Kai stood nervously in front of the Galactic Bug Bistro, a quirky little café nestled in the heart of the city.
Its sign was a neon-lit, blinking insect with a tiny chef's hat perched on its head, and the name shimmered in bold, quirky letters:
"The Buzzing Gourmet."
The building itself looked like it had crawled straight out of a comic book—bright yellow walls with giant, cartoonish bugs painted on the windows, and tiny, flickering fairy lights tangled around the outdoor seating.
He was dressed in a slightly oversized white chef's coat that looked like it belonged to someone twice his size, with a small embroidered bug on the chest.
His dark jeans were a little wrinkled, and his sneakers had seen better days.
His purple hair shimmered under the fluorescent lights like a galaxy spun into hair, and his purple eyes flickered with nervous energy, trembling slightly.
His lips, tinged with a faint pink, quivered as he took a deep breath, slowly letting it out in a shaky exhale.
Clutching a green Eco bag slung over his shoulders—stuffed with kitchen utensils, a notebook, and probably too many snacks—he hesitated for a moment before stepping inside.
As soon as he entered, the atmosphere hit him like a whirlwind.
The café was bustling with peculiar characters: a woman humming a tune while meticulously cleaning a display case filled with insect-shaped pastries.
A group of teenagers giggling over a bug-themed trivia game, and a grumpy-looking man in a chef's hat arguing with a robotic coffee machine that beeped back in frustration.
Suddenly, a woman approached him—she claimed to be the manager.
She was a funny-looking but stunning woman, with wild, curly hair that looked like it had its own personality, and a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Her face was a mix of sharp angles and soft curves, giving her an almost otherworldly beauty, like a fairy who had wandered into a human world.
"You must be Kai... our new chef," she said, her voice lilting with a playful tone.
''I am afraid yes.'' Kai muttered to himself.
"Welcome... welcome…" She grabbed Kai's hands with a surprising strength, her fingers surprisingly warm and a little too enthusiastic.
Poor Kai.
He was definitely weirded out.
She pulled him inside with a flair, like she was about to reveal a secret plot.
"Let me give you the grand tour," she said, leading him past the counter and into the kitchen.
"This is Minna—our cafe… brewer. She can make coffee so strong it might just brew a portal to another dimension.''
''Or a Demon world'' Kai thought. And waved at Minna with a polite smile.
'' And over here, that's Mark, our delivery boy. He's faster than a bug in a sugar rush. And this,".
She pointed to a guy nervously flipping through a menu,
" This is Jake, our order taker—or, as we like to call him, the 'food whisperer'."
''They are so many more. But they are the only ones I remember their names and roles here.'' She said saying triumphantly,
She laughed a rich, infectious laugh that made the walls shake slightly.
"And I'm Mrs. Park, your manager. Don't worry, I'm nice… when I want to be," she added with a wink, patting Kai's shoulder like he was an old friend.
Kai nodded politely, trying to hide his confusion. "Nice to meet you, Miss Park," he managed.
She grinned and leaned in close, eyes twinkling mischievously.
"I like your eyes. You're cute," she said, giving him an exaggerated wink. Kai giggled nervously, giving her a quick side-eye, unsure if she was joking or if she was just naturally bizarre.
"Now, go get to work," she said cheerfully, skipping away like a bug on a sugar high.
Kai watched her disappear into the chaos, thinking that maybe—just maybe—this was going to be the most bizarre job he'd ever had.
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Kai stood in the cluttered kitchen, his bag tossed carelessly aside on a nearby counter.
He draped a maroon apron over his head and tied it around his waist, sighing deeply as if he'd just been handed a life sentence.
"What do I know about baking? Or even this… café… stuff?" he muttered to himself, voice dripping with frustration.
He looked around at the busy kitchen, filled with strange gadgets and mysterious ingredients, and then at the dough he was supposed to work with.
His shoulders sagged. "What am I supposed to do now?"
Just then, Minna breezed into the kitchen, her bright smile practically lighting up the room like a neon sign.
She was wearing her own apron—pink, decorated with tiny smiling bugs—and her hair was tied back in a messy bun that looked like it had survived a small tornado.
She was gentle-looking but had a way of making everything seem a little funnier just by being herself.
"Need help?" she asked, her voice cheerful and slightly teasing.
Kai spun around, his eyes wide, and his face lit up with a mixture of hope and desperation.
Standing before him was Minna—a petite girl with a goofy grin, wearing a slightly stained apron that looked like it had seen better days.
She was the kind of girl who looked like she'd just finished a hilarious mishap, but was still trying to look serious.
Kai smiled weakly.
"Yeah… I need help," he whispered, scratching the back of his neck nervously, as if the kitchen might bite him.
Minna nodded happily and stepped closer, ready to lend a hand.
Kai watched her in awe—she moved with a sort of graceful clumsiness, like she was dancing to her own tune.
"Alright," Minna said, taking the spatula from his hand and grabbing some flour.
"Let's get this dough into shape—or at least try not to turn it into a science experiment."
Kai looked at her, then at the sticky, gooey mess in front of him.
She handed him a rolling pin, and he awkwardly tried to mimic her motions, which resulted in him flailing like a fish out of water.
Minna giggled, and even Kai cracked a small smile.
They worked together for a while, Mira guiding him as he banged the dough around, occasionally sneaking a taste of the batter and making goofy faces.
After some time, they slid the dough into the oven.
"We wait now," Minna said, plopping herself down on a chair across from Kai. She looked at him with a mock serious expression.
"This is the hardest part—waiting for your masterpiece to bake."
Kai leaned back with a goofy grin, stretching his arms out. "I am so tired… this work is hard…" he sighed dramatically.
Minna burst into giggles. "Lazy."
Kai's eyes widened. "I'm not lazy! The work is just hard," he insisted, puffing out his chest.
Minna shook her head and smirked. "Literally, you just put the dough in the oven, and I did everything else. You've got the skills of a professional… napper."
Kai chuckled softly, scratching the back of his head. "Thanks for the help… really."
"You're welcome," Mira chimed in, grinning. "Next time, just leave the baking to us. You're better at looking confused and eating the results."
Kai looked at her and then at the oven, feeling a little more confident—well, as confident as someone who'd just been told they're more suited to tasting than making.