Five years ago

I got off the bus at Hongdae, my favourite place to be in ever since my years in university.

Hongdae reminds me of the times my friends and I stayed inside random coffee shops to chill and grab some drinks. The days were we would stay up late rushing for deadlines too.

Ah those were the days.

I pulled the doors of the coffee and was met with the strong scent of the coffee beans. Heaven. This is how heaven smells like. 

Filled with the strong scent of coffee beans and pretty flowers decorating the place, the place seems pretty decent.

I looked around the place in search for a seat. I was waiting for my friend, Jessica.

Well, she’s technically a friend. She has been thinking about auditioning for one of the Big Three entertainment companies here in South Korea and I’m here waiting for her. She wanted me to help her out with her recording for the audition, which I have already agreed.

I wonder how she found this place. It’s pretty and cosy too.

The snow outside made my brain freeze. So I drop the guitar that I was holding on a free chair at the far end of the cafe before moving towards the queue at near the front to place my order.

“Thank you that would be 5,000 won” I heard the girl behind the cashier say.

Wow, not only is the cafe pretty their staffs are pretty good looking too.

The girl behind the cashier had black straight hair and pale skin with a rosy blush on her cheeks. It must be the cold that made her blush so naturally. She looked really young. Inexperience too, judging by the way she handled the money a little clumsily.

“Hey Jung Yong, you’re here early?” Jessica tapped my arm and said.

I glanced at my watch. “Yah! It’s you who is late. Didn’t you say three thirty here? It’s already three forty now!”

“Can you not over react? I’m ten minutes late. Only ten minutes. What’s the big deal? You’re not gentleman enough!”

“Oh unnie! You’re here!” said the girl behind the counter.

What? The pretty girl behind the counter actually knows Jessica? She’s such a sno- Okay, I was being totally mean I don’t mean to call her a snob because she’s not that bad. She’s just really direct.

“Ne, Seohyunnie I came to visit you here at your new work place!"

I glance at Jessica, I thought we were here to discuss about her audition?

"Oh thank you unnie! Would you like something to drink? My treat!"

"Hey, Jung Yong do you want something to drink?"

"Unnie, your friend was in the queue just now. What would you like? Since you're Unnie's friend, your drink is on the house too." She smiled and said.

"Seohyunnie, I want a caramel macchiato! With extra caramel please!"

"I would like an iced Americano. Thank you." I replied.

I saw the girl typing in our orders into the machine and went towards the other side to prepare our drinks.

She's really pretty. From how the way her hair frames her pretty face to how she focuses on the cashier when she attends to customers, damn she's pretty. Who would have guessed that this good mannered girl is actually friends with Jessica?

We returned to our seats and start discussing about Jessica's audition.

"Sorry about it Yonghwa, I was thinking of adding in a piano part for my audition.” Jessica interrupted me. “Seohyun over there plays the piano, I was hoping that she'll agree to help me for the audition."

"Why won't she help you?"

"Well...she's really shy about her talents. She can sing well too. But she likes to hide it."

"Ah I see, it shouldn't be a problem. But shouldn't we wait for her to agree first?"

Just then Seohyun approached us with some cakes.

"Unnie here's some cakes for you to try! The baker told me to let my friends try when I told him that my friends are here."

"Can sit down with us for a moment Seohyun! I have a favor to ask from you."

"Huh me? What is it unnie? I'll try my best to help if it is within my means!"

"Yes of course it is within your means!"

Then Jessica started rumbling about how much she wanted to take part in the audition but couldn't find a pianist that could play for her. Seohyun was really shy. Although at that time I was not sure how good she actually is with the piano I could see that she was passionate about it.

In the end Jessica managed to persuade Seohyun to participate in the recording for her audition. That's how Seohyun and I got to know each other better too.

We met a few times to discuss about the parts and another few times to recorded in order to finish Jessica’s audition CD. She was shy every time we would meet for practice and recording. But when she played, she showed confidence. It's nice to see her talk, every time her eyes sparkle when she speak, my heart would flutter.

We did become good friends after some time. I would visit the cafe every week ordering the same drinks each time. She memorized my orders and we talked from time to time. 

