"Welcome!" Yurika greeted two gentlemen as they walked into the cafe with a smile. She indeed has the reputation of being the kindest cafe owner in her locality.
Mrs. Yurika Onodera runs the "Cafe Memoir" situated near the central Tokyo Metro station. She's in her late 30's, a single mother, and a hardworking as well as a generous cafe owner. Irie, her only son, who is an 8th-grade student, is her only family left in this world now. However, her life has been devoid of joy and happiness! It's a myth, that finding happiness in this world is rare as finding a "Corpse Flower."
Yurika looked at the clock, it was 2.10 pm. "Irie should be coming at 3, I have to finish all the chores quickly." She thought while taking orders at her counter.
"Excuse me, two Iced Americano please," a customer ordered.
"Ah...yes, sir! Would you like to borrow some books while having your coffee? We lend them some books while having their coffee."
"Yes sure." The person replied with a small smile.
He went to the bookshelf to search for something to read, but he returned instantly with a dissatisfied face.
"Ah! excuse me, don't you have any rom-com book? All are psychological thrillers here!"
"No sir. We don't keep rom-com books here," Yuri answered with a straight face.
"Oh, that's bad. I have never seen a cafe that doesn't have rom-com books for customers. Anyway, you should have some of it, as it's a great entertainer." uttering this the customer took his coffee and went straight to his seat.
Yuri stared at him for some time while he was heading back. With a deep gaze, she looked outside the cafe. The weather was cloudy, perhaps it will rain soon!
'Sorry to disappoint you sir, but my café won't have any rom-com books. Why believe in such stupid fairy tale love stories when we all have to face a terrible reality! My life has never been a romantic comedy, besides, it turned into a miserable tragedy... It would have been better if I had never been in love.' Yuri quietly thought while gazing outside.
It was two-thirty in the afternoon, the time where the flow of customers is slow. With that free time, Yuri decided to do the regular cleaning. She was mopping the floor but her mind was not in ease! She had to face a huge debt while applying for a lease of this café's place. To cut off the debts she works too hard. Resulting in zero staff. With time she greets every drastic situation with a forced smile on her face.
The wind-chimes placed at the entrance of the café chimes indicating the arrival of a new customer.
Yuri looked at the door with a smile but suddenly her smile dropped. She clenched the mop stick in nervousness.
A tall, strikingly handsome man in his late 40s with glasses framing his face entered the café. He resembled the most elegant among the other customers present there as he walked in. He was completely well dressed up with a dark black suit with a bluish necktie. With a flawlessly smooth and perfect skin tone, he attracted the attention of almost every ladies in the cafe.
"Wel-Welcome," Yuri stammered.
"Ah, I will have a Cafe Latte with extra sugar please," the man said.
Yuri went to prepare the order but her heart was beating frantically. After so many years....she saw him again! In the most unexpected time of her life!
"He didn't recognize me I guess, well how would he? After so many years? Stupid why are you expecting him to recognize you?" She consoled herself.
"Excuse me!" The man came to the counter at a slow pace. He was staring at her in a deep gaze.
"Ye- yes sir, why don't you borrow some books whilst I'll prepare your order--" she was totally flustered.
"Are you Yurika Nanami?" The man asked her with a straight interruption.
Yurika's heart was about to burst after listening to this! She calmed herself and spoke gently, "Yes!"
"Ahhh I can't believe this! I finally found you, Yurika!" The man spoke loudly enough! "Do you remember me?" He was quite impatient.
How can I forget you, Hiro-san?" She quietly mumbled.
Hirotaka Takeshi, a retired school teacher. He was the home-room teacher of Yurika and unexpectedly her first and unrequited love too.
"I can't believe Yuri! You never thought of contacting me even for once? How can you forget about me totally?" He asked her with a grumpy face.
"Well it's been 20 years now," she answered slowly.
"Yes, that's what I am asking! Why didn't you contact me? I even gave you my number so that we could communicate! I never changed my number hoping that you would call me someday, but you didn't. Why Yuri?", He was too restless while asking her.
"And what should I ask after calling you? How are you? How's your wife? How's your life going? Right?" She replied abruptly holding a heavy heart.
"Oh, man! I can't believe you are still so stubborn even after 20 years! But you have become quite a beautiful lady now! I couldn't recognize you first!" Hirotaka couldn't help but stare at her along with admiring her beautiful face.
"Of course I am not 17 anymore. I am 38 now and quite old."
"Yeah, but you still have the poker face, that's why I recognized you," Hirotaka teased her. It was his favorite hobby to watch her grumpy face.
"Huh, you are also quite an old man now. I couldn't recognize you at first. Anyway here's your coffee," she sounded very agitated.
"Hey! I am not that old! I am just 10 years older than you but I still look like in my 30's." Hirotaka quivered.
"Yes, yes, whatever! Go and enjoy your coffee"- she answered very bluntly to tease him.
"Do you mind joining me for a cup of coffee?" He asked her politely while holding the coffee.
"Sorry, but I have to deal with the customers, and sadly I don't have any staff."
Hirotaka looked all gloomy after hearing this. He stood there like a small grumpy child.
"Okay... okay...fine, now you don't have to put that puppy face, I can take a break for 15 minutes, but not a minute more than that," she said gently with a small smile.
"Okay!" Hirotaka almost jumped with joy. She laughed watching his reaction.
"How are you, Yuri? Are you still single?" He asked.
"Huh? What do you think of me? I got married then my husband disappeared. Now I am a single mother, also the cafe owner, and sadly dealing with my doomed life to pay off huge debts," she spoke whilst looking at him with a deep gaze.
"Disappeared?" He abruptly asked her inquisitively.
