Kim Minseok walked his merry way to his favorite place besides the comfort of his apartment, the coffee shop where he worked. As he walked down the busy street where the Luna Cafe stood proudly, the sweet aroma of freshly brewed coffee woke him up and drew him closer to the shop. He walked inside, pushing the lightweight glass doors aside and smile at his friends working with him as well. He walked with the continuing smile on his face to the back room where he safely put his bag and went to the front counter, securing the apron to his waist. He breathed the strong scent of fresh air mixed with coffee beans and exhaled. This was the start of a new day, he thought as he took a look at his watch, beginning his morning shift. It was 8 in the morning, and Minseok couldn’t help but feel the butterflies begin to form in the pit of his stomach.

          It was almost time, he thought as he made his way to the coffee machine in order to make two cups of coffee, one with two sugars and cream and one black. As he carefully drew a smile with foam into one of them, he smiled. Each day, he made a secret cup of coffee for the girl in the shop next to his, the bakery called The Fluffy Factory. The girl was Minseok’s best friend, Park Jaerin. They have been friends since primary school, both in uniforms,and have been inseparable ever since. He helped her get the job of head baker at The Fluff Factory after she helped him meet his future boss of the Luna Cafe. Today was like any other day,the same happy routine of arriving to work, putting his apron  on and preparing these two cups of coffee. When the coffee was finally perfect, sugar and all, Minseok carefully took the cup and headed out of the doors of Luna Cafe to Fluff Factory.

         He walked in, greeting the workers, all aware of what he does every morning, and goes to the employee room where Jaerin stored her bag and coat. In her section, a small cubby with her name on top, Minseok placed the warm cup of coffee and a sticky note saying:

Jaerin! Keep smiling throughout the day. It’s the smile I love. I love you.

         He smiled as he set the sticky note down perfectly and quickly retreated back to the sanctuary of Luna Cafe. Jaerin would always arrive a few moments later and enter her Fluffy Factory and both their separate days would continue. The truth was that, Minseok was in love with his best friend, for two long years. He realized her perfection in every way, the way she managed to make him laugh and smile on his tough days. He figured out that he always adored how her cheeks flushed with pink when she giggled at jokes. He came to the conclusion that he was in love with his lovely friend, Jaerin. So, everyday he would make her favorite coffee before she would get to work so she wouldn’t know it was him. This sneaky method took so long to perfect after the many times he was almost caught. He just wanted to make her feel appreciated, more than how he does when they are together.

          After work today, Minseok was cleaning the counter at the end of his shift, he heard the chime of the door that alerted them of a new customer.

         “I’m sorry, customer,” Minseok began apologetically. “We’re closed now.” He heard the laugh and felt the smile that came from the person he loved.

         “I know Minnie oppa. We’re closed too” Jaerin said. Minseok looked up, sighing in amazement at her beauty. He put the wet towel down for a moment and smirked at his secret love.

         "Jaeri, why are you bothering me?” he said jokingly, using her nickname that he’s had for her since they were kids. Jaerin put on a face to say that she was taken aback.

         “I’m bothering you? Then I’ll leave and take my treats elsewhere,” she said, lifting her chin and showing him her basket filled with freshly made buns straight from the oven. The sweet smell of the bread made him rush to her side, hugging her to keep her from going.

         “Jaeri-ah, you know oppa was just joking.” She smiled and nodded.

        “Neh, oppa. I know,” she said giggling, making Minseok’s heart skip a beat. He breathed in her clean scent of bread mixed of strawberries from her morning shower. So pure and soft, he thought. How he wished to stay like this and tell her of his sincere feelings. But he couldn’t risk it; he couldn’t risk losing this amazing moment forever, never being able to hold her like this again.

       “Oppa, are you ok?” Minseok nodded and curled his arms around her.

       “Neh, I’m fine, you’re just so comfortable.” He felt her giggle, that beautiful sound.

       “Come on oppa. Let’s go eat these, it’s going to be cold soon.” Minseok, sadly, nodded and left her side. He told her to wait there as he went in the back to grab his bag and light jacket. When they returned, they headed to the quiet scene of the park. After work, the two would always come here to discuss their day and relax by the current of the lake. Minseok and Jaerin sat on the wooden bench, putting the basket in the middle as they watched the current. Jaerin reached in the basket, taking two buns out of it and handed one to Minseok. She took one in her small hands, rough from a long day of rolling dough, had a bite of the bun and looked up from the bun at Minseok. She smiled with her eyes at her best friend, his cheeks filled with the bread like a greedy squirrel. He looked at her with a confused expression.

       “Oppa, you know what?” she asked. Minseok remained silent to allow her to continue. She swallowed her bun and picked up another warm bun and brought it close to Minseok’s face.

       “Baozi,” she said simply, smiling with a childish smile. Minseok looked puzzled, but only for a moment as he took another bite of his bun.

      “What does-” he paused, smiling, “You’ve been learning from Yixing, haven’t you?” She smiled widely nodding when Minseok mentioned his Chinese co-worker who soon became Jaerin’s friend.

      “Neh, during his break today he came to visit the store.”

      “And?”

     “And he taught me the word ‘baozi’ because he saw me making these buns. He said it means steamed buns, something like these,” she explained. He nodded his head, still smiling on the inside from her randomness.

      “You know, oppa, now that I take a good look at your small face, I think you look like a baozi.” She looked at Minseok, then to the bun still in her hands, and back at her oppa as she took a bite of the bun.

