The morning was cursed from the start.
The sky was grey. The hallway lights flickered. Someone had left their socks in the fridge again. And worst of all?
The coffee machine was blinking.
Not in a good way. Not like "your drink is ready."No, it was blinking red.
Kayla stood in front of it like it had personally betrayed her.
"…I don't understand," she muttered, jabbing buttons that blinked back like a villain in a sci-fi movie. "I pressed the usual. Tall. Strong. Life-giving."
"Have you tried turning it off and on again?" Minnie piped up from behind the counter, phone raised and already recording. "This is going straight on the NOISEKISS TikTok."
Kayla ignored her, fists clenched. "This machine knows I need caffeine. It's toying with me."
Robin wandered in mid-yawn, sunglasses already on. She surveyed the situation, then casually opened a drawer and began throwing sugar packets in the air. "We offer sacrifices to the bean gods."
One packet bounced off Kayla's shoulder.
"Robin."
"I am helping."
"Stop helping."
Robin poured herself a juice from the fridge and sat cross-legged on the counter like a gremlin. "You could always just drink tea."
From across the room, Mona, seated gracefully with a steaming mug of green tea, sipped without comment.
Kayla pointed accusingly. "You don't need coffee. You meditate. You're powered by calm and willpower. I'm powered by beans and rage."
"I don't meditate," Mona replied calmly. "I just schedule everything very tightly."
The machine blinked again — three times now. Ominous. The whirring noise it made sounded like it was about to transform into a death robot.
Kayla growled. "Okay. Final form time."She yanked open the bottom panel and stuck her hand inside.
"Don't do that," Jasmine said, strolling in mid-stretch. "Last time you did that, we lost power to the whole hallway."
"I will defeat it," Kayla declared. "I'm a tank. I can solo this."
CLICK.
A soft sound. Then a steady hum. The light turned green. Coffee began pouring.
Everyone turned in slow-motion to see Luna crouched silently beside the machine, reattaching a small filter cartridge she had removed and wiped clean with a paper towel.
She stood up, brushed off her hands, and blinked.
"It was jammed."
"…You fixed it?" Kayla asked, halfway between awe and despair.
Luna nodded.
"You didn't even say anything!"
"I didn't need to."
Minnie was still filming. "Luna's arc continues. Silent. Mysterious. Deadly. Caffeine-bringer."
Kayla dropped to her knees in front of the machine as her coffee finally poured.
"Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you, dark angel."
Luna blinked again, grabbed a yogurt from the fridge, and walked out without a word.
Robin raised her juice in salute. "To Luna. The only competent one among us."
"Rude," Minnie said, pointing to herself. "I contributed—"
"You filmed vertical again," Mona added.
Minnie huffed. "It's for Reels!"
Kayla, finally holding her cup like it was liquid gold, took a long sip. She exhaled like she'd just climbed a mountain.
"…Okay. I'm good now."
The machine immediately blinked red again.
Kayla stood.The others bolted.