<div style="text-align: center;"><a class="postlink" href="http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn24/SociallyToxicBeauty/0aeed57a-c38e-461d-9c46-0e661d76d321.jpg">[ img ]</a></div><br/><br/>Melda paused in her exit as Jin stormed past her, jumping as the door hit the wall. She blinked, her mouth slightly open in awe, only looking over when Rika grabbed her hand.<span style="color: #BF00FF">"Oh my. It looks like you get to see a rare side of Jin. My son rarely ever is angry...This should be fun," </span>Rika said with a chuckle.<span style="color: #BF0000">"Fun...?"</span>Melda repeated quietly, incredulously.<br/><br/>By now Jin had already dropped his hand onto Payton's shoulder, though she couldn't make out the words they were exchanging completely. All she knew was Jin was now dragging Payton by the collar of his pricey shirt towards the door.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0000FF">"You come in here all the time and make life hard for us. You boss my mother around and flaunt your wallet as if it makes you more of a man. And now you harass my guest? My guests?!?"</span>Jin shouted, and Melda jumped again at the boom of his voice, her heart fluttering in her chest--from what, she was unsure.<span style="color: #BF00FF"> "--whenever he wants, then throw cash at people as if it makes it okay,"</span>Melda's head snapped to Rika as she realized the woman was talking to her.<span style="color: #BF0000">"Oh?"</span>she said softly, clearly overwhelmed by everything going on.<br/><br/>By the time she looked back up, Payton was outside and Jin was making his way towards her, his eyes locked on hers. She couldn't even speak as he went past her only to com back with the apron she had discarded. He dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around her to tie the apron back on, while Melda lifted her arms slightly in surprise.<br/><br/>It didn't take Jin long, but for Melda it had been a lifetime. He stood, taking a step back as if to examine her.<span style="color: #BF0000"> "Perfect. Now, get back out there and take orders. It's not hard. Just ask them what kind of pastry they want, then if they would like a drink. We have two kinds of coffee. Regular and decaf. We have water and orange juice available also if they want that. After you know what the want, write it down and tear the slip off. Hand that slip to Rika and then go to your next table. Keep whatever tip people give you. If Anyone gives you any trouble, get Rika. The bakery is only open for three more hours, so let's hustle!" </span>Jin said, walking off and disappearing to the back room.<br/><br/>Rika's sigh invaded the room and Melda looked up,<span style="color: #BF00FF"> "We really appreciate you being here. Jin might not have said it, but we really appreciate the help. I know Payton was a douche, but that scum won't bother you here any more, not as long as Jin is here. So please...Try and have a little fun? There's no reason not to,"</span>Rika pleaded before she went back to the register, stealing glances at Melda who seemed to be deep in thought.<br/><br/><span style="color: #BF0000">"...but what about when Jin isn't here...?" </span>she said softly to herself, almost resigned. While it had been nice that Jin had, more or less, been her savior for the day--she wasn't stupid or hopeful. He wasn't always going to be around and who knew how long he'd want to even bother with helping her out. It seemed most of his actions had been on a whim, rather than him actually caring about how people treated her. Still, she supposed she might as well help him out with his mother's bakery. She had nothing better to do and Payton was gone. And so, Melda went to work.<br/><br/>At first, she was pretty clumsy with everything, but eventually she got into the swing of it and the more regular customers seemed to enjoy the awkward, corny-humored Melda. For the first time since she had started attending the human school, she smiled--a true, honest smile. Her laugh filtered through the air as an old man told her a joke, and she gave a sarcastic reply that left a table of girls in a fit of giggles as she poured their coffee.<br/><br/>Eventually three hours had passed and the last customer left. Melda had made a ton of tips, but she had no use for them. She didn't really need the money, but she knew by the way Jin had eaten lunch that perhaps he and his mother did. Being careful not to be caught, she slipped the money she had made into a "tip" jar on the counter. She then went to the back, untying her apron and hanging it where Rika had originally taken it from and then found Jin in the back cleaning up some.<br/><br/><span style="color: #BF0000">"Hey..." </span>she said softly,<span style="color: #BF0000">"You--uh..you need any help in here?"</span>she asked. She seemed shy, but she wasn't. She just didn't know how to interact with people very well. If they weren't throwing gum at her, they were trying to lift her skirt. She wasn't used to being in a situation where people were nice, and so she hardly knew how to react.