"It's still pouring."
The cool breeze brushes swiftly across my arm, giving me chills on my body. "It's fucking cold." Thankfully, the hanging roof served as my umbrella from the rain. My hands took my elbows in an attempt to keep myself warm.
I stood in front of a coffee shop. A rectangular sign on the back of its door signifies that it's not accepting customer yet. I could really use a warm cup of coffee right now.
Shit.
I quickly turned my backpack to my chest to check its contents. A sigh left my mouth after finding my laptop's still intact, not soaked in rain water.
A bell rang from behind.
"W-What are you doing out here?" A man, skin as light as paper, wearing a cute, pink apron, asks. "It's raining. C-Come, it's too cold out here."
I pursed my lips, "Thanks."
Carefully, I stepped inside the empty shop as the easing warmth radiated throughout my drenched body, feeling satisfied with these conditions.
Eyeing the place, a dimmed orange light dominated the black and white interior. The lights, that appeared to be wrapped in an upside down cone, hanged from the ceiling via small metal beams. They kinda looked like upside down champagne flutes. The white tables were arranged neatly in solos, doubles, and triples, surrounded by black, chairs.
"What were you doing out there in this weather?" the man asks in a shy manner while drying out cups with a clean, white cloth.
I made my way towards the island and helped myself with a seat. Leaning on the table, I replied, "Was about to head school but the rain came to... well, rain on my parade."
He smiled, "literally."
"And you?" I turned the focus to him, "Why aren't you opening yet? This weather is good for coffee shops, don't you think?"
"I woke up late. Had to finish my thesis last night," he answers, hand scratching his scalp. Shit, I need to finish my thesis as well.
The two of us went silent, completely letting the pouring rain take advantage of this state of soundlessness. "Would you like something?" he offers, finally making a newer sound.
"A hot coffee would be nice. How much?" I ask, pulling my wallet out.
"No need, it's on the house," he responds with a tiny smile. Appropriate for his tiny height. He could've smiled even more though, I think it would suit him.
Being the observant person that I am, my eyes gaze left and right to find no one. Only this guy and I are the only people in the shop.
"Umm," I muttered, "Why isn't anyone here yet?"
"Still closed," he answers while measuring coffee beans in a small cup.
"I-I mean, any other staff, or something?"
"Don't have one. I only have myself," he says, "My siblings are busy doing whatever and my parents are keeping the family business alive."
I took a moment to think, blinking my eyes hysterically, "So wait, you're telling me that you... own this place?" a finger swirled in a circular motion in the air.
"I guess you can say that," he chuckles lightly before putting down a hot, black beverage.
"Just ask me if you need any cream or sugar. I'll just be over there, drying out some stuff." He smiles awkwardly before making his way to do his chore.
So I'm looking at a student, approximately at the same age as me, who is also an owner of a business? Talk about laziness so I can relate.
"How old are you? You seem young to own a business. Not to mention, this kind of business," I took a sip from my hot drink. Not bad.
"I asked my parents to rent me this commercial space for me. I said I wanted to earn money for my expenses in school because I don't want to rely on them that much."
"Sounds like you're family's big time."
He looks at me with a faint blush, "W-We have a good business on our hands."
The bell rings once again, indicating an entry on the doorway.
"Bruno?" the guy doing the cups asks in disbelief. "Ivy!!!" the man at the door folds his dripping umbrella and screams out before rushing to the guy at the station. His name is Ivy?
"Why didn't you tell me you we're coming?"
"Surprise."
"It's good that you're here. Help me out with the station," he hands that drying cloth to the 'Bruno' guy.
"Hey, I'm tired from the travel okay... Can my little brother give me some slack?" He asks in such a childish tone, mouth carved into a deep, fake frown. They're siblings.
It wasn't long 'til he noticed me here, sitting and sipping.
"Oh," he looks at me, "Aren't you closed yet?"
The guy looks at me, a fazed expression marked on his face. "Oh, um... since the rain was pouring, I decided to let him in."
"Oh, okay. Hi," he waves at me. I gave him a smile.
As the hands of the clock continued to move forward, the rain outside just kept getting stronger. "Looks like this rain isn't going anywhere," says guy who I presumed is named Ivy. Kinda inappropriate for a guy... honestly, you can't tell what's appropriate for the genders anymore. The world kinda accepted that people can do anything they want, regardless of sex. I'm cool with it.
"I'm Ivan," he offers his hand, "I know I should've introduced myself a while ago but... I was shy, sorry."
So that's where the Ivy came from.
"Chris," I shook his hand.
"I saw you digging out your laptop a while ago... do you have any paper works to do?" he asks. I nod. "Do it here, I'll connect you to the net."
"Okay, thanks."
"Umm, little bro, I think the sink's clogged up." Bruno says, kneeling down to see beneath the basin.
"Oh no," Ivan sighs, "Repair service is expensive... can't you fix that, Buns?"
"Nope. I ain't laying any finger on those pipes," he answers, grossed out by the pipes.
I stand up and went closer to them, "I'll do it."
Ivan's eyes widen, seems to be embarrassed, "Oh, no need, Chris. You're a customer, we'll handle this."
"Just think of it as a 'thank you' for opening your door for me and the coffee. Plus, didn't you say repair service is expensive?"
He lets out a sigh, "...Okay. Thank you very much."
Rolling up my checkered sleeves up my biceps (I'm muscular), I brought myself towards the pipes to do some tinkering.
"Finish," I call out, both attention landing on me. "Great, thanks dude," Bruno says. Ivan gives a nod, "Yeah, thanks."
"No problem," I patted my hands on my pants to put out the dusts before noticing the rain, nowhere to be found, outside the glass window.
"I guess the rain's done. I better go," I said to them, rolling down my sleeves to where they used to be.
