Himorashi had a certain charm to it. While it wasn't the flashiest or most luxurious street in Japan, it felt comfortable—quiet, lived-in. The district included an underground station that connected to Aokusa's prestigious high school and other areas Timeo might one day explore, especially as someone new to the city.
"Here we are. Sombra Café," Renjiro announced as he pulled the car into a small parking space. "It may not look like much, but you should be grateful to have a roof over your head. Come on, I'll show you to your room. It's an old storage space—we'll need to clean it up. Although, that's your job now."
Unlocking the front door, Renjiro led Timeo inside. The café was narrow and modest, but far from unpleasant. It had a unique atmosphere that made it feel warmer than expected. While not modern, it wasn't run-down either. The seats looked surprisingly cozy, and the lighting gave the place a relaxed vibe.
"I run this place," Renjiro said, glancing around the café with a sense of familiarity. "So don't bother the customers during the day. Though..." he scratched at his jaw thoughtfully, "you could lend a hand every now and then. No sense in making me do everything alone. And in return, maybe I'll teach you how to brew a proper cup of coffee. Nothing like a fresh morning coffee before school or work. Anyway—this way."
Renjiro led Timeo through a hallway near the restrooms and up a narrow staircase to the second floor. At the top, he pushed open a door, revealing an old storage room.
"This'll be your room," he said plainly. The space was lined with empty shelves, some draped with dusty sheets. The air carried a faint scent of age, and the furniture looked like it hadn't been touched in years.
"You're free to move things around, decorate it however you like. But before anything, it needs a proper cleaning. I'll be downstairs serving customers, so try not to make too much noise—the walls aren't thick, and I don't want complaints. There's a door in the back near the stairs. Use it if you need to toss anything out."
With a short nod, he turned back toward the stairs. "Alright, I'm heading down. Time to start my shift. Make yourself useful."
As Renjiro's footsteps faded down the stairs, Timeo took a slow glance around the room. To his surprise, he didn't mind the space—it had potential. He hadn't expected to be given the freedom to rearrange or decorate anything, but now that he had it, he felt a bit more at ease.
"I should probably just follow what Renjiro tells me. No point in stirring up trouble," he murmured to himself, his tone steady and resolute.
Wasting no time, Timeo grabbed the nearby cleaning supplies and got to work. He started by pulling down the dusty sheets covering the shelves and tossing them aside, then moved on to scrubbing surfaces and polishing the windows until they gleamed.
By the time he finished, the room already felt different—cleaner, lighter, almost like it could become a real home. A small, proud smile tugged at his lips. He'd remembered Renjiro's request about noise and had completed the job quietly, all without being told twice.
It took Timeo a couple of hours to finish cleaning. Once done, he carried the bucket of murky water and the broom downstairs, careful not to make a mess. As he reached the café floor, he caught sight of a few customers already seated and chatting quietly.
At the counter, Renjiro was engaged in conversation with someone sitting at the bar, a warm mug in her hands.
"So, you're new in town, huh?" Renjiro asked casually.
"That's right," the girl replied, sipping her drink. "Just moved here today. I'm from Silverhollow, in the U.S."
She inhaled the rich aroma of the coffee and let out a satisfied sigh. "This coffee's amazing! I've never had anything like it back home. Makes me feel even better about moving to Japan. I bet there's all sorts of stuff like this here. I'm guessing you've got some kind of secret recipe, huh?"
Renjiro chuckled softly and shook his head with a modest smile. "No secret recipe or anything like that. I just add a few extra ingredients to bring out some creative flavors."
The girl glanced at the brewing machine before looking back at her cup. "Well, it definitely works. There's this perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness—it's like it was made for me."
Renjiro seemed genuinely pleased by the compliment, especially from someone who looked to be around Timeo's age. "Glad to hear that. You said you just moved in today, right?"
The girl nodded.
"That's quite the coincidence. I actually took in a boy today myself." He glanced toward the back. "Speaking of which—Timeo!"
The call caught Timeo off guard just as he finished dumping out the dirty water and setting the cleaning supplies aside. Not wanting to make a scene, he strolled into the café with his hands tucked into the pockets of his blue jeans. His eyes shifted between Renjiro and the girl sitting at the bar.
"Oh, so you were the one making all that noise upstairs," she said with a small laugh.
Timeo's eyes narrowed slightly as recognition clicked. That voice, that hair… It was the girl from the plane—he'd noticed her sitting a few rows ahead.
"Wait... I remember you," she said, pointing at him with a soft smile. "You were on the same flight, weren't you?"
There was no point in denying it. He nodded slightly. "Nice to meet you."
As usual, his voice was calm and reserved, but he appreciated the fact that she remembered him—and even bothered to speak up.
"Well, would you look at that," Renjiro said, clearly amused. "You two already know each other? Small world, huh? Both of you arriving in town on the same day, even heading in the same direction."
Then he leaned on the counter and addressed the girl. "What's your name? You seem like a pretty friendly person."
"Oh wow, that's kind of embarrassing," the girl laughed, scratching her cheek. "We've been talking and I haven't even introduced myself yet. I'm Marin Aoyama. I know the name's a little unusual, but my mom's actually Japanese. I moved here because I'm finally old enough to live on my own."
She smiled proudly, then added with a light chuckle, "I can handle most things by myself—even if my cooking isn't exactly top-tier. But honestly, I've always wanted to come to Japan, and now that I get to live here, it feels like a dream come true. I was super lucky my parents handed down their home in Japan to me. It's honestly amazing."
"See that…" Renjiro glanced over at Timeo, his voice calm but with a firm edge to it. "You could've done the same. You're old enough, after all."
Timeo met his eyes without flinching, maintaining a composed expression. They both knew the truth behind his situation. He hadn't come to Japan by choice—his past, marked by a false criminal record, had forced his hand. Staying would've only made things worse.
Marin turned to Timeo, curiosity dancing in her voice. "So, your name's Timeo, right? That's pretty unique. You look Japanese, but kind of different too. Are you planning to go to school while you're here?"
He nodded, replying evenly, "Aokusa High School. That's where I'll be enrolled. What about you?"
Marin's eyes widened with surprise, her face lighting up. "No way—seriously? That's my school too! What are the odds? That's, like, crazy convenient. Must be fate or something!" She laughed, clearly amused, her excitement spilling into the room.
Renjiro raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two of them. "Same plane, same school, same café on your first day in town… That's a whole lot of coincidences for one morning." He smirked, reaching for another cup. "You know what? How about another coffee? This one's on the house."
"That sounds amazing! Thank you!" Marin beamed, sliding her finished cup to the side so Renjiro could clear it away.
"You can join us too," Renjiro said, giving Timeo a nod. "You did a good job cleaning up that room. Come on, take a seat."
To be continued...