Iris stood near the doorway, slowly rotating her arm. The stiffness was still there, but it no longer carried that sharp, lingering pain. It felt different now. Not fully healed, but no longer fragile.
She flexed her fingers, then closed her hand into a fist.
Iris: "It feels better… but not normal."
Shoyo stood a few steps away, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, watching without interrupting: "It won't feel normal for a while."
Iris lowered her arm slightly: "So this is the part where I just… repeat movements until it does?"
Shoyo nodded once: "Pretty much."
Iris let out a quiet breath through her nose, not frustrated, just adjusting to the idea: "I don't want to fall behind."
Shoyo pushed himself off the wall and walked over, stopping beside her. His tone didn't change, but there was a quiet certainty in it: "Trust me, you won't. You're not weak enough to fall behind."
Iris glanced at him: "Is it that simple?"
Shoyo: "Yeah."
There wasn't anything dramatic in the way he said it. No encouragement dressed up as something bigger. Just a fact.
Iris looked back at her arm, lifting it again and testing the range. Slower this time. More deliberate: "I've never had to do physical therapy before."
Shoyo: "First time for everything."
Iris rolled her shoulder once, then twice, focusing on the movement: "…What if I mess it up?"
Shoyo: "Then you keep trying."
Iris: "You're not worried?"
Shoyo looked at her arm, then back at her: "You got through the worst of it."
There wasn't any exaggeration in his voice. Just quiet confidence.
Iris held that for a second, then gave a small nod: "…Alright."
Shoyo reached for his jacket and pulled it on: "Let's get going."
Iris hesitated for half a moment, then straightened her posture slightly: "…Okay."
He adjusted his sleeve, then glanced toward the door.
Iris: "You don't have to take me, I'll be going a lot."
Shoyo opened the door, smiling: "I know."
He stepped aside, giving her space to walk through. Iris watched him for a second, then stepped forward, passing through the doorway. The air outside was cool, steady, uneventful. She flexed her arm one more time as they walked.
Iris: "…I want to get stronger."
Shoyo walked beside her, hands in his pockets.
Shoyo: "Then you will."
Golden Festival Day 40
The sky had started to soften into evening when they arrived. 5:30 pm. That strange hour where the day wasn't quite over, but the night had already begun to creep in. The cafe sat quietly on a corner street, unassuming at first glance. No flashy signs. No crowd spilling out the door. Just warm light behind glass and the faint, unmistakable scent of coffee drifting into the street like it belonged there.
Kagura pushed the door open first.
The bell chimed.
Inside, the atmosphere felt different. Not quiet in a stiff way. Not loud in a busy way. Just balanced. Like everything inside had agreed to exist at the same pace.
Diego stepped in behind her, glancing around: "…This place already feels niche."
Shinatsu walked in next, her eyes scanning the layout instinctively.
Beatrice followed, calm as ever, her gaze lingering on the counter.
Behind the counter stood a man in his late 40s, maybe early 50s. His movements were smooth, unhurried, precise in a way that didn't feel rigid. He wasn't rushing, but nothing about him was slow.
He looked up.
Justin: "Welcome."
Kagura: "Are you the Coffee Master?"
Justin blinked once, then smiled faintly: "That's what Ina calls me."
Diego: "Yeah, she hyped you up like crazy."
Shinatsu: "She told us we should come to try your coffee."
Justin didn't react much to the praise. Just turned slightly, already reaching for beans: "Then I'll make you something."
Kagura leaned over the counter: "Make it your best."
Beatrice: "I may not look it, but I'm picky when it comes to coffee. I hope you won't disappoint me."
Justin chuckled: "I'll try not to."
Meanwhile the others looked at each other.
Diego: "Nova, you definitely look like your picky about your coffee."
Shinatsu: "Yeah, and not in a bad way."
Beatrice tilted her head in confusion, not knowing they said that because of how much of a prim and proper princess she looks like.
They watched him work.
That was the first thing that stood out.
It wasn't just making coffee.
Every movement had intent. The way he measured the beans, the way he adjusted the grind, the way he poured the water, it all flowed together like a routine he had long since internalized.
Kagura's eyes were locked on him.
Diego leaned in closer than necessary.
Shinatsu observed quietly.
Beatrice didn't blink.
No one spoke for a while.
The sound of water pouring, the faint hiss of heat, the soft clink of ceramic, it all layered together into something almost… rhythmic.
Justin set the cups down in front of them: "Try it. On the house."
Kagura picked hers up first: "Thank you."
She took a sip.
Her eyes widened.
Kagura: "…Wait."
Diego took a sip next.
He froze mid-swallow.
Diego: "…Hold on."
Shinatsu drank without reacting at first.
Then her brow lowered slightly.
Shinatsu: "…That's… better than I expected."
Beatrice lifted her cup, took a slow sip, and closed her eyes briefly: "Your reputation holds up it seems."
Kagura slammed her cup down gently: "This is the best coffee I've ever had."
Diego pointed again: "Yeah, no, this is illegal. There's no way this is normal."
Justin wiped his hands calmly: "I'm glad you all liked it."
Shinatsu: "I could never make coffee this good."
There was a brief silence before Justin spoke again, almost casually: "Anyone can make coffee this good." He reached for another set of beans. "But not everyone knows how to listen to it."
Diego: "…What does that even mean?"
Justin didn't answer immediately. He just started preparing another batch.
This time, he pulled out a different bag of beans.
