It was a calm and windy Sunday morning at 7am, when most of the neighbourhood were still fast asleep. On an idled road, a girl about the age of 15 was cycling. Her hair flew all over but it didn’t matter. Feeling the wind getting stronger, she thought it was time. Her grip on the handlebars slowly and carefully loosened and when she felt more stable, she completely let go of it, stretching her arms out with her eyes closed. If there was anyone at all passing by at that time, they’d probably think she was nuts. But even then, it wouldn’t stop her. The music blaring in her ears played louder than ever and she couldn’t help but sing along.

Once she felt free enough, she opened her eyes and her hands went back to the handlebars. A satisfied smile played on her lips, followed by a laugh. It was so happy that there were crinkles by her eyes that folded into crescents.

She stopped her bike when she knew she had arrived at her destination.

The girl looked up at the small café that she knew specialized in their cakes and coffee.

She walked in, scanning the place for an empty seat. She saw one by the corner next to the window and went to have her seat. A young boy about the same age as her approached her. He was wearing a white dress shirt with a brown apron tied around his waist over his black pants. The three top buttons had been undone and his sleeves were folded up to his elbow.

“What would you like to order, miss?” he smiled at her, taking out a pen and notebook.

“Can I have… the best coffee and cake you sell here? I’ll leave it up to your taste buds to decide,” the girl told him and resumed looking out the window.

Her answer left him quite taken aback but he accepted it and went over to his colleagues. Just like she’d ordered, he followed his taste buds and ordered the cake and coffee he thought tasted the best. He wondered what her reaction to it would be.

He turned over to look at her and she was still looking out the window. Her fingers were fiddling with her phone as if waiting for a phone call. Sadly, none came. He could see the disappointed frown playing at her lips but the positive aura around her never faltered.

When the order was ready, he expertly picked it up and made his way to her table. The boy placed the plate and cup on her table and stepped a step behind, smiling at her as he anticipated her reaction.

She simply looked at him and back at the food placed before her. She took the tiny fork and took a small bite out of the caramel coffee cake. Her eyes closed with pleasure when she tasted the amazing frost and melting of the cake icing on her tongue. The girl opened her eyes once more and looked at the boy saying, “This is great, thanks.” She winked and placed her fork down.

The boy simply nodded with a smile.

He watched as her slender fingers slip around the cup. She gently picked it up and took a sip. Her face seemed to brighten once the sweet liquid came in contact with her tongue and she couldn’t help the satisfied groan that made its way out of her lips. She gently wiped her lips with a tissue paper and smiled at the boy.

“I really, really like what you’ve chosen for me. Thank you,” she said and resumed looking out the window once more, as if she hadn’t just tasted the best cake and coffee of her life.

The boy resumed with his job.

Only approximately 10 minutes passed before a ring was heard at the entrance, signaling the arrival of a new customer. The taller-than-average male sat himself on the seat in front of the girl.

Smiling, he took a sip of the coffee and a bite of the cake before at the sweetness of it. He then rested his elbows on the table and placed his head on his palms, grinning cheekily at the girl.

“Jo Hyunsoo,” he playfully called.

“Choi Junhong,” Hyunsoo called back, an eyebrow raised in amusement.

Junhong chuckled, “Just pass me the file.”

Hyunsoo took out a thin blue file and passed it to him.

“Is this all?” Junhong asked for confirmation.

“You want more?” Hyunsoo joked.

“Nah, I’m good,” Junhong shrugged and took a look at the content.

He gawked at the amount of homework Hyunsoo was giving him to do.

“You’re kidding me, right? You’re crazy!”

“Well, someone’s complaining. Just do what I tell you to.”

Junhong muttered some incoherent words under his breath but nodded anyway.

“Can you finish this?” Hyunsoo pushed her cake and coffee towards him.

“Jo Hyunsoo. Are you refusing food?”

“I really, really hate coffee.”

“Then why did you order this?”

“Everything here has caffeine in them. Might as well ask for the best one, right?”

The silence resumed.

“Have you thought of my request that day?” Hyunsoo tried to break the silence.

“Ah.. The one about your boy problem?”

Hyunsoo nodded. Junhong bit on his spoon, going over a thought with furrowed eyebrows.

“I thought I’d bring you on group dates. Is that okay?”

Hyunsoo’s face crumpled in disgust, “Group dates huh…”

“Yeah. Get to know some guys, you know? I know great ones. There are the romantic ones, the bad boy types, the cute ones… Hmm, even the cool, silent ones. There’s the joker too!” Junhong rambled on.

Hyunsoo’s remained flat.

When Junhong didn’t stop, Hyunsoo took a spoonful of cake and placed it right in Junhong’s mouth, cutting him in the midst of his speech.

“Just eat,” she glumly said and sulked, her eyes travelling out the window to observe the rising world.

---

Three weeks ago, on what was meant to be a memorable day at a beach with friends, a boy who just turned 16 had a close brush with death. He’d been swimming and enjoying the hot sun with three other boys when he realized he was having cramps while at a deeper part of the sea. Being quite far away from his friends, they hadn’t heard his cries for help when he felt himself sinking. Unfortunately for him too, the lifeguard on duty had gone on a toilet break, leaving a mere trainee on watch. Luckily, though, his determination to live had him let out a loud scream. The trainee who really hadn’t much training noticed it. Despite knowing she would have injured herself, she quickly rushed into the sea to get him, depending solely on her years of swimming. The boy had only so little oxygen left in his lungs that consciousness was slowly leaving his body. The last thing he saw was a hand reaching out to him and his own reaching out to grab it before he completely out.

When he woke up, he found himself in a tent surrounded by both familiar and unfamiliar faces. But, one face stood out.

“Are you alright?”

He slowly nodded, slightly confused about what had happened.

Only later that evening around a campfire did he finally find out what he had gone through. He’d been saved by none other than Jo Hyunsoo, a trainee lifeguard left on duty at that fateful time, after being so close to drowning. He found out Jo Hyunsoo was in the same school as them but it was only two weeks later when she approached him. She told him she needed his help and he could use it as a way to repay her for saving his life.

1. Do all my homework for 3 months.
2. Get me to fall in love with a guy within 3 months.
3. You get one favor within these 3 months.

And now, Choi Junhong finds himself struggling with extra homework every single night.