“Ah, I remember you! And you helped me get to the top this time, looks like! Thank you!!” Totty shakes your hand, and gosh his hands are soft. Almost alarmingly so. He gets your cup, tops it off with whipped cream that somehow has a pink streak down one side, and adds in two pink rabbit-shaped marshmallows. “They made these this morning, aren’t they cute?” He slides it over to you with a smile and a baby pink matsu keychain. “I’m lucky to have you on my side!”

He can’t help but involuntarily giggle at that ‘anime girl biting something’ sound. COUGH COUGH, CHANGE OF GLOVES FOR SANITARY PURPOSES, “Very well, dear fan! We shall endeavor to make something worthy of your fearsome chomps!” Once the brownie has a picture perfect scoop in the middle, he places two little stars, one dark chocolate and one white chocolate, on each side, giving the top an artful caramel drizzle before adding on some chocolate whipped cream and… One more star. Milk chocolate on top. “Enjoy, dear fan!” His eyes ablaze with diery passion, he smiles. “Hompf!”

“Aw, thanks, I’m almost worried I’ll mess up the freezers sometimes! I think I can swing getting you an extra cherry, but I’m afraid the six of us are stuck behind the counter!” While he laughs at his own joke, he slides your drink across the counter. “All the passion I’ve got pent up, pal! You deserve it, you’re a fan!” He gives your hand a firm shake, one that makes your arm involuntarily waggle a tad. Your keychain, silvery with a red matsu, is handed to you just as your ice cream comes out. He adds a few red candy hearts, a ring of whipped cream, and two maraschino cherries. “Eat up!” He points to a candy. “Niichan put his heart into it.”

“Absolutely!” While the mixmaster mixes away, he grabs a keychain– Hey, green! With black print!– hands it to you, happily shaking your hand, knobbly fingers holding onto the cold because he helped scoop the ice cream for this one. When the drink arrives, he tops it with whipped cream, two pirouline cookies, “Kind of like penlights? I think it’s cute!”, and a bright green cherry. “Make sure you don’t overheat! Summer’s tough!”

“Extra sprinkles?” Jyuushimatsu bounds over to the counter. “I love extra sprinkles! How about we go with rainbow? So you can get all our colors!” While a more seasoned professional swirls up your soft serve, Jyuushimatsu (in short sleeves! Wow!) gives you a hearty, but restrained shake. Like he knows he’s a little too strong, but still wants you to feel like it was properly firm. He dunks it into the sprinkles, sticking two rectangular wafer into one side, and a little white chocolate 😀 face slightly above them. “Here you go– WAIT, KEYCHAIN!” He ducks down, and pops back up with a pastel blue-green keychain with a little shiny gold Matsu. I hope all this sugar helps you hustle through your day a little happier! Bye-byyyyye!“

“I see that you have a taste for luxury! Not just in your snacks, but in your favorite performers.” He dishes out a keychain– pale peach, blue matsu symbol– and shakes your hand gently. “I’m glad that I’m one of your indulgences.” Your milkshake arrives, and he makes sure that it’s topped with a chunk of brownie and a swirl of chocolate whipped cream before sliding it across the counter.

His first customer of the day, and he’s already getting misty-eyed. Karamatsu nods as you speak, smiling wide. “My kind, caring fans are the brightest stars in mine. I’m glad that I could illuminate your skies!” He beams like a grade schooler being complimented on his spelling, and he reaches his hands out, one pressed to your palm, the other to the back of your hands, palms warm and fingertips a little icy. “I wish you all the best in the year to come, dear Karamatsu fan. Oh, ah, if it’s your birthday, I should do something extra… Hm. Oh!” He hastily signs an event coaster, with a large HAPPY BIRTHDAY! and an equally large Karamatsu🌟, presenting it to you along with the keychain. Oh, and your pastel blue drink! “Thank you for choosing to come here on your special day. I am humbled, honored, and… Still delighted that you called me handsome. My fans are perfect!” Cue the 70s shojo tears…!

Osomatsu gives his longtime fan a little salute and a smile. “You got it!” He quickly fishes out a keychain– this one’s white, but it still has a little red matsu symbol imprinted on it– and shakes her hand with a smile that could melt all the solid ice cream in here. Oh, what’s this? He notices the slip, reading over it quickly… and sticking it into his pocket with a sheepish, but delighted grin. “Thank you for the gift!” The float arrives, and he sticks a little cherry candy “1❤” into the scoop of ice cream on top, along with a wiggly straw and a good sprinkle of coarse red sugar. “Keep it cool, ‘k?”