Straightforward Explanation
Sit, Ready, Partner.A phone was put in its receiver and young woman was grinning, thinking about the information she had just heard. Speed dating event.
- “Hey thanks for covering for me, I was dying for a bathroom break” said a girl straightening her white pant suit.
Her black hair in a ponytail, the tips of her hair were like flames. Wendy liked the way it looked.
- “You’re welcome Seulgi.” She said, a small smile on her lips, and went back to her original work station, the kitchen.
While measuring the flour for the next batch of red velvet cupcakes she couldn’t stop thinking about the phone call she had taken, “speed dating event”
Wendy went quickly about her task, and when she finally put the tray in the oven she looked around; there weren’t people in need of her service, splendid, she thought.
She went to the restroom to make a phone call. She locked the door and dialed, combing her long brown hair with her fingers distractedly while waiting for the phone to be picked up
- “Hello?”
- “Hi, did I interrupt your hibernating plans of the day?” She said teasing
- “Ha! Ha! Very funny. I am out as a matter of fact”
- “Really? Where are you?” Wendy asked suspiciously, making a face in front of the mirror
- “Out, you know, fresh air. Blue skies. Sky that pours light, I I I I I I stand under it” the person at the other side of the line said in a singing manner and then laughed
Wendy snorted at the bad attempt of a joke from her friend
- “Your balcony doesn’t count and watching a video of someone singing in beautiful New Zealand nature doesn’t count either”
- “Hey, my life is a beauty too!” said the other person
- “Of course it is, and I am about to make it even more so." there was a pause. Wendy was ting her hair in a ponitail, her phone on the marble sink counter top.
- "What are you doing this Friday, I dare say nothing but stay at home”
Maybe it wasn’t the best move to be this aggressive about her friend’s habits but this was for her own good. And this time she had the perfect plan, if only she could convince Taeyeon of going out.
- “I am offended not." Taeyeon already knew Wendy had some master plan to get her out of the house - "What are my plans? “
Wendy made a pause, for drmatic purpose and took hold of her phone again.
- “Speed dating event.” Said Wendy not being able to hide her excitement and Taeyeon could feel her grin through the line.
There was a silence for a couple of seconds and then Taeyeon incredulous voice
- “…What? “
- “Oh come on, this is great. You get out of the house and meet people, never mind if you date them or not” said Wendy trying to be nonchalant about that last part. Dating was a sensitive subject for Taeyeon
- “I get that, but speed dating? I think there are other methods, also you don’t have to set me up! Not to mention the purpose of the event is literally getting people to date each other!” Taeyeon was getting defensive
- “Don’t get worked up over this Taeyeon. Is just an idea, you still can say no”
- “But you will pester me about it, won’t you?” Taeyeon almost scoffed
- “You know me, and I am your friend, I care about your well-being” That struck a chord in Taeyeon’s heart.
It was true.
Wendy respected Taeyeon’s boundaries, and yet she just couldn’t stand at the side lines watching her friend stay in her comfort zone. The only thing she could do, though, was encourage her to get out.
The conversation was turning longer than expected, and the mood was losing its lively beginning. Wendy had to get back to work so in a last attempt to convince Taeyeon she added.
- “Think about it. Pros and cons?”
Taeyeon said “I’ll see” and they hang up.
Taeyeon pocketed her phone and observed the sky, the special formation of clouds today on the blue canvas. The ghost of a smile creeping to her lips.
She went back to her room, took one of her coats and got out of her house. Time for a walk in the park, there were serious matters going on in her head.
Outside everything appeared serene, it was windy but the trees gave a warm feel with the colors of the leaves.
She walked the path in the park, along couples, people walking their dogs, or jogging. There was a little boy chasing a puppy and her mother was smiling at them. Taeyeon, after 10 minutes of walking the park, sat on bench, and focused on the couples: walking holding hands, hugging, being cute at each other, and Taeyeon wondered why she never managed to achieve that.
She had dated before but her attempts were always met with failure. It wasn’t because she was a bad person nor was it the other person, but she never clicked with anyone. None made her heart race and have all those cringe worthy thoughts about the significant other. Deep down she had hunch of the reason why but she never really allowed herself to explore that possibility. The simple thought of it was scary and stressing. Because acknowledging that possibility would change everything, or did anything had to change, really? She would still be the same person. But what if she is wrong about it? Then what?. Will she be alone for all eternity? "This is turning drepressing" Taeyeon sighed
She thought again in Wendy’s words “… and I am your friend, I care about your well-being” “think about it, Pros and cons”
Pros:
She would allow herself to interact with others.
She would meet people
She could confirm her suspicion
She could find someone that would make her go all the things people talk about when they say it’s love
Cons:
She could not find someone
Her suspicion could be true
- "Well the pros are more, that’s for sure”
she took a deep brath and looked at the sky again for a while, then closed her eyes. A thunder was heard and people started to scramble, away from the upcoming rain. She smiled a little.
A decision was made.
Perhaps she could give it a try, she wouldn’t go alone though. – “If I decide to go”, that part made her smirk.
She stood up and walked to the nearest bus station that could take her to The Pink Bouquet, she needed to speak to Wendy about this, in person.
In the bus, a woman sat beside her, her long blonde hair looked silky to touch, and Taeyeon for just a second wondered what would happen if it her suspicion were to be true.
