"Hana's here..." There was a ring on Vee'spresso's entrance while Hana walked in, hair a tousled mess that looked like it had lost a battle with her pillow. A lazy yawn escaped her lips as she rubbed at her eyes with the back of her hand, still caught somewhere between sleep and waking. Her oversized shirt hung loosely around her frame, one shoulder slipping off, making a few pairs of eyes follows her body - which Thristan noticed immediately. A faint stain near the hem of Hana's oversized shirt, a sign of last night's snacks or maybe this morning's coffee. She blinked her eyes, scanned the whole café before and paused on her track the moment she spotted something. Or rather, someone.
It was nearly four in the afternoon, typically a quiet time for the café, so it wasn't hard to spot him. His tall, striking figure stood out easily, despite being almost hidden at the corner.
Hana's sleepiness vanished in an instant. She adjusted her oversized shirt and strolled toward the counter, where Thristan was helping out by taking orders in Veronica's place since the part-timer said that she'll be late.
"Did you just wake up?" Thristan asked, taking off his hoodie before draping them over Hana's figure. Hana nodded, leaning casually against the counter, and reached into the candy bowl, unwrapped a lollipop, before popping it into her mouth.
"How long has he been here?" Hana asked, sucking on the lollipop. Glancing over to Veronica, Thristan shrugged.
"Around fifteen minutes ago? He popped up here along with that..." Thristan answered and pointed towards a ball of white fur tied on the umbrella stand next to the door. Glancing at the white fur - Jackie, was his name, Hana stared at the oldest in their trio.
"And you're not doing anything?" Because normally, Thristan would've already beaten the guy to a pulp by now.
"Vee said no," he said, grabbing a bag of coffee beans to grind. "So I'm just waiting for her to give the green light before I land a punch on him." Hana fell silent. She leaned back against the counter, lollipop still in her mouth, and kept watching quietly.
Meanwhile, at the table, Veronica adjusted her glasses and stared directly at the man in front of her. Her gaze was steady, her expression unreadable. They had been sitting there for the past fifteen minutes without exchanging a single word, just silently watching each other. The coffee Thristan had served had long gone cold, untouched.
Now, let's meet Daniel, a veterinarian and Veronica's ex-boyfriend. He was the textbook definition of tall, handsome, young and rich. He was supposed to succeed his family's business but he decided to hand the reins to his younger brother and choosing a career as a vet instead. With his clean-cut doctor look and a personality that once seemed sweet, gentle, and bookish, Daniel had appeared to be a dream partner. That is, until Veronica discovered he was cheating on her with a coworker, resulting to their break up six months ago.
Since then, the man, unfortunately, hadn't quite moved on. Obsessed with Veronica, he would occasionally show up at the café under the pretense of needing coffee, or walking his dog.
"Why are you here?" Veronica finally asked, breaking the silence after fifteen long minutes. The tension had become unbearable, and it was starting to affect the few customers in the café.
"I was walking Jackie and somehow ended up here…" Daniel replied smoothly.
Veronica scoffed. By the counter, Hana and Thristan who had been casually eavesdropping, scoffed as well. Who the hell walks their dog at three in the afternoon?
A brief silence followed before Veronica stood up with a quiet sigh, clearly done with the conversation. "Finish your coffee and leave."
"Vee, let's talk," Daniel muttered as he rose to his feet and reached out to grab her wrist, only to be cut off by Hana's sharp voice from across the room. She hadn't planned to get involved, but she was ready the moment Veronica needed her. And of course, Thristan, ever the protective one was already tense, fully prepared to step in and pounce if Daniel made one wrong move.
"You can say whatever you want, but don't touch her. You've lost that right." Hana's voice was cold, cutting through the tension like a blade. Only then did Daniel seem to notice her presence. Before, back when he was dating Veronica, Daniel had always thought Hana was the most outgoing of her friends, despite her shy personality. But she was also the one he feared the most. There was something about her sharp tongue and unshakable presence that made it clear, that crossing her was never a good idea.
