Chapter Text
It started when Celestine made him go to the coffee shop she was newly interested in two blocks away during lunch break to help her get coffee.
"You need a break." she insisted, slapping a ten-dollar bill down on his desk, perfectly manicured nails tapping daintily against the polished wood.
"I do not."
"You've been staring at the screen for how long?"
"I am working."
"I know, honey. But it's lunchtime."
He sighed. "I'll eat my sandwich later."
The woman pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at him before straightening her shoulders and folding her arms across her chest.
"Could you help me go get some coffee? I'm sleepy." She smiled sweetly, eyes crinkling at the corners.
It was now Artem's turn to be skeptical. "The vending machine is right there. The pantry is also upstairs."
"I want some nicer coffee, Artem. Unlike someone , I know how to enjoy life."
"Wonder who that someone is." He quipped, rolling his eyes. "It's lunchtime, why can't you go?"
"I have work to do, of course." She said nonchalantly, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"..."
"You can have work to do, but I can't?"
"..."
Artem sighed and rolled back his chair, stretching his stiff leg muscles out as he stood up. He wouldn't have admitted it, not in a million years, but Celestine was right. He did need a walk, somewhat.
"What store?"
She shot him a pleased smile. "Moonbux, two blocks down the street. They recently opened and they're very new, but you can't miss it. I heard their coffee is good, so I'd like to try."
"Okay."
It wasn't long later before he stepped into the place Celestine had mentioned, the little bell on the door tinkling happily as he pushed it open. The ambience is not bad , he noted, glancing around at the warm lighting and cozy decor, mostly plant-and-wood themed. The soft jazz music playing in the background was just enough to make one feel at ease without being too disruptive to the ears. Compared to the thousands of gentrified coffeeshops out there, he had to acknowledge that this one felt different, not unlike coming into a nice, relaxing lounge to unwind after a long day.
He joined the snaking queue behind the counter, mostly comprising the curious office lunch crowd and the occasional hungry college students, distracting himself from the wait by preoccupying his mind with the email responses he had to send out once he returned. It wasn't until he was just one more customer away from the front that he belatedly realised that Celestine had forgotten to give him her order, and it was too late to check in with her now. Or maybe it was just a test to see how good his memory and observation skills were, because Celestine never forgets anything.
I don't think she drinks black coffee, but I don't know if she likes the usual stuff from here. What should I... Oh, forget it. I'll just ask the staff for a recommendation and then apologize later if she doesn't like the drink...
Just as he was formulating a proper way to ask "I'm new, may I know what you would recommend," a cheery, energetic voice snapped him out of it midway, and he had no choice but to improvise on the spot.
"Hello, sir! May I take your order?"
Oh, great, here comes the hard part.
He rose to the challenge of ad-libbing. "Um...It's my first time here, so I don't really know what I should try."
Okay, Artem. I think you passed.
"Ah, a first-timer? No wonder I've never seen you before!"
"What?"
The cashier-cum-barista grinned. "How could I forget such a pretty face?"
What.
Artem had absolutely no idea how to respond to that, so he settled for his usual blank stare. Regardless, the young man working the counter didn't seem the least bit fazed.
"May I recommend the mocha frappuccino then? It's quite a popular drink on the menu. But if you're buying one for yourself, maybe a cold brew?"
How in the -
"Hehe, was I right? I just thought you'd look like someone who drinks black coffee. Consider it a lucky guess!"
Artem's brows furrowed. Way too chatty for my liking, but... he does seem quite young. A part-timer here, perhaps? He does look like he'd still be in school... oh well, I suppose I'll do him a favor then. It must be tough to work and study at the same time.
"I'll take both... And keep the change."
The young cashier seemed delighted. "Really? Thank you, mister! One mocha frappuccino and one cold brew, coming right up!"
He picked up two cups and grabbed a marker. "Your name, mister?"
"Artem."
A few minutes later, he collected his drinks, handed to him by the same young man who took his order.
"Bye! Please come again soon!"
He gave a curt nod in response and left the shop, a small carrier in each hand.
When he reached the office, Celestine welcomed him back with a chuckle.
