I head for work straight after lunch while Jimin returns to the shop. Settling down, I put on my apron and take position behind the cashier counter.

 

“Hyekyung,” one of my other co-workers call me. “The team’s gathering for dinner after work.”

 

I frown. “Can I bail on this one?”

 

“They say it’s to welcome the new manager or something,” she smiles at me sadly. I nod, mentally reminding myself that I should call Jimin later to let him know I’ll be back later than expected.

 

Movement outside the café’s glass doors catch my attention. On the other side of the door, Jimin presses his face onto the glass with his hands cupped around his eyes trying to peer in. A couple passes by behind him, laughing. Finally, he pushes the door open and comes through.

 

“You don’t look like you’re here for coffee,” I say, raising my eyebrows at him.

 

Jimin shakes his head. “I came to pass you this.” He hands over my phone across the counter.

 

“My phone! Why is this with you?”

 

“Tsk, tsk,” he rolls his eyes. “You left it at the restaurant just now. The waiter chased after me because you disappeared too fast.”

 

“Thanks. By the way, I might be back really late.” I sigh. “There a gathering after work I have to go to.”

 

Jimin nods. “I’ll be up late too, so call me if you need me to go pick you up or something. Don’t drink too much!”

 

I wave his concern off. “Whatever you know of that night was an exception, I tell you. I usually have clean drinking habits.”

 

“Yeah, right,” he says. “Just let me know if you need anything. I’m on call twenty-four seven.”

 

I nod. “I will. Now hurry back.”

 

“See you later, noona!” Jimin waves adorably in a series of big movements outside the door before turning away.

 

For the next seven or so hours, I rotate between manning the register and cleaning tables. How much time and money will it take to get a barista license? It has always been my dream to open my own café but with my current circumstances, it looks like I’m going to have to put that dream on hold for another ten years.

 

As we prepare to close for the day, our team leader hurries everyone to quickly clean up so we can head over to the gathering venue together. I sigh, my brain running wild on plans to slip out of the dinner later.

 

“Welcome to the team!” We cheer as we raise our glasses. The new manager, Yang Seyoon, stands.

 

“Thank you,” he speaks in a deep, booming voice. “I look forward to working with everyone.”

 

I turn my head to the side to down my glass of beer in one shot.

 

“Lee Hyekyung-ssi?”

 

“Yes, sir,” I answer immediately.

 

Seyoon stares so blatantly at me that I feel the chill of his stare all the way to the base of my spine. “I hear you’re the longest running part-timer here.”

 

“Yes, sir.” Is it possible to dislike someone on first sight?

 

He looks at me as if he’s expecting me to say something more. “Three years, is it?”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

My team leader kicks me from under the table but I ignore her. She smiles awkwardly at Seyoon. As discreetly as I can, I send a simple SOS text to Hani asking her to call me in twelve minutes so I can pretend it’s an important appointment calling for me.

 

Half an hour later, she remains unresponsive.

 

“Let’s go to the karaoke for round two!” Someone suggests.

 

Here comes my chance. “Uh, I have to get going…”

 

“Oh, Hyekyung!” A co-worker wraps an arm around my shoulder and pulls me along as if I never said anything. As dumb as I am, I let myself be dragged away to another round of party.

 

“Oh yeah, so-maek!” I hold a bottle of soju and beer in each hand and expertly mix the two types of alcohol into a line of glasses.

 

Beside me, someone claps. “I swear you mix the best so-maek, Hyekyung-ah!”

 

“Of course! This is my secret golden ratio…” I think my words come out a bit slurred at the end but it could just be the loud singing in the background. Handing out the drinks, we clink glasses and I down mine in yet another one shot. I nod in approval of my own mixing skills.

 

“Manager-nim, here’s to you!” Our team leader offers him a drink which he politely takes. He puts the glass down after making a show of drinking but no one else seem to have noticed. As if feeling my gaze on him, his eyes find mine. I look away immediately, faking a cough and reaching for another bottle of beer.

 

A sticky hand grabs my wrist and I fall about an inch short of touching the bottle. I try to pull myself free but the hold on me is strong. Yang Seyoon? I blink my blurry eyes and trace along the arm to confirm that it is indeed the new manager who’s interfering. I look away and try to pry my arm out with more strength but to no avail.

 

“You’ve had enough, Lee Hyekyung-ssi,” Seyoon says.

 

I’m about to argue back but long fingers come into my vision and latches onto Seyoon’s own wrist.

 

“Hyung.” While Seyoon’s voice had been deep and throaty, this man… sounds about as drunk as I am. What in the world…

 

“Min Yoongi, what are you doing here?” I hear our manager ask.

 

Taking advantage of the distraction, I tug on my arm and finally pull myself out of his grasp. An uncomfortable feeling lingers on my skin and I rub the area to get rid of his touch. The person named Min Yoongi releases his hold on Seyoon.

 

“I’m here to collect this lady,” Yoongi answers. I look up at him to see him pointing directly in my face.

 

“Who, what…” Something clicks in the back of my mind. I snort. “Min Yoongi? What happened to ‘on call twenty-four seven’?” Jimin, you lied.

 

Yoongi sighs. “Come on, let’s go. I’ll take you home.”

 

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