Lucky Stop Café was a place filled with love. Since I had been working here, I had witnessed many wonderful stories. As there was a school nearby, students would often come to the coffee shop. Some of them were couples. It was lovely to see those young couples dating and enjoying their first love story. 

          Once, an old couple had come to the shop. I had been amazed by the strong affection that linked them. Throughout their time here, the man had never let go of his wife's hand. And the way she had stared at him had conveyed all of her feelings. That day, I had realized that love was real, and one just had to bear the ups and downs of a relationship to reach eternal love.

 

          These sweet memories left my mind as a group of six men got into the shop. They were welcomed by one of my coworkers who showed them the list of beverages. It took them a while to choose their drinks. When they did, they lined up in front of the counter. I listened to their orders, one by one, and served them. Then, they walked together to a table, except for one guy, who was staring at me.

 

"How may I help you, Sir ?" I asked.

 

          He didn't reply but his gaze was still fixed on my face. I was starting to feel uneasy. No one had ever stared at me like he was doing.

 

"Sir ?"

"Yes ?" he said, snapping out of his daydream.

"May I help you ?"

"Yes.. I.. Actually, I would like to know your name." he stuttered.

 

          His words left me speechless. I hadn't been expecting that. The funny thing was that, among the people I had encountered at this place, he was the first who had asked about my name. I glanced down at my name tag before looking at him again.

 

"What's your name ?"

"I'm ____." I answered with a smile.

"Nice to meet you ____-ssi. I'm Lee Jae Hwan."

"Oh.. uh.. okay.." I hesitated.

"Well, my friends are waiting for me." he started. "We'll see each other again, right ?"

"Maybe."

"I hope so."

 

          With those words, the young man bowed and walked to his friends. He sat down with them and I couldn't help but look at him from afar. I had never heard such a name and I was sure that I had never met him before. I couldn't understand why he had been staring at me. I tried to forget his weird behavior and focus on the request of the next customer.

 

          I had been working for a while when my best friend, the owner of Lucky Stop Café, walked into the shop. Min Jung and I had known each other since childhood. We had been to school together. When she had told me about her dream of owning a coffee shop, I had decided to support her. She had borrowed money from her parents and the bank to start her little enterprise. The popularity of the place had increased and Min Jung had started making her own money. However, nothing had changed. Both of us still worked together.

 

"What are you still doing here Unni ?" she asked. "It's time for your lunch break."

"I was waiting for you." I explained. "Shall I get you something ?"

"I've eaten already. I was at my parents' place."

"Alright. Then, I'll come back quickly."

 

          Min Jung nodded and gave me a hug before letting me go. I grabbed my purse and left the shop. I was heading towards a convenience store when someone grabbed my arm. I was dumbfounded to recognize the guy from earlier. I had thought that he had left already.

 

"Where are you going ?" he smiled.

"Why are you following me ?" I muttered.

"I'm not.. I... I only want to know where you're going."

"Excuse me Sir, but that's not for you to worry about." I replied.

"Have you forgotten my name already ?"

"Could you, please, leave me alone ?"

"You're the one who started this." he blamed. "If you weren't so pretty, I wouldn't have followed you."

 

          His words didn't make me comfortable at all. I had never been in such a creepy situation. I moved his hand away and took a few steps, hoping that he wouldn't follow me, but I was wrong. The faster I walked, the closer he got. Finally, I turned around.

 

"What do you want from me ?" I shouted.

"A date."

"I don't even know you !"

"Please.. Go on a date with me." he pleaded.

 

          I couldn't believe it. This guy was so confident. How could he think that I would accept a date ? When I didn't know him. And why would he ask me out when we had just met each other for the first time ? He was incredible. I had never met someone like him in the past. He was so.. blunt.

 

"So, what do you think about it ?" he asked.

"No. I will not go out with you. Can you leave me alone now ?"

"I won't give up on you, ____-ssi."

 

          I sighed while making my way to the store. It had been the craziest moment of my lifetime. I had been followed, or maybe stalked, by a stranger. An handsome stranger though. But he was quite scary. I knew nothing about him. He just showed up in front of me once, and he already wanted to date. What a crazy man !

 

. . .

