Taste of Fall

The night was at its brim. I was still awake and brewing a mild black coffee, strong enough to keep those red and cumbersome eyes running, not so strong enough to tart my tongue by its lasting bitterness because at last, I was creating the latest autumn drinks and I HAD to taste it when done. Same 

recipes and same technique, from the amount of extracts to the limit of sugar – everything was used and done accurately yet for the first several 

endeavours, I could not produce that nostalgic flavour. It made me 

frustratingly awake for another thirty minutes until the last sets of trial fruits 

vanished and the table became a mush of god know what not. Finally, when I 

took a sip of the last glass standing, it automatically screamed PERFECT. 

Mission accomplished. A big tap on my back but even that was unaffordable 

anymore because I collapsed to sleep immediately. 

The next day was red as well. In autumn, the sun travels down to colour the leaves with such heating shades. Moreover, when I woke up, you could say the heat was already too much coloured, because it was afternoon. I dashed off from my tiny apartment, meant to shelter college dropouts like me and began running to the only place other than my house I had of claim. 

Fortunately, I had – my little cafe. I used all my afternoon strength to get 

there as fast as possible. While running, I spotted several ideal cabs waiting 

for a holler. When you receive such a fortune and that on, when you are 

running late, the most painful thing that time is having no money for even a taxi fair. Somehow, it happens to me regularly. So, I run. Every time. I 

regularly cross restaurants and hotels and cafes busy with their morning rush, their employees cursing the crowd just as they deliver their food where the 

owner gains another grin of the day as soon as those cash comes oozing into 

his business. And amongst them, a few steps far away I see my TASTE OF FALL – empty. 

The window glasses were clean, chairs were set – not in right order and the 

sign said OPEN already. I stepped into the cafe, the doorbell rang to inform an entry but nobody arrived. I dropped my bag over the table carefully. It was 

ghostly silent. The disorder of chairs tweaked my forehead bad, so I began 

rearranging them immediately. It sure did made noise to disturb anyone even 

in sleep. I stopped in middle. It was out of concern because no appearance 

was made until now. I walked to the door beside the long dark milky counter

in search of the only person whom I could expect, always. I stepped into the 

kitchen and moved my head around and I smiled. There she was – Miss 

Nagisa, my one and only staff. She was slumbering over the kitchen counter in her definitely unwashed black uniform shirt already. I quietly made my steps to reach her and yes, I did, without waking her up. As if I could anyway, even after all the noise. Her dropped at front long black hair was moving up and down every second by her breath, as she would bury her face even more 

within her folded arms. How cute it was just to observe. Wait, should not I as 

the owner, scold her instead? I thought. The shop was open, empty and the 

only lazy staff here was sleeping inside the kitchen. It took me a minute to 

consider very seriously, and then I walked off. I brought in my bag to the 

kitchen; it held the new autumn drinks I prepared. I dropped it hard over the 

table. Maybe it was the vibration, or the sound that FINALLY caused her 

eternal sleep to break. 

“Good afternoon, Takeshi” she boldly greeted as soon as her blue eyes took a 

gap. She was sure a beauty. 

“It isn’t very good to keep sleeping with the cafe open, Miss Nagisa,” I said 

calmly, like an owner. 

“Look who’s talking” she replied. That hurt. 

“I couldn’t sleep last night so I lost track of time, it won’t happen again I 

promise,” I said thinking later, why was I giving an excuse again? The bottles 

lined one after another over the table, all four in total, storing the new set of 

autumn drinks. She sat sloppily, inspecting each of them through colour where I stood straight t at other side, waiting like a primary scholar for the 

teacher to compliment my effort. She pulled closer one bottle after another 

but only took a peek from above, closed the lid and placed it back to its 

position. Miss Nagisa, my cafe’s staff who never took a single sip of my any drinks ever. A woman who stumbled into my quivering life like autumn to a leaf. 

I stood behind the front counter viewing over people just crossing our cafe as 

if it is transparent. One or two luckily turns this way, stops but walks away at 

last. Optimism apart, my cafe was at verge of shutting down any time. Lined up on both sides of it were heavily popular cafes and restaurants taking 

dominance over the commercial blocks. In addition, the denied and leftover 

customers would drive out towards mine. Everyday could be a mean of 

frustration and anxiety but with that new line of autumn drinks, maybe we 

could be saved, I considered. No, somehow I was definite it would. 

I wrote down the new drinks immediately in our outside board as the sun was about to set. It was time high schools and some offices to finish. As hoped, I was only about to enter again when two high school girls emerged behind me. 

“Excuse me, is the shop open?” one of them asked. I really couldn’t stop my 

widest smile in answering that, yes we were open for them. I took them 

inside, offered a table as they gazed around with inspection. Giving a 

thorough look over everything – the tiny red bulbs hung against windows, the 

little wide space shinning white as new, silver doodling on the white counter 

and a nervous male hurrying over the menu card. They shared thoughts to 

each other and with a chuckle brought out their phones. High school girl are 

the choosiest species present, please them and a good chances comes walking 

automatically. I offered them our menu card and carefully called their attention, to introduce them our latest autumnal drinks. I guess that is what they only heard or was it my sanguine way of presentation, which convinced those girls to order autumnal drink – two cream apple punch. I forward marched to the kitchen with a confident smile. I entered and saw Miss Nagisalighting a cigarette, much to my provocation. Yet, I didn’t say anything yet. I prepared the finest long glasses, gave each a thorough wiping and carefully constructed their drinks inspecting for perfection and when done, I was about to take it outside when my ears caught the doorbell ring again. More customers. Suddenly, I was at a bit panic where Miss Nagisa was still smoking. Maybe it was obvious that I would be irritated. 

