A/N: This is for Sandy (UniqueMuffins at FF) ! It's like a fic trade *_* I hope you enjoy ^-^ ~SEi

Fai stared at his employer. "Eh?"

"I said, 'You're going to have to find another job.' We're going to be shutting down soon." Fai's employer, an old woman with a friendly face, looked sadly at her only employee and sighed.

"Eh? But why?" asked Fai. "The store was bustling with customers just a few days ago!"

"But you've noticed right?: the decreasing amount of customers these past days. You know what that means, right?"

Fai didn't dare turn around and look at the emptiness and silence that had blared in his face when he came to work in the morning. He stared down at the old wooden floor and answered the questions in his mind. A new bakery opened close by and we are losing customers because of them.

"It's too bad. Your handsomeness attracted quite a lot of ladies." She looked at him thoughtfully. "Or maybe I should say 'beauty'? You've become very beautiful, you know that?"

Fai forced a laugh. "Hana-obasan... please don't flatter me." (He was told to call her that.)

"Oh no," the old lady said with a serious face. "I'm not flattering you. I'm just stating the truth."

Fai laughed a real laugh. In turn, the old lady smiled.

x x x x Four Days Later

"Take care, alright, Fai-chan?"

"Yes. I will. Don't worry," said Fai, smiling.

Hana looked sadly at him. "Of course I will worry. You're like a grandchild to me."

Her words made Fai sad. "But you'll be seeing your real grandchildren soon. And I'm already an adult."

"You are, aren't you?"

"Yes. I am."

She sighed. "It's been a long time, eh?"

"Yes. Three years, to be exact."

She gave a sad smile. "A long time indeed." She glanced at the clock. "Ah, you better go now. I've got to close this old place up completely before that annoying man comes and starts complaining." ('That annoying man' = real estate agent)

The blonde nodded. "Thank you very much for everything, Hana-obasan."

Hana waved a hand. "Oh please. I didn't do much at all!"

Fai smiled and bowed.

The old woman returned the bow. When she lifted her head, her employee was gone.

o o o o

Be optimistic! Be optimistic! he chanted in his mind before slapping his cheeks with his hands, which caused a few passerbys to glance at him.

Smiling to himself to keep up his optimism, he resumed walking. He didn't have a specific destination. He just kept walking. Suddenly, he stopped. It felt like something was pulling him. He turned around but didn't see anybody. But he noticed that he had stopped in front of a store. The sign read: Tsubasa: Maid Café.

He frowned. This was the store that had been taking all of the customer's back at Hana's Café. Even the regulars back at Hana's had come here. What was so intriguing about this place? And that was when Fai noticed that the pull that he had been feeling was coming from the store. He had had a lot of these feelings of being pulled a lot of times before. It meant that something or someone wanted him.

He stared at the store doubtfully but then gave in. Just a peek...and then I'll leave.

He walked over to the doors and suddenly felt the pull become stronger. He reached out towards the elaborately-designed doorknob and pulled. A gentle breeze blew as the door swung open.

A/N: I think putting it in parts is more fun ;D ~SEi