 

          The following day, I was working with Min Jung at the shop. The morning had been quiet, only some of our regular customers had come, and I had used our free time to tell her about the stranger who wanted to go out with me. She had decided that I was the crazy one. According to her, I should have gone out with him, get to know him and maybe I would have fallen in love. She even said that she felt jealous because no one was interested in her. I had shaken my head while listening to her. She was desperate for love, which wasn't my case. I didn't feel like dating a man who was so weird and creepy.

          My heart raced when I recognized his silhouette from afar. He had just gotten inside the shop. I crouched, hiding behind the counter, so he wouldn't see me and Min Jung laughed aloud. Then, she focused on our customer.

 

"Welcome to the Lucky Stop Café !" she said sweetly. "Have you chosen a beverage already ?"

"I'm sorry, I'm not here for coffee. Isn't ____ around ?"

"____ ?"

"Yes, the one who works here." he added.

 

          Min Jung was about to talk when I grabbed her leg so as to silently ask for her help.

 

"She's not here today." she replied in an apologetic tone.

"Are you one of her friends ?"

"Yes.. I am. Why ?"

"Could you give this to her ?"

 

          From my hiding place, I tried to look at what he was giving Min Jung. However, I couldn't see anything.

 

"I will." she promised.

"Thank you !"

 

          I heard footsteps and when he was gone, Min Jung told me that I could stand up. That was when I saw the pink box he had left on the counter. My hand almost reached it but my best friend took the box first.

 

"You don't deserve this !" she reprimanded. "He is so handsome ! How could you turn him down ?"

"Wouldn't you freak out if you were me ?"

"Nope. You're just heartless."

 

          She stuck her tongue out and opened the little box. The mouthwatering aroma reached my nose as I looked at the cupcake in her hand. It was a beautiful cake, a red rose made of almond paste was placed on its top, the blue cream on the chocolate base looked appetizing. Min Jung brought the cupcake closer to but I couldn't let her do that. I snatched the cake from her hands. Then, I walked to the nicest spot of the shop, leaving a laughing Min Jung.

 

. . .

 

          My dear friend and I were the last ones to leave the shop as we were in charge of the cleaning. It was dark when we got out. We were on our way to the parking lot when a voice was heard behind us.

 

"Why did you lie ?"

 

          I turned around slowly to find out that the guy I had tried to avoid was standing there.

 

"Do you hate me ?"

"Are you following me again ?" I felt helpless.

"I only wanted to be nice to you. Why don't you accept me.."

"I think you need some time to talk." Min Jung said. "I'll see you tomorrow Unni."

 

          She mouthed a "be nice" before walking away. I felt desperate. She was leaving me here, with a stranger who had been stalking me, at night. My grip on my bag tightened as I met his gaze. He looked down. I couldn't figure out why.

 

"____, why are you avoiding me ?"

"Honestly.. I'm.. I'm scared." I muttered.

"How can you be afraid of someone who loves you.." he whispered.

"Excuse me ?"

"I think I'm in love with you." he confessed. "I've never had those feelings before. The way you make me feel is incredible. Your smile, your eyes, your gentleness, your face, everything about you is attractive ! I wish I could take care of you every single day." he took my hand and continued. "I want to be your boyfriend, _____. No, actually, I need to be your boyfriend. Without you, my life has no meaning."

"Do you realize that we have met each other yesterday ?"

"I've fallen for you at first sight. Time doesn't matter but my heart does. And it belongs to you. I'm in love with you, ____, I love you."

 

          A nervous laughter escaped from my mouth after his brave confession. This guy definitely wasn't the crazy one. He hadn't fled from an asylum. No. It was me. I was being hysteric. The feelings I held towards him were hard to understand. I wasn't afraid anymore, I only thought that it was funny. It was a ridiculous situation. I had not been involved in a relationship for ages and, now, an handsome stranger was confessing his love for me after having spent a day following me.

 

"Look, Mister.."

"Jae Hwan." he informed.

"Jae Hwan-ssi, I'm not in love with you. You're a stranger, someone I know nothing about. I would be happy if you could just-"

"I'm not asking you to become my girlfriend now." he cut me off. "I want you to give me a chance. Let me make you fall in love."

 

          I analyzed the one standing in front of me from his head to his toes. He was tall, thin, well-built. He had beautiful features and his eyes were so small, I loved man who had eyes like his. His brown hair was really nice and his haircut was fine. He had a good sense of fashion. Truthfully, he wasn't bad at all.

