The waitress paid no attention to him as she crouched to pick up the broken pieces from the mug. Looking back at it now, Myungsoo thought he probably should’ve helped; then maybe there would’ve been some romantic eye-contact, maybe a bit of blushing, and maybe he would’ve had an excuse to hit on her. But he just stood there staring like an idiot.

            Of all the things Myungsoo imagined the Bucket Woman to be, including the 40 year-old bearded witch, he never expected her to be so innocent-looking. It was hard for him to image her throwing water all over his friend. She was simply beautiful, even if she didn’t have any make-up on and had dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. Her long, thin fingers with a neatly trimmed manicure were so graceful at picking up the mug pieces, that you’d think she was instead playing the fortepiano. She was a little shorter than him, maybe 5’5, but with a petite figure and a pair of pretty legs. The way loose strands of her jet-black hair fell over her perfectly oval, ivory face, and the way she kept trying to push them behind her ear, made her look all the more like a porcelain doll. Her pink lips were full, and her small, neat nose pointed a little upwards. Unfortunately, her eyes were cast down to the floor and concealed under her thick eyelashes.

Myungsoo saw a lot of pretty girls in his lifetime. And when we say ‘a lot’, we mean a lot. Heck, Suzy used to flock around him so much that his standards skyrocketed – now he became so picky that there were only 3-4 girls that he met in the past year who he could legitimately call ‘pretty’ without feeling like a liar.

This ‘Son Naeun’ would definitely be the 5^th.

            “I’ll get you another coffee in a second, sir” The waitress finished cleaning and was bowing down to him. “I apologize for my clumsiness” She quickly fetched another cup and came back. “This one will be on the house. Would you like the previous dark? Or maybe something else? The new Eiskaffee, from Germany, is delicious…sir, are you alright?...sir?... ”

Myungsoo suddenly became aware that he was standing there, his jaw hanging a little. He quickly recollected himself and looked around him, as if his staring was just a result of his thought process. Short beeps were coming from his cell phone, and Myungsoo hastily turned it off and hid it before his target noticed.

“Actually, I am here for something…” Myungsoo began, panicking a little, “I uh…um…I am…” Myungsoo immediately put on a professional smile and improvised. ”I am here as an inspector!” Although he worked as a salesman on commission before, he now felt sweat forming at the back of his neck.

Naeun’s eyes grew bigger and she straightened herself.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! We heard you were coming, but we thought you were going to come next week!” Myungsoo felt extremely uncomfortable looking at her fake, plastic smile. Nevertheless, what extraordinary luck!

“Give me a second, I’ll call the manager right away!”

“Wh-! No no no no no!” Myungsoo quickly grabbed the girl by the elbow to prevent her from leaving. “I...I am here to specifically inspect the personnel!”

Naeun stopped ‘smiling’ and looked confused.

“But the manager—Ah! You must’ve talked to him before I arrived! I’m sorry.” She bowed again. Somehow this was easier than Myungsoo thought it’d be. She was so naïve.

“I’ll call the waiters and the cook then! Jiy—!”

Myungsoo quickly cut her off and lowered his voice “Wait. I want to do this one-on-one” he sat her down on a chair and sat down across from her “You know, so that they don’t suspect anything and act natural.” He leaned in and gave her another killer smile; he threw a wink in just to catch her off guard.

But Son Naeun’s face didn’t move.

“Okay, well, write down your information, please” Alittle taken aback, Myungsoo took out a notebook, ripped out a paper and handed it to her. Naeun started writing in neat print.

“Name, age. How long you’ve been working here. What days you work. Emergency contacts. All information will be kept private, I assure you.” She nodded, and handed him back the paper.

“So tell me, do you like working here?” He pretended to take notes on an empty page; in reality he was doodling.

“Yes, I suppose.”

“Nice people?”

“Nice enough.”

“What type of customers do you have?”

“Decent ones.”

“Are they nice?”

“To an extent.”

“Do you think the prices are fair?”

“The quality makes it fair.”

“So the prices are too high?”

“Not exactly.”

“Can you afford it yourself?”

Naeun paused for a second.

“It depends, to be honest”

“So you can’t?” At this point Myungsoo was getting bored. Those sugar cubes sure looked entertaining. This girl needs to go out and buy a personality.

“Yes I can.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

“Absolutely sure?”

“Look, sir, are we done here? I don’t get the point of these questions.” Naeun looked thoroughly annoyed by now and started getting up.

Myungsoo suddenly noticed she had a band aid on her hand.

“Wait, last question.” He took her injured hand with both of his, as if examining it. He it, gently. “Is it safe here, for such a pretty girl as yourself?” He looked up with a deliberately mysterious-but-very-gentle smile.

What the hell. Not a blush. Not even an embarrassed look.

Literally NOTHING.

“Yes, it’s safe enough…” Naeun tried taking her hand out, but Myungsoo’s grip was firm.

“But this place, this neighborhood – they’re unsafe. Do you have someone to protect you?” He leaned in, studying her face.

“I don’t need anyone. I can handle myself.” Naeun replied with a cold voice.

"That's what they all say, dear."

Myungsoo saw his reflection in her big, hazel eyes. They were deep, but so blank. As if she knew everything, but never bothered thinking. Her eyes felt mismatched with the rest of her face; it’s as if someone Photoshopped them on really, really well.

Nevertheless, Myungsoo continued his act.

“Well, if you ever need my help, call me.” Myungsoo scribled his number and tore another piece paper from his notebook. He handed it to her. Naeun stared blankly at it. “I will be there.”

