“I don’t like him.”

“Sorry, who?” Joohyun blinked at the sulking brunette. She saw her eyes following every movement of a well-built colleague from the sales department. The charming young man, unaware of the Seulgi’s hostile stare, flashed a bright smile and sent a wave in Joohyun’s direction. 

“Him. Boogeum,” Seulgi’s frown deepened, stabbing her fork into the innocent chicken cutlet on her plate.

Joohyun knew that the male had expressed his interest towards her countless times, subtly presenting little gifts and gestures that had their colleagues cooing in response. The ones who knew about Seulgi and Joohyun stepped in to keep him at bay but the majority of the company thought that Boogeum would make a great couple with Joohyun. Joohyun laughs a little at Seulgi’s possessiveness- it’s the something the younger seldom expressed but Joohyun thought it was adorable whenever her girlfriend does that. 

“Seulgi,” Joohyun whined her name, attacking Seulgi's weakness for cuteness and pale skin with nonsensical patterns, “You know that I don’t like him.” 

“I know,” Seulgi lifted her gaze and sighed, “Sorry, I’m just being childish.”

“I love only you,” Joohyun blushed when Seulgi gave Joohyun a smile that reminded her of the burning star that was bright and warm. Seulgi was her sun.

Day 3:

Joohyun wakes up before her alarm today, absentmindedly throwing her arm to the side. She gasps at the curves under her touch, the warmth seeping through her palm along with every breath the person beside her has taken. 

Seulgi’s name is lodged in as her eyes flew open, adjusting to the dimness in her room. Joohyun should have known from the smell of apples that it was not Seulgi but nonetheless, the disappointment makes her heart sink deeper. Sooyoung was curled up tightly where Seulgi used to lay, worry forming deep ceases on her forehead and Joohyun unconsciously reaches out to rub circles to ease them away. Sooyoung relaxes into the touch, a small noise of satisfaction wheezes pass her parted lips. Joohyun retracts her hand and tries to go back to sleep with the comfort of Sooyoung’s warmth instead of Seulgi’s. 

When Joohyun finally awakens at eleven with golden rays filtering through the windows, feeling well-rested with a fitful sleep void of nightmares. Joohyun knows that Sooyoung must have left for work because the silence is remarkable. The brunette snuggles into her pillow, body sink into soft cotton and relaxes with every inhale of lavender that calms her nerves. 

Joohyun feels empowered. 

She left the house to visit the cafe for her daily cup of hot chocolate, dropping Sooyoung a text who replies with a “Have a good day. I love you, my mother,” and Joohyun laughs. She adores the younger who never spares a day teasing her motherly instincts but showers Joohyun with genuine concern. Sooyoung also reminds Joohyun to send her greetings to the purple-haired barista, the younger has formed a liking to the warm-hearted Wendy. 

“Good mor- Hello, Miss Irene!” Joohyun chuckles at the evident joy in the barista’s face, waving to acknowledge her and orders her usual cup of joe. 

“I’m glad to see you today,” Wendy’s voice was bright, “I’m glad you are okay.” 

Joohyun didn’t have the heart to ask Wendy to stay out of her business- it’s funny how a stranger she barely knows on an intimate level sharing such concern for her but Joohyun takes it because Wendy’s gaze bears no harm. 

“Thank you,” Joohyun accepts her cup of hot chocolate and the napkin that comes with it, “Joy sends her greetings to you.” 

“Oh!” her eyes widen in delight, eyebrows disappearing behind her fringe, “Tell her I say hi too!” 

Joohyun chuckles when the barista ducks her head in realization that her volume was deafening and scurries back behind the counter to serve the next customer. She reads the words on the napkin that the barista has given to her. 

Life always waits for some crisis to occur before revealing itself as the most brilliant.

Joohyun swallows at the reminder of the words and tucks the note between her planner. She plugs the earpiece in to drown the noise and nods to the music, leisurely drawing gentle on paper. Joohyun picks up the habit of doodling from Seulgi- the activity is strangely relieving as every controlled pressure Joohyun press, it inks the white paper with . turn into lines and curves and Joohyun recalls how fascinating it is whenever Seulgi forms a picture with simple of black on white. A gentle knock on the table distracted Joohyun and a long ugly line was scribbled across the half-drawn bear. 

