endless_scrolls (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
endless_scrolls) wrote2009-02-14 08:20 pm
endless_scrolls) wrote2009-02-14 08:20 pm
Entry tags:
Log: LS Service With a Smile
Title: Service with a Smile
Type: RP log
Fandom: AU!Naruto
Character(s): Tenten, Tsuchi Kin
Pairing(s): None
Warning(s): None
Disclaimer: I own only the part that I played in this.
Note: Log originally started for the![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
last_stretch RP comm, but never finished.
Dedicated to: ...Kin fans. Cuz there's not enough of her
It was not that she resented them for their complete destruction of what Tenten had considered a perfectly good coffee place. She understood the need to move on, actually. After a good number of years spent in friendly competition, Cafe Diem simply could no longer keep up with the growing popularity that Far and Wide Cafe had gained. In fact, in a gesture of good faith between the two rival coffee chains, the owner Cafe Diem had handed the property over to Far and Wide Cafe. And thus came the plans for expansion.
No, what Tenten was most miffed about was the fact that all the construction was blocking her usual view of the beautiful park across the street. That was the highlight of her day, especially after spending hours on her feet serving customer after customer without little more than ten minute breaks in between when it could be spared. But that was the price she had to pay for being one of the senior waitresses working there. Three years and counting, give or take a few months she had spent in transition.
Which brought Tenten back to her current state and disposition. In her hands she carried a tray full of plastic cups and a pitcher of water. They were for the construction workers who were working on the new expansions that were to be made on the cafe's new property. And according to her shift manager, it had become her job to ensure that they were well quenched and satisfied. Tch, just as long as they don't try to touch me, everyone would be adequately satisfied...
But someone had to do it. And as friendly as the most of the workers had been so far, Tenten was still wary. The other girls were still fairly new. She did not exactly trust any of them to handle themselves under the circumstances should a handful of men entertain the thought of getting fresh and frisky. So she swallowed her reservations and pushed opened the doors, taking the first step into the urban jungle of sweaty men. "Water break, guys!"
On one hand Kin thought she could see this in a positive light. She wouldn't have to work at that nasty cafe ever again with her horrendous boss who told her little to nothing or those coworkers who were often late. She wouldn't have to deal with moronic customers or irate shipment guys, mailmen, or any of the other things the girl hated to think about upon going to work. But, on the opposing hand this really wasn't an ideal situation. With Cafe Diem closing she now had no job, no source of income, and nothing to fill up that void in her days. Work gave her something to do other than sit on her ass and mix music or ring bells in choir. Earlier in the day she had passed a sign on a cork board for the a Capella group--they were having auditions or something. She'd considered it for about a millisecond.
Leaving her to stand on the sidewalk, Kin put her hands on her hips and looked up at the sign that would soon be taken down. "Bastard," she mused to herself as her hands moved from her hips, arms crossing. "I needs to be illegal to lay someone off without notice." It wasn't, she signed a contract with the company stating she could be fired for any purpose with or without being told a reason why. Nonetheless, she still found her "old" boss an incompetent moron who didn't know how to handle his own business. Maybe it really was for the best that he had been fired shortly after she had. Haha, pay back. Kin would have laughed if she knew. But she didn't, and instead she was headed in to Far and Wide for a hot drink. Damn, now she had to pay for her caffeine too. What luck this day had turned in to.
Upon walking in she saw a waitress bringing drinks over to men working at the wall that separated this business with the next. That was fast. It had hardly been a week and Kin only had ceased to work there as of today. Yesterday had been her final day, the last time she'd get a pay check from that place. Frowning, the long haired girl waited for the waitress to come back and take her order. She looked very gloomy about this whole thing, some people if nice enough, might even ask about it. Kin, by this point, may gladly complain about her manager's lack of skill and therefore her lack of job. Any time, really, she had no problem putting people she disliked down.
"Excuse me," Kin finally said after she felt she had waited far too long for a double shot.
A light brush of someone's hand along the curve of her behind had been all that it took before the tray came clattering to the floor. And in the next instance, the lewd offender was on his knees, crying out in pain and mercy. Nothing too violent and damaging, of course, because they would still need him to finish the expansion project. But it was enough to pose an adequate warning to anyone else from following his lead. That, she was beginning to understand, had been the reason Tochiro trusted no one else but Tenten to handle the construction workers.
"...Enjoy your water." And with that, she let the man free, flashing him a sweet smile afterwards just to add insult to injury before she went to pick up the tray.
It was a good thing that it had been empty when the incident happened. That the pitcher was in the hands of another while they poured themselves a glass to replenish their reserves after a hard day's work. Otherwise the damages in broken cups would have been taken out of her's pay. And Tenten needed every cent she earned to pay the bills. In that, the waitress mentally reprimanded herself for acting without thought. Without considering the possible consequences that might have come from that singular retaliation.
And only after all of the shuffling and all of the mumbles about what had happened died down, only then did she take notice of a customer. Or rather, the waitress heard what she could only think was annoyance in the young woman's voice as she attempted to catch Tenten's attention. When did she...? But such things were unimportant, she mused. "I'm sorry for keeping you waiting, miss. Welcome to Far and Wide Cafe. Where you can always get a taste of the world without leaving your seat. What can I get for you?"
That had to have been the lamest thing Kin had ever heard. Giving Tenten a look of shock, she waved it away and began to order her drink. "Do you have chocolate mocha mudslides?" she asked, not having seen it on the menu. Though she hadn't seen it, however, didn't mean she couldn't ask. Sometimes the icy treat went by a different name depending on the place--she just couldn't figure out which. there were far too many things up on that board for her to even consider ordering. Far too many things to try if she couldn't get the mudslide. Maybe she'd leave, go elsewhere, or just forget about it.
