The cold seemed sharper now.
Jun pushed through side streets, breath misting in front of him.
The city was waking slowly—shutters creaking, signs flipping, bread carts rumbling past.
And the clock ticked.
[First Task: Brew Real Coffee – Time Remaining: 11h 46m]
He had nothing.
No grinder.
No beans.
Just stubbornness.
He turned down a narrow alley, cutting toward the park.
Then a memory stirred—
The community center kitchen.
It had gear.
It had heat.
Maybe it still had both.
The building was older than he remembered.
Paint peeled at the windows.
But the lights were on.
Inside, Mina leaned behind the desk, tapping at her phone.
"You again," she said, glancing up.
Jun offered a breathless smile. "Just need a favor."
She sighed.
"Kitchen's open. You break it, you clean it."
"Deal."
The kitchenette was smaller, too.
Everything looked shabbier under the flickering lights.
Still—he found a battered electric kettle and a cracked French press tucked away.
Jun checked the plug.
The kettle hummed.
Progress.
He rummaged through cabinets.
Found an old hand grinder.
A few chipped mugs.
No beans.
"Mina!" he called.
She stuck her head in.
"You don't have coffee beans, do you?"
Mina chewed a granola bar thoughtfully.
"Half a bag. Ethiopian. Personal stash."
Jun bowed slightly. "Just enough for one cup?"
She narrowed her eyes.
"Clean the sink too."
"Deal again," he said, smiling wider.
He measured carefully.
Ground by hand.
Heated the water.
The scent hit him—floral, sweet, deep.
His hands trembled slightly as he began the bloom.
[Extraction in Progress...]
Jun focused.
No distractions.
Just water, heat, patience.
He waited the full four minutes.
Breath held.
Pressed the plunger.
Tilted the carafe—
The first drops poured golden.
Hope flickered.
Then the socket buzzed.
BZZZZZT.
The kettle sparked.
Lights flickered.
The whole counter shuddered.
[System Error: Extraction Interrupted. Task Failed.]
Jun froze, mug in hand.
[Retry Available in 24h]
[Eviction Countdown: 2d 23h]
The brewed coffee sloshed sadly against the chipped mug's edge.
Behind him, Mina leaned against the doorframe, sipping her own coffee.
"Well," she said around a mouthful of granola, "that was dramatic."
Jun laughed dryly—low, helpless.
"You have no idea."
[System Log: Mission Failed – Brew Attempt Logged]
[Passive XP Gained: +2 – Effort Acknowledged]
[System Record – Storyline ID: S08-Origin]
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.