Sin-Ni failed the Dawn Avengers interview.

Before transporting to this world, she had been a star student, acing all her tests, passing all her interviews. And now, about five years later, she failed her first-ever interview.

Failure had never ached so much.

She crouched on the floor and began to sob.

Why was it so hard to do anything in this world? Why couldn't she go anywhere without being shunned, or lied to, or snubbed? How much more did she have to suffer before she could leave this stupid world, leave everyone here, and go home?

A cup of coffee splashed onto the ground next to her. What the hell? Sin-Ni looked up at the perpetrator, and her heart almost flew out of her throat.

Standing behind her was Lyn, the lightning mage. Her emerald eyes were glittering with concern, while her smile was crooked with embarrassment.

"Ah, shit, I'm sorry, oh god, I was just- I was taking something and it slipped out of my hand. Ah, I hope it didn't splash on you, I'm super sorry." Lyn's hands floundered around like a fish out of water, but she managed to pull a handkerchief out of her pocket. "Anyway, I, uh, wanted to give you this."

"Oh..." Sin-Ni felt her head flush red. Taking the cloth with trembling hands, she dabbed her tears away. "T- Thank you..."

"I'm really sorry about the mess," Lyn continued her flustered ramblings. "I saw you running out of the building crying, so I just wanted to help, but of course I had to ruin everything with this. I- I hope I didn't scare you too much."

"No, it's okay..."

Lyn glanced back at the Dawn Avengers headquarters. "Did... Did something happen, by the way? I work there, you know, and it's not often you see a pretty girl run out of there crying." She let out a nervous laugh. "So, if anyone hurts you in there, I can help you, for real. Just let me know."

Sin-Ni stared at the puddle of coffee. Her heart was fluttering like crazy, but a stone had dropped inside her stomach. Lyn was being so kind to her, but it was obvious that she did not recognize her at all. She had winked at Sin-Ni, had called her cute, and had encouraged her to apply for the guild, but now, she didn't even recognize her.

"Ah, sorry," Lyn added, becoming agitated again, "I know I'm annoying, so just ignore me if I'm bothering you too much. Sorry, I'll leave now—"

"N- No!" Don't leave! "It's just... I- I can't do basic magic, so I get made fun of sometimes, that's- that's all."

"Oh." Multiple expressions flashed across Lyn's face before she settled on anger. "That's terrible. Who does that? Did someone from the guild make fun of you? Do you remember who they are? Let me know who and I'll scold the hell out of—"

"It's okay, it's- it's someone random..."

"Someone random? I knew we should stop letting random tourists walk in and out of the lobby like that. I know it's just the lobby but if some of them treat girls like this, that's just not—"

"No, no! It's okay, really, don't worry about it." After that shouting match she witnessed inside, she really did not want Lyn to go back and join in.

Lyn looked like she wanted to press Sin-Ni for more, but she pursed her lips. After a while, she broke into a smile. "Well, at least let me treat you, is that okay?"

Sin-Ni blinked. "Treat me?"

"Yeah, since the guild I'm in caused you to cry, so I sort of feel responsible. Also, I did just lose my coffee." Lyn gestured at the ground and chuckled. "Hey, how about this new cafe down the street? 'Jen's coffeehouse' or something? It's kinda new but I've been wanting to check it out. What do you think?"

Wait, that was where she worked! Frantically, she took out the crumpled flyer that was still stashed in her pocket. "This... This cafe?"

Lyn's eyes lit up. "Thirty percent discount? That's perfect, let's go!"

And so Sin-Ni was dragged back to her workplace. For the first time ever, she sat at the customer table, carefully avoiding eye contact with Jennifer while Lyn skipped over to the counter to order her coffee.

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Soon, Lyn returned with two paper cups and a plate of pastry.

"Oh, you didn't have to..."

"Hey, no worries." Lyn winked. "And I was talking to the owner; why didn't you tell me you worked here? Now, I will be visiting this cafe daily. Also, Jen said you liked the matcha latte so I got you one. I also got a cinnamon swirl, because it matches your name."

Sin-Ni frowned. "Matches my name?"

"Yeah, you're... Cydney, right? That's what Jen called you? And so 'C' for Cinnamon!" Lyn grinned, as if very proud of herself for coming up with that. Her smile faded when realization dawned upon her. "Oh wait, your name might start with the letter 'S' instead of 'C', huh? Ah sorry, I just assumed, I'm stupid, I totally should've gotten a strawberry shortcake or something..."

"No, it's okay!" Sin-Ni quickly placed a hand on Lyn's arm. "I like Cinnamon."

A small blush painted over Lyn's cheeks, but she insisted, "Nah, that's not right. I can't get your name wrong."

"No, you didn't get it wrong. I'm Cydney. Cydney Yen." After all, everybody got her name wrong anyway.

Lyn smiled in response. "That's such a cute name," she gushed. "I'm Lyn. Lyn Bronte."

