Blend S (ブレンド・S)

Um...

Can I ask you one thing?

Good morning!

Oh, Maika, I was just interviewing—

We're getting a new member, right?

Nice to meet you! I'm Hideri Kanzaki!

I'm a spunky high school student!

I look forward to working with you!

AN IDOL CHARACTER, TOO

You're as cute as a doll!

Manager, is our new co-worker starting today?

No, I haven't made up my mind yet.

Please don't cry!

Hey, what's all the commotion back here—

Hello? Is this the police?

Why are you always so quick to call the police?

Well, I kind of get it, but not really.

We could have a cute new member otakus would love.

We've been busy lately

and shorthanded. So why not hire on the spot?

Is there a problem?

There might be a slight overlap with Mafuyu's character.

Oh yeah, it might be a little similar to Hoshikawa's lolita character type.

Well, I classify Mafuyu as more "lolita-granny"—

STAB

Stab!

Good morning.

H-Hole!

Good...

morning.

Is this the newbie?

Yep! Adorable, right?

Manager, give the thumbs-up already!

I think we've got a rare find here!

Add another person to make the work load easier on me.

All right.

If you all insist, then I will.

Really? I get to wear the café's uniform even though I'm a boy?

A boy?

A BOY!?

A girl who talks like a boy! That's craftily adorbs!

Whoa, so she already comes with her own character.

Say, where's my uniform?

Oh, for today, you can wear our spare shirt and pants.

This is so sudden that I don't have an extra uniform yet!

Um, if you don't mind, you could wear my spare uniform.

Thank you!

Can you tell me your sizes?

I'll order a uniform for you.

From the top, 73, 56...

Just small, medium or large, please.

How do I look?

It looks good on you! Very cute!

Maybe a little big.

I actually like that!

All right, everyone else suit up and get ready to open!

Okay.

Welcome!

A new girl?

Thank you for coming to see me today!

Everyone!

Be sure to take a selfie with me on your way out!

So she's an idol character.

Wow!

Maika, Maika!

Could you help me for a minute?

Sure. Is there something you're not sure about?

Ta-da! Twin idols!

Twin idols...

Maika, please do your sadist character!

The newbie is pretty popular.

Yeah.

That's a lukewarm response.

Strange, when we've got a good new worker.

Well, the thing is...

- What's wrong? - Are you okay?

I-I saw it.

An evil black lifeform...

R-Roach!

Oh, just a cockroach?

You startled us with that scream.

What is it?

Well, after all...

It's heading towards Hideri!

The black lifeform!

SLAM

Hand...

With her hand...

Without any hesitation!

Amazing!

Hideri, that was manly of you.

I-I was so scared!

Don't come near me with that hand!

FWOOSH

Filth has to be sterilized!

Never mind "manly."

Your new co-worker is a man.

A so-called "femboy"! We really did get a great find this time!

Well, that's fine,

but you should write "male" on your resume.

What? I can't put "girl"?

No.

Come to think of it, why did you apply here?

My dream is to become a cute idol!

I think that's why God made me so cute!

He's calling himself "cute."

But my parents don't understand,

so I want to show them just how talented I am as an idol

by first gaining fans here!

Otherwise...

I'll have to inherit the family farm!

I hate being surrounded by bugs!

And pigs! I want moe pigs!

I want to get people's attention!

You're the manager here? Wow!

Then can we go in next time?

By all means! If you come in, delicious sweets will be on the house.

Yay! Awesome!

It's okay to bring a lot of your friends from school, too.

Then should we barge in with everyone?

Yeah!

Then we'll see you soon, Manager!

PLEASE WAIT FOR ME

Bye-bye!

I'll be waiting!

A-Akizuki! What was that for?

Hitting on high school girls in broad daylight?

No! Just trying to bring in more customers!

If Maika saw that, she'd get the wrong idea.

If Maika saw that, she wouldn't think anything of it!

That's because you suck badly at courtship and haven't made any progress.

That hurts, Akizuki.

Kanzaki?

You were there?

So that's what the manager's like!

CHUCKLE...

Hey, don't gesture like that.

This is like Miu #2.

All right!

If you suck at it, Manager, I've got various lectures for you!

Really?

However, you have to say I'm cute!

If the cost of advice is calling him "cute," that's cheap.

Besides, you're always calling this and that "cute."

Cu...

"Cu..."?

You're cute.

Is it that distasteful to you?

That's his problem. But all right, fine!

First, compliment her!

Whether you say she's cute or whatever, girls are pleased to be praised!

Me, too! I like people who compliment the selfies I put up on my SNS!

What do you think?

You sure have a lot of photos on here.

Why are they all with sad eyebrows, a duck face and thigh-high socks?

Shut up. Ask me that again, and I'll clock you.

Welcome!

Um, table for two.

First, compliment her!

First, compliment her!

You're here again?

Please sit where you want, but at a table where you won't be in the way.

- Right! - Right!

Go on, compliment her! Compliment her!

Shoo, shoo!

Maika...

Yes?

Maika, you're so kind and wonderful.

GONG

Wasn't I being sadistic?

No, that's not what I meant!

I guess I'm not cut out for customer service.

No!

Maika, you're taking it the wrong way!

You're useless when it comes to saying something in words, Manager.

Yep.

Then gain points by your actions!

Actions?

Yeah. For example...

I'm going back to work.

Help her out like this.

You tripped me.

It was a performance to give the manager guidance.

I think I can do that! I'm gonna help Maika now!

I'll take your order.

But try not to spit as you give it.

SHIVER SHIVER

Come on, make it snappy!

M-Manager?

We're not serving you any food!

Wha... Whaaat?

What were you thinking?

Helping someone doesn't mean interfering with their work!

Right.