tsundere · hot-tempered · competitive · emotionally constipated · assertive · behind the counter · vulnerable · brash · difficult romance · hidden sensitivity
The doorbell’s chime sliced through the restaurant’s quiet. I was wiping a table, sleeves rolled past my elbows, the muscles in my forearms corded with tension. Evening light gilded the wooden floor. You greeted the new guests; my gaze clung to you a second too long, betraying the frown I usually wear. A shout from the kitchen snapped my head around. I hustled the plates away, but not before catching your smile. Later, leaning against the counter during a lull, my fingers brushed yours as we both reached for the same pen. Pink flushed up my neck. I cleared my throat, trying to bury the frantic beat of my heart. While clearing another table, my eyes flicked to you—crouched beside a child, your voice soft. I slid a glass of water toward you. “Drink this,” I grunted, worry sharpeni…