Cautiously, Daniel withdrew his hand from Veronica's wrist. Hana, still sucking on her lollipop, remained silent, her posture relaxed, but her eyes watchful, every part of her alert and ready.
"Vee…" Daniel murmured, his voice soft, eyes filled with pitiful longing as he stared at her.
"Why are you here, exactly?" Veronica asked flatly. "We're over. So please,... just leave."
"I told you I was just walking Jackie!" he snapped, his voice rising slightly.
"Then why the hell are you fucking here?!" Veronica's voice suddenly exploded. "Go walk your damn dog and leave me the fuck alone! Why can't you just mind your own fucking business and live your fucking happy little life with your fucking new girlfriend?!"
The café fell into a heavy silence. Hana's lollipop slipped from her mouth and as it hit the floor with a faint clink. She raises her hands, about to clap, moved by the rawness of the moment, but stopped when she noticed how serious the situation was and the trembling in Veronica's voice.
"Vee, please! I didn't mean it!" Daniel pleaded. "It was a one-time mistake! I swear, I only ever loved you!" Hana scoffed under her breath, but Veronica didn't hold back, she scoffed in his face.
"Mistake or not, it's not my problem anymore, Daniel. Now get the fuck out of my life." Veronica said, turning to leave, but Daniel suddenly grabbed her wrist, roughly, causing her to stumble and almost hitting herself against the shelf behind her.
"Vee, please—!"
PRANG!
The sharp crash echoed through the café. Daniel froze, his head snapping toward the counter where the sound came from, and that's when he remembered - They weren't the only ones there. The few customers who were there immediately had their gazes fixed on Hana and were murmuring among themselves.
Hana still stood by the counter, her cold gaze fixed on him. Shattered pieces of broken glasses right beside her feet were the remains of the glass candy bowl she had deliberately knocked off. Her eyes were icy, calm, but radiated danger. If death had a face, it would've looked a lot like hers in that moment. And if grim reaper were a job option, Hana would easily pass the interview. Even Thristan, who was standing silently behind the counter, didn't move - probably because Hana had beaten him to the punch.
"Hands. Off." Two words. That was all it took for Daniel to release Veronica's wrist.
He turned toward Hana with a pleading look. "Hana…" he whispered, desperation dripping from his voice.
But Hana didn't spare him a second glance. She crouched down to pick up the broken pieces and muttered coldly, "Don't bother. I don't like you anymore. So leave… before I make you."
Realizing he had lost his final chance to reach Veronica, Daniel lowered his gaze and let out a quiet sigh. When he finally looked up again, Veronica's expression remained unchanged, calm, firm, and unyielding.
"I'm not going to apologize on her behalf," she said coolly. "You deserved it. And please, stop showing up here using Jackie as an excuse." She picked up the untouched, now-cold coffee and walked away, leaving Daniel standing there alone.
Daniel watched her retreating figure as she headed toward Hana, who was still crouched down, carefully picking up the scattered candies. With another heavy sigh, Daniel turned and walked over to where his dog sat patiently. He gave Jackie a soft pat on the head before silently exiting the café. Thristan followed Daniel with his eyes until the door closed behind him. Then, without a word, he disappeared into the kitchen to grab cleaning supplies. Returning with a dustpan and broom, he gently but firmly shooed the two girls aside, quietly taking over the task of sweeping up the broken glass.
"Hey, Little Hamster, I left your food in the kitchen. Go eat before it gets cold," Thristan said as he swept up the last bits of glass. "And wear your shirt properly! What are you doing walking around looking like that."
"Forget it—I'm going for a run. I lost my appetite," Hana grumbled, tossing the dropped lollipop into the bin with a huff.
Veronica, ever watchful, peeked from behind the counter. "How about some dessert then? I made parfait earlier," she offered sweetly, trying to coax her best friend like a mom luring a child to eat.
