Once Upon A Dewdrop

ᴄᴀꜱᴜᴀʟʟʏ ʙᴀᴋɪɴɢ

There are still questions that need answers and mysteries needed to be solve, but today's not the day to worry about all of those things. It's Saturday and Dew Eleanore was trying out new flavors for the changing season, it'll be Winter soon and she doesn't want her customers to get bored of the old recipes plastered on the monitors. 

She left the bed at four in the morning, the occasional hooting of the owl by the Willow Avenue nearby Asahi District signalled the rising of the sun, she left a note by the dinner table for her family before heading to Stardust Cafe. The note talks about Dew asking for them to come over if they ever wish to taste her new recipes, she's confident of course, after all she is an excellent baker. 

Twinkling was the sound created by the wind chimes when someone had entered the cafe, followed by a couple more, some are familiar faces from Asahi District and some are definitely foreigners from different cities, Dew could even sense some celebrities are hidden among the crowd. 

Whisking the flour, butter, egg for a couple of minutes is nothing too tiring for an honor student of Rotaria University, although one thing for sure was that she realized she was alone to manage the busy cafe right now. "Welcome to Stardust Cafe, can I get your order?"

The one who came in was a tall, skinny young man with notably wide shoulders, sickly pale skin, long arms, and an air of gloom that seemed to be making other customers uncomfortable. He was wearing gray sweatpants, and a messy jacket with its hood hanging on the left side of his chest. 

He notably looked polite and friendly, and gazed at Dew Eleanore with his signature bright smile, one he always gives to people regardless of who, be it their races or their statuses. He was carefree for the most part, gliding towards the nearest seat in front of the counter next to the door upon entry. "One Affogato and an Espresso Con Pana, please." he ordered without looking at the menu, like he already knew what he wanted since before he even came here.

She greeted him with a smile without judgement of however he looks, his aura was nothing to be anxious about, and the manager casually took his order before giving him the receipt. "That would be 690 in total, dear customer."

Then Dew proceeded to brew for his coffee, mixing the needed ingredients until it was completed. For the final touches, she created an a pumpkin coffee art because the season was Halloween after all, she placed the cup on the tray paired with the Affogato he ordered. She threads the spaces between the tables and finally reaching the table where the slender man sat. "Thank you for your patience!"

He flashed a brighter smile at her with a lively "Thanks!" before beginning to devour on his first order; the Affogato, so that the ice cream on it wouldn't melt by the time he finishes his Espresso Con Pana. He has the most wonderful eyes – they are light emerald-like, mostly, but darken to grey in correspondence to his mood. He seldom smiles with his lips, but it is his eyes that shine instead.

It takes him halfway into eating up his first order before he slips the payment across the counter towards Dew, since it took him quite a while to grab his wallet in his deep pockets. Surprisingly, even though he was preoccupied with doing both things and multi-tasking by eating and pulling his money out at the same time, none of his Affogato seemed to spill. Why? Well, of course it wouldn't, it's Leejay Silverstone after all. "That's six hundred and ninety total!" he proudly says.

She was brought to a pause when she recognized the man's few familiar features, but her memory serves her badly this time that she cannot identify who he was. She takes the payment and enters the money in the cashier. She later turned around to grab her needed cup of coffees for the other customers, placing them on the tray in a neat vertical row. 'Have I seen him before?' She thought to herself.

When she shifted her body to face the counter once again, she was surprised to see that the man was yet to leave the cafe. Dew Eleanore shrugged it away and smiled to herself, after all it's not a sin to stay and spend time inside the cafe as long as they one do not cause any mess inside.

It's been quite a long time since they last met. After all, the last time Leejay visited Stardust Cafe was during the season of Spring, and it's Autumn in the present, but when a nosy inspector like Silverstone feels that something is off about someone, he will not stop until he gets an answer for himself. One may call it selfish, but Leejay calls it passion for justice.

More customers came inside the café, and he just observed Dew as she worked. He never thought young women like her would retort to opening businesses despite having a strained schedule as a college student. He thought she would just focus on her course like most girls in their 20's.

"Do you need something else, dear customer? I just can't help but notice that you've been staring for a while now." smiled the Stardust owner who approached Leejay while wiping clean a bottle of glass.  

"For tomorrow is never a concern, if you live in the present." he started, introductorily, that is. Leejay SIlverstone's bright smile came again, almost similar to his newbie days in the Southern Grounds of Mentis Military, from when they were still great friends, or a team in fact. "Dew, it's good to see you again. It's been two years since we've graduated from the Southern Hellhole huh?" he chuckled.

"Leejay?" Her tone was doubtful, the Leejay Silverstone she remembers was shorter in comparison with her height, but the latter seemed to have underwent a growth spurt causing him to be taller than her now.

"It's been a while, yes." She agreed, still remaining standing because the customers are still entering from time to time. "If you wanted to talk, can you wait until the morning shift is over? We can catch up then and there." She suggested, before a ping of an order followed. "Yes? Coming!" Before she completely shifts away, she waited for his answer.

"Whenever you're ready." he smiled at her, and then she walked off. Leejay stared at the cafe owner for a moment until his smile died out. He came here to tell her the news regarding some matters that might be needed to discuss with her.

Leejay diverted his attention back to the cup on his table, and drank it slowly, but silently in an attempt to assess with himself first. As an Investigator, he knew what priority he should choose to go for first. In the meantime, he will let Dew Eleanore do her job as a barista.