Chapter 1: Lovely Tulips Cafe

Beau Cafe de Tulipes

There is a cafe owned by a French lady named Adaline Boneit. She is 38 years old and travelled from Nantes, a small city in France, to London to open her cafe. The cafe is located near the British Army's ministry office and is often visited by a fellow soldier who takes breaks while patrolling the city. Averyn, a 22-year-old girl, works part-time as a barista at the cafe. The locals refer to it as the army cafe due to the frequent visits by soldiers.

"Excuse me, Madame. Our cafe has been frequently visited by the army. Don't you think we should change the name of the cafe from Beau Cafe de Tulipes to Army Cafe instead?" Averyn shared her thoughts with her boss, Adaline, in a casual tone.

"Ma chère petite fleur, I don't think that's necessary. The name of the cafe is already in place. Besides, shouldn't you be working on cleaning the coffee filter?" Adaline jokingly commanded Averyn, though she was still being strict.

Averyn pouted as her boss didn't take her joke. "Yes, Madame..." She went back to the coffee machine to replace the old coffee filter. "I'm just joking anyway..." she adds softly as she heads to the coffee machine.

Adaline chuckled softly at the young girl's reaction, finding it cute. "This café has the honour of frequent visits from the army. It's a pleasure that our country's soldiers have chosen this café as their go-to place for coffee. Don't you agree, Averyn?" She calmly took a seat beside the counter, enjoying a cup of freshly brewed coffee made by Averyn.

"I understand your point, madame. However, I can't help but feel uncomfortable. Most of my customers are men, and it seems like they are more interested in me than the coffee I serve," she said while quickly and skillfully cleaning the coffee machine as instructed.

Adaline chuckled softly at Averyn's comment. "That's because there's a cute flower in this beautiful garden, my dear. Of course, the bees would want to approach you upon seeing how sweet you are," she complimented Averyn's appearance. Despite hating it, Averyn had become the mascot of the cafe to attract more customers. However, she couldn't help it since she needed to work to survive.

Averyn rolled her eyes. "If they don't pay enough for the coffee, I'll chase them out. This cafe needs to make a profit!" She said while shooing something away with her hands.

Kling!

The sound of the bell from the door signalled the arrival of a customer. Adaline got up from her seat and went back to the kitchen while Averyn fixed her appearance to greet the customer. It was the soldiers who had visited the cafe on parade day. Averyn smiled, remembering how awkward it was for her at that time.

"Hello, sir. What would you like to have today?" she asked warmly, but the soldier remained unresponsive to her sweetness. He scratched his neck and gave a stiff smile.

"Um... I would like something sweet today. A hot mocha, please, with extra whipped cream on top," he ordered shyly. The other soldiers also placed their orders. Then, Averyn's eyes met with the cold-hearted Lieutenant, Calliax, who also placed his order. The usual word that had almost made her lose her temper with him.

"Sure, I'll get that ready right away!" she said before turning back to prepare the drinks.

After a short while, the coffee was ready. Averyn herself delivered the drinks to the soldiers who were seated by the big window in front of the counter where they had just placed their orders. She carried the tray carefully and placed it on the table before serving the drinks to the soldiers, being cautious not to spill any. "Here are your coffees. Please enjoy them," she said warmly, bowing a little before returning to the counter to wipe it clean while waiting for the next customer.

The soldiers seemed to be impressed by her sweet service and chatted about how cute and sweet she was. "She's very cute, isn't she, Rowan?" exclaimed one of the soldiers. "I know. She's sweet. No wonder many of our colleagues often visit this cafe. Who knows, there's a pretty attractive lady working here?" joked Rowan. Calliax remained silent upon hearing his colleagues' conversation about Averyn. He seemed indifferent about her.

"Don't you find her interesting, Calliax?" Keith, who was sitting beside Calliax, gently nudged his shoulder, wanting to know his opinion about the young barista lady. "I guess so," he replied briefly. The other soldiers were already used to his behaviour, so they weren't bothered by his comment at all.

Adaline observed the scene from afar with great care. She smiled upon seeing how well Averyn was performing her duties despite her dislike for soldiers. "You're doing great, mon amour," she complimented. Upon hearing this, Averyn smiled in response. "It's nothing special," she remarked.

"Anyway, madame, may I go back home early today? I have a meeting with my friend later," Averyn requested. She needed to meet her best friend, Zayden, who was graduating from the National Army University today, and she wanted to show her support.

Adaline nodded in approval as Averyn mentioned her friend. "Of course, my dear. You may go ahead. I can manage to close the shop myself later," Adaline assured her. Averyn smiled wider as she heard Adaline's permission, her mind preoccupied with thoughts of what to gift her best friend after his graduation. She was fully immersed in the process of deciding the perfect present for him.

"Thank you, madame. After these few customers, I shall leave," Averyn said. Adaline smiled at her and replied, "Sure."

Meanwhile, the soldiers who had been enjoying their drinks earlier remained seated as they chatted. Rowan, Arnold, and Keith were talking about various things while Calliax stared out the window, not paying attention to their conversation.

"Oh! I heard they're graduating today," Rowan suddenly changed the subject from fashion to the newly trained army.

"They? Who?" Keith asked, confused.

"The newly trained army. They're graduating today from NAU (National Army University). I can't wait to see them enrolled in our troop. You know? Fresh meat to serve?" Rowan joked. Now that it was clear, Keith and Arnold nodded, agreeing with him.

"I guess, if I'm not mistaken, Sir Calliax will be the one assigned to train them, right?" Keith asked while stealing a glance at Calliax, who remained indifferent.

"I think so. Sir, is that true?" Rowan asked carefully, not wanting to upset him.

