His morning was greeted by the scent of freshly brewed coffee, as always. It was barely eight o’clock in the morning, yet he was already busy, a bit too early. He tapped his fingers on the table, nodding his head, while humming some random tune as he brewed the coffee beans. He wanted it to be perfect and delicious, especially the latte. He hummed in delight, as it turned out pretty well, nicely brewed.

The morning was nice, despite being slightly colder than usual. It was almost winter, the temperature dropped from time to time. But still, it felt warm here, unlike how it used to be, and Jonghyun was delighted. He hummed the random tune once again as he stared at the entrance door, wondering where will the petite figure came to order some latte. Minho has just flipped the sign, signaling the coffee shop is ready for customers. Jonghyun was excited to meet the petite figure once more.

He felt giddy, in a good way, impatient and slightly nervous. Three minutes after the shop is open, customers quickly made their way to the shop, dropping by the counter to order their favorite drink. Coffee is a must, especially when a busy and tiring day await. Jonghyun pretty sure coffee will be a helpful cup of drink later, in the afternoon or late in the evening when your energy drops easily.

Tapping his fingers on the table, he was getting more and more impatient. It was a minute before eight, and Jonghyun find no presence of her. He has a thin and idiotic smile on his face though, just like a monkey-in-love. He surely was in love, it was written all over his face, a bit too obvious. He hummed another rhytm, as he waits for her. Come on… come on…

When the tingling sounds of the bell echoed, Jonghyun immediately shot up to see the petite figure finally appearing before him. He sighed in relieve, his smile widen in delight. He took a quick glance to the clock; hang at the corner of the shop – eight o’clock, as usual. She has always been one of the firsts, arriving right when the clock strikes 8. The woman walked toward the counter, ordering some latte – her favorites he knew.

The woman was beautiful, long brown hair that looked so pretty, a pair of hazel-brown eyes, and kissable pink lips. Jonghyun wonder if such perfection truly existed. She sighs and hummed lightly as she makes her way toward the counter. Jonghyun quickly hides away, too embarrassed by the fact that the woman may have noticed him for being too obvious, he spent two minutes staring at her.

“The usual latte, please.”  She smiled, tapping her fingers at the counter.

She took the seat next to the window, her usual one. Somehow the seat always left unoccupied except for her. She would spent hours inside the café and none would mind. She was, after all, a very lovely girl. Jonghyun quickly scrambled away, rushing to brew some coffee for her. She hummed in delight once again, before walking away. Pretty, she is, and especially when she smiles.

Honestly, Jonghyun knew nothing about her. He simply liked her, somehow she captured him by the heart. It sounded stupid though, when Jonghyun admitted he might have feelings for her, he slapped himself hard for being so stupid. He knew nothing about the woman, how can he fall in love? But then, it was the truth, he liked her a lot. In fact, he might even love her.

She likes latte since it isn’t too heavy, Jonghyun knew that. She likes it, when he added more milk than coffee, but then she loved the scent of freshly-brewed coffee – a reason why she always hummed in delight each time she entered the door. She liked it warm, especially during a cold winter day, just like how today is. Her name, if he could recall, was Lee Ji Eun. Something Choi Minho found out by the end of a hot summer evening. And Jonghyun knew, she loves those latte arts he made for her.  

***

Jonghyun never likes his job until recently. In fact, he hated it a lot, it was a burdensome job and nothing good ever come out from it. His payment was low, barely able to keep him living and his co-workers are a bunch of uneducated people. They are rude, they loved to mock him. He was simply unlucky, taking the wrong major back in the days, and ended up as a failure.

His co-workers, he hated them the most. Choi Minho, the man with good looks that often mocks him for his appearance. He has great skills in flirting with girls, unlike Jonghyun who often scrambled away. Key, the owner of that stupid name is a fashionista who often mock Jonghyun for his sense of fashion. Taemin, the youngest who does not have any respect for the older one, he often pranks Jonghyun. Taemin, despite his innocent looks, he loved it when others got yell at. Onew, another owner of a stupid name, he loved to yell at people, and Jonghyun found him annoying for being moody.

But these days, it has gotten better. His payment slowly rises, ever since he mastered the latte art. His co-workers are less annoying, now that he has gotten used to it. He worked on his own, rarely interacting with his co-workers. And every morning, ever since the woman catches his eye, he always had something to look forward too.

