The bell over the door chimed softly as Jun stepped inside.
Not the loud jangle of a trendy café.Not the harsh buzz of a busy roastery.Just a soft, three-note chime.
Simple.Old.
The kind of sound that felt like it belonged to a slower time.A shop that didn't rush you in or shout you out.A space that asked you to listen first.
The air inside smelled—
Not sharp.Not burnt.
But deep.
Like soil after rain.Like wood warmed by the sun.Like something waking up quietly.
Like the beginning of something.
Shelves lined the walls.
No flashing signage.No espresso trophies or "Top Rated" stickers.
Just glass jars, each filled with small-batch beans.
Neatly labeled in slow handwriting.Each tag more poem than pitch:
Guatemala – Light floral, soft cocoa.Ethiopia – High bloom, berry whispers.Sumatra – Heavy, earthy pull.
They didn't read like marketing.
They read like someone had stood in the field,cupped the soil in their palms,and described it not to impress—but to remember.
Behind the counter stood a woman.
Maybe in her forties.Canvas apron dusted with flecks of roast.Hair tied up with no fuss.Eyes that looked like they'd seen a thousand sunrises without rushing once.
She didn't greet him.
Didn't perform hospitality.
She just looked up.
And waited.
Jun approached slowly.
The tote tugged at his shoulder.Heavier with decisions than gear.
He didn't fidget.Didn't pretend.Didn't speak too soon.
He just breathed.
Then said—
"I'm looking for beans."
The woman nodded once.Still no sales tone.Still no rush.
Then asked:
"What kind?"
Not what roast.Not what price.
What kind.
Jun paused.
Not from doubt—but to answer honestly.
"Ones that listen back," he said.
Her mouth twitched.
Not a smile.Not mockery.
More like—
Recognition.
Without a word, she stepped from the counter.Gestured to a small wooden table tucked near the back.
Three jars waited there.
No labels.No signs.No spotlight.
[System Log: Sourcing Branch Initiated – Artisan-Level Ingredient Selection Available.]Trait Bonus: Ingredient Resonance + Tracking if Successful.
Jun followed.
No checklist.No bargaining.No brochures.
Just presence.
He opened the first jar.
The aroma hit soft and fast.Bright citrus.A spike of morning air.Faded into a honeyed stillness.
He closed it gently.
The second jar.
Thicker.Slower.
Earthy.A low hum that seemed to settle under his skin.A bean with weight.A story.
The third jar.
Sharp.Clean.
A bright whisper that made the nose lift involuntarily—like being asked a question without words.
Jun didn't rush.
He didn't look for the best.
He listened.
The same way he listened to water blooming over grounds.The same way he listened to the hush just before steam rose.
One jar hummed back.
Not loud.Not glowing.
Just a whisper—that matched his own.
He set his hand lightly on the second jar.
Heavy.Earthy.Unflashy.
Steady.
The woman nodded once.
Approving.But still unsmiling.
"You'll brew clean with that," she said.
No sales pitch.No guarantees.Just truth.
Jun paid without hesitation.
No negotiation.No calculation.
He took the small brown sack and tucked it into his tote—
like he was carrying something alive.
As he stepped back out into the city, the wind tugged at his hoodie.Traffic returned.People brushed past.
The world didn't change.
Not visibly.
But the path beneath his feet—
felt deeper.
More rooted.More ready.
[System Log: Artisan Sourcing Completed – Ingredient Resonance Line Unlocked.][XP Gained: +30 – Origin Tracking Activated.][Hidden Trait Progression: Listener's Pour +5%]
Tomorrow, the kettle would hiss.The water would spiral.The dripper would bloom.
But the notes?
They wouldn't just be pulled from routine.
They would be sung.
Sung from a place that listened first.
And Jun?
He was ready.
Not just to brew.But to listen deeper.
[System Record – Storyline ID: S08-Origin]Logged User: Stylsite08Path: Stillness to Mastery
Unauthorized copies may trigger system disruption.Original work by Stylsite08. Do not repost or distribute without permission. All rights reserved.