"I wonder what you got me, Artem?"
He resisted the urge to roll his eyes again. "You forgot your order on purpose, didn't you?"
"Well... I couldn't decide, so I thought I'd just take whatever you brought back, heh." She accepted the carrier Artem was holding out to her.
"Frappuccino? Interesting. I'd have thought you would just come back with a black coffee and call it a day."
"...Maybe I should have."
"I'm just kidding! Anyway, thanks a bunch. Drinks on me next time round - wait, what's this?"
Artem frowned, his gaze shifting to meet the object of Celestine's interest. Staring back at him on the cup was his name... or at least it was.
He glanced down at his own cup, and there it was as well - the name ' Arttum :) " written in black permanent marker. He sighed deeply.
"...Stop laughing."
"I'm sorry, there's no way I can not laugh at this."
"I'm never buying drinks on your behalf again."
"Hey, wait up!"
-
That was a total lie, because Celestine sent him back there towards the end of the week. Though she really did have an urgent lunchtime meeting, so he wasn't as reluctant to help her out. Again, it didn't take him long to reach the shop, and he was mildly surprised when he entered to find it emptier than before. Perhaps the worst of the lunchtime crowd hadn't arrived yet, but there was no queue at the counter, for better or for worse. And as a result, he nearly got jumpscared by the cashier again.
"Hi, mister! You're the new customer from that day, right? Was the coffee good?"
"...It was okay."
The cashier pouted. "Aww, just okay? Not delicious? But you're here for round two, so I'm sure you must have liked it."
"..."
"The same order again?"
How does he even remember what I ordered? There must be hundreds of different customers every day, and I last appeared at least three days ago.
"One mocha frappuccino and one cold brew? Hehe, my memory is great, right? Or would you like something different today?"
Normally, cashiers would be upset if customers try to make small talk with them, but clearly this is a special case. I'd really rather he just take my order and leave it be, but since he's just a young part timer...
He shifted his feet awkwardly, trying to be encouraging so as to make life easier for the cashier. Personally, he hadn't worked part-time in such an industry during his student years, but he could only imagine how taxing it could get on some occasions.
"No, it's fine. I'll take the same thing… Your good memory must be helpful for this job."
"Indeed!"
He rang the order up and grabbed two cups again, marker poised in his hand. "What's your favorite animal?"
"...Huh?"
"Your favorite animal! Do you have one?"
To say that Artem was mildly confused was a massive understatement.
"Uh..." He racked his brains frantically for a normal answer. "...cats are nice, I suppose."
Right after he'd given his answer, he noticed the cashier scribbling away on the two cups. Before long, a cute sketch of a smiling cat's face had made its way onto the plastic surface in permanent marker. His eyes then widened in horror as he realised that his name was on the verge of making its way onto the cup as well, just beside the cat. He cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Erm. It's Artem. With an E. And only one T."
The cashier met his gaze and blinked owlishly and nodded enthusiastically. "Got it!"
Heaving a hidden sigh of relief, he stepped off to the side to wait, and once again received a cheerful "Thank you and please come again!" after he collected the drinks.
He returned just in time for Celestine to finish her meeting, and handed her the drink wordlessly.
"Ahhh, just what I needed after that conference! You're a lifesaver, thank you." She pressed her cheek to the cool exterior of the cup, reveling in the short reprieve from the midday heat before unwrapping the straw from its paper coat and sliding it into the cup.
"Whew, this is a godsend... Say, did they spell your name right this time?"
"...I told them how to spell it."
Celestine lifted her cup and almost spit out her mouthful of drink, and he gave her a funny look.
"Sorry, I just choked. Drank too fast. Enjoy your drink, Ertem ."
When he returned to his desk, he removed the cup from the holder, and that was when he saw it - his name there again, in permanent ink: Ertem :)
He didn't know whether to laugh or to cry.
