It's 40°C Out — Why Is the Cooler Still Full?
The heat is on, but the drinks are standing at attention — with no one coming to claim them.
The asphalt could fry an egg, and the milk tea sign is sagging at the edges. Inside the cooler, rows of iced tea, sparkling water and lemon drinks glisten like nervous recruits waiting to be picked.
Behind the counter, a staff member rests their chin on one hand. The delivery riders' bags come back a few bottles lighter than last summer. Customers wander in, glance at the fridge, and keep scrolling.
They aren't thirsty — they're carrying thermoses and steeping goji berries. The cold sip has quietly been replaced by two whispered words: less sugar.