DARA’s POV

 

I woke up lazily since it’s the first day of my night shift, I’m a bit sad that I won’t be seeing the others more often since the new manager made some changes again. He assigned Minzy, Bommie unnie and Daesung in the morning shift. While me and the new employees were given the night shift. But I guess it’s alright, eh? At least I won’t be working all by myself.

 

I looked around the apartment, trying to find something to do, to distract me. I sighed. Maybe I should just get some sleep again and wait for the evening to come? Aish! It’ll be a long day for me, at least for now. I’m pretty sure I’ll be knocked out tomorrow. Since I can’t find anything to do, my thoughts drifted to the new manager, not that I did it on purpose. I’m trying to be friendly with him now because of CL-roo but my acts and attitudes just kept on going back to the way it was before. It’s like some sort of unconscious reaction to him, like I’m responding and acting to him the way I am with Ji. Weird, huh? Oh well, maybe it’s because of his eyes. I know that at first I said that I can’t see any recognition in his eyes but I don’t know if it’s just me but I’ve been noticing a lot of “shifting” in his eyes lately. It would change from dark to light or light to dark. It would shift into hard to soft or fierce to gentle. I know for sure that I’ve seen those kind of looks before but the way he acts towards me is just not so Ji.

 

Confusing, neh?

 

 

Later. . .

 

I arrived at the café and saw Eun Mi and Jang Eun already dressed in their uniforms. I smiled and greeted them then went to the manager’s office. I knocked first before entering, well, since it wasn’t locked I invited myself in, at least I knocked. I saw him reading some papers in his desk. I cleared my throat to inform him of my presence. He looked up and straightened up. “Annyeong, Mr. Kwon.” He frowned a little then nodded. I don’t know what came into me but my mouth suddenly opened and words just poured out. “What are you still doing here?” I burst out asking. His face suddenly went red as his eyes turned into tiny slits. Ugh! What’s wrong with me? I’m acting like a brat again! “I mean, it’s already late, I’m pretty sure you’re already tired for the whole day that you were here. Aren’t you going home for a rest?” I amended immediately. His face turned suspicious as he continued to stare at me.

 

“You want me to go home?” he quietly asked.

 

“Neh. I’m just concerned, you know. Besides, CL-roo won’t like it if you exhaust yourself too much,” I grinned.

 

“You want me to take a rest?”

 

“Neh!”

 

“You don’t want Chaerin to worry over me?”

 

“Neh!”

 

“You’re just concerned for my well-being so you want me to go home and take a rest?”

 

“Neh!”

 

“So, you really want me to go home, huh? So that you can do whatever you want?”

 

“Neh!”

 

“So that you can flirt all night?”

 

“Neh!” I was smiling as we stared at each other. Then, my eyes suddenly went round as I realized what he asked and what my answers were. “I mean no! That’s not what I meant. . .” my voice trailed.

 

“I’m not as stupid as you are.”

 

It was my turn to squint my eyes at him. I can feel hot air coming from my ears as I marched towards him, my fists curled into tight balls. But before I even hit his face, he grabbed both my wrists tightly and shook me very hard I can even hear my teeth rattling. “Let me go, you mutt!” I gritted. For one swift moment, I thought he was going to let go of me because his eyes shifted to gentleness but as fast as it shifted, it turned into dark pools again.

 

“I’ve been prolonging my patience with you because of Chaerin. I’ve had enough of your sharp tongue. If you dare cross the line, you won’t like what I’m going to do with you. You don’t know what I’m capable of!” he hissed.

 

“Ooh, now I’m getting scared,” I answered in a mock-trembling voice. “If you had enough of my sharp tongue, then you should stop judging me like you know me! You don’t have any idea of who I am so stop acting like you do!”

 

“Oh, but I do know you. I’ve known you-“ he suddenly stopped. I stared at him, my heart going wild. Could it be?

 

“What do you mean?” I asked with trembling voice, for real this time. And oh, his eyes shifted again as he smirked.

 

“From what I’ve heard and seen, I think I have a pretty good idea of who you really are. Now get out of this office before I do something you won’t like and I would regret!”

 

“Huh! I’d like to see you try, Ji! I’m pretty sure CL-roo wou-“

 

I stopped ranting as he grabbed my arm aggressively. “Don’t call me Ji,” he gritted, “ever again.”