          I felt shivers running down my spine as I realized I was thinking too much.

 

"I need time to think about it." I answered. "Will it be alright ?"

"I'll wait for you." he smiled. "I'll be here so when you're ready, just come to me."

 

. . .

 

          It had been a week since our conversation at the parking lot. Jae Hwan had not come to the coffee shop for a full week. Several times, I had found myself opening the front door to see if he was outside, maybe hiding somewhere. But he wasn't. Each time I would hear someone open the door, I would quickly take a look. Yet, it was never him.

          After three days, I couldn't get him off my mind. I was wondering if he was alright, if something had happened to him, if he had a reason for not coming. It felt weird to know that the one who had followed me around for two days wouldn't come to me anymore. Maybe he had gotten tired. Or he had met someone else already.

          An acute pain snapped me out of my thoughts. I had just burnt my fingers with hot coffee.

 

"Unni, are you alright ?" Min Jung rushed to my side.

"I was lost in my thoughts." I explained.

"Those past days, you have been very clumsy."

"I'm sorry Min Jung. I don't know what's wrong with me." I whispered.

"I know what your problem is. You want to see that guy, don't you ?"

"No ! I've seen him twice. He's not that important to me." I lied.

"You're like an open book Unni. I can read through you."

"Okay.. I was thinking about him." I revealed. "But, don't get me wrong. I don't understand why he's not coming. He said he loves me and he disappears."

"He's good with women."

"Is he ?" I asked.

"Well, he knows what to do for you to long for him." she explained with a wink.

"I'm only curious. I don't miss him nor anything; don't misunderstand."

"I've missed you though."

 

          I was taken aback as I recognized the voice coming from behind me. Min Jung and I slowly turned around. A pouting Jae Hwan was there, at the counter of our little shop, after seven long days of disappearance.

 

"Jae Hwan-ssi, welcome !" Min Jung greeted.

"Hi !" he said with a smile.

"You're so handsome ! I love your clothes." she complimented.

"Thank you." he replied. "I'm trying to be at my best for ____."

"You're so lucky Unni !" Min Jung told me.

 

          She guided me to a table and asked Jae Hwan to come with us. Then, she ordered me to sit down. She patted my shoulder before going back to work. I felt myself blushing when Jae Hwan's gaze met mine.

 

"Did you not miss me ?" he asked.

 

          He grinned and I knew I couldn't lie.

 

"A little." I answered.

"I'm glad you did. You've never left my mind."

"Where have you been ?"

"My friend told me to stay away from you."

"Why ?" I said, surprised.

"You would miss me."

 

          His eye-smile made my heart beat faster. Min Jung was right, he was a cute man. If he had a girlfriend, she would be luckiest. I bit my lip as I thought about what he had told me the last time I had seen him. He wanted me to be his girlfriend. I could be the one who was lucky enough to be with him. However, I wasn't in love.

 

"Jae Hwan-ssi, I wanted you to know-"

"Don't reject me now." he begged. "Just give me a chance."

"But-"

"I know it's crazy. And I've never done that, you can trust me." he started. "I can't let you go. You're not one of those beautiful women that I won't remember. When I saw you, I fell in love. Something has happened in my heart."

"I don't love you."

"You don't hate me." he argued. "Maybe you like me, at least a little bit."

 

          I recalled the events of the past few days when I had been very clumsy. In fact, I had been busy thinking about him. I hadn't seen him and, truthfully, I had missed him. I had wanted to meet the weird stalker one more time.

 

"If you give me a chance, I'll make you mine. You'll be happy and in love." he promised.

"This is crazy."

"I'm crazy about you !"

 

          I looked around and noticed couples enjoying their date. So many love stories had started at the Lucky Stop Café. And they all lasted. Some had gotten married. Two young students caught my eyes. The guy was holding the girl's hand on the table. She looked shy as the guy was probably confessing to her. He brought her hand to his lips. The girl's face reddened and I looked at Jae Hwan again, with a smile.

 

"Why do you love me ?" I asked.

"I have no idea, ____. I just love you. You've stolen my heart at the first glance. I don't know if our love story will last but I hope it will. I want to give us a chance. Would you like it too ?"

 

          I took a deep breath and whispered.

 

"Okay.. Let's date."