“Miss Nagisa, would you just stop smoking and do your job” I said in a strict tone, first time I ever did that so it even surprised her a bit. She dropped her cigarette and crushed it under her black heel shoe. I carefully made my steps out of the kitchen and noticed a sturdy black suited person added to the customer count. He already took a seat but I had to first, deliver the drinks. I 

did so with caution. “Please enjoy your drinks” 

I kept the tray, about to reach out for the person with a menu card piled over the counter. I didn’t even wait to observe those girl’s reaction to their order, which I usually did. I was focused over attending the suited person when those sharp heels came out to open and walked over to him. Miss Nagisa

already had a menu, which she slid before him. I was relieved yet somehow worried. I quickly went behind the counter to get a clearer view of their 

interaction. Miss Nagisa, given her quiet and serious attitude had a major 

drawback of being recluse. Moreover, the person seemed much annoyed, but I trusted her. The person had frustration as he kept checking his phone’s screen. Maybe for a call or a meeting but he was trouble and easy to pass bad comments about the place caused by any faults. Miss Nagisa said nothing 

after offering the menu and stood polity. All of a sudden, when he tossed his phone away she started speaking about the special order. Quick and cold. Over annoyance perhaps, he ordered one of the autumnal drinks she last 

spoke of, followed by a series of murmuring. She quickly turned and passed the order to me. 

“Yes, right away” replying accordingly, I hurried inside. I had my hands work 

as quickly as possible without losing caution of spilling anything. Within a few minutes, I came out with his order and she was waiting right outside for me. 

“Let me take it” she spoke. 

“Okay” I replied handing over the tray to her. She took it carefully. Looking at 

her work her best never ceased to delight me. She placed his order at his 

table, which had now a small pile of papers. 

“Would you like something to go with your drink, sir?” she asked. 

“Just shut the hell up and screw off,” he replied loudly. 

At that moment, if my cafe hadn’t been in bad shape and me, not desperate 

over customers – I would very much smash his face right there. However, I 

wasn’t sure if she would hold it like me, yet she did. She quietly walked off 

towards the counter. 

“Miss Nagisa” I called. She stopped before me. 

“Don’t worry Takeshi. Tell me, did I do well?” she gently asked. I had to laugh 

out a bit. 

“Yeah, you did great, thank you” I replied. She nodded and soon our previous customer, the girls whom I awfully and regretfully had no thought about, gave a holler.

“Coming” it was her reply this time. 

Everything started shaping just fine, the autumn this year had its wonder to make and my new drinks to rock. I even planned to ask these customers to share about our place when they leave. All those thoughts ran wild in 

excitement, until a sudden clash broke it all. The suited person’s order 

crashed to the floor. The pretty glass broke down in pieces, the juice splashed across the white floor, and the person stood up immediately. I rushed over. 

“What type of waiting is this?” he cried. It struck my mind very bad but I could slide it away. His face sweating in fear of paying extra. 

“That shitty woman placed it right at the edge, so it HAD to fall” he tried to 

justify loudly. I had the least many experience in handling pure trouble yet even I could forgive the extra pay but this time, his blames were too crucial to my ears. 

“No, she didn’t sir. I saw it clearly how carefully she placed the glass, I am 

sorry but you have to pay for the damage” I boldly objected. My voice rose a bit too. There was no helping it anymore. No one badmouths my staff. 

“Damn you and your waitress” he grit his teeth saying, and was quick to grab my collar. 

“You have to pay before you damn me” I replied, somehow not raising my 

fists. 

“Screw with your payment and your restaurant and your filthy drinks. I am not giving a...” 

Then, I saw our restaurant’s mop flying across me and smash the person’s 

face. He wobbled backwards and fell on the floor with his chair. I gave a sigh 

lowering my eyes, pulled him by his shirt, took his wobbling body to the exit, opened the door, and threw him out. Garnished by his papers and his office 

bag on top. People passing by slowed down to get a view, some laugh, some 

murmur but all of it had my cafe’s name spotted too. I walked inside and saw 

my dear staff standing sturdy with crossed arms. Feeling proud of what she did. 

“Why did you have to throw the entire mop at him?” I had to ask rudely, 

keeping apart that I actually liked her throw. Her brows were narrowed, she 

had a pissed off look I don’t remember seeing before. 

“Awesome throw Miss. W-We saw it all” the high school girls jumped in 

excitement shutting their cameras off. They had it recorded, completely. 

Nothing passes teenagers, “It was that guy’s fault anyway,” one of them, said, 

followed by the other. 

“Yeah, don’t worry we got it all recorded”. Their faces 

had a supporting and encouraging look. 

“Nobody badmouths you or this place,” Miss Nagisa strongly said. It somehow

brought a big smile to my face. I scratched my hair and walked pass her. 

“Let’s get the cleaning done” I replied. 

The repairs were made, the floor sparkled white again. However, in spite everything I couldn’t shake off the thought that my new autumnal drinks 

wouldn’t sell any better. I did the cleaning while Miss Nagisa constantly talked with the girls and they suddenly called me. It was already surprising that they 

stayed even longer. 

“We loved your apple punch, so we were thinking if we could bring our others friends here tomorrow too” they strongly complimented. 

“They said they uploaded the scene. It would give us popularity,” Miss Nagisa

added, looking down. 

“That’d be great. Thank you girls” saying this I took a seat right next to her.

“So, can we order more of your autumn specials for now?” 

“Yes, of course” I replied. 

The sun was at its brim, Miss Nagisa and I waved as the girls finally left.

“Hey, Nagisa?” I gently called, looking straight. 

“Y-Yes?” she replied. 

“Will you taste my autumn drinks?” 

“Yes, of course.” 

“That’s great, because I think this season will be amazing for us”.