Work Text:
Haitani Ran could not live without coffee. It’s like his lifeline. Without coffee, he couldn’t perform 100%. He needs to be at 110% every time and 100% came from coffee alone. If he doesn’t get coffee, someone is about to die very horribly. Haitani Ran was also a blogger, going from cafe to cafe under a secret pen name, giving reviews and recommendations to his followers.
Stuck in the city, separated from his brother, Ran needs his addictive cup of joe. Usually, he would purchase beans and grind them himself but because of his double life, the luxury wasn’t for him. He flopped himself on the sofa, turning on the television to hear the news. He wasn’t the type that listens to the news very often but he enjoys it anyway. Shortly, there was a call from his brother.
“Ran, how are you?” Rindou said, his voice slightly faded because of the poor connection. Ran turned down the volume and moved to the balcony to get better reception.
“You know, so-so. How’s America?” Ran asked his younger brother. A couple of years ago, Rindou was offered to study abroad. Rindou was a very smart boy and Ran knows that. At first, Rindou didn’t want to go. He felt awkward when he’s separated from his brother. They have always done things together. Ran, who wanted the best for his brother forced him to. With a heavy heart, Rindou left for America.
“I can take care of myself, Rindou. You have to learn to be independent. We can’t stay together forever. One day, you’ll have a family of your own and I wouldn’t want to ruin that future for you.”
"But you are my family! I can't just leave you. I'm not ready."
"Rindou, if you don't go, you will regret this for the rest of your life. Do it for our sake, Rindou. I know you could."
Ran could vividly remember those words. As much as he doesn’t want to see Rindou go, Ran has to face the fact that one day he wouldn’t get to be with Rindou. “America is boring without you around. Heck, everywhere is boring without you around. I miss the old days where we used to play together,” Rindou said.
“You mean to beat up guys for fun?” Ran chuckled. He could hear Rindou laugh, his voice ringing in his ears.
“Yeah. I can’t believe we left that and became nerds instead. I would give this all up just to live that life again.” Rindou replied, this time he sounded a bit sad. Ran felt worried it began to arouse in his stomach.
“Rindou, we talked about this. If we took that path, it would’ve become dangerous. Our enemies aren’t just wannabe delinquents anymore. They’re really bad people who would kill without hesitation. As boring as it sounds, we need to live this life the way everyone else does. Like normal people.” Ran sighed. “So, when are you coming back?”
“Around next month, I think. Mom said I could live with you while I search for an apartment.” Rindou answered flatly.
“Ran?” Rindou cleared his throat.
“Yeah?”
“Nothing. See you then.” Rindou said.
“I’ll see you then, Rindou.” Ran said as he hung up. Ran went to his bedroom and opened the door to his closet. Inside, there was a safe. He stared at it for a long time before closing the door. He turned off the television and grabbed his coat and wallet. “I need to shake this off.”
He took a walk around the area, inhaling the morning air. “Smells horrible as always.” Ran said. He passed the park where he could see a bunch of kids playing while their parents were busy chatting. “Oh, it’s a Saturday. No wonder they’re kids around this hour.” He murmured. Ran walked further and to his surprise, he found something worth his time. A new coffee shop just opened. It was small and cramped, but the aroma of the beans being roasted was so strong that it scented the whole shop when he opened the door.
“Oh, welcome. We aren’t open in ten minutes. Please, you can have a seat while you wait.” The owner said as she was busy wiping the table. Ran nodded and resumed to look around. There is an unhealthy amount of succulents by the window and a small bookshelf near the counter. There’s a big old green sofa near the window with a walnut coffee table. It was dimly lit, with jazz music playing in the background. He chose the big sofa, resting comfortably.
It was cozy and comfortable for Ran. He heard footsteps coming towards him. It was the owner. She gave him a big smile, holding a towel on one hand and placing her other hand comfortably on her waist. “Since you’re my first customer, I’ll take your order from the table. So, what do you fancy for this fine morning?”
