|| Chapter 3: Finicky ||
Ciel spent another hour browsing jobs but it felt like forever now, yet he still doesn't find anything useful. Instead he ran across a breaking news on one of the social media accounts he opened on his laptop.
It was about a very popular young businessman, who owns a corporation-
'wait!! It said 24 years old!? How can someone be so ughh. It's so hard to be unemployed , I became sensitive every minute' Ciel unthoughtfully interrupted the news he's reading.
He skipped some parts and looked at the middle part after the part where they introduced the man.
It was stated that he met with a car accident, and was declared dead on arrival from the hospital.
Ciel didn't read another sentence after this. He felt somehow dejected, though he doesn't know the man himself, he was very sensitive about deaths and accidents specially connected with vehicles because it was the same way his parents passed away.
He was silent for a long time and it can be heard clearly at the big house where he is the only one occupying it.
Ciel stood up and went to the altar of his parents.
He offered a prayer to them first after sitting at the cushion and said how much he misses them.
He almost cried but he remembered about the death of the man. He also mentioned the man and told his parents that if they ever saw the man, guide him to where his parents are, so he can rest peacefully.
The news triggered many memories, good and bad but he knows he already had too many bad thoughts and were already experiencing worse things at the moment, it won't be good if he added more.
He went back to the sofa and felt the warmness of it as he sat.
His eyes glimpse at the wall clock above the paintings that occupy the space of the wall. It's already past noon.
He pursed his lips as if doubting his clock on the living room. He then looks at the time found in his laptop, but the digital clock also shows the same time the wall clock shows.
Wall Clock: ".... you thought I was lying huh? "
Sighing, Ciel complained to himself "Can't believe I spent my precious hours of saturday for nothing".
Then he suddenly heard a loud evoking sound from his stomach. Though no one was in the house except him, he still felt embarrassed.
It's lunch time and being hungry is normal. But Ciel didn't think so.
Remembering he's been inside the house for almost forever he thought he's getting out of shape.
So moving faster than Sonic he took his digital weighing scale hiding under the table and measured his weight.
That's right, he's more finicky compared to other old married women or anxious teenage girls when it comes to himself.
Looking at the weighing scale he exhaled a relieved sigh.
Satisfied, he hid the weighing scale under the table again and went upstairs and took his green cardigan, phone and then the keys.
Arriving downstairs and reaching the living room he first turned off the laptop, and the lights, then changed his footwear before walking straight to the wooden door.
He locked it from outside and checked it twice if it was locked.
"Door and windows checked. Lights are off, gadgets are in safety, keys with me." He thoroughly checked, and talked to himself.
For lunch Ciel decided, rather than cooking for himself again, he will eat outside this time to change the environment for a while.
After making sure everything is fine he then proceeds to walk to the nearest cafe to eat.
Though he has a car, Ciel chose to walk to guarantee that he will still be in shape after staying at home for so long.
After a 10 minutes walk he found a cafe, with modern design. He remembered this cafe from before. It's the place he noticed last month called Roses' Cafe. The one with a common name, though the outer design quality is good, it also didn't connect well to its name.
He entered the small wooden gate of the cafe, heading to the path of the entrance door of the main cafe house. He looked around first, and he saw a mini garden with no flowers at all. It doesn't have any other colors aside from different shades of green. But it didn't look like a farm, instead it looked like a park so it blended well with the tables and chairs with few people sitting on it.
Some are drinking from the cups, sitting comfortably while some have work to do on their tables.
Entering the glass door, he heard a bell from above but didn't look for it, instead he observed the surroundings.
Inside the cafe he immediately saw a long bar table forming an arc with the very center pointing at the entrance. Surrounding the counter are numerous high chairs with few spaces apart. The inner part of the counter probably heads to the kitchen that's being hidden by the gray rectangular bars with hanging plants and framed paintings.
Left and right there are numerous tables found.
