The Cure to My Scar

How it All Started?

"One Iced Vanilla Latte, please." I gave my card to the cashier while looking around the area.

Things never changed in this café. It's the same ambiance, same vibe, same comfort that it used to give me during my darkest days. That's why I love staying here almost the whole day when I was writing my first ever novel back then. Though the staff seems like they're not the same anymore.

I am looking at the furthest table beside the glass wall where I can look outside when I'm encountering some writer's block while doing my job. The trees and the people walking on that street with a smile on their faces freshen up my mind. And for some reason, I got the inspiration to overcome that certain writer's block.

"Oh? I think I remember you. The girl who used to sit there almost the whole day during weekdays. Right?" The barista told.

And I just nodded slowly and smiled at him brightly. A good thing to see some familiar faces after a long time. He's the same barista who used to offer me some free cookies back then.

"Your café never changed. It gives the same vibe and comfort to your customers. No wonder the business is doing great, witnessing that it is still full with customers even on weekdays." I responded.

"I'm glad you visit the café again. I thought I lost one of my regular customers." He commented.

"I just have some business somewhere around the area. And it reminded me of my old times and I was so delighted to see that everything remains the same."

The bartender smiled proudly.

"Enjoy your coffee." But he placed some cookies on my tray with the coffee I have ordered. I looked at him as if asking what was that for?

"A simple token for my regular customer. And guess what, your space is now vacated." Pointing his lips towards the table where I used to stay back then.

I smiled at him brightly and mouthed thank you.

I sit on my favorite spot where everything all started. This spot, this chair witnessed all the hard work I've been through when I was writing my first ever novel. That's why when I heard that the publishing company that I've been working with will conduct a fan signing, I suggested that I wanna spent that special day in this café.

After a few minutes, my manager finally arrived and waved her hand as soon as she saw me sitting. She ordered some coffee as well then walks towards my table.

"I've been staying here for about a year in this area but I didn't know that there's this Everyday's Mood Café" She commented while looking around and observes the venue.

I somehow feel proud as I look at her nodding slowly as she approves of my idea that this place is a must to visit. The ambiance, the vibe, the wooden interior, the music being played, and the mood it gives you while sitting and sipping your cup of coffee. Everything is lit. I just hope that she'll approve my proposal as well.

"But isn't too small for a book signing venue? I mean, based on the survey of the Marketing Team, there are a lot of fans who want to be there at your first-ever book signing since you never exposed yourself to anyone but us, the team?" Nini explained.

"But I also agreed with the term that I will decide when and where will it be. Isn't it?" I complained.

Nini just exhaled in exasperation. She couldn't argue with that since she's the one who convinced me to agree with this project so they have to follow my terms and conditions.

I raised my brows while looking at her with a playful stare as she felt defeated in this argument.

Since I published my book, I never agreed with any interviews nor photoshoots for the Author's Note or any media because I was scared back then of exposing myself to the public. I was too timid and too pessimistic about everything in my life. I never thought that my novel will be embraced by a lot of readers starting from an online platform until it became a book and adapted into a movie. It was something I never thought it would be.

I never thought that while traveling alone on that long dark tunnel, there will be a hint of light at the end that will change my whole life.

And it's all thanks to Nini.

By the way, Nini is my beloved best friend before she became my manager. She was a big fan of reading novels on different online platforms and that's where my story started. Until everything goes well and now, we are planning for my first-ever fan signing event.

"Okay, okay. I'll try my best to talk with the owner and check what terms he would demand. But I cannot promise anything, okay?" She disclaimed.

I just giggled in response. I know Nini more than anyone else. She will always say the opposite of what she meant. She will do the best that she can to make this event all possible.

"Do you have any idea who's the owner?" She asked.

"Yeah. Asked the cashier for their main barista. He's the owner of this café." I replied.

She walked towards the cashier as I instructed and talk with them for a while but as she was walking back to our table, her brows furrowed and her face shows that she's kinda confused or puzzled. I wonder what they have talked about.

"What's going on?" I asked worriedly.

"Are you sure you've been talking to the right person? Because based on our conversation, he asked for my number so they could call me after talking to their boss." She uttered.

Wait, what? Boss? But I thought he is the boss, I mean no employee would dare to give free cookies to their customers unless you're the owner, right? Even I was kinda confused with what has been said.

Mr. Barista is walking towards us and I can see that he is smiling at me even from afar.

"May I take sit for a few seconds?" He asked and I just nodded in response.

"There's this one thing that has changed in this café, and that's the owner. I had some personal problem back then that forced me to give up this business but thanks to this one friend, he saved me from committing the worst decision ever I could make in my whole life. He bought this for me and now I work here as an Operations Manager. Sorry for the confusion."

He explained as he apologizes for the confusion.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Then we could talk to your boss, instead. Right?" Nini queried and we're all eyes at him.

He just blinks his eyes oddly and he's kinda hesitant about what to say. It seems like his boss would not be easy to deal with.

"The thing is..." He is thinking about what to say next. It seems like he doesn't want to discourage us but doesn't want to give us false hope as well.

"I'll talk to him about it but I can't assure you that he will easily agree with it. Especially on a weekend." He added.

"But let him know that we're willing to pay for that day's revenue if that's what it takes for him to agree with it." Nini tries to bargain. But Mr. Barista just smiled at her awkwardly.

"Please. I don't want this event anywhere else but here. This is where everything started. This is where all things begin with." I pleaded.

"I know." He mumbled, which Nini and I made us surprised. What does he mean he knows?!

"W-what do you mean, sir?" Nini asked nervously, afraid that he might know something else that we must be careful about.

"I know who's event is this for and believe me, I would love to support what you planning. It's just that, I can't decide on my own." He explains while avoiding our gaze as he feels sorry.

"I can't get you. What do you mean you know who's this for?!" I queried, trying my best to let him spill what he means by that.

He gestured his hand as if asking me to come near him so he could whisper in my ears. And for some reason, I easily followed his instruction and lend my ears wide-open.

"I know you, Sissy."

And that made me gasped and my eyes wide open as I was in awe that he knows my pen name when it's just me and Nini who knows about that fact.

Nini was in a panic about the way I react. She's dying to know what I heard from him but I just couldn't find the right words to say as I am still in shock.

"Don't worry. I've been keeping that in me all this time. You can trust me." He assured us.

He excused himself and went back to his working area. But still, I'm in awe. Nervous about being exposed to somebody else aside from Nini.

"What was that? You're killing me for too much curiosity." Nini insisted.

"He knew me." That's all I managed to say as I'm still in the process of gathering myself.

"What do yo--- what?!?" Nini exclaimed as she realized what do I mean by that.

"How sure you are?! Maybe he's just deceiving you or what?" Nini being in denial.

"Sissy. He knows me by my pen name."