"And...done." Yeseul sighed in satisfaction as she looked closely at the ad she posted on her SNS, nodding when she's positive that she didn't make any errors.

 

Her aunt peered over her shoulder at the screen. "The photo came out nicely, didn't it?"

 

Yeseul turned and hugged the older woman at the waist. "The mini-cake and cookies turned out well, that's why, Auntie. Thank you."

 

She scoffed, yet smiled fondly at the girl. "You did most of the work this time."

 

"But you patiently taught me." Yeseul laughed, recalling how stubborn and abrasive she was in the beginning when she thought she already knew how it was done.

 

"Besides, I couldn't have done it either if you haven't given me an idea."

 

"Well, all we have to do now is to wait for the orders to come in." Yeseul's aunt patted her hair gently as Yeseul smiled and closed her laptop.

 

 

Yeseul hummed to herself as she constructed the boxes she'll be using for their Valentine cakes. A love song was playing on her phone, and though she thought the lyrics were cheesy, she thought it was perfect to get her in the mood.

 

She didn't really like the Valentine season; it was always stressful for her aunt in her small coffee shop, the traffic becomes worse, and everywhere she'd see lovers making out.

 

It wasn't that she became bitter over something; it just felt overwhelmingly hyped up. She believed in a straightforward, quiet love, not the hearts-on-banners type.

 

But here she was, selling holiday sweets for couples and would-be couples. It was her aunt's idea to get more cafe customers.

 

She paused when her music toned down a bit and messenger app blinked, indicating an unread message.

 

From: 02xx-xxxxxxx

Hi, is this the contact for Rosa's Coffee? Up to how many mini-cakes can I order for Valentine's day? 😊

 

An order! Yeseul tapped a reply on her phone excitedly.

 

From: Yeseul

Thank you for choosing Rosa's Coffee!

For orders of more than six, we'd like to have the final number two days before Valentines’ to accommodate your cake order.

 

From: 02xx-xxxxxxx

Oh! Well, how many then, if I want to avail a discount? 😁

 

Yeseul frowned at the next message. How cheeky! This person hasn't even said anything about how many cakes they'll buy and they're already talking about a discount!

 

From: 02xx-xxxxxxx

I'm kidding, Yeseul. Can I order 5 cakes in dark chocolate flavor? 😇

 

From: Yeseul

Who is this?

 

She shook her head, and added another line.

 

From: Yeseul

Of course. Will you be picking them up on Valentine's Day?

 

From: 02xx-xxxxxxx

Yep. You still live above the shop, right? 😊

Can't you guess who I am? 😉

I'll give you a clue: Nonstop 😆

 

Nonstop? Yeseul glared at the screen. Who is this? Obviously she knew the texter personally, but the clue confused her further...

 

From: Yeseul

I'm sorry, I really can't remember.

But yes, you may pick them up at the cafe.

 

From: 02xx-xxxxxxx

Aw, you don't remember me anymore. I'll give you another clue, but it's too easy.

I'm Yang Donggeun. You're Jang Nara.

 

Yeseul paused. She can vaguely remember Yang Donggeun’s character and a boy in her living room, a rather untidy one at that, who liked watching Nonstop with her...

 

From: Yeseul

Seungyoon??

 

From: 02xx-xxxxxx

Ding ding ding! You got it! 😁🎊

How have you been, Lee Yeseul? 😉

 

She smiled as she leaned on the kitchen counter, all the boxes forgotten.

 

From: Yeseul

Seungyoon! I'm good! I'm helping Auntie with her shop now.

I thought you're still in the U.S. with your sister? When did you get back? 😊

 

From: Seungyoon

I came back a month ago, but I stayed at my grandparents' house first in Busan while Sis looked for a unit she and her husband can move into.

I only moved back to my mom's house last week.

Wait, are you home?

 

Yeseul was about to type back a reply, when her phone started ringing with a call from Seungyoon himself.

 

"Hello?" She said tentatively in the receiver.

 

"Yeseul-aaaah!"

 

"Hey, Kang Seungyoon! It's been a long time!"

 

"It certainly has been. Are you still as tiny as I remember you?" He sniggered into the phone.

 

"Excuse me! I distinctly remember that we're hardly of different height," she replied indignantly. Seungyoon burst into laughter. Reddening, Yeseul fired back, "Are you still as untidy as I remember you? Do you still take a shower after lunch hour?"

