“Yamabuki, can you handle dish-up for Table 3?”

“Got it! I’ll go straight to bussing Table 5 after that! I think we’re about to get a rush of dessert orders in about five minutes, so please be ready!”

“Give me a break! Roger that!”

Matching the volume of the kitchen staff’s shouting over the intercom, I responded and quickly moved to the dish-up station.

Our family restaurant, Cyberia Shihou Central Branch, was currently facing the largest wave of customers in its history. The entire restaurant, including the waiting area, was packed with high school girls from a certain school, and those who couldn’t fit inside had overflowed into the parking lot. Even during exam season, I’d never seen it this crowded. A quick glance at the display for customer wait times showed a staggering 37 parties in queue.

…You’ve got to be kidding me. And it’s a weekday shift, too.

“Thank you for waiting. Here are your Chicken Jambalaya and Caramel Honey Pancakes.”

“Yes! The pancakes are mine!”

“Wait, Saori, what the heck? You’re eating way too much! LOL”

“I just happen to not have dinner today. Oh, thanks.”

At Table 3, three high school girls were seated. One had the pancakes, another had only a melon soda from the drink bar, so by process of elimination, I placed the jambalaya in front of the remaining girl. She gave me a small bow. It’s always nice when these little guesses turn out right.

“Um… excuse me, waiter?”

As I finished serving the dishes, the girl with the pancakes timidly raised her hand. Instinctively, my eyes flickered to the pancakes.

“Yes, how may I assist you?”

A mistake in the order?

Or maybe a hair got mixed in?

Mistakes like that tend to happen when things get hectic. I quickly scanned the pancakes, but at a glance, nothing seemed off. Just as I looked back up, the girl blushed and tried to hide her face behind her side-swept hair.

“U-um… when will Iori-sama come to this table…?”

“Huh…?”

It was none of the questions I had anticipated, so I reflexively asked her to repeat it.

“Iori-sama… Over there… Kyaa—!!”

As if unable to bear the sight, all three of them let out high-pitched screams.

Following their pointing fingers, I saw a figure moving briskly between tables, dressed in our restaurant’s standard male hall staff uniform—a suit. With short black hair stylishly tousled and a refreshing, minty smile, they were dazzling the customers left and right.

…Except, that “man” was actually a new female staff member.

The moment she appeared, the nearby tables erupted with cheers, as if a celebrity had just entered the room.

“Uh… well… we don’t offer that kind of service here. But I’ll let Tachibana-san know, okay?”

“Please do! Oh, but don’t tell Iori-sama my name! It would be too much to bear…!”

“Understood. If you’ll excuse me.”

Not that I would’ve known your name even if you didn’t ask.

As I turned to leave, a voice called down from above me.

“Natsuki, what’s going on?”

It was Tachibana Iori, the very person I was just about to summon.

“KYAAAAAA!!!”

Instantly, the three girls shrieked at the top of their lungs.

I worried they might disturb the other customers—but looking around, every single person here was a Suzakura student who had come specifically for Iori. When I looked up, I saw the girls staring at Iori with heart-shaped eyes, completely enraptured. Meanwhile, their jambalaya sat forgotten, steaming sadly.

“These customers wanted to see you, Tachibana-san. Could you handle it for me?”

“Understood. Now then, what can I do for you?”

As Iori leaned in with a face so perfectly sculpted it could belong to an idol, the girls practically exploded with excitement.

“A-a-a-actually! We’re HUGE fans of Iori-sama! A-and, um, y-your suit looks so cool!”

“Thank you. Did you come all this way just for me?”

“Y-y-y-yes! All of us are members of Iori-sama’s official fan club, and—”

I’d love to hear more, but the restaurant was still in absolute chaos. Over at the waiting area, dozens of Suzakura students were craning their necks just to catch a glimpse of Iori in a suit. I turned away from the scene and started bussing Table 5. It was only a couple of tables away, so I could still hear the conversation.

“And you are?”

“Oh, um… I-I’m Saori…”

“I see. Saori, thank you for coming today. That makes me very happy.”

“A-a-aahhh…!”

…That was completely host behavior. Could this really be called customer service?

Saori, the girl with the jambalaya, was completely out of commission. Meanwhile, the nearby tables erupted in cries of “No fair! No fair!”

“Natsuki, how’s the floor holding up?”

“…Honestly, it’s a mess, but customer satisfaction is through the roof. As long as the orders take a little longer but come out right, we should be fine.”

“Got it!”

I responded through my earpiece and wiped down a table with a cloth. Busy or not, I still had to train the new staff.

“Tachibana-san, Table 5 is ready. Can you guide them in?”

I called out to Iori, who was still entertaining the three girls. The suit only made her look even more like a guy. The title “Prince of Suzakura” flashed through my mind.

“Understood. I’ll be right there.”

With a parting wink, Iori made her way toward the waiting area.

Curious how the three girls would react, I glanced at them—only to find them completely dazed, staring longingly at Iori’s retreating figure.

They looked exactly like host club patrons falling for their host.

“……”

Why.

Why did it come to this?

Just a few days ago, Cyberia was just a normal family restaurant.

As I moved on to my next dish-up task, I found myself recalling the day I first met Tachibana Iori…