The Crescent Moon Café by LadyDaniTar

The Café

Nestled on a quiet street in Tokyo, a forgotten two-story family dwelling stood. For a long time, the once beautiful home had been ignored by passersby who paid it no mind as they went about their daily routines. One day, a group of contractors arrived and began to remove the old, rotting floorboards and ceiling, drawing the attention of a few curious locals. After a few more weeks the interior was rebuilt and soon electricians and plumbers followed. As the sun set, the newly installed glass windows shimmered in the light of the fluorescent bulbs, revealing painters and other workers who were assembling beautiful cabinetry. Before long the formerly dilapidated house was transformed into a modest size café and bakery with an apartment on the second floor.

The sun had just started to rise on a chilly early autumn morning when two figures appeared and stood on the empty street, gazing at the newly renovated building before them. The petite woman was wrapped in a long brown trench coat that reached her ankles while her chocolate brown hair cascaded down her shoulders in soft waves. Her youthful face was etched with concern as she turned to the tall, silver-haired male beside her. "Are you sure this is what you want, Dad?" she asked, her voice laced with worry. "You could travel the world or move in with Shippo and me. Yuki is away at college, so I'm certain that he wouldn't mind if you stayed in his room."

Sesshoumaru’s golden eyes flickered in the morning light as he met his adopted daughter’s gaze. “It is time your mate took over Tsukuyomi Technologies and I move on to something new.” He turned his sights back to the coffee shop and examined the sign above the door that read, The Crescent Moon Cafe. “Until I decide on what to do next, I will be living and working here. Are you still willing to be my pastry chef?”

“As if I could ever say no to you.” Rin smiled up at her father and reached over to take his hand hiding in the sleeve of his long black coat. “Come on, I need to get home before Shippo destroys my kitchen trying to make breakfast on his own again. You would think a fox demon would know how to put out a fire.” A chime like laughter filled the street as the woman pulled her father along behind her and around the corner.

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The café quickly gained popularity, especially among women, and within just a month of its opening, it had already acquired a large number of regular customers. There were whispers that the owner, Sesshoumaru, may have once been a feudal lord or even the CEO of one of Japan's largest tech companies. Despite his poor customer service skills, it didn't stop those who still sought out his attention in hopes of winning his affection.

Sesshoumaru was an undeniably handsome male with a unique appearance. His eyes resembled amber and shone like precious gems, while his long hair was a mesmerizing shade of starlight. He had a Prussian blue crescent moon on his forehead, and enchanting crimson stripes traced his eyelids and high cheekbones. Against the backdrop of his beautiful pale skin, these markings made him look both ethereal and otherworldly.

It wasn't just his stunning face that made Sesshoumaru stand out. He had a towering physique, with broad shoulders and rippling muscles that seemed to suggest he was capable of anything. The way he carried himself showed his immense confidence, as if he knew he was capable of handling any situation that came his way. It was easy to imagine the demon wielding a deadly blade in battle or lifting heavy sacks of coffee beans with ease. His adoring female patrons watched his every move, fantasizing what the demon looked like under his perfectly fitted white button-up shirt, tight black slacks, and charcoal colored apron.

As Sesshoumaru glided around the café his movements were as smooth as silk. He jotted down orders with ease, his penmanship as elegant and refined as the demon himself. The sounds of admiration from the patrons were like a dull hum to him becoming background noise. For centuries the former lord had grown accustomed to the way both humans and demons alike stared at him with awe, as if he were a deity or a rare jewel. The air around him seemed to shimmer with a sort of otherworldly energy, drawing the eyes of all who passed by. Despite this constant attention, Sesshoumaru remained cool and collected, as if such adoration was nothing more than a nuisance.

On that cool Wednesday afternoon, a new customer entered the cozy shop. She was a short woman with ink-black hair thrown up in a messy bun, held in place by a pencil. The round glasses she wore sat low on the bridge of her button nose looking as if they might fall off at any moment. She carried a laptop bag on one shoulder and a large and oversized tote on the other that seemed to be weighing her down. Despite her small stature, she exuded an air of determination as she navigated around the crowded café. Her sharp blue eyes scanned the room until they landed on a particular spot. Yes, thought Kagome, this place will do nicely. Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru watched her curiously from behind the cash register, intrigued by what this odd woman would do next.

Kagome positioned herself at a table in the farthest corner from where the demon was standing and took out a laptop, notebooks, and headphones. The demon continued to serve orders, keeping a watchful eye on her. She wore an oversized ivory sweater that hung past her hands, causing her to occasionally push the sleeves out of the way. Her black leggings were visible from where the large sweater ended at about mid-thigh and were tucked into a pair of black boots. Once he was sure she was settled in, Sesshoumaru strolled over just as the woman was about to put on her headphones.

Sesshoumaru approached the table with a practiced gait, his expression carefully neutral. "What can I get you?" he asked, his voice devoid of emotion, as he pulled out a notepad and pen from his apron. Despite having a razor-sharp memory, he still wrote down orders meticulously. Customers were often mistrusting, and he knew that simply walking away after taking their orders made them uneasy. So, he took great care to jot down their requests, all the while maintaining his stoic demeanor.