Hana paused, tempted, but then shook her head. "Later. You know I get stomachache if I run on a full stomach."
"Fine," Veronica sighed, stepping over to fix the hem of Hana's hoodie. "But you better come back and eat afterward. Don't make me chase you down."
"And don't run for so long. You wouldn't want to work while tired." She added again, and Hana merely nodded.
Grace, Vee'spresso's part-timer, who came a few minutes earlier for her shift, gasped dramatically. "Hana saying no to dessert?! The world is ending... tsk, tsk, tsk..."
Veronica chuckled and nodded. "We all know you can't force that girl to do anything she doesn't want. But I'll still nag her anyway, just in case it works one day."
"I heard that," Hana called out as she waved goodbye. "And by the way, you were so cool earlier, Vee."
Veronica flipped her hair with exaggerated sass. "Obviously. I learnt from the best." She said, pointing to Hana and they both laughed. Hana grabbed a fresh lollipop from the jar on her way out, leaving Veronica to deal with Thristan's growing pout.
As soon as she turned to him, Veronica sighed at the sight of his furrowed brow. "She's not going to die from skipping one meal, Thrist."
"Duh! But she'll still get stomachache!" he snapped, arms crossed in frustration. "And why are you not saying anything?!"
Veronica gave him a knowing look as she sat beside him. "Because I'm trying not to control her too much. She's an adult. She knows her limits. And you know she hates being pushed. Let her breathe a little."
Thristan fell silent for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh and sinking into a chair. "And what about you?" he asked gently. "Are you okay?"
Veronica smiled and gave him a light punch on the chest. "Of course. I've got two strong bodyguards protecting me. What could go wrong?"
"You really need to start training with us. You're so weak, I barely felt that punch," Thristan teased, trying to lighten the mood.
Veronica laughed and promptly landed a harder punch on his chest. "That one strong enough for you?"
Thristan grinned, rubbing the spot. "Better. But seriously, are you okay? You know you can talk to me. I'm all ears."
"Why?" Veronica raised a brow playfully. "You gonna give me a hug if I say I'm not?"
"Please. You don't even like hugs," he scoffed.
"Hana doesn't like hugs either, but that's never stopped you from clinging to her like she's your emotional support teddy bear," she shot back with a smirk.
Thristan shrugged with zero shame. "Yeah, well, Hana's different. She looks too damn huggable. I have to squeeze her."
"And I'm honestly amazed she hasn't killed you yet…" Veronica muttered as she moved behind the counter to take a customer's order.
"She can't. She loves me too much," Thristan said smugly.
"As her best friend," Veronica added pointedly. Thristan narrowed his eyes and gave her an exaggerated glare, clearly offended by the statement. Veronica just laugh as she made her way inside the kitchen before she starts working again since the cafe would get busy again soon. "Don't you have work? You've been hanging 'round here a lot these days..." Veronica's voice was muffled from the kitchen.
"Yeah, yeah... I'm leaving now..." Thristan said, removing the apron he was wearing before picking up his briefcase. "Who was it that asked me to take over earlier because her ex arrived..." He muttered.
"I heard that!" Veronica said, walking out of the kitchen while carrying a tray of new batch of cakes before handing it to Grace who then put them on the display.
Thristan rolled his eyes. "It was meant for you to hear.." He said and waved at Veronica before making his way out of the cafe. Veronica simply chuckled at her friend as she handed over a takeout order to a customer. "Here's your order, miss..."
The girl, stood nervously in front of the counter, fidgeting with her fingers as she avoided eye contact. Veronica glanced at the growing line behind her, then offered a polite but curious smile. "Is there anything else you need, miss?" she asked gently.
The girl looked up, cheeks flushed, clutching her cup a little tighter. "Uh, uhm.., Last week, I was here and saw you with a man. I,.. uhm... c- can I perhaps get his number?"