Glancing over her shoulder at the men working, she gave a smirk. "You really taught that jerk a lesson," she commented. It couldn't be helped. Tenten really had socked it to that one man, though she probably would have done the same. She probably would have lost her job on top of that, because she'd take it a step further. Kin was not the nicest girl in the pack, clearly. Therefore, she wholy approved of this girl who had to recite stupid phrases. At least for now, anyway.
"By the way," Kin ripped off while she had Tenten's attention. "Are you hiring? I just got laid off from next door." Kin didn't have a problem with sharing. If you had a problem with it, she had a problem with you. Until then all was well and peace was within her world.
"Hm. I've dealt with far worse." Doing little to hide the smirk spreading across her face, she paused a moment to finally regard the new customer. Her face was not familiar at all, meaning that she truly was a new customer. We've been getting more and more of those lately... Then again, with Cafe Diem closing next door, it was only a matter of time before loyal patrons would be forced to grace Far and Wide with their presence. So, maybe it was a good thing that they were making additions to the establishment. Even despite bringing in the unfavorable characters littering the construction business. "The mistake he and everyone else usually makes was thinking I couldn't handle myself and wouldn't retaliate against them. But enough about me..."
Sure, speaking with the customers and developing a good, though brief, relationship with them was part of her job description as a waitress there. But there was a fine line between friendly and just too much information. Especially with the setting they in. No one needed to learn her life story. They just wanted her to bring them coffee.
However, any sort of reply she might have given to other's first question about the mudslide went out the window in favor of her inquiries about a job. "Wait...you're a Cafe Diem employee? Or...should I say, ex-employee..."
Shifting on her feet, Kin put her hands on the counter and leaned on them. "Lead hostess," she snapped simply. She didn't really want to discuss it, she just wanted a job application and move on with her life. Her parents would be bullshit if she went home without having even tried to get a new place of employment. They'd probably shit a brick or pitch a fit. Neither of which the girl wanted to deal with. Sighing, her eyes turned back to Tenten as a strand of hair fell over her shoulder.
"Mudslide, hiring, yes or no?" she prompted. Rude, but again she hadn't meant it. Kin was just too frank and forward for her own good. "I have things to do, jobs not to go to, you understand." She frowned, tired of this. Really all she wanted to do was sit down with her mocha and suck it down without a second thought. She didn't want to do much of anything today. There had been far better days than this, and yet there had been far, far worse as well.
The manner in which she had corrected her -- there really was nothing to correct, though, considering Tenten had said 'employee' instead of waitress or anything that could have been construed as demeaning -- only caused the other girl to quirk her brow curiously. She could understand the frustrations and general irritability that came with losing a job. But Tenten was not the source of the other's problem and thus should not be on the receiving end of her contained fury.
However, the waitress had better control on her emotions (at least she hoped so after all these years dealing with Naruto, Lee, and Kiba) and thus remained calm under the circumstances, only letting in a sliver of annoyance while she spoke. "Didn't your boss tell you anything?" Obviously not, she thought, judging from the the other's determination in finding out of they were hiring or not. "Far and Wide Cafe is offering former employees of Cafe Diem positions here, both temporary and more full-term. Just talk with the manager over there about it and he'll set something up for you if you'd like."
That done, Tenten readied her pen and note pad, prepared to take down the order the moment it was confirmed. "And to answer your other question, yes, we have chocolate mocha mudslides. It's called an Arctic Avalanche though cuz ours is made with white chocolate, instead. Is that alright?"
White chocolate? Was she serious? Kin frowned at the offer and sighed, shaking her head. "Just give me whatever you have with as much milk chocolate in it." Her weakness laid out in front of Tenten just like that. Kin didn't really care, no one figured it out. Only one person had, a now ex-boyfriend, and he used it fully to his advantage. Not that she minded. Chocolate was chocolate. Chocolate with boys was like some kind of sin--boy had she indulged.
At least the place was offering employment, thought Kin on the bright side. Even a new job meant money coming in, feeding her few bills that she had to pitch in for. Though she had to wonder if she'd be paid the same thing she'd been making beforehand. Back at Cafe Diem she had made more money than any other part-time staff member there, having worked the longest of them. Of course the older members or full-time persons made more than she, Kin still had a good salary coming in.
It was never a good feeling to see disappointment in a customer's face. In anyone's face, really. Even on those she hardly knew. Tenten was the sort of person who enjoyed seeing others happy, sometimes even at the expense of her own wants or needs. Karma. Put out enough good in the world and it would eventually spread come back to reward you. At least, that was the principle she had developed and followed.
So when Kin expressed, in not so many words, her discontent of their Arctic Avalanche substitute, Tenten's spirits took a little nose dive. However, the other had provided an easy solution to this, one that the young waitress would take full advantage of. Now which one of our drinks has the most milk chocolate in it?... "That would be our popular Zebra drink, a type of cafe mocha mixed with two different types of chocolate syrup."
Ever with a customary smile on her face, she jotted down the order, trusting that it was a sufficient enough substitute for the mudslide. "Would you like something to eat with that? We serve a variety of pastries, too, if you'd like."
Well it was nice to know someone cared about service as much as she did, though Kin showed it far less. She shifted on her feet and glanced at the menu before shaking her head. "No," said the long haired young woman as she glanced around the cafe afterward. "The Zebra What's-It is fine." When her eyes came back to Tenten she gave a small smirk before opening up her wallet that was stashed in her back pocket of her gray cargo's. It was black, leather, with a thin purple stripe down the center going the short way rather than the long. Opening the folds, she awaited being told the price.
