ALL NOVEL chapter 23
23. Café
We wander around near the station and find a nice-looking café.
With its stylish exterior and the many female customers visible through the windows, I check the café’s name on my smartphone and see that the reviews are excellent. Above all, the photos of the food shared in the reviews all look delicious.
Having worked part-time at a café in my previous life, I know well how hit-or-miss these places can be. Based on that experience, this one seems like a sure bet.
“Mashiro, is this place good for lunch?”
“Yeah! I’m okay with anywhere as long as Ryusuke says it’s good.”
“Alright, then let’s go in.”
I lead Mashiro inside the café. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafts through the air, stylish jazz music plays softly, the staff exudes cleanliness, and just by looking at the clientele, it’s obvious. This place is definitely a hit.
The air conditioning is tailored for women, the lighting is pleasantly dim with a calm interior, and the tables have a warm wooden feel paired with soft sofas.
As she gazes around the café, Mashiro’s blue eyes sparkle like stars.
“Wow… this is really lovely. It has such a mature atmosphere; it feels comforting.”
“Yeah. Plus, I’ve heard the food around here is delicious and well-reviewed.”
“Ryusuke, you knew about a place like this? Impressive!”
“Well, it’s not that I knew, but information like this comes up quickly online. It looked good at first glance too.”
“You’re so reliable, Ryusuke. Usually, it’s just family restaurants or ramen, isn’t it?”
“Well, sometimes.”
As I reply bluntly, Mashiro laughs innocently as if teasing me.
Then, we head to the table we were guided to. A set with a warm wooden table and a soft-looking sofa. We sit facing each other.
Mashiro happily opens the menu and seems to be pondering over her choices.
“Mashiro, didn’t you say you wanted a cold café au lait for now?”
“I was thinking that, but looking at the drink menu, everything looks so delicious…”
“Indeed. There are so many kinds, it’s no wonder one gets distracted.”
“What does Ryusuke want to drink? Can you give me a hint?”
“Hmm, I think I’ll just go with regular coffee. You smelled that nice aroma of coffee beans as soon as we walked into the shop, right? That made me want some.”
“Ice? Hot?”
“Hot, I guess. It’s not that cold, but since we’re here, I want to try something warm.”
“Got it! Then I’ll have the same!”
“Is that okay? I thought you wanted something cold?”
“When we were outside, I was thinking it would be nice to have something cold when we got here, but it’s cool inside. So, I think warm is fine too.”
“If warm is good, I have a recommendation. I found something nice when I looked it up on my phone earlier.”
“Huh? What is it?”
“It’s latte art. Look, on the next page of the menu that Mashiro is looking at, there’s a picture, right?”
“Wow. You’re right, it’s super cute, amazing!”
Mashiro’s eyes sparkled.
What captivated her gaze was a cute cat made of milk, perched atop a café latte in a coffee cup. The fluffy white foam milk had formed into the shape of a cat, and on top of it, the cat’s face was drawn with coffee.
“To be this happy just from a picture. What would happen if you saw the real thing?”
“I-I don’t know. But it must be incredible… Oh, hey Ryusuke. If we order this café latte, can we get the same one?”
“Yeah. It’s one of the items on the menu. They seem to have not just cats, but also dogs and various others. So, what kind do you want, Mashiro?”
“I think I want this little cat that’s in the picture. I really love cats!”
“Speaking of which, your love for cats is quite serious, isn’t it?”
“Yep! You know the white cat that sometimes comes to play at my apartment, right? Its name is Shirobee. It’s super cute, with a beautiful coat and really smart. Ah, talking about Shirobee makes me want to see it…”
“Oh, I remember now. It’s the pet cat from someone else’s house, right? A fluffy, pure white one.”
“Exactly! It’s the cat from the Tabata family’s house nearby. Shirobee is so clever that if they forget to lock the door, it sneaks out through the window for a stroll.”
“That means you can’t see Shirobee every day. How about we go to a cat café next time? There, you can pet them as much as you want.”
“Really!? Let’s go, we absolutely have to go!! It’s a promise!”
Hearing the words “cat café,” Mashiro leaned forward, excited. Her blue eyes sparkled as she seemed to imagine the happy scene of being surrounded by cats.
The sight of the ultimate beautiful girl, Mashiro, surrounded by cute cats… What is that, isn’t it paradise? Just imagining it makes me excited too.
However, I feel like the villainous me and a cat café don’t mix well (I’d probably get intimidated by the cats), so it seems like it will be a little while before that becomes a reality.
After such lighthearted chatter, we called the waiter and promptly placed our orders.
Mashiro ordered the cat latte art we had just talked about, while I simply ordered a hot coffee.
Not long after my coffee was brought to the table, the waiter arrived with careful steps, making sure not to disturb the latte art.
The coffee cup that the barista slowly placed on the table had a cute white cat made of frothed milk perched on top. Surrounding the cat was a detailed illustration of steaming coffee, which was equally intricate.
Miyashiro’s eyes sparkled just from seeing the photo, but her reaction upon seeing the real thing was nothing short of ecstatic. She gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, her voice a mix of surprise and emotion.
“Wow… this is amazing!”
“It’s incredible that it’s even cuter than in the photo.”
“Y-yeah! I’m seriously moved. Oh, I should post a picture on IsoSta!”
Miyashiro took out her smartphone and began snapping photos of the latte art from various angles, immediately posting them on social media.
With a beaming smile, she typed away, and I took a moment to savor my coffee, feeling warm just watching her.
It was indeed delicious. The balance of bitterness and acidity was just right, making it very easy to drink. The beans must be good. The café I worked at in my past life also used pretty good beans, but this place felt like it could rival that.
As I enjoyed the taste, Miyashiro finally looked up from her phone after posting her pictures. She grinned at me with her usual innocent smile.
“Thanks, Ryusuke! It might be a while since I’ve had this much fun!”
“Glad to hear that. But today is far from over. Brace yourself, okay?”
“Of course! Let’s have a blast!”