      “Neh, just like a baozi.” Her face got close to his, to examine his features more. As she looked at him, Minseok looked at her lovingly. With her face so close, he had the urge to lean just a little closer and kiss her, so she would finally know his feelings. Her eyes grew wide with fascination as they went from his small nose to his single lid eyes. Oh, how he loved those eyes.

      “Oh!” she exclaimed. “Do you know what happened today?”

      “What?” he asked.

      “I found another cup of coffee today. But this time, it had a smiley face on it," she paused, "Are you sure you don’t know who it is, oppa. You’re not lying to me, right?”

      “I’m sure, Jaerin-ah. I have no clue” Minseok replied, trying not to arouse suspicion to him. Ever since he began with the secret coffees, she would tell him after work. No matter what, he always hoped that she wouldn’t discover that it’s been him all along. Will this be the time that she finally realizes?

      “I still wonder who this person is,” she began. Her expression turned said, her eyes to the ground, “I wonder because then I can find a way to let them down easily.” Minseok, about to take another bite of the steamed bun, paused with his mouth wide. He closed his mouth, his brows close together in confusion.

     “What do you mean?” he asked. Inside, his heart sunk to the bottom of his belly. Let him down easy? Why? Why would she say such a thing? She smiled weakly, her nervous hands intertwined with each other, moving around and about on her lap.

      “I have to let this secret admirer down easily because he loves me and I love someone else,” she said softly. Minseok’s heart fell to the floor, next to his feet on the cold ground of the park. She...loves someone else. Someone else...someone else. With his voice breaking from shock, Minseok said,

      “Y-Yah, Jaeri. Why didn’t you tell me? Aren’t we best friends? We’re not supposed to have any secrets.” Minseok watched her beautiful pale face smile.

      “I know oppa. But I couldn’t tell you.”

      “Hm? Why not? You don’t love me anymore to tell me? I thought we were friends,” he said. He couldn’t help but pout to cover his tears that wanted to escape. He couldn’t possibly get over this feeling in a millisecond after she said she was in love with another. He’ll have to fake his happiness for some time. It'll have to be done. He heard her sigh.

       “No, oppa. It’s the exact opposite,” she paused, then continued, finally lifting her head and looked at him in the eyes, “Minseok oppa, you’re the one I love.” There was a silence between the two, allowing her confession to process in Minseok’s brain. No matter how many times he tried to think of it differently, he knew he heard it right. You’re the one I love.  Yes, that was it.

      “Me?” You love me?” he said.

      “Neh, oppa,” she said. Minseok ,still in complete shock, overcome with emotion, didn’t reply. He felt motionless, speechless. It lead Jaerin to believe that he couldn’t find the right to let her down easy. She picked up her basket and cleared , looking at her watch.

      “I should be going, it’s late. I’m sorry for telling you that. Please forget it, oppa. I’ll see you tomorrow after work.” She got up from her seat, bowed to him before quickly leaving to her apartment. Minseok sat there in a daze, unaware of what is up, what is down, what just happened. No, he knew exactly what happened. Minseok ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

     “Aish, I’m so stupid. Babo, babo. I had my chance and I just stayed silent.” He sighed and looked to the sky.

     “I have to fix this.” He looked to the sky for answers, as if it would talk back to him. What to do, Eotteoke, Eotteoke, what to do to prove himself to the girl that he’s loved for two years.

      The next morning, Jaerin woke up in her bed with tissues stained with tears and her eyes puffy. She managed to finally sleep after crying over his silent reaction. She looked up at the clock, it was time to get ready for work. She proceeded to do her morning routine, putting light makeup on and her work uniform. She walked to the Fluff Factory, trying to forget last night and anticipate the new day hoping it would make her feel better. She arrived at her shop, going to the back room to put things away. In her section, Jaerin saw another cup of coffee. She picked up the coffee and took sip of it, it was perfect as always. Like always, Jaerin saw the note stuck to the cup. She took it and read it. It said:

Jaerin-ah, you love Baozi oppa, right?

Baozi oppa loves you too.

So very much.

 Her heart skipped a beat and a warm feeling overcome her.

    “Is this a joke? He shouldn’t play this,” she said out loud to herself.

    “A joke?” The familiar voice frightened her causing her to jump and turn to its source. Minseok was behind, pouting, his cheeks big and puffy.

    “It make this coffee everyday for a month and you think it’s a joke. I’m hurt.”

    “O-oppa, the coffee, the notes, it’s been from you all this time?” Minseok approached her, smiling sweetly, his eyes bright. He nodded.

    “Neh, I’ve been your secret admirer for much longer, Jaerin-ah. I just wanted you to feel happy when I’m not there with you.”

    “Oppa, you love me?” He chuckled at his nervous self. He nodded again, shyly smiling. He reached and grasped her hand, intertwining it with his.

    “I love you so much, Jaerin. I was shocked yesterday when you confessed to me. I didn’t know you would have the same feelings. Mianhae. But I’m here to tell you that I love you too, Jaerin, with all heart.” He leaned towards her and his lips brushed against hers. He kissed her softly and brought their intertwined hands to his chest so that she could feel the heart that only beat for her. Minseok poured all the love and happiness he felt from every moment they spent together. She returned his kiss, smiling into it. Minseok held her protectively and softly, broke the kiss, looking at her beautiful face.

    “Park Jaerin, will you mine?” She didn’t need another second to answer, immediately nodding her head.

    “Yes, oppa. I’d love to.” They shared another loving kiss, forming the relationship the two always wanted.

 

                                                                    ...The baozi brewed the perfect cup of coffee...

                                                                            ...The baker finally found her baozi…