The café wasn't his—just a quiet spot Mina vouched him into. A neighborhood friend of hers had flown overseas for a family emergency, and they needed someone steady behind the counter.
Mina told them, "He won't steal. And he pours better than anyone I know."
So here he was.
Not a job. Not yet.
Just a space to pour.
And for now, that was enough.
The café was quiet in the way early mornings always were—half-set chairs, machines purring low, Mina humming off-key while prepping beans.
Jun wiped down the counter slower than usual. He wasn't tired. Just… unsure what came next. No quest had appeared. No level-up screen. Nothing flashy. Just his hands, a cloth, and the hum of life moving on.
"Customers'll roll in by eight," Mina said without looking up. "You breathing or brooding?"
He blinked. "Bit of both."
She snorted. "Same."
They worked. Together but apart. Jun had grown into this rhythm—his own quiet lane inside a larger melody. Steam. Grind. Pour. Clean. Repeat.
The system hadn't chimed in days. No buffs. No tasks. Just the quiet sense it was watching.
[Passive Task Complete: Maintain Flow for 12 Hours]
+25 XP
Emotional Sync: +2
Jun didn't react. He didn't need to. It was background music now. Something to nod at, not chase.
A customer came in. Then three more. Regulars. The old man who always asked for "half milk, full kindness." The student with chipped nails and earbuds. A young woman who always paid with coins and smiled like it hurt.
Jun served each cup the same way: as if it mattered.
At noon, Mina stepped out back for a smoke. Jun leaned on the bar, breathing through the ache in his shoulders.
A quiet chime flickered again:
[New Stat Unlocked: Flow State]
Track now active. Rewards scale with emotional precision.
He didn't smile. Didn't celebrate. Just rolled his neck and stepped back into the barista's stance. Focused. Calm. Breathing.
He didn't need more than that.