permission, the door burst open as Shimizu threw a girl into the room perfectly landing her onto an armchair right next to Ayato. Shimizu hastily placed an ID and an armband on the corner of the officer's desk.

"Thank you for your time! Officer!", She gave a cheery salute before slamming the door on her way out yet again.

(Really what a wild girl,) Ayato thought.

He shifted his attention to his right. Sitting in the armchair next to him was a girl—no—a dragon girl, spinning her head around after the throw. She then averted her biting gaze to Ayato.

"What?" She furrowed.