With that he got up, gave a small bow and started walking away, slowly.

Call out to me.

He knew she would. Whether it was to fling herself on his neck, or to simply thank him. She had to call out. He didn’t see any other outcome.

Five…

Four…

Three…

Two…

One…

…

Myungsoo's heart raced with impatience.

One…

Five-sixths…

Two-thirds…

Half…

One-third…

One-sixth…

…

One-sixth…

…

One-sixth…

“Wait.”

Finally.

Myungsoo turned around with a benevolent look. Whereas Son Naeun stood right behind him looking like she might murder him.

“You’re not the inspector.” She said with a rock-hard face.

Myungsoo felt a chill come down his spine and make his legs numb. Something stuck in his throat.

“Otherwise you’d talk to the other waitresses. And you wouldn’t ask such stupid questions. And you’d give me a contact card of your agency, not your cell phone number on a crumbled piece of paper” He felt that if she could, she would bury him alive. Sweat began to form on his forehead.

"I talked to them before you came! And who's the inspector, you or –"

"There was no time for you to talk to all of them. You took 11 and a half minutes talking to me, and would've taken even longer if I hadn't interrupted you. There are 8 other waitresesses other than me. You couldn't have possibly interviewed them all." Naeun said all this with the same plastic smile she had on before. She added, "And I've worked here for long enough to know what inspectors are supposed to do."

Myungsoo felt rage. She was begginning to piss him off. There were girls before her that disliked him, but she was the first to show absolute no interest towards him, neither positive nor negative.

Naeun tilted her head a little. "What is it exactly that you want?"

it. Let’s go with the honesty approach.

Myungsoo took a deep breath.

“No, I’m not the inspector...” Myungsoo pretended to stare at his feet in shame.

“But I couldn’t help it! You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen! I see you every day, and yet you never notice me. B-but I’m not a stalker! I just happen to live near, and my eyes follow your every move against my will. Miss Son, you’re an angel! You just don’t give yourself enough credit. You’re so determined, so hardworking. Your voice, your figure, your kindness, your mind – you must understand that I meant no harm! I would do anything if it means getting to talk to you – I am willing to stoop down as low as lying if it means you will notice me. I'm a nobody…”

All this Myungsoo yelled with a cracking, pleading voice; his eyes were purposely shut tightly for the take-pity-on-me-I’m-so-helpless effect, and his hands were put into first to show I-am-so-scared-to-say-this-but-for-you-I-found-courage. Anyone who looked at him would find him adorably honest.

The room fell silent.

The few customers turned around and whispered “Young love~”

The chubby cook leaned in on the counter, grinning as she watched them.

Waitresses stood blushing, some using trays to cover their faces. Others began yelling “Go for it!”

In short, everybody was eagerly waiting for Naeun’s answer to Myungsoo’s love confession.

Naeun’s eyes carefully studied him. She then, to his surprise, snorted.

“How sweet. Who do you think you are?” Gasps went across the café, but Naeun kept looking at him as if he was some kind of parasite. Myungsoo felt anger within him building up as he felt her mockery. For the first time her expression changed, but this definitely wasn't what he wanted to see. "I don't know who set up up for this, dearest customer, or why you are bothering me. But you're just full of yourself. Next time try someone who'll actually fall for your stupidity and leave me alone." 

Then Naeun looked him over from head to toe one last time. “Low-life liar.” she mumbled. Without another word she walked to the back to the café.

The crowd now stared at him, curious. Myungsoo felt like he just dishonored his career as a casanova. Son Naeun is a girl. A GIRL. Since when does a GIRL walk away form HIM in such an obnoxious manner?!

Myungsoo couldn’t take the shame and the pity looks from random strangers. His pride hurt and his face was getting red. He grabbed his coat and stormed out of the café, slamming the door as hard as he could behind him. Once outside, Sungjong came cheerfully running to him.

“How did it go? How did it go?! Did you get a date? Did she blush? Did she drool?”

“Oh would you SHUT UP??!!” Myungsoo roughly pushed his friend out of the way and stormed past him.

How dare she?! What gives her the right to be such a ?! She should feel lucky to even be in my presence!!

Myungsoo rushed through a few blocks and stopped, huffing.

She knew I lied. That's why she laughed at my speech. She KNEW. AAAAHH!

Frustrated by both her sharpness and his poor acting skills he kicked the nearest trashcan.

She might be young. And she may not have a beard. But she’s a ing WITCH.

With this Myungsoo gave the trashcan another kick and made it fall over.

He slouched down to the ground and hung his head. He put his hands in his pockets, in search of his cell phone.

"I’ll tell Sungjong I quit. this. IT. I don’t care if he’s butthurt, he can deal with the himself!"

Instead of his cell phone however, he found a piece of paper. He quickly skimmed through it and leaped up to his feet, heart racing. 

The stupid interview sheet he asked for formality. Name, age....Emergency contact number.

Maybe, just maybe, the Witch will get what she deserves, and he’ll get to break her stupid poker face, sending her home crying.

Because he wasn't about to give up just yet.

--

 “Son Naeun

19 years old

Employee for 5 years

Works Mon-Tue: 8am-4pm; Sun: 12pm-3pm

Home Phone: 02-xxx-xxxx

Cell Phone: 02 –xxx-xxxx”

===========================

Longer chapter , I know ^^" I'll edit little things here and there in a bit. Please please PLEASE comment - the more feedback I get the more motivated I am to write. Plus it's easier to write altogether when you know people actually care. So even if it's just a silly spazz comment (which I still love~) please give me some feedback. It would mean the world to me T_T