When the Moon Reaches Out to the Stars

It'd been a little while since Sojiro left his young protegé in charge of Leblanc, departing with the intent of procuring supplies for their continued operation - the number of customers they'd received today was much higher than usual, yet Sojiro didn't seem to realize it day was Valentine's.

As for him, despite having only been released from juvenile hall the day before, he'd already taken to his duties in Leblanc like a fish took to water. He was grateful for it, really; tending to the café was far more pleasant than being locked up in solitary confinement. The delighted reactions of customers partaking in his blends filled him with calm satisfaction. He'd come to understand just why Sojiro put so much heart and soul into a barely-lucrative business he had no financial necessity to keep afloat. That sense of accomplishment couldn't be beat.

He handled the visitors with practiced ease, taking their orders and brewing their requests with the aptitude of a seasoned veteran. He juggled requests with the panache of a showman on stage, delivering cups and plates with style and grace. As he did, he mused on how he wouldn't mind if his future career choice was aligned with his current tasks.

There was a lull in the influx of clientele, allowing the leader of the former Phantom Thieves a brief respite. He stood behind the counter, taking in the scent of coffee and curry he had so dearly missed. Maybe he'd prepare a cup for himself; he needed to flush away the subpar taste of the instant crap they served at juvie...

The door chime tinkling made the youth hold that thought. "Welcome to Lebla-", but the words caught in his throat as he recognized the new arrival. The patron, too, stood paralyzed, perplexion written all across his features.

Yuki Mishima. A classmate and, despite all his flaws, a person whom the apprentice barista considered a dear friend. Certainly, his presence here in the café was surprising, but that had not been the thing to give him pause: rather, it had been his female companion, a bespectacled Shujin student with shoulder-length charcoal hair the alledged delinquent was acquaintaced with.

It was her who broke the silence: "Oh, hey! Didn't expect to see you here! Glad you're out and about!"

The boy behind the counter quirked his head a little at the remark. His detention had been a rather confidential affair, all things considered. "You know about that?"

"Well, Yuki here was collecting signatures for his best friend's release in Central Square some time ago, so putting two and two together wasn't hard!"

The Thieves's Joker felt his lip curl upwards. "That so? Can't say I'm not touched by the gesture, but where did the 'best friend' part come from?"

"H-hey!" Mishima protested. "I meant what I said back then!" Good to see Yuki was more prone to setting his foot down nowadays, Joker thought.

"More importantly...I didn't know you worked here," Mishima said. "Actually, should you even be working? You just got out, after all".

The young man shrugged. "Well, I live here".

"What?! No way!" Yuki exclaimed before turning to look at the girl accompanying him. "What're the odds?"

"I suggested visiting this café today as it was highly recommended by a relative of mine," the newsgirl added before her face reddenned, "being that today is a...special day, and all".

The atmosphere between the two patrons changed entirely. Joker quirked an eyebrow, and channeling his best impression of Sojiro, muttered a "hoo boy" neither of the visitors could hear. He considered asking how and when exactly they became an item, but decided against him, recalling Sojiro's advice - a good restaurant operator needed to know how to keep the perfect distance.

That didn't mean he'd be a stranger. "Have a seat," he gestured at the booths with one hand while typing into his cell phone with the other. Mishima's pocket vibrated, on cue, and he pulled out the device and read the message he had just received.

"Don't worry about the bill. It's on the house today, but don't let her catch wind of that," the IM from the ex-inmate read.

"I totally can't accept that!" he typed furiously as his date scanned the café and selected a spot she liked.

Joker's response was swift. "It's nothing. We're best friends, after all. Now don't be lame. Impress the lady".

Raising his gaze from the phone in his hands, Mishima saw Joker flash him a quick, furtive thumbs-up before walking around the counter towards the table he shared with his companion.

The messy-haired boy casually quizzed them on their tastes, before suggesting different blends for each. With that same practiced ease, he made his way to the bar and prepared the beverages. Soon, Mishima and the girl from the Newspaper Club found themselves spiritedly discussing all sorts of topics over coffee and curry rice.

What they spoke about, Joker could not say: he was not about to eavesdrop on something so personal. Idly, he browsed his phone, giving them some measure of privacy. He did not witness (or at least would pretend he didn't) when Mishima began to flub his own words, and rather than grow exhasperated as people often did whenever Yuki Mishima was concerned, she let out a little giggle as she placed a finger on his lips, sweetly shushing him.

Eventually, other clients arrived, and Joker tended to them. Between customers, his classmate approached him: "So, what about you? Got any plans today? Any lucky girls get their hearts stolen?"

Joker snorted. "Maybe I'm seeing someone today. Maybe I'm not".

"A secret, huh? Well, I guess I do owe you one, so just for today, I'll let it slide!"

Joker chuckled before patting him on the shoulder. "Nah, I'd say we're about even. Thanks for everything so far, Yuki. You're a true pal".

"You got that right. Joker's Pal, Yuki Mishima, at your service!"

"I'll admit there were times I wanted to punch you pretty hard, though," Joker grinned sly.

Yuki reciprocated the devious gesture mirthfully. "That's fine. Looking back, there are plenty of times I wanted to punch me, too".

"Glad we agree! Take care, Yuki. I'll be seeing you around".

With that, the two were gone. Joker continued to serve the customers while he awaited Sojiro's return, which by now had been quite delayed. Before his guardian returned, though, he made sure to deposit the amount for Mishima's bill into the cash register. Hey, it was "on the house", but not Sojiro's.

He took a peek at his phone, spying a message from Ryuji. Grinning, he wondered whether he should hold off from breaking the news about Mishima, or just let him realize himself...