The Serendipity Paths

Prologue

The bell that is attached to the glass door rang as I opened it.

"Welcome to Serendipity Café" the staffs said.

I just slightly smiled at them. I made my way to the part of the café wherein it is quiet. Umupo muna ako at linapag ang aking mga dala dala. I brought my laptop with me so I can edit some of the videos I filmed. I am a content creator. At first it was hard, but I got a chance to be one of the tops, so I am thankful for that now.

Nagpunta na ako papuntang counter upang umorder ng may makita akong isang lalaking pamilyar na pumasok sa café. Nagtama ang paningin naming ngunit iniwas ko kaagad ito. Dumeretyo na ako upang mag-order. Sa lahat pa ng pagkikitaan naming ulit coffee shop pa?!

"Hi Sir Kailas" nakita kong bati ng cashier na nasa harapan ko.

"I'll take her order you can now have your break" saad nito sa babaeng cashier.

Agad naman tumango ito at mabilis na umalis. Shocks! Siya ba ang may-ari nito? Or kasi dream niya lang din kasi maging trabaho ito pagtanda niya! Wow reminiscing past! Eme ka self. Napabalik ako sa reyalidad ng nagsalita ito saaking harapan.

"What's your order miss?" saad ng lalaki saakin ngayon.

"I'll just have a slice of blueberry cheesecake and also a java chip frappe" I said.

"Is it large or medium?" he asked and looked at me.

"Medium only" I said and give him my one-thousand-peso bill.

Pagkatapos kong iaabot ang aking pera ay mabilis naman niya akong sinuklian.

"Name please?" he asked again.

"Stelle" I said.

Nakabalik na ako sa upuan ko at inintay nalang tawagin ang pangalan para kunin ang inorder. I am not a fan of coffee kaya hindi kape ang inorder ko. Dumadayo ako sa coffee shops dahil sa mga pastries nila. Habang nag iintay ay binuksan ko na ang laptop ko para makapag edit.

Madami dami akong ieedit ngayon dahil sa mga brands na nakikipag-collaborate saakin. I also do vlogs at youtube kaya double double talaga ang trabaho ko, but I enjoyed it naman that's why it's fine for me also.

Busy ako sa pag eedit ng may biglang naglapag ng tray saaking harap. It's my order!

"Kanina pa tinatawag ang name mo but it looks like your busy" he said.

Nakakahiya naman! Hindi ko talaga maririnig iyon dahil naka-earphones ako at full volume pa ito. And focused na focused talaga ako.

"Sorry" I said.

"That's not a proper way to thank someone miss" he said.

"Oh, I am sorry and also thank you for giving my order" I said. He just stared at my eyes blankly and left immediately.

"Sa wakas tapos na ako mag edit" mahinang saad ko.

Sinarado ko ang laptop ko at itinabi muna ito. Linagay ko sa harap ko ang aking order. Naubos ko na ang frappe pero ang cheesecake ay hindi pa. Hindi ko pa nga ito nababawasan dahil gusto ko namnamin yun.

Tinikman ko iyon at masasabi kong ito ang pinaka masarap na cheesecake na natikman ko! It melts in my mouth. I like it. Natapos ko ang pagkain kaya linigpit ko na ang aking mga ginamit upang lisanin ang lugar. Paniguradong babalikan ko ito.

Lumipas ang ilang linggo ay busy ako sa kakagawa ng mga contents. I need money kaya need ko ito pagsikapan ang pag-upload. I was busy scrolling in my email when I saw a interesting offer.

To Miss Perez,

A pleasant day! We would like to invite you to review our coffee shop. This review will consist of posting it in your social media accounts. All the drinks and pastries will be free. The shooting of the review will happen in the café shop. We will close our shop to prioritize your safety also to avoid being disturb by the fans.

Binasa ko pa ito hanggang huli. It will be a good content because it will be aligned in the series, I am making right now in tiktok and youtube. I responded in that email that I accept it and the management immediately replied.

Baka yumaman ako sa offer nila ah! Almost six digits ang bayad. Baka hindi na ako magtrabaho nito next month. I need to make 2 videos that will catch the interest of the audience. Well napag-isipan ko na mamemeet ko naman yung owner so it could be a interview about why did he decided to build it. Second is advertising their good quality foods. So I emailed them my ideas and they approved it.

I researched about the café, and it is famous na pala. Many students go there because it is a study friendly café. It is also said that a famous engineer owns that café. Wow! I am indeed lucky to be offered in this job.

Shooting day came. I am wearing a fitted sleeveless tank top, a white trouser and top up my top with a blue stripped polo. I also wear a white sneaker for me to be comfortable. They suggested that we should film the interview today and tomorrow can be the review of their pastries and drinks.

I glanced at my full-length mirror and saw my natural wavy hair. I put some make up on today to look presentable. After fixing all the things I needed I drove to the shop.

Serendipity Café

Nang makadating ako sa venue ay bumungad saakin ang mga staff. Nag set up ako ng mga camera. All the questions that I will be asking today is already prepared so there will be no delay. I don't have manager and some management companies, so I do this all by my own.

I am done setting up the camera when someone came in the shop. I thought it is just a customer who thought that the café is available today, but I was wrong when I heard what the staff said.

"Sir Kailas!" rinig kong saad ng staff. "Nandito na po si Maam Perez"

"Okay" saad nito. Lumingon ako sa gawi nito at nagulat ako na papunta ito saakin.

"Can we start now" he said and sat in the chair that is prepared.

Don't tell me siya yung may-ari! Shuta na mess! Wala naman ako magagawa natanggap ko na yung bayad.

Pinindot ko lahat ng camera ko to start recording. I sat in the chair that is in the front of Kailas.

"Recording in 3 2 1" saad ko.

Umayos ako ng upo. I looked at the camera being aprofessionaal.

"Hi guys! I am back with a new video! So today we will be interviewing the owner of the Serendipity café" I said. Humarap ako rito.

"Well first is can you introduce yourself?" the first question I asked.

"Well, many don't know that I am the owner of this little coffee shop. You guys might know me as Engineer. I am Kailas Villaflor the owner of this coffee shop" pagpapakilala nito.

The shoot went smoothly not until the last question that I was shooked with his answer.

"This is the last question for this interview. What made you push to build this coffee shop and what is also the meaning of serendipity?" I asked.

"Hmm, I love coffee kaya I build my own café. my girl also like pastries that's why I am passionate to build this" he chuckled a little. "Back when I was college, I used to work in a café that's why I got inspired making my own café but there is something special why I build this because I met my girl in a café shop" he said that stunned me.

"I name it serendipity because the meaning of it is accidentally discovery well for me this coffee shop symbolizes the story of my love life" he laughed. "The accidental discovery that turn into a beautiful discovery." With those words left me silent. "But she left so it became a nonsense discovering her."

Serendipity. I was his serendipity not until I left him.

-- xliwrites