The Day I Met My Muse

The Hot Cup of Coffee I Had Last Thursday

I stumbled upon the café purely by accident. The rain had been pouring relentlessly for hours, and with the wind against me, getting home by 7 PM as planned was impossible. Peering through my umbrella, I noticed a beautiful headboard that read:

"The Cozy Cup - Your cozy corner for every cup."

I said to myself, "Let’s just get inside first."

I entered, dripping wet, with soaked boots, a messy bun barely holding up, and my overstuffed bag. The moment I set my high heels on the ground, my bun unraveled completely. Somehow, I managed to settle at a window seat, offering a view of the bustling traffic outside, horns blaring in the background.

The café played a soft melody called "Sweet Rain," a soothing contrast to the chaos outside. As I glanced out the window, my eyes caught sight of something heartwarming—a little boy shielding a tiny puppy from the rain near a postbox. His small hands created a makeshift shelter, and I mumbled to myself, "A baby protecting a baby."

Moments later, my coffee arrived. The man who brought it set it down gently and, with a warm smile, said, "That boy visits every day to meet his little friend." I realized he must have overheard my mumbling. Feeling slightly embarrassed, I turned back toward the window to avoid eye contact.

As I sipped my coffee, I couldn’t help but notice him—the only server in the café. He moved with such ease, serving customers despite the hustle. He was, to put it simply, cute. The kind of person who could easily inspire poetry.

When I checked the time on my vintage watch, it was already 9 PM. "Holy crap," I thought, "I spent two hours here on a 15-minute coffee." The café was nearly empty by then. I gathered my things, paid the bill, and stepped outside, hoping to catch a cab.

The last bus was due at 10 PM, and after several failed attempts to book a cab, I decided to wait at the bus stop. As I scrolled through my phone, a deep voice startled me:

"It's 9:36 now."

I looked up to see the same café guy standing beside me, smiling. My inner voice screamed, "Smile back, idiot!" But instead, I just stared at him like a deer in headlights. He chuckled softly and said, "Hi! The café guy here, the one who served your coffee."

Finally, I managed to stammer, "Oh… hi." Real smooth.

He checked his phone and said, "The bus will be here soon." I nodded like a fool, still too flustered to form actual sentences. As we stood there, I occasionally glanced at him, only to find him engrossed in his phone with his earphones on.

When the bus arrived, I got on and took the last seat, thinking he’d stayed behind. But then I heard his voice again, this time from the back seat:

"Were you looking for me?"

Caught off guard, I muttered, "No," though my flushed face probably said otherwise.

He walked over and asked, "May I sit here?" I nodded, still awkward and unsure of how to act. He took the seat beside me, and moments later, music played softly in my left ear. It was the same "Sweet Rain" melody from the café.

"You were humming this song earlier at the bus stop," he said, catching me completely off guard again. "I thought you’d like it."

I couldn’t muster a reply, but my cheeks burned with the realization that he’d been paying attention to me all this time.

When the bus reached the last stop, we both got off and started walking in the same direction. Neither of us spoke, but I couldn’t help wondering if he was heading my way intentionally. When I reached my house, I stopped and turned, expecting him to continue on his way. But instead, he stood across the street, illuminated by the porch light of the house in front of mine.

"Hi, miss," he called out.

Recognizing his voice instantly, I replied with a cheerful, "Hi!"

"I own that café," he said with a smile. "How about another cup of coffee tomorrow? It’s on me."

Grinning, I said, "Yup!"

"Goodnight, miss," he said as he turned to leave.

Before he could go, I shouted, "Wait! What’s your name, Mr. Muse?"

With a playful grin, he replied, "I like that—Mr. Muse. Let’s stick with that for now. We can exchange names later. Let’s get to know each other first, Miss Lost Muse."