“I’m so sorry,” Wendy apologizes, her eyes curving downwards like a puppy who is reprimanded for chewing her owner’s slippers. 

“It’s okay,” Joohyun feels her heart clenches slightly that things are just not meant to be. The barista clears sheepishly, asking if it’s okay for her to take a seat across Joohyun. The elder raises her eyebrows in question, her eyes scanning the casual attire. Wendy seems smaller in a striped button-up and navy ripped jeans instead of the usual black collared uniform and wine red apron. 

“My shift is over today,” Wendy grins, taking her seat although Joohyun has not agreed to her request. 

“You’re not going home?” The brunette kindly pulls the drink towards herself so Wendy has some space to place her own cup of coffee.

“I have time to spare,” Wendy ends the conversation and Joohyun do not want to probe too much. Joohyun sips on her own drink and spies Wendy staring at her, a blush involuntarily creeps up her cheek at the undivided attention.  

“Is there something on my face?”

“No,” Wendy replies nonchalantly, “You look better today and definitely prettier when you smile.”

Joohyun laughs at the compliment; she is not a stranger to praises towards her Daegu beauty that gained her fame in her younger days. With porcelain pale skin, mesmerizing brown eyes and a curvaceous figure- it’s a given that Joohyun is attractive in both men’s and women’s radar. 

“I’m being serious,” Wendy defends herself, afraid that Joohyun might have mistaken her words as sarcasm.

“Thank you,” Joohyun replies nonetheless and watch relief seeps in through the tense features. 

“What are you listening to?”

“This?” Joohyun offers a side of her earpiece to Wendy. They sat in silence and Joohyun feels her palm sweating when Wendy barely says a word.

“Unnie,” Wendy breathes out with a small smile and Joohyun feels a lump wedge in a throat. The brunette clenched the ends of her shirt tightly in her hands; the scene reminds her of the first day when Seulgi approaches her at work with a grin and mono-lidded eyes curving into crescents. 

“I’m guessing you’re older than me so, unnie right?” Wendy carefully asks, threading on a thin line that is threatening to break Joohyun all over again. 

“Just Irene,” Joohyun hides the pain with a smile that never reaches her eyes, “Irene will do.”

Wendy, the naive but sharp barista did not fail to notice the clenched jaws and sudden shift in atmosphere. She’d stick to Irene for now until a day, Irene decides to let her walls down and trust Wendy. 

“Okay Irene,” she pulls her AirPods out and wriggles one in front of the brunette, urging her to take it. Joohyun relaxes with the melody and feels Wendy slips a napkin into her hand when the song had ended. She hastily wipes the tears that trailed down her face. 

“I listen to this song whenever I’m feeling down,” Wendy retreats to give Joohyun her space to recollect her composure, “The lyrics are really meaningful, don’t you think?” 

“Tomorrow comes again,” both whispers at the same time and Wendy’s lips quirk up. Joohyun laughs a little, despite the tears that wouldn’t stop falling. 

Joohyun learns that Wendy happens to be a music major who graduated from a university in Canada. Wendy has staled and took a break from the industry when lyrics are no longer able to express her thoughts. The ever so cheerful lady chose to have a change of pace; working as a barista at her friend’s cafe to observe people that evokes inspiration again. Joohyun could tell that behind those smile, sits a resilient person with her stories waiting to unfold. They sat at the cafe, sharing music and pastries until a curtain of black drapes the sky in the horizon. Joohyun apologizes for taking up her time. 

“I should thank you for giving me stories to write into songs,” Wendy laughs and Joohyun remembers that the music major is observing people as an inspiration. 

“I didn’t tell you much,” Joohyun says with amusement. 

“You didn’t, but your eyes did,” Wendy winks playfully. Joohyun would have been charmed if there wasn’t Seulgi that is still holding on to her heart. Joohyun bides her goodbye and is surprised when Wendy pulls her into an encouraging friendly hug.

That night, Joohyun brings home the smell of coffee to bed instead of oranges.