 

 

Four hours later. . .

 

I massaged my arm and dropped myself at the kitchen floor. I stifled a yawn. I can’t believe that there would be a great number of people dining in this late. I admit I doubted the manager’s plan of making this café open for 24 hours. But seeing that there are still customers swarming late at night and early in the morning, I suddenly felt a surge of admiration for him.

 

~o~

 

I arrived at the café earlier than Eun Mi and Jang Eun. I immediately went to report to the manager then proceeded to change into my uniform. When the two arrived, I frowned a little when I saw that they immediately changed into their uniforms without reporting to Mr. Kwon. I was about to go tell them to report immediately when I saw Minhwan arrived. Inspite of everything, I gave a little smile. It’s been a while since the last time I saw him. It’s a good thing to see someone familiar with you, neh? “I haven’t seen you in a while,” I greeted him, smiling.

 

“Yeah, I’ve been wanting to go here during your shift but, err. . .” his voice trailed.

 

“Oh,” I mumbled.

 

“That’s okay. It’s better late than never, right? Anyways, do you still remember my usual orders?”

 

“Of course I do.”

 

 

AUTHOR’s POV

 

Dara had a little chat with Minhwan after serving his usual orders. Then, when the customers started to grow in a few numbers, she bowed her way out to Minhwan. By the time 5am arrived, Minhwan was the only customer left. She shook her head and went to him and stubbornly insisted that he should go home and take a sleep. After a long convincing, she was able to convince him.

 

“Is he some sort of a suitor?” Eun Mi asked.

 

“He’s still a kid,” Dara answered.

 

“You’re not that old in age,” Jang Eun seconded.

 

“Ya!” Dara exclaimed.

 

“He’s cute, though,” Eun Mi thoughtfully added.

 

“Yeah, he’s quite a catch,” Jang Eun agreed again.

 

“Ya! You two! Stop talking about him like he’s some piece of a meat!”

 

“Ooh, I see you’re being protective of him, eh?” Jang Eun teased.

 

“You, both of you, don’t you go with those teasing tones of yours. And I just remembered, how come you didn’t report to the manager’s office before you changed into your uniforms?”

 

Both girls frowned and looked at each other.

 

“Why? Did we do something wrong?”

 

“No, but it’s the protocol, remember? We should report to the manager before we change into our uniforms? It’s the first rule. How come you’ve forgotten about it?”

 

“Err, I can’t remember anything about that when we were oriented, can you?” Eun Mi turned to Jang Eun.

 

“I can’t remember any protocol like that either.”

 

Dara looked at the two, dumbfounded. Then, the possibility of her being the only one who’s been told with those stupid changes hit her. She excused herself from the two and went to the direction of the manager’s office. She didn’t bother knocking as she immediately pushed the door open and stepped inside, making sure to close the door with a bang. She saw the manager bowed down on his desk. Her eyes squinted as she saw that he was sleeping but that didn’t stop her from bursting out. She marched towards him and tapped his shoulder. “Ya! Wake up!”

 

But the guy didn’t even budge or move an inch. She then proceeded shaking him while giving orders for him to wake up. Accidentally, her hand made contact with his exposed arm. She stopped from shaking him and touched his forehead, his face then is neck.

 

Omo! He’s sick! she thought in panic. She looked around, trying to find something. She went looking at his desk, drawers, etc for any medicine. When she didn’t find any, she looked at the door. Then, she remembered the first aid box on the storage room. Thinking that there’s a medicine in there, she started heading towards the door, but then, a hoarse voice stopped her.

 

“Ya, rabbit! Come here!” Jiyong called weakly. Dara turned around and went immediately to his side, panic was befuddling her mind that she didn’t notice what he said. All she heard was the ‘come here’ part.

 

“Do you need something? How are you feeling? Just wait here, I’ll get some-“

 

“I’m not feeling well. Tell the night shift to go home and tell the morning shift that they don’t have to report later. I’m closing the café for the meantime,” he murmured, head still bowed on his desk, eyes still closed.

 

“Okay, okay. Tell the others. I should tell the others,” Dara chanted to herself as she went outside the office and relayed the message to Eun Mi and Jang Eun, assuring them that she’ll be fine closing the café alone. She took out her phone and sent a message each to Bom, Minzy and Dae. After doing that, she went to the storage room and went to find the first aid box. Upon finding it, she started rummaging through it for a medicine. Her hands were shaking so hard for some reasons she can’t explain. She can’t even think straight, she was in total wreck, total panic. She remembered feeling this kind of fear when Ji was up against those senior bullies before.

