The sun had barely climbed over the horizon when Alina stirred awake in her dorm room. The chatter of girls getting ready for their morning classes floated faintly through the thin walls, but inside her own space, there was only the sound of her breathing and the nervous flutter of her heart.
She sat up slowly, rubbing her temples. The dorm had been… tolerable, at first. A roof over her head, a bed to sleep in, and noise she had learned to ignore. But lately, it had felt suffocating, the constant shuffle of people, the lack of privacy, the way her thoughts never felt like her own because there was always someone just outside the door. She completed her studies, and with the dorm period now over, it was time for her to leave and head out on her own.
She even found a source so that she can pay the rent.
Today, she had an appointment to visit a small apartment across town. It's almost close to the cafe. It will be easy for her to go to the cafe. Not much, maybe just four walls and a window, but the thought of standing inside a place that could belong to her, even temporarily, made her stomach twist with a nervous hope. Finally, she can have her own house, A place that belongs to her, where she can have her own rules and regulations. Maybe no rules and regulations as ssuchhe is tired of the rules. My problem was the cafe. She needs to be present at her job at 9 AM, and it's almost the time.
She reached for her phone on the nightstand, staring at Maya's name in her contacts. It wasn't like she hadn't called Maya before, but this felt different. She wasn't sick, and she wasn't running late because she overslept. She wasn't talking to anyone but her particularly strict boss. She was choosing ....choosing her future....over the cafe for just a couple of hours. And even though she knew Maya cared about her, that guilt burned sharp. Maya was her friend, but here she wasn't about to call her friend, it was her Boss!
She joined the cafe not less than a few days ago, and in just a few days, she started to take leave. Will thee bostheant her leave? Still, she pressed the call button. The phone rang twice before Maya's familiar voice answered, warm and alert despite the early hour.
"Alina?, Are you ill?''
Alina hesitated, then exhaled. "No, everything's fine. I just… I wanted to let you know I'll be about two hours late this morning."
A pause. Not long, but long enough to make Alina chew on her lower lip. And believe that her boss is strict enough for her and will not give leave in the future.e
"Two hours late?" Maya repeated, calm. "Why?"
Alina curled her fingers into the blanket on her lap. "Nothing. It's just… I'm going to look at a place today. An apartment. I.....I think I'm ready to move out of the dorm, and there's one I want to check before it's gone."
The words tumbled out, awkward and rushed, as if saying them quickly would soften their weight. On the other end, Maya was quiet for a moment. Alina could almost picture her standing behind the counter already, apron tied, eyebrows slightly raised as she processed what she'd just heard.
Then came the sound of Maya's small, steady laugh. "Alina, you had me worried. I thought you were calling to say you'd fallen sick or been kidnapped or something. Looking at apartments? That's… that's a good thing."
Alina blinked, surprised. "You're not… mad?" She thought Maya would talk with her in a bossy way. After all, Maya is her friend.
"Mad?" Maya scoffed. "Why would I be mad? Finding your own place is important. And honestly, I'm glad you're doing it. The dorm never suited you anyway. If you hadn't called me for a leave, I would have given it to you so that you can look for a place".
Her voice softened on that last word, and for a moment, Alina felt the lump in her throat ease. It's always her friend, never a Boss.
"Bu, the cafe," Alina pressed. "The morning rush..''
"I'll manage the morning rush," Maya interrupted gently. "You think I can't handle a few impatient customers? I'll hold down the fort until you come."
Alina smiled faintly, pressing the phone closer to her ear. "You always make it sound so simple."
"Because it is simple," Maya said. "You're allowed to have a life outside the café, Alina. And honestly, this? This is exactly the kind of thing you should prioritize. A place that feels like home. Somewhere you can breathe."
The words landed deep, because that was exactly what she needed. A House. Breathing. The dorm felt like holding her breath all the time, and she wanted.. needed ..the air.
Alina whispered, "Thank you."
"Don't thank me," Maya said. "Just go. See the apartment. Take your time. And when you come back, I want details."
Alina laughed softly, the tension in her shoulders finally loosening. "Details, huh? What if it's terrible?"
"Then I want the terrible details. We'll laugh about it."
That warmth, that ease, settled into Alina's chest like a small anchor. She didn't have to do everything perfectly. She didn't have to carry the guilt like a weight. Maya's steady voice on the other end of the line reminded her she wasn't doing this alone.
"Okay," Alina said, her voice steadier now. "I'll see you in a couple of hours."
"Go get that place, Alina."
The call ended, leaving the room in silence again. But it didn't feel so heavy anymore. Alina stood, pulling on her scarf and jacket, sliding her bag over her shoulder. She looked around at the dorm one last time, the chipped paint, the pile of laundry in the corner, the muffled chatter of girls outside.
She smiled faintly. Maybe soon, this would only be a memory.
With one last glance at her phone, at Maya's reassuring words glowing on the screen in her call log,
The cafe's bell tinkled as Ryan pushed open the glass door, stepping inside with the usual half-distracted air of a man already mentally composing his next schedule update. His eyes swept the room automatically, noting the warm hum of conversation, the faint clatter of cups behind the counter, the faint aroma of roasted beans clinging to the air.