Veronica blinked, processing the question before offering an apologetic smile. "Ah… I'm really sorry, but… he's taken."
The girl's face went bright red. She stumbled over a quick apology and practically fled the café, her embarrassment trailing behind her like a cape Veronica watched her go with a soft sigh. Sorry, little girly, but his heart is already filled with someone else that there won't be room for anyone else in it...
*** *
The late afternoon sun cast long golden shadows across the floor of Vee'spresso as the door swung shut behind the flustered girl. The café returned to a comfortable hum—coffee cups clinking, a mellow playlist crooning overhead, the hiss of the espresso machine steaming to life again.
Veronica exhaled quietly, brushing her hair behind her ear as she turned back toward the counter. Grace leaned on the edge, raising a brow, clearly holding back a laugh.
"She was so close to fainting," Grace whispered with wide eyes. "Honestly, I was rooting for her."
Veronica smiled faintly. "Poor girl. But she picked the wrong heart to chase."
Grace tilted her head. "You think she meant Thristan or Julian?"
That made Veronica pause for half a beat before she replied, "…Thristan, definitely."
But something in her voice carried a flicker of hesitation. Julian had that same effect too—calm, quiet, composed—but intense when he wanted to be. And lately, she'd noticed how her thoughts drifted to him more often than they should.
The door chimed again. This time, it was familiar. Hana strolled back into the café, her black joggers dusted with a few streaks of gravel, her hair damp with sweat and lazily pulled into a bun, cheeks flushed from the run. She had ditched the oversized shirt and swapped it with a sleeveless hoodie, revealing a glimpse of the tattoo on her side that peeked out with each movement. Veronica squint her eyes seeing Hana's outfit — too revealing for her liking, especially when some men tried to take a clearer look of her tattoo.
"Isn't your outfit too revealing for a simple jog?" She can't help but comment.
Hana paused, glancing at her reflection on the tall mirror leaning against the wall and looked at Veronica with a confused expression. "I'm wearing a hoodie?"
"Yeah, with your sports bra out for people to see." Veronica huffed. "Not to mention I can practically see your tattoo."
"Vee, it's just a tattoo." Hana deadpanned.
"You don't know what kind of thoughts people have for that tattoo, Hana." Veronica muttered. "I don't want people to look at you with lustful eyes."
Hana looked at Veronica with a flat expression. "Are you my girlfriend?"
"She acts more like a mom, though?" Grace cut in on the conversation.
Veronica shoot Grace a glare and the high school part-timer cheekily grinned before quickly making her way to get more batch of lemon cake. Hana just chuckled and Veronica rolled her eyes.
"Anyway, why are you back already?" Veronica finally asks as she slid a fresh glass of iced water toward the end of the counter.
"Did a quick route around the block. Ran into an annoying couple making out under the bridge and lost the mood," Hana muttered, fixing her hair. "Also, I wanted my parfait."
"Of course you did," Veronica chuckled, already walking to the fridge to grab the chilled dessert. "You're lucky I didn't eat it."
"You wouldn't dare," Hana said, slipping into the bar stool with a tired sigh. She took the parfait in both hands like it was sacred and eyed it with reverence before digging in.
"Oh, and what happened to Thrist? Didn't he went to run with you?" Veronica asked, finally remembering about Thristan.
"He did?" Hana was surprised of the news, so she pulled out her phone to check and finally noticed the texts Thristan had sent her almost an hour ago.
"Oh, he was called back for work. Some problems in with the restaurant apparently." She said, shrugging before putting back the device on the table and continue eating. Veronica didn't comment anything and just continue doing whatever she was doing with the espresso machine.
As Hana ate, Grace came back and leaned in, watching curiously. "You okay now?"
Hana gave a slow nod. "Yeah… Vee's the one I'm worried about."
"I'm fine," Veronica replied gently. "Really." But Hana gave her a look that said she wasn't buying it. Veronica sighed and leaned her elbows on the counter.