 

She heaved a long sigh as she finally found what she’s looking for. She immediately stood up and started returning to the office when she passed by the kitchen. She was rattled as she doesn’t know what to do first. She then decided to go to a convenience store nearby and buy a crab soup powder and some minor ingredients into it. After purchasing what she needed, she ran as fast as she could back to the café. She closed the main lights in the café and posted the ‘CLOSED’ sign on the door. She went to the kitchen and started making the soup. She was impatiently tapping her foot on the floor as she waited for the soup to be done.

 

 

Later. . .

 

She cleared out the wooden desk and spread out one of the tablecloth she took off from the tables outside. She pulled him off is chair and tried her very might to lay him down in the desk. After that, she covered him with the other tablecloth she took. “Here, eat this up,” she said, as she spooned for a crab soup. She started feeding him then he suddenly chuckled.

 

“You still don’t know how to cook,” he smirked but Dara didn’t hear it as a phone started ringing loudly.

 

“Omo! Is that yours?” she asked. Jiyong just groaned in response. Dara looked for the phone but before she could even find it, it stopped ringing already. So, she continued feeding him. As he was finished, she gave him the medicine. “I should call CL-roo” she said as she took her phone out.

 

“No!” Jiyong weakly protested. “I don’t want her to worry about me. And besides, she’s still probably sleeping. I don’t want to wake her up,” he explained.

 

“But she needs to-“

 

“No.”

 

Dara sighed as she heard the finality in his voice. She stood up and turned towards the door when he grabbed her hand.

 

“Stay,” he whispered. She looked at him. The guy was holding her hand tightly while his eyes were closed. She sighed again.

 

“I’ll just go get a clean cloth and some water to apply on you.”

 

“Okay,” he answered then let her go. She went to the kitchen and prepared what she needed. Then, she went back to the office and started wiping him. The whole time she was doing that, Jiyong was clinging to her hands, slowing her work since she was just using one hand in wiping him. After that, she put her other hand on top of the hand she’s holding. It felt so warm that she started rubbing it, hoping that by doing that, the heat would go. She saw Jiyong gave a small smile.

 

“Ji?” she called in a whisper.

 

“Hmmm?” he mumbled.

 

“Maybe I should bring you to the hospital?”

 

“No! No hospitals for me.”

 

“But-“

 

“Don’t be stubborn. I’m your boss remember?”

 

SILENCE.

 

“I’m cold,” he said.

 

“I’ll get another tablecloth,” she mumbled but he holds on tighter to her hand. She looked at him helplessly then, slowly, she decided to wrap her other arm around him as she fell asleep herself a while later.

 

Jiyong jerked awake as he heard loud snores coming from her. How am I going to take a rest now? he asked himself. He looked at the sleeping girl and at her free arm around him. Really stupid, he thought. Then, a loud ringing broke the silence. He immediately closed his eyes the same time the girl opened hers.

 

“Omo! Where’s my phone?” he heard the girl say out loud. He then felt the girl pulled her hand and arm off him.

 

“Hello? CL-roo! Mr. Kwon is sick…. He’s…. Neh, I already gave him a-…. He said… He’s here in the office. He doesn’t want to be brought to the hospital…. Oh, I did but he said h-he doesn’t want to worry you that’s why he-. . . .Oh, okay.”

 

 

DARA’s POV

 

CL arrived a while later and immediately went to the manager’s office. Mr. Kwon wasn’t able to protest when CL-roo insisted that he should be brought to the hospital. I helped her bring Mr. Kwon to the car, oh, let me rephrase that. I, yes, ME, I assisted Mr. Kwon to the car and he was leaning all of his weight on me than CL-roo’s, probably because he doesn’t want to give her a hard time that’s why he’s leaning on me. As he was settled in the car, he gave me an accusing look, like I did something wrong.

 

“Unnie, are you coming?” CL-roo asked.

 

“Oh, no. I have to mop and clean this place first,” I answered. I watched the car leave. The moment I can no longer see the car, I started cleaning the place up. When I was finished, I closed the place and started walking home.