“Stay here, I’m serving this to her. You’re the kitchen guy, I’m the waiter, stick with your job.” Minho arrogantly took the cup away from him.

Jonghyun particularly rolled his eyes on him, how annoying. Jonghyun remembered how she hummed in delight and tighten her peach-colored trench coat. She looked pretty with it and it catches his eyes. He simply drew it for her, on her cup of coffee, hoping that she would notice him. Just like how he drew a guitar for her, the first time they met. He remembered seeing her carrying a guitar when they first met, and he thought they may share the same hobby.

“Go,” Jonghyun rolled his eyes, “If you destroy this latte art, I’m going to kill you.”

And Choi Minho is the reason why, Jonghyun could never approach her. Minho, the man who flirts with thousands of girls, always wanted to be the one who served him. Jonghyun never liked fights; he prefers withdrawing rather than messing up with people. After all, his co-workers are a bunch of hateful people.

Jonghyun loved it, when she would stare in delight at his drawings. She would hum in delight, when the taste of coffee overwhelmed her. And at times, Jonghyun wondered if she ever noticed him. At times, she would look at him, giving him the most beautiful smile. But was it something she dedicated to him? Or was it to Choi Minho? After all, Minho has been hitting on her since last summer.

But it was all last winter.

***

Jonghyun changed, ever since she disappeared. He was slightly heart-broken, although he wasn’t even supposed to feel that way. But it has happened, the fact that he truly likes her. He would stuck his gaze on the clock and when it strikes eight, he would brightens up, hoping if she would finally appeared again. And then, he would break all over again, since she stopped coming.

Spring, it was spring time. Jonghyun could already feel the spring breeze and it was cozy enough to lighten his mood in the morning. However, he stopped humming in delight long ago. His jobs, it reverted back to something annoying and slowly he become much like his co-workers, an annoying man. Despite him changing and at times, looking desperate, his co-workers never spent an effort to console him. In fact, they have gone harsher, causing things to become even more burdensome and tougher.

But again, he became stubborn. Today, too, he stuck his gaze onto the clock, waiting for it to strike eight. It was a minutes before eight, he would constantly take a glance at the door. His palms become sweaty, his heart thumping, he was getting impatient yet slightly scared. Will she come today? Where is she? Those questions often filled his mind. Why did she disappear?

Eight o’clock and the tingling sounds of the bell echoed – the third customer of the day. Jonghyun quickly took his gaze off the ticking clock. No, it wasn’t her. It was another young man, less than three years younger than him. Jonghyun sighed, disappointed and slightly upset. He cringed at the sight of it, earning a glare from Onew. He quickly put on an act, smiling brightly. He looked scary though, in returns the young man eyed him strangely.

“You’re not supposed to treat customers that way!” Onew slapped the back of his head, earning a groaned in return.

He knew. He knows. It was wrong; he shouldn’t have acted that way. It was wrong of him; the customer may have been annoyed at his act or worse offended. But well, he couldn’t hide his disappointment. He couldn’t promised him either, it may happened next time, or as well as now. Sometimes, even Minho loses his cool, so why can’t he? At times, he loses his cool too.

The tingling sounds of the bell once more echoed, but Jonghyun didn’t care anymore. It wasn’t her, since it was half past eight. She would never come late, eight o’clock seems to be her favorite. And also, the person seems to push the door slightly too hard, then followed by her panting. Idiot, Jonghyun thought. This shop is open until 10 at night, who would rush when it will still be open for the next 12 hours?

“I made it!” She hummed in delight, as the smell of freshly-brewed coffee greeted her.

Jonghyun knew it. It was her voice. He immediately looked up to see how much the woman has changed. She was still as cheerful as ever, her bright smile, and pink kissable pink lips. She looked slightly tired though, she has eyebags. Her hair was no longer blond, it was short and dark. Jonghyun wouldn’t complain though, she still looked pretty. Her hazelnut orbs, right to his darker one. Jonghyun blankly stared at her. Where have you been? It was the question that almost slips off his tongue but he knew he didn’t have the right to ask.