Kin had not worked the floor or counter for two years and she was definitely not looking forward to doing it again. She had practically begged (only Kin never begged) to be put on as hostess. While working at the door wasn't nearly as exciting as anything else in the store, she liked it. Rarely did she actually like doing things in public or for people, aside from her night job as a DJ, but there was a certain amount of pleasure she found in being the first and last person someone saw when they came into or left the cafe. She preferred DJing better. Getting people pumped, watching them jump around and dance, have a good time. Kin had a good heart somewhere inside, one just had to dig around to find it.
"Alright then. Let me just get your order filled out." Normally, she would simply pass off the order to someone else to gather and filled, leaving Tenten free to chat it up with the customer and ensure that their wait was not long or boring. But they were dealing with a din-in patrons, and a good number of workers had already called in sick. Tch, yeah, right. Sick my ass...
Of course, every and all employees were trained in mixing the various drinks that they served there. However, things just ran faster with assigned waitresses taking the orders and better qualified people working behind the counter. Oh well. Nothing could be done about it now.
"So...what's the verdict?" Tenten inquired while she waited for the mocha to mix, "Would you be interested in the job here, then?"
Watching Tenten move about, make her drink right behind the counter, Kin wondered herself where other employees had gone to. There weren't that many people in the shop, not by her standards anyway. The must have called out. Pity. With luck she'd take one of their jobs, seeing as they weren't here. Sure, some of them were sick. But how many really just didn't want to come in? How many were playing hooky? Kin wanted to bet quite a few.
"Depends on the pay and benefits," she replied honestly. If this waitress wanted to know she would tell her. There were no secrets with Kin. Well, there were a few, but most things were generally out in the open. If people didn't want to know the answer they shouldn't have asked in the first place. "I guess I'll see the manager after my drink and find out?" Head tilting to the side just lightly, she gave another smirk at Tenten. "Why? Excited to have fresh meat hanging about?" The girl behind the counter would be sorely mistaken if she thought Kin was a pushover. Hopefully she was smarter than that and could, at least, see Kin as some kind of equal at work. Outside was a whole new matter entirely.
Granted, Tochiro was generally a nice guy, understanding and considerate to his employees. Tenten certainly would not want any one else to be her shift manager. But the downside to having such an easy-going boss was that he could and more than likely would be easily taken advantage of. The end result? The poor display of work ethic the young waitress had ever seen in her short lifetime. Half the workers were gone and shirking off their duties the moment something better popped up in their schedule, leaving behind those who actually earned their pay.
"Considering you worked for Cafe Diem, I'd hardly think you could be labeled as fresh meat," she admitted, "I hear CD tended to hold on to their more qualified workers for as long as possible, so the fact that you were still working there til the end says something about your dedication to staying employed, at least."
She offered a smile to indicate that the comment was in good fun in addition to being a compliment of sorts. Tenten did not know this girl, after all, and anything said between them could be taking the wrong way because of the lack of familiarity in each others personalities. "So what's your name?"
Not one to deny where she would earn praise, Kin gave a small smirk as she shrugged her shoulder. She'd at least try to be modest about it. "Well, I guess not." As she spoke her eyes scanned over the men working at the side of the building. "Damn," she mused. "They make a mess." Kin had never seen such construction workers making such a bomb-like state around them. "I think you need to hire new workers."
Turning back to Tenten, having been speaking while she spoke, though hearing, her head tilted just a click to the left. Within her dark eyes there was a somewhat proud light, even if she had hated working at Cafe Diem. She was still a good employee. Unfortunately, hosting was something she was good at. Though it had been forever since she'd worked a counter.
"I worked there forever and a freaking day," said Kin. "Pain in the rear, but whatever. It paid and I actually didn't get fired." Another shrug, larger and used in a "whatever" sense. She wasn't offended--she didn't really care. "Tsuchi Kin, you?" May as well get to know this girl, they'd probably be working together more often than not in the coming weeks. If Tenten were also a university student Kin had little doubt they'd work on similar shifts.
"Tenten. And hey, a job is a job, even if it was a terrible one." She did not bother to shake the other's hand. Something told her that she was not the type for it unless highly motivated. And besides, in the middle of a coffee shop was hardly the time to go through formal introductions. If this Kin was serious about a job and was considering taking up a position at Far and Wide Cafe, there would be plenty of time later for proprieties. "If it helps pay the bills and tuition, all the better for it."
The flashing light on the machine indicated that it was time to move on and add the actual milk to the drink.
"The pay's pretty good here, just so you know," Tenten continued on, "Gets better as you climb up through the ranks and outlast the drifters."
And by 'drifters,' she meant those who were only here for a quick pay instead of those looking to gain a steady income. The ones who were merely around for the life experience of working while they relied on their parents to give them financial security. Meanwhile? The rest of them toughed it out for the real life experience. On any given day, Tenten could easily lose her apartment and the means to pay for a worth-while education if she lost her job. Them? They had their lives planned out and paved with money since birth.
"As for those guys," she added with a nod towards the construction workers, "They're supposed to only be here for another few weeks. Then we'll never have to see them again save for the occasional construction work they sometimes do across the street at the park." Here, she pointed a small smirk in Kin's direction. "They're not the sort to indulge in coffee or tea."