Ran looked at her, his eyes fixed on her smile. “Long Black.” He said shortly. She nodded and quickly disappeared behind the counter. Ran could hear the sound of hot water pouring out from the machine, then the sound of the coffee grinder busily grinding the beans, the metal clinking against each other as the coffee slowly drips to the cup. Ran was curious to see the process but instead, he looked outside and enjoyed the noise. Later, she came with a cup of coffee in her hands.
“One long black.” She said, carefully putting the cup on the table right in front of Ran. “Enjoy.” She said and quickly left. He lifted the cup and gave a whiff. “These are probably really good beans.” He whispered. He blew the coffee, slowly bringing it to his mouth. Ran let the black liquid burn his tongue slightly as he enjoyed the delicate yet rich cup. He was wide awake. The coffee was fantastic. It was one of the most delicious ones he’s ever tasted.
“This isn’t bad at all.” Ran commented. The owner overheard it and smiled. “Glad you like it!” She chuckled. Then, she came with a plate of croissants. “I’m not sure if you were a sweet tooth so I decided on this instead. It's on the house. Special, just for my first customer.” She smiled. “Oh, thanks.” He said. He took a bite of the flaky pastry, surprised at how it fits the coffee really well. Ran looked at his watch and hurriedly finished his breakfast. He went to the counter and gave her five dollars. Before she could give him his change, he was gone.
*
It has been a couple of weeks and Ran is religiously visiting the cafe exactly ten minutes before it opens, sitting at the same exact spot and ordering the same thing. The owner was used to having him around that sometimes, they will chat together. “Say, Tessa. Your cafe must be popular by now, right? Good coffee, good pastries, I’m sure you’re doing alright.” Ran said as he took a sip of his long black.
“Well, not exactly,” Tessa said. “My prices are slightly higher, and my place isn’t as spacious. My competition is a Starbucks which is just a couple blocks away. People just don’t see my coffee shop as a relevant thing except…” Ran patiently waited for her to continue. “Well, you.”
“Why me?” Ran asked, curiosity blooming. Tessa was already blushing from embarrassment. She straightened her apron, dusting it off. “You’re my first customer, and now you’re a regular here. At first, you look like a cold and hard to approach person but when you drink my coffee, it's like all the walls you’ve built just disappeared and you have this...this really nice smile on your face. It would make any coffee shop owner feel grateful.” She said, staring down at her feet.
“You make great coffee. I’m sure all you need is just some time.”
“You think so? Thanks.” She said, gaining back her smile. Ran would never want that smile to disappear. He finishes his cup of coffee, like always, left a five-dollar bill on the table and this time, said goodbye to Tessa. Before he did, he turned around to face Tessa.
“I’m Ran. Haitani Ran. Sorry I didn’t tell you that earlier even though I already your name.”
Tessa smiled, blush covered her cheeks. “It’s alright. I’ll see you tomorrow, Ran.”
As soon as he reached his apartment, Ran opened up his laptop, and started typing. He carefully picked out the right words and wrote for what seemed like hours. After he finished, he stretched and cracked his knuckles. “Well, I hope this can help her.” He posted it and soon after, his blog was filled with comments. He smiled, fairly satisfied with what he did.
When he was on his way to the bathroom, Ran heard someone rung his doorbell. Annoyed, he opened the door to reveal that it was Rindou. “Um… surprise?”
“Why didn’t you call me, Rindou? I could’ve picked you up from the airport.” Ran said, handing a glass of juice to Rindou.
“I didn’t want to trouble you. I know you’re busy with work lately.” Rindou replied, taking a big gulp of the juice. Ran sighed. “Typical old Rindou.” He thought. “Don’t you have any beer, Ran? I really could use one after the long trip.” Rindou looked at him, smiling.
