Can I Get My Coffee, Please?

Eunjae stares at the napkin on her hand dreamingly. The scene from yesterday kept playing over and over in her mind. Her cheeks has turned all red from all the pinching she did. She hasn’t believed it completely that the prince of her dreams has asked her out. Hyuna almost goes crazy watching her dongsaeng smiling widely like an idiot in the corner of the cafe. Another reason that almost makes her loses all patience is that the unusually many customers are coming even though it’s not the rush hour yet, not that she minds all the cashes are being shoved right down the cashier table, the only problem is her beloved dongsaeng is just... too crazy to help her in any sane way right now. She begins doubting whether letting her dongsaeng went with that CEO was something right to do. Well, at least that seemed right that moment.

“Jae! Will you please help me out here?!”

Eunjae snaps back from her dreamy land and jumps off her seat.

“Ne! What should I do, unnie?”

“Do you even have to ask? C’mon! Move your and get some works done!”

Hyuna almost screams in relive when finally Eunjae starts cleaning some empty tables.

“Unnie! Why there are soo many customers today? Did you put some discounts on? And it’s not even rush hour yet!”

“Will you please just stop complaining? And the more customers are coming, the higher tips you will get, how does that sound?”

“Sounds….. amazing! Okay! Kim Eunjae, fighting!”

Sungjong watches his hyung or in office his superior is walking to his office but something seems a bit off today. Oh right, it’s unlikely for Sungyeol to come late and something that’s even weirder is the fact that Sungyeol is wearing a smile on his face as he enters his office. Sungjong quickly follows his superior to the main office as he notices the clock is not so kindhearted to patiently wait for them.

“Sir? The annual conference meeting is about to start, do you mind reviewing the content of the upcoming meeting?”

“Sure. Put it on the table and notify me when it’s time to go.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Oh, do contact President Kim to discuss about the new construction project in Gangnam area.”

“Alright. Anything else, Sir?”

“No.”

“Then I’ll take my leave.”

“Oh right, Jong, starting from now on please leave my evening schedules free. That’s all.”

Sungyeol watches as Sungjong walks out of his office and slumps himself to his chair. A smile slowly creeps up his face as the scenes from yesterday evening come back vividly. It’s almost sickling as he even memorized the glint in her eyes as she smiled or even memorized the way she walked or even tripped. It’s almost unbearable not to see her again and his heart is even beating fast with the thoughts of her.

Sungyeol almost falls back from his chair when Sungjong’s head pops in from his office’s big wooden doors.

“It’s time for the meeting, Sir.”

“Okay.”

Sungyeol stands up and fixes his tux before grabbing the folder that was given by Sungjong not long ago and makes his way to the meeting room. Now is clearly not the time to think about Eunjae, it’s time to make some profits. This day’s going to end faster because evening is Eunjae’s time. Lee Sungyeol, fighting!

Eunjae glances at the hanging cuckoo clock for the 10th times now. The clock has clearly shows its 2.15 in the afternoon now. The usual seat closest to the window still remains empty. She cleans table number 10 and makes her way to the cashier desk as another customer makes his order. The rush hour is finally coming to an end with Eunjae’s uneasy glances to the clock. As less and less customers come, Eunjae slumps on one of the empty tables in the cafe. Hyuna notices her dongsaeng’s lost spirit and she knows exactly what the reason is. It’s almost ridiculous seeing the bright and cheerful Eunjae breaks down within a day.

“Jae?”

“…”

“Jae? Back to earth?”

“…”

“Jae!”

“Uh? Yeah? What is it unnie? Did you call me?”

“Yes yes yes yes… duh.. what’s wrong with you? You’ve been so lost today.”

“Sorry…”

“You know Jae… just go home for now and get some rest.”

“Omo unnie! Did you just fire me???”

“Do I look that mean?”

“No.”

“Good girl. Now go home and I expect the cheerful you tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

Eunjae takes off her apron and grabs her bag lazily. She waves goodbye to her unnies as she walks soullessly back home.

Sungyeol loosens his tie as he walks back to his office. Today’s meeting went awfully long with a few debate here and there. His office branch in Jeju just happened to have a few faults because the change of head departments. Sungyeol massages his slightly aching head as he hands over his folders to Sungjong.

“Jong, what time is it?”

“It’s 4.23 in the evening, sir.”

“What?! That late already?”

“Sad to say but yes it is late.”

“Do I have another schedule?”

“Yep. You have to sign some documents that are to be handed to Director Choi tomorrow afternoon. And you might possibly have a meeting with the Kim representative, I need to make sure of it about the time and place. Oh! And then you have a meeting with –“

“Okay. Stop it. I will sign the documents tomorrow morning. And make a call to Kim, move the meeting to tomorrow afternoon. And you take care of the other meetings and schedules that remained. Remember what I told you? I need my evening cleared up. No schedule. Nothing.”

