I enter the shop. Still with my elegant steps that… I still am not too used to I walk towards the ordering place.

If I'm going to be using their piano, I am of course going to at least buy something from them.

It's mere respect towards them since it's their piano and their property I am going to be playing in.

Although I am in dire need of money to buy the streaming tools, this is still a small investment that'll probably net me good results. After all, since I'm already trending I might as well do another performance and bring in even more heat from more people.

Shoot, since I'm here I should've asked my friends if they wanted anything. The more I order the more they'd more like the idea of me playing the piano.

I open up my phone.

[Charlie: yo im at the cafe rn u guys want anything? u gotta pay back tho]

They all declined and they'd rather go to the cafe together instead of having me take it over to them.

I switch contacts to my sister.

Tapping on the screen hesitantly, I delete my message.

Should I buy her anything? Agh, my wallet is going to suffer. The milkshakes prices are damn brutal.

I hear a person calling out right in front of me and get out of my thoughts.

"Hello, I am Michael. I'm the manager of this shop."

"Hello." I merely stare at him as a hint for him to tell me what he needs.

"Sir, were you the one that played the piano yesterday?"

Oh, respectful at first glance. Is he being respectful because he needs something from me or is it because of the new charm point?

Seeing as how he's asking about the piano, he probably is looking for something.

"Yes. Thank you for allowing me the chance to play on your piano yesterday."

He waved his hand.

"You play beautifully and I think some of these customers are actually coming and asking if you work here."

He continues, "I really liked your playing. What's your name?"

"Thank you. I'm Charlie." I smile politely.

"Well, Charlie. I am going to keep it short. Do you think you'd be able to play the piano in here more often? Of course, we're going to be paying you."

Oh. Was that the stroke of luck I felt earlier? Came just as I needed it.

I raise my eyebrows in fake surprise,

"That would sound great. What days would it be?"

"It would only be Fridays. That's when the shop really is crowded and it'll be more from your amazing playing."

Oh, complimenting to get on my good side.

I politely laugh.

"Yes, I think I can do Fridays. I'm still a high school student so it'd have to be after class though."

"Yeah, as long as you're coming in between 2 PM and 5 PM which are our hot hours. I don't know much about restaurant pianists but here's a deal. Since we might be overcrowded by that time, I'll raise the pay if you also help to clean the floor and do a waiter job."

While I rest my fingers, that's when I can probably do these jobs. Since I'm going to be there, I might as well get a bigger pay.

"Yeah, that sounds good." I continue, "The songs I play are original compositions. That'll probably mean more people coming just to hear these songs."

He notices what I'm hinting at.

"We'll be paying you $30 an hour for the piano job and an extra $7 an hour for the extra tasks. You'll also be receiving other worker benefits."

$37 / hour sounds good for a high school student like me. I'll also be getting tips from people listening. I'm not going to do much apart from taking some orders and putting them on the counter occasionally. Plus I'll be doing one of my favorite past times, playing the piano.

I'm getting money for free.

"Okay, that sounds good."

"I'll be making the contract. Please come tomorrow and we'll discuss this more thoroughly."

I smile at him, "Alright."

"Seeing as how many people were asking for me, how about I do a gig right now?"

He smiles. He thinks I'm doing this as a gift for better cooperation between us.

In my head, that's not at all my intentions. I presented it like that but it's a piano I'm playing on with many people and free exposure.

[Quest: Cafe Piano Performance pt 2 has commenced! Please do your best, Host!]

What sweetens the deal, is also the fact that I'm one of the reasons for these customers.

It's a win-win situation for both of us.

Well, now that I have a good job I may as well go ahead and buy Charlotte the strawberry milkshake as a surprise without asking.

I head over to the piano and remove the cover. People begin watching me with interest and some even begin recognizing me from the video.

I pull up the piano lid and begin some light and quick warm-ups.

Yiruma - "May Be." is going to be the first song.

This song is very light, beautiful, and fulfilling to the heart. It's also extremely simple and it'll be the easiest piece I've played so far in this world.

My fingers lightly press on the keys and begin dancing following the notes.

There'll be no adjustments with this one as it's simplicity is what makes it so beautiful.

[Author Note: This song is extremely good. I really recommend you guys listen to it. It has a soothing effect on the heart. Yiruma - May Be. Listen to it while you read if you like.]

It's pretty repetitive but even I am feeling a few musical chills going up and down my spine.

People already took their phones out by the time I began playing the warm-ups and are now recording me.

I slightly laugh mentally at the thought. In my past world, audiences in street performances were often critiqued for taking out their phones to record instead of just enjoying it.

With the final section of the song done, I play the final chords.

After confirming the ending, the audience begins clapping.

The claps end awkwardly after many seconds and I smile and bow at them.

I sit down again on the piano stool and they cheer the extra performance.

Now the next piece… Mariage d'Amour sounds nice…

No, it doesn't fit the vibe of the cafe. I'll probably play it sometime later if I'm ever in a more formal or official place.

Ah, yes. Merry Go Round of Life from Howl's Moving Castle is lovely and it more or less fits the cafe scene.

