A Usual Morning, Until It Wasn't
Lee Jihoon didn't usually visit the same café two days in a row, but this morning, he had an unexpected craving for a warm latte.
Maybe it was because the weather had turned colder overnight, or maybe he just wanted to sit in a familiar place before heading to work.
Either way, he found himself stepping into the cozy café near his office, the scent of freshly ground coffee beans greeting him instantly.
The place was busier than usual, filled with people grabbing their morning caffeine fix before rushing off to start the day.
Jihoon made his way to the counter, ordered his usual hazelnut latte, and stood near the pickup station, waiting.
Behind him, the sound of hurried footsteps caught his attention.
A young woman—**probably in her early twenties, wearing office attire and carrying a tote bag full of documents—**rushed toward the counter, checking the time on her watch.
She looked stressed.
Jihoon didn't think much of it.
Until—
She grabbed her coffee, turned too quickly, and—
Crash!
Her coffee cup slipped from her grasp, tipping forward, and spilling directly onto another customer's crisp white shirt.
The entire café went silent for a moment.
Jihoon winced. That's gonna stain.
The Aftermath of the Spill
The man who got hit—a businessman in his forties, sharply dressed—froze in place.
For a moment, he didn't react.
Then, very slowly, he looked down at his ruined shirt.
A large coffee stain spread across the fabric, the dark liquid soaking into the expensive material.
The woman's face paled in horror.
"I—I'm so sorry!" she gasped, scrambling for tissues. "I didn't mean to— I wasn't paying attention—"
The businessman's expression darkened.
His jaw clenched, and it was clear he was not in the mood for an accident today.
Jihoon could already see where this was going.
The man would get angry.
The woman would panic.
Everyone would just awkwardly watch instead of stepping in.
Ding!
[New Kindness Challenge]
Diffuse a stressful situation and help someone in distress.
Reward: 36,000 KRW
Jihoon sighed.
Guess it's my problem now.
Intervening Before the Explosion
Before the businessman could open his mouth, Jihoon stepped forward, pulling out a handful of tissues from his pocket.
"Hey, no need to freak out," he said casually, offering them to the man. "It's just coffee."
The businessman turned to him, clearly irritated.
"Do you have any idea how expensive this shirt is?" he said, voice clipped.
Jihoon raised an eyebrow.
"It's still a shirt, though. Getting angry won't clean it."
The man exhaled sharply, trying to keep his temper in check.
The woman looked between them, still flustered.
"I-I can pay for the cleaning!" she stammered. "Or buy you a new one—"
The businessman pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly deciding whether to argue.
Jihoon sighed and changed tactics.
"Look," he said, tilting his head. "I get it. You're mad. But you've got two options: spend your morning making a scene, or take the free tissues and let her fix the problem."
The businessman glared for a second longer, but then he snatched the tissues from Jihoon's hand, dabbing at his shirt.
"…Fine," he muttered. "But this better come out."
The woman let out a relieved sigh.
"T-Thank you! I swear, I'll cover the dry cleaning bill—"
Jihoon smirked. "See? No harm done."
Ding!
[Kindness Opportunity Completed!]
Reward: 36,000 KRW
The businessman grumbled but didn't argue further.
Jihoon watched him leave, still blotting at his shirt.
Crisis averted.
A Grateful Stranger
The woman turned to Jihoon, still looking shaken.
"Thank you," she said, bowing slightly. "I didn't know what to do…"
Jihoon shrugged. "Most people don't."
She hesitated, then smiled nervously. "I'm Kang Yerin."
"Lee Jihoon."
She looked down at the mess on the floor.
"I should probably… get this cleaned up," she muttered.
Before she could call for a staff member, Jihoon crouched down, grabbing a few extra napkins from the counter.
Yerin blinked.
"You don't have to help me," she said quickly.
Jihoon smirked. "Didn't have to step in earlier either. But here we are."
Yerin let out a soft laugh. "I feel like you do this a lot."
Jihoon didn't answer, just kept cleaning.
A few minutes later, the café staff came over with a mop, waving them off.
"You two don't have to do that—we'll take care of it," one of the employees said.
Jihoon stood up, dusting off his hands.
"Guess our job's done."
Yerin looked at him for a moment, then smiled.
"Can I at least buy you a coffee? As a thank-you?"
Jihoon hesitated.
The system usually nagged him to accept gratitude, but no notification popped up this time.
Still… free coffee wasn't a bad deal.
"Sure," he said finally. "I won't say no to caffeine."
Ding!
[Bonus Kindness Opportunity Unlocked!]
Accepting gratitude strengthens kindness.
+10,000 KRW
Jihoon sighed. Of course.
A Quiet Moment Over Coffee
A few minutes later, Jihoon sat at his usual table, a fresh latte in front of him.
Yerin sat across from him, still looking slightly embarrassed but much calmer than before.
"I swear, I'm not usually this clumsy," she muttered, taking a sip of her coffee.
Jihoon smirked. "Bad morning?"
"Very bad," she sighed. "I was running late for work, and now I have to deal with this mess."
Jihoon tilted his head. "What do you do?"
"I work in publishing. Assistant editor."
Jihoon raised an eyebrow. "Books, huh?"
She perked up slightly. "You read?"
"Sometimes."
She grinned. "That's a vague answer."
Jihoon smirked. "I read when I feel like it."
Yerin laughed softly. "That's the same thing my boss says."
As they chatted, Jihoon realized something.
He had expected this to be another quick act of kindness—step in, fix the problem, move on.
But somehow, it had turned into a simple, easy conversation.
Like it wasn't just about kindness.
But about understanding people, too.
A Quiet Reflection
That evening, Jihoon sat on his couch, Hodu curled up in his lap, purring softly.
He idly stroked the kitten's fur, thinking about the day.
His phone buzzed.
Ding!
[Daily Kindness Reflection]
"Kindness isn't just about solving problems. Sometimes, it's about making someone's day a little easier."
Jihoon exhaled.
Yeah.
That sounded about right.
One small act at a time.
End of Chapter 38
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
🔥 Hey legends! Quick updates! 🔥
💥 Support me on👉 patreon.com/cyci07
✨ Power Stone Challenge! ✨
If we hit 100 power stones, I'll drop 2 bonus chapters! Let's see if you guys can make me suffer! 😂
💬 Enjoying the story? Leave a review and let me know your favorite moment so far! It helps the novel grow and reach more readers!
Thanks for all your support—you guys are awesome! ❤️