Garage Cafe

Kind's Pov

Kind had always thought the Fountain Park looked prettier at night. The streetlights shimmered against the water, and the trees cast soft shadows across the pavement. But right now, none of that mattered.

He was lost.

Again.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair before stopping a stranger passing by. "Excuse me, hello!" he said, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "Can you tell me where Garage Café is?"

The woman looked at him for a moment, then nodded. "It's on Bhattarai Road."

Kind swallowed. Bhattarai Road? That… didn't help. He had no idea where that was.

The woman must have noticed because she held out her hand. "Give me your phone."

He hesitated, then handed it over. She typed something, then passed it back.

"I've marked it on Google Maps. Just follow the directions."

Kind stared at the screen. Of course. Why didn't he think of that?

[Damn it, Kind. You know how to use a map.] He scolded himself but quickly thanked the woman before heading off.

It took him ten minutes to reach the place, and when he finally stood in front of the massive structure, he hesitated.

The words "Garage Café" were scrawled across a banner on the second floor. The entrance was up a metal staircase leading to a balcony. People were going in and out, their laughter spilling into the night air.

Kind took a deep breath. He had to do this.

His father's words echoed in his head. "You have to work. I can't pay for everything."

Clenching his fists, he pushed open the door.

A Café Unlike Any Other

The first thing that hit him was the smell of coffee—rich, bitter, and overwhelming.

It made his stomach turn.

For a second, Kind almost walked right back out.

He wasn't used to places like this. The air felt different, like the scent of freshly brewed coffee was woven into the very walls. It reminded him of something—something distant, something he couldn't place.

He swallowed hard and forced himself to step inside.

And then—

Wow.

The café looked nothing like he'd imagined.

Tables made from old oil barrels, their tops replaced with smooth wooden slabs. Chairs repurposed from drums, bent into surprisingly comfortable shapes. The counter at the front was crafted from the front half of a rusty truck, its headlights still intact.

Even the shelves behind the counter were built from the body of a dismantled van.

"So that's why… Garage Café." The name made sense now.

A First Meeting

"Good evening, sir. What can I get you?"

Kind turned toward the counter, startled.

"Oh—no, I'm not a customer." He cleared his throat. "I'm here for work."

The barista raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You must be the new guy."

Before Kind could respond, a voice came from behind him.

"So you finally made it."

He turned—and found himself looking at a girl a little older than him.

She had straight, dark hair that framed her face, a dimple on her right cheek, and warm black eyes. The café uniform fit snugly on her slender frame.

Kind straightened instinctively. "Uh, hello."

"I'm Binita," she said, handing him a folded black T-shirt. "Mr. Lama told me to show you around. You'll be waiting tables from seven to ten."

She gestured to a door near the counter. "Go change in the staff room."

A New Routine

The night passed in a blur.

Orders, trays, balancing plates, remembering who ordered what—Kind stumbled through it all, but somehow, he made it.

Some customers laughed at him, making jokes about how nervous he looked. He laughed along, even though something twisted inside him.

By the time the clock struck 10 PM, he was exhausted.

He dragged himself to the staff room, peeling off the uniform and slipping back into his regular clothes.

"Alright, see you tomorrow," he told Binita, rubbing his stiff shoulders.

"Goodnight," she said with a small smile.

Kind pushed open the café door—

And walked straight into someone.

The cold air from outside swept into the room as the door swung open wider.

Kind blinked.

The person standing in front of him was Jun.

Familiar Strangers

Jun smiled, but there was something unreadable in his expression.

"Kind, right?"

Kind hesitated. "Yeah. You… you go to my school?"

"Something like that."

That answer felt strange, but before Kind could think about it, Jun asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I work here." Kind shifted uncomfortably.

Jun's expression barely changed, but for a moment—just a moment—his eyes flickered with something Kind couldn't quite place.

"Oh." A beat of silence. "I had an appointment with Mr. Lama."

Kind nodded. He reached for the door again.

Jun spoke before he could leave.

"Wait. Don't go."

The words came out fast—almost too fast, as if Jun hadn't meant to say them aloud.

Kind turned. "What?"

Jun scratched the back of his neck, looking away. "Let's eat together."

Kind hesitated.

Something about Jun felt… off. But not in a bad way. Just—off. Like there was a weight pressing against his shoulders that no one else could see.

Finally, Kind sighed. "Alright."

They sat in the corner of the café, the dim lights casting long shadows on the walls.

Binita and the staff whispered nearby, stealing glances at them.

Kind frowned. "Why are they staring?"

Jun stirred his coffee, not drinking it. "They probably think you don't belong here."

Kind raised an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't I?"

Jun finally looked up. His dark eyes locked onto Kind's.

"Because this isn't the first time we've met."

Kind's stomach dropped.

"What?"

Jun didn't smile this time. He pulled out his phone and slid it across the table.

An old news article was open on the screen.

The headline was faded, but the words still sent a chill down Kind's spine.

"Unsolved Case: Missing Student from…"

The name of their school was right there.

Kind looked back at Jun, confusion twisting in his gut.

"What is this?"

Jun leaned in slightly, his voice quiet but firm.

"You really don't remember, do you?"

Outside, the streetlights flickered.