The rain didn't stop. If anything, it grew sharper — slicing sideways in icy gusts that made every step feel like walking into a freezer.
Ezra and Mellody huddled close, coats soaked through, breath fogging out in white puffs.
Then—
A bell rang.
A small, metallic clang cutting through the storm.
They turned.
Across the street, half-hidden by mist, was a tiny stall coffee shop —a wooden counter, a rusted tin roof, warm yellow lights flickering like a dying star behind glass.
Inside, people crowded shoulder to shoulder, all drenched from the storm, steam rising from their cups like ghosts peeling off skin.
Mellody shivered, hugging herself."Ezra… let's stop here," she said, teeth almost chattering."I'm freezing. I need something hot before I turn into ice."
Ezra nodded. "Yeah… let's warm up before we die of hypothermia."
They crossed the wet road, shoes splashing cold puddles, hands never letting go.
Inside, an old couple stood behind the counter. The man stirred coffee with slow, practiced movements. The woman handed cups without speaking.
No smiles. Just tired, rain-soaked eyes that had seen too many dawns.
Mellody ordered without hesitation."One Double Chocolate Coffee, please!"
Then she nudged Ezra."And for my idiot husband… Strong Coffee. Milk. No sugar."
Ezra mustered a smirk. "You know me too well."
The wind howled behind them, rattling the stall's loose windowpanels.
Everyone inside shivered — all wrapped in coats and scarves, hands cupped around steaming drinks like their lives depended on it.
Mellody got her cup first.
She lifted it to her lips, took a sip, and sighed."Simple… but good. Warm. Like childhood."
Ezra lifted his own cup.
Warmth seeped into his chilled fingers, a comfort he didn't expect.
He took one sip—and the world glitched.
Just a glitch. One second. Less.
The crowd vanished.
The old couple disappeared.
The stall became empty — abandoned — cold air echoing in its hollow space.
Only Ezra. And Mellody. Standing alone.
Then — blink.
Everything snapped back.
The people returned. The old couple worked silently. Mellody drinking her coffee like nothing changed.
Ezra froze mid-sip, eyes wide.
"What's wrong?" Mellody asked softly, wiping rain from his cheek with her thumb.
He forced a breath."N–Nothing. Just… hot coffee hit harder than I expected."
She smiled. "You're terrible at lying."
But she didn't push. She never pushed.
They finished their drinks, warmth flickering inside them only to be crushed again by the rain outside.
As they stepped back into the storm, Mellody wrapped her arm around his, pulling him close.
Ezra walked beside her, soaked, freezing…
…and deeply confused.
What glitched? Who disappeared? And why was it only him who saw it?
The rain washed no answers away.
Only the footsteps toward the mansion echoed —two people in love, and one mind unraveling quietly beneath the cold.