Good Morning

（kksama：I'm sorry that I'm too busy to rewrite it. I have to use a translator.Thank you for reading.）

(Setting: Two office workers)

Chester, an ordinary company employee, lived a monotonous life, as if following a pre-written script, repeating the same routine day after day... (Breakfast - Work - Lunch - Work - Clock out - Then home). On good days, he might hang out with colleagues, but on bad days, it meant overtime.

Every night, standing alone on his balcony, Chester would look at the city's night view, listening to the distant noise of traffic or people's laughter. Inevitably, a sense of loneliness and solitude crept into his heart. He would take out the familiar cigarette box from his drawer, pull out a cigarette, and light it. He wished someone would snatch the cigarette from him and tell him about the harms of smoking. He wanted to be protected and cared for. Thinking this, he paused the cigarette at his lips, silently stubbed it out, and threw it into the trash.

The next day, Chester came to work as usual. After briefly greeting his colleagues, Chester went to his workstation, ready to start another dull day. But this time, an exquisitely wrapped paper bag caught his attention, placed right on the small mat where he usually put his takeout.

"Huh? Did someone put this in the wrong spot? I don't remember ordering anything..." Chester muttered under his breath. He was about to ask his colleagues if it was a mistake when he suddenly felt a card.

On it was simply a name: "Chester Bennington," followed by a 'Thank you'.

"Wow, so it is for me... but who could it be from?" He opened the bag to find a cup of coffee and a bacon and cheese sandwich. He shrugged. After all, he had rushed out this morning and forgotten to eat breakfast. Yet, this very breakfast gave him a faint feeling of warmth...

After work, he unexpectedly turned down his colleagues' invitation for drinks and went home. After a simple meal, he got ready to wash up and watch his favorite TV variety show. But today was different... because that morning's breakfast had occupied his thoughts all day, even causing him to zone out a little at work. Watching the host ask cliché questions and the guests giving bizarre answers felt somewhat bland today. So, he turned off the TV and went to bed early.

Curling up and hugging his favorite cookie-shaped pillow, he thought about today's breakfast... He couldn't help but let a slight smile form at the corners of his mouth.

From then on, every morning, Chester would receive a different breakfast. Sometimes it was a sandwich, sometimes a cake, or onigiri. The only constant was that note with his name.

Once, after arriving at the office unusually early, he accidentally caught a glimpse of a man wearing a beanie and earrings. He seemed a bit taller than Chester and had a thick, fuzzy-looking beard... Chester quickly hid behind a wall upon seeing him. He wanted to get a clear look at the man's face, but it seemed he had been spotted... Before he could approach and ask, the man was gone. After thinking it over, before leaving work, Chester wrote a letter and placed it in a conspicuous spot. Afraid the sender wouldn't know it was for them, he even addressed it to "Mr. Breakfast." He chuckled at his own childishness but continued writing the message.

"To Mr. Breakfast,

I've been delighted to taste the breakfasts you've made. But more than the breakfast itself, if it's convenient for you... could we possibly meet? I'd really like to thank you in person.

Chester"

In a corner, a man named Mike Shinoda saw the letter. He was first amused by the formal address, but upon seeing the request to meet... He didn't write any message in reply. Instead, he silently wrote down his WhatsApp number and placed it back.

The next day, seeing just the phone number, Chester felt a bit disappointed... But on second thought, maybe this was a good chance to communicate. He added the number.

Shinoda: Hi 👋 You're Chester, right?

Cc: Yes! Thank you so much for the breakfasts... they're really delicious!

Shinoda: Hahaha, glad you like them! I heard you've been skipping breakfast frequently lately. I had extra ingredients, so I thought I'd make an extra portion for you to try.

Cc: I'm truly grateful~ But how can I repay you?

Shinoda: No need, no need. But I'm happy you like them. I've always wished for someone to taste these foods; it gives me great satisfaction.

Cc: Haha, looks like you really love cooking! Would it be okay if I asked you for advice sometime?

Shinoda: Really? Sure! Looking forward to getting along well!

Cc: Great! Then I'll be counting on Mr. Breakfast's guidance!

Shinoda: You always reply so fast? Seems you're pretty interested in me, huh?

Cc: You could say that, haha. After all, it's really impressive being able to make such nice breakfasts.

Shinoda: Go to sleep early, don't stay up late! You'll be tired tomorrow. I'm going to bed now 💤 Good night.

Cc: Good night. Sweet dreams.

Reading that caring message, Chester felt overwhelmingly warm... His face flushed a light pink, and his heartbeat quickened slightly. Hugging his pillow tightly, he looked forward to the next day's surprise. With that, he buried his face into the pillow, nuzzled it, and fell into a deep sleep.

---