Calliax let out a deep and audible sigh before he turned his head to look at his colleagues. His eyes scanned them for a moment, taking note of their expressions and body language before he let out a small, almost imperceptible smirk. "Yes," he said, his voice clear and loud. "The new troops shall be under my wing." He hated having to repeat himself, so he made sure to say it loud enough for them to hear, hoping that this would be the end of the conversation.

The three soldiers nodded in response, treating Calliax with the respect he deserved as their superior officer. Despite being the same age as them, his higher rank and cold demeanour made people fear him. But it was no secret that he was one of the best soldiers in the British Army. Calliax knew this and carried himself with the confidence of a man who knew his worth.

Arnold suggested that they should get back to work, and they all quickly finished their drinks and got up to leave the cafe. Averyn, who happened to be nearby, noticed their departure and quickly greeted them back, thanking them for stopping by. She had seen them in the cafe several times before, and they had become regulars.

"Have a nice day, sir!" she shouted and saluted the soldiers as they left. Averyn admired the men in uniform, and seeing them leave always left her with a sense of pride and patriotism.

Calliax marched ahead of his colleagues, his long strides indicating his urgency to get back to work. The other soldiers followed closely behind, their steps in sync with each other. Calliax couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction as they made their way out of the cafe. He knew that he was leading a group of capable soldiers, and he took his responsibility as their superior officer very seriously.

The other soldiers warmly smiled back at Averyn as they left, thanking her for the coffee and wishing her a pleasant day. Rowan, in particular, had a bright smile on his face as he said, "Thanks for the coffee. It was nice!" Averyn returned his smile, feeling a sense of satisfaction in knowing that she had made their day just a little bit better.

Averyn watched as the soldier's figures disappeared from her sight before she quickly removed her apron and hat, deftly placing them back in her locker in the employee's changing room. She was filled with excitement as she donned her jacket and waved goodbye to her boss, Adaline. "See you tomorrow, madame! Bye!" she exclaimed, her feet carrying her swiftly towards her destination.

Averyn had been planning this surprise for days, and as she arrived at the pre-planned meeting place with Zayden, her heart was beating fast with anticipation. She scanned the area for the familiar figure of her tall companion and finally spotted him sitting on a bench in the park. Without wasting any time, she walked towards him, her little feet moving quickly. She held a bag of sweets in her hand, which she showed him as she approached from behind.

"Surprised?!" she exclaimed, a wide grin spreading across her face. Zayden rose from his seat, his expression almost shocked as he turned his back to her and smiled happily. "What? You bought me that?" he asked, pointing to the bag with his index finger. Averyn nodded, then handed him the bag. "It's some chocolate. I got it for half price. It may not be too lavish, but I hope it is to your liking." She said warmly, hoping it could make him happy.

Zayden opened the bag and took a piece of chocolate, savouring the rich flavour. "Mmm, this is good. Thank you, Averyn," he said, a smile still on his face. Averyn beamed with delight, happy to have made him happy. They spent the rest of the afternoon chatting and laughing, enjoying each other's company in the warmth of the sun. It was a perfect day, one they would both remember for a long time to come.

"So, you're going to join the army, huh?" Averyn asked, opening up the conversation. Zayden turned to her, who sat beside him on the bench, looking straight ahead at the trees and bushes in front of them.

"Yes," he replied curtly, looking back at the trees. It was a peaceful and calm view to see.

Averyn seemed disappointed in his response, but she tried to hide it. She smiled softly and said, "You know it's a very risky job, right?" She asked again, almost like she was judging his choice to become a soldier, which she was very opposed to.

He glanced at her again, nodded, and sighed. "Of course, I knew. But this is my dream, Avie. I worked hard for it," he said.

Averyn just nodded back in response. She hated it. She knew it was his childhood dream to become a soldier and serve the country, but she hated soldiers. It was the only occupation in the world that she loathed the most because her late grandfather and father were once soldiers; to be precise, they were fallen soldiers.

"Yes, I agree with you. It's your dream, and you have to chase it. I'm sorry for making you answer questions like that," she apologized. She had banned him from enrolling in the National Army University and persuaded him to enrol in her college instead, but of course, Zayden chose to follow his dream.

"Avie, you know what? I'm going to be the mightiest, strongest, coolest, and yet the worst soldier you've ever met. So that way, your hatred towards the army could go away. I'm hoping that you will trust me. Will you?" he said with full enthusiasm.

Averyn, who was just looking blankly at the trees, raised her head and turned to him in disbelief. She knew how enthusiastic her best friend would be when talking about the army. "You don't have to. I just hope that you won't get hurt, that's all. You know about my late grandfather and father, right?" she said.

Zayden smiled and nodded. Of course, he knew about her life. They had been neighbours since birth. That's how they became childhood friends.

"Don't worry, Avie. I won't die. Because I'm strong, okay?" he said while showing off his muscles. Indeed, he was muscular and strong, but still, Averyn was always anxious. She didn't want to lose her only best friend. In response, she chuckled.

"Promise?" she asked, extending her pinky finger.

Zayden smiled brightly and reached his pinky finger into hers. "I promise."

"Then, don't die. No matter what. Stay alive."

'Your presence in my life means a lot to me, my dear friend. I cannot imagine losing you, which is why I need you to be there for me whenever I need you. May the Almighty protect you every moment of your life, Zayden.'

As the sun began to set,
they spent their evening in a duet.
Chatting and joking with each other,
they watched the sky change colour.

As the night rose to the sky,
their lives continued to pass by.
But in that moment, time stood still,
and their bond grew stronger, against all will.

Chapter end