The street wasn't crowded yet.
Just quiet enough to hear each step.
Just slow enough to feel each breath.
Jun set up his kit in the same spot as yesterday.
The dripper.
The grinder.
The cloth.
The mug.
Simple motions.
Simple placement.
Like laying stones across a river.
The first hour passed with no customers.
No glances.
No Notes exchanged.
Only the movement of the kettle, the sound of water, the rise and fall of breath.
And that was enough.
[System Buff Active: Still Flow – Brewing Precision +5%]
[Passive XP Accrual – Low Steady Gain]
The system encouraged patience without speaking it aloud.
And Jun moved in rhythm with it.
A footstep paused near the cart.
He didn't look up immediately.
Didn't rush.
Just finished wiping the rim of the mug.
Only then did he glance up—
A teenager stood awkwardly nearby.
Baggy hoodie.
Tattered shoes.
A beat-up sketchbook tucked under one arm.
He stared at Jun's hands—not the cart, not the setup.
Just… the way Jun brewed.
Jun nodded once.
Didn't speak.
Brewed a cup carefully.
Let it bloom slowly—four rotations, slow pour, deep inhale of the aroma.
When the cup was done, he set it on the ledge.
Walked back to the dripper.
Didn't charge.
Didn't explain.
Just waited.
The boy hesitated—then picked up the cup with both hands.
Sipped.
Paused.
Eyes closed for half a second longer than habit would explain.
He fished a few crumpled Notes from his pocket.
Left them carefully by the edge of the cloth.
And walked away without a word.
[System Log: Emotional Resonance Deepened – Trait Advancement: Companion Echo 10%]
[XP Gained: +15]
[Optional Tag: Artisan's Impression: Light]
Jun didn't count the Notes.
Didn't even glance at them right away.
He just reset the dripper.
Folded the cloth.
And kept moving.
The small hours held a different weight.
He hadn't conquered the city.
Hadn't turned crowds into queues.
But today—in this moment—he mattered.
And that was enough.
Logged User: Stylsite08
Path: Stillness to Mastery
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Original work by Stylsite08.
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