This girl was right. A job was a job no matter how good or bad it may be. It brought in the money. The only truly bad part about all of this was that Kin no longer had the job. Sure, this place may be accepting positions and hiring from Cafe Diem, but that didn't mean she'd get said job. While Kin had worked there longer than most, mangers varied and had different ideas of what kind of employee they wanted. Not to mention Kin wasn't that great with people. Hosting meant she was with them for only a short amount of time. She said hello, asked how many, took them to a seat, and left the patrons with a few laminated menu's. There were reasons why she'd been put at the door and not at the counter. Hopefully this guy would understand that and give her something less customer orientated.
But then The Far and Wide Cafe seemed to do things differently. There was no hostess to seat people; one just walked on in and asked for a drink. Cafe Diem was a little more diner-ish, if that made sense to anyone at all. Kin wasn't even sure what to call it. She only knew what she did at the place. Nonetheless, she had to push all of that aside and try starting new and fresh. Give things a chance. It had been two years since she worked a counter, maybe she was better with people now.
God, a piece of her somewhere inside really hoped so. Kin was screwed otherwise.
"Good to know, thanks," replied the long haired girl with a planning sort of smirk. More money was good money. It meant more things, more equipment like CDs and records. Yes, Kin bought records. Scratched the hell out of them unless they were good antiques. Then she'd keep them nice and safe or not buy them at all. Only get the disks that were in poor shape and minimize the chance of having wasted your money.
"I'd prefer not to see them again," said Kin with her back to them. They were like some terrible reminder that her bad job had actually come to an untimely end. They weren't so bad otherwise--aside from their rude behavior. A large part of her wanted to walk over and see what they'd do just so she could smack them around. She had a good reason to be angry and want to hit something anyway. Yet that would probably reflect badly on herself as a possible future employee. So she merely watched the girl make her drink with some anticipation. White chocolate wasn't that bad.
"No problem." She would have said more, explained that there were more positions available at Far and Away Cafe than there were at Cafe Diem. At least that was what they told her. Sure, there was no need for a hostess at a place where you simply had to seat yourself or order at the counter. But if working behind the register or waiting tables was not her cup of tea, so to speak, then there were plenty of jobs in the back that might satisfy Kin's preferences. Baker perhaps? They were always open to hiring bakers with an eye for desserts and a daring drive to try new recipes. How could a business progress and become popular without unconventional employees willing to experiment and take risks for the sake of the business.
Or maybe some other position equally lacking in customer interaction. But that would be divulging too much, especially during their first meeting. Something about it just seemed...rude. And Tenten already had a feeling that she was slowly working her way through the other girl's nerves. Maybe it was her imagination, but she would rather not risk it, particularly with the prospects of hiring someone that would actually work instead of constantly asking for days off and/or endlessly trading shifts in order to accommodate their party schedules.
As for Kin's comments on the construction workers, Tenten decidedly kept her mouth shut on that matter. Better not to say anything if there was nothing good to say as the old adage went, or something like that. And in all honesty, the young waitress had her fill of them as well. Granted, a small number of them were at least considerate and thankful for the kindness everyone at Far and Wide Cafe had shown them. But that did not make up for the majority. Not even close. "Aaand...here's your Zebra. Will there be anything else, miss?"
Maybe, thought Kin, she'd get bonus points for going to talk to the manager with one of his store's drinks already in hand. Inwardly she smirked while watching Tenten. There was nothing exciting here to look at, but the girl had some strange hair going on. Was it really necessary to do that? Kin was no fashion expert, but buns were so out. Not that she cared, it just happened to be one of the many thoughts floating by. Tenten didn't seem too keen on speaking with her at the time, probably something she said. Great. While she didn't particularly care if her coworkers liked her, it was a good idea not to be hated.
At least she could work in the back--the option was usually available because no one really wanted to work in the back. The air got stuffy sometimes, or one got tired of seeing the same thing day after day. Guests changed it up a little bit while the background remained consistent. A balance, if you will. Kin liked balance and knew a lot about the theory when it came to music. She hated when there was more bass than anything else, or if the left speaker had less sound coming out of it. Kin could tell with only a few seconds of a song being on. Not that that was any kind of skill she could take to the bank just yet, but maybe with time.
"Thanks," she finally said with a toss of her hand putting a fallen strand of hair behind her right shoulder. Taking up the drink, she opened the lid at the perforated line, wafted the scent of chocolate, then took a sip. Her tongue licked a bit off of her lip before she nodded with a small, pleased smile. "Not too bad," she commented. That was about as much as anyone would get from her upon a first meeting unless something was really astounding or she was being sarcastic. "Nothing else, what do I owe you?" Kin put down the cup and reached for the wallet in the back pocket of her cargos. "And is your manager actually here? I guess I'll talk to him." May as well.
Needless to say that through the years, especially after officially moving here to Japan from China, a good many people had commented on her choice of hairstyle. It was nothing out of the ordinary and something Tenten had grown to expect of the people simply because it gave her a distinct identity. Whether that was a good or a bad thing depended on what day you asked her. Most days, it was unimportant and simply a passing thought. But other days, they were a constant reminder that she was still somewhat of a foreigner here, a non-native who was thousands of miles away from any blood relatives.
Not that there was any need to have any in close proximity. Tenten had practically been on her own since she was a teenager attending one of the more prestigious boarding school in Japan.
So when she caught Kin eyeing her head for a brief moment, she said nothing of it and simply rung up the price total of the other's order, a friendly grin ever present. "I'm glad you enjoy it. It's one of our more popular drinks." Service with a smile. Always a good thing to have for potential returning customers. "That'll be $5.20." A bit more pricy than other places, perhaps. But that was the toll they had to pay in order to ensure that they could provide their customers with the wide variety of choices from around the world, blends that could not be find anywhere else.
