I wish it could come true. It? That bang on the door shattered my dream. A human being is approaching my table. I hate this human already for wrecking my unconscious hallucination. I thought the hope of Yixing coming back is already before me. Time to do my job! I interview this ignorant person with no manners. I reject him as soon he walks in through that door. Is this a bad omen? I hope not. Ladies and gentleman are queuing down the stairs. For the last two hours it felt like I’m interrogating them. But at the end of the day, only one succeeded to be our café’s server.

After two hours, only one catches my attention. This can be the potential one. His name is Suho. He introduces himself as a previous server in a family restaurant but he resigned due to schooling but then he is attempting to work again in my café. I ask him, “If I hire you, you’ll leave this place soon, right?”

“Pardon?” Suho asks with a big question mark on the top of his head.

“If your vacation ends, you’ll resign and leave. We need to hire another employee again. We don’t have time to do that.” I explain.

“I will not resign,” he paused, “because I stopped attending university.”

“Why?”

“That question is too personal for me.” Suho bows down his head.

Now, I’m intrigue. That’s one of the reasons why I decided to hire him among the other applicants. The other reason is because he’s the most qualified out of all. What happened to you? The question is unanswered but I don’t have any intention to answer that. Moving on. “I’ll just call you.” He thanks me and left.

After two hours of contemplating whether hiring Suho is the best decision or not, I decided to hire him anyway. After I rest my body and soul, I called him the following day. I told him to report by tomorrow morning. I want to know more about his life. I don’t why but I’m curious, I just want to be informed about his enigmatic life.

The café is busy as usual. I need a break from this. I clean the table, this becomes my routine now. Truthfully, I am bored doing this. It’s the same everyday, no more thrills, no more fun. I also watch the customers going in and out the store, wishing that I can do that to. I want to escape between these walls because every time I am here it only reminds me of Yixing. I’m still hoping and I will never get tired of hoping because I still believe that one day his presence will enter this shop. They say, time will heal everything but I’m not letting the time to mend my open wounds. The reason is because I desire to feel him but the mere thing that lets me connect with him is the wound he left behind. Even it hurts, I don’t want this to fade. I want to reminisce everything about him even in the most painful way.

What is more cliché than this, of course, the day went well. I open the door of our house with the smell of my mom’s cooking. This is way I like coming home. I go to my room to change my clothes. I’m so tired. I sit down in front of the windowsill and I can see the moon illuminating the night. I open the window and the soft whispering breeze of the darkness embraces my body quickly. I’m always looking forward for tomorrow to come. I’m waiting as usual as if he’ll come back. Every night I pray if the road of destiny can cross our paths once again. I love him with all of my being.

I help my mom set up the table while waiting for dad and brother. My mom asks me a very dumb question, “Do you still like him?”

My eyes wide open. I can feel the sun scraping the surface of my skin.

My mom knows best. She knows that her question is harder than any math question out there. “Minseok, move on. He may not come back. Stop hoping for nothing.”

“Yeah.” I said so softly because deep inside I don’t agree at all.

***

I’m running apace. I can’t catch my breath. The clock is ticking very fast. Can it slow down? I’m late. I’m the owner but I’m not on time. I run, the car is in its monthly maintenance. Why all of these inconvenience compacted in one day? I’m panting and finally, I reached the glass door of my café. My body cannot contain anymore tiredness; I dropped myself on the front of the entrance.

“Are you alright?” He offers his hand. His voice is familiar. I have this unexplainable behaviour. I hardly recognize voices. I looked up following the hand. “I’m Suho, the new employee?”

“Yeah. Yeah. I’m sorry.” I straighten the creases of my clothes. “This is the only time that I’m late. It will never happen again.” I say while opening the door.

I command him to turn the open-close sign to open. Another one busy day ahead. I’m training Suho for just half the day but he’s picking up the pace already. He is a fast learner. I don’t have any regrets hiring him.

The clock hits 12. Thank goodness! This calls for a break!

“Suho, it’s lunch time.” I smiled at him. He just nods. I’m fixing my things to go out and I hear him calls me.

“Where are you going?” Suho loudly whispers.

“Just gonna grab some food and come back here. Why?”

“Can I come?”

“Yes, of course! Come!”

We walk to the store while exchanging some personal questions: How old are you?; Where is your hometown?

We reach the restaurant. I’m feeling a sandwich today so a sandwich alright!

