Even speaking as someone who had a very rough day up until that point, the man standing in the entryway was like a glass full of ice-cold water, a single look capable of relieving one's stress.
It was the power and overwhelming aura of an attractive person, she reflected.
His eyes were the first thing she noticed, molten gold and gleaming with an intensity that would send most people to their knees. But beyond that, his face itself was quite attractive. He had an elegant bone structure with gentle features and pale porcelain skin, and his mouth was curved into a slight smile with a mysterious edge to it. Raven black hair framed his handsome face, tied down in a low ponytail.
Furthermore, he exuded class. While he was dressed casually, every item of clothing seemed meticulously organized and chosen specifically to fit his look, from the grey wool scarf wrapped around his neck to the thick sweater draped over his broad figure.
In other words, he was a very, very attractive man.
William elbowed her in the side, and then she realized that the man had already walked up to the counter while she was distracted. Instead of ordering at the cash register, however, he was just standing there in front of the drink-making section.
Standing right in front of her.
It took her a while to remember how to speak, her mind going blank for a brief span of time as she stared at the man blankly, and he looked back at her with that same intense expression, his faint smile odd yet not unfriendly. His lashes lowered, unfairly long for a man, and left delicate shadows on his cheekbones.
His lips twisted, and her eyes followed the movement until she realized with a hint of embarrassment that he was about to speak.
"Hello," he said. His voice was soft and even, but had a strangely compelling tone to it, as if he was a siren at sea calling out to her. "It's my first time here. I was wondering if you could recommend something for me to order?"
Serafina blinked. Without her usual filter (as lacking as it was), there was nothing to stop her words from flowing right out of her mouth. "...You're supposed to order at the counter, maybe you should go there."
She internally facepalmed. Damn this brain of mine!
However, the man didn't seem offended by her lack of tact. In fact, that vague smile of his widened slightly, and he rested his arm on the counter as he leaned in slightly.
"I would prefer getting my recommendations from a pretty girl," he said smoothly. "I believe that you'll have the best taste. I have a very refined palate, you see, and I'm very particular about my coffee. If it's not too much trouble, would you mind guessing what coffee I'd like?"
…Huh? What was she, a fortune teller? She had no idea what kind of coffee he'd like.
But before she could open her mouth and direct him to someone who could probably accurately predict what drink he wanted, he held up a gloved hand. Then, with his other hand, he pulled out a sleek black cell phone, which looked to be a model that wasn't even out on the market yet. There was a small white snake charm attached to it, oddly cute for such a sophisticated phone.
"I have to take this call." His smile was still soft and gentle. The phone didn't even seem to be open, much less ringing. "I will be sitting over there, near the corner. Please bring my drink over to me when it's done. I'll be looking forward to what you decide. Thank you."
And with that, he turned and walked away. All without waiting for her to even reply.
"..."
Serafina immediately took her earlier thoughts back. Surely not even that angelic appearance could make up for such an attitude! She had half a mind to serve him a glass of iced water and call it a day. Honestly, the nerve of some people…
But even as she internally fumed, she knew she would have to do as he said. Such was the life of a minimum wage employee.
Beside her, William was still a little shocked by what had just happened, but he patted her back in solidarity. "It's okay, I'll help you figure out what he likes so we can get it done. It's good that rush hour's almost over, not many people are coming in. We have time. Let's see, maybe he likes… hot drinks?"
There was a noise that sounded like someone clearing their throat. Then, clear as a bell even in the noisy coffee shop: "I prefer cold."
He didn't elaborate any further, and when Serafina looked back at him, he was idly scrolling on his phone as if he hadn't said anything at all. But seeing as both of them behind the counter heard it, it hadn't been a hallucination. Just what was this man thinking?
"Well, whatever," she sighed. "Cold drink, cold drink… Ah, I know!"
William tilted his head. "You know already? What are you going to make for him?"
"You'll see," was Serafina's cryptic reply. Her expression turned slightly menacing, with a sharp smile on her lips.
Honestly speaking, Serafina was not that good at making coffee. She had memorized the ingredients and steps, but there was still a clear difference between her coffee and that of an expert. It was only barely good enough for the general demographic that frequented their coffee shop: people who were chasing caffeine.
The man seemed to be around her age, if not a bit older. If so, then he would appreciate caffeine, right…?
First came half a cup of ice. She deliberately chose cubes that were stuck together and chunky to take up more space in the drink. That was one-half of the ingredients done.
The rest of the cup was swiftly filled with espresso shots, up until the very top.
William was watching in horror. "Serafina!"
"No, no, it's fine." She waved off his concern, still grinning with a wicked glee. "I'll bill him properly for this. Plus, I put so much ice, it has to be cold enough for him, right?"
Seeing the look on her face and hearing how she spoke, William backed down. He silently prayed that the customer would not try to murder her or die himself from a caffeine overdose. Although he wasn't religious, he sometimes thought that Serafina needed a god's intervention to keep out of trouble.
Serafina jammed a lid onto the cup and stuck a straw inside. She walked over to the table the man was sitting at, and he didn't even bother looking up from his phone.
"Your drink, sir," she said sweetly as she placed the biohazard on his table.
Seemingly unaware of what she had put inside the drink, he nodded graciously, sitting up and offering her a soft smile. Now that the initial attraction had worn off, she could see the smugness in his expression and the arrogance in his eyes. How despicable.
"Thank you," he said. He picked up the drink, idly twirling the straw on top. "I'm sure whatever you chose was–"
The man took a sip. He paused.
Ha! Serafina internally crowed. His expression had not significantly changed, frozen in a placid look, but his gaze seemed almost pensive. She silently hoped that he would wince or frown to finally confirm her victory over him.
Instead, however, he blinked once more and then took another sip.
There was a sly edge to his smile. From her point of view, it almost looked to be a smirk. He took a longer sip, humming contentedly. "Delicious. Your taste is truly impeccable, thank you."
…What the hell?
Was this guy insane? There was no sugar, no milk, nothing but espresso inside, yet he was drinking it as if it was a simple latte!
"Are you sick in the head?" She was unable to keep herself from muttering it under her breath, brows scrunching up.
His smile widened. "What was that?"
"Nothing." Serafina coughed. To cover her embarrassment, she hurriedly shoved the receipt towards him, gesturing for him to pay up. "This is the price of your drink. Any complaints?"
The price was exorbitantly high. Although she had followed the usual pricing rules, it stood to reason that the price of espresso was higher than an average drink, and the cup had been filled with only espresso. Surely the sight of that number would upset him.
…This man was truly a weirdo. When he saw the price, he didn't even flinch.
He slipped her a hundred-dollar bill and– did he just wink?
"Keep the change," he said pleasantly as he stood from his table. "This was quite a good experience. Perhaps I'll come back in the future. When are your shifts? Ah, no, I'll find out on my own. Thank you for today."
"Wait, huh–?"
Serafina was once again left shocked in his wake as he exited the coffee shop with a spring in his step. She stared blankly down at the hundred-dollar bill and tried to puzzle out what had just happened. It was only after she dazedly walked behind the counter again that she processed the earlier events.
There was something tucked under the bill. It was a hastily written note scribbled on a napkin:
'You look cute when you glare,' it read.
"..."
Serafina let it fall onto the ground, stomped on it a bit, and then tossed it into the garbage bin with a frown. If he ever came back, she would make sure to do the same to him.