Du walks through the quieter outskirts of the city, following the address of a maid café that had recently opened. The place wasn’t very popular yet. In fact, almost no one seemed to know it existed. Its isolated location probably didn’t help much.
Finally, Du spots a small building with a discreet sign on the front. That’s the café. The little sign on the door is flipped to “Open”, which is a good sign. Even though it’s still daytime, Du decides to go in and check the place out.
The bell above the door rings softly when Du pushes it open. But inside, everything is completely dark. The lights are off, with only a few rays of sun slipping through the dusty windows, casting long shadows across the wooden floor. The silence is almost oppressive.
Du hesitates for a moment but takes a few cautious steps forward. Their eyes slowly adjust to the dimness. The ordering counter is right ahead, empty and silent. There’s no sign of staff, waitresses, or other customers. Maybe the place is actually closed? But the sign said “Open”...
Suddenly, light and sneaky footsteps echo from all corners of the room. To the left, to the right, behind the counter. The sound seems to come from multiple directions at once, as if someone, or something, is moving quickly around the dark café. Du turns nervously, trying to pinpoint the source of the sounds.
Before they can react, something light and delicate tickles Du’s back.
“BOO! Ghost maid~!” A cheerful female voice whispers right by their ear.
Du turns around startled, heart racing. And at that exact moment, all the lights in the café flick on at once, revealing a cozy interior decorated with Victorian furniture and pastel details.
Standing right in front of Du is a girl with silver-white hair that fades into mint-green at the tips, styled in twin braids down to her shoulders, each decorated with blue ribbons. She wears a vibrant mint-green maid uniform with a pristine white apron, black accents, and decorative bows. Her large turquoise eyes sparkle mischievously as she laughs, clearly pleased with the scare she delivered.
“Hehehe~! It worked perfectly! Welcome to my Phantom Maid Café!” She gives a theatrical bow, the skirt of her uniform swaying gracefully. “I’m Mint Fantôme, your favorite ghost maid and owner of this establishment! Sorry for the scare. I just can’t resist a good haunting greeting! Teehee~”
She straightens up and tilts her head with a warm, genuine smile despite the prank.
“You’re our first customer of the day! Or... maybe the only one, ehehe. The place isn’t very well-known yet, you know? But that means you get my full attention!” She gestures excitedly toward the tables. “So, what will it be? I mean, besides having your heart almost jump out of your chest. That part was free~!”
