Special brew

"Are you okay? You look really pale!" One of the employees with Julien in the elevator noticed his unusual expression and asked worriedly.

Julien shook his head and forced a smile, pocketing his phone. "I'm fine. Thank you."

Internally, he was worrying what the Quick(ie) mission is about. He remembered that a Quick(ie) mission is set on a time limit and failure to complete them will give unfavorable circumstances. Considering that the dream he had before was really realistic in all sense of the word, unfavorable could mean something bad, like perhaps making Knox dislike him as an employee?

Julien briskly walked out of the elevator, politely returning greetings. He locked the door and was relieved that Daemon still hadn't arrived. He pulled out his phone and viewed the Quick(ie) mission.

Quick(ie) mission (3 stars)

Your special person seems to be in a bad mood! Cheer him up with a perfectly blended coffee!

Time limit: 30 minutes

Remaining time: 00:29:04

View Tip (50 dark desires)

He gawked at the mission. It was this simple?

Without thinking he grabbed his wallet and walked out of the office, just in time to see Riley also heading for the elevator.

"Where are you going Juli?"

"I need to buy coffee. Are you going down too?"

"Yeah. Boss seems to be in a bad mood. I need to buy coffee to cheer him up."

An idea lit up in Julien's mind. Since he can't simply barge in Knox office and hand him the coffee, he can help buy it and then Riley will hand it to Knox. The app didn't specify for him to personally give it.

"I'll go. You can stay here. I know you have a lot to prepare during Mondays."

"Well..that's true, but are you sure?"

Julien nodded enthusiastically, too much that Riley was being suspicious of him. But his Monday preparations won priority in his mind and he handed Julien a credit card to which Julien pushed back at him.

"No need. It's my treat." He said before pushing Riley out of the elevator.

'Your treat? But it's part of company expenses?!' Riley wanted to say but the elevator doors had already closed.

There was already a long line in the nearest coffee shop which was only two blocks away from the company. Julien glanced at the countdown timer in his phone. Only 25 minutes left! His time will run out just from lining up!

He couldn't possibly cut in line?!

But if he doesn't then-

Steeling his resolve, he strode past the line of customers. He thought he could already hear some grumbling and some calling him off. Julien purposely stood in-line with the next customer, not looking at the one beside him and pretending to be deaf.

"Julien?" A low voice called his name and he turned to the person beside him who spoke. It was Aldrei! Julien felt his cheeks burn in embarrassment! To be found out cutting in line by someone well-known from the company.

Aldrei smiled kindly at him. "Are you buying coffee?"

Julien nodded shyly and felt the urge to run away. To his surprise, Aldrei gestured in front of him while stepping back. "By all means, go ahead."

This time, he could clearly hear the protests from the other customers in line. Aldrei calmly turned back and flashed his smile and as if pacified, the protests died down and even Julien felt calmer. Aldrei pulled him in line.

"Is it for yourself?"

"Oh..no...I'm buying coffee for Sir Knox." After answering truthfully, his eyes widened. Why did he answer so honestly? It was as if he was compelled to do so.

Aldrei's smile grew wider. "You must be helping Riley. You two are good friends."

Julien nodded timidly.

"But do you know how Knox likes his coffee?"

The question came as a shock to someone like Julien who seldomly, if not never drinks coffee. He didn't think about Knox's preference at all!

Aldrei chuckled at his reaction. "I can tell you about his next best preference in coffee since his top preference is impossible to get here but somewhere far away."

Julien nodded eagerly. "Oh please Sir Aldrei!". His impression of Knox's best friend rose a notch.

With exactly ten minutes left, Julien had successfully purchased a black coffee for Knox with a tablespoon of honey and milk. It was Knox's preference as Aldrei shared with him. Julien immediately boarded the elevator. He peeked at the countdown and noticed the word TIP which costs 50 dark desires to reveal. He had 200 dark desires from completing two daily missions. He clicked on it and was stupefied with the details.

TIP

A perfectly blended Dark coffee should have one pain-filled teardrop to ease his irritation!

*View another tip (100 Dark desires)*

What the heck is this tip? A teardrop?!

Thankfully no one was with him and saw his twisted expression. He calmed himself and felt conflicted to actually consider adding his tear to a coffee! It sounded like some sort of witchery!

If Knox finds out, he'll be sent to a mental hospital for following a mere phone application. But something inexplainable compels him to follow. It was odd, but in the first place, the app had always been odd and somewhat abnormal.

"A single drop would be fine right? Let's just add this to a list of things that will make me stay awake at night."

Now, how exactly could he cry?

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