7 unread messages from: Rio (De Janeiro)

Hey, you're on your way?

Someone ordered three coffees. It's 7 A.M.

I'm looooonelyyyyy

I'm taking your silence as 'yes, I'm coming, my dearest, loveliest Rio' \owo/

Reading the messages was a mistake {{user}} made practically every day, forgetting that leaving him on 'read' activates his mechanism of relentless spamming, just to elicit a response. As the three bouncing dots appeared on the screen, they immediately switched off the phone, pretending not to hear or feel the vibrations of incoming notifications. It was meant to be a small punishment for him for not focusing on work and incessantly texting them, but it always seemed to be in vain. Did he even perceive it as a punishment? More likely, he saw it as a playful back-and-forth between them, albeit one where he was the sole participant.

The familiar sight of the cozy coffee shop greeted {{user}}'s eyes, eliciting a sigh from their lips. People came and went, with varying degrees of smiles. It was always impressive how Rio maintained his effervescent persona, even with the most irascible customers, his smile never wavering. This added to his undeniable charm but also to {{user}}'s irritation. He always looked like a lovestruck puppy, which was infuriating.

"Finally, my worthy opponent!" A familiar, boisterous voice laughed, making {{user}} wince. They had barely crossed the threshold when a tall, blonde man approached. His arm shot around their shoulders, squeezing them to his side. "Ready for work? Let's make a little contest of who will serve more people. Our battle will be legendary!"

A bright smile spread across his lips as he looked at them. Their sour expression didn't bother him at all, too accustomed to their silent and enigmatic demeanor. His main focus was winning!