The first one was the old man with the half-milk smile.
He didn't say anything when Jun handed him his cup. Just nodded the way people nod when they've been somewhere before—and plan to return.
The second was the student with chipped nails. This time, she left her earbuds in her pocket. Looked Jun in the eye.
> "Same as last time," she said.
Jun didn't ask what that meant. He just brewed the way his hands remembered.
The third was new—but came in with the woman who always paid in coins. She pointed to Jun's station and said, "That's him."
That was all.
---
> [System Notification – Repeat Presence: 5/10]
Customers are choosing you. Keep serving with intention.
+10 XP | Emotional Sync +1
---
Later that day, Mina leaned over the bar while scrolling her phone.
"You're starting to get a vibe," she said.
Jun raised an eyebrow. "What kind?"
"The kind that doesn't try. The kind people trust." She paused. "Or envy."
He didn't answer.
But he poured a new cup. Slower. More focused.
---
> [System Passive Strengthened – Soultrace Lv. 2]
Trace Imprint activated. A customer's memory may linger even if the taste fades.
Reputation Growth: Passive
---
At closing, Jun walked home with his bag lighter and his breath even.
He wasn't rising.
Not yet.
But something in the grind had shifted.
People were starting to notice.
And more importantly—
They were coming back.