CHAPTER 1

MINLYN VERMOSA

"Oh, Minlyn, I guess you're late?" comment from my boss here at the coffee shop where I work.

"S-sorry, B-boss, I did my research paper and I fell asleep at three o'clock in the morning," I apologized.

My schedule is really a hassle because apart from being a first year college student, I also have a part-time job as a cashier at a coffee shop owned by my friend's cousin, Sunrise and Sunset Coffee Shop.

I got home late last night because I worked overtime here at the shop, I did my school works so I fell asleep at three o'clock. Then I woke up earlier at five in the morning so I was really late. That's why it's called the Sunrise and Sunset Coffee Shop because it opens before sunrise and closes after sunset. I'm still sleepy because I'm not getting enough sleep. Fortunately, my first class is scheduled for eleven o'clock today, so there is still plenty of time. My schedule is different every day, and it's the same here at the coffee shop.

"Alright, get to work. We'll be opening soon," said my boss. I'm just so grateful that she can really understand things. She knows that I am a college student.

I nodded and smiled before going to the staff room. My locker is where my uniform is that I use every day.

I sighed as I opened my locker. I tried not to close my eyes because I might actually fall asleep.

I just dressed in our uniform. It's a polo shirt with red, orange, and yellow on the front symbolizing the sunset, while yellow with orange on the back symbolizes the sunrise. Our pants are yellow to symbolize the sun. And finally, our apron with a sun motif and the name of our coffee shop.

"Good morning, Minlyn!"

I was startled by the loud voice of the person who greeted me. I turned to the owner of that voice and immediately frowned.

"How come you're so energetic this morning, when we're both college students?" I asked. It's really surprising that he's like this every time he's at work. He doesn't seem to have any problems.

"You'll get used to it, Minlyn. But of course you have to be handsome like me." He simply fixed his hair and winked at me.

Meet Yhael, my co-worker, 20 years old, second year college student in the course of Psychology. He said that he started working when he was in grade 12. He was ahead of me here so I think he is my senior. He also guided me on my first day here.

The only thing is that his station is far away from me. We rarely see each other while we are on duty. I was at the station on the first floor where the counter was, while he was at the station on the second floor where the breakfast area was.

"You're so arrogant. Where do you get the thickness of your face?" I tease him even though my face is serious.

He winced. "Here we go again. You really are KJ! Can't you just ride my jokes?" He shook his head.

I shook my head. "I won't ride with your joke, I don't have a fare." I put on my apron before I passed him and left the staff room.

"Yuck, is that a joke for you?" he mocked me.

I stopped walking to glare at him. He grimaced and swallowed.

"I said you're not kidding...hehe..." He avoided looking at me because I was still staring at him with an evil look.

I just left and went to my station. I'm still sleepy and lack of sleep, plus I haven't eaten yet because I woke up late. The shop will open in a few minutes so I took the rag and liquid soap to clean the tables and counters.

Apart from the famous shop, it is also a frequent hangout for students to study. How can you not hang out here, this place is so ideal for students. The ambiance of the surroundings is good, it smells so good because of the aroma of coffee, and there is soft music that is perfect to focus on studying. The motif of the shop is also good because it has brown and white. In the very center is a pint of the sunrise mixed with a pint of the sunset. There is also a large bulletin board on the side where there is space to put sticky notes. Every day someone writes here and sticks it there.

Aside from being an ideal place for studying, we also want them to know that they are not alone in this world. That they always have someone to lean on. They have people who are always there for them.

I cleaned the counter and then I followed the tables and chairs. I also started playing soft music. I turned on the air conditioner to medium temperature to spread the cold.

I looked at my watch to see what time it was. 5:20 A.M. We will open in ten minutes.

Exactly because our boss came out of her office. She gathered the employees here in the shop for a small meeting before it opened.

In this coffee shop, there are nine employees. Me and Minnie on the first floor, first station, cashier. Minnie was assigned to pay the customer and I was assigned to take their order. Bethy, my close co-worker, first floor, second station, coffee maker. Tharia, first floor, third station, the coffee artist. She is the one who arts on the lattes that are ordered. Sometimes she also makes the drinks depending on the order. Yhael and Keya, second floor, first station, breakfast set. They make breakfast for people who order here. Killian and Heart, second floor, second station, snacks and desserts. They give orders related to snacks or desserts. And lastly, our supplier and cleaner, Zeus. He is the one assigned to clean and deliver the supplies that this shop will need.

"All Suns gather here!" our boss called us. Her employees call us Suns.

We quickly went in front of him.

"We are about to open within 10 minutes. Is everyone ready?"

"Yes, Ma'am!" We all answered.

"Good." She nodded. I straightened up when she turned her gaze to me. "What time does your class start?" she asked.

The other employees looked at me so I couldn't help but to be shy.

"E-eleven AM, Ma'am," I answered nervously. Ma'am Eliza is a bit of a terror so her aura is scary. But she's nice as long as you do your job well.

She nodded. "What time do you go out?" she asked again.