 

"Ah, memories. I take showers everyday now."

 

"Isn't that great news!"

 

"...once each day, before I go to bed."

 

"Ew!" She crinkled her nose. "You're still as scruffy as ever. Is that your smell wafting through my phone?"

 

Seungyoon let out a chuckle. "No fair, I only have my height as an advantage over you."

 

"You can't have THAT much advantage over me."

 

"Oh, yeah?" He challenged her. "Wanna bet?"

 

"Call! I bet you're only maximum, three inches taller than me."

 

He burst out laughing. "Are you sure about that, Lee Yeseul?"

 

"You can't be any taller."

 

There was a hum from the other line. "We'll see about that. Are you home?"

 

"Why?"

 

"Come outside for a bit."

 

Yeseul put her phone away from her ear to check, and walked around their kitchen to the door leading to their coffee shop's kitchen. She peeked towards the large windows, but she couldn't see anyone outside. The Kang family's house was slightly visible from her vantage point; not a soul stood near its gate.

 

She could feel her aunt, who manned the register, giving her a quizzical look. She put the phone back to her ear.

 

"Come on, what are you waiting for?"

 

Yeseul walked carefully, zigzagging cafe tables and standing customers and exited the shop. She stared high at the Kang's two-storey home and swept the street with her eyes.

 

She narrowly missed a hunched figure sitting on the porch of her own doorstep, observing her.

 

"Psst. Jjang Nara!"

 

Her sight having adjusted to the dark night, and helped along by the street lights and the cafe's bulbs, she traced the features of the boy before her with her eyes.

 

He was thin, and his face was longer and thinner than she remembered; he had lost most of the baby fat he had on his face when he was young. But the apples of his cheeks were as round as ever, his eyes sharp and teasing, lips full and red.

 

This was really her friend, Kang Seungyoon.

 

"It's been so long! And you're still as small as ever!"

 

Yeseul walked up to him with a dumbfounded laugh. "Well, let me see, then! You barely reached my height when we were young!"

 

Seungyoon grinned with mischief, stretched out his legs, and got up slowly for the effect.

 

And it worked. Yeseul stared up at his face as he stood - no, towered - over her. She flushed, mortified.

 

"Well? Three inches taller?" He grinned, rather enjoying teasing her.

 

Yeseul looked up carefully, and found that he was roughly seven inches taller than her. She could even barely reach his shoulder.

 

"I should have kept my mouth shut," she grumbled. Seungyoon snickered.

 

"I should have angled for a discount when you bet your height against mine."

 

"I'll definitely make it up to you for insulting your obvious advantage."

 

Seungyoon smiled, and glanced back inside the cafe. He let out a low whistle as he studied the packed interior. "Business sure is good, huh?"

 

Yeseul followed his gaze and nodded happily. "Auntie and I really worked hard on it. Well, I made more mess than help." She amended sheepishly.

 

Seungyoon clucked his tongue. "Nah, I heard from my mom that you barely had days off and such from watching over the shop so well."

 

"Your mom is one of my favorite customers."

 

"Oh? Is that trying to make up for your mistake earlier?" He quipped.

 

Yeseul ribbed him playfully. "No, she really is a good customer. Come, I'll show you to Auntie."

 

He nodded and took her hand immediately, opening the door along the way. The chime above the door rang loudly over the din of the cafe, but Yeseul barely registered all of it.

 

Seungyoon confidently led her in, but he glanced around cluelessly for where to go next.

 

Yeseul took that as a sign to take charge. "Here." She led him back to the counter, where her aunt was in the middle of preparing someone's order.

 

"Auntie, look who's here. Kang Seungyoon." Yeseul gestured to Seungyoon who greeted her aunt cheerfully.

 

"Seungyoon-ah! Wow, it's been so long! You grew up really well," Yeseul's aunt exclaimed, and Yeseul didn't miss the emphasis in her statement either.

 

She also didn't fail to see the girls in line now paying a good amount of their attention at the tall boy.

 

"Thank you, Auntie. You look younger than when I last saw you." He gave the older woman a wide grin, and Auntie ate that up. The two ended up throwing each other compliments that Yeseul rolled her eyes. These two can be glib and cute whenever they want to.

 

"I remember you used to stay up in our living room until your grandma had to pull you home for dinner. And one time, you came back after dinner, to your mother's chagrin