“But sir..”

“No buts. I’m done. After you take care of my schedule, you can leave. That’s it for today. Good work. Oh! Don’t tell my mom about it.”

Sungyeol leaves the gaping Sungjong and literally flies to his car. He misses his afternoon Americano today because the prolonged meeting and what’s worse is he missed the chance seeing Eunjae in the afternoon.

Sungyeol fixes his tousled hair before making his way to the café.

RING

“Welcome to Shine Coffee Shop!”

Sungyeol looks around the shop but the petite figure he’s looking for is not sighted yet.

Hyuna looks at the new coming customer and forms an ‘o’ shape.

“Ehem. Sorry. But Eunjae leaves early today.”

Sungyeol looks surprised at the lady behind him. Embarrassed for looking around aimlessly, he turns around and bows slightly as to being polite.

“I’m sorry, what did you say just now? I didn’t quietly catch it.”

“You are here looking for Eunjae, right?”

Sungyeol nods shyly at the direct question.

“She leaves early. I told her off earlier because she seemed in daze.”

Sungyeol keeps silent as Hyuna’s words reach his brain. Slowly he turns to the door without saying anything.

“Um.. customer? You are not going to order anything?”

Sungyeol jumps in surprise and with his beet red face walks to the cashier table.

“An Americano please.”

As soon as Sungyeol gets his coffee, he walks abruptly to his car and drives to a certain home he won’t ever forget.

Eunjae went home early. What happened to her? Is she sick? Did she eat the wrong food? Less sleeping time? Overwork?

Thousands thoughts are flying through Sungyeol’s mind as he steps down the pedal.

Eunjae drags her body around her flat. Sometimes she slumps in the sofa. Rolling on the cold hard floor and talking to herself like how she does it routinely.

It’s almost irritating how a certain someone makes her day bright and gloomy. It was yesterday that she had the happiest moment of her life and today is her depressing day ever.

She buries her face on her pillow screaming like a mad woman when her home phone rings. She crawls down her sofa and reaches blindly to her phone.

“Yoboseyo”

“Ms. Kim?”

“Yes. It’s myself.”

“There’s someone who wants to see you. Can I tell him your flat number?”

“Huh?”

“So how is it?”

“Yes. Okay. Sure.”

“Okay. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

Eunjae puts down her phone, staring blankly on the wall. Who wants to see her? The only one who will come to see her is Hyuna. But the working hour is certainly not over yet. The landlady will not come over too, she just came here 2 days ago. As Eunjae is busy guessing who her guest is, her flat alarm rings out loud.

She practically runs to the door and peeks through the peeking hole but sadly, it is blocked. She opens her door as the alarm rings again and she got the shock of her life.

Her dreamed prince charming is standing in front of her door, wearing his usual luxurious tux and a small smile tugging his lips. Eunjae must has a stupid look on her face judging from the stifled laughter from Sungyeol.

Eunjae shakes her head to clear her head and coughs to break the silence. Sungyeol noticing the awkward feeling that starts to creep out decides to start the conversation.

“Hi.”

“He..llo?”

“Um… sorry for… you know… coming all of sudden like this.”

“Err… yeah. It’s okay. I mean, yea I mean it’s okay. What brings you here? I mean I’m not trying to be rude, it’s just shocking…”

“No no.. Don’t apologize. It’s only normal for you to ask. I mean I come to your house so suddenly like this. It must have been weird. I’m so sorry.”

“No. Don’t apologize.”

“Are you okay?”

“What? I mean yeah, I’m okay. I’m completely fine.”

“Really?”

“Yes?”

Sungyeol heaves a sigh of relieve and Eunjae crunches her eyebrows at the behavior of the man in front of her.

“Err… Do you mind if I come in? I mean it looks weird if your neighbor see us like this?”

“Oh! Right! Forgive my rudeness. Yes of course you can. Sorry for letting you stand outside. Please come in.”

Eunjae answers awkwardly as she lets Sungyeol comes into her flat. Thanks God she’s a pretty neat girl, it’s not embarrassing to have this kind of sudden visit from someone.

Both of them sit in silence on the sofa. None is willing to stir up the conversation. The silence is just filled with too thick awkwardness. A man and a woman, just the two of them, without a certain status, under the same roof, sitting face to face with less than 1 meter distance from each other; this situation alone is enough to explain.

Sungyeol glances secretly at Eunjae who’s been fidgeting with her own finger for a while. Sungyeol thinks he might just die if none of them starts talking.