[Author Note: This one sounds really nice as well. I recommend listening to it as you read too.]

This time I'll be doing a more complex arrangement with more notes and more expression.

I play with slight jumps in my fingers moving between the quick and slow sections in the piece.

In the other world, this song was for a movie called Howl's Moving Castle. The original story was written by a British novelist, but the movie was produced by Ghibli Studios. Ghibli Studios is a Japanese movie studio with other successful movies like Spirited away, Kiki's Delivery Service, and My Neighbor Totoro.

Talking about these movies, I could write the outline for these movies and probably create a film on it. Hmm, if I get eidetic memory, do all of my past memories also come back or will it just take effect in the ones I already have?

If it does bring back the movies I've watched before and songs I've listened to I'll be able to more or less replicate them which would be a huge joy.

The points for Eidetic Memory are still very far away though, so I'll think about that later.

In my thoughts, I begin playing the piece a little mechanically for a few seconds before shaking myself out of my thoughts and playing it with more emotion and profoundness.

Fortunately, the timing wasn't bad and the robot-like playing could be interpreted as being a part of the piece.

Finally ending the piece with an exciting ending, I slam in my fingers with a strong ending.

The audience stays quiet for a while and begins applauding once again.

Ah, playing heartwarming songs for other people brings satisfaction to my heart.

I get up from my seat. These two songs should be good enough. I receive compliments with a smile and the cafe is back to normal. People have stopped recording and some are asking me to continue.

I waved my hand and thanked them and went back in line to order the drinks.

I look at my phone and read the incoming messages.

[Group Chat Name: wtf just happened?]

[Elle: guys what the fuck come over quick]

Arlo changed the group name to 'wtf just happened?'

[Macy: juniper what was that?]

Woah woah, there are dozens of new messages. What happened? I scroll up to check.

[Juniper: i dunno the dumb kids we saw the other day making trouble for charlie were making fun of some other kid]

[Reed: wtf where r u rn juniper]

[Catherine: we r over at the main 11 grade entrnce where we sit in the mroning]

[Charlie: what happened?]

[Elias: bro charlie come over quick its the dumb guys the other day making trouble]

[Alex: wtf charlie are they dat upset that ur with us now?]

I ask the barista if he can save the drinks for a few minutes and he puts them away in a freezer.

I run over hurriedly to the entrance which is just opposite from where I am currently.

[Charlie: i dunno they probly just having a bad day]

[Charlie: i left them bcs they were too toxic but i didnt know theyd go around beatign upr andom kids]

Damn, typing while walking is not very easy to do.

[Ronan: we get the war squad?????]

[Arlo: lolno they left lready]

[Ronan: ok im ready to throw hands tho]

[Owen: dud they beat up juniper????]

[Juniper: no but they started yelling at us when i told them to stop messing with the guy]

After glancing up from my phone, I see them hanging over where we usually sit.

I see most of the girls sitting on the tables while the guys and other people I do not know are comforting them.

Well, that's the power of the popular pretty girls being wronged. They've got random people going and supporting them.

Most of the girls look extremely furious while the more innocent and kind ones look petrified.

Did the guys threaten to beat them up? Why do they look so traumatized?

I head over to them quickly.

"What's up? Where are the guys?"

Natsumi looks at me and slightly tugs my shirt. I come over closer to her and she turns away from the table to face me.

"They left already." She looked shaken up.

"What did they say? Did they threaten to beat you up?"

Elle and Catherine explained, "We told them to stop bothering the kid and they started calling us whores and sluts. And like, we started arguing with them and they said really shitty stuff."

I frown. What is up with those guys? Though my memories of them are fogged, I don't remember them being this horrible.

The girls could've avoided this but everyone in this group is outwardly friendly towards everyone. They won't merely observe a bullying situation, rather they would intervene. That's one of their amazing points. They're kind to everyone and fiercely loyal to their friends.

They'd never faced a situation like this because in the first place why would anyone begin cussing out really nice people out of nowhere?

Natsumi was still looking down while the rest look irritated and extremely bothered. Natsumi reminds me of a little bunny and a kitty at the same time.

The girls all look fine, just irritated but we all see that Natsumi has been visibly affected. Did they also throw insults at her?

Huh.. wasn't one of those guys rejected by Natsumi in the past before?

Did they include some of that bitter anger into their insults?

My friends make space for me at the table and I sit next to Natsumi.

"Do we report it to the office?" I ask.

"Yeah, we're going to," Elle responds.

Alex frowns, "How bout we beat them up??"

Catherine bonks his head and we all begin laughing.

"I dunno, I agree with Alex. We outnumber them. Let's beat them up tomorrow at the locke-" I comment and am interrupted by a smack.

Natsumi looks up and slaps the back of my head once again.

I begin whining at her and we all begin laughing.

She pats my head like a mother would to her child, albeit with struggle due to our height difference.

By now, the other people left after seeing our friend group sitting around the table.

I waved at them and thanked them while Natsumi messes with my hair.

Now she's poking my cheeks..?

Is this still Natsumi? Why is she suddenly like this now? Probably the adrenaline from the argument?