An Yujin was running out of time. Being extremely bad at organizing, she was left with no option but to pull an all-nighter for a paper. She was able to finish the paper but her thoughts were scattered and her professor would obviously see through the rush of the work that it was.

She immediately made her way to the library in hopes of finishing her paper only to find no empty seats. She sighed defeatedly. She is tired. And sleepy. Really, really, extremely, if-she-closed-her-eyes-for-more-than-three-seconds-she-can-fall-asleep-even-standing sleepy.

But she had a paper to finish and time was not really on her side.

Too bad for her the cafeteria is full at this time of the day either. It’s 3PM and everyone just had to have their break. She now had to go to nearby cafes for WiFi and peace.

Not wanting to risk her tiredness (she was already very tired), she decided to go to the worst-reviewed café outside campus—Uncle Bo’s. She couldn’t care less. She needed a quiet space that can serve her caffeine. Who cares? Even a bad-tasting coffee can keep her awake.

Now, Uncle Bo’s interior is not all that bad. Could be improved but it was at least decent for social media, should one want to post. Yujin felt herself weak as she had to put in more effort to push open the glass door. She clutched on her backpack, looking down, having no more energy to lift her chin up.

Finally reaching the counter, Yujin made an effort to look up to place her order. Right then and there, despite the extreme urge to fall asleep, Yujin felt a rush of blood on her face.

“Hi, ma’am. What’s your order?”

Yujin did not hear that. Her brain was still busy processing what she was seeing. And the girl at the counter smiled even more, and oh dear god, Yujin wished she could take a picture.

Standing right in front of her is the prettiest girl on campus, Yujin declared it so herself. She had seen this woman twice before—once in the library and another time in the cafeteria. Never for too long but she has left quite an impression on Yujin. She is pretty. Not the 'oh she's pretty' kinda pretty but the 'oh wow I hope she doesn't catch me staring' kinda pretty. Just really so freaking pretty.

“It’s that time of the year, huh?” This Yujin hears.

“H-huh?” Yujin stuttered. She cleared . That was embarrassing. Why did she stutter?

“Influx of university works,” the girl clarified with a smile.

Yujin’s attention shifted to the girl’s nameplate. Wonyoung, it reads. The girl’s name is Wonyoung.

Yujin shyly touched her nape. “Yeah. Just… it’s a lot.”

“So I’m guessing a strong cup of coffee for a barely alive university student?” Wonyoung, as her nameplate suggests her name was, said. Wonyoung was still all smiley and Yujin was embarrassed to admit she can feel her knees weak. Buckle up, will you?

“Yes please,” Yujin agreed nervously. She hoped Wonyoung couldn't notice the blush creeping on her face but with the way even she can feel her face burning, can she really blame the barista if she did?  “Iced Americano. With three shots of espresso.”

“Name please?” Wonyoung asked. If Wonyoung noticed, thank god she decided not to address it.
 

“Yujin.”

Yujin looked around. There were only two other occupied seats in the café. But this is business as usual for Uncle Bo’s, it seems.

Yujin paid for her coffee and slowly started feeling tiredness once again.

“Okay, Yujin. We’ll call your name once it’s prepared,” Wonyoung assured.

Yujin lightly slapped herself while she looks for the perfect spot to work. She decided to stay at the corner of the shop, by the window.

She took out her MacBook. She could feel her eyes closing but told herself to fight it off. Her coffee will be served in a while. She just has to busy herself editing her paper.

Her paper was already open. And , Philosophy! Why did she ever decide to enroll in this class?

Yujin looked at the counter and saw the lone girl at counter preparing her drink. She knows Uncle Bo’s barely gets any customers but must Wonyoung be alone? Is she the only employee?

Yujin pouted. She pushed her laptop away and rested her cheeks on the table. Was it clean? Who knows? She did not care.

She fixed her gaze at Wonyoung and wondered how can such a beautiful person be real. She thinks the lack of sleep mayhaps played a part in why she suddenly feels somehow even more enchanted. Or maybe because today was the first time that she was really able to see Wonyoung up close. And she’s pretty. God. Really just so ing pretty.

But Yujin is tired. And sleepy. Damn. Really so ing sleepy.

So, she fell asleep.

+

Yujin suddenly felt something wet on her cheeks which caused her to stir, disturbing her rather peaceful nap. She lifted her face off the table, wiped her cheeks without once opening her eyes, and was about to return to dreamland but reality hit her. She fell asleep? What about her paper? Her paper!

“I’m up! I’m up!” she announced a little bit loud.

“Sure, you are.”

It was Wonyoung. And Wonyoung was sitting in front of her. Her laptop facing Wonyoung who looked like she was reading off it.

The water that wet her face were the droplets from her iced coffee cup.

Yujin quickly looked away at Wonyoung and wiped her lips. She didn’t drool now, did she?

“It’s almost a quarter past 4PM,” Wonyoung informed her after seeing her squirm to check for time. “What time is your next class?”

“4PM,” Yujin replied, already panicking.

Her paper. Her next class. Everything is not going according to plan. Why did she have to close her eyes!

Wonyoung smiled to herself and faced Yujin’s laptop back to the poor girl.

“I hope you don’t mind that I edited your paper.”

Wonyoung did what? Oh no. Yujin’s thoughts were all over the place and her paper is really ty and Wonyoung read everything and dammit her first impression of Yujin was that Yujin is stupid. But why does she care?

“You did what?” Yujin belatedly answered, surprised but not angry. Never angry. 