On the left side of the entrance, there is a long table near the window and several chairs distanced from each other, the same color of the high chairs found at the counter. For every space, there are respective drop lights hanging from the ceiling.
But because it's still morning, it hasn't opened yet. There are also tables and chairs with normal height in between the counter and the table near the glass wall.
At the very back of these tables and chairs there is a bookshelf leaning at the wall. On the right side, the same arrangement of chairs and table are found but there are two bookshelves instead.
There is also a mini exit door at the very back. Seeing one of the staff walking towards it, it's probably used to bring orders for customers who chose to stay outside the cafe.
The cafe may look small from outside, but seeing the interior that doesn't look crowded at all, it's bigger than Ciel imagined.
It also has enough space for outdoor tables. Present time, the customers are few, but the staff are all working or at least have something to do.
Some are cleaning while some are serving the customers. The total of cafe staff Ciel saw, including the one who went outside, are four.
Hearing the chimes of the small bell one female staff walks toward Ciel smiling.
"How may I help you, Sir? Table for one?" A girl with a high ponytail and wearing a white-maroon colored uniform and a badge with her name, said.
Ciel didn't pay much attention to the overall design of the uniform but it looked great and it passed his taste. The girl is tall, almost the same height as him, so he didn't need to look down.
"Yes, and where can I take an order? I'm sorry, it's my first time here." Ciel replied.
Losing parent at an early age, though he didn't suffer much financially he still learned how to save money so he didn't usually go to cafes and only when necessary like rare dates or business meetings.
But though Ciel rarely went to these kinds of places, he still knew how cafes should be designed. Maybe that's why his former girlfriend found someone else. He rarely takes her to date or even eats outside, always thinking about his work.
While thinking all of this, he simultaneously listens to the waitress leading him to a table near a bookshelf.
It has a cozy atmosphere, although far from the bar table, he likes the area very much.
The chair is near the brown long curtains but it doesn't feel hot and didn't feel the need to remove the cardigan.
When the waitress saw the pleasant reaction of the new customer she first asked if he would now take an order before giving a menu that she is holding then took out a white cell phone with a little black thing with a wire that looks like a card swipe machine at the upper part from her side pocket.
Moving on to the menu, to his surprise, it was organized and they even have scheduled dishes like in restaurants. The menu, unlike the staff's uniform, is composed of three colors, but still has the cafe's palette.
Ciel ordered a soft meal for himself and added hot chocolate. Waiting for his order at the table, he fetched his phone from his pocket. He opened his downloaded social media and browsed his feed.
He saw nothing interesting but saw the news again. It seems like the business man is very popular but Ciel wants to be in serenity; reading it will make him sad, so after saying condolences despite not knowing personally the guy, he then put it aside once again.
With nothing to do he continues to do what he's doing after entering the cafe. He looks around and evaluates it all in his mind.
He may or may not try to steal a design but anyway, it's all pleasant to the eyes.
He saw some portraits in the painted wall of the cafe, most he can see are painted ones.
He stared for a moment at the nearest portrait of a woman in white dress. It's painted well, even from afar, he can see the artist did well. He remembers his mother used to paint a portrait of him with his older sister.
After reminiscing , he parted his look from the painting and instead gazed at the bookshelf behind him. It's very unusual how things around him lately make him recall his past memories- good and bad ones.
–
He couldn't see the books well so he stood up after a deep conversation with himself.
He looked for a warning saying 'don't touch', but he saw nothing.
Well what's the use of putting books if not used. It's a waste to do so.
He observes how the books are arranged. From thinnest to thickest books from descending order.
After a while, one caught his eyes so he took it carefully.
It's hardbound but not too thick. It has a color of blue and red but the letters are in black.
He saw the title; "Mischief of the fairies'.
He stares dumbly at the book, looking for a synopsis like in webnovels he usually reads but sees nothing.
As he tried to open the book he heard two voices.
"Excuse me sir, here is your order."
"Do you like that book?"