“Alright, alright. Just one.” Ran said, lazily heading to the fridge to take two cans of beer. He opened one for Rindou then one for himself. “Drink.” Rindou sipped his beer, exhaling a little steam. “Aaah… That hit the spot.” Ran rolled his eyes, sipping some himself. “Tessa’s coffee is way better than beer.” He murmured. Rindou looked at him, drinking more of his beer.
“Ehh… could it be? You got yourself a girlfriend, Ran?” He smirked. Ran sipped his beer slowly. “It’s none of your business, Rindou. Just shut up and drink.” Ran snapped. Rindou chuckled and drank his beer.
“How come you came back earlier?” Ran asked.
“I got the dates mixed up and I thought it was a good idea to surprise you,” Rindou replied, grinning sheepishly.
“What if I wasn’t at home? You could be stuck out at the front door for hours.” Ran said angrily. Rindou knew that Ran just said it because he was worried.
“Don’t worry about it, Ran. I still have some tricks up my sleeve. I’m a Haitani. What could possibly go wrong?” Rindou said, taking another sip of his beer. “Everything!” Ran knitted his brows.
“By the way, I need to go somewhere after this. You just stay home, got it?” Ran said. His brother nodded while switching the channels on the television. Rindou smirked, “Going on a date, Ran?” He chuckled. Ran didn’t reply, he finished his can of beer and threw it away.
“You can sleep in the guest room.” Ran said. Rindou just nodded, focusing on the news.
“Look at this, Ran. It seems like the world has gone crazy. The news said that there’s a guy who's been trading drugs for a really good amount of money. They have been trying to catch this guy for months now.” Rindou told him.
“It’ll end soon for him.” Ran replied dryly. “Yeah. Sooner or later, the police will catch him eventually.” Rindou yawned. “I’m a bit jet-lagged. I think I’ll head to bed.” Ran bid him goodnight as he walked to the room.
*
It was cold, dark, and damp. Ran had been tailing this man for hours and it seems like this man was just driving him in circles. This is what he hated about this job. He has no patience. All he wanted was to get it done and over with. The man stopped by a brothel, but he didn’t use the front door. Ran followed him to the back door where he saw his target with a couple of people. His target was carrying a briefcase with him. The others were carrying the same one. They looked around, making sure that there were no witnesses around and did the exchange. As much as Ran wanted to ambush them, the time wasn’t right. The others were not his target. He didn’t want to make unnecessary messes.
He followed the guy again, this time pacing himself to be at least a couple of meters away but still can see the target. He followed the target to an old abandoned building. He sneaks around, trying to find a chance where he could shoot.
“I know you’ve been following me.” The man said.
“What the fuck?!”
“Come out already. We can negotiate things.” He continued. “I know those lousy policemen hired you to kill me. I know you’ve been following me from weeks ago. How about we make a deal? I can give you half of what is in this briefcase. It’s more than enough then what they pay you. I even have an offer for you.”
Ran didn’t have a choice but to show himself. He stepped closer to the target, slowly and carefully cutting off the distance between the two. “I’m listening.”
“I want you to kill those bastards you see at the brothel. You see, they had the audacity to give me fake money, and I don’t want that. So I’ve been playing dumb for them so I can have this chance to offer you this golden opportunity. I can assure you that the money I will give you isn't fake. I’ll even throw an extra 30% for you if you can get it settled by this week. What do you say?” He smirked.
“Fucking disgusting piece of shit.”
“What would happen if I refused?” Ran said coldly.
“Oh, it's easy. I’ll just take the most important thing to you.”
“What is it? Rindou?! There’s no way it could be…”
“Well, did you figure it out? Of course, you have. It’s the pretty cafe owner you liked so much.” he laughed. There’s something evil in his laugh that made Ran want to spit on his face.
“Motherfucker! She has nothing to do with this shit.” Ran exclaimed.
“You see, I did some research on my own after I realized that you were following me. These couple of days, I realized that you often visited her. Even talked to her. You both looked so cute together. It’s such a shame that when the store opens in what, an hour from now, all you’re going to see is her lying in a pool of her own blood.” He smirked again. “So, what do you say?”
