Krystal held her macchiato tightly; unable to speak. She knew it would be so nasty if she didnt drink it now. But something bothers her. Kai's intense stare...Dammit. Why can't you just drink it now? What bothers you, Krystal? Does his smile intimidates you? No—his smile is enchanting. He is just fine. Nothing is going out of the direction, Krystal...relax. His chiseled body...his sweet stare to me... I just...gah. He reminds—

His gentle voice finally woke her up from her absent mind. "Your surname is Krystal...right? If I may know...what is your family name, in case that you're feeling uncomfortable of me calling you with Krystal. I...am a bit bubbly and straightforward, at times. God why am I so straightforward about me being so straightforward to people? Aigoo. I'm sorry."

Couldn't hide her happiness, she smiled. "Ah, it's fine. Please, call me just by my surname. I find it funny, anyway—your straightforwardness, I mean. You can just take it easy with me, even though I'm a bit stiff, you know? It's just a lame personality of mine...I'm not really good at expressing something, and maybe everything about my true feelings." Krystal stopped as she put her palm on her cheek, then she gave a slight smile to her macchiato, touching its glass with her soft hands. "Except for one thing."

"Which is...?" Kai questioned.

"Which is coffee. I'm a die-hard coffee lover. It has never failed to boost my mood. It always feels like liquid heaven, Kai. Do you understand that? I mean...it's very mysterious on how it could taste double at a time—sweet yet also bitter. I always—"

Coffee lover? As in, coffee lover? No, Kai, no. Relax. She's just another coffee lover. Not that particular one. She does love coffee. I could see it in her eyes. How her eyes sparkle when I took out the macchiato she ordered...and she acts just fine...but that stiff personality; something lies beneath it. She...hides something, doesn't she? No, Kai. Not again. She's not her. 

She's not her.

"Kai-ssi? Are you...absent? Sorry if I'm being absolutely boring..." Krystal looked towards him closely, continuously blinking her eyes. Kai's stare wasn't as intense as it was 5 minutes ago. It had gone blank. Like somehow, he lost his tense on Krystal's story.

"Ah! Aigoo. Krystal-ssi, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it...I was looking at your macchiato. It's a bit cold now."

Krystal nodded, giving a competitive smile. "I suppose you really want to know what I think about your coffee, huh? I can easily judge a coffee just from a sip...so get ready. This is going to be your biggest nightmare; or your sweetest dream come true."

"You're just exaggerating. Miss Krystal" said Kai, followed with a slight grin. "I'm going to be honest here, though. I really want to know how my coffee taste to you. I want to know the reason why you went here; because of my handsome face or you're a real die-hard coffee lover—which is something i expect you are. We'll see."

Krystal giggled. How confident, she thought. She liked this barista's personality. He was cute; both in looks and personality. how he enchants her with that wide smile. Yet, when he was absent-minded, she despised it. His eyes looked empty sometimes. Maybe because Krystal had always been a very boring person? No, I'm not that boring. I'm just stiff. That's all.

"Alright," replied Krystal. "I'll drink it."

Kai pushed the latté macchiato closer to her. She gripped it, carefully, and absolutely slowly. Kai took a gaze at her, a close one. She rather felt uncomfortable—especially with that familiar stare, so she quickly sipped at her latté macchiato. Her eyes dilate. She inhaled, releasing a big smile.

"How is it, Krystal-ssi?"

Sulli frowned. A stack of paperwork that laid on her table should be done by Taemin. She always hated it when Taemin went out—but didn't whenever Krystal did it. She, after 2 years being the head chief,  had never let anyone go out on office hours unless it's for for the company's sake. Except for those two. Krystal, it was because she always finish her paperwork way before she went somewhere—plus, she was Sulli's bestfriend. But this guy, Taemin, why did she let him? She was clueless why, indeed. But she couldn't...fight against that strong spark of—

"Jinri-ah! Where does the meeting take place? I asked everyone but they all have no idea about the meeting." Taemin asked, totally clueless of what was happening.

She sighed, pointing to his unfinished paperwork. "There's no such meeting, Taemin. Don't you understand? I made it all up! Mr. Choi is doing an evaluation, and I suppose that you might have forgotten about that cause you never really put your whole attention. Lee Taemin, do your paperwork, now, or I'll just go to Mr. Choi and tell that you left without doing any of your paperwork."

"Jinri," He walked closer to her. "Listen, I'm sorry. Krystal—"

"What? You pitied her because she had nobody to take her to that coffeehouse? I'm your boss, and as a head chief, I can't tolerate all your needs! This is the world of work, Taemin. Not our usual friendship world. I know we've always been bestfriends since we were in primary school; but now, I'm not your best friend Choi Jinri, for now. I'm Choi Jinri, your boss." She sighed again, "Can you do your paperwork and leave me alone? I need some time—"

"I know. I understand. I'm sorry. I'll just leave." Taemin went out after bringing his undone work.

Stay calm, Jinri, stay calm. He didn't do anything particular to you, right? Nothing happened...it was just your professionality as the head chief...and as his boss. Did he make your heart fly out of its original place just 5 minutes ago? No—yes—no! He already did, long time ago, didn't he, Sulli?

Didn't he?

"May I have an extra sugar, please, Kai-ssi?"

Extra sugar? Did she mean his coffee was slightly imperfect? Or totally imperfect? Kai closed her eyes in hatred. Not because of her asking for extra sugar, no. It was because of his lack of talent, maybe? All he knew he wasn't as good as he thought he was. 

"But it tastes like liquid heaven, though. I like how you add more milk inside it; you really can read my taste of delicious coffee, Kai. Congratulations, you're still in the running of becoming a good barista in the standarts of Krystal Jung."

Kai looked at her. "Did you say Jung?"

" Yeah," Krystal gave a nod. "Why? Anything weird with my family name, Kai-ssi?"

"Nothing, Miss Jung. I'll go get the extra sugar."

Such a short update>< A little bit of taelli and also kaistal~ouo I hope you all enjoy it. Thanks to new subscribers and please give lots of love to my kaistal story~^^