WTGC 04: Origin of the name

I'm starting to gain conciousness and as I slowly open my eyes, a man's silhouette sitting beside me can be seen.

"Good timing. You're awake." Liam looks worried and relieved at the same time. "I made you soup for lunch."

After gathering my wit, the memories of what I saw earlier came back. "What was that earlier?" As I questioned Liam, he just gave me a look of sympathy. "Tell me I was not the only one who saw that. It was not my imagination, right? The customer earlier was not human! "

"Calm down for now. Eat your soup and we'll talk after Han and Damon close the shop." Liam helped me sit up. "Damon actually anticipated this so we were only open until lunch time today. " He picked up the spoon and scooped some soup. "Would you like me to feed you?"

"I can manage. " Liam smiled at me before standing up.

"I'll go set the table for the others then. They'll be back in a few minutes."

"Can I eat with you guys?" I'm still a little shaken from earlier and don't want to be alone right now. Liam patted my head and took the soup.

"What was I thinking giving you soup?" I tilted my head as sign of confusion to Liam's response. "If I wanted to cheer you up, I should have prepared something sweet and give you macarons for dessert." It's a bit emabarrassing how I've just been here for a day and feels like he already knows my preference.

"Uh.... no need to prepare something else for me. Anything you prepare will surely cheer me up 'cause I know they're delicious."

Liam chuckled. "Geez ..... Eugene stop making my heart skip a beat." He offered his hand to me and assisted me to stand. "Let's go. You can wait at the living room while I prepare our meal. "

Just as we stepped outside my room. I can hear steps coming down the stairs. Damon and Johan must be back. Damon was loosening his tie and unbuttoning his shirt while coming down as if its the natural thing to do once he got home.

They stopped walking as soon as they saw Liam and myself. Damon hurriedly closed his open shirt then shoot daggers at our direction. I suddenly felt my left hand raising as Liam waved at them. I forgot we were holding hands. Damon slightly shook his head and went straight to his room. As if caught in an affair, I hurriedly pulled my hand back.

"This is new." Liam expressed with amusement. He knocked on Damon's door which is just beside us. "Dinner will be ready in 10. Come out by then."

Johan and I helped set the table. Three plates for Liam, Johan and Damon. I guess mine will be the soup bowl from earlier. I think Liam is still reheating it.

"Han, let me sit beside Eugene." Liam requested.

Just right on the dot, Damon came out of his room, properly dressed. Black tight pants, Gray leather shoes to complement his hair and a folded long sleeve, v-neck collared polo.

"Everything looks appetizing." I mindlessly muttered. Damon slowly glanced at us while fixing his sleeves. I quickly averted my eyes to the food on the table. "The food looks delicious as always Liam." I hope he didn't notice me staring. He sat down infront of me, followed by Johan who sat, as requested, beside him.

Liam served me my food while sitting down beside me. Contrary to my expectation, he served me Omurice and not the soup earlier. To top it all off, he even drew a heart and instead of facing the table, he is closely looking at me.

"Stop doing things out of the ordinary Liam." said Damon.

"I'm just taking care of Eugene." Liam rebutted. "You know what's out of the ordinary? You. " Liam added and I can see Johan nodding in agreement. " You never wore long sleeves and always go shirtless." Shirtless? Always? Thinking back, he was shirtless yesterday and that explains why it was natural for him to undress as soon as he got home.

" Is this your new uniform now? "

"Uniform?" I asked.

"Other than the cafe, Damon has another job which is actually his main job." Johan explained. " But isn't it too early to go out?"

"Might as well start early so I could sleep longer later." Damon answered. "Gum has been bringing a lot these past few weeks that needs to be sorted out. " He glanced at me after saying that. " And I'll try to talk to some of our customers to limit their visits."

"How considerate. " Liam said with a sarcastic tone. "Again. acting out of ordinary just for our Eugene."

"Stop provoking Damon, Liam" Johan intervened. Liam just shrugged his shoulder. "Damon's right. Since Eugene is new, how about allowing only customers who looks similarly to a human, for now. Although, it will lessen our sale."

"What do you mean by 'customers who looks similarly to a human' ?" The more this conversation keeps going, the more confuse I get. Why are they talking like a human is such a rare sighting at the cafe?

"Most of our customers or rather most of the population here are similar to the customer you saw earlier. In fact, most are much scarier. But worry not I can assure you, no one's going to harm you at the cafe. They're just customers who would love to taste Damon's coffee and Liam's food."

"Population here? You mean the tenants of this building? And what do you mean, two headed 'monster' are common here? Why is the government not telling the people about it? Is the government even aware?"

"Oh our sweet Eugene, there is no governement here. As a matter fact, I can assure you that there is not even a single human here."

"I can't ..... I can't process what you're both saying."

"Eugene." Damon called with a stern voice. "Based on your reactions, I guess Gum, didn't explain anything to you at all. Do you know where you are right now?"

I nodded. "At the cafe's employee dormitory."

"Where?"

I glanced at Liam and Johan with how confused I am with Damon's question. They're just silently sitting there, also waiting for my answer and no plans of interfering.

"Eugene. Think. Where are you?"

"At the top floor. Of the building at the center of the Stopover park."

"No. You're wrong."

"What?" I don't get where this is going. Instead of explaining about the customers and what they said about non-existence of human, why did it become an interrogation towards me?

"How about this? Why are you looking for Gatori Cafe?"

"I just like cafes. That's it."

"Do you even know why were called 'Gatori Cafe'?" I just shook my head so he started explaining.

"The answer to where you are right now,.... you are at the top level ..... of the Purgatory. Where every souls, good or bad, go after death. Thus, where the name of the cafe came from."

"purGatori Cafe"