Seven Times

005

SEVEN TIMES | ENCOUNTER THREE

THE sky was dark and the air was cold as Eugene slips on a thick coat and goes searching for the nearest, open café. It was probably a long shot, since it was three in the morning. He sighs, forming a small cloud of smoke.

Afar, next to a closed tattoo parlor, he sees a small café with a bright light coming out of its large window. On a closer look, he saw the words FULL MOON engraved on the window with pretty white cursive. Eugene decides to step inside, immediately greeted by the warm air and the scent of coffee.

"Welcome to Full Moo - doctor?"

Eugene looks up, equally surprised to see Freya Wang behind the counter with a pastel yellow apron and a white cap. "Doc-"

"Eugene."

"Uh..Eugene, what are you doing here?" She asks, placing the cloth she was holding down. "It's three in the morning. Shouldn't you be resting?"

"It's three in the morning and past your shift. Shouldn't you be resting?" Eugene asks back, slightly amused.

"Funny story. Griffin just got out of the hospital a few days ago and obviously needs to rest and gain his energy and relieve himself from the trauma, right?" Freya asked what sounds like a rethorical question. "Wrong. The boss of this place - this is where he works - demands that he should be working already. Being the good sister I am, I'm taking over his shift until he recovers."

Eugene scrunched up his nose. "That's mean."

"I know right?" Freya pushes her round glasses up. "Anyways, can I take your order?"

"A long black, please. And a croissant."

"That'll be fifteen fifty." Freya takes a cup and a Sharpie, and writes his name down. "It's actually twenty fifty, but I'm giving you a discount just to piss the boss off. Plus you're the only customer at our 24-hour cafe, so I appreciate the company."

"Thanks." Eugene takes a seat by the window, pulling out his phone and checking for emails. Freya approached his table minutes later with a steaming hot mug of coffee and a croissant.

"Do you mind?" She asks him, pointing to the empty seat in front of him.

Eugene shakes his head.

Freya takes a seat in front of him, a warm beverage in her own hands. "So, what brings you here?"

"Hm?"

"Come on Eugene, you can't possibly be out here at this our on this season for no reason." Freya placed her chin on her palm. "Unless you're recovering from your hangover and your Keurig is broken."

He hums. "I'm running away from my problems."

"With coffee? And you expect me to believe that?" Freya chuckled lightly. "But okay, I'll take it."

Eugene sighs, and it seems like Freya sensed his distress, because she said, "it's the part where I ask, but you know, you don't have to. I can listen, though, and maybe give an advice or two."

He taps his fingers againts the white mug, staring at the dark beverage. "My sister is getting married."

"Okay..?"

"She's twenty, and getting married to a twenty five year old man." Eugene said. "She's eight years younger than I am."

"Oh...oh." Freya nods slowly. "I see."

Eugene takes a long sip. "I'm pissed as hell because our step father made her heir to his massive company. I don't know where I did wrong. His money didn't pay for my education - my mom's did. I'm a child prodigy. I guess he just hates me. Not that I care about the company - I never liked doing business - but all I wanted was..."

"Was..?"

"Maybe fatherly love? I ran away from them after getting my degree. Call me a bad kid, but evil stepdad is worse." Eugene angrily bites into his croissant, and Freya had to supress her giggle. "All I wanted, I suppose, was for him to say he's proud of me?"

"Well, I'm not one to interfere with family problems, but don't you think you should attend her wedding?" Freya takes a sip. "She's your sister. She must want her brother to be there."

"I know. She told me that."

"Then what's keeping you from coming?"

"Step father. I hate him."

"Are you sure? Do you still hate him because he prefers your sister over you," Freya takes another sip, "or is your ego too big for you to apologise to your dad for the misunderstanding?"

Eugene groaned, hating the fact that Freya could read him so easily. "Its the latter.

Freya tilted her head. "You're gonna let your ego ruin your relationship with your sister?"

Eugene sets his glass down. She had a point. As much as he hated his father, Eugene still loves Miranda and his mother, and he - deep down - knows that her brother's presence mattered to her just as much as her husband's. Maybe he should consider coming.

"You know it's not nice to keep grudges forever. You should forgive him. Maybe he didn't mean it." Freya said. "Stepfamily can be hard sometimes, but have you tried talking it out?"

"No."

"You gotta talk to him, Eugene." She said again. "Look, I know I'm a stranger, but take my advice. Talk to him. He's still your father figure. Throw away your ego a bit."

Maybe...maybe he should consider that.

"Or..maybe you're uneager to come because you're single?"

The statement caught Eugene off guard, as the tips of his ears heated up. "No - yeah, okay."

Freya sent him a cheesy smile, as the bell on top of the café's door rang. "Think about it. Your sister would be happy, and I'm sure you want that. I have a younger brother. Trust me!"

Eugene watches as Freya serves a woman with a suitcase. Maybe she's right.

Maybe I'm tired enough to vent and take advice from a stranger.

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this was definitely longer than i intended it to be, but oh well! :)