Ran extended his hand, reaching for the man. “I know you would agree-”
“Like shit!” Ran used his free hand which he was hiding behind his back to reach for his gun and hit the guy's head as hard as he could. The man fell on his back, writhing in pain. “You bastard! You will pay for this! It doesn’t matter whether you agreed or not. My men are still going to kill that bitch of yours!” The man shouted. Ran glared at him, his eyes piercing his soul.
“I’m Haitani Ran. I can do whatever the fuck I want. Remember that name when you’re in hell.” Without a second to spare, Ran shoots the guy dead.
“Tessa!” Ran hurriedly went back to his car, driving dangerously fast. “Shit, shit, shit! He’s been stalling me all this time! Tessa, please be okay!” He said as he stomped on the gas.
The moment Ran arrived at the cafe, it was still quiet. Something wasn't right. Usually, Tessa would’ve waited for him at the window seat. He couldn’t see her anywhere. Ran kicked the door, to see that Tessa was captured by three men. There was a knife aimed at her throat. She was in tears, confused, and scared.
“R...Ran?”
“Tessa, it’s alright. Everything is going to be okay. Do you trust me, Tessa?” Ran said in the most soothing voice possible. Tessa nodded, tears kept running down her cheek. Even in that situation, she manages to give him a weak smile. “Of course I trust you, Ran. I love you.”
“Close your eyes, Tessa.” Ran said. She did as she was told and at that moment, Ran took out his gun and aimed the one guy who's holding Tessa right at his head. He swung his fist to the second guy who ran towards him, knocking some of his teeth out. The third guy drew his knife and charged towards Ran. Aimlessly swinging the knife, he caught Ran off guard, knocking off the gun in Ran's hand. "Fuck you!" Ran said, kicking the guy in his stomach, quickly grabbing the gun and aimed it at his leg and shoulder. The third guy passed out afterward.
Shocked by the noise, Tessa fell down on her knees which Ran quickly caught her. She was shaking, but as soon as she felt his arms wrapped around her, she opened her eyes. “Ran?” She said, voice still trembling.
“I’m sorry I got you into this mess, Tessa. I really am. From now on, I’ll protect you. I promise I will protect you.” Ran hugged her closer. He planted a kiss on her forehead, smiling at her.
“Wait for me.”
*
There was news about a man who’s been smuggling drugs, exploiting young girls into brothels, and has been using fake checks to claim a huge amount of money was killed by an anonymous. They closed off the case by saying that the anonymous was amongst the policemen. It was also the day that Ran Haitani disappeared from Tessa’s sight.
It’s been six months since the incident and Tessa couldn't get him off her mind. She clearly loved Haitani Ran and she was worried about his well being. Haitani Ran was a mystery to her, and she fell in love. Even if it's for a short period of time, Tessa knew that her feelings for Ran were genuine. Tessa befriended Rindou, which was Ran’s younger brother. He told Tessa that Ran was just abroad for his office work, but Tessa knew better. She knew that Ran was something else.
Tessa sighed as she waited for Rindou to come and chat with her. Thanks to the mysterious review she got from a certain coffee blogger, her cafe was busy with people. She could only enjoy her time off before the cafe opened and after the cafe closed, which was the time that Rindou usually comes. Rindou was a big help, always chatting with Tessa, telling stories of his childhood with Ran. At least, she’s not as lonely without Ran.
That one particular morning, ten minutes before the cafe opens, a tall figure finds his seat at the window. Tessa noticed him and quickly approached him. “I’m sorry we aren’t open in… another… ten minutes…”
The man took off his hat and his shades. He gave her the biggest smile. Tears came running down her cheeks when she realized who he was.
“I’m back.” He said, slowly he stood up to face her.
Tessa hugged him tightly, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“What would you like to order?” She said, wiping her tears. He kissed her softly on her lips, hands stroking her cheeks.
“Long black.”