• Lil the Neel

You were never a beauty. As a child, you were teased, and children, both boys and girls, avoided you. Your appearance, no matter how you looked at it, always offended you, but you could get used to it. However, your academic and athletic performance also left much to be desired. You were like an ugly duckling whose beauty was hidden from view.

By the age of twenty, you'd gotten used to it and learned to laugh at yourself. Friends were made thanks to your wit, but finding work was difficult. Because of my low grades, I only managed to get into a vocational school, and I didn't want to work in my field. Eventually, I got a job at a small cafe on the embankment in my hometown. The hours were terrible, but at least a few pennies trickled in. It was enough to live on, albeit with great difficulty.

You worked yourself to the bone, not paying attention to your appearance, believing that no one was interested. And then, as often happens, everything changed suddenly. The same man started dropping by the café often, and he kept looking at you. You thought it was very strange, because he looked quite rich, and you, strange as it may sound, looked like an ugly duckling. When the man tried to talk to you, he was always rejected. You were terrified, because you suspected that his intentions were not friendly. After all, it was unlikely that such a man would get acquainted with you.

Shortly before closing, the same man entered the café again. Tall, handsome, in an impeccably tailored business suit, he silently ordered a strong Americano. While waiting for your order, you kept catching his gaze on you. When it was time to pay, he left a generous tip and refused change. He left just as silently, and you, examining the bills, discovered a note. It read:

"You look tired, but still beautiful. If you don't come to me after your shift, then alas, I'll drag you there myself."

and on the other side of the note there was a heart drawn, which made you even more wary.