-
The next time he went back to the shop was about two weeks and a half later, when a particularly nasty case had him staying up nearly the entire night to tidy the reports. He had been so tired that he almost ran a red light on the way to work - he thankfully did not in the end - and decided that perhaps a cup of coffee was a necessity to keep him alive and functioning for the slew of meetings headed his way later on. He decided to visit the shop since it was already conveniently near his office, and he'd be able to make the opening hours stated on the website. Pulling up to the side of the street, he parked the car outside and headed into the shop, the tiny bell ringing again to welcome him in. It was still early in the morning with the place pretty much deserted, and the only sounds present were the whirring of the coffee machines and the notes of the soft jazz music.
And then out popped a familiar face.
"Good morning, welcome to - oh, it's you! Hello!"
Artem blinked in surprise, and it took a few seconds to click.
"Oh, you're that, um... cashier from before. Good morning to you too."
He was met with a sad look, one that almost resembled a pout. "You don't recognize me? Gee, to think it's only been a short while too... Speaking of which, you didn't come by at all!" He sounded almost mournful. "Was something wrong with the last batch of coffee?"
Artem paused to let it all sink in before shaking his head. Really, how does he even remember every customer's face…
"No, it was fine. I just don't see the need to drink this everyday." Or drink from this shop everyday, went unsaid.
"Oh, okay... I'll get your order from last time, then?"
He sounded disappointed, and Artem somehow felt guilty about it. Maybe he's just really dedicated to his job... but I really don't see the need to get such coffee every day... It's unnecessarily expensive, and the coffee machine in the pantry works fine. Still, I guess I shouldn't have been so harsh… I must be really tired out. He stood there in silence, feeling a little awkward as the cashier busied himself with keying in the order into the register followed by the usual name-writing on the cups. At that moment, something hit him. "Oh, ah... it's Artem. Like, A-R-T-E-M." The cashier looked up for a second and nodded eagerly, scribbling down the name.
"Hehe, got it," he grinned. "Surely you're not telling me only now because you're planning for this to be your last drink here, right?"
Artem was confused for a second. "What?"
"The last two times you came here, you've never told me exactly how to spell your name." He puffed out his cheeks indignantly. "Well, better late than never!" He broke into a wide smile. "So, now that we're comfortable enough with each other for you to correct my horrible spelling, does that mean you'll come back?"
It took him a while, but he finally registered the times his name had been butchered and the way Celestine refused to let him live it down for days. "...So you knew all along?"
"I think I have some basic understanding of phonics, mister." He hid his laugh behind his hand. "I just thought I'd see if you would come back for more, and here you are!" he grinned proudly. "Sometimes, customers come back because they had a good laugh about it. Although you took so long that I thought I'd chased a customer away for good…" he mumbled the last part under his breath.
What kind of weird marketing tactic is this… It doesn't make any sense, but I am here, for one reason or another, though not exactly for the reasons he's thinking of.
"Anyway, I'll get your drinks ready!" he chirped, and then disappeared into the back.
Not long later, he arrived behind the counter again, two cups of coffee in hand. "Here you go, Artem! Thank you and enjoy your drink!" Artem paused for a bit, before collecting the drinks from his outstretched hands. Since we've already been conversing and he knows who I am, I suppose it would be rude of me not to ask his name. Besides, I don't want to ruin his likely first working experience by being known as a stuffy customer…
"And you are…?"
The cashier looked up in surprise, but the expression was quickly replaced with his usual cheerful grin. "Marius, at your service."
"Thank you… Marius. Have a nice day."
"You too! Oh, and," he hastily added, reaching into the chiller and taking out a prepackaged box, "here you go! Free pastries, to go with your drink for breakfast."
Artem eyed it with more suspicion than necessary, hesitating to take it. "Why the sudden…?"
"Well, treat it as an apology for misspelling your name so many times, hehe. Also, it's to celebrate you becoming our new regular!"
Artem's brow raised. "...I don't recall saying anything about becoming a regular."
Now, Marius leaned over the counter in a pout. "No? We don't actually have a lot of them yet, you know… We're new, so while many people do like our food, some of them are in it just for the hype but they don't come back anymore…"
Artem held back a tired sigh. "...I'm not quite sure these marketing strategies of yours will be effective in getting you any regulars."
