The café Ophi wanted to go to was about two blocks east of the university. We engaged in light talk and joking, which garnered us a few stares, but we didn't care. It wasn't like we were disturbing public order or anything.
The café, Blue-Dragon Dash, yes someone actually name it this. I fucking laughed my ass off when I first read it, and Ophi said she'd had the same reaction the first time she came here.
Walking inside, I cut my laughter short.
The interior was breathtaking. Soft white walls stretched upward, trimmed with deep blue accents that curled like waves around the edges. The lighting was gentle — not too bright, not too dim — casting a mellow glow that made the whole place feel like a lazy afternoon dream.
Round tables with sleek, navy-blue tops were spaced out comfortably, each paired with plush white chairs that looked way comfier than anything you'd expect in a casual café. In the corners, potted plants with wide, dark-green leaves broke up the color palette just enough to make the space feel alive, not sterile.
A faint scent of roasted coffee beans and something sweet hung in the air, soft enough to notice but never overpowering.
Soft instrumental music played overhead, the kind that made you want to slow down and forget you ever had deadlines or stress.
Looking at Ophi, who now sat in front of me, I asked, "Where's the dragon part come in?"
She giggled, a mischievous glint so clear in her eyes.
"It's their special coffee! Oh, and they have a tea version too! It's… actually—"
She waved over to an employee and made some kind of hand sign, which the employee nodded at with a smile. Now, what kind of customer service was I working with here?
'N-No way!' Let's break it down. Obviously, she just ordered this special item, so I knew what the hand sign meant, but I couldn't fathom such a unique way of ordering. It was unspoken and filled with trust. Back on Earth, I had to fucking give essays to employees because they didn't listen.
In fairness, some of those employees didn't get paid enough, but on the other side just do the job. I'm sure places on Earth had wonderful service like this, but how should I say… it was reserved for the people who looked? Yeah, that works.
[Hey, to be fair to Earth, you haven't really been to other places here yet.]
'True, but first impressions, right? Even the grocery store employees were super nice the other day.'
[Probably just a good day.]
'Hah. I know you aren't talking about service?'
[Yeah, I understand it now. I don't get paid enough to deal with you.]
'You don't even get paid…'
[How do you know that?]
'Watch. Record, does Ezryn get paid?'
[Motherfu— No, I do not get paid.]
'Oh. I didn't know that's how that worked. Interesting!'
I got nothing else from Ezryn, and so my outing continued.
"You're weird. How can you be in a daze when you're with such a beautiful woman?"
"I know where Kate gets it from."
"Don't let her fool you. I got this from her!"
I paused, genuinely thinking about her words.
"I'm more inclined to say you both affected each other." Nodding, I pinched my chin like I had facial hair.
She looked at me with dead eyes, almost like she couldn't process my words.
"So unfair. The world is unjust!"
"Haha~, sure." I paused, letting her play her act before continuing, "So, is this where you inspect if I'm worthy of Kate?"
Ophi's mouth opened wide. She stared at me like I was an idiot, and I could feel the heat rise in my face. I could've misinterpreted, but Kate said she had a habit of doing this.
Shaking her head, Ophi replaced her look with one of understanding.
"No, I already gave you the approval. I'm sure she told you?"
"She did, but I thought maybe this was like another test or something. Not that —and I mean this respectfully— not that your opinion would've stopped me."
She shrugged. "I guess we'll never know, hehe~"
Hearing her giggle, I shivered. Her actions and the look in her eyes did NOT match at all.
'Note to self: don't piss Ophi off.' I saved this in my soul, and at a perfect time, the drinks came.
"So, for Miss Ophelia, the usual. For you, sir, I went with coffee; if you'd like me to change it, I can."
The employee from earlier knew Ophi, so that definitely meant she was a regular.
"It's fine. Coffee is my favorite anyway."
I picked up the coffee in a glass cup. The color of the coffee was actually blue. I'd never had or heard of blue coffee, but if they were selling it, then it couldn't kill me. Right? Right?!
Ophi sipped her tea nonchalantly, giving me even more confidence to trust her.
I put the cup to my lips and took a sip.
'Amazing!' The moment the coffee touched my tongue, a rush of warmth and something electric bloomed through my senses. It wasn't like regular coffee — this was sharper, smoother, and hundreds of times more refreshing.
I felt my mind crack open like a sunrise breaking through fog. The flavor was deep, slightly sweet, with a cool undercurrent that left a clean finish on my tongue. Whatever they blended into this drink beat regular coffee to the ground!
Ophi watched me with amusement.
"Milk. A special plant only grown in cold northeastern climates called ice lotus. Special coffee beans which only grow in the center of the continent. Last but not least, ginseng."
"How'd you know I'd ask?"
"Come on~, it's so obvious!"
"They really add ginseng to this?"
"Yep, but I think it might be modified 'cause other stuff I've had with it doesn't taste this good."
"Did the person prepare it right?"
"I think so, but I'm no expert." She shrugged, and I matched her. I wasn't an expert either, so who really cared about the specifics past initial surprise.