"Oh- umm... okay! Thank you for helping with the pipes again, Chris," Ivan waves goodbye.
"Anytime. I'll come back here, okay?"
A smile forms on Ivan's mouth, teeth shown. This smile is a big and genuine one that is also contagious, infecting me into a grin as well. "Sure! Come back okay?"
"Promise."
I wave him goodbye before taking steps toward the door, making a bell ring as I exited.
IVY'S POV
"Hey," calls Bruno from across the room while I was flipping the signboard that hanged on the door, an hour after Chris left. "Don't you have classes today?"
"It's nearly the end of the year anyways, students just go to school to finish of requirements and such. Besides, I have my whole day invested for the shop."
"Why? What're you doing to this place, a makeover?" he looks at me while checking the brewers out
"I guess so... I mean, I am going to plan new drinks and cakes for the menu. I also want new decorations and maybe an LED signboard that says the café's name."
"Have you even thought of a name for this place, Ivy?"
"Got nothing yet," I shrug, "I'll just think of something witty."
"Oh, okay. Don't you have anything to submit? I can handle the café for you," he offers.
A debate in my minds starts whether to accept his lend of hand or not. I should, shouldn't I? I mean, I still have to submit the final copy of my thesis in school.
"Won't it be too difficult for you?" I ask, "You almost set our house on fire, remember?" a smirk appeared on my face, recalling the embarrassing moment for Buns.
Bruno chuckles, "Hey, we were little, Ivy. I'm a fully grown man now, I can handle this."
"Fully grown my foot," I threw at him, "Are you sure you can handle the café?"
"Absolutely, Ivy, trust your big bro."
I stared at him blankly, a crooked smile plastered on his face.
"Fine, just don't get the whole building into ashes or get my shop bankrupt, okay?"
"Sure thing, ma'am."
I rolled my eyes before heading my way upstairs, my apartment. I don't sound like a nagging businesswoman, don't I?
As I entered the door, my hands brushed against the side to look for the light switch.
Click-
I roam across the room to the cabinet underneath my desk, revealing a thick stack of white paper with printed words, binded by rings and covered by a plastic film on front. I placed a night worth of work on a suitcase and headed my way downstairs.
"Hey, Buns, I'm leaving," I point at him, "remember what I told you, okay?" I gave him a deadly glare.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, Ivy. Be safe on your way to school okay?" he mutters as he scrolled through his phone. I just rolled my eyes, thanked him, and left.
I called out the taxi that drove towards my direction, stopping it as it arrived on front of me. I gave the name of my school and went right in.
Viewing from the window seat, I see different bakeries with such treats on its shelf. I took down the ideas that the pastries gave me on the notes of my phone. Somehow, I got excited for what the future holds for my café.
I have the whole summer to work on a new pastry and a complementary coffee that I'll serve as an entry for an upcoming contest. While that's going, I'll buy the unit beside me to expand my shop if I earned quite enough. I'll also take a day off to head to a department store for decor. Maybe I should change the overall look of my café? I heard there's contest for that too. Oh well, I guess I can always plan that out. Since I am also planning on expanding my shop, maybe I should hire new employees or something. I hope Buns stays to help out. If we can't handle, I'll have to hire someone. How much salary would I offer though? I could-
"We're here," the driver cuts off my thoughts. I jolted out of my daydream and paid the man, thanking him on my way out.
Hopping out of the cab, I arrived at the not so populated school. I walk around halls that were usually flooded by students. Grabbing the doorknob of the faculty room, I inhaled deeply before entering.
"Ivan!" Ms. Carol calls out, "Great goodness you're here." I walk towards her, confused at her statement.
"Do you need help with anything?" I ask.
"Wait a minute," she looks at the suitcase I'm holding, "Are you going to submit your research already?"
"Umm, yeah," I nodded.
"Well, at least you'll have less work to do," she mumbles in a light but hearable voice.
"What do you mean, Ms. Carol?" I ask. I am completely fazed by her statements.
"Oh, there's this student that the dean is talking to right now," she starts explaining.
"And?"
"He's been caught plagiarizing. I don't think he'll be expelled like the usual though," she says while taking my work and typing some stuff on her laptop.
"What does that have to do with me?" I ask, now in fear of being accused. Am I getting in trouble?
"Well, the faculty saw how quick and good you are in doing a study. Now, they want you to help this student out."
"What?!" I reply with annoyance, knowing that I'll be spending time doing tutor service than working for my café! It's like finishing my study early for my shop was nothing.
"Sorry, Ivan. The school can't let its dropout rate rise."
"Why can't the school teach him then?"
"Well, the teachers are busy doing grades. Sorry," she looks at me with an apologetic smile.
Walking in circles, my hand climbed to my scalp to give it a hard scratch, irritated with this responsibility. This conscience of mine that can't refuse to a school's request is at fault.
The dean arrives at the room, "Ms. Carol, is this the student that you said?" he refers to me.
"Yes, Sir Adam," Ms. Carol responds.
"So, Mr. Ivan, can you handle this request?" He folds his arm above his chest.
I pause, another debate on my head. Should I step on my conscience once or no?
"Yes, Sir." I sigh, giving in to the request. "Excellent. You can charge him in a reasonable payment you wish. If he fails to comply, we'll drop him out for good."
A wicked idea goes to my head but the angel on my shoulder won't let me. I gave the dean a nod.
"I'll bring him in so you can communicate with each other," he left the room.
I facepalmed at the current happenings, whole face covered by my hands. Why the hell do I have to be put up with this?
I heard the double doors open and slowly drifted down my hands from my face.
What I saw shocked me... "Chris?"
He looks in same disbelief as me, "Ivan?"
Oh dear, plagiarizer.