𓐐 : café

@❛ ✧ : boo aera it was hard to believe that it had been nearly a month since ban hana left the familiar embrace of her small hometown for the bustling city of kyoto. despite its vast size, she’d already begun to recognize familiar faces in unexpected places. one such face caught her eye as she turned to see the long line behind her at the café.

it was aera, one of her favorite servers from the ramen shop near her apartment. hana had always been charmed by her sweet smile whenever she stopped by for a bite. the younger woman exuded a warmth that brightened the entire restaurant.

but this morning, that familiar smile was missing. instead, hana noticed aera’s furrowed brows, tense shoulders, and distant gaze—clear signs of stress. a feeling hana knew all too well. perhaps that’s why she felt compelled to find a way to brighten her day.

as she approached the cashier, hana offered a polite smile. “good morning, a hot hojicha latte, please. and—” she added in a soft tone, “i’d like to cover the order for the person behind me. if possible, could you keep it discreet?” she hoped her small gesture would go unnoticed.

after paying, hana moved to the pickup counter to wait for her drink, her eyes flicking toward the line to gauge aera’s reaction. though pleased with her quiet kindness, hana couldn’t shake a nagging doubt that she might have overstepped; after all, she and aera were only acquaintances.

lost in thought, hana barely registered her name being called. she took her drink and quickly settled at a table tucked away in the café’s back corner.