Something Delicious
Upon arriving at our new home for our long-term deployment mission, the very first thing we did was head out to buy furniture. Stepping out the front door, we finally got a proper look at the exterior, which had been hidden from us while inside. Cozy, neatly trimmed trees were planted at regular intervals. Beneath them bloomed vibrant flowers, and a marble path cut straight through the lush green lawn—it was truly a magnificent yard.
"It's a bit small," Amy muttered, crossing her arms as she looked around, clearly unsatisfied.
I stared up at the massive mansion with my mouth hanging open. The grand two-story house boasted an incredibly gorgeous exterior. It was wide and tall, featuring elegant, antique-patterned curtains draping the windows and a roof the color of cotton candy.
"Whoaaa!" I cheered, throwing my arms up in the air. It was such a pretty house. I wanted to whip out a sketchbook and start drawing it right then and there.
At the edge of the yard, a massive gate stood firmly shut. Beyond the green-painted gate stretched a wide road, though there weren't many cars driving on it.
We headed straight out of the yard. The streets were pristine, without a single piece of litter in sight—it was obvious the area was meticulously maintained.
I looked around at the people passing by. Every single person walking past us looked completely relaxed and at ease, and their clothes looked incredibly expensive.
"Victor, find the nearest furniture store for me."
"A furniture store? Wouldn't a department store be better?"
"I hate department stores; they're too annoying. Everyone will recognize us," Amy said, pulling out her card and waving it. Victor nodded blankly, understanding her point.
Victor immediately pulled out his phone. He seemed to be searching for a location. I made sure to stay close to Amy as I eagerly took in the sights of the city. It was peaceful—almost too peaceful. Well, this was District 3, after all. It would be stranger if there were problems here. I nodded to myself in agreement.
"Jeff. Look over there," Shine said, tugging on my arm. I followed her gaze. A cute little cafe stood on the corner. It seemed they baked everything in-house, as a sign out front proudly advertised handmade cookies and bread. I licked my lips at the sweet aroma drifting through the air.
"Do you want some?"
"Yes!" I nodded vigorously at Shine's question.
Shine looked back and forth between the cafe and Amy. She seemed to contemplate for a moment before nodding resolutely and walking over to Amy.
"Amy."
"Yes, sweetie?"
"Over there. I want to go over there." Shine tugged on Amy's leg and pointed toward the cafe. Amy's gaze shifted to the shop.
"The cafe?"
"Yeah. Jeff wants to go too." At Shine's words, Amy looked at me. I pressed my lips together and gave a small, hopeful nod.
"Hmm..." Amy began to ponder. Seeing this, Victor spoke up.
"Wouldn't it be better to just have them wait there?"
"Do you really think so?"
"I think it's at least better than having the kids run wild through a furniture store."
Amy nodded as if Victor's words made sense. I glared at Victor. Anyone listening to him would think Shine, Rain, and I were nothing but a bunch of troublemakers. Victor didn't even flinch, shooting back a shameless look of his own. Refusing to back down, I locked eyes with him in a fierce staring contest.
"Alright. Rain."
"Yeah?"
"You can watch the kids, right?"
"Of course! You can count on me!" Rain puffed out her tiny chest and declared. However, Amy's expression didn't soften.
"It won't take long anyway. It's not like anything's going to happen to them in that short time," Victor argued on Rain's behalf. Actually, rather than defending her, it felt more like he just wanted to get rid of Rain, Shine, and me. I narrowed my eyes and glared at him. After a long moment of my intense staring, Victor finally looked away. Ah, I see. He wants to be alone with Amy. Shaking my head, I clung to Amy's leg.
"No, it's okay. I'll go with you, Amy." Amy chuckled softly at my clinginess and patted my head. I felt Victor's gaze on me again. I stuck my tongue out at him. Bleh.
"No, I think Victor has a point. I also have some quick business to take care of," Amy said, gently nudging me back. She knelt down to match my eye level and softly held my shoulders.
"You'll be good and stay with Rain without causing any trouble, right?"
To be honest, I wanted to eat sweet cookies and bread more than I wanted to tag along anyway. I let out an awkward chuckle and nodded.
"Yes."
"Good girl. I trust you, Jeff." Amy smiled warmly at me, then turned her attention to Shine. She reached a hand out to her.
"Come here, Shine."
"Okay." Shine approached Amy as if she had been waiting for the invitation. Amy stroked Shine's hair just as she had done with mine.
"You can wait here quietly without causing any trouble, right?"
"Yeah."
"And if anything happens, press the button I gave you."
"Yeah, I will." Amy lightly tapped the keychain dangling from Shine's bag. It was the anti-lost safety button Amy had handed out to us a while ago. The bags Rain and I carried had the exact same buttons attached to them.
