Ryo Kazuki never imagined that an ordinary afternoon would change his life. The smell of freshly brewed coffee drifted through Café Amour, a cozy shop tucked away in a quiet Tokyo alley. A book rested in his hands—The Psychology of Love—but his mind wasn't on the pages. He came here to escape reality, not to solve other people's problems.
Yet fate had other plans.
Across from him, at the next table, a girl with tear-streaked cheeks fidgeted anxiously. Her voice trembled as she spoke into her phone.
"Please… just tell me the truth. Do you love her?"
Ryo sighed. Another messy breakup in public. He had seen this scenario play out dozens of times. The girl, likely in her early twenties, clutched her coffee cup with white knuckles. Her boyfriend's response must have been brutal because she sucked in a sharp breath, eyes widening.
"I see. So, it was never me…" she whispered before ending the call.
A long silence followed. Then, the girl let out a bitter laugh. "Unbelievable…" She wiped her eyes hastily and stared at her coffee as if it held the answers to life.
Ryo didn't plan to get involved, but something about her expression—the raw mix of pain and disbelief—nagged at him. Against his better judgment, he spoke.
"He's not worth your tears."
The girl blinked, finally noticing him. "Excuse me?"
Ryo sighed and set his book down. "I don't know the full story, but let me guess—he cheated, didn't he?"
Her silence was answer enough.
"You're sitting here, trying to understand why he did it. Wondering what you did wrong. Thinking maybe, if you had just been a little different, things would have worked out." He leaned back, tapping the table. "But the truth is, people cheat because of their own flaws, not because you weren't enough."
The girl's fingers tightened around her cup. "And what would you know about it?"
Ryo gave a lazy shrug. "I read a lot. Plus, I've seen it happen enough times. Let me guess—you gave everything to him. You believed in him, made excuses for his bad habits, and thought if you just loved him enough, he'd never betray you."
The girl's face paled.
"But love isn't about how much you give," Ryo continued. "It's about mutual respect. If he couldn't see your worth, that's his loss. Not yours."
The girl stared at him for a long moment. Then, to his surprise, she let out a shaky laugh. "You sound like some kind of relationship expert."
"Far from it." Ryo smirked. "I just know how to observe people."
The girl sighed, wiping her eyes one last time. "Thanks. I… really needed to hear that." She stood up, offering a small smile. "You should be a love doctor or something."
"I'll pass," Ryo said dryly. "Too much drama."
She chuckled, then walked away, looking a little lighter than before.
That should have been the end of it. Just another passing moment in a stranger's life.
But the universe had other ideas.
---
The Viral Love Doctor
The next morning, Ryo's phone buzzed nonstop. Half-asleep, he groaned and checked his messages.
[Mizuki]: YOU'RE TRENDING ONLINE, GENIUS!
[Mizuki]: LOOK AT THIS!
A link followed. Curious, Ryo clicked it and nearly choked on his coffee.
A video. From yesterday. Someone had recorded his conversation at the café.
"He's not worth your tears."
The caption read: Random stranger gives the best relationship advice ever. We need to find him!
The comment section was a warzone.
@LovelessGirl: WHERE IS THIS GUY? I NEED HIS WISDOM!
@Heartbreak101: Dude spoke straight facts. Can he fix my love life?
@MisterRomance: Sounds like he's been through it himself. Who hurt him?
Ryo groaned. "I am not dealing with this…"
Unfortunately, reality had other plans.
By noon, his inbox was flooded with messages. Strangers, acquaintances, even his ex-girlfriend had texted him. Some people wanted advice. Others asked if he was single.
And then, the strangest message of all arrived.
[Unknown Number]: Ryo Kazuki. We need to talk. Meet me at Café Amour at 3 PM. I have a job offer for you.
Ryo frowned. A job?
Before he could reply, another message popped up.
[Unknown Number]: Welcome to Love Lab.
---
End of Chapter 1