The Coffee Cup was a small café on the outskirts of town, occupying the first floor of a two-story building. The location was ideal for a café, as the front of the house was facing a big park. That’s why the owner of the café, Mrs Kim, was very particular about keeping the big windows clean. The customers must be able to see the beautiful nature clearly, she kept insisting. It was a family owned business, popular among students and elderly. The students appreciated the quiet environment and the free Wi-Fi, and the senior citizens appreciated the scenery and the coffee.

The owners of the café, Mr and Mrs Kim, lived above the café with their youngest daughter, Yongsun, who also helped out in the café. Her bright smile could charm any customer, no matter their age. Since Yongsun was also student and couldn’t work all the time, and the Kim couple were getting old, they had decided to hire someone full time to help out.

That someone was Moon Byulyi, a university drop out, and this job was her saving grace. Finding a job in the city with almost no experience was tough, and if she had been unemployed any longer, she would have lost her apartment. Working at a small café didn’t exactly pay much, but Byulyi loved it, and it wasn’t like she had other options at the moment. She actually considered herself quite lucky. She was 22 years old, with an apartment and a job in Seoul. She was happy, even though lately her life had started to feel… monotone.

“Byulyi dear, I’m sorry, but could you close up today? Yongsun was going to do it, but she just texted me that she’s forgotten about it and is studying with a friend at the university and won’t make it in time. I really don’t know what to do with that girl, I swear.” Mrs Kim sighed, “My husband and I have a reservation at 6, and it’s been so long since we went out for dinner.”

Byulyi smiled at her boss.

“Don’t worry about it, Mrs Kim. I’ll do it, it’s no problem!”

“Oh, thank you Byulyi! You know my number if you need any help!”

“I’ve worked here for 6 months, I think I’ll be fine” Byulyi said jokingly, and Mrs Kim laughed. She was about to reply before a honk interrupted her. Byulyi jumped and looked out the window, and saw the Kim’s worn down car parked right outside.

“Well, I guess that’s my ride.” Mrs Kim winked at her and walked towards the door, “Thank you again, Byulyi!”

“It’s fine! You two have fun!” Byulyi smiled and waved at her boss as she walked out the door, got in the car and kissed her husband with a huge smile.

Mr and Mrs Kim had been married for almost 30 years, but to Byulyi it seemed like they were just as in love as newlyweds. Byulyi was happy for them, but she was also jealous, of both them and of Yongsun. Of the couple, because it was her dream to have a relationship like theirs, of Yongsun, because Byulyi wished her parents were the same.

The café was pretty empty this evening. It was almost 6 o’clock, and the only customers were an elderly couple seated by the window who were about to leave, and a young girl who sat in the corner with her laptop. Byulyi recognized the girl, she usually came in a few times a week, and sat in the same spot in the corner with her laptop. She always ordered the same thing too, Byulyi had noticed. A large caramel latte with extra caramel, and a chocolate cheesecake with whipped cream. It was basically sugar with sugar, and Byulyi thought the girl’s order matched her cute face. No, Byulyi had definitely not checked a customer out. That would have been unprofessional.

As Byulyi started to pick up the mugs left on the table by the elderly couple that just left, she stole glances at the girl in the corner. The café closed in 5 minutes, she still had half of her cheesecake left, and she was talking rather loudly with someone on her computer. Byulyi didn’t mind, since she was the only customer, and she appreciated the girl’s clear voice filling the empty café. Just then, the brown haired girl looked up and met Byulyi’s eyes across the room. Byulyi immediately looked down and hid her face behind her hair, suddenly very focused on the cups she was holding in her hands. She heard the girl giggle a bit, before saying something to her friend on the computer in a quiet voice. Byulyi cursed herself for staring and hurried back to the kitchen to put the dishes away. Once she was out of sight from the cute customer, she her dark hair out of her face and sighed.

“Very smooth, Byul.” She muttered to herself. She was about to walk out and tell the girl that she needed to close up, but stopped when she heard the girl talk loudly with her friend again.

“No, Hyejin, I don’t think she was checking me out! She was probably just annoyed because I was being so loud.” This was followed by silence, and Byulyi poked her head out of the kitchen just as the girl exploded in laughter.

“Hyejin! You can’t say stuff like that!” The girl laughed loudly, and Byulyi REALLY wanted to know what this Hyejin person had said.

“But yes, she was hot.”

Byulyi coughed and her face turned a light shade of pink, and more laughter came from the corner table.

Stop blushing like a school girl and go tell her you need to close up, Byul thought to herself. The walk to the girl’s table seemed endlessly long, and Byulyi hoped that she was so focused on her computer that she wouldn’t notice her blushing face.

“Miss, are you done with that?” Byulyi said and pointed to the half-eaten cheesecake, “I need to close now.”

“Hold on, Hyejin.” The girl said as she took out her headphones and looked up at Byulyi with a smile, “Sorry, what did you say?”

“I’m sorry but I need to close now, are you done with your cheesecake?” Byulyi asked again and cleared . She had just notice the dimple in the girl’s cheek, and she was struggling with how cute it was.

“Oh! Yeah, hold on.” The girl said, and scooped the cheesecake into in two pieces. She could barely close to chew and she managed to get cream on her chin. It was both the most impressive and weirdly cute thing Byulyi had ever seen.

“There, I’m done!” The girl said with full and handed her plate to Byulyi.

“Wow.” Was all Byulyi could say, and the girl smiled and struggled to swallow.

“I know, I’m a real catch right?” She winked, and Byulyi just spluttered out a yes as response. The girl laughed again, closed her computer and stood up to pack her things.

“Well, I better go then, if you’re closing. So,” She leaned forward to read Byulyi’s nameplate on her shirt, “Moon Byulyi. Thank you for the excellent coffee, and it was nice to meet you!”

“Nice to meet you too.” Byulyi mumbled, sort of in a daze. The girl was like a whirlwind, everything went so fast with her. She was halfway out the door when she suddenly spun around.

“Oh, and I’m Wheein by the way.” She smiled, her cheek dimpling again. “Jung Wheein.”

And with that, the girl was gone, and Byulyi was left staring at the door of the café like an idiot.