Welcome to Shirokuma Cafe Panda Chan!

“Goodbye bros..” Panda softly croaked to his two brothers tears gently beginning to stream down his face as he gave a sniffle. He held two suitcases in his paws with the plane ticket gently stuffed inside the zipper of the case.

Looking to his left he saw his bigger brother grizz clearly distraught…but he was holding a supportive face thankfully. And to his right he looked to see his younger brother with his same flat expression but with a few tears pricking his eyes.

“I hope you do well out there bro!” Grizz cheerfully said in the most sugared tone he could muster patting his brothers back.

As Grizz backed away from his brother Ice bear suddenly lunged to his bro making sure to give him one last hug as the whole cave was filled with a cool silence Before separating. And with that Panda finally walked out the door.

Finally. After a long three months of planning he was finally ready…ready for a new life. He knew how painful it’d be not having them by his side….and living alone but he felt like it’d be better this way, they didn’t need him keeping them back now?

Walking out a bit he looked to see Chloe and her mom’s car parked outside.

“Are you ready panda?” Chloe’s mom asked with a slight worried frown.

“I-Im ready Chloe’s mom..let’s just go.” Panda croaked gently rubbing his head before stepping in the car and driving off to the airport.

For the rest of the time it consisted of Panda going through a long process of a plane flight before landing off in Japan.

Walking to the bus, memories of his brothers already filled through his head as painful nostalgia hit.
Whipping out his phone he looked down at it to see where exactly he was  and if he should just go to the apartment or to the cafe and apply for that job.
Looking to see it was 6:30 it quickly answered his question as he began towards the bus stop and waited until a bus came to a screeching stop.

Stepping on he sat next to a…polar bear? He was holding a good amount of organic vegetables in a box and seemed to mind his own business.

A strange thing Panda noticed though was that he could feel him curiously stare at him from time to time and even getting off, he was following him as he went to the cafe…
Until he realized a sickening thing that made his stomach drop in shock.
The polar bear walked right past him when he sat down and began to pull out some keys, quietly jiggling in the lock before opening the cafe doors.

W-was this real right now? Was this man the ACTUAL owner of this cafe!
Panda thought frantically his mouth agape.
“Wow sir you came early, that takes some dedication. What would you like to order?” The Polar bear asked beginning to whip out his order pad and take the first order.

“U-Uh no sir I’m not here to eat..”
“Hm?”
“I-I’m here…for the interview!” He finally choked out, blushing in embarrassment.
This bear was..tall really really tall! Ice bear was a polar bear but even he wasn’t this tall and big..it was bit intimidating.
The polar bear simply looked at him with a raised eyebrow before saying
“Okay come inside sir.”
He coolly said waving a paw gesturing for Panda to follow him.
Panda quickly scrambled up from the chair and followed him as they walked through the bare store, this was probably soon to change in minutes.
After a few minutes it was decided by the polar bear with a simple nod that he got the barista job. Placing a gentle pat with his paw on his head.
“W-wait I really get the job! When do I start?!” Panda questioned, with relief that he didn’t have to exactly mull over it and wait to see if he made it.

“Today.Right now.” He said with a teasing smile handing him an apron to wear.
Panda eyes widened and looked down at the cloth spread across his paws.

Analyzing it quickly he began to slip over his round body. It surprisingly fitting well. The smell of coffee strung through the apron and it made have a strange…good warm feeling for the first time since he came here.
Putting a paw on the Panda’s shoulder the Polar bear began to lead him to the counter.

“This is where you’ll be working Panda chan.” The polar bear smiled at him with a playful tease in his eyes.

“P-Panda chan?” Panda questioned with a hurt look spreading across his face but the lightbulb quickly went in his head and he realized…this was a joke!

“A-Ah…I’m sorry Panda sa-”
“No no it’s okay Shirokuma CHAN.” Panda smiled smugly back trying to hold back a snicker.

Luckily for Panda he remembered what Polar bear meant in Japanese and just decided to call him that for now…well unless it was his name. He thought.

Shirokuma perked up at the name, and a grin spread across his face before he began laughing. Patting his back a more warmer smile was shown to Panda.
And from there the rest of the morning was spent with the two cracking puns on each other and laughing.
Panda felt himself relax around the polar bear. He didn’t…seem so scary or even threatening a bit anymore! Just a big white fluffball who was fortunately his boss.

This all ended when suddenly it hit noon and the door jingle sounded through.

Both bears quickly scrambled to get up and look ready but to Panda’s surprise…he just saw a little penguin hop in the chair?

“One cafe mocha pl-wait who the heck is this Shirokuma san? He’s not gonna be a lazy slacker like Panda kun is he?!” The penguin suddenly squawked.

“W-Wah? Who the heck is Panda ku-” Panda began to ask the penguin but suddenly he heard the door open and ANOTHER Panda walk into the cafe. Sitting down right next to the penguin.
“Penguin San, Penguin San.”
“What is it Panda Kun?”
“What do you think about me asking the zoo to shorten the amount of time I work to 3 hours for every day I work?”
“Panda Kun…that’s almost a worse idea than when you talked about working once a day.”

“Ah geez Penguin San stop being such a gru-”
The Panda stopped mid sentence and turned his head, finally realizing there was another panda right behind that counter!

“S-Shirokuma san! Did you really hire another worker?! And a Panda one at that!”
Panda said a bit excitedly leaning over to the counter to get a better look before being dragged down by Penguin San.

“U-Uh hey there!”
He shyly waved to the Panda in which he waved back.  Clearly happy to see another Panda in the restaurant.

“Shirokuma san can I just got my mocha now.” Penguin said a bit flatly getting impatient by all the dawdling.

“Panda chan that would be one cafe mocha please.” He snickered softly as he started to wipe things off.

“Sure thing Shirokuma Chan.” Panda snickered in return trying to hold back from full blown laughs as he began making the mocha.

The rest of the day was surprisingly filled with lots of….happiness and he laughed?
As Panda went out the door with Shirokuma the polar bear peered down at him and asked him with a patient smile.
“Would you like me to take you home?”

“S-Sure Shirokuma Chan.” Panda smiled before they went off to his home by Panda’s directions.

As soon as they hit the home. Panda sat down in the seat. Silent for a moment not saying a thing.
“Eh..Panda sa-”
He was cut off with the Panda wrapping his paws around him and keeping him in a tight hug before letting go.

“T-Thanks for the ride home and..day Boss….Chan.”
Panda squeaked before stepping out the car and going up to his apartment.

Sitting in the car wide eyed. Still a bit in shock he blinked before turning the car keys and driving off.