The city's heartbeat quickened as the hour slipped by.
Jun's steps grew more purposeful.
He wasn't sure what he was looking for—only that he'd know when he found it.
[Passive Buff: Clear Head – Mild Increase in Opportunity Detection][Duration: 30 minutes]
The system didn't explain further.
It didn't need to.
Past the bakery with the golden light.
Past the bookstore that still smelled like ink and dust.
And there—barely noticeable between a hardware store and a laundromat—a hand-painted sign on a sandwich board:
"Community Breakfast – Free Entry – Volunteers Welcome"
Jun slowed.
Coffee?
Possibly.
A kitchen?
Definitely.
He pushed the door open.
The room buzzed with quiet energy.Older women in aprons bustled around folding tables.Someone was setting up a percolator the size of a microwave.
The smell hit him instantly—bitter, burnt, a little sour.
Bad coffee.
But real coffee.
He stepped inside.
A woman with salt-and-pepper hair glanced up from stacking pastries.
"You here to help?" she asked.
Jun nodded before he could think. "Yeah. I can wash dishes. Sweep. Whatever you need."
She smiled. "We can always use extra hands."
She pointed toward a stack of chipped mugs and a massive basin of soapy water.
Jun headed over without complaint.
He scrubbed.
Rinsed.
Dried.
Stacked.
It wasn't glamorous.
It wasn't paid.
But the kitchen smelled like coffee, and that was enough.
After about thirty minutes, when the initial rush slowed, the woman handed him a cup.
It wasn't great.
Weak, over-extracted, slightly metallic.
But it was real coffee.
Jun stared at it.
Could he count this?
The system screen pulsed faintly:
[Authentic Coffee Detected – Manual Brew: Weak Quality][Task Completion: Optional Validation Available][Reward: Adjusted Based on Brew Grade]
He hesitated.
This wasn't his brew.
He hadn't measured, hadn't bloomed, hadn't crafted it.
Just receiving a cup felt… wrong.
Jun placed the mug carefully back on the counter, untouched.
[Optional Task Declined – XP Gained: +5 (Choice Registered)]
He smiled softly to himself.
Not this way.
He'd brew properly.
Or not at all.
He spent another hour helping clean, stack, sweep.
Then he thanked the volunteers and left—hands empty, but strangely lighter.
The city had fully woken by now.
People bustled.
Vendors shouted.
Traffic crawled.
Jun breathed it all in.
He still didn't have beans.
He still didn't have gear.
But somehow—he had more than he started with.
[System Log: Moral Compass Registered – Manual Brew Required][Hidden Trait Progress: Artisan's Integrity 5%]
Logged User: Stylsite08
Path: Stillness to Mastery
Unauthorized copies may trigger system disruption.
Original work by Stylsite08. Do not repost or distribute without permission. All rights reserved.