A/N: Sorry this took so long! I rewrote a lot of my story drafts so everything kinda went everywhere hahaha...

It took a while to explain such a seemingly simple event what with Takane's constant question of "did they have guns? Did they look more like ordinary people, biker gangs or cosplayers?" and Haruka's constant badgering of "what did they look like? What were they wearing?" but eventually Shintaro and Ayano got through.

Well, mostly Ayano did. Shintaro just laid face-down on the table in shame. On occasion, he would scream to block out whatever false information Ayano decided to bring up, and Haruka would pat him on the back and the cycle would repeat.

If one thing hadn't changed over the time they had known her, it was Ayano's habit of dressing things up like a hero story. Distinctly, in the back of her mind, Takane remembered Ayano's first week working at the shop – when the girl had worn her apron as a cape every single day without anyone saying a thing, before Shintaro watched her spill milk onto herself and scolded her into wearing it properly.

"You must be pretty strong to have carried him all the way here," Prompted Takane not long after the full, proper explanation of the events, always in the mood to cause more pain for Shintaro. "Could you do it even if you weren't running for your lives?"

Ayano nodded proudly, scooping said male off the table despite his yelling at her to stop, and this time Haruka pulled out his phone to take a snapshot.

When they asked him about it, all he did was shrug and say, "Art reference!" In such a happy voice that even the moody Shintaro couldn't tell him to delete it.

Work had resumed as normal after that, and despite what Takane said about not giving Haruka free food, she constantly snuck him various cakes and pastries when she thought no-one was looking. Who could blame her though? He was just sitting over there looking pretty, and technically she was feeding a customer and not letting the food go to waste, so it was fine, anyway.

If you neglected the fact that it was major favouritism and that he was trespassing sitting happily in the kitchen, then it was fine. She was only thankful Haruka didn't bring it up himself, or it would have brought her a world of embarrassment.

It was all over the news the following day.

"Hi Takane!" Haruka had greeted as per usual, since she somehow managed to be manning the register as he came in again. Takane was about to ask if he wanted his usual again, when he continued. "Did you watch the news this morning?"

She glanced towards the TV, a little surprised by the question. "I just got here, so I haven't really. Why?"

"Oh, they were giving a report on yesterday! It's kinda blurry, but I saw Shintaro and Ayano on TV, so I thought you'd like to know."

There was a crash from the kitchen again and Takane rolled her eyes. "Well."

Haruka laughed, pressing a note into her hand. "Yes, my usual would be wonderful."

Takane fled to the kitchen almost instantaneously.

They didn't think much of it at first, until they realised just what Shintaro's name had brought onto him.

As it was, upon figuring out Shintaro was the brother of media's all-time favourite idol Momo Kisaragi, all hell broke loose and crowds flocked the coffee shop like there was no tomorrow. Their manager, an odd, child-like woman by the name of Azami, seemed to embrace the new publicity and ordered specifically for Takane, Ayano and Shintaro to work all weekend to which they willingly complied. It was hard to refuse Azami, and it wasn't like they had anything better to do.

Most hours, Haruka lingered around also, sometimes for a 'ham bun' or a 'chicken sandwich' and sometimes for Takane to 'please take a break and help him beat this boss in this game for him because it was impossible.' He practically worked there anyway; all the regulars loved to chat with him, possibly even more than to the actual employees themselves.

Momo's unexpected appearance had only drawn the numbers higher; the idol dragging her best friend Ene along to gush about how amazing Ayano was for having the strength to lift and run with Shintaro in her arms. Ene thought that he looked pathetic, and the young girl soon took a liking to Takane, as they exchanged mischievous smiles over the counter.

"'Runaway Potential'." Takane snorted, reading the headline off a magazine. "Talk about exaggeration. What's a few thugs got on our Ayano, huh?"

Ene laughed. "They look pretty stupid, if you ask me. All done up in creepy masks and suits – what a joke!"

"Be careful, guys…" Ayano piped up in concern. "I don't know who they were but they don't seem to be good people."

"I'll just stick to you, my prince, and you can carry me out of trouble." Takane sighed dramatically, leaning all her weight on Ayano and making her squawk.

"Takane!"

Shintaro just hid in the kitchen for most of the time, utterly pissed off that the one-time something like that happened to him in public, suddenly everyone knows about it. He briefly considered becoming a NEET, but Haruka not-so-discreetly pointed out how he would be leaving the shop in Takane and Ayano's care, which would not exactly be good for it.

Somehow, Shintaro doubted that he'd be seeing the end of this story any time soon. Takane and Momo aside, even his mother in hospital saw the news and began to chortle over it to him on the phone.

He was complaining loudly to Haruka in the back – what happened to 'Staff Only'? They'd never figure out – when Takane tapped on the counter to shut him up.

"Come on, stop sulking Princess Shintaro! Get back to work!"

"I am working," Shintaro grumbled, and they heard Haruka laugh merrily. The disgruntled boy pushed a tray of drinks out through the window leading to the counter. "I'm the only one here that's actually working, in case you haven't noticed."

"Oh, poor you." Ene teased, a regular customer now, but she always brought her own drinks in to annoy everyone else. Takane rolled her eyes once more as Ayano fretted over serving the customers, the tray swaying in her hands precariously. Momo, also now a regular, had leapt on top of a table to watch TV, but the scarf-clad waitress didn't have the heart to tell her off.

Ene sipped at her drink – an over-carbonated electric blue lemonade of some kind which they all eyed in dread – before continuing. "You had to make a total of 3 things in the past hour, so we didn't think you needed the help."

"I helped make one!" Piped Haruka, peering out the doorway to wave at them. Only Ene waved back at him.

