Intro. Intro: “Cafe Next Door – Across the Streets”
It was my first time going to this new café close to my school, the one nestled right beside the mall. The rain poured down so heavily that I had no choice but to run inside, craving a warm cup of hot cocoa. My ex-boyfriend’s face popped into my mind, as if to remind me why I shouldn’t get too cozy—but I shook it off. Today was about me, a quiet corner, and maybe a little escape from reality.
From the other side of the street, I noticed another school—Hoshi’s school, right across from mine. Somehow, in the middle of the rain and bustling city, the two schools seemed to be quietly watching each other, like strangers destined to cross paths.
And then I saw him. Hoshi, behind the counter, apron slightly crooked, hums floating softly in the warm café air as he pours milk into a latte with careful precision. Something about the way he moved, the small tilt of his head as he looked up, made my chest flutter before I even realized it.
He caught my