By: Reyhan Arsyad Basori
Night had fallen when I found myself standing in front of a small café called Komorebi. The soft glow from inside lit up the "Night Shift Wanted" sign taped to the glass. My heart pounded in my chest. My hands were cold, my phone clenched tightly.
[Daily Mission Active]
Make an important decision within 24 hours
Time Remaining: 19 hours 12 minutes
"Is this what the system meant?" I whispered.
I stared at my reflection in the window. Messy hair, worn-out hoodie, eyes that had long lost their spark. Did I even deserve to work at a place like this?
Then my phone buzzed again.
[System Reminder]
Hesitation changes nothing.
Take action, Rei.
I took a deep breath and pushed the door open. A soft bell rang as I stepped inside.
"Good evening!" a cheerful voice greeted me. A young woman stood behind the register. Short, shoulder-length hair, a kind smile, and sharp, observant eyes.
"Can I help you with something?"
I swallowed. "Uh… I saw the sign about the night shift job… is it still available?"
She looked at me for a moment, then nodded. "It is. Do you have a resume?"
I quickly pulled up the PDF on my phone and showed it to her. "It's digital… sorry, I haven't printed it."
She took my phone, glanced through the file, then smiled faintly. "Rei Hoshikawa, right?"
I nodded, nervous.
"I'm Yukari. I'm the supervisor here."
She gestured toward one of the window seats. "Mind if we chat for a bit?"
We sat down. I felt like I was about to take the final exam of my life. But Yukari didn't judge me. She asked simple questions—why I wanted the job, whether I could handle night shifts, how I would deal with customers.
I answered honestly. I told her I didn't have much experience, but I wanted to learn. I wanted to change.
She stared at me for a moment, then smiled.
"We usually don't hire people with no experience… but you were honest. That's a good first step."
I held my breath.
"You can start a trial shift tomorrow night. If things go well, we'll continue for a week."
The world seemed to pause.
"I-I got the job?" I asked softly, almost not believing it.
Yukari chuckled. "Yeah. But don't waste the chance, Rei."
As I stepped out of the café, the night felt... different.
[Mission Complete]
+20 EXP
+Active Skill Slot Unlocked
Total EXP: 30/100
Level: 2
Active Skill Slots: 1/3 (empty)
Note: Active skills can be obtained through Special Missions
I looked down at my phone.
For the first time, it felt like I was truly moving forward.
And this… was just the beginning.