She briefly made a run through her paper and immediately saw some parts Wonyoung worked on.

Wonyoung looked satisfied with a grin opposite Yujin.

“Your original work is open on the other tab,” Wonyoung said. “Just in case you find my meddling sloppy.”

Yujin has a lot of things to say but she was already running pretty late for her next class. She was panicking, too.

Yujin clasped her hands together. “Thank you thank you thank you!!!” Yujin said in one breath. She had to clasp her hands together because she felt an overwhelming urge to cup the girl’s face and kiss her all over but that would be weird. Not to mention, that would be harassment.

“You should go. You’re running late,” Wonyoung reminded.

Right. Yujin was running late. She quickly closed her laptop and put it inside her backpack.

“I will properly thank you for this. I promise!” Yujin announced.

“Your coffee.” Wonyoung immediately reached for Yujin’s (no longer) iced americano and handed it to the girl.

Yujin took the cup. While taking a step further, she took a quick sip.

Yup.

Uncle Bo’s really has the worst coffee in town.

+

It has been a week and Yujin’s feeling a bit guilty since she has not made good on her promise to repay Wonyoung’s kindness. In her defense, she really wasn’t getting any break until today. Her schedules were packed. She had group meetings and more papers to finish after that day. But that doesn't mean she forgot about Wonyoung because she hasn't. She found herself thinking about the girl at random times of the day.

It’s 3PM again and she has an hour free. Perhaps she could come and visit Uncle Bo’s again. Maybe Wonyoung is there?

Except there was a different woman by the counter. But it would be embarrassing for her to walk out, especially since there was just one other customer. Seriously, how is Uncle Bo’s still running?

Yujin pursed her lips as she placed her order. She was going to put her order for take-out but just then, Wonyoung came out from what seemed like the staff room.

“Oh,” Wonyoung quickly acknowledged her.

“Hey,” Yujin barely said, surprised and smiling. Why is she smiling?

“You know her?” The girl at the counter asked Wonyoung. Yujin scanned her nameplate quick. Gaeul, it reads.

“Sort of?” Wonyoung clarified, tying her apron. She smiled. “You know that girl who fell asleep on her table last week? That’s her.” Wonyoung briefly looked at Yujin to tease.

Yujin felt embarrassed and looked down, biting her lip. Wonyoung will never forget about that now, would she?

“Oh.” Gaeul giggled slightly. So it turns out Gaeul was there last time, too. Yujin did not notice her though.

“How was the paper?” Wonyoung asked casually.

“It’s good. Got a B+. Thank you so much.” Yujin informed.

“Not an A?” Wonyoung seemed offended. “If I had another hour, it would definitely have gotten an A,” she added jokingly but Yujin knows that what she was saying is true.

“We’ll just call your name once your order is done,” Gaeul said. Yujin nodded.

Yujin took the same seat. She realized that the reason she was here is that she wanted to repay Wonyoung’s kindness but she has not done anything remotely close to that.

Wonyoung seems nice. Really nice. She talked to Yujin casually too. It was like they have known each other for a while when their first interaction was just that one time last week.

Now Yujin is a little bit gay. Kinda gay. Okay, maybe not a little bit but not a lot. No. A lot. She is gay. So ing gay.

And Wonyoung just has to be the prettiest girl on campus. (Has she said this before?)

Yujin sighed. She has a crush.

“We called you but your mind seems to be running elsewhere,” Wonyoung announced as she placed Yujin’s coffee on the table.

“Oh no. I’m so sorry.”

Wonyoung just chuckled.

“Wonyoung,” Yujin called. Is it alright for her to call her that? The girl has not introduced herself to Yujin yet and this was just Yujin calling her that because of her nameplate.

“Yes?”

“I came here because if you remember I told you I’d pay you back… you know… for editing my paper and all that.”

“Oh… that.” Wonyoung looked confused before she smiled. “It’s okay. I was a bit bored. And if we’re being honest, I shouldn’t have touched your belongings. It could’ve gone the wrong way if it was other people I messed with.”

“No, I-”

“Just come here sometimes, yes?" Wonyoung cut her. "Bring your friends or classmates, maybe? That would be enough.”

A group of five entered the café and suddenly Wonyoung had to excuse herself. Yujin frowned. She still wanted to talk to Wonyoung.

+

So maybe Yujin didn’t just come to Uncle Bo’s sometimes. Maybe she went there twice the following week. Then thrice after that. As much as she could. Who cares about the bad coffee if she gets to have a word or two with Wonyoung? She definitely didn’t mind.

This time though she had convinced her friends to come with her to Uncle Bo’s. Nobody was willing but Yujin said she will pay for some bread to go with their coffee. And maybe they will just have to pick something bearable from the coffee menu.

“Hello, Yujin,” Wonyoung greeted. “You brought your friends with you.”’

“Yeah.” Yujin smiled, proud of herself. “Since you told me so.”

She got Liz and Rei to join her this time. And they have already made their way to a table.

“Silly. You’ve come here way too many times as a thank you already. It was just a paper.” Wonyoung was shaking her head after playfully rolling her eyes.

Yujin thinks she and Wonyoung are kind of friends now. They exchanged brief ‘how are yous’ every time Yujin comes to visit and Yujin learned that Wonyoung is from the performing arts department. Wonyoung knows she is an engineering student now, too.

“So I’ll call you-”

“You say that but you always bring my order to my table,” Yujin cut Wonyoung’s words.

Wonyoung chuckled