Cute. Lyn thought Cydney was a cute name.

And so, Cydney it is.

✿∅✿∅✿

Lyn was talkative. Very talkative.

Cydney sipped on her matcha latte and poked at her cinnamon swirl, as Lyn rambled on about her life at Dawn Avengers, the places she got to travel to for quests, the previous years' guild battles, and how she injured herself during rehearsals, the one time her friends spiked in alcohol into her coffee so she got into trouble at work...

Cydney could not help but smile at the energetic redhead. Lyn was wild, self-absorbed, and a little over-the-top, but she was also so adorable, so charming, and so, so sweet. Every so often, she would silently push the plate of pastry closer to Cydney, as if worried that Cydney was forgetting that Lyn had bought it for her; and after every joke she cracked, she would grin so eagerly, like a puppy waiting for a treat after she had successfully fetched her toy.

After a good ten minutes, Lyn must have noticed the one-sided conversation. "Ah, sorry, I'm talking way too much, aren't I?" she asked with a nervous chuckle. "What about you, Cydney? Tell me more about yourself."

"Oh." A blush crept up Cydney's face as she stuttered, "Erm, I- I..." Where should she start? What could she even say?

"Do you like working here?"

Cydney nodded. "Jen is very kind."

"That's great, she does seem super nice! I'm so glad I found this cafe. The coffee here is also way better than Moonbucks." Lyn shook her now-empty cup of coffee in approval. "This is officially my new favorite cafe. I work so close too, so I can find you often."

Cydney's heart was as warm as her cheeks. "That's awesome. I- I hope to see you around."

"I hope so too." Lyn's grin widened. "Where are you from, Cydney?"

"Erm... N- Not here..."

Lyn once again picked up on Cydney's hesitation. "Sorry, you don't have to say if you're uncomfortable sharing. I- I shouldn't have asked." She drummed her fingers on the table before adding, "Well, I'm from upstate New York! Not too far from here but a good distance away so my parents don't bother me."

"Oh, New York is fun."

"You've been?"

"F- For a bit. I think I passed by it."

"If you're ever there again, I can show you around," Lyn said, sitting up and getting ready to delve into yet another animated chatter. "New York is great. Not as great as Massachusetts, of course, but still great. The winters aren't as harsh in New York, though, you know, last year the snowstorm here was—"

As her eyes wandered off to the windows, she cut herself off.

"Sorry, Cydney, gotta go. See you around, okay?" Brows furrowed, she gave Cydney a small wave before dashing off.

"Oh, okay. Bye?" Cydney mumbled to no one in particular. She clutched her matcha latte as she watched Lyn run out of the cafe to a blonde woman standing across the street. Her arms were folded while her face was scrunched into a scowl—oh, it was Emily.

The flutter in Cydney's heart came to an abrupt halt. What was the fighter doing here? Was she complaining about Cydney and her failed interview? She shook her head and scoffed at herself. What was she thinking? If anything, Emily was probably here because of her argument with the other quester.

And it seemed like Lyn was comforting her, from the way she was holding her shoulders, to the way she was crooning at her. Cydney's stomach twisted. Lyn was the friendliest person she had ever met, but she had never seen Lyn touch any of her other friends like this before. Perhaps Lyn was just putting in a lot more effort consoling the pouting blonde woman.

The effort must have paid off, as a smile tugged at Emily's lips. One of Lyn's palms was now on her neck, while the other hand had slipped downwards, wrapping around her waist and tugging their bodies closer together. She leaned in and...

The matcha latte slipped out of Cydney's trembling grasp. The paper cup bounced around the floor as a puddle of green grew under her table.

"Sydney!" Jennifer chastised as she approached. "I can't believe you're the one spilling drinks all over now. Oh, oh my god, Sydney, my dear, are you okay?"

"Yeah..." Cydney choked out. "I'm sorry, Jen..." She tried to smile at her boss, but she didn't know where to look; the tears had completely blocked her vision.

"Oh don't apologize! What happened?" Worry filled Jennifer's voice. "Here, why don't you go home and take a break? It's your day off and you deserve a good break from this place."

Nodding, Cydney trudged out of the cafe and away from the busy street. She found herself back in the secluded alleyway, where she had been crying, and once again, she crouched on the floor and sobbed.

Lyn had kissed Emily.

And Emily had kissed back; the smile on her face had been so happy, and so different from her interview just an hour ago. Lyn had been smiling too, as always. But instead of melting Cydney's heart, the beautiful smile had yanked her heart off her chest and stomped on it.

Lyn had kissed Emily.

Tears splattered on the ground like raindrops. With a pair of shaky hands, she reached for her purse that she had kept close to her, and took out her phone. The reflection on the screen showed a mess of a face.

She wanted to go home; she needed to go home. But for the first time ever, her heart ached for something else. Someone else.

Pressing the phone to her chest, she cried her heart out.