"As for my manager, he's in his office right now," Tenten continued, "I can go get him as soon as we're done here if you'd like."
Type: RP log
Fandom: AU!Naruto
Character(s): Tenten, Tsuchi Kin
Pairing(s): None
Warning(s): None
Disclaimer: I own only the part that I played in this.
Note: Log originally started for the
last_stretch RP comm, but never finished. Dedicated to: ...Kin fans. Cuz there's not enough of her
It was not that she resented them for their complete destruction of what Tenten had considered a perfectly good coffee place. She understood the need to move on, actually. After a good number of years spent in friendly competition, Cafe Diem simply could no longer keep up with the growing popularity that Far and Wide Cafe had gained. In fact, in a gesture of good faith between the two rival coffee chains, the owner Cafe Diem had handed the property over to Far and Wide Cafe. And thus came the plans for expansion.
No, what Tenten was most miffed about was the fact that all the construction was blocking her usual view of the beautiful park across the street. That was the highlight of her day, especially after spending hours on her feet serving customer after customer without little more than ten minute breaks in between when it could be spared. But that was the price she had to pay for being one of the senior waitresses working there. Three years and counting, give or take a few months she had spent in transition.
Which brought Tenten back to her current state and disposition. In her hands she carried a tray full of plastic cups and a pitcher of water. They were for the construction workers who were working on the new expansions that were to be made on the cafe's new property. And according to her shift manager, it had become her job to ensure that they were well quenched and satisfied. Tch, just as long as they don't try to touch me, everyone would be adequately satisfied...
But someone had to do it. And as friendly as the most of the workers had been so far, Tenten was still wary. The other girls were still fairly new. She did not exactly trust any of them to handle themselves under the circumstances should a handful of men entertain the thought of getting fresh and frisky. So she swallowed her reservations and pushed opened the doors, taking the first step into the urban jungle of sweaty men. "Water break, guys!"
On one hand Kin thought she could see this in a positive light. She wouldn't have to work at that nasty cafe ever again with her horrendous boss who told her little to nothing or those coworkers who were often late. She wouldn't have to deal with moronic customers or irate shipment guys, mailmen, or any of the other things the girl hated to think about upon going to work. But, on the opposing hand this really wasn't an ideal situation. With Cafe Diem closing she now had no job, no source of income, and nothing to fill up that void in her days. Work gave her something to do other than sit on her ass and mix music or ring bells in choir. Earlier in the day she had passed a sign on a cork board for the a Capella group--they were having auditions or something. She'd considered it for about a millisecond.
Leaving her to stand on the sidewalk, Kin put her hands on her hips and looked up at the sign that would soon be taken down. "Bastard," she mused to herself as her hands moved from her hips, arms crossing. "I needs to be illegal to lay someone off without notice." It wasn't, she signed a contract with the company stating she could be fired for any purpose with or without being told a reason why. Nonetheless, she still found her "old" boss an incompetent moron who didn't know how to handle his own business. Maybe it really was for the best that he had been fired shortly after she had. Haha, pay back. Kin would have laughed if she knew. But she didn't, and instead she was headed in to Far and Wide for a hot drink. Damn, now she had to pay for her caffeine too. What luck this day had turned in to.
Upon walking in she saw a waitress bringing drinks over to men working at the wall that separated this business with the next. That was fast. It had hardly been a week and Kin only had ceased to work there as of today. Yesterday had been her final day, the last time she'd get a pay check from that place. Frowning, the long haired girl waited for the waitress to come back and take her order. She looked very gloomy about this whole thing, some people if nice enough, might even ask about it. Kin, by this point, may gladly complain about her manager's lack of skill and therefore her lack of job. Any time, really, she had no problem putting people she disliked down.
"Excuse me," Kin finally said after she felt she had waited far too long for a double shot.
A light brush of someone's hand along the curve of her behind had been all that it took before the tray came clattering to the floor. And in the next instance, the lewd offender was on his knees, crying out in pain and mercy. Nothing too violent and damaging, of course, because they would still need him to finish the expansion project. But it was enough to pose an adequate warning to anyone else from following his lead. That, she was beginning to understand, had been the reason Tochiro trusted no one else but Tenten to handle the construction workers.
"...Enjoy your water." And with that, she let the man free, flashing him a sweet smile afterwards just to add insult to injury before she went to pick up the tray.
It was a good thing that it had been empty when the incident happened. That the pitcher was in the hands of another while they poured themselves a glass to replenish their reserves after a hard day's work. Otherwise the damages in broken cups would have been taken out of her's pay. And Tenten needed every cent she earned to pay the bills. In that, the waitress mentally reprimanded herself for acting without thought. Without considering the possible consequences that might have come from that singular retaliation.
And only after all of the shuffling and all of the mumbles about what had happened died down, only then did she take notice of a customer. Or rather, the waitress heard what she could only think was annoyance in the young woman's voice as she attempted to catch Tenten's attention. When did she...? But such things were unimportant, she mused. "I'm sorry for keeping you waiting, miss. Welcome to Far and Wide Cafe. Where you can always get a taste of the world without leaving your seat. What can I get for you?"
That had to have been the lamest thing Kin had ever heard. Giving Tenten a look of shock, she waved it away and began to order her drink. "Do you have chocolate mocha mudslides?" she asked, not having seen it on the menu. Though she hadn't seen it, however, didn't mean she couldn't ask. Sometimes the icy treat went by a different name depending on the place--she just couldn't figure out which. there were far too many things up on that board for her to even consider ordering. Far too many things to try if she couldn't get the mudslide. Maybe she'd leave, go elsewhere, or just forget about it.
