It was a stupid idea, by all accounts.

Stupid, and pointless, and surely transparent.

Katsuyuki checked his watch: 2:15. Comfortably past the lunch rush; still plenty of time for a casual visit. Either way, it was too late to change plans now.

He tensed up, drumming his fingers anxiously on the seat beside him. It's not like it was a terrible idea though... right? A debrief with Bailey after a meeting was standard practice, and this café was the same as any other they would use for such discussion. Sure, this one was on the other side of town from the office - and an unusual pick, perhaps - but other than that, it wasn't so out of the ordinary.

Besides, what's strange about checking in on a friend on his first week of a new job?

Katsuyuki grimaced. No, it really was a stupid idea. Why would he want to be disturbed during work hours? While at a service job, no less? Katsuyuki ran his fingers through his hair. What the hell was wrong with him?

He glanced out of the window as the car idled in traffic: Completely stopped. He was going to be late. Surely Bailey had clocked him, suggesting a meeting spot so far from the office. This delay just shone an extra spotlight on this poor choice of location. Katsuyuki leaned closer to the window and tried to get a view of the jam ahead.

“How much longer does it look like this is going to take?” He questioned the driver tersely. From what little he could see, nothing was moving faster than an inching crawl.

“We should be through the worst in a minute, sir,” the reply came from the front seat. Katsuyuki slumped back again and sighed.

It really was a stupid idea.

----

Pastel Pâtisserie by Shanae and Sophie.

Bailey eyed the sign to the café as she idly sauntered up and down the sidewalk: distressed wood, embossed with a curled, handwritten script. Typical midscale joint that wished it were upscale, she judged - probably popular with catty housewives and wannabe-socialites. It was very unlike Mr Ito to choose a place like this - cute and quaint and distinctly feminine - to the point that she was certain she'd be reprimanded for suggesting it herself.

She peered through the window, hoping to get some understanding on this strange choice of location. The decor was no different in style: white, ornate chairs with pastel cushions and throws, potted plants and string lights adorning shelves, menu chalkboards with delicately curled handwriting. Certainly an ill-fitting pick, given her employer's tastes.

Katsuyuki was certainly an enigmatic young man; not that she was particularly complaining. Of course, his prickly demeanor was difficult to acclimate to - but what he lacked in personability, he made up for with inaffable courtesy; a rare trait of men in his kind of position. Other clients she'd served had boundless charisma, shining personalities that drew you in and disarmed your defenses - but, unlike previous employers, at least Mr Ito had never tried to weaponize his charm for an opportunity to grab her ass.

Sure, perhaps Bailey just wasn't his type - then again, she pondered, no one seemed to be his type. He focused on his work and his sporting career; anything outside of that seemed like a waste of his time. His interests, his feelings - his personality, even - he didn't divulge any of it freely.

He was a strange one, Bailey pondered.

Still absently gazing through the window, she watched two women at work. Middle-aged, fuller figured, wearing aprons dusted with sugary fingerprints - Shanae and Sophie, presumably – cheerfully waltzing across the café floor, placing freshly baked cakes on the counter and chatting with the clientele. As she glanced across, she sighted another figure with a far more modest presence that seemed to almost blend into the background - a young man with a lithe figure, intently working behind the counter, his long hair pulled back into a lazy ponytail that was starting to come loose and fall over his eyes. Graceful in his movement, but a little disheveled, a little rough around the edges. Nothing out of place, at a glance, but the more she watched him, the more he seemed to stand out as a misfit, outside of his natural element. Bailey frowned; he was familiar too, but she couldn't place from where. Something to do with work - a client of Mr Ito, perhaps...? Surely he wouldn't have any business with someone so... Unrefined.

It clicked, in that moment, as several things fell into place. Yuanfei Xian, she was sure. She'd seen his file when Katsuyuki had first joined Team Wildfire. That long, layered hairstyle was unmistakable. Surely, he must be the reason why Mr Ito would choose such an unfitting café for a meeting.

“Sorry I'm late.”

Bailey turned. A familiar sleek, black car had pulled up to the curb beside her, its passenger already closing the door behind himself. "The road was closed, needed to take a detour."

“Not a problem, Mr Ito. We have plenty of time.” Katsuyuki seemed to only partly pay attention to her, lingering on the sidewalk some distance from the café entrance, surreptitiously scanning its interior until his eyes fixated behind the counter. He paused, watching for just a moment, before assuming a confident air and striding towards the entrance, but his resolve seemed to to falter when he reached the door. A hint of hesitation, quickly masked. His eyes flicked up, checking the counter once more, then back down in feigned indifference. Her suspicions were correct; that boy was the reason they were here, undoubtedly. But if a friendly 'hello' was what he had in mind, why was he so coy about stepping through the front door?

... Surely not.

Then again...

Bailey prided herself on her keen eye for little details. She eyed Katsuyuki closely, subtly, intent on unraveling more - if only out of a love of gossip. He was a hard read for sure, well trained in psychological tells, but Bailey was better.

“Shall I order you a drink, sir? The usual?”

“Ah-... I can order this time.” Bailey raised an eyebrow. As his assistant, she was always expected to put in an order for him - it was rare for him to bother with such menial tasks.

Very interesting.

“Thank you, sir. I'll find a table.”

The little bell above the door chimed again. Yuanfei didn't bother to look up; he already had his hands full with this half-fat, double-shot, hazelnut something-or-other, an order so needlessly convoluted that he couldn't be sure it wasn't just a cruel joke for the women who frequented this place to play on their unsuspecting baristas.

“Can you take these two, honey? I'll be in the back with Soph.” Shanae breezed past, the answer essentially decided for him.