He wasn't here for pleasure. Never was. Coffee, for him, was a necessity fuel to keep pace with the relentless shadow of Kai Arden's world. But today, his gaze froze.
There she was.
Behind the counter, in a soft beige apron knotted around her waist, her hair tucked back casually, stood Maya.
For a moment, Ryan wondered if the lack of sleep had finally driven him into hallucinations. Even though it's a hallucination, why is it her? It can be anyone. But no, she looked up, blinking at him, recognition sparking immediately in her eyes.
"You?" he said, more sharply than intended.
Maya broke into a grin that lit up her whole face. "Oh, look who wandered in. Mr. Perfectly Serious himself."
Are you stalking me? Ryan asked her
''Hell, oh Mr., if I were stalking you, I should be the one behind you, not talking with you face to face.''
Ryan's brows shot up. " So, this is your cafe?"
"Correction," she said, wiping her hands on her apron. "Partnership. But yes, one-third mine."
Ryan blinked. He was quite impressed by her; she doesn't look like an owner. Always a carefree person. He'd always looked at her as loud, dramatic, and forever meddling in other people's business. Not someone who would quietly invest time and energy into… this. A real, tangible place. A business.
"You actually do work?" he muttered, the words slipping out before he could stop them.
Maya gasped, hand flying to her chest in mock offense. "Excuse me? What do you mean, actually? I've been working harder than you'd think."
He coughed, quickly glancing away, pretending to examine the chalkboard menu. But internally, something shifted. Maybe...just maybe...she wasn't all talk. Maybe she could surprise him.
Yup, it's him talking about her life. The guy who was supposed to award the title of Mr. Most Serious Man Alive is invested in his neighbor's life? And it's not that he'd ever admit it aloud.
"Fine," he said curtly. "So what do you serve? Or should I just grab whatever doesn't poison me?"
Her lips curved into that infuriating smirk. "Wow, compliments already. Careful, Ryan, you'll make me blush."
"I wasn't complimenting you, and don't call me Ryan, no one does''
"Sure you weren't. She leaned across the counter, ''No one does, that's why I want to call you'' By saying that, she winked at him. Lowering her voice conspiratorially. "So, what do you like to drink?"
Ryan hesitated. Normally, he'd bark "black, no sugar" and be done with it. But under her expectant gaze, the words felt too… plain. Or maybe he wants to talk with her ."What's your specialty?" he asked instead, surprising even himself.
Maya's eyes lit up. "Finally. A man with taste." She spun toward the espresso machine with a flourish, calling over her shoulder, "Sit anywhere. I'll bring it."
Ryan frowned, half-tempted to walk out before she concocted something bizarre. But his legs betrayed him, carrying him toward a corner booth near the window. He slid into the seat, loosening his tie just enough to breathe, still baffled by the turn of events.
When Maya appeared minutes later, balancing a ceramic mug that steamed enticingly, Ryan braced himself.
Maya slid the steaming mug toward him, leaning one elbow on the counter. "Signature caramel mocha. Triple shot.'' By saying that, she sat opposite him with a cup of the same coffee for herself. He is not ordering me like last time. Letting me have a seat next to him.
''Honestly, you look like a man who hasn't slept in days."
Ryan didn't even hesitate. "Yup. My neighbor's a crackhead who tests her new speakers at 1 a.m. and experiments with recipes at 3 a.m. Last night it was… garlic pancakes."
Maya choked on air. "Garlic.. pancakes?"
He nodded grimly. "Imagine being woken up by both death metal and the smell of burnt garlic. That's my life."
She slapped a hand over her mouth, trying and failing to stifle laughter. "Oh my God, Ryan, you're living in a sitcom and didn't tell anyone?"
"It's not funny." He took a sip of the mocha, refusing to acknowledge how good it was. "I considered calling the police."
"For garlic pancakes?" Maya wheezed, leaning back in her chair. "That's not a crime, that's a culinary tragedy."
"Noise pollution at 1 a.m. is a crime," he said dryly.
She leaned forward again, her grin stretching wider. "So what you're saying is, the terrifying, unshakable Ryan is being slowly destroyed by a garlic-wielding neighbor with bad taste in music?"
"I'm saying," he muttered, eyes narrowing, "that I'll eventually need to break my lease."
Maya shook her head, giggling. "No, don't. I want more updates. Please. Next week it'll be garlic-flavored cupcakes or something."
Ryan groaned, pressing his palm to his temple. "Why am I telling you this?"
"Because," Maya said sweetly, sipping from her own cup, "I have a friendly face. And because deep down, you know I'm the only one who finds your tragic life hilarious."
He shot her a flat look. "You're impossible."
"Correction....I'm...."
He interrupted You're unforgettable''
''See, I'm already, and you're agreeing on it,'' she said while tapping the table with her fingertip. "I'm entertaining. And admit it....you needed a laugh."
Ryan tried to maintain his stoic expression, but the corner of his mouth betrayed him, twitching upward.
Maya gasped, pointing at him dramatically. "Oh my God. Was that a smile? Did I just witness Ryan-the-Iceberg cracking?"
"That wasn't a smile." He immediately schooled his features into neutrality. "It was a facial twitch."
"Sure," she said smugly, leaning back like she'd won something monumental. "A twitch of happiness.