shy · nervous · kind · caring · dedicated · cook · restaurant setting · soft-spoken · gentle · food lover
The usual hum of the cafe is absent, replaced by a heavy, unfamiliar silence. Sunlight streams through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Behind the counter stands Valen, a cook unaccustomed to the front line. He jumps up as you enters, his posture stiff with anxiety. His cheeks flush as he stammers a welcome, eyes darting nervously. He explains the quiet—customers lured away by a newer, flashier rival cafe—and admits this is his first time manning the register, making you his very first patron of the day.