“Sure,” He smiled through gritted teeth while wrangling the milk steamer. “I just need to finish this... thing.”

“It's called a macchiato, dear.” Shanae chuckled as she rounded the corner into the back.

“Macchiato. Right.” He jammed down the lever and the machine sputtered violently. Milk erupted out of the jug and sprayed across the counter.

Yuanfei was one macchiato away from crossing the threshold to insanity.

Deep breath.

Ignoring the mess, he turned his attention to the drink. He poured out the last of the milk foam with careful precision, then sprinkled a light dusting of cinnamon and topped with a heart-shaped tuile. Perfect. Or good enough, at least.

He readied a superficial smile and delicately placed the glass in front of the customer: an older, sour-faced woman. She made a show of eyeing her watch. Yuanfei pretended not to notice.

“Half-fat, double-espresso macchiato with hazelnut syrup, Miss.”

“Straw.”

Yuanfei paused. “... Huh?” The woman tutted.

“Straw,” She barked curtly. “You forgot the straw.”

“Sorry, Miss.” Yuanfei smiled apologetically and briskly scuttled away. In order to forget the straw, he thought to himself, she would have had to ask for one to begin with. Who the hell drinks coffee with a straw?

He squeezed his eyes shut and sighed, hoping to immerse himself in one fleeting moment of peace before the next order. Please, just one good customer. And please, not another macchiato. He opened his eyes and turned, service-industry smile preemptively back in place.

His prayers were answered. Finally, a good customer.

“Katsuyuki!!” Yuanfei's face lit up and he hurried towards the counter. Katsuyuki wore a subdued smile. He typically maintained a conservative, aloof air in public; any smile at all was a rare blessing. He was exquisitely dressed in his business attire - the sort of outfit Yuanfei might catch a fleeting, admiring glance of him changing into at home when he was preparing for some kind of fancy occasion. It painted him in a new, exciting light; a whole other life of his, a world away from the one Yuanfei understood. The look suited him perfectly, from his sharp, striking features down to his dignified demeanor.

“I had no idea you were coming! It's so nice to see you!”

Katsuyuki shrugged. “I just finished a business lunch in town, figured I'd stop by.”

A dreamy awe lingered in his longing eyes. “Business lunch? That's so cool, Yuki.” Katsuyuki cocked his head to the side and smiled incredulously.

“... Is it?”

“Yeah! I've never had a business lunch. Or a business... Anything. It sounds fun.”

“It really isn't. I swear you think anything I do relating to business is exciting.”

“Because it is!”

Katsuyuki rolled his eyes. “You have no idea. I'll take you with me some time, see how fast you change your mind.” He knew it was just a joke, but the thought filled Yuanfei with a giddy energy regardless. A business lunch. With Katsuyuki, no less.

A man could dream.

“So, how's it's going for you here?”

“It's good! Well, as good as something like this can be.” Yuanfei smiled and shrugged. He was suddenly reminded of the gulf between their social standing, and was hit by a wave of self-consciousness. Sure, in Yaobudo, they were equals. In everything else... Yuanfei felt a little twinge of shame. He never wanted handouts, never longed to feed off his friend's high status – but still, he couldn't help but feel like a leech, even by mere association. Katsuyuki was far out of his league.

Yuanfei shook his head. "I mean, it's no business lunch, but it's better than my last job. Nice to finally be earning minimum wage, anyway." Yuanfei beamed, but that self-conscious knot still twisted his stomach. Even getting a little job like this had only possible with his friend's help. Katsuyuki wore a reserved smile again; beautiful, but distant. “Anyway, what can I get you?”

“Espresso. And-- what was it... a cappuccino with almond milk?”

Yuanfei punched the order into the terminal. “One espresso, and... one...”

Yuanfei bristled a little; that's right, Shanae had mentioned two customers. He was here with someone...? He briefly scanned the room - there, sitting alone at a two-seater table, someone new: a woman, maybe a little older than himself, with a dignified if not somewhat snobbish air. She looked down her nose at some of the quaint ornaments and condiments at her table, pushing them gently aside with an outstretched finger and an expression of mild disdain. She dusted off her hand and the area around herself with a napkin. Yuanfei couldn't help but feel slighted: he had just cleaned that table.

He continued to eye her; she was svelte and elegant, immaculately presented, with her hair swept back into a flawless bun and her figure accentuated by her fitted, flattering dress. It had to be her.

She was beautiful. His heart sunk a little.

… Was he jealous?

Probably best not to think about it.

“I'll bring your drinks over, Yuki.” He forced a smile; if nothing else, this job had been excellent practice for that. “You're on that table there with her, right? Lucky you. She's pretty.”

“Who, Bailey?” Katsuyuki's eyes narrowed in disapproval. "What, you like her or something?" His tone was overly flippant, coldly dismissive.

Yuanfei hesitated. “No, I just meant -- she seems nice.” There was a palpable awkwardness that he could tell he was only making worse. “I just mean I'm happy for you.” Katsuyuki's expression was one of disregard, but his stiff posture belied a pronounced discomfort. “I... I'm not trying to steal her from you, or anything like that. I wouldn't do that.” Katsuyuki quizzically frowned.

“'Steal'? The hell--?” Katsuyuki's mounting frustration dissolved in a moment of clarity. His face softened. “Ohh--no, no. She's my assistant.”

A deep shame gripped Yuanfei, and his face flushed. Nice one.

Katsuyuki rolled his eyes. “Christ, Fei, you're as stupid as Hunter sometimes.” Yuanfei nodded, eyes drifting away from Katsuyuki in embarrassment.

“I should... make your drinks.”