CHAPTER 14 – Rain and Coffee

Jinah is in the taxi whilst looking out the window, staring at the gray sky on the outside that pouring down droplets of waters. It’s raining again today. Jinah is in really good mood today. So she plans to do her school assignment on her favorite place in this cold weather after school. Yoona took their shared-car for herself today to go shopping with her best friends. That’s why Jinah takes the taxi right now.

The taxi stops on the destination. Jinah’s favorite place to go turns out to be a café. It was 5 minutes drive from PU campus. The café located in the hook, so it has views from 2 streets. There’s a red canopy in front of the café to accommodate tables under it. But all the customers choose to sit inside the café because of the rain.

After paying her taxi fare, Jinah immediately run into the café so she won’t get too wet from the rain. She enters the café while ruffling her hair and blouse from droplets of water. A series of ‘welcome’ from the café staffs instantly greet her when she entered.

The café smells like a baked cake. The interior colors consist of brown and light green which give calm and relaxing vibes to the whole café. There’s a slow song softly heard from the sound system as the background to add the feel.

There are only five customers inside the café. Three high school students on the corner busy with their own laptop. A glasses man near the entrance door and two gossip women near the windows. The barista smiles at Jinah. He knows Jinah often come to there. Jinah smiles back to him.

Jinah walks to the cashier to order her snack and drink to accompany her to do the assignment. She heard the café door being opened behind her.

The lady in the cashier looks at her in boredom “Welcome~ what can I get for you?” she asks flatly.

“One Americano, please,” Jinah said to the unenergetic cashier lady.

“Make that two,” a deep voice talked suddenly, startling Jinah.

Jinah turns to the source of voice. Kris stands behind her in his denim jackets. His hair is being pushed up neatly as usual and slightly damped by the rain.

“Kris?!” Jinah squeaked. It’s been four days since their encounter in supermarket that led Jinah to come to his house and guide him and Wendy to make cupcakes.

“You’re here, too! Is it our unexpected encounter again?” Jinah faces Kris.

“No, I’m actually stalking you with this application called ‘Jinah’s tracker’,” Kris replied while showing his phone.

Jinah narrowed her eyes.

Kris chuckles briefly. “Okay, kidding. It’s another unexpected encounter again. Long story short, I love their coffee,” Kris told Jinah.

The cashier lady clears . “Two Americano. Anything else?” she asked Kris in happy tone, contrasts to when she asked Jinah several seconds ago. Her eyes fixed on Kris.

Kris looks at Jinah. “You need anything else?”

“I would like to add one vanilla-filled croissant,” Jinah said to the cashier who still ogling at Kris. Then she turns to Kris again. “You?”

“One chicken club sandwich and one mineral water,” Kris said to the cashier.

The cashier lady type in their order in the machine and she announced the amount of their bills. Kris immediately passes his card to the lady before Jinah opened her bags to take her purse. “It’s on me,” he said to Jinah while flashing his gummy smile.

“You seriously need to stop doing that,” Jinah pouted. “I don’t like it, Kris.”

“I want to, Jinah,” Kris assured Jinah. Demand, actually.

The cashier lady gives back the card to Kris again. “Whose name should I put for your order?” she asked to both Kris and Jinah.

“Krisnah,” Kris replied instead.

Jinah narrowed her eyes again to Kris.

“Kris and Jinah,” Kris explains to Jinah without she has to ask.

The lady nodded and told them that they can wait their order at their tables. Kris trails behind Jinah who led the way to the table. They choose one of the tables near window three tables away from the 2 gossip women.

Jinah chooses to sit in front of Kris. Kris immediately engaged to his phone when they settle in their table.

“Krisnah, huh? Is it our name? Like HunHan or Baekyeol?” Jinah try to start a conversation to Kris.

Kris lifts his head and stops play with his phone. “Yes, it’s our couple name. I also want to have couple name like the others,” Kris said while lean back to his seat.

“You mean couple names?” Jinah raised her eyebrows to Kris. “After Taoris, Krishan, Krisyeol, Kray and so on,” she added.

Kris chuckles. “They made by other people. Krisnah is the first one made by me personally,” Kris replied while put his thumb and index finger under his chin.

Jinah also chuckles. “But… I would be confused to differentiate it with Krysnah, stands for Krystal and Jinah. It has same pronunciation with Krisnah though,” Jinah sighed.

“Should we find another couple name then?” Kris suggested. Kris starts to try any names that sounded like their combined name.

Jinah amused and only shook her head. She opens her bag and brings out her notebook computer to start doing her school assignment. Not long after that, a waiter delivers their foods and drinks to their table.

“Are you going here only to enjoy their coffee?” Jinah asked to Kris who still testing their couple names.

“Yap, I was supposed to bring along Sehun with me. But he ditched me instantly when Luhan asked him to go buy bubble tea together,” Kris frowned.

Jinah laughed. “When Luhan and bubble tea in the same sentence, of course Sehun will ditch you,” Jinah said in between her laugh.

