[center][h3][color=BC8F8F]Mikio[/color][/h3]
[i]Tea Lounge[/i][/center]
[hr]

Donning a short-sleeved, white dress shirt and black pants with matching tennis shoes, and the contrasting apple-green apron emblematic of Tea Lounge, Mikio prepared to open the teahouse.

It was a matter of getting the kettles up and ready, scrubbing the milky quartz countertops of the tables and island table, and parting the curtains. As the drapes separated, morning light spilled over Mikio, painting the honeyed bamboo flooring a brilliant yellow hue. He paused, watching businessmen and women, senile sightseers and children running down the sidewalks, and a tired smile grew. Propping open the door with a weird bauble Shika bought in Europe, Mikio stepped outside. With a wet cloth in-hand, and a pastel blue piece of chalk in the other, Mikio set up the chalkboard stand and wiped off yesterday's cheery display.

Kneeling down, Mikio wrote:

[center][color=B0C4DE][i]Beautiful mornings are best paired with[/i]:
Fresh Coffee - 115 Yen (All Sizes!)
Teas (Chai, Dandelion Root, Matcha) - 250 Yen
Steamed Rice with Whole-grain Bun - 600 Yen
Miso Soup - 500 Yen[/color][/center]

He finished the brief menu with a yellow sun at the bottom and stood, admiring the dainty curlicues of his writing-all gleaned from Shika. Mikio stepped back inside, setting aside the chalk and cloth. He tied his hair up into a short ponytail, stray locks of brown hair settling at his temples. He sat down at one of the tables by the door and waited.