He then walked into the café—*Red Ribbon*—It was radiant, a magnificent glow against the cold street outside; crowded, yet strangely quiet. Sidd looked around for a comfortable table where no one would bat an eye at him. He was simply afraid of the eyes that judged people—or perhaps, he was just sick of them. In the corner, with his back to the window, he sat and ordered a cup of tea—or more like whispered it into the quiet environment such that it would be a conversation only the waiter and he were meant to hear.
There was a 20-minute wait, but for his restless mind, it felt like an eternity. When sitting alone doing nothing, memories of the past started flowing into his mind, as if the café was not just a café, but something deeply attached to his past. The familiar feeling forced him to think of the long sessions of laughter and fooling around with friends—how he used to sip tea with them.
In that very moment, the manager noticed Sidd alone and approached him, saying, "Long time no see. Has it been two years?"
Sidd was thrown into deep thought. *Who is this old man? How does he know me? Do I know him? How should I respond?* In the middle of his confusion, the old man continued, "Where are the boys you used to come with?"
Still puzzled but not wanting to make the man feel awkward, Sidd replied, "Oh, I'm good—and the boys.... they are doing good as well." But deep down, he knew it was a lie. He hadn't seen the boys in over two years. But the old man, wise as he was, wasn't fooled. He noticed Sidd's discomfort.
"I see you don't remember me?" the man said kindly. "No problem, boy. It's been two years—you wouldn't remember this old man."
Sidd was a lost case. In time, he even forgot his own name, and in such a condition, remembering this old man was too much to ask. But the generous man said, "I'm the old owner of the café. Remember? You were my regular—always with those boys."
Suddenly, Sidd remembered everything. He remembered the café, the days, the broken cup—or rather, the one his friend broke.
"What happened to this café? It used to be simple… umm… comfortable," Sidd asked.
"Well, it's not entirely mine now," the old man replied. "I passed it down to my grandson."
He added with a chuckle, "I don't understand this generation, kid. He says red is the color of love and all that. I see everyone enjoying it more than the old place. Hmph… I never get the hang of this 'theme' stuff they keep talking about. But when I see all these customers, I think it might be for the good. Hahaha."
Just then, the tea arrived. The old man took his leave, telling Sidd to enjoy the tea—it was on the house, for old times' sake.
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