“One chicken sandwich please.” I tell the cashier.

“How are you paying?” The cashier asks me.

“Cash for today.” I smile. Unusually, I’m full with energy.

While waiting for my order, the cashier asks Suho who is behind me what he wants. “Chicken sandwich.” He just hands his credit card to the cashier without any word.

“Why do you copy me?” I giggle while furrowing my eyebrows.

“No, you read my mind.” He winks.

We both laugh, we find it funny.

We exit the restaurant and we are heading back to the café. Suho breaks the silence.

“Do you want to eat there?” Suho points at the nearby park.

“Yeah. Sure.”

We sit down by the tree. Every time I take a bite, the awkwardness grows bigger and bigger. I’m not swallowing the bread, I’m swallowing chunks of difficulties.

“Do you like running the café?”

“Well.” I paused because I don’t know the answer. “Can I not answer that because I don’t know the answer.”

“Sorry I asked the question.”

“No big deal.”

“Do you want to hear a funny story?”

I nod.

“One time I was employed in this store, I will not name it by the way. I asked how she will pay and then she say “no I’m good” and I was so dumb for a second.” He laughs like the story is so funny.

I laugh as well because sometimes that also happens to me. I can feel him in every possible way. After that, he keeps telling stories of his experiences in his past work. I find it very entertaining to be honest. I didn’t realize the time already did its job – passing.

“Thank you!” I said while smiling at him so brightly.

“Why are you thanking me?” He bites his sandwich.

“Because you make me smile.” I almost choke.

“Am I the only one who makes you smile?” He continues on chewing.

“Of course… not…” I gasp. “But you can be one of the reasons why.”

“Then that can be my part time job. I will make you smile. I can feel your world is full of breakage.” He rubs his chin. “Let me guess, from a breakage of the heart.”

I just don’t know how to refute that argument because it is true in all ways.

“You are hired until the time you can think of.”

He salutes and smiles.

“Let’s go. The break is over.” I can feel my eyes become like a crescent moon from my smile.

I left Suho with the customers. I go upstairs to do some paper works. Suho is a nice person to be with. I’ve been only with him for more than half a day but it felt like I already met him before. I can feel sort of connection. Suho is my employee during business hours but he can be my friend outside work.

The table is as white as snow because of the papers. All I can do is to sigh. I sit down and starting to sort out the files. The sound of the ticking of the clock is swimming in the air. The sound is a reminder that time is an ongoing process. I refuse to be in this room because this is where my mind becomes empty. The emptiness is filling up with the thoughts of hope. I keep remembering Yixing because I do not want to lose him in my thought. It’s hard to retrieve what has been forgotten so it’s much better to keep him alive even in my intangible imagination.

Back to work, let any distractions be put aside. This side of the table is the suppliers’ list, the right side allotted for the annual reports. I need still need to organize the finance for this month before going back to university. I only have one week left and another stress is brewing – the school. Let tomorrow be tomorrow, let today be today. There is no need to peek what tomorrow will hold because it will blind me from what this day will give. I can only laugh because I cannot find any pen on the table. Having a pen is a necessity in this office but there is none. Where are the pens hiding? Ready or not here I come! I will find you! Are you in this drawer? Nope. This drawer? Nope. Last but not the least, I opened this drawer in the middle. Here you are! I found a pen. I basically found a pen but my eyes see vivid memories from the past. This pen is the first gift I received from Yixing. I breathe and then I exhaled pieces of broken debris from the inside. Why is this here?

The smell of the day and the scent of him are lingering so vivid to the point that I’m unsure if this is happening in real time or just in my pure imagination. The memory hugs me and I still long for more. I wrapped my arms to soothe the pain. After a minute or so, I find myself looking at the window and I feel a tear cascades my face. My phone vibrates which breaks me from staring into space. I received a text from an old classmate. I mouthed “What do you need?” I opened the text message and it reads,

Attention Past Classmates! We all need to come or else!

What: Reunion After Forever

Who: Elementary Classmates

Where: El Dorado Bar and Grill

When: November 30, 2015 @ 6 IN THE EVENING

I can hear someone climbing up the stairs. In just a blink of an eye, someone knocks on the door.

“It’s open.” I say.

The door creaks softly. It is Suho.

Without any words, Suho looks at me in the eye. “Is it possible to have a day off on November 30?” 

CHAPTER 3 SOON

THANK YOU FOR READING!