The Breathtaking Moment

There’s a new coffee shop opened right across Apgujeong High School and the coffee shop is unsurprisingly full with the school’s students especially the girls. Like a magnet, they said, people just wanted to come there.

School ended at three p.m., some students went home, to the study group, to work, to play, or stay at school for extracurricular activities. The field is big enough for the cheerleader and basketball team to share as usual. And today, the new cheerleader captain has been chosen.

“Congratulation, Son Hyemi!”

As a flyer, Hyemi is really popular at school (well cheerleaders tend to be popular) not just because she is pretty, but her brain is not empty. Sure there are a lot of people who hates her for nothing, just because they’re jealous. But they can’t show it, they just cannot.

“Aren’t you guys going to the new coffee shop? It’s right across our school.”

The girls shook their head, “We are currently dieting, so, no caffeine.”

“Ah, right, the competition. But I have to meet someone there, I will be back after the break, bye!”

She was wearing her jacket and took her wallet from the bag then the coach approached her, “Don’t you dare to drink coffee at this time, Son Hyemi!”

The coach was always been scary for the girls so they are always listened to his words. “Okay.” She said, then ran to the gate.

The coffee shop is crowded and she has to stand in the line for a few minutes since they just have one cashier. But when her turns to order, she couldn’t move her eyes and the guy in front of him is taking her breath away.

“Miss?” They guy called, “Can I help you?”

“Uhm, I want to – order –“

“Yes?”

“Snap out of it, Son Hyemi.”

“One vanilla latte and one chocolate mint.”

At that time she finally realized why this new coffee shop is always busy and crowded with girls. So, this guy is the magnet.

“Hello?” she answered the phone, “What? But I just ordered chocolate mint for you how could you?”

“I’m sorry, Hyemi. The teacher wouldn’t let me leave the class, I just broke the window.”

“You have to buy me drink next time, Wonwoo!”

“Yeah, anything.”

The guy in front of her was waiting for her to finish the phone call, then finally giving her the drinks. But she only took the vanilla latte, “That one is for you, my friend just cancelled the meeting.” She said, and the guy was receiving it with a blank face.

“Thank you,” he said, while putting the drink on the bar. “Next customer, please.”

While Hyemi was still confused, and looking at the guy, Jaehyun came, taking the vanilla latte from her hand. “You can’t drink this.” Then pulled up her jacket that was dropped down from her shoulders.

Two students with cheerleader uniform and basketball uniform are sitting together, and people might think that they’re such a match couple. One is cheerleader captain, and the other one is basketball captain. Even at the school, people thought that they really match with each other. Jealous girls obviously would hate Hyemi, but Hyemi and Jaehyun are so cute together that they can’t help but liking them.

Jaehyun kept drinking the vanilla latte while admiring Hyemi, while she’s actually bored and annoyed.

“I just spent money for two coffees that I couldn’t drink.”

They boy didn’t say anything, but looking at her while smiling instead. Everybody loves him, especially his dimples when he laughs. And he hopes that Hyemi would also be the one who feels like that.

“Stop smiling, Jaehyun!”

“I couldn’t help but smile while looking at you. How could you be this pretty?”

And she couldnt help but blushed shyly, “This is not even your break time, why don’t you just smile like that in the field while looking at the other cheerleaders? They are all prettier than me.”

“It’s just the cheerleader effect, you are the only pretty one for me.”

“I’m going to buy sparkling water, don’t stop me!”

Actually it’s just her way to meet the barista again. She wants to know his name, and look at his face again before the break time ends.

“One sparkling water.”

His name is Kim Mingyu, he has shiny eyes, tan skin, and Dracula’s teeth. He is a head taller than her, has a broad shoulder and a model-like figure. “Perfect.” She thought.

“You don’t have to pay this since you gave me the chocolate mint earlier.”

She froze right after, still holding her breath while her heart beats really fast. And she thought she could die in this state. “Thank you.”

“Excuse me but could you move? The next customer is waiting.”

Even after the practice, Jaehyun is patiently waiting for Hyemi to finish washing up. The sky is already dark, holding the basketball while sitting on the bench, this high school heartthrob is still patiently waiting for someone for more than ten years.

She smiled while walking closer to him, and he smiled back. While they’re walking home, Hyemi kept hugging the sparkling water like it’s her greatest treasure. Because Kim Mingyu bought it for her, and she doesn’t want to throw the bottle away even after it’s emptied.

“Hyemi,”

“Yes.” She answered.

“Why can’t you love me back?”

She laughed while pinching Jaehyun’s cheeks, “Aren’t we too young to talk about love?”

“Well I don’t know what kind of word that’s right to replace that.”

“Jaehyun, we’ve known each other for a long time already and do you think I would fall for you easily like what the other girls do? You are the kind-faced heart breaker, though.”

He grabbed her wrist, then both of them stopped walking. “Heart breaker? I’ve waited for you for a long time already yet you still call me that?”

Then she hugged Jaehyun, “You always flirt with the other girls. Do you think I don’t know that?”

“But it’s a joke.”

“That’s why I call you a heart breaker with your warm hearted face, Jaehyun. Heart is not something to be joked about, flirt is a flirt.”

Their height difference is perfect, and it made both of them comfortable to hug each other. Hyemi’s head on his chest, and Jaehyun’s head on top of her head. They could be a beautiful and cute high school story of basketball captain and cheerleader captain falling in love with each other, but sadly, she couldn’t.

There are more than one thing that Hyemi should think about.

***

The TV is on, but her eyes were glued to the phone. Scrolling down the Instagram feed, if her eyes were emoji, then it would be the heart eyes one right now. She thought that she is lucky because she accidentally found Mingyu’s Instagram account. And after 0.05 seconds, she pressed the follow button.

She stopped after a notification popped up, and almost threw her phone away.

“Amazing. Kim Mingyu is following me back.”

***