The city stretched and yawned awake around him.
Morning blurred into late morning.
Vendors barked louder.
Cars honked.
Cups clattered in distant cafés.
Jun packed up quietly.
The old tote creaked under the weight of his gear, but he didn't rush.
Every motion folded into itself—measured, steady.
[Passive Buff Active – Still Flow: Brewing Consistency +5%]
[Inventory Update: Beginner Brewing Set – Durability 91%]
The system hovered silently, like a patient observer.
No urgent tasks.
No shiny rewards flashing.
Just the quiet nudge of progression.
Jun checked the handful of Notes he'd earned.
Barely enough for a single meal.
But it was real.
More real than any tip he'd ever scraped cleaning dishes.
More real than charity.
He brewed for it.
He poured for it.
He stood for it.
And people responded—even if they didn't know his name yet.
The afternoon heat pressed down harder.
His jacket felt heavier.
His body slower.
But his hands stayed steady.
He paused near a street vendor selling tea and cheap pastries.
Not coffee.
Not competition.
Just another grinder in a different wheel.
The vendor, an older man with thick hands and a cracked voice, nodded at him once—a small, silent recognition.
Jun nodded back.
No words exchanged.
But somehow—it still mattered.
He moved on, weaving through the crowd until he found another open space near the library steps.
Shaded.
Good foot traffic.
He laid out his kit again.
Clean.
Precise.
Patient.
He wasn't hunting customers.
He wasn't advertising.
He was just present.
The first customer at this new spot was a woman in a business suit—phone in one hand, stress in the other.
She stopped.
Glanced at the cloth.
At the dripper.
At Jun's steady hands.
"How much?" she asked.
Jun pointed at a small handwritten sign:
"House Brew – 5 Notes"
She blinked.
Then shrugged.
"Alright. Impress me."
He didn't talk.
Didn't sell.
He brewed.
Simple.
Slow.
With care.
When he handed over the cup, she took a cautious sip.
And paused.
Just long enough.
Her hand dipped into her purse.
She dropped 8 Notes on the cloth.
"Keep the change," she said, already walking away.
[System Log: Bonus Gratitude Registered – XP +5]
[Emotional Resonance: Mild – Early Echo]
Jun tucked the Notes away carefully.
No rush.
No greed.
One pour at a time.
That was the grind.
That was the way.
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.