There was a small cafe near school that I visited every single day. It wasn't a particularly famous place. It was just a spot filled with quiet music, soft lighting, and the scent of coffee.

Since it was a good place to take a break after class, stopping by almost every day had become a habit at some point. And eventually, I started noticing someone I ran into frequently whenever I entered the cafe.

It was a woman. Strangely enough, her arrival time was almost identical to mine. When I was about to open the cafe door, she would be coming out from inside, and if I arrived a little late, I would run into her right in front of the cafe. At first, I thought it was just a coincidence.

One day.

And the next day.

And the day after that.

It continued like that for several days. She seemed to recognize me too, but we didn't really talk. We would just lock eyes for a moment when we met at the door, and give each other an awkward nod. That was all.