Glancing over her shoulder at the men working, she gave a smirk. "You really taught that jerk a lesson," she commented. It couldn't be helped. Tenten really had socked it to that one man, though she probably would have done the same. She probably would have lost her job on top of that, because she'd take it a step further. Kin was not the nicest girl in the pack, clearly. Therefore, she wholy approved of this girl who had to recite stupid phrases. At least for now, anyway.
"By the way," Kin ripped off while she had Tenten's attention. "Are you hiring? I just got laid off from next door." Kin didn't have a problem with sharing. If you had a problem with it, she had a problem with you. Until then all was well and peace was within her world.
"Hm. I've dealt with far worse." Doing little to hide the smirk spreading across her face, she paused a moment to finally regard the new customer. Her face was not familiar at all, meaning that she truly was a new customer. We've been getting more and more of those lately... Then again, with Cafe Diem closing next door, it was only a matter of time before loyal patrons would be forced to grace Far and Wide with their presence. So, maybe it was a good thing that they were making additions to the establishment. Even despite bringing in the unfavorable characters littering the construction business. "The mistake he and everyone else usually makes was thinking I couldn't handle myself and wouldn't retaliate against them. But enough about me..."
Sure, speaking with the customers and developing a good, though brief, relationship with them was part of her job description as a waitress there. But there was a fine line between friendly and just too much information. Especially with the setting they in. No one needed to learn her life story. They just wanted her to bring them coffee.
However, any sort of reply she might have given to other's first question about the mudslide went out the window in favor of her inquiries about a job. "Wait...you're a Cafe Diem employee? Or...should I say, ex-employee..."
Shifting on her feet, Kin put her hands on the counter and leaned on them. "Lead hostess," she snapped simply. She didn't really want to discuss it, she just wanted a job application and move on with her life. Her parents would be bullshit if she went home without having even tried to get a new place of employment. They'd probably shit a brick or pitch a fit. Neither of which the girl wanted to deal with. Sighing, her eyes turned back to Tenten as a strand of hair fell over her shoulder.
"Mudslide, hiring, yes or no?" she prompted. Rude, but again she hadn't meant it. Kin was just too frank and forward for her own good. "I have things to do, jobs not to go to, you understand." She frowned, tired of this. Really all she wanted to do was sit down with her mocha and suck it down without a second thought. She didn't want to do much of anything today. There had been far better days than this, and yet there had been far, far worse as well.
The manner in which she had corrected her -- there really was nothing to correct, though, considering Tenten had said 'employee' instead of waitress or anything that could have been construed as demeaning -- only caused the other girl to quirk her brow curiously. She could understand the frustrations and general irritability that came with losing a job. But Tenten was not the source of the other's problem and thus should not be on the receiving end of her contained fury.
However, the waitress had better control on her emotions (at least she hoped so after all these years dealing with Naruto, Lee, and Kiba) and thus remained calm under the circumstances, only letting in a sliver of annoyance while she spoke. "Didn't your boss tell you anything?" Obviously not, she thought, judging from the the other's determination in finding out of they were hiring or not. "Far and Wide Cafe is offering former employees of Cafe Diem positions here, both temporary and more full-term. Just talk with the manager over there about it and he'll set something up for you if you'd like."
That done, Tenten readied her pen and note pad, prepared to take down the order the moment it was confirmed. "And to answer your other question, yes, we have chocolate mocha mudslides. It's called an Arctic Avalanche though cuz ours is made with white chocolate, instead. Is that alright?"
White chocolate? Was she serious? Kin frowned at the offer and sighed, shaking her head. "Just give me whatever you have with as much milk chocolate in it." Her weakness laid out in front of Tenten just like that. Kin didn't really care, no one figured it out. Only one person had, a now ex-boyfriend, and he used it fully to his advantage. Not that she minded. Chocolate was chocolate. Chocolate with boys was like some kind of sin--boy had she indulged.
At least the place was offering employment, thought Kin on the bright side. Even a new job meant money coming in, feeding her few bills that she had to pitch in for. Though she had to wonder if she'd be paid the same thing she'd been making beforehand. Back at Cafe Diem she had made more money than any other part-time staff member there, having worked the longest of them. Of course the older members or full-time persons made more than she, Kin still had a good salary coming in.
It was never a good feeling to see disappointment in a customer's face. In anyone's face, really. Even on those she hardly knew. Tenten was the sort of person who enjoyed seeing others happy, sometimes even at the expense of her own wants or needs. Karma. Put out enough good in the world and it would eventually spread come back to reward you. At least, that was the principle she had developed and followed.
So when Kin expressed, in not so many words, her discontent of their Arctic Avalanche substitute, Tenten's spirits took a little nose dive. However, the other had provided an easy solution to this, one that the young waitress would take full advantage of. Now which one of our drinks has the most milk chocolate in it?... "That would be our popular Zebra drink, a type of cafe mocha mixed with two different types of chocolate syrup."
Ever with a customary smile on her face, she jotted down the order, trusting that it was a sufficient enough substitute for the mudslide. "Would you like something to eat with that? We serve a variety of pastries, too, if you'd like."
Well it was nice to know someone cared about service as much as she did, though Kin showed it far less. She shifted on her feet and glanced at the menu before shaking her head. "No," said the long haired young woman as she glanced around the cafe afterward. "The Zebra What's-It is fine." When her eyes came back to Tenten she gave a small smirk before opening up her wallet that was stashed in her back pocket of her gray cargo's. It was black, leather, with a thin purple stripe down the center going the short way rather than the long. Opening the folds, she awaited being told the price.
