1. 

A wispy, white cloud exits from my lips, as I quickly exhale on this chilly February morning. Cars zoom past the intersection as I and other pedestrians wait for the signal to change. My left leg jitters underneath my black slacks as if it's trying to shake the cold away. I glance down at my watch and notice that it is five minutes till eight o'clock.

"Why is this light taking so long?" I wonder. I look up over to the traffic light and it begins to change its signal from green to yellow.

"Finally," an older woman, to the right of me, exhales as she shivers in her magenta coat.

The crosswalk sign changes to the white walking sign and everyone rushes to cross. I swiftly walk across the road, turn right and make my way down the street. Two minutes pass and I arrive in front of "Davinci Coffee", a small coffee shop ran by a sweet old couple, who were my childhood neighbors.  

"Oh, Aya, hurry come in. It must be really cold out there right?" Mr. Hwi or Grandpa, as he likes to be called, questions as he rearranges the pastries in the display case. I simply nod with a smile on my face and point towards the back room.

"Ah yeh, go ahead. We're going to open soon. Those back tables need to be cleaned okay?" Grandpa yells towards me as I begin to walk away. I make an okay sign with my fingers and head behind the counter towards the back room. "She probably thought I forgot, " Grandpa chuckles to himself.

I reach for the cloth, covering up the doorway to the entrance of the back room, but before I could, the cloth swings to the side revealing, Ms. Lee-Hwi, or Grandma.

"OMO... Aya, oh you scared me. One of these days you might kill me and God knows that that man can't run this place by himself. Speaking of, did he remember to tell you about the tables?" I goofily smile and nod in reply. "Good...well then I have nothing else to say. I'll leave you to change into your uniform."

Grandma and Grandpa's relationship is one that I find hilarious, while endearing. Their arguments in the shop always consist of Grandpa forgetting to do something that Grandma told him to do or misplacing his glasses, which always finds their place in his back pocket. Every time, Grandma insults him and Grandpa counteracts with a compliment, flustering her, causing her to walk away, while mumbling insults under her breath.

I go to my locker and pull out my white shirt with my name tag attached, a black apron with "Davinci Coffee" etched on it, and a small white notepad with a sharpie. I quickly change into my uniform and slide the notepad and sharpie into my front pocket. I walk out to the counter and reach under it for a cleaning cloth and disinfectant spray. I look over to Grandpa and hold the spray and cloth in front of my face. He notices me.

"Oh yeah those two back tables on the left and the one next to the front door." I make my way over one of the back tables and the front door chimes as it opens.

"Won, Hyun, come in, we're about to open soon."

"Hello, Grandpa, sorry we're late. It was all Won's fault. He kept on looking at himself in the mirror." Hyun explains.

"I'm sorry that I'm the better looking twin," Won replies.

"Boys....Hyun, I need you behind the register for a bit today and Won, I need you to help Aya with ordering and the tables." Grandpa instructs.

"Okay, that is fine.... Hey Aya!"

I glance over my shoulder and send a wave to the twins, before I continue on to the other table. Twenty minutes later, it is eight thirty, signaling the time for the coffee shop to open and customers slowly begin to trickle into the shop. I stand towards the back of the shop, observing several customers, sitting down at the tables, cautiously sipping their coffees.

"Look over there, it's that woman who likes to stare at me. I guess she's back for more." Won whispers from behind me.

I scoff and push him in front of me and he whispers "Watch" before he makes his way towards her table. Before he even makes it to the table, the woman makes eye contact with him and instantly begins to blush. She fumbles to rest her coffee cup down, spilling several drops in the process. Won smoothly wipes up the drops and starts a conversation with her.

"This happens every time and she always has the same reaction to his ways."

"Aya, I need your help here, bringing some pastries from the kitchen," Grandma calls out. I walk to the kitchen to see Grandma hunched over, pulling out muffins from the oven. She carefully places the tray on the cooling rack, closes the oven door, and removes her oven mitts.

"Okay, take these bottom four racks, that have the muffins, croissants, and butter cakes, and place them into the display cases in the front. When I was out there earlier, these ones seemed to be running out. Be careful, some may be still hot. Here, put these gloves on, " Grandma pushes the oven mitts towards me.

I put the gloves on and pull the bottom tray off of the rack and carry it towards the front. I place the rack on the counter and begin to stack the croissants in the display case.

"Hey Aya, can you watch the register? I have to go to the bathroom real quick. I'll be right back," Hyun asks and I nod in agreement. Hyun breathes a quick thanks before he runs off to the bathroom. I continue to place the croissants into the case, until I heard a voice.

"Excuse me? Is there anyone back here?"

I stand up and raise my hand. In front of the counter, a young man, who appears to be in his early twenties, with a tan pea coat and black rimmed glasses.

"Oh, hi.. Umm, can I order?"

I nod and pull off my gloves. I reach into my apron for the notepad and sharpie. I flip the notepad open and begin to write. I turn the notepad over and show it to him.

"What would you like today?"

He stares at the notepad for five seconds and looks up at me, as if he's waiting for me to say something. I point at the words on the notepad.

"Uh, an iced Americano.."

I nod and punch in the price into the register. I pick up the sharpie and notepad again.

"Is that everything, sir?"

Once again, he stares at the paper before he mutters a "yes".

"Your total is $3.10 and your coffee will be out to you in eight minutes."

"Aya, was I gone too long? What did I mis- Oh, welcome to Davinci Coffee, sir. Did she take your order?" Hyun asks.

"Yeah...yeah, she did. Here's my money." Hyun takes the money from the customers hand and places the bills into the cash register and gives him his change and receipt. The customer takes one last glance at me before he walks away to sit at a table near a window. A sigh escapes from my lips as I turn to Hyun.

"And... this is why I'm never at the register."

"Sorry, I didn't expect to take so long and most of our customers know you and like you.. He must be new."

"Must be, explains why he's staring at me," I write before flopping the notepad down on the counter and stealing a glance at the man.

"AYA! The pastries back here are getting cool. Hurry," Grandma yells from the kitchen. I take a final glance at the man before I walk back into the kitchen.

Author's Note:

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