When she arrived at the restaurant it was lunch break for some employees. Wendy was talking to Seulgi, and everything looked like pink autumn inside, as opposed to the rain staring to fall outside
- “Hey Taeyeon, what are you doing here”
Seulgi was the first one to see her. Her welcoming smile always made Taeyeon feel comfortable, "this are the kind of friends oneself should surround" She took a seat in their table.
- “Taeyeon?” Wendy was surprised but happy to see her
- “Hi kids, what are you up to”
Wendy knew then that Taeyeon was not upset with her and their conversation earlier in the day
- “Well, Wendy was talking about this speed dating thing…”
- “I think is a good way of meeting people or find someone!” protested Wendy
- “And I quite disagree, I find them suffocating, and very fake, just like meeting people online”
- "That's why you have to be open-minded abouth the whole thing."
- "No, that's how you get scamed!"
Taeyeon was immediately amused by the friends’ quarrel
- "Well, I agree with both of you"
- “What?!”
- ”No, you always do that!”
Collective gasps and sigh of dissatisfaction followed and Taeyeon laughed
- “Okay, then how about… we go to the speed dating event? And actually experience it!”
Taeyeon noticed Wendy’s expression, the relief and thankfulness washed over her. Wendy was the next to speak, as eager as always
- “Alright, I will, what about you Seulgi?” She said wiggling her eyebrows. It was a challenge
- “I am in!” she looked directly into Wendy’s eyes
- "Okay, break it off you two. When is it this, again?
- "This Friday, 8pm, but I don’t know where, when the woman called she was looking for a place. I’ll find out!"
"Sometimes you have to take risk to be able to win. Also Wendy is too eager and enthusiastic for her own good."
When the lunck break was done Taeyeon said good bye to the dynamic dou. The rain had stopped when she left the place.
-------------////---------------
SooYoung and Minho got out of the office and after printing the list of name tags, drove to the restaurant to get back her deposit of the restaurant, more apologies from the clerk were told and they left, rather quickly. Right after, Minho drove to the place he said to know.
“Espresso Yourself”
That was the name of the place. “So punny”, SooYoung thought amusedly.
It was a coffee shop music café. The exterior looked like an old fashioned train station. On the inside, sure it looked cozy though, and had a particular atmosphere: casual and comfortable but intimate enough to start a romance or two. But it was a cliché, one she wanted to avoid because it was so typical, coffee shop romance.
When you entered there were tables, of warm looking wood, they were not too close, for privacy and sense of intimacy perhaps. One could tell it was spacious. At the left there was a wide set of stairs to the second floor. Under the stairs was the counter and all the meals display. There was a little dais at the back of the place, a live band or musician playing usually, every night, according to Minho.
- “Do you come here often, I didn’t take you for the coffee shop guy”
Minho laughed, “there’s are a lot of things you don’t know about, SooYoung.” He said and walked to the office in the second floor, SooYoung followed him.
The second floor was like a having a balcony inside the shop, it overlooked the place, you could see everything unless you were at the right under it.
There were tables there but just a few and it occurred to SooYoung that it was perfect for the event, after all. Even if it was cliché, it still worked.
She entered the office and found Minho lounging on the sofa.
– “Be professional” she whispered
He only grinned.
- “As I said YoonA. SooYoung is my colleague and we have a proposal for you”
- “We do?” She was caught of guard but recovered quickly – “I mean, Yes! we do”
And so, SooYoung launched into her straightforward explanation of what she needed and what YoonA would gain
- “I am charge of a speed dating event and I want to book this place this Friday at 8pm for one hour and a half at most. You get costumers and I get a venue. Just say how much is it going to cost”
YoonA for her part looked amused at SooYoung business-like stance, but she could tell her determination. She grinned at that
- “Very well, just because you are friends with Minho here, it won't be that expensive.”
The second floor would serve as a venue. There would be coffee or juice courtesy of the coffee shop. If people wanted to continue right after the event was officially over and the coffee shop would gain customers. During the next two days the coffee shop would promote the event. SooYoung paid the deposit of the place with the money from her previous reservation.
Formal arrangements were done.
- “We’ll come back on Friday to organize the tables and decorate.”
- “Sure, I’ll have the coffee and juice ready.”
- “And I’ll send you the poster for promotion” said Minho
YoonA chock SooYoung’s hand, smirked at Minho and soon the two were out of the office and back to their jobs.
She sighed “this day was nowhere near the end”
SooYoung needed to send an e-mail to the attendees to inform them of the new location.
She sent Minho to the visual design office so they could edit the flyers and then send them back at YoonA’s place. She called to the restaurant she had call at midday to ask if they could promote the event, thankfully they agreed. She sent Minho to those places as well. And by 6pm o’clock the e-mail were sent, the flyers delivered and she felt like she finally could relax for a bit.
-------////------
A beep.
New message
- “Taeyeon, the event is at Espresso Yourself musi café, at 8pm this Friday”
- “That was fast, how did you know?”
- “A man came by when my shift ended and asked if it was okay to put a poster, turns out it was the same event haha.”
- “Well, aren’t we lucky –sarcasm-“
- “Ha-ha you can’t back out now.”
Taeyeon stared at her screen, smiling. She wouldn’t back out.
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