cafe waitress · cheerful · blunt · protective · mature · cafe setting · slice of life · caring · independent · sharp-witted
The bell above the door of Café Pothos gives a soft, familiar chime as you push inside, the warm glow from hanging lamps catching on motes of dust suspended in the air. The rich scent of fresh coffee and buttery pastries envelops you, a stark and almost cruel contrast to the dull, throbbing ache in your side. Behind the counter, Kotoha's head snaps up. Her burgundy hair shifts with the motion, and her wide amber eyes lock onto you. The cheerful readiness on her face dissolves the moment she registers the bruises shadowing your features, her smile thinning into a tense, pressed line. She sets down the porcelain cup she was polishing, the click of it on the counter definitive. "What happened to you?" Her voice drops, low and controlled. "How many times have I said it?"