The label was plain. Almost cheap-looking.
Kagura tilted her head: "Isn't that the terrible brand?"
Justin nodded: "Indeed."
Diego: "Then why are you using them?"
Justin poured them into the grinder: "Because it doesn't matter."
He worked again. Same calm rhythm. Same precision.
Shinatsu watched more closely this time: "You're adjusting."
Justin: "Of course."
Beatrice's eyes followed every movement: "You're compensating for the flaws."
Justin: "I'm working with them."
A few minutes later, he placed another set of cups in front of them.
Justin: "Try it."
Kagura hesitated.
Kagura: "…These are the bad ones?"
Justin: "Yes."
She took a sip.
Paused.
Her eyes widened again.
Kagura: "…No way."
Diego grabbed his immediately.
He drank.
Then stared at the cup.
Diego: "…This is still good."
Shinatsu drank more slowly this time, analyzing.
Shinatsu: "Just as good as the first one."
Beatrice nodded once: "Color me surprised."
Diego: "He must be slipping in some secret ingredient."
Shinatsu: "That's rude. We just watched him make it."
Justin wiped his hands again: "Haha. Even bad beans can make good coffee with the right hands."
The words landed differently.
Kagura straightened slightly.
Diego looked at his cup like it had just insulted him and complimented him at the same time.
Shinatsu's gaze sharpened.
Beatrice's expression softened just a fraction.
Justin leaned back slightly against the counter: "Heat, pressure, time…" He glanced at the four of them. "That's all it takes to turn something ordinary into something worth remembering. The same can be said with life."
No one spoke.
Justin: "That's how we enjoy it to the fullest."
Kagura looked down at her cup.
Then back at him.
Kagura: "…Teach me."
Diego stepped forward immediately: "Yeah, no, same. I want in."
Justin blinked.
Shinatsu didn't move, but her voice followed: "I'm interested."
Beatrice nodded: "As am I."
Justin looked at all four of them. Then gave a small smile: "…Alright."
Time passed.
Not in a way that felt slow.
Just… steady.
They tried.
Failed.
Tried again.
Kagura: "Why is this so hard?!"
Diego: "I think I got it—"
He did not.
Shinatsu adjusted her technique constantly: "The angle matters."
Beatrice adapted quickly: "Consistency is everything."
Justin corrected them one by one, never raising his voice, never rushing them: "You're forcing it."
—
Justin: "Slow down."
—
Justin: "Listen."
—
Closing hour had long since passed.
But they got it.
Not perfect.
But close enough.
Kagura stared at her cup: "…I made this."
Diego held his up like a trophy: "I've basically been serving slop compared to this."
Shinatsu took a sip of hers and made a proud smile.
Beatrice closed her eyes and smiled softly: "I've outdone myself."
Justin nodded: "Seems you guys are satisfied. I've enjoyed your visit, but I'd like to go home now."
Beatrice checked the time on her phone, Shinatsu rubbed her head feeling bad, and Kagura and Diego laughed awkwardly knowing exactly what time it was.
The city had shifted into night.
Kagura stretched as they walked: "That was amazing."
Diego: "I feel like I leveled up as a human."
Shinatsu: "Don't show the others. Only a handful of people should be blessed with this knowledge."
Beatrice: "You just like the idea of being able to make better coffee than them."
Shinatsu: "I don't know what you're talking about. Besides, I was always able to make the best coffee out of everybody."
Beatrice: "That sounds like a challenge."
Shinatsu smirks: "Hmph. One you'll lose."
Beatrice: "We'll see about that."
They got into the car.
And then—
Traffic.
Completely stopped.
Kagura: "Ugh… Why is there traffic at this time?"
Diego looked out the window: "We're not moving."
Shinatsu: "Looks like there's a late night concert festival nearby."
They sat there without moving for several minutes.
Then—
Kagura's door opened.
Shinatsu: "…What are you doing."
Kagura stepped out into the street.
Diego followed immediately: "I like where this is going."
Somebody nearby was playing their music absurdly loud, and they both had the idea of turning this boredom into a musical.
Kagura started singing along with the song, confident and completely unbothered. Diego jumped in, matching her energy. They started dancing, weaving around cars.
Someone else got out of their car.
Then another.
And another.
Within minutes, the street had turned into something else entirely.
People laughing and dancing.
Clapping.
Joining in.
Kagura spun in the middle of it all, completely in her element.
Diego pointed at someone: "You've got rhythm!"
"You too bro!"
Shinatsu: "…Unbelievable."
Beatrice watched quietly.
Then, almost imperceptibly—
A small smile.
Shinatsu noticed: "…You're enjoying this."
Beatrice: "…A little."
The traffic didn't move.
But no one seemed to care anymore.
Shinatsu: "Oh what the hell."
She got out and joined them, Beatrice followed right behind her.
Shinatsu sighed, but went along with it anyway.
She remembered.
Heat. You get swept in emotions, even conflict. But most importantly, passion. You can feel overwhelmed or uncomfortable, but without heat, nothing changes. You remain raw, untested. In life, you have to step into hard situations instead of avoiding them.
Pressure. This is what forges people. Expectations, responsibility, consequences, the weight of one's decisions. This shapes clarity and discipline.
Time. This completes everything. Growth and healing need time. By being patient and enjoying the process, life develops properly instead of rushing. Even if results aren't immediate, it's important to trust the process.
Maybe, that really was all it took to live life to the fullest.