Kai tried to focus on the espresso machine.
He really did.
But every time he glanced up, his eyes drifted toward the counter — toward Aika.
She wasn't doing anything unusual. Just wiping down a table. Refilling napkins. Staring at nothing for a few seconds too long.
But something about her felt… familiar.
Not her face. Not her voice. Not anything he could name.
Just the heaviness in her eyes.
Leon noticed.
Of course he did.
Leon always noticed.
He leaned over and whispered, "Dude. You're staring."
Kai nearly dropped the milk pitcher. "I wasn't—"
"You were," Leon said, grinning. "It's fine. She's cool. And you need friends. Or a friend. Or… something."
Kai stiffened. "I don't—"
Leon clapped him on the shoulder. "Relax. I got you."
Kai did not relax.
Leon marched straight to Aika.
Kai wanted to sink into the floor.
"Aika!" Leon called. "Can you show Kai the ropes? He's hopeless."
Aika blinked, pulled from whatever distant place her mind had wandered to. "Oh. Sure."
Leon shot Kai a thumbs-up behind her back.
Kai considered quitting on the spot.
But Aika was already walking toward him, tying her apron tighter, her expression soft but unreadable.
"Okay," she said quietly. "Let's start with the basics."
—
Aika showed him how to:
clean the tables
take orders
operate the register
not break the coffee grinder (Leon had warned her)
Kai listened carefully, nodding at every instruction, even when he didn't fully understand. His hands shook once or twice, but Aika pretended not to notice.
She didn't ask questions. She didn't pry. She didn't look at him like he was strange.
She just… taught him.
And Kai found himself relaxing, just a little.
At one point, Aika paused mid-sentence, staring at the window. Her eyes unfocused again — that same distant, haunted look.
Kai hesitated. "Are you… okay?"
Aika blinked, startled. "Oh. Sorry. I'm fine."
She wasn't.
Kai recognized the lie instantly.
He didn't push.
She didn't either.
Two broken souls, quietly orbiting each other.
—
Their shift ended at sunset.
Leon tossed his apron onto a hook and stretched. "Alright! Good work, team. No disasters. No fires. Kai didn't get attacked by the blender. I call that a win."
Kai frowned. "The blender made a noise."
"It's supposed to make noise."
"That seems dangerous."
Leon groaned. "We'll work on it."
Aika let out a tiny laugh — the first sound of warmth Kai had heard from her all day. She covered it quickly, but it lingered in the air.
Leon's eyes lit up. "Hey! I have an idea."
Aika tensed. Kai tensed harder.
Leon ignored both of them. "Let's go somewhere. The amusement park outside town reopened last month. Rides, food stalls, lights — the whole thing. We should go."
Aika hesitated. "I… don't know."
Kai's throat closed. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know if he should say anything.
Leon nudged him. "Kai? You in?"
Kai froze.
Kai froze. He wanted to say yes. He wanted to say no. He wanted to vanish entirely.
Aika looked at him — not expectantly, not impatiently, just… gently.
Kai swallowed. "I… I can try."
Leon threw his hands up. "That's basically a yes! Perfect. Tomorrow evening. All three of us."
Aika gave a small nod. "Okay."
Kai nodded too, though his heart was pounding.
Leon grinned. "Great. It's settled. And don't worry — if Kai panics, we'll just put him on the merry-go-round."
Kai blinked. "What is a merry-go-round?"
Aika smiled — a real one this time.
Leon groaned. "Oh boy. This is gonna be fun."
The three of them stepped out into the cool evening air.
Leon grinned. "See you both tomorrow."
Kai and Aika both nodded.
Leon and Aika headed off toward their respective houses. Halfway down the street, Leon stopped, frowning. "Wait… Kai?"
He spun around and jogged back, realizing Kai was still standing there, staring after them.
Three strangers. Two broken hearts. Three lives quietly beginning to intertwine.
None of them knew it yet.
But this was the moment everything started.