I Didn’t Lull You to Sleep Only for You to Be Obsessed With Me - Chapter 110

RP: Haebaragi_syk

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Chapter 56.1

Hans recoiled in shock.

“What… what on earth is this?”

His expression twisted in horror as if he had just seen someone stir ice cream into a bowl of rice.

‘I mean, I can see why someone might think it’s a weird combination.’

But April wasn’t fazed. With confidence, she announced the name of her new creation.

“This drink is called Ashotchu.”

“Ashot… what?”

“It’s iced tea with an espresso shot added, so we call it Ashotchu for short.”

“So, you’re saying this is…”

“Yes! This is going to be a new addition to the menu at Lilies of April.”

Hans continued to eye the completed Ashotchu with a skeptical look.

“You’re seriously going to…”

“Don’t say that, just give it a try. No, actually, I’ll take the first sip.”

Back when she worked at a cafe, she had always made Ashotchu with instant iced tea powder. But now, using real brewed black tea, she couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. What if the taste wasn’t the same?

‘What if it turns out badly?’

April hesitantly took a sip of the Ashotchu. The moment it touched her tongue, she was surprised by how good it tasted.

“That’s it, this is the taste!”

The refreshing citrus of the lemon, the light earthiness of the black tea, and the rich espresso that came in at the end.

The lemon’s sharp bitterness could have been overwhelming, but the espresso’s deeper, bolder bitterness smoothed it out perfectly. Even though April was afraid it wouldn’t match the flavor she remembered from Korea, it turned out to have an even richer aroma than the instant mix version.

The coffee flavor isn’t too overpowering either…

This seemed like something even those who usually find coffee too strong could enjoy.

“It tastes great! You should give it a try.”

“Uhm…”

“I want to try it!”

While Hans hesitated, Asher, who had no preconceived notions about tea or coffee, eagerly raised his hand.

“Hmm, but there’s coffee in it…”

Asher clasped his hands together and gazed up at April.

“I’ll just have a small sip.”

“Alright, I guess a sip should be fine.”

April watched the child with anticipation as he took a sip of the Ashotchu. But as soon as he tasted it, he immediately grimaced.

“What’s wrong? Does it taste bad?”

Asher darted his eyes around, sneaking a glance at April.

“N-No! It’s not that it’s bad, but…”

It was obvious he wasn’t telling the truth.

“It’s just… kinda bitter.”

“That’s because it has coffee in it. I guess coffee still tastes bitter to you.”

She gave the disappointed Asher a reassuring pat before turning to Hans.

“Uncle Hans, won’t you give it a try?”

“Uh… Okay, I understand.”

Hans squeezed his eyes shut before taking a sip of the Ashotchu. The next moment, his eyes flew open in surprise.

“Wow, this is surprisingly good!”

“Right?”

“Yes. The black tea and espresso blend nicely, and the sweetness makes it easier to enjoy, even for people who aren’t big on coffee.”

“Yes! That’s exactly what I wanted!”

“I’m sorry for doubting you, April.”

April waved him off with a smile.

“Oh, don’t worry about it.”

“I think this would make a great addition to the menu.”

“I was thinking the same thing. Oh, by the way, would it be okay if I took some lemon syrup with me? I’d like to let the staff taste it tomorrow.”

“Of course! I’ll even show you how to make the lemon syrup.”

The recipe for lemon syrup was surprisingly simple—easy enough to memorize without needing to write it down.

With a sense of excitement, April grabbed the jar of lemon syrup and walked out of the kitchen. She couldn’t wait to see how the staff would react.

̊ · : * ✧* : · ̊

When the staff at Lilies of April saw Ashotchu for the first time, their reactions were much like Hans’s.

“Are you really going to put this on the menu?”

“Hmm, I believe in your skills, boss, but…”

While the others hesitated, Ethan stepped forward with a determined expression.

“I’ll try it.”

“Really?”

Although the staff looked worried, they still encouraged him. April couldn’t help but feel a little exasperated.

“I didn’t make something undrinkable or anything…”

But no one seemed to hear her quiet remark.

As Ethan held his nose before taking a sip, April spoke with a serious tone.

“Don’t block your nose! You need to smell it to really appreciate the flavor!”

“Ah, yes.”

Ethan hesitantly answered and removed his hand from his nose. Then, he took a large sip of Ashotchu, audibly gulping it down.

And then…

“Oh, this is actually really good!”

“Wait, seriously?”

May sounded skeptical as she asked.

“Yeah! It’s way better than I expected. Try it.”

As Ethan motioned to them, the staff began trying the Ashotchu one by one. Their reactions were nearly identical. Everyone agreed it was delicious.

“Well, that settles it! Ashotchu is officially making it onto the menu, right?”

“Yes!”

That evening, after the cafe had closed, April and the staff gathered to prepare the lemon syrup.

Making the lemon syrup was a straightforward process.

They began by scrubbing the ripe lemons with baking soda to clean them thoroughly. Then, everyone grabbed a knife and carefully sliced the vibrant yellow lemons into thin rounds. To avoid bitterness from the seeds, they carefully removed as many as they could.

Afterward, they coated the lemon slices with an equal amount of sugar and sealed them in sterilized glass jars, completing the preparation.

“Wow, the color is so beautiful. When can we start using it?”

“The sugar should fully dissolve in about three to four days, but it’s best to let it sit for at least a week.”

“The longer it sits, the deeper the flavor, right?”