It had been five days since Sarah last stepped into Bookworms Café, and the stillness of her apartment was beginning to gnaw at her. The city's constant hum outside her window seemed to mock her restlessness, unable to drown out the thoughts tumbling endlessly around in her head. Each day without seeing Ryu felt like a subtle ache, one that gnawed at her resolve, growing with every passing hour. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't escape it.
She had convinced herself that taking a break from the café would help her clear her mind, but instead, she found herself more consumed by the thought of him. Why am I even thinking about him? she asked herself. I barely know him. But it was in the quiet moments—when she was perched at the counter, staring absently at her coffee—that she felt something slip just out of reach, like a piece of a puzzle she hadn't quite found. It was in the way Ryu moved, his hands fluid as he prepared the coffee, a dance of practiced ease. It was in his gaze—distant, but somehow still focused. Detached, yet undeniably present. What is it about him?
The more Sarah tried to ignore it, the more she found herself fixated. She had never been drawn to someone so indifferent, so mysterious. Ryu was an enigma—calm, unbothered, floating just outside the reach of the world around him. He wasn't the kind of person she usually noticed, and maybe that was exactly why she couldn't shake him from her thoughts. She had never met anyone like him before, and the more she tried to understand why, the more elusive the answer became.
Two days had passed since her last visit to Bookworms Café, but every time she walked past it, there was an undeniable pull—like an invisible thread urging her back inside. It wasn't just about the coffee, though. It was the quiet, unspoken interaction. The way he barely acknowledged her when she walked in, the brief exchange as he prepared her usual. Nothing overt, nothing intentional. Yet, it felt like there was something in those fleeting moments that had her captivated. Was it just coffee for him? Or was there something more?
She glanced at the clock on the wall, the afternoon slipping into early evening. The quiet tick of the second hand seemed to accentuate the growing frustration in her chest. Why am I letting this get to me? she muttered to herself, her fingers curling into a fist.
Her phone buzzed on the coffee table, the brief interruption jolting her back to reality. Emily's name flashed on the screen.
"Hey, you good?" Emily's text read. "I'm on my way over."
Sarah felt a fleeting sense of relief. Maybe a conversation with Emily would be the distraction she needed. Maybe talking it out would help her find some clarity, or at the very least, help her stop thinking about him for just a little while.
A few minutes later, the familiar sound of a knock at the door echoed through the apartment. Sarah opened it to find Emily standing there with a mischievous grin and a bag of snacks clutched in one hand.
"Surprise therapy session!" Emily declared, breezing past Sarah without waiting for an invitation.
"You read me like a book," Sarah said, half-smiling, stepping aside to let her in.
Emily's sharp eyes immediately took in the scene before her—Sarah, slouched on the couch, gaze unfocused, a coffee cup abandoned on the table beside her. "Alright, I've got the snacks, but I need the full rundown. What's going on?"
Sarah let out a long, frustrated sigh, rubbing her temples. "It's this guy. The barista at Bookworms Café. His name's Ryu. I don't even know why it's bothering me so much, but I can't stop thinking about him."
Emily arched an eyebrow, her interest piqued. "The quiet, mysterious guy who can make a perfect cappuccino?"
"That's him," Sarah replied, her voice trailing off as she stared at the untouched cup in front of her. "He's always so... detached. He barely talks to anyone, and I'm not even sure he notices me when I come in. But every time I see him, I can't shake the feeling that there's something more. I don't know why, but it's like he's holding back, and it's driving me crazy."
Emily leaned back on the couch, crossing her arms with a playful grin. "Sounds like someone's got a crush. You've been going to that café just to see him, haven't you?"
"I have not!" Sarah protested, but the heat creeping up her neck gave her away. "It's just... I don't know. Every time I'm there, I feel like I'm not supposed to be, like I'm trying to figure out a puzzle I can't solve. He's so... distant, but I can't stop thinking about him. It's driving me nuts."
Emily let out a dramatic sigh and shook her head. "Okay, here's the deal. You're overthinking this. If he's not paying you any attention, maybe that's your sign. He's just not into you."
"But I'm not even sure if he notices me," Sarah said, her frustration mounting once more. "He's so... detached. So... cold. But there's something about that, too. I can't put my finger on it."
Emily put a hand on her shoulder, her expression softening. "Alright, enough of the drama. Here's what you're gonna do: Go back to the café tomorrow. Just talk to him. Don't overthink it. It's just coffee, right?"
Sarah gave a resigned nod. She knew Emily was right. She had been letting something so small take up so much space in her mind. She had to stop this spiraling. "Fine. I'll go tomorrow."
Emily grinned, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Actually, how about we go together? I'll be your backup. You don't have to do this alone."
Sarah's eyes widened slightly, her resistance waning. She laughed, the tension in her chest loosening for the first time all day. "You're ridiculous. Fine, you can come. But only if you promise not to make it weird."
"I'll be on my best behavior," Emily said, holding up her hands in mock surrender. "But seriously, you've been overthinking this for days. Let's just go, and if you feel anything weird, I'll be there to distract you."
With a sigh, Sarah gave in. "Alright. We'll go. Thanks, Em."