The coffee shop feels so serene and calm this afternoon even though it is quite full today. The place where business people discuss works over coffee where the other hand, a group of girls fussing about boybands, and here I am, with a book in my hand and a cup of green tea latte to help me pass on time. The truth is, I can barely concentrate on what I am reading. Every words look jumbled and my mind keeps wandering to the past days’s event that haunts me.

     “I’m sorry. It’s not you, it’s me.” He said, his face fell and his voice laced with sadness.

     “Why? What’s wrong?” my voice cracked, and tried to maintain my last shred of dignity while my eyes were b with tears that were threatening to fall down.

     “I just can’t. If we continue, we will hurt each other. So, it’s better for both of us to end this right here.”

     “…ss? Miss?” someone’s voice brings me back to the present day. I look up and see a man standing in front of me, waiting for something.

     “Yes? Can I help you?”

     “Is this seat taken?”

     “No.”

     “Do you mind if I sit here for a while? All the seats are taken.” He said with some hand gestures.

      I sigh, “Sure. Make yourself comfortable.” I cannot bite back the sass and scarcasm through my wordings. Sorry stranger, I cannot help myself. You come at the wrong time.

      “The Fault in Our Stars and no tears. You are cool, huh?” his voice interupts my internal conversation with myself. I stare at him and look down to my book. Oh, he saw the book.

      “My sisters who read the book are suffering puffy eyes. And don’t ask me how they look like after watching the film. They look like a wreck, sobbing uncontrollably for Gus Waters.” He adds nonchalantly while seeping his coffee.

        I smile politely,“ I haven’t finish reading yet, so I don’t know. Maybe I also can be a wreck, crying over Augustus Waters. Perhaps? ”

       “I don’t understand women. Are you all masochists? Or at least, closet ones? Because I don’t see how reading a sad novel can give people satisfaction or happiness. Even for me, I feel emotionally drained after watching that.” He points to my book. I give him a look.

       “Not that I want to. My sisters ask me to go with them. Don’t judge.” He adds.

       “I am not.” I give small smile, this guy is funny though. “There is no problem in loving sad stories. I just wish the sadness only exists in novels, not in real life.”

He shifts his sight, from his cup to my eyes, trying to read me. I look at him and fold my hands over my body, the natural defensive state.

        He sighs, “But sometimes, you need the sadness in life. To grow, to help you become a better person and so that you can be more appreciative to happiness in your life.”

I cannot help but snort and arch my eyebrow towards him. So poetic.

       “Does that wisdom also come from the books that your sisters recommended to you?”

       He laughs wholeheartedly, “No. It is based on my personal experience.”

       He looks over his cup of coffee and begins reciting his story.

       “My mother always says that problems in life is like boiling water whatever the form it is. Heartbreak, rejection, etc. However, how you react to it, it’s different story.”

       “You can be like carrot. Before the carrot is put into a boiling water in the pot, it is hard, but after a while, it softens and becomes weak.”

       “Or you can be like egg. It is so fragile, the weakest force can ruin it. However, when put in boiling water, its inside becomes hardened.”

      “The third option is, you can be a coffee bean.” He says, lifting his coffee cup, taking sips. I wait paitently for him to continue his story.

      “When put into the boiling water, it changes the water, brings forth rich aroma and flavor.”

      “Are you a carrot, who’s when you face problems become soft and lost your strength. Are you an egg, who seems not to change but after facing many adversities, you become bitter and hard hearted towards life. Or are you a coffee bean. Problems and hard times don’t knock you down but instead gives you opportunity to become greater things.”

      “Greater things?” I ask him

     “Yep, greater things. If it is still in the original form, coffee berries, only animals can eat it. However, if it has been processed and become coffee bean, it can be a great commodity. I am talking about Luwak Coffee, for your information. And it is still one of the most expensive coffee in the world.”

     “The truth is, problems will always there. Even if you overcome this time, other problems may come to you, and it will keep coming back to you because that is how life works to get you to another level. Be like a coffee bean, when things get worse, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hours are the darkest and the trials are the greatest, be the best you can be. Don’t be changed by the situations but bring life and flavor to them.”

I ponder and think to myself for a while,

      “You are weird, you know that? But what’s more weird is that I do agree with you and why do I discuss heavy wisdom things over Starbucks with a complete stranger anyway?”

He smiles widely, his gum showing.

      “Because a cup of Starbucks and handsome man are always a woman’s weaknesses. No need wisdom to know that.”

I smile to him. You need to go through the problems first to get the happiness on the other side of the tunnel. But maybe, my start of happiness is not too far away, probably it is on the other side of the table, sipping away his cup of coffee and winks at me. Yeah, he knows my weaknesses. Starbucks and handsome wise man is indeed my type.

A/N: Hope you guys like it! I love writing about brands like kitkat and starbucks hahaha do me a favour and give comments below ;)

Have a niceee weeekkennnddd