"It's about 10:30, Ma'am. I'm going back home because I didn't bring my uniform."

She didn't answer and just nodded so I breathed a sigh of relief. I noticed that Thraia was giving me a bad look. That's always the case, every day. She likes Yhael but the man doesn't notice her. I'm the one Yhael approaches so she gets angry with me. She thought I was getting Yhael's attention. I just shook my head at the thought. I don't want to argue with her anymore because she's younger than me, she's not matured yet. I am the matured one here so I should be the one to understand.

"Is everything alright in this shop?" Our boss asked. "Zeus, is today's supply sufficient?" She turned to the man.

Zeus nodded. "Yes, Ma'am. I checked everything just now."

Ma'am Eliza nodded. "How about the second floor stations? Are they all right?"

Yhael answered. "It's fine, Ma'am. No hassle," he replied proudly. I know he will brag to me again later.

"First floor stations?"

"Already clear, Ma'am." Thraia answered. I don't know if I'm just imagining it, but I could feel her strange voice when she said that. It's as if she deliberately made her voice modest. I even saw her look at Yhael and simply bite her lower lip.

I just winced secretly. Calm down, it's a kid.

Our boss smiled. "Good job, Suns," she praised.

We all smiled.

"It's time. Get back to work. Let's start our day." Our boss ordered. It's exactly 5:30 AM. The customers will come later.

We immediately obeyed her order. In an instant, there were no more employees around and they were at their own stations. I cleaned the counter while Minnie, who was with me, was quiet but also doing her job. Of all of us, Minnie was the quietest. She is an introvert. She comes from a rich family but she left their house for reasons unknown to me. Apart from Ma'am Eliza, I am the only one she often talks to. Minnie is beautiful. She is whiter than me, has a pointed nose, almond-shaped eyes, shoulder length blonde hair with some few strands of hair lingering on her forehead. Apparently she has curtain bangs.

"Hi, Minnie. Good morning," I greeted her, trying to talk to her.

She seemed surprised because she was startled. She turned to me and smiled shyly.

"H-hi...good morning too..." she greeted back, her voice is soft.

I smiled. "Did you eat already?"

She reluctantly nodded. "Y-yes, a while ago. You?"

I just smiled and nodded even though I hadn't eaten yet. She just nodded before quietly continuing what she was doing.

I sighed and snorted. I'm bored. Why are there still no customers?

And it seems that the universe heard my whisper because customers came in one after the other. Most of them are students while the others are wearing gym outfits, looking like they just finished exercising. The gym is not far from the shop.

"Good morning, sir. What's your order?" I smiled at the customer.

One thing about being a cashier is you need to maintain your bright smile, even if your jaw hurts from smiling.

"Can I have a medium breakfast set with Iced Americano, please?" The customer ordered.

I smiled. "Let me repeat your order, Sir. Medium breakfast set and Iced Americano," I repeated his order. "Is that all, Sir?"

He nodded. "Yes. Thank you."

He left the queue and went to Minnie to hand over the payment. I pressed the intercom and spoke into it.

"One medium breakfast set." After that, I stuck his Iced Americano order on the board for Bethy to see. She took it immediately.

"Yes! First customer!" she said happily.

I smiled and turned to the next customer. "Good morning, Ma'am. What's your order?"

"I want a latte," she ordered.

I wrote it on a sticky note and posted it on the board. Betty took it automatically.

"Thank you, Ma'am," I replied with a smile.

She left and went to Minnie to pay.

The next customer followed and the routine was the same. I will say good morning and will ask his/her order, will write it on sticky note, guide them, and repeat. That's the cycle until nine AM.

9 A.M.

"So tiring." I let out a violent breath due to exhaustion. I have only been working for a few hours but my body is already tired. I feel drained right away.

"Drink some water first, girl." Betty handed me cold water and I immediately drank it. My throat was dry to speak and smile.

"Too bad, I'm getting tired right away. My jaw hurts," I complained. I even stretched my jaw to massage it. I feel like it will tear from smiling.

She laughed. "Just smile slowly. You're a G," she teased.

I pouted. "Of course, I have to smile. I have to be approachable in the eyes of the customer especially since I am the one who opens up to them," I reasoned.

She laughed. "You're such a good worker, ah. Keep it up."

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up, girl. It's draining my energy."

"Take it easy. Rest at least once in a while."

I sighed. "If I could just rest, I would. It's not possible. My family is counting on me, especially when there's a problem at home," I said sadly.

I can't stop working now. I need money. I need supplies for my tuition fee, the house, the electricity, and the needs of my siblings.

Betty frowned. "But you also need to rest, Lyn. What if you get sick? How will you work?"

I just pursed my lips to prevent myself from answering. Because if you ask me, I really want to rest even for a while. I want to live without worrying about problems even for a few minutes. But just thinking about it, I can't do it anymore, it's like I'm abandoning my family like that. Because of the responsibilities I have, it is a sin for me to rest.

"It's up to me. I can handle myself." My only answer.

