A Night in the Galaxy Express Railway

Hours had passed, and Café Guifi seemed to be at its peak temperature today. Winter stared at the glass of ice water near the counter absentmindedly, utterly bored to death since she was all done with her chores. The ice had long melted in the warmth, leaving only droplets of water sliding languidly down the curve of the glass.

The café maintained its typical tranquillity throughout the day. It had never been packed before, so Winter was quite accustomed to its peaceful atmosphere, which was pleasantly calming in such a way that she always fought the urge to take a nap.

The shop wasn't entirely empty. A couple sat near the glass window, engaged in a pleasant conversation while seated in one of the crooked chairs. The woman, with her curly red hair and floral dress, laughed softly at something her partner said. The man, sporting a neatly trimmed beard and a tweed jacket, sipped his coffee thoughtfully between words.

An elderly gentleman, probably in his early 60s, sat next to the couple, engrossed in his newspaper. His round spectacles perched on the end of his nose as he adjusted them occasionally to better read the print. A half-eaten scone lay on the plate before him, along with a cup of tea that had likely gone cold.

On the other side of the shop was a young mother with her baby, who appeared to be in her early 30s. She was dressed in a modest blouse and skirt, her hair neatly pinned up. She bounced her baby on her knee, cooing softly while trying to enjoy a moment of peace with a cup of tea.

The café itself was a haven of comfort, as always. The walls were adorned with vintage photographs and local artwork, giving the place a homely feel. Shelves lined with books and knick-knacks added to the charm, and the scent of freshly baked pastries wafted through the air, mingling with the rich aroma of coffee.

Her peaceful reverie was rudely interrupted when the bell rang, indicating a new customer had arrived. She tore her attention away from the other customers to extend a warm greeting to the newcomer, but to her utter surprise, there was no one there.

Completely baffled, Winter questioned whether or not she had heard the bell correctly. Surely she wasn't merely dreaming it, right? She tried to convince herself as she looked around the empty doorway and then back at the counter.

"Good afternoon," a voice suddenly said from behind her.

Winter swore she nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned to find a man seated at one of the chairs near the counter, seemingly having appeared out of nowhere. The man was looking at her with a charming smile, one arm leaning casually on the table and the other resting under his chin.

Winter's heart raced as she tried to regain her composure. "Good afternoon," she managed to reply. 

For some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something incredibly mystifying about this person. Winter broke her brief stare and asked the man what he would like to order.

This gave Winter the opportunity to examine him. He had a serene face with strong, prominent features. His perfectly curved jawline was almost too perfect, paired with a pointy nose and cerulean blue eyes that were bluer than the ocean. Winter was entranced by his beauty, staring at him with her mouth slightly ajar. 

He looks unreal, not gonna lie, she mused internally.

His hair was medium length and black as midnight, appearing to shine whenever light touched it. Finally, his oceanic eyes—his eyes were full of wonder, staring intently into her, intrigued.

He was dressed in an ensemble that exuded both elegance and enigma. He was wearing a black cape with navy blue underlining draped on the side of his broad shoulder, a linen undershirt with puff sleeves, decorated by golden buttons that look like sparkling gemstones, adding a touch of delicate sophistication.

Despite the warmth of the day, he was wearing black gloves, completing his meticulously composed look.

He looked like a magician—a gorgeous magician, she mused internally.

Winter found the gentleman's fashion sense odd, considering how hot it was today, but she remembered her mum's teachings about being polite and non-judgmental about other people's uniqueness . 

The entire outfit was both captivating and… unsettling in a sense, making her feel as though she was in the presence of someone from another world, someone who didn't quite belong in the mundane reality of this place.

"What would you recommend for this kind of weather?" the man murmured, his voice smooth and deep as velvet.

Clearing her throat, Winter replied, "our bestseller—vanilla milk tea. It's perfect for this season."

"That sounds lovely. I'd love to have a cup, please."

"Right away, " she nodded and gave a smile in return.

A minute of silence passed before the man spoke again with a curious tone. "Do you own this place, by any chance?" 

Winter placed the cup of milk tea on the table, which the man gladly took with a smile.

"No, I'm just an employee here. The owner's away on a business trip and… left me in charge of everything." 

Winter quickly realised she might have said too much. She reminded herself to be more cautious when sharing information, especially with strangers.

Mr. Chapman is a very adventurous and generous man. Before she was employed at Café Guifi and was just doing odd jobs, he was one of the few people who helped her out. After her successful training on how to make coffee for a year, he offered her a full-time job (which she definitely hadn't begged for), and gladly accepted it.

A week into her employment, Mr. Chapman informed her that he'd be traveling to the Amazon for a month to search for new coffee ingredients. 

Before he left, he gave Winter some fatherly advice, saying it was time for her to start being an adult and manage the shop on her own for the time being. 

She didn't know how to make sense of that conversation, to be honest. She was too preoccupied with the thought that he'd let an 18-year-old manage his café while he leisurely ventured to a foreign land for a couple of beans. 

A man of passion, indeed.

"Was it hard? Managing things on your own, I mean?" the man asked, his tone genuinely curious.

"I only have a handful of customers each day, so not really," she replied.

"I see." The man hummed in understanding. 

For some reason his ocean eyes seemed like they were twinkling. Winter blinked a couple of times, making sure she wasn't hallucinating, and it seemed like she was because they looked normal now.

What was weird though was, his gaze was unwavering, seemingly peering into her very soul—giving her the undivided attention she never knew she deserved.

Winter ought to feel uneasy under those steady eyes, but she couldn't seem to pull her gaze away from those perfectly blue orbs. A weird feeling, indeed. But whenever she looked into those eyes, it felt like she was diving into an ocean of galaxies, full of mystery—eager to be unravelled.

"If it' isn't too much of a problem, would you mind telling me your name?" He gave a charming grin.

"I don't mind. Winter." She fumbled slightly. 

This person was making her nervous in ways she couldn't understand. "My name's Winter," she repeated more firmly.

"Beautiful." Ocean eyes fluttered—like stars flickering, rendering her breathless, "And your hazel eyes…"

Winter slightly smiled politely in response from the compliment, but her face flushed. 

They were engulfed in a peaceful silence for a while until the gentleman stood up and paid his bill.

"Winter, it was a pleasure meeting you. I enjoyed our time," he said, smiling genuinely, ocean eyes beaming. "'till tomorrow."

She could only nod in response. 

There was something oddly compelling in the way he uttered those words, leaving Winter slightly intrigued. As she watched him make his way out of the café, Winter let out a nervous breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

She was left feeling slightly confused and dazzled by what had just happened. She had a sense they might meet again, and she wouldn't deny that she was looking forward to it.