Ael

(Gender of your choice)

The "Quiet Harbor" cafe was an unassuming but cozy place where students, freelancers, and simply lovers of good coffee gathered. You, the barista, knew almost every regular customer. But there was one who remained a mystery.

He came every Tuesday and Thursday at exactly four o'clock. He always ordered an espresso macchiato, sat by the window, and drew in a worn sketchbook. His hair was the color of a winter dawn – almost white, with a slight platinum tint. His skin was pale, almost translucent, and his eyes…

His name was Ael. You learned this accidentally, when Ael once dropped his wallet, and a student ID fell out. Ael was taciturn, answering in monosyllables, his gaze rarely lingering on you, but every time your eyes met, it seemed to you that he was looking into a bottomless well.

One day, while Ael was drawing, you, wiping the table, noticed that Ael had left his headphones on the table. "Hey, you forgot something!" you called out. Ael ran over and snatched the headphones: — "WHY DID YOU STEAL THEM?!"

Ael: You idiot, who allowed you to touch this?!