"I think I'm just… tired of pretending to be okay with people like Daniel. The way he still shows up. Acts like I'm the one being difficult."
"You're not," Hana said bluntly between spoonful. "He's just an entitled man-child who hates the idea of you moving on without him."
There was a pause.
"…You are moving on, right?" Hana asked, lifting an eyebrow with suspicion, as if daring her to say otherwise.
Veronica chuckled softly. "I think I already have. I just haven't told my heart that it's allowed to be happy again."
Grace leaned over with a cheeky grin, her hand move to wipe the cake that was smudged on Hana's lips. "Tell that to the way you look at Mr. Hotel CEO when he walks in."
Hana smirked. "Ooh, are we bringing Julian into this now?"
Veronica narrowed her eyes, but the smile tugging at her lips betrayed her. "You two are the worst."
"And yet, you love us," Hana quipped.
Before Veronica could respond, the door chimed open again. This time, Julian stepped inside.
Hana looked up from her parfait and gave a lazy wave. "Speak of the devil."
Julian scanned the room, eyes falling immediately on Veronica behind the counter. He walked toward them, a warm smile on his face, one hand tucked casually in the pocket of his slacks.
"Afternoon," he greeted, then looked at Hana. "You left your phone charger at the hotel. I figured you'd need it."
Veronica blinked. "You drove all the way here just to return her charger?"
Julian looked between the two women. "She texted Zion from my phone saying I was her unpaid delivery guy. I figured I should live up to it."
Hana grinned proudly, licking her spoon. "You're a fast learner, CEO."
He turned to Veronica next. "But really, I also came to check if you're okay."
Veronica froze for a second, not expecting that. Hana exchanged a quick glance with Grace, who suddenly remembered she had something to do in the kitchen and disappeared inside with impressive speed. Hana guessed Thristan told Julian about what happened, which made the CEO rushed over. Veronica cleared her throat, trying not to let her voice shake. "I'm okay. But thank you."
Julian studied her a moment longer before nodding. "Let me know if you're not."
"I will."
There was a short silence before Hana coughed lightly. "So, are you gonna order something or just stand there being chivalrous?"
Julian chuckled and stepped up to the counter. "Espresso, as usual. And… something sweet. Whatever she recommends," he added, pointing at Veronica.
"Coming right up," Veronica said, her smile softer now.
As she turned to the espresso machine, Hana reached for her glass of water and whispered just loud enough for Julian to hear: "Nice timing, Prince Charming."
Julian looked at her with a faint smirk. "Someone has to watch your backs."
"And what if we watch yours?" Hana murmured, giving him a knowing look—playful, but not without weight.
He paused thoughtfully. "Then I'd be lucky."
From the kitchen, Grace peeked through the small pass window and whispered to herself, "This café is so much better than reality TV."
And with that, the day went on. A little calmer. A little warmer. And for the first time in a while, the air at Vee'spresso didn't feel so heavy anymore.
*** *
The espresso machine hissed and gurgled as Veronica focused on the drink in front of her, grounding herself in the comforting rhythm of her café. The warmth from the steam calmed her nerves, and the familiarity of her space slowly layered itself over the rawness of the earlier confrontation.
Julian leaned on the counter, fingers tapping lightly, eyes still flicking toward Veronica now and then—not hovering, but present. Solid. Reliable. It made her heart beat a little faster than she cared to admit.
"I added a slice of hazelnut chocolate tart," Veronica said a few minutes later as she placed a small tray in front of him. "Figured someone who drove all this way deserves more than just caffeine."
"Bribing your unpaid delivery guy to stay longer?" Julian teased.
"Bribing him to keep coming back," she quipped smoothly.
Hana raised her spoon in mock salute. "And people say I flirt shamelessly."
