HAPI brought her to KOPI-KOPI-TO’s branch located at Empire Ville. The same coffee shop has a branch inside the campus, but he chose that branch. Perhaps, he did not want Amethyst to see them together.
Is this how mistresses feel?
“What do you want to drink?” Hapi asked nonchalantly as he stared at the menu board.
But Sapphire was more interested in the pastries inside the fridge in front of her.
“Whatever you want is fine with me.”
“You want that?”
Sapphire turned her gaze at him and nodded eagerly.
“Mmm… I want sweets. I badly need sugar to lift up my mood,” she said with pouted lips.
He laughed heartily and gave her a light tap on her temple.
“Alright, let’s order some pastry.”
Her pout immediately turned into a smile. It was hard to stay mad at Hapi when he was like that, making her feel like everything is okay.
“Which one of these do you want?” Hapi asked as he caressed his chin.
“I want each one of them,” she told him before sauntering towards a table beside the coffee shop’s man-made fountain.
She sat and watched Hapi order everything.
You must not spoil me, Hapi. I’m afraid I might get used to it.
Or maybe, it was his token of apology.
Sapphire brought out her phone and started scrolling on her SNS app when she saw Hapi approaching their table. Following him were two baristas who helped him carry the extra trays of their orders. She thought Hapi would sit across her, but he sat beside her instead. She was not prepared for that. It was too late for her to move.
Their elbows bumped.
“Ouch…” She caressed her elbows. It felt like it was electrocuted. Maybe, the spark between them wasn’t just a mere imagination.
They stared at each other before they burst into laughter.
“Do you want sugar for your coffee?” he asked afterwards.
“Does it taste bland?”
“No, but maybe you’d want some.” Hapi handed her a cup of hot caramel macchiato.
Sapphire took a sip to taste.
She was not expecting the coffee to be scalding hot. It burned her tongue.
“Aaahhh!” Sapphire grabbed a tissue and wiped her mouth.
“Are you okay?” Hapi asked worriedly.
“I burned my tongue…”
“I’ll get you water.” Hapi rushed to the counter.
As soon as Hapi left the table, Rinbie arrived. He sat at the chair across from hers as if he was invited.
“Hi,” he greeted her with a smile.
“H-hello,” she greeted back.
She could not help but be amazed at how Rinbie acts so differently towards her. Everyone on the campus knows that Rinbie was a man of few words. He was likely not to start a conversation, and if he ever did, all he would say were words of wisdom. And now, he was talking to her casually.
Rinbie looked at the pastries on the table.
“Do you want some?” She handed him a fork.
“It seems to me that you’re with someone. The amount of—”
“She’s with me.”
Sapphire looked at Hapi, who was now standing beside Rinbie with a glass of water in his hand.
“I see,” Rinbie said nonchalantly.
Hapi handed her the glass of water. She immediately took a sip.
“What brought you here?” Hapi sat down beside her.
“Just checking.” Rinbie turned to her and beamed.
He looked so handsome with that smile. If only Sapphire did not fall for Hapi, she would probably fall for Rinbie.
What kind of thought is that? Oh, no… cheating is bad!
She scolded herself immediately.
But wait, was it really counted as cheating? Sapphire and Hapi were not into an official romantic relationship. What they have now is somewhat childish, but she chose to settle with that rather than nothing at all.
“Checking?” Hapi sounded doubtful.
Rinbie crumpled a tissue paper and threw it in his friend’s direction.
“I’m one of your investors, Hapi.”
She turned her gaze on Hapi. “Y-you own this coffee shop?”
Sapphire was surprised by what she heard. Hapi was still in college, yet he already owns a coffee shop business with two branches.
“It’s not just me. I have business partners,” said Hapi.
“Oh…”
“The name of the coffee shop was derived from its owners’ names. Koby, Hapi, Kirei, Oishi, Piattos, and Tomi,” Rinbie explained.
“Wow, that was cute.” Sapphire clapped her hands. “But why do Kirei and Oishi only have one letter from their names?”
“Because they only gave a small amount of contribution. `Serves them right.” Hapi snorted.
“Then why didn’t you include my name when I gave you more than the amount they invested?” Rinbie complained.
“Because you’re not part of the board., Rinbie. Shut up.” Hapi stuffed his friend’s mouth with blueberry cheesecake.
“Each one of you is so lucky to have parents who give you money—” Sapphire stopped when she saw Hapi look displeased. “D-did I say something wrong?”
She turned to Rinbie and saw that he has the same facial expression as his friend.
“The money that we invested in this business didn’t come from our parents’ pockets,” Hapi said in a low tone.
“Oh. Where did you get the money then?”
“They betted on the same numbers on the lottery and won the prize,” Rinbie said as he lazily propped a hand on his chin.
Her mouth dropped open. “You gotta be kidding me!”
But knowing Rinbie, he was not the type of person to joke around.
I can’t believe that they won the lottery prize when they already have a silver spoon in their mouths… Look how unfair life could be… I’ve been betting in the lottery for years but never have I ever won a penny.
“Sapphire, are you still with us?” Hapi wagged his hand in front of her face.
“H-huh? Ah, yeah…” She took a sip of her now-cold coffee.
SAPPHIRE and Hapi were walking side by side quietly on the pavement. They decided to walk around the phase after eating all the pastries they ordered at the coffee shop. Eating a huge amount of sugar also requires burning the calories, as Hapi told her.
She was starting to feel a little awkward, so she broke the silence.
“A-about Amethyst…” Hapi stopped walking and grabbed her hand. “Listen to me first,” she begged.
Hapi gave her a slow nod.
“When I got back to our room, I tried calling the number that texted me. Amethyst was the one who answered the call. It was her who was behind that incident, Hapi.”
He grasped her arms and looked at her with disbelief.
“Are you sure about that, or you’re just pointing your finger at her because you wanted to get even?”
Sapphire bit her lip and tried her best to suppress her tears. She could not believe what she was hearing from him. Hapi was the first person that she thought would side with her. But it seemed that she was wrong.
“I know Amethyst is always mean towards you, but believe me… She can’t do such a thing.”
She looked at him straight in the eyes. Hapi was always soft whenever it was about her cousin Amethyst.
“How can you be so sure? What if Amethyst is really a manipulative witch and—”
“Sapphire, she’s not like that,” he cut her off.
“Why are you defending her?” Holding back her tears made her throat ache. She pushed him away.
“I-it’s not like that…” He drew a breath.
“Well, that’s what it looks like, Hapi!” she snapped. “You know what, I don’t care about you now! I don’t give a fuck about how much she means to you! All I want to know now is why are you making me feel this way, Hapi? You’re hurting me!”
Tears started to roll forth her cheeks.
“S-Sapphire…”
He tried to hold her hand, but she pushed him away again.
“Don’t touch me…” she said coldly. “I hate you, Hapi!”
Then, she walked away.