Prologue 

It was a cold autumn morning in the city of Fashion, Milan. The sunlight was bright but did not provide much warmth. The bright red and orange from the trees made the city even more so romantic as a young woman in her snow white coat walked down the street. The confident steps along with her posture and presence made people on the street turned their heads as she was such a beauty like those models that would often times seen on a fashion show. Her steps became quicker as she strode closer to a small cafe. 

As soon as she opened the door, the aroma of coffee filled the air and as per usual the barista greeted her with a smile. Unlike those popular ones around the town, this particular café was more quiet and soothing which suited her taste. She wanted a quiet and serene morning before she headed to work, which was the complete opposite. She greeted the barista back with a smile and took off her black leather gloves.

“Vanilla café latte” she said in a fluent Italian

“With biscotti as usual?” the barista asked

“Yes, please” she lightly giggled

“Then I will bring them to you at the table. Ah.. I’m sorry…it’s a little bit crowded today. You might need to sit by the window. I’m very sorry” the barista said as he pointed at the counter near the window

The young woman looked around and agreed that the café was crowded more than usual. She lightly nodded at the barista before she made her way to the counter; where there was a customer already sat near by the available seat. She carefully took her seat and glanced at her neighbor. Upon seeing that the person next to her did not seem to mind she took out a book from her purse and read for a little. She took notice that the person next to her was a woman and possibly around her age with good looks too, good looking enough to be a model especially with a beautiful shade of tanned skin. She smiled at that before went back to read her book. The barista came with her coffee and biscotti as he putted them on the table, the young woman managed to saw that the person next to her was written some kind of a note. Knowing that peeping on other’s business is not good. She took her eyes away from the notebook and accidentally caught that the person next to her was looking at her too, which made her go back to her book and coffee almost immediately. A moment of slight embarrassment made the young woman’s face flushed.

She managed to steal a glance at the person next to her, but longer this time. The person next to her was wearing a white shirt with a dark coat hanging on the back of her chair. The loose shirt’s buttons revealed her long and slender neck, the dark hair loosen a bit from the tying at the back made the young woman’s eyes continue to seek for more beauty until their eyes were met again.

“I’m so sorry” the young woman instantly apologized in Italian

“It’s okay, but may I ask…do you like that book?” surprisingly the person next to her asked in Korean

“Ah yes. I just got this from my friend. It’s a best seller over there. I didn’t have a chance to finish it yet. A..are you Korean?” the young woman asked back in Korean with surprise

“Yes” The person next to her answer with a light giggle before putting her hand out

“I’m Kwon Yuri”

“I’m Tiffany..Hwang Tiffany” the young woman replied with a smile before she took Yuri’s hand and lightly shook it

“It’s such a pleasure to find a Korean here and a surprise as well” Yuri smiled

“I think so too” Tiffany giggled

“But it’s still okay...since I found you” Yuri joked

“Plus…it’s such a pleasant morning” Yuri took a sip of her coffee

“Although the weather is slightly colder than usual” Tiffany commented

 “Hmm…so I guess this is your usual place?”

“Yes. The other cafes usually too crowded for my taste. I just want to enjoy my coffee in silence plus the biscotti here is quite nice. I like atmosphere and the smell of coffee. It’s kind of heartwarming” Tiffany eye-smiled

“It is…quite heartwarming” Yuri said lightly as her eyes still fixed on Tiffany

The tone of Yuri’s voice and the tenderness in her eyes made Tiffany speechless for a moment. Even though they have just met and strangers at that, Tiffany could not help and feel slight familiarity with Yuri. She was quite certain that they have never met each other before. She heard Yuri lightly giggled before taken another sip of her Americano.

“The warm aroma of coffee… Hmm…of course, it made us at ease and feel a lot warmer…reminding us of how warmness felt like. Just like a ray of sunlight in spring or perhaps…a lover’s hug” Yuri said as she putted down her cup and looked at Tiffany, who still looked astounded

“Ah..I must have said something very awkward…and cheesy” Yuri lightly laughed

“Just ignore me” Yuri smiled and lightly tilted her head to the side as she looked at Tiffany with such fondness

“Of course not. It’s not that cheesy..” Tiffany said but in the end she could not help but let out a light laugh since what Yuri said was really cheesy even if she wanted to denied it…but the fact remained that it just made her hands and feet almost curled.

“I know it’s cheesy. Very cheesy” Yuri laughed along and made Tiffany laughed even more

“Hmm…You are beautiful when you smiled and also very cute when you laughed. Very, very cute” Yuri said lightly but loud enough for Tiffany to hear. It made Tiffany became speechless once more and curious on Yuri’s words.

“Is that you tried to flattering me or…?”

“Of course, I am flattering you. Why? You think I’m flirting?” Yuri teased and Tiffany blushed

“I won’t flirt on someone that I just met” Yuri took another sip

“This kind of thing needs time, doesn’t it?”  Yuri looked down at her watch and turned to Tiffany once again

“You said you came here for coffee before work. Are you sure that you won’t be late by talking to me? Am I bothering you?”

Tiffany looked at her own watch and did not know how to response to Yuri’s question. Yes…it was a fact that she wanted to have a quiet coffee session in the morning, but upon meeting Yuri, this quiet time is no longer a seclude and lonely as it used to be before. The talking managed to lighten up her mood and made her decided to put the book back into her purse.

“You’re not a bother. Meeting a new friend is far better than spending my time quietly. Isn’t it?” Tiffany asked with a bright eye-smile

“If you say it’s good then I think it’s good” Yuri smiled

“I was about to ask you a while back. Are you a model? But I never see you before” Tiffany took a sip of her coffee and glance at Yuri through her lashes

“Model? Me? Definitely not” Yuri laughed

“Why not?”

“I’m not a model and I think it’s impossible too”

“But you can. Your looks and your posture I think you can and perhaps very good at it too” Tiffany said in a serious tone

“Really?”

“Yes. I have seen a lot of models and I think you definitely can”

“Well then…if I can then you can too” Yuri responded with a grin

“Me?”

“Well, you are good looking. Are you a model? I saw people looked at you since you walked down the street”

“Oh..no. I’m not. I’m just an assistant to the editor in chief. Not a model, but I worked with them, so I’m very confident that you can be one for sure” Tiffany laughed

“Assistant to the editor in chief…” Yuri lightly nodded

“Why? I don’t look like one?”

“No. I think it suited you. You got the style and I’m not that surprising. I just thought you are a celebrity or a model more”

“Oh stop flattering me. I will fly if you continue to do so” Tiffany laughed

“If you can fly then you must be an angel” Yuri smirked

Tiffany could not help herself but hit Yuri at the shoulder. The sound of Yuri’s laughter accompanied hers and it continued on for a while. A morning that seemed to be the same had changed. The same place for warming her body up had turned into a place that could warm her heart. The meeting with a stranger named Yuri, who has a playful and yet a certain charm managed to make her laugh and lighthearted. As if tasting coffee for the first time, within the bitter taste, there was a slight tenderness and warmth. The bitter coffee that made a person felt so intoxicated by its scent and taste that irresistible not to come back for more.  

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