“Good morning, Sir, what would you like to have today?” Jieun asks, smiling.

She looks up from her feet and meeting her gaze is just about the most handsome man she’s ever seen in her life. Wearing a dark cap, shirt, faded jeans and carrying a black backpack, Jieun is stunned beyond belief.

“Can I have a café au Lait, please, drinking here?” He says, pronouncing each word smoothly, but the words don’t go into Jieun’s ears as she just stares at him, eyes widened. “Excuse me…?” He waves a hand in front of Jieun. Just when he’s about to say another word, Jieun snaps out of her trance, bowing.

“I’m so sorry… I got… Never mind, it’s nothing. Café au Lait, was it? That will be 3500 won please.” She blushes deeply, but manages to gather her thoughts.

The man hands her the exact amount, with an amused smile on his face. “Here, 3500 won exactly.” “Thank you, please wait over at the counter, your coffee will be done in a bit.” She flashes a smile like she’s trained to and makes the coffee.

She’s the only one for the day shift, but the coffee house isn’t very visited either. It’s just a small coffee house on the road, the kind that people occasionally stop by during their morning job, or before they go to work, or come alone (sometimes with a friend) for coffee and cake.

Business is slow today morning, but Jieun keeps herself entertained with her book. The man’s the only one in the coffee house. He plugs in his earphones and waits at the counter nonetheless. When the coffee’s done, Jieun walks over and calls for him.

“Sir, your coffee’s ready.” The man nods and smiles charmingly while accepting the coffee with both hands. He sips it, and his smile grows wider, clearly satisfied with the standard of the coffee.

“Hey… The coffee’s… good.” He says, loud enough for Jieun to hear. She smiles. “Thank you… it is my job after all. I’d have to be good at it, don’t you think?”

And then she turns to take a wet rag to wipe a few tables, making sure that they’re all clean. He watches her with interest, as her hair bounces when she walks with a spring in her step, a smile on her face as if cleaning is really fun. He suddenly finds the urge to ask a question.

He hesitates for a few moments, before popping the question, “Do you like your job?”

That question triggers something in Jieun. Does she like her job? She often asks herself that question. The job at the coffee house isn’t her only job. She also works as a music teacher and fashion designer (but that’s just a minor job that isn’t very active).

She pauses for a moment, standing straight and holding the rag in her hand. A barista and cashier at a coffee house… does she like that? Low pay, and (quite) long hours, but she likes it.

“I do.” Jieun replies, looking at him and smiling.

“Why?” He asks, curious. His dark eyebrows knit together, eliciting a laugh from Jieun. “It gives me low pay. I work long hours. But… I like seeing smiles on people’s faces when they like the coffee I brew by myself. Come to think of it… I like it when people smile. It instantly makes me happy, no matter what reason it is.”

The man ponders over her answer, and then looks at her. They hold a soft gaze for a second before she breaks it, going back to cleaning again. “Then again… I’m always alone. I love the customers, and I love making coffee… But this job makes me feel really lonely.” Jieun chuckles bitterly.

“Don’t you have any friends? I mean, no offense, of course… Or family?” He asks, still looking at her. “My mother died of cancer last year and my father went into debt a year before that… he left us—he left me… to… pay off all his bills for him. Till this day I still am looking for him though, that’s why I’m working three jobs. I don’t have time for friends.” She answers, her voice almost inaudible.

“Well then. Let me be your friend. I’m Choi Minho, twenty years old this year.” He extends his hand, smiling. Jieun glances at him worriedly for a moment, but that relaxes. “I’m Lee Jieun. I’m nineteen this year.” She takes his hand, shaking it.

“Oh, look at the time. I have to go now. I’ll be back… perhaps later, perhaps tomorrow morning. But I will be. I promise. We’ll acquaint each other then.” Minho smiles, picking up his bag and adjusting his cap.

Jieun nods, acknowledging his leave. As he leaves, another customer comes in, and she goes back to her position again. “Good morning, M’am, what would you like to have today?”

****

Flash forward a year and Jieun is a full time owner of a busy coffee house in the middle of Seoul. The coffee house she is in charge of is in its current location because of one person.