"You don't even work here!" Takane scowled, pushing past him to reach Shintaro rolling on the floor of the kitchen. Yeah, she wasn't going to ask about that. "You're seriously making a customer do your work, mate?"

Shintaro groaned. "He's not a customer, he's your boyfriend so he automatically gets the special privilege called 'helping a friend in need'."

"He's not my-! Haruka, out!" Takane went red instantaneously, but didn't say much else as she shoved Haruka back into the sitting area. Then she returned, shaking a soaking receipt at her co-worker with a nasty frown. "Shintaro, no."

He only grinned. "Shintaro, yes."

"More like," Ayano interrupted, her sweet face appearing at the doorway. "Shintaro, could you make another large latte and a regular hot chocolate to go?"

He pulled a face while Takane went sauntering out, steaming, letting her co-workers deal with each other. Nevertheless, when Ayano came closer, Shintaro steadily backed away.

The brunette put on the sweetest face she could muster, knowing that as long she got Shintaro to do the work, it'd probably be all the exercise he did that day. She was worried about that silly boy. "Pretty please? I'll take over drink duty after this, if you like…"

He grumbled, but went to it, and Ayano beamed gratefully – just stopping herself from hugging him. By gosh, that would've gotten awkward really quickly, and she was left to ponder that as she walked out to witness Ene on a sugar rush, rapidly cleaning their entire shop from top to bottom.

"Is she okay?" Ayano asked Momo, who was giggling at her friend's antics.

"Yeah, she…" Pausing between laughs, Momo pointed at the TV. "See that timer? She wants to clean the whole place before it gets to 0."

"Oh dear…"

Momo nodded once more, before she heard a rumble in the distance. "Ah, crap." She leapt off the table, and made a dash for the door, "I'll see you guys in a while! The fans have found me again!"

With that, she sped off, and Ene realising she had gone, dropped her towel and darted out the door after her friend. "See ya later!" She called behind her, and Ayano waved weakly at her. "Don't thank me yet, I'll be back to finish the job tomorrow!"

Ayano let her gaze wander over the sparkling tabletops and glistening tiled floor. "O… kay…" She skittered back behind the counter, grabbing the drinks Shintaro had made. Twirling around, she searched for the customer that ordered, but couldn't find them.

"32?" She called, and a figure she didn't recognise nodded, waving the ticket with the number showing.

"Thank you," She smiled sweetly, with an air of uncertainty. "Please come again soon."

"I will." The hooded teenager replied, taking the cups and deliberately brushing their fingers. "I will."

"Say Takane." Haruka spoke between mouthfuls of food – something Takane had now become accustomed to and no longer bothered to reprimand. She was taking a lunch break, which apparently happened more and more often nowadays, and sat opposite the customer, gnawing on the straw of her drink. She was glad she hadn't been drinking it when he asked, "If I become your boyfriend, does that mean I can work here?"

Her eyes widened and she stood suddenly, slamming her hands on the table and moving to walk away. The straw flew out of her mouth, and Haruka quickly caught it between his fingers as she stammered, going redder by the second. "I-it doesn't work like that, stupid! Where did you get that idea? You just… you just kinda sign up or something, talk to Azami, I don't know-" She continued to nervously ramble, unsure of why she was suddenly so flustered.

About to make a run for it, Haruka caught her wrist, his signature smile never leaving his face. "Calm down Takane, I was just wondering because of what Shintaro said before. Don't worry about it, okay?"

"Okay." She stopped to take a deep breath, cupping her heated face in her hands. "Okay."

"Yeah." He grinned fondly at her. "Feeling better now?"

Once again, there was a resounding crash in the kitchen, and Takane quickly excused herself, dashing towards it. Not quite reading the situation, Haruka followed, but at the door they stopped in their tracks.

Azami stood in the centre of the kitchen, above a trapdoor she had apparently opened in the floor.

"Azami?" Takane inquired hesitantly, eyeing her manager in concern. "Is everything alright?"

The woman turned, gesturing towards the door. "Both of you get in. They're coming."

"Who's coming?"

"Just a couple of scientists." Azami replied ever so calmly, brushing some lint off her long, black coat. She seemed as sure of herself as ever, and not as if there was a hole in the kitchen floor or that two, confused uni students were staring at her in awe. "In any case, come out when an hour is up. I sent Kisaragi and Tateyama down there already, and I don't want any of you to be discovered."

There was the sound of someone's phone ringing while Azami headed towards the door, gesturing for them to go down. Bewildered, Takane grasped onto Haruka's sleeve, watching her manager with wide eyes. "Azami, tell me what's going on."

"There's something I haven't told you about this coffee shop." She smiled sadly, but in a flash, it was gone. Then she tugged them both towards the door and pushed them in. "See you in an hour's time."

The last thing they saw was Azami's foot on the door, and the rumble of footsteps overhead, before they fell on top of what sounded like Shintaro and Ayano in the bleak lighting of the basement.

"Hey guys." Shintaro crawled out from under Takane, coughing loudly to disguise the fact that he had been terrified just moments before.

"Wow, yeah, hi there! Fancy meeting you two down here!" Haruka beamed too cheerful for the situation at hand, as he apologised profusely for squishing Ayano who assured him she was fine.

Takane helped him up as Ayano rolled over, stretching her arms out. Once she finally stood, the employees freed themselves from their aprons and started to explore, with Haruka trailing behind as if he believed they knew their way around this place. Takane was the first to break the silence, apart from Ayano sneezing at all the dust and Shintaro screaming because a dead spider fell on his arm.

"So does anyone have any idea what's going on around here?"