It's another day at work and Makio's mildly distracted by the latest happenings. He's fumbling orders slightly here and there, but it's nothing he can't make up for. Aside from a few minor mistakes in order taking, the Mew Mew is doing great as usual. Makio comes to wait near the door after finishing with another round of customers.
Walking into the cafe just as Makio should be getting off work, Ami looks around. The bluenette spots him quickly enough, and smiles, hoisting her bag of books. "Hey," she greets. She's still a little shy around him. "How long until you're off work? I can snag the corner table like usual." That's where they end up studying the most.
Makio Ryu blinks a little and peers at his watch. "Oh! Err, I'm actually supposed to be off now," he answers, "I'll be right back!" The male bluenette would seat her before he makes his way off to the back. It's no real time at all before he's returning in his usual, casual appearance though. "Hi Ami," he greets more properly, before settling across from her. "How are things?"
Ami smiles at Makio. "How are things, Makio?" she asks kindly, having set out the study materials. She smiles kindly, if still a little shyly, up at him. "I'm happy to see you again."
"Things are mostly ok," Makio responds, "I've got someone I'm worried about, but I have nothing I can really do about that at the moment though. What about you?" He smiles as he digs his own stuff out of his bag. "Happy to see you too."
Smiling back, Ami gives a little shrug. "Things... eh. They're the same as ever," which sounds lighthearted to passers-by, but to a fellow Mahou or adjacent, well....
Makio Ryu gives a slight frown, but he'd smile again fairly quickly. "Yeah, there's some new people in town. They seem like they're actually one person, but I can't really prove it yet..."
Ami Mizuno raises an eyebrow in curiosity. "You should tell me more when you can."
Makio Ryu nods a little. "Ummm, that 'aside', we have a new girl here at the cafe. She seems kinda cute in that poor little new girl sort of way..."
Ami Mizuno catches on fast. "Yeah? Tell me more. You like her?" she asks, with a shy smile. She's obviously not interested in Makio--she's got her own, complicated relationship with Takashi--but she does like a touch of gossip. Minako is rubbing off on her.
"She SEEMS ok," Makio replies with his usual grin, "She's kinda thin, almost sickly looking...not like I think she IS sick, but she's not very energetic or anything. She's apparently not like the rest of the wait staff here though..."
Ami Mizuno frowns a little. "What do you mean?" she says, worried. Doctor Mizuno lives up to her nickname.
"Well, she gets excluded from the 'special meetings'," Makio states, "But the bosses haven't SAID anything about her that makes it sound like she should BE at those meetings either...and yet..."
Ami Mizuno tilts her head, listening. Her blue eyes are bright on Makio as she listens.
Makio Ryu says, "There's a new part of the 'gang' in town, that the bosses ALSO haven't mentioned, who's looking like she might be a little problimatic..."
Ami Mizuno blinks. "Oh. Oh dear. I wonder why I haven't heard about this yet?" She frowns a little.
Makio Ryu says, "It's been kept pretty low key for a few reasons. Hopefully I can work something out so she doesn't become a problem for sure instead of just being a potential issue. She met Lacrima a few nights back, and the two of us have a meeting set up through Lacrima sometime soon...""
Ami Mizuno nods slowly. "I see." She frowns a little. "You know how to reach me if you need backup, okay?"
Makio Ryu nod in reply to Ami. "She's got a lot in comon with Lacrima from the sound of it...but if we can soothe things out somehow, that should be fine." "Other than that, there's really no new news."
Ami Mizuno nods. "I'll take no news otherwise, and I trust you to handle what's going on with your people." She smiles.
Makio Ryu nods in reply. "Anyway....what should we focus on today..." he murmurs thoughtfully.