Turtlenecks, Chocolate & Winter Kiss Part. I: Diary of Jung Soojung

Krystal liked Winter. It was her favorite season for one simple reason: it provided the best environment for her to read. She could wear her long black turtleneck sweaters, sit on a table on her study room, turning on the white lights and get a cup of hot sweet chocolate – sometimes a bit more to the bitter side – just to spend the entire day reading. It was dream like. That’s why she liked winter so much.

This winter was a bit different though.

She heard about a small jazz café that was opened just a few days ago around the neighborhood. Her best friend Sulli referred to it as ‘Aesthetic, just like you, Soojung’ and so Krystal decided to pay a visit, to at least see if it was worth it.

It seemed liked it was a nice place, she could feel her heart beat rising of excitement as soon as she opened the door and the smell of chocolate hit her nose. It was cozy. She liked it. She was over the moon actually, it was like a place made for people like her, for her. The music, the smell, the cold yet nice weather. It was perfect.

She tightened the hold on her book – Don Quijote – and looked around, searching for an empty table. Luckily for her, there was one right beside the stage. She sat down and observed as the band played a few songs, heavenly music for her ears, before opening her book and taking another glance around the place and outside the café. There were a few couples entering, holding hands and smiling at each other not really minding about the snow that was covering their heads.

It’s been a while since Krystal experienced real love.

She chuckled at herself and went back to her reading. She wasn’t at the time to be thinking about love and such things. She had work, taking care of herself and paying the apartment she bought about last month. She had a lot in mind to be thinking about love. No. She had to pay attention to other things for now.

She was so immersed in her book that she didn’t notice someone approaching her table. She felt a shadow covering a few spaces of her light, and so she decided to look up to see who may have interrupted her peaceful moment. It was then when she saw that person. The person who made her think twice about what she used to believe.

- Good afternoon, ma’am. Welcome to Winter Kiss Café. My name is Amber, and I’ll be serving you today.

>>>

Krystal loved winter. It was her favorite season, but now she had two simple reasons why: it provided the best environment for her to read and she could see the lovely waitress that lights up her days. She could wear her long black turtleneck sweaters, sit on a table beside the stage at Winter Kiss, waiting for Amber to show up with a smile asking her what she would want and she, being a fan of the bitter sweet things in life, would order a cup of hot sweet chocolate – sometimes a bit more to the bitter side – just to spend the entire day reading and sparing glances at the tomboy. It was dream like. That’s why she liked winter so much.

Just like at the moment – She has become a known customer -, Krystal enjoyed her coffee as she watched Amber smiling to every client entering the Café. She was just like that. A little ball of sunshine, someone who would always light up the place, someone completely different from Krystal. That’s why Krystal liked her so much.

Sadly, Krystal was a shy person and she wasn’t sure about how she would ever bring herself to talk to someone like Amber. She wasn’t even sure if Amber viewed her the way Krystal viewed the tomboy. She wasn’t that judgmental: just because Amber was tomboy, didn’t mean she was gay. Perhaps the older girl – being such a cutie – was taken already. There was no way she could know unless she asked, and that would be weird.

- Miss Soojung – someone called.

- Ah – Krystal stopped day dreaming - Yeah, Amber-ssi? – she replied with a small smile, trying hard to hide her blushing cheeks.

- We are about to close – Amber replied with a big smile as she pointed at the empty tables.

- Oh – Krystal blushed hard 'Just how long have I been day dreaming?' she thought -. Well, I think I’ll just… take my leave then – she said standing up.

- Yes, ma’am – Amber bowed her head and looked up before saying -. Please come back tomorrow.

>>>

Krystal told herself as she sat down on her usual table, putting her book down and sighing. It was always empty and she wondered why. It was – by her perspective – the best table inside the entire café. Nether less, she was lucky to be able to always sit in that place.

She was scolding herself, not because she did something wrong nor anything. She just was being a love struck. It was like her heart would explode the moment she stepped in the café this morning and Amber immediately run to her, smiling and saying a soft, tender ‘Good morning, miss Soojung’. Krystal thought that Amber was waiting for her, after all she remembered that Amber told her to please come back, but it