Author's Note: As promised AnneOnym, your cameo. I hope you liked it! I seriously do not know if you like coffee or not, but for the sake of my story... Let's just say you do!

Sighing, I plopped down onto the comfy couch in the corner of Anne's shop. Ahh, air-con... Greatest invention since coffee. Hmm speaking of coffee.

“Hey, Reggie! What brings you here today?” Anne asked, a smile on her cheerful broad face as she placed a cup of my favourite iced mocha on the table before taking a seat opposite me. I felt better immediately. Not just because of the coffee, but because Anne had a way of making people feel good. There was an air about the chubby Italian-American that drew me to her. She was warm and friendly and always took the time to listen to her friends. Never once was she judgemental.

As I formulated my reply, I looked about the shop. It was relatively empty at this time in the day, with the majority of working-class Seoulites still in the office. The only people in the cosy café were a handful of couples hanging out on the comfy couches, holding each other's hands and staring wistfully into their partner's eyes.

Great, just great. Just what I need. More lovey dovey couples. I scoffed snidely. The sight of the loving couples made me feel sick. Heck, maybe this was just what Ji Hyo was doing with her boyfriend right now. The thought of her cosying up with her boyfriend left a bitter taste in my mouth. Much like the coffee I was currently drinking and I glared at it in disgust.

Looking across to me, I saw Anne still sitting there, patiently waiting for me. Smiling sheepishly, I rubbed the back of my head. “Oh nothing... It's the school holidays now and I had nothing much to do, so I thought I'd pop by for some free coffee.” I explained, holding up my cup.

Anne smiled back at me. “Well, technically you financed the café so it's your coffee.” She reminded, while tying up her brown hair.

I first met Anne back at University, while on an exchange programme in Columbia University in the city of New York. I was a sophomore and she was a senior in her final year of studies. It was also at Columbia that she met Jei, a native Korean who was there on scholarship, and they had gotten married before moving to Seoul.

When the couple first moved to Korea, Anne had a hard time finding a non-teaching job and after a few years of teaching, she was sick of it. Remembering that Anne, like a true-blooded Italian, loved coffee and was deeply passionate about it. Even going as far as taking up a part-time barista course in the midst of a busy school schedule and helping out in her parent's quaint café in Greenwich village. I had offered to help with the starting capital for the café. (On the condition that I got my caffeine fix for free.)

Anne had made use of the business and marketing skills from University and used the burgeoning pet culture in Korea to her advantage. Her café was one of the few pet-friendly places in the city where owner and pet could