Choi Minho. He promised that he would be back that day, but he never did. And that coffee house went out of business soon after. Jieun then bought back the place after she paid off her debts and started her own house. She designed the coffee house to be almost the exact replica of the previous, and till today, she’s still waiting for him to keep his promise.

It’s seven in the morning and the coffee house has just opened for that day. Jieun has been there since five for early maintenance. She stands by the tables. The cashiers on duty are Kyuhyun and Jiyeon, her two best friends. The baristas Hara and Changmin are inside, ready to make coffee the way Jieun’s taught them too. Five of them are good friends, and Jieun was introduced to their clique when she was looking for a job again.

Jieun gets bored quickly and goes to check things in the storeroom. Usually the mornings would be busy, but apparently today is quiet and slow. A bell rings. Jieun smiles. Finally, she thinks, a customer.

“Good morning! What would you like to have for today?” Jiyeon’s happy voice makes Jieun smile more.

And then… “Can I have a café au Lait, please, drinking here?” She drops the mug of water she’s holding, and it breaks on the floor, causing everyone to gasp, even the customer.

Jieun leaves the storeroom and quickly runs downstairs to the first floor. The customer is a man dressed smartly with a tie, and has short-cropped hair. But his features… amaze her… again. Her eyes widen. Everyone looks at her, although she only looks at Minho, and he looks back at her.

“… Minho.”

“… Jieun.” It’s him. It’s definitely him. Her legs feel like they’re about to give way.

Sensing the tension of the situation, Kyuhyun and Jiyeon quickly shuffle their way inside of the kitchen, watching through the small window with Hara and Changmin. Jieun approaches him slowly, taking small steps.

“You’re… still here. I…”

Jieun takes him hand and gestures for him to sit at a table. He sits, and she does too, opposite him. “When you left, the coffee house went out of business. I was looking for another job when I met four people as passionate about coffee as I was, and… I opened a coffee house… here.”

Minho bites his lip. “I’m sorry I never returned. I had to go to America… And I didn’t know that I had to leave for so long. And to think I made a promise that I couldn’t keep… I’m sorry Jieun. I don’t deserve to be your friend.”

“I’ve been waiting for you. Don’t say that. I don’t want to have to think that all this time, I’ve wasted a year waiting for you to come back and—”

“I’m sorry Jieun, but… Sir, your coffee’s ready.” Hara smiles while handing him his coffee. “No, don’t be sorry, Hara, you’re doing your job. Thanks.” Jieun smiles back. Hara on the other hand feels extremely embarrassed for cutting in between their conversation and runs back to the kitchen.

“So… Jieun… Do you like your job?” Minho asks, starting the conversation to decrease the awkwardness level in the coffee house.

Jieun smiles at the memory, nodding without hesitating. “I love my job. I still love bringing smiles to people’s faces, you know. I personally trained all my friends on how to brew coffee when I opened this. How do you like the coffee?”

Minho takes a sip. “It’s just like how you used to make it.” Jieun smiles. “You make it sound like I’m old.” They both laugh for a while, but when it dies down, Minho’s expression becomes one of deep concern.

“How are you, Jieun?” Minho is careful not to speak too loud; so as to make sure those in the kitchen can’t hear.

“Oh, I’m fine, better than before, of course. My father’s debts are all paid already. I’m living on my own now.” Jieun smiles softly. “That’s good that you’re not… in debt anymore. But haven’t you dated anyone yet?”

“Well… Kyuhyun has asked me out once or twice, Changmin too, but I told them they weren’t my type. I’ll just have to wait until someone right comes along, I suppose. I mean. I can’t just force myself to love someone. And I still have a long way ahead of me… I don’t want to be tied down so early.” She replies, grinning.

“I get what you mean. And hey, I’ve got to tell you something… You probably won’t be too happy about hearing it.” Minho looks down, with his things. “Just tell me…” She says.

“I’m leaving for three years. I have to go to Japan for three years… I’m not even sure if I’ll be back then. It’s all not very confirmed.” Minho sighs. It is a long pause before Jieun opens to speak again.

“Promise you’ll come back?”

“… Promise.”