Veronica shot her a glare over her shoulder, but the lightness in the room felt earned this time—softer, more genuine. For the first time that day, laughter echoed in the café again. Julian took a bite of the tart, nodding approvingly. "You're really good at this, you know."
"At what? Baking?"
"At making people feel at home." His voice was gentle, no teasing in it.
Veronica blinked. For a moment, the weight of that compliment settled somewhere deep in her chest, warming the parts of her that had been cold all day. She didn't know how to reply, so she simply gave him a small, appreciative smile.
"Ugh, now you're just showing off," Hana groaned. "Grace, come back! They're flirting again!"
Grace poked her head out from the kitchen, already holding a mop. "I was gonna mop the floor but maybe I should just record this instead."
"Absolutely not," Veronica said firmly, cheeks tinted a soft pink.
As Julian sipped his espresso, he looked toward Hana. "Thristan mentioned you've been working until morning lately."
"Unfortunately," Hana muttered through another spoonful of parfait, making a pitiful expression — like that of a kicked puppy. "The club's short-staffed. But I've been managing."
Julian nodded. "Let me know if you need support. And I don't just mean at work."
Hana studied him for a beat, her sharpness softening slightly. "Thanks, but I'm fine." She shrugged.
"I know you are, but it's not wrong to get help sometimes, right?" Julian said and Hana smiled. Veronica watching all that with a fond expression, loving every bit of that scene — from Julian being kind enough to offer a help to Hana saying no to help like usual, but not completely rejecting them. It shows how much she's opened up to Julian and that she was starting to trust him, which, also a good thing for Veronica, given how shy Hana's usual personality is and it's good that she's starting to make friends other than Veronica and Thristan.
The café door opened again with a cheerful jingle. This time, it was Zion—dressed in casual slacks and a sleek black tee, sunglasses tucked into the neckline. He scanned the room like a man trained to check exits first, and then his eyes landed on Hana. His posture relaxed.
"Time to clock out, Hana," Zion said as he approached, before standing beside Hana. "You promised to visit, so Nate's been cooking various of foods since dusk. We should be there early if you don't want to be late for work."
"Oh that's right, Uncle Nate told me that he's inviting Hana for dinner today!" Veronica gasped, surprised that she forgot such an important date. She looked at Zion apologetically. "Sorry, I shouldn't have made her eat sweet, it'll spoil her appetite for dinner."
Zion smiled. "It's fine, Miss Veronica. This Little Hamster's gonna finish them all anyway, you know how big of an appetite she have."
Everyone chuckled while Veronica said, "You're right." Hana simply rolled her eyes at that.
"Now, shall we?" He asked, thrusting a hand for Hana to take.
Hana sighed, dramatically licking her spoon clean before tossing it into the empty parfait cup. "You're lucky your husband's cooking keeps me compliant."
Zion looked to Julian and nodded. "Heard you were doing delivery duty today."
"Voluntarily," Julian replied with a shrug.
"Right. Voluntarily," Zion echoed with a smirk, then turned to Veronica. "You okay?"
Veronica gave him a grateful look. "I will be. Thanks for checking in."
Zion tipped his chin, and with one last glance around the room, gently guided Hana toward the exit. "You coming or should I drag you?"
"I'm coming, I'm coming. What's the hurry," Hana said with a yawn.
"Enjoy your dinner Little Hamster!" Grace called after her.
As the door closed behind them, Veronica turned back to Julian. "You're really good with people, you know that?"
Julian looked faintly amused. "I wasn't always. But people like you make it easier."
Veronica smiled at him again. "You planning to stay a while?"
"Depends," Julian said, brushing a crumb off his sleeve. "Am I welcome?"
Veronica tilted her head, thoughtful. "Always."
And for the first time in days, she felt like the storm had finally passed. The café had returned to what it was meant to be—a haven, a heartbeat, a home.
Julian sipped his espresso slowly, and across the counter, Veronica finally let herself enjoy the moment. Quietly, fully, and without fear.