She always orders coffee….

Always.

And it is always the same conversation.

"Hello! What can I get you today?"

"I'll have a small black coffee, please."

"That's it?"

"Yep, that is it."

Then, I would go back behind the counter and get her said coffee. I would bring it to her, ask if she wanted some sugar, to which she always shook her head.

I noticed that she took one sip. Just one sip made a face and then ignored it until it was too cold to be drunk.

I've also seen her with a sketchbook. She likes to draw, I guess. I've never seen what she has drawn, but she always walks in with her black sketchbook and some color pencils, and that smile… that perfect gorgeous smile.

She always sits on the tables in front of the counter by the window. After she ordered her coffee, she would look out the window, look at people walk by, draw or sketch something and then leave…

She first walked in a month ago. It was the first time I saw her, but it was also my first week working at Sofia's. I guess she lives nearby, or maybe this is the only place she can relax.

I try not to stare at her that much, but something about her strange hair color—aqua blue, her straight face when she draws and paints. The way she grabs the coffee mug…

I can't stop myself.

I just stare. I know it isn't polite, but she is breathtakingly beautiful. We have crossed gazes from time to time, but I don't think it's anything but a coincidence…

Right?

Anyways, it is past two in the afternoon, and I am sure she will be here any second now. She always drops by at this hour, and I can feel myself getting nervous for some reason. I took a deep breath, rubbed the drying cloth over a coffee mug for the fourth time, and as I did, I decided that I would try to talk to her. Hell— I can even offer her some pastry! All on me!

I caught myself smiling at that, and I could feel the strange gaze of coworkers on me.

And then, the bell over the shop's door sounds, and I cannot help but turn to look at her walk-in.

There she is.

I smile wider, and she smiles back before waving her hand and sitting in her usual spot. I carefully put the mug away, place my small order-taking notebook inside my apron's front pocket, and make my way towards her.

I see her open her sketchbook and dart her eyes towards me as I make it to her table. "Hi!" Oh God, that came out too high-pitched. I clear my throat and try again. "Hello! What can I get you today?" I can't help but look at her face, framed by her long, odd color hair. I also noticed the small seashell earrings she is wearing and her golden necklace with one single pearl as a charm. She is very casual today. She is wearing a sleeveless white crop top and black shorts and finishing it up; she is wearing simple brown sandals. If I didn't know any better, I would say that she was at the beach. I envy her. I wish I had fun instead of working, but knowing that she was coming by made my day bearable.

My eyes dart lower, and I notice handwriting on the first page of the sketchbook that read "Kaiou Michiru." Michiru…

Is that her name?

If it is, I love it.

"Can I get a black coffee, please?"

I nod and take out my small notebook and write down her order.

"Anything else?"

"No, that's all," she smiles and folds her hands over her sketchbook before tilting her head as if studying me. "Haruka is it?"

I lock my eyes with hers in surprise, but I take a second to indulge myself with the color of her orbs. She has blue eyes, dark, cobalt almost, and they remind me of those pictures of the ocean where the darkest shades are the deepest part of the ocean. I want to drown in her eyes.

Then I remembered, she just said my name. I panic, and it comes out as dumb stuttering that I quickly regret. She points at my chest, and I totally forget that I have a stupid nametag on me. Of course, she knows my name. She just read it.

"Ah! Yes! Sorry."

"I am Michiru. You are always the one that serves me here. Might as well get to know your name, right?"

Of course! That makes sense. I smile sweetly at her and nod. "Michiru," I say her name with utmost respect and reverence. "That's a pretty name," I blurt out, and I kind of regret my forwardness until I notice a soft shade of pink coloring her cheeks.

She—

She is blushing.

She likes me…

Ohohohohohohoho I am about to die.

"I will get your coffee, Michiru." I pivot towards the counter and hide there for a couple of minutes.

I turn to look at her, and I see her covering her face with her hands. Oh, this is perfect. This is absolutely perfect. I set her coffee on the counter and proceeded to look for the yummiest, most delectable pastry we sell. Our strawberry shortcake is to die for if I do say so myself. I won't say it out loud, but at the end of the day, after closing hours, I take one or two home.

I cut her a piece and then head back to her table with her coffee and the cake.

She quickly closed her sketchbook as if she didn't want me to see what she worked on. No biggie, maybe she is shy. I put everything on the table and smiled warmly at her. She looks at me a bit confused, but then she gives me that beautiful smile again.

"What's this?' She asks, referring to the strawberry shortcake. "I didn't order this."

"It's on the house."

"Oh! No, I shouldn't. I—"

"Please! I insist! It is delicious and I really think you should try something else other than our coffee."

She opened her mouth to talk again, but I was quicker.

"Please?"

She looks down at the coffee and the cake and sighs contently. "Alright. You are right, I should try more things."

"I am glad! Call me if you need anything."

"Thank you." She grabbed the poon I brought her and took a bite of the pastry as I walked away. I saw her eyes widened and her cheeks flush again. She liked it! Good! I go back behind the counter and try my best to ignore her for the rest of her stay here. She ate the entire cake, took not one but two sips of the coffee before adding some sugar to it.

We locked eyes more than once, but then she was working hard on a sketch. She was extremely concentrated on whatever she was doing. She took out her colored pencils and began to color her ketch. After an hour, maybe an hour and a half, she stood from her char, left money for the coffee under the mug as she always did, and then tore the page she was working on and placed it under the plate where the strawberry shortcake was.

She turned towards me, smiled warmly, and waved before leaving.

I hoped she would talk to me before leaving, but I guess we are just acquaintances. I dried my hands with a cloth and tossed it over my shoulders before going to where she was sitting. I take the money for the coffee and then move the plate.

And then I froze in place.

I grab the sketchbook sheet and bring it closer to my face for further inspection and notice that she made a drawing of me… She drew me smiling at her, cleaning a mug, my eyes almost not visible due to how broad the smile was. My blonde hair covered my forehead, and I had to doublethink. Do I look that disheveled?

I couldn't help but chuckle as I took in the details of the different pastry around me, my coworkers behind me, Sofia's logo on the counter, and then, under the drawing, I saw her handwriting.

Call me?

She left her phone number under the drawing, and I could feel my heart burst with happiness.