Fates Between Us

Chapter 3 - Of Coffee and Strange Dreams

Tul woke up with a massive headache which came from an unbearable nightmare. He couldn't recall what had happened in his dreams - he could only remember bits and pieces of it. Only the guy with a broad back, but he never saw his face.

He immediately snapped back into the reality of life when his alarm clock rang. It was already eight am and he was about to be late for his job. He rushed himself and hastened his morning routine to avoid being late.

He had been working in this café as a barista for the past month. He would say that the experience was overall fine, but it was kind of hectic sometimes, especially if there were lots of customers. He rode his scooter to work and was greeted outside by his co-worker, MD, who was also a barista.

"P' Tul, you are just in time. Can you manage the cash register today? P' Aim took a leave for personal reasons."

"Sure, no problem, but are you sure that you can handle the work?" Tul answered him.

"Yes. I surely can," MD answered back. Tul went straight to the staff room and wore his uniform to start his day.

He stood by the cash register and started taking orders from the customers - mostly university students and people who worked at the nearby offices. Hours passed and the day was going great for him. As usual, the café was almost packed with customers and they were now just minutes from closing; about 35 minutes more and the shift would be finally over. Soon he could also go back to his apartment and rest to prepare for the next day's possibly busy shift again.

Tul and the other staff were arranging the chairs little by little when the door suddenly opened, a sign that there was another customer. He went back to the cash register and prepared to take their order.

"Hello krap, good afternoon. What drink and dessert would you like to order?" Tul looked up at the new client. He was wearing an all-black outfit, from his shirt down to his shoes.

"Hello, I want a classic americano please," he answered.

"Okay Khun, anything else?" Tul asked, trying to make eye contact with the customer. He looked a bit familiar and Tul thought he knew him from somewhere, but he could not clearly remember the face.

"No, that's all," the man replied.

"What is your name Khun? It's needed for the order."

"Max," he said.

Tul was stunned upon hearing his name; he stared at the customer's face and felt his head start spinning. He blinked once, twice, but his head still hurt.

He looked carefully at the man's features again. It felt like he knew the guy - Tul somehow recalled having seen him somewhere, not just once.

Then inexplicably, snatches of conversation that he didn't really recall having flashed through his mind.

"No. This is suicide and even nature won't let it happen."

"I don't want to lose you."

"Tul, Do you plan on teasing me forever?"

"Now what? I can't light it up, you know I'm ice."

"Soulmates are sacred in our nation, and every soulmate pair shall not be kept away from one another, no matter the gender, the power, the position, nor the origin."

He tightly shut his eyes and clutched his head, which felt like it was about to crack from the pain and from what he could see in it.

"Hey, are you okay? Khun, are you okay?" Tul saw the guy calling him, but he couldn't hear it directly due to the headache that had seized him. MD hurried to support him and helped him stand up straight.