You walked into the shop and peered around. The aroma of coffee hit you and you gave a sigh of content. It was your favorite spot to de-stress after a long week. You scanned the menu, something that was unnecessary since you had long memorized everything and was delighted to see that there was actually something new.

            The barista was someone you haven’t seen before too. She had a long pony-tail and a happy smile on her face as she served you. “Hey! How may I help you?”

            It was refreshing to be asked this question. The other server had long taken to heart your weekly routine. A cappuccino on Monday, and a latte on Tuesday. There would days when you came in on Thursdays and you had a giant whipped cream-topped espresso. You liked to be different and at first, she had given you weird looks. But you stuck with it and she eventually knew you to be a regular customer, albeit with irregular tastes.

            But today, you just had a long day at work and you wanted to try something new. You stood on your tiptoes and pointed at the new menu. “How is your pumpkin spice eggnog?”

            “It’s pretty popular and it’s a great drink to have on a cold day. I highly recommend it to you.”

            You thought about it carefully and then nodded. It was always good to step out of your bounds and be adventurous. “Yes, may I have that please?”

            You paid for your drink and sat in your usual corner. It overlooked both the window and the rest of the shop. It was always interesting to try something new. You sat there and waited for the waitress to bring you your order. You glanced out the window and saw a few flurries of snow drift down.

            Your heart raced. It was soon to be your favorite time of year again. If only you could sort out all your problems now and then you would be able to be happy. You watched people hurry by and saw yourself in a frazzled looking woman. You recognized the slightly pinched look on her face as she rushed to overstep the puddles in her heels, with her bags hitting against her legs.

            The coffee shop was strangely empty. Normally it would be bustling with noise. But the emptiness only drew attention to your lone company. He was sitting at the far end of another secluded table. In front of him was a plate of half-eaten cheesecake and a tall glass of hot chocolate. You wondered how the cheesecake came to be devoured as he had on a mask.

            This person intrigued you and you leaned forward to study him. He wasn’t bad looking at all, a bit young, maybe only a few years younger than you. He was tapping his fingers absent-mindedly and staring out the window. He turned too quickly for you to react and your eyes met for a moment. His expression was unreadable and that was when your drink arrived.

            “Here you go, Miss. Enjoy.”

            The drink came with whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon and a cinnamon stick. You breathed in the aromatic scent and sighed. You could feel yourself relaxing already. You took a cautious sip and nodded in content. The pumpkin spice was enhanced with the cinnamon and you off the cream that was visibly on your lip.

            Your eyes strayed to the mysterious man but he was gone. Instead the waitress came back with a plate of cookies. “This one is a present,” she explained and you cocked your head. By now there were more people in the shop.  

            “From?”

            She blushed. “I’m afraid the person wished to remain anonymous.”

            You came back again the next day, utterly curious as to who would give you the cookies. You ordered a hot chocolate with a chocolate mousse cake and sat in your usual spot. Your eyes wandered again and you saw him there. He had his mask on and a tea cup. You stared at him, wondering if he was an adventurer like you were.

            When your drink came, it arrived with more than the cake; you also had a plate of dark chocolate brownies. “Another gift?” you asked wryly and she nodded.

            “There’s also a note that came with it.” The waitress handed you a folded piece of paper and you opened it.

            “I don’t need coffee to make my heart warm when I can see you smile. I hope you like dark chocolate. – D.”

            You looked around and couldn’t figure anyone looking at you to see if you were reading. It was frustrating not to know who the person was. You folded the note and took a bite of the brownie and smiled. You could at least play along. Your heart hammered, and all your romantic notions hit you.

            You couldn’t go back until Friday and this time, you were in an utterly foul mood. Your feet hurt and right after you sat down, you kicked off your heels. You looked around agitatedly and sighed when you saw the rain hadn’t stopped.

            The waitress came with your cappuccino and you nodded curtly. You didn’t want to be rude but you just needed some time to yourself, to unwind. The first sip soothed your throat and warmed you up.

            You blew ripples across the drink and were caught up in your own thoughts. A slice of cheesecake slid into view and you looked up. The guy with the mask was looking at you. He pulled down the fabric covering his mouth and gave you a beautiful smile.

            “I’m Daehyun. I just wanted to see if cheesecake could make you smile too.” 

this is for alexajjang

I'm so glad the Zelo Gossip Girl one got such amazing feedback!

Thank you

AND...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO KISSMEEMILY ♥

I know it's a Dae and your bias is Yonggukkie... but still. Happy birthday and thank you for always supporting me