At the Cafe 'FML' near the busy streets of Tokyo, people are getting their regular drinks and rushing to work. Repeating the same pattern everyday.

"One mocha please"

"That will be 699yen" (that will be 699yen)

"Can I get an extra napkin" (can I get an extra napkin)

"Sure, please visit again" (sure, please visit again )

"Can I get a latte with more whipped cream" (can I get a latte with more whipped cream )

"That will be 786yen, thank you please visit again"(that will be 786yen, thank you please visit again)

A girl seated at a table, staring out of the window was mumbling along with the cashier. She was used to the same dialogue everyday.

"It still amuses me how the order is the exact same every single time, don't they get bored, haha... but who am I to say that." She says to herself.

"Why have I never seen this Cafe before huh! You! Give us the best drinks" 2 men burst into the Cafe. They were tall and brawny covered in tattoos. A typical gangster look.

"Uh... that's... royal milk tea, kuromitsu kinako latte.."

"Yea yea give those"

"That would be 2566yen....sir"

"Eh what did u say 2500 yen... for 2 drinks.. this bitch must have a death wish."

(That doesn't sound like a customer. Why make trouble in the morning. Is nobody gonna help the cashier?....Not that I can help. Nevermind. They can probably deal with it.)The girl thought to herself. She continued to look outside. She put on her earphones and listened to music to cut the commotion.

"This bitch! You wanna ruin my day. If you don't bring my drinks in 5 mins...no..in 2 minutes I'll aaaah!!?"

The man was interrupted, more like thrown off to the ground by another figure.

The atmosphere suddenly got cold, the customers hurried out. 

"Who the hell-" the man who accompanied the rude customer tried to fight back only to find himself on the ground after crashing onto the girls table. Knocked out.

The girl moved back dragging her chair as she felt something fall on her leg. Coincidentally her drink fell right off the table straight onto the knocked man's face.

She took off her earphones and looked up. A sharp-looking, lean figure stood in front of her, he turned his face to the cashier

"I'll pay for all the mess. Just bill it." Then continued to signal his men to clear the mess including those trash guys.

He turned back to the girl to see her still looking straight onto his face . No matter how close he came near her face, she didn't flinch. That was first for him. Till now, there wasn't a single person who could look straight at him or not shiver at his sight.... except his parents. 

He then grabbed a few tissue and then bend down to match her height, and spoke.

"Sorry for the trouble caused. I hope the drink didn't spill on you. Should I clean it for you?"

Though the words felt really mannered and kind, his voice gave a chill.

"Oh no, it's fine. I think nothing splashed me. I heard a loud voice just now and.... something hit my table right? Aah, did u accidentally hit my table? Are you okay? The sound was loud, even the Cafe became silent."

The man stood still for a moment then continued 

"You can't see?"

"I.." the girls eyes suddenly looked saddened but she still put on a wide smile and spoke

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

"Yea, I'm completely blind haha." 

The man felt like he had seen a smile like that before. Something felt nostalgic 

"Yes, you are right. I accidentally spilled your drink, shall I help to change seats? I'll get u a drink too."

"No no...it's okay ,you don't have to get me a drink, I almost finished mine but it would be nice if you could help me to the window seats. Can you?"

"Sure. Here" The man stretched his arm forward. She waved around to find it. He took her hand and placed them on his palm. But she slid her hands from his palm to his arm above the elbow and grasped onto it.

(I see...they (blind people) prefer to hold the arms rather than the palm.) The man thought to himself. He then helped her move seats.

"Thank you." After saying it with a warm smile she tapped her hands towards the window and turned her head to face the outside. 

(She can't see anything so why bother?) The man thought to himself. He walked to the cashier and asked 

"What did that girl order?"

"Ca-cafe au lait, sir." 

"Make one of those and ....give me a good piece of cake."

"Okay sir, that would be... ah!" The cashier stopped midway, she thought asking money would be a bad idea

"Why did you stop? How much?"

"That... 1-1-1377yen sir."

"Here make it quick."

His men had cleaned up the mess. 

"Boss, it's all clear now. 'Trashes' were taken care too. We just need to pay the check. We can leave then."

The man glanced at the windows, the girl still sat there staring outside.

"Aren't you guys thirsty, get something for yourselves"

"Pardon, Boss?"

"Use the card, pay the check too, don't make me repeat and keep your voice down"

"Yes Boss."

The man took the cake and drink and sat in front of her.

The creaking sound of the chair in front made her turn. 

