Song Ha Jae stared at the couple by the window enviously. The girl looked tired and uncaring, and she seemed rather sad, even though the person she’d waited for had arrived. The boy was extremely handsome, with a fresh face, and Ha Jae could tell that most of the girls in the restaurant were staring at him. With short, clipped hair, and a tall, muscular frame, he looked like he was a celebrity. His eyes sparkled animatedly as he talked to his girlfriend, and she knew that if she’d had a boyfriend like that, she wouldn’t be moping-she’d be basking in his attention.

“So, you had an affair even though you were with me?”

“Ha Jae-ah, I’m sorry, I-“

“You’re sorry? So everything you told me, from how much you loved me, to how you promised that we’d be together forever-everything was a lie? So, you used me, just so that you could get laid with me?”

“Ha Jae-“

“We are over, aren’t we?”

Shaking her head, she tried to forget her painful past. That jerk. Though it had already been months since they’d parted ways, she was still thinking about him. Maybe he’d forgotten about her before they’d even broken up-but the truth was, a part of her was still attached to him. Though he’d physically hurt her, and emotionally broke her, she still wanted to see his face again. And that, really, was what hurt the most.

“Miss, may I please have a cup of water?”

A man, in his middle forties, and dressed in a crisp pinstripe suit smiled at her, while Ha Jae nodded. As she neared, he folded his newspaper and clasped his hands together.

“What is your name, Miss?’

Ha Jae’s eyebrows crinkled-why did he ask such a strange question? However, she decided to ignore the voice whispering inside of her, thinking it to be a regular Korean custom to ask the name of your waitress. She’d been raised in Los Angeles, California, and wasn’t quite used to the formalities yet-while visiting her grandmother in Korea, she’d decided to take on a part-time job and help up her grandmother’s funds. Though she’d be leaving to Los Angeles in three months, it didn’t matter-things would be the same in Seoul even after she left.

“Ha Jae.”

“Oh. I see.

Ha Jae smiled, though she was feeling rather uncomfortable now. The man was starting to make her slightly wary, and he motioned for her to come even closer. As she neared, the man discreetly took out his hand and touched the nametag. “Song…Ha…Jae. Your name is even prettier than the nametag.” Flinching, Ha Jae was about to walk away, when she suddenly felt his hand on her chest. “But of course, most beautiful of all is you.” The man was whispering now, and though everyone in the restaurant was unaware, Ha Jae’s eyes widened.

But instead of screaming, or shrieking, she stayed still and quiet.

“Ha Jae, I love you. Let’s do this.”

“I-I’m not ready yet. Please, I’m not-“

“Ha Jae, do you love me? If you did, then you would do this for me.”

“I-I can’t, I’m scared-“

”. Get away from me.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry-I-“

She dropped her tray and everyone turned to look at her, while the blush on her cheeks instantly turned even redder. The customer let out a loud roar and now looked extremely angry, while Ha Jae knew that she’d be fired. 

After all, her boss lived on the motto, “the customer is always right.”

“You , how could you dump this in front of me? Are you not a waitress? Can’t you see that you’re supposed to bring this cup of water to me, and not drop it? You-” Suddenly, Ha Jae felt a figure beside her. He was tall, and handsome, and looked like a prince that had come out of a storybook. His eyes weren’t sparkling anymore-they were full of rage. Taking his hands out from the pockets of his brown leather jacket, he swung a punch at the man’s face, and Ha Jae gasped.

“You damn bastard. Get your hands off of her.” 

He’d said it calmly, his face masking his true anger. But that wasn’t what surprised Ha Jae the most-what really intrigued her was that  he was the boy she'd been staring at earlier.

♩ ♪ ♫ ♬

___________________________________________________________________________________