“Then I’ll be waiting.”

****

Three years later and Jieun, now a mature and sophisticated woman of her early twenties, is a successful owner of a huge coffee house chain. She’s opened five other branches in the country and is planning to open another one. But as always, she’s in charge of the same one, with her friends.

Sometimes she wonders why she waits for him. He’s not that special, nor is he her boyfriend, or husband or anything. Why should she even be caring about him so much? She supposes that the question may only be answered when he returns, and so she waits for him.

She decides to return to her first coffee house on an early morning in December, and Kyuhyun is the first person to see her. “Jieun-ah!” He grins and traps her in a big hug. “What have you been doing?”

Cheekily, she replies, “Oh, the usual… people to see, places to go…”

“Ah, the young entrepreneur is successful now and can do whatever she wants, I see.” Changmin appears from the kitchen, ruffling Jieun’s hair. “How have you been, Jieun?”

“I’ve been great, really. It’s all been pretty good lately. How’s my favourite coffee house doing?”

“It’s doing awesome!” Hara grins, walking down from the storeroom. “Because of me, duh.” Jiyeon adds, coming down behind her.

“And Jieun… Someone is waiting for you today… We’ll leave you two…” Kyuhyun reluctantly lets go when Changmin gives the signal. Jieun is left confused when she’s pushed onto a table with a café au Lait, and is even more baffled when they all leave the room, dimming the lights. The table is opposite the grand piano, and when she shifts her gaze to it, someone is there.

It is a man, in a turtleneck and a grey jacket along with dark pants. She only sees his side profile, but he reminds her vaguely of someone. She can’t seem to figure out who he is. The man begins to play the piano. He plays Yiruma’s A River Flows In You.

Jieun listens intently, a smile appearing on her face as she recognizes the song. It’s the song that was playing when Minho and her met for the first time at the coffee house. But she still doesn’t know who the man playing is. She can’t seem to recognize him in the dim light, so she settles with listening to the song.

As he plays, his fingers glide across the piano smoothly, as if they were dancing. The man moves along with the music he’s playing appropriately, and as he finishes, his eyes close. The last note hangs in the air, and the man finally turns. He opens his eyes.

Jieun gasps. “Minho.”

“Jieun.” She then hears footsteps going up to the storeroom. From the storeroom, you can only hear (if someone from downstairs speak loudly), but you can’t see. It must’ve been Changmin. She makes a mental note to thank him later.

“You came back…” She whispers, standing up and approaching him. “I promised… And I came back for you. I’m staying here forever now… I won’t be leaving again.” He takes quick steps towards him and hugs her tightly. She hugs back, tears forming in her eyes.

“I’m glad…” Jieun smiles and sniffs. Minho lets her go, wiping her tears.

“I have to tell you something. I need to tell you now, at this very moment. … When we met that day, I couldn’t forget you. I never told you about my feelings, and when we met the second time I couldn’t bring myself to because it would be hard waiting for me if I’d told you… But now… today… I’ll tell you about them. I love you, Lee Jieun. The first time I met you… since then I wanted to be by your side, to kiss you, to hold you in my arms… And the second time… I really wanted to kiss you there and then… I was afraid, afraid that you wouldn’t accept me because I had to leave but now…”

“Yes. Yes, Minho. I love you too.” She smiles, her tears dropping. She’s finally figured out why she waits for him.

Minho lifts her up by her hips and onto the platform, smiling in delight. “Thank you, Jieun, thank you for waiting for me. I won’t leave you again.”

When he sets her down, he holds her face in his hands, gently pushing her against the wall. “You’ve become prettier…” He says. She feels his breath on her face. “You’ve become more charming…” She replies, blushing.

Minho can’t wait anymore and crashes his lips onto hers passionately, still holding her face. His hold was gentle but his kiss was fierce. Jieun is surprised at his sudden action, but kisses back with equal intensity.

“Thank you.” Minho says when they pull away for air. Jieun smiles, and takes a quick breath before kissing him again. This time, the kiss is soft and sweet, giving her fuzzy feelings inside.

“I love you, I really do.” Jieun flashes a smile, just like the one she smiled the first time they met.