She wasn't sure if someone sat there or not but she didn't want to seem rude, so she nodded her head with a smile as a greeting.

The man pushed the drink and cake towards her and said

" Eat it, take it as compensation."

The girl flinched a little because of the sudden husk voice. She realized it was the man from earlier.

"It's really fine, there is no need for this."

"I see, then I should just throw it away since i don't like sweet. What a waste"

"Wait, don't just throw it away." Even though she looked straight to his face, her eyes felt like it didn't know what to focus on.

"Stop! Don't move your eyes."

"Eh?"

"Now you are looking right at me. And eat it, don't make me throw it"

Her eyes widened a little. (My eyes are focusing on his. Should I move it away, isn't it rude to stare.)

"I'll eat it, give me" saying that she lowered her gaze to find the cake.

She searched for the fork. But found a hand taking hers and placing a fork on it. He then guided her other hand to hold the plate.

"Here...now eat" he said.

"Itadakimasu(thank you for the food)" she took a bite. 

"Mmh! it's so soft, hehe." She giggled. Her eyes turned crescent with a big smile.

"Ha, is it that good?" The man asked

"Really it is so~ good, it just melts in my mouth. Would you like some? Ah, you don't like swee-" the next thing she knew, he bent forward, held onto her hand feeding himself the cake piece she had on her fork and then slowly laid back to the chair.

"Too sweet "

The girl was too shocked to speak. Her hand stood still.

"You- you shouldn't suddenly grab on to a blind person like that."

Far a few seats, his men's mouth wide open, spat out their drinks at the sight of their boss flirting with a girl. Utterly speechless

"I apologize. What's your name?" He asked.

"You should say your name first before asking that, don't you think so?" She asked back

" Right. Hoshino Asahi. Now yours"

"I'm Kinogawa Izumi"

"Lovely." The comment made her blush a little 

"I-it's a common name"

"So what" 

"Nothing.... Can I ask your age, ...Hoshino-san?"

"My age?"

"I just wanted to know if I was talking to a perverted old man? If so I should run away." She put on a terrified expression for a moment and then continued on with her cake.

"Ha! Perverted Old man huh." He scoffed. "I'm 56"

"What? Haha. I should eat fast and then run" She chuckled.

 He smiled at the way she acted to eat fast, (cute) he thought.

"I thought some one said to say about themselves before asking others" he said.

"Oh! Right right my mistake. I'm 20 this year. Now do you mind saying it."

"I do not. I'm 26 this year. Anything else you would like to know."

"You know what...never mind, just give me a portfolio, ah right but you gotta read it to me though haha."

Even though she laughed, her eyes would sadden now and then.

They went on with their talk. Asahi was not a person who would randomly start a conversation with some one. He himself was astonished. While Izumi was the type to carry on a conversation with anyone who initiates it. She had lost her character for a while now.

"Hoshino-san, you know something..." She continued. "It's been so long since I had a good talk with someone like this. I come to this Cafe everyday, sitting at the same seat, listening to the same convos everyday. But today was refreshing. Aah the time , what is the time now?"

"It's 1pm now"

"I didn't even know the time passing by so fast"

"Kinogawa-san are you going home, is it near?"

"Mm... somewhat close, my brother... he will come pick me up."

"Okay, I'll take my leave then." He stood up to leave.

"Mmh, it was nice talking to you, Hoshino-san." The smile was so bright that, he kept on staring at her.

"Yes...see you, Kinogawa-san."

His men stood up at the same time, opened the door for him and left behind him.

Izumi felt a bitter taste after enjoying a sweet conversation even though it was with a complete stranger, it made her happy. The loneliness she's used to feel, seemed to be less than the previous days.

Later in the evening, all schools have ended, a boy rushed to the Cafe.

"Nee-san!" A young boy with a disheveled hair, called out to his sister and sat next to her to catch his breath

"Ryuuka! Did you run again? I told you not to."

Kinogawa Ryuuka is Izumi's only sibling. He would drop her off and pick her up everyday from the cafe.

"There is no need to rush here, take your time, what about school activities?"

"I'm a third year, I have almost no school activities."

"But don't you have self study?"

"I do that better at home anyway."

"Fine fine."

"Then let's go home my lady, please hold on to this humble man's hands"

"Haha." Izumi grasped her hand around Ryuuka's arm as she giggled.

"Aren't you honored, young man?"

"I am always, my lady."

They walked back home teasing and talking about the day.