I was the one who took the first step and asked to exchange numbers. Because it simply does not make any sense for me not to do so. I would text her every time I finish a tune, asking her to check it out or after writing a few lines of lyrics. 

Four months after getting to know her, I decided to pop the question. 

"Would you be my girlfriend?" I asked over dinner with her one day at a BBQ restaurant.

To be honest, thinking back it wasn't exactly a romantic way to ask her to be my girlfriend or proposal however you'll like to call it. I just couldn't wait to ask her.

She chuckled and replied "Yonghwa ssi, that isn't exactly a romantic way to ask. But..."

"But??"

"Okay."

"Okay?! So you mean you'll be my girlfriend? Right?"

"Yes."

"Yaaaahoooo!" 

"Yonghwa ssi please lower down your volume! We're disturbing other people here!"

"Ssi? I'm your boyfriend now! Seohyun ah. Ah wait no...ah! Hyun~ call me oppa! I want to hear it."

"What? Op- Yonghwa ssi I can't"

"Eyyyy of course you can! Hmmm...why not call me Yong~? I think that's very cool!"

"What kind of name is that? I'm not calling you that."

"Alright then call me Yonghwa oppa now!"

"Okay okay...Yong~ are you happy now?"

"Very happy! Let's continue eating before the meat becomes charred!"

"You shouldn't be eating so much meat! From now on I'm going to look after your health!"

"Yes girlfriend. Come on let's finish this at least."

That was five years ago.

I looked up at the signboard of the cafe Seohyun used to work at. It's still here.

Pulling the familiar doors of the cafe, I smell the familiar scent of coffee beans. I looked at the counter. Around five years ago, a girl with long straight hair would be standing at the counter taking orders. Although a little clumsy, she would make sure to serve every customer with a smile.

Her smile. How much I missed her smile?

Now a young boy maybe around the age of eighteen or twenty was standing behind the counter and taking down orders.

I was around the area and decided to pop by at the cafe. It has been some time since I visited this place.

I've stopped coming here ever since Seohyun quitted her job to join the entertainment company I was in as a piano instrument. Because I knew this place would never be the same without Seohyun hence I stopped visting. But today I just want to relive those moments again although I know it will never be the same.

My life is not the same without Seohyun.

She's not gone. Although she's in coma, she has always been there.

Every little thing that I do reminds me of her.

I kept everything the same because I knew she would wake up, from the scent of coffee beans to the body wash she has chosen for me. I didn’t want her to get a shock when she wakes up so everything was the same.

I'm still hoping that she'll wake up. 

No. I believe she'll wake up. Maybe tomorrow, next week or next month. She'll wake up for sure and when she does, I'll be right next to her. Someday.

I ordered a cup of chai latte and took a sit at the same table.

Why chai?

Because it's Seohyun's favorite and she claimed that it's much healthier than Americano. She changed my taste. Because of Seohyun I learnt to like the calming effect of chai and appreciate the taste of chai. Before I knew her, Chai was just a boring grey beverage that doesn't serve any purpose of perking me up at all. It tasted blend before but now, drinking chai has a whole new meaning.

I took a sip of the chai latte and sunk into the comfortable seat together with my thoughts.

This place is still the same, just without Seohyun. I sighed at the thought.

My ringtone sounded from my right pocket, a little too loud that broke me away from my thoughts. 

It’s Jessica.

Jessica hasn’t changed much. She's still the same old Jessica I knew, just much more famous than she was in school. 

Jessica passed her audition in SM entertainment and is now a leading record artist. OSTs after OSTs, awards after awards and some dramas and cameos in between. She became a successful entertainer in the industry.

"Hello?"

"Jung Yong! Come to the hospital now! I came to visit Seohyun and something happen-"

I dashed out of the cafe and ran to my car before hearing Jessica finish her sentence and drove to the hospital.

No! Please god please. Don't let anything happen to her.

God please, don't take my love away from me.


Author's Note:

Sorry if this chapter is too short or not what you expected. I hope it gave a little bit more about the background on how the couple first met and how they got together eventually!

Any guesses for my second Girls’ Generation bias? Ahahaha!

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