Kin had not worked the floor or counter for two years and she was definitely not looking forward to doing it again. She had practically begged (only Kin never begged) to be put on as hostess. While working at the door wasn't nearly as exciting as anything else in the store, she liked it. Rarely did she actually like doing things in public or for people, aside from her night job as a DJ, but there was a certain amount of pleasure she found in being the first and last person someone saw when they came into or left the cafe. She preferred DJing better. Getting people pumped, watching them jump around and dance, have a good time. Kin had a good heart somewhere inside, one just had to dig around to find it.
"Alright then. Let me just get your order filled out." Normally, she would simply pass off the order to someone else to gather and filled, leaving Tenten free to chat it up with the customer and ensure that their wait was not long or boring. But they were dealing with a din-in patrons, and a good number of workers had already called in sick. Tch, yeah, right. Sick my ass...
Of course, every and all employees were trained in mixing the various drinks that they served there. However, things just ran faster with assigned waitresses taking the orders and better qualified people working behind the counter. Oh well. Nothing could be done about it now.
"So...what's the verdict?" Tenten inquired while she waited for the mocha to mix, "Would you be interested in the job here, then?"
Watching Tenten move about, make her drink right behind the counter, Kin wondered herself where other employees had gone to. There weren't that many people in the shop, not by her standards anyway. The must have called out. Pity. With luck she'd take one of their jobs, seeing as they weren't here. Sure, some of them were sick. But how many really just didn't want to come in? How many were playing hooky? Kin wanted to bet quite a few.
"Depends on the pay and benefits," she replied honestly. If this waitress wanted to know she would tell her. There were no secrets with Kin. Well, there were a few, but most things were generally out in the open. If people didn't want to know the answer they shouldn't have asked in the first place. "I guess I'll see the manager after my drink and find out?" Head tilting to the side just lightly, she gave another smirk at Tenten. "Why? Excited to have fresh meat hanging about?" The girl behind the counter would be sorely mistaken if she thought Kin was a pushover. Hopefully she was smarter than that and could, at least, see Kin as some kind of equal at work. Outside was a whole new matter entirely.
Granted, Tochiro was generally a nice guy, understanding and considerate to his employees. Tenten certainly would not want any one else to be her shift manager. But the downside to having such an easy-going boss was that he could and more than likely would be easily taken advantage of. The end result? The poor display of work ethic the young waitress had ever seen in her short lifetime. Half the workers were gone and shirking off their duties the moment something better popped up in their schedule, leaving behind those who actually earned their pay.
"Considering you worked for Cafe Diem, I'd hardly think you could be labeled as fresh meat," she admitted, "I hear CD tended to hold on to their more qualified workers for as long as possible, so the fact that you were still working there til the end says something about your dedication to staying employed, at least."
She offered a smile to indicate that the comment was in good fun in addition to being a compliment of sorts. Tenten did not know this girl, after all, and anything said between them could be taking the wrong way because of the lack of familiarity in each others personalities. "So what's your name?"
Not one to deny where she would earn praise, Kin gave a small smirk as she shrugged her shoulder. She'd at least try to be modest about it. "Well, I guess not." As she spoke her eyes scanned over the men working at the side of the building. "Damn," she mused. "They make a mess." Kin had never seen such construction workers making such a bomb-like state around them. "I think you need to hire new workers."
Turning back to Tenten, having been speaking while she spoke, though hearing, her head tilted just a click to the left. Within her dark eyes there was a somewhat proud light, even if she had hated working at Cafe Diem. She was still a good employee. Unfortunately, hosting was something she was good at. Though it had been forever since she'd worked a counter.
"I worked there forever and a freaking day," said Kin. "Pain in the rear, but whatever. It paid and I actually didn't get fired." Another shrug, larger and used in a "whatever" sense. She wasn't offended--she didn't really care. "Tsuchi Kin, you?" May as well get to know this girl, they'd probably be working together more often than not in the coming weeks. If Tenten were also a university student Kin had little doubt they'd work on similar shifts.
"Tenten. And hey, a job is a job, even if it was a terrible one." She did not bother to shake the other's hand. Something told her that she was not the type for it unless highly motivated. And besides, in the middle of a coffee shop was hardly the time to go through formal introductions. If this Kin was serious about a job and was considering taking up a position at Far and Wide Cafe, there would be plenty of time later for proprieties. "If it helps pay the bills and tuition, all the better for it."
The flashing light on the machine indicated that it was time to move on and add the actual milk to the drink.
"The pay's pretty good here, just so you know," Tenten continued on, "Gets better as you climb up through the ranks and outlast the drifters."
And by 'drifters,' she meant those who were only here for a quick pay instead of those looking to gain a steady income. The ones who were merely around for the life experience of working while they relied on their parents to give them financial security. Meanwhile? The rest of them toughed it out for the real life experience. On any given day, Tenten could easily lose her apartment and the means to pay for a worth-while education if she lost her job. Them? They had their lives planned out and paved with money since birth.
"As for those guys," she added with a nod towards the construction workers, "They're supposed to only be here for another few weeks. Then we'll never have to see them again save for the occasional construction work they sometimes do across the street at the park." Here, she pointed a small smirk in Kin's direction. "They're not the sort to indulge in coffee or tea."
This girl was right. A job was a job no matter how good or bad it may be. It brought in the money. The only truly bad part about all of this was that Kin no longer had the job. Sure, this place may be accepting positions and hiring from Cafe Diem, but that didn't mean she'd get said job. While Kin had worked there longer than most, mangers varied and had different ideas of what kind of employee they wanted. Not to mention Kin wasn't that great with people. Hosting meant she was with them for only a short amount of time. She said hello, asked how many, took them to a seat, and left the patrons with a few laminated menu's. There were reasons why she'd been put at the door and not at the counter. Hopefully this guy would understand that and give her something less customer orientated.
