Secrecy (Part 1)

He tapped impatiently on the table, glancing constantly at the counter as he sat in a booth at a secluded part of the cafe.

It didn’t take too long before a girl came and placed a steaming cup of coffee on his table.

“Thank you.”

“Enjoy, sir,” the girl replied, bowing before she backed away and left.

He sighed, a frown forming on his face, which he immediately shook away. No use getting disappointed so early.

He turned to his side and laid a hand over the guitar case placed on the seat beside him. He has enough time.

He removed his face mask and raised the cup to his face, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filling his nose. He took a tentative sip, careful not to burn his tongue. When he found that the coffee was still too hot, he set it down and picked up his phone to browse the headlines.

“Leo Adams wins Artist of the Year.”

“Leo Adams nominated for Best Actor in the upcoming Actor’s Guild Awards.”

He smirked, placing his phone down to give another try of his coffee. He looked ahead and saw a middle-aged man in a suit walking towards him, his eyes darting left and right every few seconds.

“I told you to keep your mask on!” the man said in a low voice.

“How was I supposed to drink my coffee, then?”

“You weren’t supposed to order coffee. I already arranged some room service.”

“There’s nobody here, anyway.”

He really didn’t think it was necessary to go to such lengths to remain inconspicuous. The cafe was deserted, save for the two girls at the counter.

“Nevermind. I got the cottage you wanted. Let’s go.”

“Ask them to bring the food here. I’m starving.”

“What?” The man glanced at him incredulously before taking a deep breath. “Fine.” He walked to the counter.

He picked up a brochure from the table. It was about the history of the inn. There was a photo of the front facade of the establishment on the cover.

“Food will be out soon.” The man was back, this time sliding into the seat opposite him.

“Mn.” He flipped the page.

Foxgrove is a small island about 6 hours’ drive from the capital. Ten years ago, it became a popular tourist spot when its pristine white sand beaches were featured on national TV. It didn’t take long before entrepreneurs and investors flocked the island to build posh resorts.

Chocolate Kiss Inn is located on the eastern, more traditional side of the island, which forms a huge contrast to the high-rise buildings in the more modern downtown area on the west side. The inn claims to have a history that dates back to almost 300 years ago. It started as a tavern, but eventually changed into a cafe, then expanded to an inn.

He glanced at the cafe interior. He could feel its rich history through its charming, rustic atmosphere. The warm lighting, wooden furniture, and a few strategically scattered plants were a welcome break from the harsh monotony of the modern world. The aroma of excellent quality brewed coffee and freshly baked bread was also a feast for the senses, telling him to relax and leave his worries behind.

“Put your mask on! They’re bringing our food out!”

Grudgingly, he placed the brochure down on the table and covered the lower half of his face with his mask.

“Enjoy your meal, sirs.”

He didn’t notice at first because he was busy fixing his mask, but his ears recognized the voice that spoke. He immediately looked up and was greeted with a dazzling smile.

They made eye contact for a split second, then she bowed politely before leaving. He couldn’t help but smile underneath his mask.

“Let’s eat,” his companion said.

He had just removed his mask and set it down when his attention was caught by the back cover page of the inn’s brochure. He picked it up again and read the text in between spoonfuls of food.

There was a widely known superstition on the island of Foxgrove that the old fox shrine used to be a place where people pray when they have lost something precious to them. It was said that when you find something on this island; you need to bring it to the shrine and, in turn, you will find what you are looking for there.

To this day, the people of Foxgrove still honor that belief by bringing lost items to a booth setup in the inn's lobby.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” his companion asked, interrupting his thoughts.

This was probably the fifth time he asked him the question, but nobody’s counting.

“I think it’s too late to be asking me that now.”

“Leo, as your manager, it’s my job to tell you that I think this is a bad idea. Especially since Ben isn’t here. Why don’t we come back after two weeks, when he’s back?”

“Just tell him to come straight here when he gets back,” Leo replied, wiping his mouth with a napkin. He got up, taking his phone and the brochure with him. “Let’s go.”

--------------------------

The cottage was the second largest among the three cottages owned by the inn and also the one closest to the path to the beach.

He shifted the guitar case in his hand. The bellboy already brought the rest of their luggage to the cottage at his manager’s request.

“I don’t understand why you need to carry that guitar case yourself,” his manager, David, remarked.

He shrugged. “I like to keep it near me.”

“I haven’t even seen you use it. Now that I think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen what kind of guitar is inside. You’re not hiding anything illegal in there, right?”

He chuckled. “Mind your own business.”

“You are my business.”

David opened the door to the cottage. It was a two-bedroom cottage with two bathrooms, a large living room, a dining area, and a kitchen, furnished with the usual amenities.

Leo headed straight to the master bedroom. It was a spacious room with a queen-sized bed and an en-suite bathroom. The biggest feature of the room was the spacious balcony that provides a fantastic view of the beach and the ocean beyond it.

There was a knock on the door and David peeked his head in. “I already arranged for dinner to be delivered at 7:30. I told them to leave meals at the dining table. Breakfast will be at 8, lunch at noon.”

“Thanks.”

“I got an early meeting tomorrow so I’ll be heading back now.”

“Take care.”

Leo recalled what he read in the brochure. The inn is a place where people can find what they are looking for, as long as you provide a lost item in return.

He hoped the legend was true.

A hand absentmindedly ran over the guitar case which he had placed on top of the bed.