With that, Amy and Victor departed. Amy kept looking back at us as they walked away. I waved to her until she was completely out of sight.
The moment Amy vanished from view, it was time to eat. I grabbed Shine and Rain by the hands and dashed toward the cafe. "Let's go!"
Since it was early morning, the cafe was quiet and empty. Amidst the sweet aroma filling the air, the rich scent of coffee drifted over. Gulping, I headed straight for the counter.
"Hello!" A woman who had been sorting coffee beans behind the counter turned around at my greeting. However, she couldn't seem to spot me. As she looked around in confusion trying to find the source of the voice, I grabbed the edge of the counter and hopped up. "Down here!"
"Oh my." The woman had an incredibly languid air about her. She gave off the vibe of a yawning cat. Moving slowly, she walked over to the edge of the counter. "Well, aren't you some cute little customers?"
Cute? At her words, I glanced down at the bracelet on my wrist. It was working perfectly fine, so she must have just been being polite. The woman leaned gently against the counter, resting her chin on her hand. Her gaze locked onto me. "So, what can I get you?"
I looked up at the menu displayed behind the counter. It was filled with fancy, complicated words. None of them looked normal. Angel's Touch...? Devil's Temptation...? Every single item had a bizarre name. Was there really no normal menu item like a Caramel Macchiato?
Sensing my confusion, the woman gave a sleepy smile. "What do you think? Cool names, right?"
I took a step back. She seemed a little off her rocker. I cast a pleading look at Rain next to me, but she was staring at the menu with an equally bewildered expression. Rain was no help. Next, I turned to Shine. But Shine was just staring blankly at the board too. Seeing both of them like this, I squeezed my eyes shut and blurted out to the woman:
"Give us something delicious, please!"
"Something delicious...? Hehe." The woman chuckled softly and nodded. "Alright. Go find a seat over there."
I nodded, grabbed Shine and Rain's hands, and carefully led them deeper into the cafe. The interior had a refreshing atmosphere, with a modern design that tastefully blended black and white elements. We sat down at a reasonably sized table nearby.
Perhaps because we were the only customers, our "delicious" order was ready in no time. The woman walked over, carrying a tray herself.
"Here is your—pfft—'something delicious' as ordered." She burst into a quiet giggle, finding my phrasing hilarious. I buried my face in embarrassment. I should have just ordered something normal.
Placed on the table was a cup filled with sweet Caramel Macchiato. The cup itself was gorgeous, made of beautifully sparkling crystal that caught the warm lighting. And the drink inside was no less stunning. A thick layer of white foam rippled elegantly, releasing a sweet aroma. Sweet syrup was drizzled over the top, with ice cubes peeking through. At the bottom, the coffee and syrup swirled together in a beautiful, artistic gradient.
"Whoaaa..." I gasped in awe.
"It's the most delicious thing in our shop. It's called Angel's Touch." Honestly, I didn't care what the name was. I picked up the small spoon beside the cup, scooped up some foam, and popped it into my mouth. The foam melted instantly on my tongue, wrapping my mouth in a velvety sweetness. The rich, sugary flavor was enough to make my face completely relax. Squeezing my eyes shut, I squealed:
"It's so good!" It was truly, incredibly delicious. I could confidently say it was the best latte I had ever tasted in my life. Pleased by my reaction, the woman covered her mouth and giggled softly.
But wait, the Angel's Touch experience wasn't over yet. A small plate of cookies, seemingly served alongside the Caramel Macchiato, was neatly stacked nearby. The faint scent of cinnamon wafted up, instantly stimulating my appetite. Come to think of it, I hadn't even eaten breakfast today. I quickly reached out and popped a cookie into my mouth.
A gentle warmth enveloped my mouth, proving they were freshly baked. The cookie crumbled crisply, blending with the sweet syrup lingering on my tongue to create an explosion of flavor. A wave of pure bliss washed over me, making my short legs dangle and kick back and forth.
"Is it really that good?" Shine asked, watching me. I nodded eagerly and held a cookie out to her. After a brief moment of hesitation, Shine leaned forward and took a big bite of the cookie straight from my hand. Nobody dislikes sweet things. At least, not as far as I knew.
As she chewed, Shine's eyes began to widen. Her round eyes locked onto mine. A moment later, she let out a tiny huff through her nose, grabbed the small straw in the cup, and took a long sip of the latte. Shine's mood was skyrocketing. And when she was happy, I was happy too.
Chuckling at Shine's surprised face, I turned to look at Rain. Rain was staring at me, clearly waiting for something. Her eyes held a mix of anticipation and excitement. Meeting her gaze, I picked up a small cookie and held it in front of her mouth. A faint blush dusted Rain's cheeks as she leaned in. Chomp. Rain lunged forward as if she were about to swallow my fingers whole, biting down on the cookie. Her soft lips brushed gently against my fingertips.