8.00 a.m.

Intae Coffee House

College students would have rather stayed in their bed at this hour than being anywhere. Miran on the other hand has already been up and around at the cafe where she part times at. She isn't last month’s 'Employee of the Month' for nothing. Miran stands on jittery feet behind the counter, looking intensely at her watch.

“Is that even necessary?” Jisu, a fellow colleague sticks his head over her shoulder to peek on her watch as well. Miran wiggles her shoulder to chase him away. Jisu backs away and makes stinky faces behind her.

“3...” Miran starts her count down, “2... 1!” She goes around the counter and stands closely next to it. A freshly brewed black coffee is waiting on top of the counter. The bell chimes and in enters a rather tall guy. He is dressed in a white shirt with top two buttons left open, paired with a pair of black slacks. As usual, he let his straight hair falls free, slightly covering his forehead in sideways manner. Miran looks thriled to see him but he couldn’t care less, especially when he has papers in his hands and a chunk of bread in his mouth.

“Intae oppa, good morning!” Miran greets the owner of the shop. Intae looks up from his reading and smiles at her.

“I made your morning coffee!” Miran quickly tells him when he is about to pass by. He stops in his track and turns back. An amused look adorns his handsome face.

“Again?” He asks, chuckling.

Miran picks up the cup from the counter and hands it to him. He takes a sip on the spot and then puts the cup back on the counter.

“Did I make it right this time?” Miran asks worriedly.

Intae shakes his head with a wide smile, flashing his perfect teeth. He continues his way to the staircase, heading to his office upstairs. Jisu laughs his head off. She would have turned back and strangle him to death but Miran jogs after Intae instead and stops half-way right before the staircase, hoping for a further explanation from him.

“It’s been over a hundred times and yet you still fail it. Just give up. I only drink coffee that I brew myself.” Intae casually brush her off and proceeds his way upstairs. Miran frowns at Intae’s words. How dare he looks down on her?

“I’m not going to give up!” Miran shouts so he could hear her from the upper floor. She could imagine him shaking his head and basking himself in amusement. She hates it that he is always treating her like a kid.

Miran returns to her work with Jisu afterwards. There isn’t much customers for today so Miran joins the other co-workers at the kitchen to roast the coffee beans. Afterward, she takes a sit and begins to separate the burned coffee beans from the good ones. Occasionally, she pops some into , enjoying the cracking sensation and the strong aroma in . Afterwards, she packs some to be sold or delivered to various places later. Once she is finished, she checks the notice board once more to make sure of the places to deliver the coffee beans to.

“Are you doing the delivery today?” Jisu asks while he prepares a coffee order for a customer.

“Yeah. I’ll be back soon.” Miran grabs a helmet form behind the counter. She usually does the deliveries on the scooter provided by the shop. However, her steps take a halt when a new visitor steps into the shop right before she steps out. It’s Simon.

“Simon!” Miran blurts. She is actually happy everytime he drops by but because of last night’s event she grows to be self-conscious and tries not to show him. She doesn’t want Simon to misunderstand her so she holds back from looking too happy.

“Hey, Miran. Are you going to deliver that?”

“Yeah.”

“Let me drive you.”

“Are you sure? There’s a place that’s about an hour away. I can manage-”

“No, let me, ok? I’m going to say hi to Intae hyung for a bit. Wait for me, ok?”

Simon waves and says hi to Jisu who is working behind the counter as he heads to the staircase. Miran drops herself on one of the chairs at the general area and hugs the coffee beans-filled paperbags. They warms her chest. Miran sighs and pouts.

“Do you guys start dating or what?” Jisu joins her at the table after he finishes the orders.

“No." Miran frowns. "Where did you get the idea?”

“Because you’re acting weird around him today.”

“I’m that obvious?” Miran winces.

“What’s going on?”

Miran leans closer to him so she could whisper the details, but Simon is already making his way downstairs. Miran quickly retract and stands up with the bean bags. Simon looks at her, smiles and nods.

“Let’s go.” He tells her. Miran nods and follows him from behind. She manages to steal a brief glance towards Jisu and mouths him a few words.

Let’s talk later.

-

Miran returns to the shop quite late that day since the delivery takes her quite far. Jisu looks up to welcome the visitor when the bell above the door chimes, but his voice is stuck in his throat when he sees Miran walking in instead. Her eyes are swollen and red. Miran looks around, as if to make sure that nobody sees her and then goes behind the counter. She slides down against the counter and sits on the floor. Jisu worriedly squats and tilts his head from side to side to check on her.

“Hey, Miran. What happened? What’s going on?”

Miran starts crying again even though she tries hard not to.

“I hurt him. I think I’m hurting him. What should I do?”

[Author's Note] I know most people spells Jisu's name as Jeesu but I just like Jisu more. Sorry :p