But then The Far and Wide Cafe seemed to do things differently. There was no hostess to seat people; one just walked on in and asked for a drink. Cafe Diem was a little more diner-ish, if that made sense to anyone at all. Kin wasn't even sure what to call it. She only knew what she did at the place. Nonetheless, she had to push all of that aside and try starting new and fresh. Give things a chance. It had been two years since she worked a counter, maybe she was better with people now.
God, a piece of her somewhere inside really hoped so. Kin was screwed otherwise.
"Good to know, thanks," replied the long haired girl with a planning sort of smirk. More money was good money. It meant more things, more equipment like CDs and records. Yes, Kin bought records. Scratched the hell out of them unless they were good antiques. Then she'd keep them nice and safe or not buy them at all. Only get the disks that were in poor shape and minimize the chance of having wasted your money.
"I'd prefer not to see them again," said Kin with her back to them. They were like some terrible reminder that her bad job had actually come to an untimely end. They weren't so bad otherwise--aside from their rude behavior. A large part of her wanted to walk over and see what they'd do just so she could smack them around. She had a good reason to be angry and want to hit something anyway. Yet that would probably reflect badly on herself as a possible future employee. So she merely watched the girl make her drink with some anticipation. White chocolate wasn't that bad.
"No problem." She would have said more, explained that there were more positions available at Far and Away Cafe than there were at Cafe Diem. At least that was what they told her. Sure, there was no need for a hostess at a place where you simply had to seat yourself or order at the counter. But if working behind the register or waiting tables was not her cup of tea, so to speak, then there were plenty of jobs in the back that might satisfy Kin's preferences. Baker perhaps? They were always open to hiring bakers with an eye for desserts and a daring drive to try new recipes. How could a business progress and become popular without unconventional employees willing to experiment and take risks for the sake of the business.
Or maybe some other position equally lacking in customer interaction. But that would be divulging too much, especially during their first meeting. Something about it just seemed...rude. And Tenten already had a feeling that she was slowly working her way through the other girl's nerves. Maybe it was her imagination, but she would rather not risk it, particularly with the prospects of hiring someone that would actually work instead of constantly asking for days off and/or endlessly trading shifts in order to accommodate their party schedules.
As for Kin's comments on the construction workers, Tenten decidedly kept her mouth shut on that matter. Better not to say anything if there was nothing good to say as the old adage went, or something like that. And in all honesty, the young waitress had her fill of them as well. Granted, a small number of them were at least considerate and thankful for the kindness everyone at Far and Wide Cafe had shown them. But that did not make up for the majority. Not even close. "Aaand...here's your Zebra. Will there be anything else, miss?"
Maybe, thought Kin, she'd get bonus points for going to talk to the manager with one of his store's drinks already in hand. Inwardly she smirked while watching Tenten. There was nothing exciting here to look at, but the girl had some strange hair going on. Was it really necessary to do that? Kin was no fashion expert, but buns were so out. Not that she cared, it just happened to be one of the many thoughts floating by. Tenten didn't seem too keen on speaking with her at the time, probably something she said. Great. While she didn't particularly care if her coworkers liked her, it was a good idea not to be hated.
At least she could work in the back--the option was usually available because no one really wanted to work in the back. The air got stuffy sometimes, or one got tired of seeing the same thing day after day. Guests changed it up a little bit while the background remained consistent. A balance, if you will. Kin liked balance and knew a lot about the theory when it came to music. She hated when there was more bass than anything else, or if the left speaker had less sound coming out of it. Kin could tell with only a few seconds of a song being on. Not that that was any kind of skill she could take to the bank just yet, but maybe with time.
"Thanks," she finally said with a toss of her hand putting a fallen strand of hair behind her right shoulder. Taking up the drink, she opened the lid at the perforated line, wafted the scent of chocolate, then took a sip. Her tongue licked a bit off of her lip before she nodded with a small, pleased smile. "Not too bad," she commented. That was about as much as anyone would get from her upon a first meeting unless something was really astounding or she was being sarcastic. "Nothing else, what do I owe you?" Kin put down the cup and reached for the wallet in the back pocket of her cargos. "And is your manager actually here? I guess I'll talk to him." May as well.
Needless to say that through the years, especially after officially moving here to Japan from China, a good many people had commented on her choice of hairstyle. It was nothing out of the ordinary and something Tenten had grown to expect of the people simply because it gave her a distinct identity. Whether that was a good or a bad thing depended on what day you asked her. Most days, it was unimportant and simply a passing thought. But other days, they were a constant reminder that she was still somewhat of a foreigner here, a non-native who was thousands of miles away from any blood relatives.
Not that there was any need to have any in close proximity. Tenten had practically been on her own since she was a teenager attending one of the more prestigious boarding school in Japan.
So when she caught Kin eyeing her head for a brief moment, she said nothing of it and simply rung up the price total of the other's order, a friendly grin ever present. "I'm glad you enjoy it. It's one of our more popular drinks." Service with a smile. Always a good thing to have for potential returning customers. "That'll be $5.20." A bit more pricy than other places, perhaps. But that was the toll they had to pay in order to ensure that they could provide their customers with the wide variety of choices from around the world, blends that could not be find anywhere else.
"As for my manager, he's in his office right now," Tenten continued, "I can go get him as soon as we're done here if you'd like."