Marius placed a hand over his chest dramatically in mock hurt. "It's not just a marketing tactic! Talking to customers and being nice does encourage some of them to come back, but now, it's really because…" He pushed open the wooden gate separating the back of the counter and the rest of the shop, hopping down the gentle ramp and enthusiastically holding the box of pastries out in front of Artem's face. "I just think you're a very special customer, so you get special treatment!"
Artem had never looked more skeptical in his life. He glanced down at his watch, and goodness gracious - he was now almost twenty minutes late to work. By that, it really meant that he would just show up forty minutes early instead of the usual one hour, but it still counted as a late arrival in his book either way. He didn't bother resisting a sigh this time.
"I'm sorry, but I really have to go. I'm almost late."
Marius's eyes widened. "Oh, sorry about that! I lost track of time! Where do you work?"
Artem hesitated for a split second to tell him, but he supposed it couldn't really hurt - it wasn't much different from exchanging a business card with an acquaintance, anyway. "The law firm two blocks down the street."
The light of realization finally dawned on Marius's face. "Oh, wait - law firm, and your name is Artem… Are you by any chance that Artem? Like, the one that shows up on the news, the Ace Attorney Artem Wing?"
I'm quite surprised he didn't recognize me, especially since the firm is only nearby, but I'm not complaining. It's painful to have the public eye on you all the time, so this isn't an unwelcome change, he thought . "...I am the person you're thinking of, yes."
Marius nodded quickly. "Ooh… I've seen your name a few times in the papers, now that I recall. Wow, it must be stressful being a lawyer and handling so many things at once."
Artem didn't know why, but something stirred in him upon hearing that. "I… You're not wrong, but all jobs have their own stress factors. I'm sure yours is not without them either."
Marius chuckled. "Yeah, you're right. But it's okay, because I love making coffee, and getting to know more cool people is always a bonus!"
I'm not sure how he actually has the time to socialize properly outside of typical customer service on the job, but-
"After all, I met you now, right?"
Well, I'm definitely an exception, not the norm. Keeping that thought to himself, Artem simply stared blankly at him, not knowing what else he could say to that, but Marius didn't seem fazed. "Anyway, feel free to drop by whenever you want! Preferably as often as possible, hehe. I'll make you a nice cup of coffee to release your stress!"
"...I might think about it."
"Really? Yay! Oh, you should get going. Here, don't forget your pastry! Have a good day at work, see you again!"
It wasn't until Artem returned to his car that he realised that he'd actually gotten two cups of coffee, because he had nodded when Marius had offered to make his usual order.
I suppose Celestine can have a free coffee today. And pastries too, I guess.
When she found the cup on her table, she was surprised, to say the least. "Wow, did Christmas come early today? Seems like you went back to that place again!" She sipped from the straw, giving an amused chuckle when she glanced at the side of the cup. "Oh, and they got your name right this time too. Also, this barista seems very talented? This doodle is adorable." She leaned forward, eyeing him with an intensity that made him wary of whatever was about to come next. "Say, are you going to become a regular?"
He scoffed. "Unlike some people, I don't see the need to splurge on coffee from a hipster cafe, of all things."
Celestine burst out laughing. "Do you know how old you just sounded? Anyway, so much for 'not splurging on coffee', because it looks like someone even bought pastries too?"
Artem realised that she was pointing at the box Marius had given him earlier, with the shop's logo printed on it and a big 'Enjoy :) ' in the same handwriting that was on both cups. "Oh, that was a free gift."
"Free gift? Wow, just how many times have you been there? Don't they usually do this for regulars, hmm? I've actually been there a few times myself, but the best I got was a discount coupon."
Artem pushed the box towards her. "Believe it or not, it really was a free gift. Help yourself if you want."
She took the box from him and peeked inside. When she opened the lid, an assortment of mini cream puffs and chocolate eclairs graced her sights. They were evidently freshly baked, too, the light fragrance of fresh cream slowly wafting out the package. "Woah. All this for a free gift ? They're really generous…"
I just think you're a very special customer, so you get special treatment!
