Bittersweet Café Basa

Raspberry Milk Tea

 “One milk tea and one oatmeal cookie please.” Fran said to the guy at the counter. He simply gave her the warmest smile, but she didn’t notice it because she was too busy fishing for money in her purse. She paid for what she ordered without looking at the guy.

Fran usually spent most of her time in Bittersweet Café Basa because this is where she transacted her business. No, her business was not illegal or something like that. She’s a famous matchmaker. With just one look at two people’s faces, she can easily predict whether they would be perfect for each other or not.Of course, matchmaking two people was not as simple as making them meet up for a blind date to see if they’d be attracted with each other. She had to make sure the attraction would happen—make it look more like fate caused the pair to finally find each other.Neither of the two parties knew that she planned out an ‘accidental’ meeting for them nor did they knew Fran had paired them together. She mysteriously and unintentionally does these meet ups with Bittersweet Café Basa as the setting. She cooks up different romantic meet cutes for the different couples. Every girl wants a romantic and unique ever after, don’t they?

Almost all of the couples that Fran set up had a success love story with a happily ever after. They always were a perfect match. This was one reason why people were wondering why Fran never had at least one love story of her own. Maybe she spent too much time weaving other people’s love stories that she never actually thought of her own. Friends would usually play the matchmaker for her but none actually lasted at least a week with her. It was rather odd which kept the people wondering why this was happening. It couldn’t be that she didn’t know how to keep the romance alive because she is the ‘Queen of Romance’, isn’t she?

The number of couples she had brought together was also the number of guys she dated but never lasted. Her friends felt sad for her because she couldn’t find her own happy ending. Fran, on the other hand, didn’t feel the least bit sad about it. Yes, there were times when she thought of things like what if she had a boyfriend of her own? What would he be like? What would the things he ought to do for her and so on… But she was already contented that she can bring two people together and find happiness. It was like their happiness was also a fulfilment of hers.

Fran sat down on one of the tables and started to read a book she had just bought. She was glad Bittersweet Café Basa is a café and bookstore in one. She can read books while waiting or buy books that are hard to find. She had been waiting for Nicholas Sparks’ next book for ages, and now that she got hold of it, she will not let anything ruin her afternoon with Nicholas Sparks. The waiter arrived with her order.

“Here’s your Raspberry Milk Tea and Oatmeal Cookie. Enjoy!” the waiter said and left as soon as he had set them on the her table. Fran was a little annoyed but she won’t let a little mistake with her order ruin her afternoon. She took the Raspberry Milk Tea and approached the guy at the counter to have it changed.

“Hi.” she greeted the guy at the counter. “I believe you made a mistake with my order. I asked for a Milk Tea only. Not Raspberry Milk Tea. Can you please change it? Thanks.”

“I know. I did that on purpose. You always ordered for a Milk Tea so I thought you might want to try something new for a change so I added raspberry syrup in it. It’s my favorite. You should try it. You’ll definitely love it.” the guy said. 

Fran’s eyes narrowed. She was getting more upset. “Look, I didn’t ask for your recommendation. I want my milk tea without the raspberry. Now, could you be kind enough to change it?” she said firmly as she pushed the glass of Raspberry Milk Tea back towards the guy. She tucked her black shoulder-length hair behind her ear to ease her irritation. She definitely didn't want to make a big deal out of this Mr. Know-It-All.