The phone in Fero's hand kept ringing. The name on the screen made him sigh before he finally answered.
"Angelo?"
"Fero! You finally picked up!" The voice on the other end sounded cheerful. "I just got back yesterday. I'm at Kafe Matahari right now, so get over here!"
"You just got back and you're already asking me to keep you company? I've got something to take care of."
"This is really important, Fero. Seriously." Angelo's tone changed, taking on a slightly pleading edge. "I need you right now. Please?"
Fero rolled his eyes but didn't refuse outright. Angelo was the cousin he was closest to, and they hadn't seen each other in quite a while, ever since Angelo had moved overseas for family matters. "Yeah, yeah, I'll come. Give me a minute."
"Seriously, okay? Don't just promise!"
"When have I ever broken a promise to you?" Fero snorted. "Wait. I need to finish something here first."
After hanging up, Fero said goodbye to the children and the orphanage director, who were still busy putting away the things he had brought.
"Where are you rushing off to?" the orphanage director asked as she helped put the last box inside.
"My cousin just got back from overseas, ma'am. He says he needs me right now."
"All right, be careful on the way. Come visit again next month, okay?"
"I will, ma'am."
Fero waved to the children, who were still busy playing with their new toys, then hurried into his old car. On the way to the café Angelo had mentioned, he found himself wondering what had made his cousin sound so frantic on the phone. Usually, if Angelo was in the same city, he would just let Fero know by text. He had never called with such an excited tone before.
Kafe Matahari turned out to be much busier than Fero had imagined. Its interior was dominated by white and light wood, with small tables occupied almost entirely by neatly dressed customers. The aroma of coffee mingled with the scent of freshly baked pastries and greeted him as soon as the glass door opened.
Fero immediately recognized the figure sitting at the table in the far corner. Angelo waved wildly when he saw him, his grin so wide that his eyes nearly disappeared.
"Fero! Over here, over here!"
Fero walked over and sat in the chair across from him. He had barely started to say hello when Angelo burst out laughing and pointed at his clothes.
"Oh my God, you're still wearing stuff like that. A faded T-shirt and those old shoes. I thought I'd be meeting someone different, but you're still the same old Fero."
"What about you? Why are you wearing such a faded shirt?" Fero shot back with a grin, glancing at Angelo's shirt, whose color had washed out and which was slightly wrinkled. "You're no different."
Angelo fell silent for a moment, then laughed along with him. "You know, you're right. I forgot we both look like we're broke."
A server approached to take their order, but he gave the two of them an unfriendly look. His eyes flicked over their appearances, then to the other tables filled with well-dressed customers, as if wondering how people like them could afford to sit in such an expensive café.
"What can I get you?" the server asked curtly, his flat tone leaving no room for small talk.
"Just two coffees," Angelo replied quickly, not paying much attention to the server's attitude.
After the server left, Fero leaned back in his chair. "So, what was this important thing that made you force me to come all the way here?"
Angelo's face immediately lit up. He leaned forward, lowering his voice as if he were about to reveal a major secret.
"I'm seeing someone. We've been talking online for a few months, and she just moved here. That's why I rushed back. I want to meet her in person."
"Then why do I have to come along?"
"To keep me company, obviously. You know I'm terrible at talking when I'm nervous."
Fero studied him for a moment. "Does she know who you are? I mean, about your family?"
Angelo quickly shook his head, his smile growing wider. "No, and I purposely didn't tell her. I want her to like me for me, not because my family is loaded."
That made Fero nod slowly. He understood exactly what his cousin meant, because he lived by the same principle himself. The difference was that Angelo seemed far more confident and hopeful about it.
"How long have you known her?" Fero asked.
"About five months. At first, we just played games together. Then we started chatting all the time, and we've video-called a few times too." Angelo stirred his coffee with a private smile, as though remembering something pleasant. "She's great, Fero. We really click when we talk."
"So, you really think she'll still like you once she sees you dressed like this?" Fero pointed at Angelo's faded T-shirt.
"Absolutely!" Angelo answered without hesitation. "If she really likes me, then my appearance won't matter."
Fero took a sip of the coffee that had just been delivered, then slowly shook his head. "You're too naive, Angel. Not everyone thinks that way."
"Wow, listen to you, acting all wise." Angelo sneered. "It's called taking a chance. If I don't try, how am I supposed to know?"
Fero merely shrugged, unwilling to prolong the argument. He knew Angelo was stubborn when it came to matters of the heart, and there was no point arguing further.
Before their conversation could continue, Angelo's phone suddenly rang. He hurriedly answered it, his face lighting up.
"Hello? Yeah, I'm already here... Okay, I'll wait."
He hung up with a slight tremor in his hand, then turned to Fero with shining eyes. "Fero, they're here!"
"They? I thought there was only one person."
"She said she was bringing her friends too."
Before Fero could answer, the café door opened. Four young women walked in together, giggling as they chatted about something. Angelo immediately stood and waved with an enthusiasm he could barely contain.
Fero turned toward the door as well, but his expression remained blank. He didn't recognize a single one of the four girls, so to him, they were simply a group of ordinary café customers who happened to be the guests his cousin was waiting for.
"That's her," Angelo whispered, his voice slightly nervous. He hurriedly straightened his wrinkled shirt, though it didn't make much difference. "How do I look, Fero? I look normal, right? Not weird?"
"You look incredibly tense," Fero replied, holding back a laugh. "Just relax."
"Easy for you to say."
Of the four girls, one walked slightly ahead, smiling at Angelo, who was already standing to welcome her enthusiastically. The other three followed behind, occasionally whispering to one another as they glanced toward their table.
Fero watched them for a moment, then went back to sipping his coffee, which had begun to cool. He had no idea that one of those girls was the person who, just a few hours earlier, had taken a picture of him and shared it in a student group chat.
To Fero, they were nothing more than friends of the girl Angelo wanted to meet. He had no reason to remember their faces.
The girl walking at the front was Vina.