She had her guitar with her, pink as always. And also, another thing that brought horror upon Jonghyun. She was holding a very pretty red rose and her smile seems to bloom at the sight of it. Did someone give it to her? Did she have officially become someone else’s? The thought of it scared him. He has waited long enough, yet he wondered why this feeling has yet to die. And again, he didn’t have a single right to question her.

“The usual latte, please,” She ordered, “I hope you can still remember,” she murmured.

How can he even forget about it? Jonghyun almost mocks her for being ignorant. He spent his days daydreaming about her, yet she spent no attention to him. He spent his days memorizing her likes and disliked, yet he doubted she knew anything about him. It hurts and at times annoying, yet he was helpless. She was too charming, ugh, it was annoying indeed – the fact that he can’t get her off his head.

Rose. Jonghyun wanted to draw it for her. He didn’t have enough money to buy her beautiful flowers from the flower shop. All he can give her was this, little things he paid attention to, and draw it to her. Her cup of coffee, it was him, silently expressing his hidden feeling. But does she know? It seems she was too dense to realize it or was it because her head was filled with someone else. Stop thinking, Jonghyun, rejoice! She has returned.

“Finished? I’m going to serve it for her.” Minho, that man was still as annoying as ever.

“No.” He glared at him, “I’m the one who’s serving today.”

“You’re the kitchen guy!” Minho groaned.

“Who cares? Who told you I’m the kitchen guy?”

“You’re going to scare her.”

“Like how you scare her when you tried to flirt with her?”

Jonghyun was proud; somehow he managed to zip his lips that he could no longer argue with him. He should do it often, so his co-workers wouldn’t dare messing up with him. He nervously walked up to her, at the vacant seat that has finally been reserved after three months being vacant. She looked so bright, so pretty, humming some love songs, staring at her red rose. She must be in love. What caused him to be daring enough to draw rose? At least, he wasn’t as daring as Minho is, the over-confident man would have drawn hearts by now.

“Thank you.” She stopped humming, as she thanks him with a smile.

***

“Remind me, why did you end up being the kitchen guy instead of that newbie?” Key mocks his old-friend.

“Never knew that newbie is quite good at arguing.”

“So you lose? Oh, that newbie… obsessed with her, duh?”

“Yeah, I guess so, see, I end up being a kitchen guy thanks to her.”

“I wonder what was so charming about her. Goodness, she cut her hair!” Key groaned, he hated the fact that she has just cut her hair short.

“My exes are actually prettier than her. It’s just… she’s that much charming.” Minho smiled, gently.

“Ah… let the newbie be. We have mess him good enough.”

***

She left, as always, by the time the clock strike 12. She spent four hours, enjoying her coffee, staring outside the window, and also scribbling on her piece of paper. Jonghyun patiently waited for her, he wanted to be the one to tidy her table. Maybe, she would leave something behind so he could interact with her the next time she came. He tapped his against the wooden board – bored.

However what she left behind was the rose, how sloppy of her. Jonghyun found himself staring helplessly at it. It broke him, honestly, the fact that she became so happy over a red rose. It must have come from someone very special. After all, it’s been three months since he last saw her. A pink note was attached to it, Jonghyun was curious, yet again having no rights to interfere, he prevented himself from opening it. He keeps hesitating though, whether to open it or not. With one last sigh, he silently opened the note. He cursed himself though, this is wrong, yet he can’t help it. He widens his eyes, wide enough so he wouldn’t misread a single word.

I like you, Kim Jonghyun.  

Author Note

Ugh, this thing make me feel all giddy and strange. I just want to rip it into two. I've rewrite this about three to four times, but still it stays the same. Now that I think about it, last chapter was pretty good compared to this one. It left me unsatisfied and wondered if things thing is good enough to be posted. The idea popped up in my head about two weeks ago, but I was busy so I keep postponing writing it down. The idea was pretty good to begin with, but it seems I failed to express it nicely. Some readers asked me to write a good ending. I tried okay? I don't think I'll write another good ending. This is weird. I may rewrite it again someday or maybe not. I don't want to feel weird all over again. Oh, but I promise someone I'll write a MyungU fluff. I'll try to do well next time. Hopefully, this thing isn't as bad as I predicted it to be. I wonder if I write too much angst, do I?