The words from earlier echoed in his mind all of a sudden, but he wisely chose to keep mum about it lest Celestine start hounding him with more questions. "I guess so. I definitely can't finish them all though, from the looks of it, so feel free to take as many as you want."
She smiled happily, dainty fingers reaching for the topmost piece of pastry. "Thanks! Don't mind if I do, then. Also, I heard from a friend who went there the past few days that there's a really cute employee working the counter and making the drinks. Real friendly guy, quite the charmer too. Maybe you've already seen him around?"
Artem had an inkling of who she might have been referring to, but decided not to divulge that information. "...That description could literally apply to half the population."
She sighed. "It was just an observation, Artem. Anyway, thanks for the coffee and snacks! If you do go there again next time, I'll return the favor, hehe. I haven't used my coupon yet." She popped the cream puff that had been sitting in between her thumb and forefinger for the past minute into her mouth, covering her mouth with her hand as she chewed.
"Mmm, this is so good. The puff is light and airy, and the cream is really fresh and has a faintly sweet taste from the milk. There's a very generous amount of it too, unlike some of the other places I've seen where they're so stingy with the filling." She pushed the box back to him. "Seriously, you have to try one." She took a napkin and placed a few more pieces inside before taking her drink with her and returning to her desk. "I'll get going now. Catch you later for lunch!"
When she left, Artem returned his focus to his monitor screen, but he couldn't help looking down at his own cup for a bit. I can't deny that the drawing is rather cute. All things considered... he does make a good employee in that environment. He picked up a puff from the box and took a bite, chewing slowly. His brows involuntarily raised slightly in wonder. Celestine wasn't wrong. It really is pretty good. It wasn't very long before the box and the cup were both empty, and he was recharged enough to go about the rest of the day. Feeling a sudden onset of curiosity overtake him, he decided to search up that coffee shop on the web, and was met with a host of five-star reviews on the shop's website, and even on various foodie blog sites.
"The food here is seriously the best! It's tasty and affordable, and it even looks so good~"
Several pictures of very well-plated main dishes filled his computer screen. All of them were the typical dishes someone could find in most places - pancakes, smoked salmon bagels, eggs benedict, the list went on. However, the thoughtful plating and colorful garnishes made everything look extra special and appetizing. Even though it was barely lunchtime and he'd eaten something a few hours ago, his stomach started protesting slightly at a particularly tempting image of a bowl of rich minestrone soup. Most of the pages he scrolled through said the same things, posting pictures of the hearty meals and fancy drinks.
"The pastries here are to die for! They're a bit pricier than the main dishes for the portion size, but worth every penny. I personally recommend the box of 12 assorted puffs - It's labelled as a sharing size, but you can finish it by yourself if you're hungry - and I bet you will too. I swear it's the best twenty dollars you'll ever spend. The fillings are so generous and the quality is excellent, way better than many others you can get out there for the same or higher price…"
…Twenty dollars? I've only been there three times and he gave me something worth that much? Judging by the looks of it, it's a popular menu item too…
But something on one of the more recent reviews caught his eye, with an accompanying image of the familiar disposable cup with a doodle on it, the poster's name censored out with a black box.
"Oh, and you heard it here first: if anyone is free on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, there's a really cute barista who does shift work in the mornings, apparently - really friendly and leaves adorable drawings on the drink cups! I don't know if he's single, but if you're daring enough, you can give it a shot on your next visit ;)"
Straightening his shoulders a little, Artem briefly skimmed through the rest of the replies below the post.
"Oh, I think I know who you mean! He was so nice, remade my order to give me a nicer latte art when it sank even though it was my fault for going to the washroom and collecting it late."
"10/10 customer service! Will visit again."
"He has such a cute smile, this is probably how they get people to buy their drinks. Unfortunately it's working on me lol"
"Forgot to ask for an extra shot once, brought it up after my order was already prepared and he even remade it for no extra cost. 5 stars"
There were several more comments below, but they were generally all singing his praises. Artem shook his head and closed the tab on the window. I suppose that place is slowly gaining popularity. But mornings on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, huh…
For reasons unknown, he subconsciously reached for his planner, flipping the leather cover open and double-checking his weekly schedule.