Without even sparing the demon a glance, Kagome opened her computer and then reached for the small wooden menu board on the table that listed the items served at the café. While tapping a finger against her full bottom lip her deep blue eyes scanned the laminated paper. “Um… Can I please get a flat white and a chocolate croissant?”

Staring down at her with narrow gold eyes, Sesshoumaru replied with a “Hm.” Before writing up the order and walking away. Ignoring the other attention hungry patrons, he stepped behind the counter once more and began to make the girls order.

After placing everything on a serving tray he returned to the table in the corner to find the woman lost in her own world while wearing headphones and typing away on her laptop. Not wanting to bother her, Sesshoumaru carefully set the warm pastry and coffee on the table and went back to helping his regular customers.

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Several weeks had passed, and every Wednesday afternoon, the peculiar woman carrying a laptop would enter the cafe. Each time she would order the same thing while never making eye contact with the owner and keeping her head down, frantically typing on her keyboard as if her life depended on it. On the fifth Wednesday, Kagome was so absorbed in her work that she lost track of time. Suddenly, a large hand grabbed her shoulder, causing her to let out a startled yelp and almost jump out of her skin. She hastily removed her headphones and spun around to face whoever had surprised her. Her planned retort died on her lips the moment she laid eyes on the colossal demon standing before her.

“It is nearly 10 pm, we closed an hour ago,” he informed the now loitering girl. While he had been completing his end-of-day chores, Sesshoumaru couldn't help but wonder how long it would take for the oblivious girl to realize that the café was no longer open. He had seen it before; some female customers tried to linger past closing time in the hopes that he would offer to walk them home or invite them to his flat upstairs. However, these tactics only fueled his ire towards them. As he had been meticulously counting  the money in the cash register, he realized that he had no choice but to physically push her out the door himself if he wanted to get her out of the shop for the night.

He fixed his cold gaze on her, narrow eyes dissecting the series of emotions that flickered across her face. Finally, she stood up, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and bowed deeply, "I am so, so sorry!" She reached into her tote bag, took out a handful of bills, and placed them gently on the table, "This is for my bill and some extra for any inconvenience I may have caused." She bowed once more before hastily gathering her belongings.

He couldn't believe it. This wasn't some ploy to try to bed him. She had actually been so absorbed in her work that she had failed to notice the time. When she finished packing away the last of her things, she followed him to the front door and waited as he unlocked it, all the while avoiding looking him in the eye.

Sesshoumaru hesitated before opening the door slightly and turned to the petite woman and asked, "Is it a long walk home for you?" Now that he knew that she had no ill intentions and her actions were purely innocent, he felt uneasy allowing her to venture out alone in the dark.

Gripping the straps of her bags tightly, Kagome peered up at the male and couldn't help but be in awe of his striking golden eyes and distinctive marking. Loose strands of silver hair cascaded over his shoulder while the top half was styled in a neat bun. Shaking her head to clear any improper thoughts, she replied, "I'll be fine. My house is only a ten-minute walk at most from here." She slipped under his long arm and wiggled through the small space in the doorway. While walking away, she turned slightly and gave the demon a nervous smile and wave before continuing on her way.

Sesshoumaru locked the door once more and cleared her table before he went to put the money she had left in the register. He counted it once, twice, and then a third time before cursing under his breath and ripping off his apron. He grabbed his black coat from under the bar and threw it on while locking up and sprinted after the girl.

Kagome's body stiffened up when the sound of fast-approaching footsteps reached her ears. Just as she was about to bolt, a familiar deep voice called out asking her to wait. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the handsome male from the café jogging towards her. He was dressed differently from earlier, now wearing a black winter coat that reached his knees, covering most of his neatly pressed white shirt and black pants.

"Allow me to accompany you the rest of the way." This was an unusual request for Sesshoumaru to make. He couldn't explain why he felt compelled to offer, but the idea of not knowing if she made it home safely was unsettling to him.

Kagome stood facing the towering demon, blinking up at him with her expressive ocean-blue eyes from behind her glasses. For a brief moment, the two figures stood motionless on the deserted sidewalk, silently staring at each other. Suddenly, Kagome's face lit up with a warm smile, and she extended her hand towards the demon, introducing herself with confidence, "Hi, I'm Kagome."

With a piercing gaze, the demon fixed his eyes on her and took her hand in his much larger one. He introduced himself in a deep, commanding voice, "My name is Sesshoumaru."

Kagome gave Sesshoumaru's clawed hand a firm shake before releasing it. She resumed walking, and Sesshoumaru effortlessly fell into step beside her. The absence of conversation made her feel a bit uneasy. "It seemed a bit weird to not know the name of the person walking me home," she said, hoping to ease the tension. Sesshoumaru hummed in agreement, his stoic expression giving nothing away. "I want to apologize for causing you to stay late and for making you feel like you have to walk me home," she added.

"I do not mind," Sesshoumaru replied. To his own surprise, he truly did not mind.

As they continued on their journey, Kagome and Sesshoumaru fell into a comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Eventually, they arrived at a set of stairs leading up to an ancient shrine. Kagome turned to face Sesshoumaru and thanked him once more before smiling and then darting up the stairs with practiced ease. Sesshoumaru watched her go until she was out of sight, then turned and began walking back to the café, his mind still lingering on the strange woman named Kagome.