As long as I can, I will not give up. We will overcome this problem, too.

"Come on, let's go back to work," I said to Betty because break time was over. Customers are starting to come in again.

I sighed heavily. It's exhausting but manageable for the family.

HENDRAKE JEIZ THOMPSON

"Make sure to check the documents properly. Don't be fool."

I didn't wait for her to answer what I said and immediately hung up on her. That stupid secretary. What I don't like about everyone is the weak, the modest, and the slow. When I'm working, I want those around me to act as quickly as I do. I don't like waiting, because for me, waiting is a waste of time. My time is too valuable to waste just waiting.

"Bruh, calm your ass, dude," teased the person next to me.

I looked at him sharply and raised an eyebrow. He immediately looked away.

Meet my fucking best friend, Lou. He was my childhood best friend. We have been together since we were children. We grew up together. We studied and graduated together. We went into our own company together.

My Dad owns a famous business. We are one of the richest and most famous companies in the world. And I am the heir of Thompson Jewelry and Clothing Empire. Since I was a child, I have been aware of the reality that this will be my life. I will learn to run a company by the time I finish school. Because in the future, I will be running it.

What's my goal? Make our company the number one richest and most famous in the whole world. We need to be on top—top 1 to be exact.

Because my parents raised me to be competitive, I was used to always being the best. I'm used to always being the tallest. I don't accept defeat. I always want to be number one, not number two. I always want to be the most. I should always be on top.

And I would never stand on the ground. I am always the highest, not higher nor high.

"I told you to change your secretary, Drake, but you aren't listening." Lou advised, shaking his head.

He knows that I always have a bad trip because of my stupid secretary. I'm just annoyed because I can't fire her. She is very attached to Mom. She also said that she will be my wife.

That thought makes me want to puke in disgust.

"She has a strong attachment to Mom. If she only follows me instead of Mom, she'll be in the mud for a long time," I fired, gritting my teeth.

"But still—" He sighed. "Never mind."

I shook my head in annoyance. My head is getting hot again with annoyance. I need to cool down.

"Roberto, stop at the nearest coffee shop we pass," I commanded our driver.

"Yes, boss," he answered quickly. He sped up the drive while looking around.

"Coffee? At 9 AM?" Lou asked ridiculously. He couldn't believe that I wanted coffee at this hour. I usually shop early in the morning.

I glared at him. "I need to cool down, asshole."

He just scoffed. "You're weird."

"Boss, I can see a coffee shop." Roberto informed me.

I nodded. "Drive faster. I badly want a coffee right now."

He immediately obeyed my order. He sped up the operation and soon we reached the coffee shop.

"Sunrise and Sunset Coffee Shop?" Lou read the name of the shop.

"Let's go." I wore my sunglasses and fixed my attire. Roberto opened the car or me. Lou willingly got out of the car.

From here I saw a woman at the counter with a big smile on her face. She had a big smile as if she was enjoying what she was doing.

We went inside and we were greeted by the fragrant aroma of coffee. There is also soft music that adds to the good ambiance.

We approached the woman with a ponytail and she greeted us with a big smile. I stared at her appearance.

She has a heart-shaped face, small eyebrows, brown thin almond-shaped eyes, small but pointed nose, and her pinkish cupid-bow lips. She has a white complexion. Her hair is golden brown in a high ponytail.

"Hi, Sir. Good morning. Can I get your order?" The girl cheerfully asked.

I was stunned by her beauty. How could such a beautiful woman only work in a coffee shop? Damn. Her beauty is out of this world. She looks like royalty.

"Sir?"

I came back to my trance when I heard the soft voice of his voice. Even her voice is very beautiful.

"U-uh, I-I'll have a-an iced coffee." Fuck. Why did I stammer?

She smiled and wrote it on a sticky note. She stuck it on a board and a brunette woman took it.

"Sir, please go to the counter for payment." She gestured to the other counter.

I was not in my right mind when I followed her. I was still staring at her while she was talking to Lou. Unlike me, Lou behaved normally in front of her.

"Sir, can I have your payment?"

I lost my attention on the woman for a moment and turned to the woman who was looking at me. She was also beautiful but I didn't seem to feel anything.

"Um, do you accept cards?"

"Yes, sir." The girl nodded.

I gave him my credit card. She accepted it and took care of it. I looked at the woman again. She is so beautiful.

"Here, sir. You can get your order here."

I just nodded and took out my credit card. I moved to the other counter to get my iced coffee. It's like I'm not myself while looking at her. Her beauty stole my attention.

I thought. Does she have a boyfriend? How old is she? She looks young.

"Bro, let's go." I was startled by the pat that Lou made on my shoulder.

"We're going now?"

He nodded. "Of course. We still have a meeting to attend, remember?"

I nodded. I don't know but I don't want to leave this shop.

"Let's go."

But I couldn't do anything when Lou pulled me away. We finally got out of the shop. But before riding, I turned to her and immediately my heart started pounding to see that she also turned to me. I didn't take my eyes off of her until the car started moving.

That girl...