“Yeah, Luhan and bubble tea are two words that never be rejected by Sehun,” Kris said bitterly.

“This is the second time you ditched by your friend,” Jinah stated. “If I’m not mistaken, you ditched by Chanyeol to have lunch together last time. Although he wasn’t really ditched you, but you almost eat alone at that time. Fortunately there still me. So you don’t have to spend your lunch alone like a loner,” Jinah teased Kris, recalling their unexpected lunch several weeks ago.

“God, you’re right!” Kris face palmed himself, feeling embarrassed. “I think you’re going to be the first person I’ll ask from to accompany me from now on,” Kris concluded in determination. “Don’t want to be ditch again. You seem like someone who never ditches anyone,” Kris added.

“Are you sure I’ll always have time for you?” Jinah raised her eyebrows again.

“I’ll make sure you’ll always make time for me,” Kris said confidently while grinned.

Then there’s a short silence between the two of them. Kris instantly attacks his sandwich. Jinah is sipping her warm coffee in glee while turn on her notebook computer.

“What are you doing?” Kris asked while sipped his coffee. He eyed Jinah who start typing in her notebook.

“School assignment, Have to make a short play script. And I’m really at it,” Jinah replies without lifts her head up.

“You prefer act to make script,” Kris stated.

Jinah nodded. “I need to be in a really really good mood if I want to make a good script. So I can get many inspirations,” Jinah still focused to her notebook screen.

“Are you in a good mood now? Or do you need me to give you some inspirations?” Kris leaned back to his seat.

“What will you do to inspire me?” Jinah lifts up her head to look at Kris.

Kris shrugged his shoulders. “Letting you stare at my face, maybe,” he said nonchalantly.

“So full of yourself,” Jinah playfully rolled her eyes. “By the way, I never seeing you or other EXO in business major do your school assignment. Did any of you ever do it but not in other’s people presence or your lecturer indeed never give you assignment?” Jinah asked in curiosity.

“I did. So does the others in business major. But trust me, school assignments are nothing compared to the real business. I still do my apprenticeship now in my father’s company, and it has become quiet handy for me to manage. I usually do school assignment and our company paperwork at the same time,” Kris explained.

Jinah nodded her head in sympathy. “I bet you do not have enough leisure time,” Jinah commented. “Had to balancing your school and work,” she added.

“It is. That’s why I have to spend my spare time well, just like right now,” Kris implied.

Jinah is attentive listening to Kris.

“Sometimes I have to take absence from class. Fortunately, our department gives permission as much as we want, as long as the company excuses us with official permit letter. I recently took absence because I have to attend a meeting in Japan for 3 days, just got back yesterday,” Kris recited enthusistly.

Jinah can see from the gleam in Kris’s eyes that he likes to be in business even he said that it’s hard to manage. She can see his passion in business. “No wonder I didn’t see you in school lately,” Jinah commented.

“Why? Do you miss me?” Kris smirked while wiggling his eyebrows.

“Here comes again,” Jinah narrowed her eyes. “I think you have become comfortable with me. Did you know that you talk more than one word in one sentence to me lately?” Jinah teased back.

“Yeah I know. You had mentioned it before,” Kris said sullenly.

Kris and Jinah spend the next 2 hours in the café. Jinah does her school assignment. Kris checking his emails or just reading news from his phone. They occasionally converse about any topics. Rain is still slightly dropped on the outside.

“Do you want to go home now? It’s almost 6 now,” Jinah asked Kris when the rain has completely stopped.

Kris looks up from his phone and stretches his arms out, flexing his muscle. Then he looks at Jinah who started to put back her belongings into her bags. “Did you finish making your script?”

“Yes. But I need to edit some part first before I collect it to my lecturer next week,” Jinah sighed.

Kris nodded. “Let’s get back home. It’s start to dark,” Kris stands from his seat.

Jinah smiles lightly. “Let’s go!” Jinah leads the way out from the café.

Kris suddenly stops Jinah when they reach the pavement in front of the café. “I park my car a bit far from here. Do you want to walk to there or just wait for me here while I take my car?” Kris asked.

“Are you implying to send me home?” Jinah asked back.

Kris chuckles. “Of course, you should now me better by now. Of course I’ll send you home, unless you bring your own vehicle?” Kris assured.

“I took taxi to come here,” Jinah replied.

“So? Walk with me to my car or just wait me here?” Kris asked again.

“Let’s walk to your car. I’m not a couch potato,” Jinah starts to walk to the left direction.

“Uhmmm… Actually, It’s this way,” Kris pointed toward the opposite direction.

Jinah stop walking and turns to Kris. Kris biting his lip to suppress his smile. “Please lead the way, mister,” Jinah grinned to hide her embarrassment.

Kris leads Jinah to where he parked his car. They walk side by side. When they walk down the sidewalk, people tend to stare or look twice at them, especially the ladies to Kris. Jinah know the exact reason, because if she’s a stranger to him she’ll definitely to steal glances at him too.

“Wait, there’s a book store here. I want to buy something. Do you mind if I go inside first? I promise it