Angel's Cafe

Rhea stared blankly at the paper in her hands. The words 'BILLING STATEMENT' was clearly displayed there. Even without reading it, she immediately knew what it was about. It was a matter of collecting outstanding debts at the bank.

Oh, she had to correct it. It was her ex-boyfriend's debt on her behalf. That was $100000. How did she get that money in a month?

Right. Rhea had to charge him for that. Unfortunately, he had run away after being caught cheating on her. What a bastard! He had hurt her heart and her life.

And as if that wasn't enough, suddenly someone bumped into her. Her frail body collapsed with the letter scattered near her. However, instead of complaining or crying, she laughed. She was laughing at her bad luck, which came repeatedly.

It felt like she was cursed to keep getting it. After losing her parents in an accident when she was a child, she had to live with her aunt. But her aunt and family treated her badly and only wanted to take her insurance money. Then they forced her out of the house after graduating from high school. And now, she had to lose all her money because of her mistake of trusting the wrong person. Her savings ran out, and she was in debt. And one more thing, she just got fired from her job because of her customer's false accusation.

How bad her fate was!

Maybe she was a criminal in her previous life, so she had to atone for her sins in this life.

She picked up the letter and envelope. Her fists clenched, which wrinkled the paper, holding back her emotions. God was unfair to her.

She slowly got up. At least, if she had to fall, she wouldn't do it in public. She would rather be alone. Then she would drown herself in her terrible fate. She... She... might have to disappear so that all these burdens would disappear.

"Hi, there. Do you want to come inside our cafe? I'll treat you to something."

The voice caught her attention. And when she looked up, she found two men standing before her. One man smiled while the other stared evenly at her. "Sorry?" It was her request for them to repeat their words. Her mind was out of place, so she missed the sentence.

"Let's get inside. We'll prepare something for you." The tall man who smiled at her said.

Her brows furrowed in confusion. She didn't understand. Get inside? Where?

Then she followed his gaze by turning to the left. Apparently, she was standing in front of a cafe. The name was unique. Angel's Cafe.

"Come in." The man spoke again as he walked into the cafe.

Her mind immediately combined all the information. The place in question was a cafe that might be his place of work, or it was his. Somehow, she got that feeling.

Rhea was silent for a while before deciding whether to accept his invitation or leave. She didn't want to take people's kindness for granted. She was afraid it required a reward.

But, in the end, she accepted it. It was like something pulled her into the cafe. Maybe she would try their coffee. Just that because her money was not enough for others.

However, just as she grabbed the knob and was about to pull it, something stopped her. An announcement was stuck to the glass wall. It said that they were looking for a worker.

So, she changed her mind. She would enjoy a cup of coffee and get a job.

"Excuse me," she said as soon she entered the cafe and approached the nearest worker. "Is it true that you're looking for a worker?" she asked after getting the attention of one worker at the counter.

"Yes, we are," he answered briefly.

Rhea swallowed her saliva before asking, "Can I get the job?" In fact, she was embarrassed to do so. She was like someone begging for work.

Wait. Why should Rhea be ashamed? Didn't they announce the vacancy? So, she came for that and confirmed it.

Yes, she did for that.

"I'll call our manager. You can sit and wait there." Having said that, he left the counter.

She gave the nod. She then turned around to find a spot among the many empty seats. And she chose a table near the door and the glass wall.

Rhea didn't wait long. In less than five minutes, someone approached her.

"Oh, you." It wasn't a greeting, but it managed to get her attention. "I promise to treat you," he said again.

Rhea showed a smile. It turned out that the man had asked her to enter the cafe. "Thanks. But you don't have to. What I need more is a job here." She decided to be honest and straight to the point. After all, she would still refuse his offer, even without that announcement. She didn't like debt. Whatever it was.

"So you want to apply here?" The man took the empty seat in front of her. Then, he put on a friendly yet serious face.

Rhea nodded confidently.

"Why should we accept you? Have you experienced working in a cafe?"

"I used to work part-time during high school up to a year after graduation. And I'm a fast learner. I'm sure I can quickly learn everything," Rhea answered confidently. She had worked in a similar place before. So, at least, she knew the job listings of each profession.

"As you read, you'll be a waitress here?" It was not a statement but a question to confirm her willingness to accept the profession they offered her.

"Yes, I know. And I also have a lot of experience being a waitress." In fact, being a waitress was her most work experience. It was the only quick job she could get.

The man was silent as he watched her. He did it long enough as if to learn her. "Okay. You're accepted." He made his decision.

Rhea was slightly surprised at how quickly the acceptance came, even though she was already preparing to receive many other questions. "Is that true?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yes, you're accepted," he repeated. "You can work from tomorrow or even now."

"B-But don't you need my CV?" Rhea asked again. After successive misfortunes, she awkwardly accepted luck so quickly.

"You can hand it over tomorrow."

Rhea lost her sentence. This was excellent news. "Tha-"

"But before you thank me, I have to tell you something," he cut in quickly as if he knew what she would say. "This might change your decision whether or not to work here," he continued.

The atmosphere turned silent. Rhea held her breath, waiting for him to continue.

"Why do you think this place is called Angel's Cafe?" he asked with a mysterious smile.

Rhea blinked, not ready for his question. Her eyes wandered, and her brain thought fast to find the answer. "Because this place offers a calming atmosphere," she concluded after observing the cafe's interior. It had a minimalist design with a touch of white and wood dominating. It definitely gave relief and a calm effect.

The man shook his head, still with a smile on his lips. "Yeah, they made this place for that purpose. But that's not the exact reason."

Her brows furrowed. "So what?"

"Because this is an angel's cafe. And we are angels."