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marriage (n.); the legally or formally recognized union of two people as partners in a personal relationship
Back when Alhaitham was still in the Akademiya, that was the definition of marriage he gave when the instructor asked.
Kaveh, however, answered differently.
He said, “It’s when you’ll learn how to brew coffee despite your dislike of coffee. That you’d go to the ends of Teyvat to learn about them. To love means that you’re willing to change.”
Kaveh had always been a romantic ever since long ago, even when Kaveh was still no one special for him.
Alhaitham didn’t pay much attention to what Kaveh said at the time. Though he finds it strange that the words stick on the back of his mind.
Alhaitham shrugged. He found Kaveh’s answer to have no logical basis, but it was still somewhat pleasant for him, for reasons unknown.
Perhaps it was quite funny because Kaveh said it when they were all still young. At the age where their taste buds had yet to appreciate the refined taste of coffee.
When Alhaitham began to have an acquired taste over coffee, what Kaveh said came into the back of his mind at times.
“Tulumba with black coffee, strong, no sugar?”
The first time Enteka remembered his order, Alhaitham recalled those words once again.
“Yes, please.”
Alhaitham didn’t keep track of how many days, weeks, months since he first became a regular at Puspa Café, to which Enteka would be bound to remember every one of her regular’s orders. Like many others, Alhaitham too, was also at the confines of routine. It would be no surprise if Enteka remembered Alhaitham’s order then. She was attentive like such, and Alhaitham didn’t mind sticking to his boring routine.
Enteka’s coffee was good, but truthfully, it was nothing special. He only visited here just because it’s part of his routine. Still, Alhaitham recalled Kaveh’s words anyway every once in a while as he sipped the coffee.
Was it because they just recently had a big fight? Was it because today’s the day where their joint project came to its bitter end?
“On a second thought,” Alhaitham said. “Can you please make it extra strong for today?”
Enteka served him a plate of Tulumba not long afterwards, along with the hot cup of black coffee, extra strong, no sugar.
Alhaitham nodded. That must’ve been the reason. It must have been the one.
Time progressed much faster than Alhaitham wished for it.
Perhaps because he once wished for time to quickly ease his disappointment after his fallout with Kaveh a long time ago, and now Alhaitham simply reaped what he sowed.
“Is that a set of Inazuma-made V60?”
If he knew this would happen, Alhaitham wouldn’t wish for time to go by so quickly back then.
“Yeah.”
By ‘this’ was his life right now. This morning, in his kitchen, where Kaveh was pouring hot water into the fine device to brew coffee. Carmine eyes peeled at the kettle, so focused and determined. As if brewing this cup of coffee was as important as the projects Kaveh had.
“Isn’t that Amenoma certified amethyst gooseneck kettle?” Alhaitham raised his eyebrow. It was a rare item since there was no other kettle that was as precise as this one in particular. “How did you get that?”
“I know a guy who knows a guy who can get me this.”
Only after that, Kaveh stopped pouring. Waiting for the drip to fill the cup under the V60.
“What’s the occasion?” Alhaitham sat down on the table, observing each drip from the filter. It was a satisfying sight to see. “I thought you don’t like coffee.”
“I still think tea is much superior in taste.” Kaveh sighed, watching the bubble from the coffee grind on the filter itself. Slowly, but surely, the bubbles pop and more of the water permeates through the fine grind of the coffee. “I decided to learn this for you.”
“Hmm?” Alhaitham tilted his head. “Care to elaborate?”
“Fifteen years, every day while you’re at Sumeru City, you go to Puspa Café to order a god damn Tulumba and strong black coffee every day.” Kaveh clicked his tongue. “You can save all those mora you’ve spent on Puspa Café for something else.”
“If you understand, you’d appreciate the fine brew by Enteka and you’d be more than happy to toss some coins for it every day.” Alhaitham chuckled. “Such a shame that you can’t appreciate the good taste of coffee.”
“That’s just because you haven’t tasted the finest yin zhen tea from Qiaoying Village.” Kaveh scoffed as he handed the cup to Alhaitham. “Try it. I can do it better than they do, plus, you’ll save up a lot more on coffee money from now on.”
Alhaitham took a sip on the coffee. Kaveh wasn’t bluffing; the brew was exquisite. The balance between the aroma and the body of the coffee was perfect.
“You’re not using the coffee beans from Puspa Café.” Alhaitham, of course, noticed the difference. He wasn't a regular for fifteen years at Puspa Café for nothing.
“Tighnari hired me to build a prototype greenhouse much more advanced than the ones in Pardis Dhyai,” Kaveh scratched the back of his head. “He wanted it to have a more refined humidity controller, better sunlight control, and other technical things that I personally don’t feel confident in delivering. He expects too much from me, really.”
“He trusts you.” Alhaitham nodded, sipping more on the taste. As he went through the lower half of the coffee, he got to taste more of the distinct acidity. Just enough to his liking. “And what’s the correlation with this cup of coffee?”
“It’s not much, but it’s the result of the harvest.” Kaveh showed the rest of the coffee bean stored on the small pouch. “Tighnari said that he wanted to use coffee since it’s one of the trickier and more sensitive to changes in the environment.”
“Makes sense.” Alhaitham sipped one more time. This time, he could taste a fruit flavour. He let the taste remain in his mouth, to which he could finally taste that deep, rich chocolatey taste from the coffee. “I never tasted a coffee like this before.”
“Since Tighnari asked me to do the impossible, I asked him to do the same, to develop a specific cultivar of coffee. You like it when it has that fruity goodness but still has that bit of savoury taste, aren’t you?”
“So you’ve studied.” Alhaitham smiled. Those are the characteristics of coffee that Alhaitham enjoyed the most. “I’m impressed.”
“Heh,” To which, Kaveh smirked and propped both of his hands on his waist. “I have to be better than Enteka so you’ll stop coming there, won’t I?”
It was obvious that Kaveh wasn’t just simply buying an expensive device for the sake of it. He really studied everything about coffee; the precise grind of the coffee bean, the consistency of hot water in the kettle, the exact brew ratio he used, and the careful way of pouring, everything was well calculated.
“Let’s say I stop going to Puspa Café from now on,” Alhaitham said as he finished the cup of coffee, “What would you suggest I use the money for?”
“Well, for starters,” Kaveh pointed to the carpet at the end of the hallway. “That carpet is so old and everyone I called for help to clean it up had given up already. And then, there’s that ugly thing in the kitchen…”
Alhaitham nodded, though he disagreed with Kaveh’s suggestions.
Rather than replacing all those items that Kaveh mentioned, perhaps a ring that fits nicely on Kaveh’s finger would do so much better.