The soft hum of the café surrounded me as I sat at a corner table, my laptop open and sketches scattered across the surface. The faint aroma of coffee and pastries filled the air, mingling with the quiet buzz of conversation. I was lost in my work, finalizing details for my new clothing launch. Each piece needed to be perfect; every detail had to shine. My vision for this line wasn’t just a dream—it was a statement.

The sound of footsteps approaching pulled me out of my thoughts. A waiter appeared beside me, a petite girl with a shy smile. She pulled out her notepad and asked for my order. I glanced up briefly and gave her a polite smile. “A simple coffee, extra sugar,” I said before turning back to my laptop.

Minutes passed as I dived back into my designs, but I could hear her returning. Her footsteps were steady at first, but then—a gasp, a loud clatter, and suddenly, I was drenched in hot coffee.

“...”

Time seemed to freeze for a moment. The hot liquid soaked into my pristine white crop top, staining it a deep brown and leaving a scalding sensation across my stomach. My hands balled into fists instinctively as I sat there, processing what had just happened. My perfect outfit—ruined. My hard work, interrupted. And yet, I couldn’t bring myself to lash out.

I looked up to see the girl crouching down in a panic, desperately apologizing as she fumbled with napkins, her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. She looked so small, so frazzled. Her big, apologetic eyes darted toward mine, and for a moment, the anger bubbling inside me cooled. She was... cute. Really cute.

I let out a deep sigh, unclenching my fists. “It’s fine,” I said, my voice calm but firm, as I reached for a napkin to dab at the mess. “Just... try to be more careful next time.” I couldn’t help but give her a small smile, hoping to ease her obvious panic. The damage was done, but somehow, I didn’t mind as much as I thought I would.