Coffeeine Coffee shop was at its peak. It was almost rushed hour, so different kind of people started to come; Pedestrians, workers, high school students, college students, Old people, young people, male or females, they all came to the hippest coffee shop in the district for one reason, to order their usual.

And the busiest employee rat that time Areum. The young and promising barista. People love her smile that she always put on every time she’s in front of the customer. If there’s a poll for the favorite employee, Areum will definitely slay the title.

“Good evening, may I help you with the order?” For the numerous time, that word came out of .

“Yeah, I would like one green la—“

“Areum?!” The customer’s startled.

“Yes, I—“

“Hongbin?!” Areum were the same.

“Ah! Oh My God! I can't believe it!” Hongbin tried to take another look on the girl who was standing in front of him.

“It's really you!”

“Of course it's me!” Areum put on her brightest smile for the day.

“Well, my shift is about to end, so maybe you can place your order first and we can talk?” Areum change the topic as she realizes how long the queue is.

“Hahaha! Sure,”

“But I’m going to order a lot,” Hongbin took his phone.

“No problem, thanks for feeding me”. 

“Still the same Areum huh?”

“Well, one green tea latte for me, Vanilla latte, hot milk with syrup.. Eh.. But what kind of syrup…”

“Peppermint? Caramel? Hazelnut?” Areum tried to help him

“Em.. I think caramel is okay, hope is not too sweet”

“And one latte, double shot please” Hongbin put down his phone and took his wallet.

“Trust me, I could never make anything is too sweet”

Areum was always proud of her knowledge and skill of coffee making.

“Okay, the total will be 25,000 won” 

Hongbin took the exact amount of money and give it to Areum.

“Okay, Thank’s for the order, have a good day!”

…………………………………………………

Hongbin has been sitting at a table for two, alone, for almost an hour. While waiting for his old friend to change up and stuff, he was busy with his college paper. 

“These words are all bull—“

Areum ran into Hongbin’s table, as she has finally done with her works and took off the title employee.

“You’re taking psychology?!”. She was surprised with Hongbin’s table that full of papers and books. 

“Yeah…”. Hongbin took off his reading glasses and turned his face from all the paper.

He found Areum standing next to him.

“You haven’t changed..” He muttered. Still the same Areum that he met three years ago. Wearing her trademark Areum fashion; Two layered clothes of black T-shirt, and an ed white shirt paired with sand colored bermuda shorts and a running shoe. 

“Really?” She started to play with her chin Leight bob cutter hair.

“Well, I guess that's why college its not my thing, I’m too dumb for it”. She pulled a chair and sit on the table.

“It's weird to sit as a costumer’s friend…” She mumbled.

Hongbin choked up.

“Customer’s friend?” 

“Yes, Cause I’m not a customer since I don’t buy anything from this shop”. Areum took out her phone and checked on the notifications.

“Well then,” Hongbin triedto hide his smile.

  “Mrs. Customer’s friend, do you have a plan for tonight?” He hides his face in behind’s his laptop.

“Em?”. Areum stopped scrolling her phone and turn her face on Hongbin.

“I don't, why?”

“You know, after three years you’re my first high school friend that I bumped to,”

Hongbin  carefully pick his words.

“It deserves some kind of celebration, right?”

“Really?” Areum was wowed.

“Guess we made it out of Busan alive!” She offered him a high five.

Without hesitant, Hingbin finished the high five and the reunion of the long time high school friend.

It turns out that their house is located not far away from each other, hence they decided to walked home together. It was almost eight, but both of them took their time on the walking pace, they're too busy with catching on the live that they missed for all those years.

“So, When you transferred to Seoul in that last year of high school, I still can remember the face that half of the girls in our school made. They were like, ‘where’s my oppa, where’s the Busan’s se7en’ “ Areum imitated the faces that she still clearly remember.

“Hahahaha”

Hongbin blushed. He’s still not used to compliment

“That's too much, Kay”

“No, that's the truth! I would never lie” For the numerous times, even while they were walking on the street, Areum kept on playing with her phone and made a conversation at the same time.

“And also, they keep asking me whether I know your number or not”

“Oh ya! I lost my phone not long after I moved here, that’s why..” he pouted.

“You should make a goodbye photo album, the girls were so annoying!”

Areum finally could get her hand off the phone, and stop walking.

“We’re here! This is my house!”

Hongbin who's been walking in front immediately turn around. 

The two of them are now standing in front of the fourth floors house. 

“Nice house” He said.

“It is, and the rent is cheap too!”. Areum looked for the key.

“Cheap?”. Hongbin doesn't really get her definitions of cheap.

“Like 90,000,000 won’s cheap?”.

“What?” Areum was still struggling on finding the house key from her backpack.

“It's 3,000,000 won’s cheap”. Finally, she found the key and able to unlock the front door.

“Come in first! You have to—“

An old lady suddenly appeared from inside the house

“Areum!”. 

“Ah, Soonbok-ssi” Areum bowed to her.

“I’m really, really sorry to tell you this but—“. Her face doesn't look happy at all, more like, frightened.

“Kyunggi was right, and I was to trust him—“ She trembled.

Areum tried to console the old lady.

“Soonbok-ssi, what are you talking about?”

“This.. This house is haunted!!!”. Soonbok-ssi almost faint as she spilled out those words.

“And the Mu* told me to emptied this house for a while for the exorcism!”

“Huh?” Areum’s left in the puzzle. 

“Yoona-ah have already move to his cousin’s place, Youngi-ahh is abroad so she’s fine with it, Hyeonyoung-ahh is probably on her boyfriend’s house I don't know and I don't care—“

The old lady left no room for breathing as she speaks.

“But the point is that you have to leave too!”

“Leave?!”. And so Areum can only put on her shocked face.

Soonbok-ssi pulled her in.

“Psst! Dont say it out loud! The neighbors might think that I’m some kind of heartless landlords who sends away poor young girls that can't pay the generously cheap house’s rent!”. She put her finger on the young lady’s lips.

“I am the one and only ahjumma who’s taking care of the newcomer as if their my own daughter!”. She nodded.

“ahjumma, you are just being too superstitious!”. No matter how hard does Soonbok-ssi tried to explain the situation, For Areum, it will always sound like what she said before.

“No, I’m not! Just not long ago, I heard Kyunggi was crying and laughing at the same time!”

“HEH?!”. And if that’s the case, Areum’s definitely bought it.

She went outside and look around.

“Ay! Hongbin!!” she called for the guy who’s been standing still since she doesn't remember when.

“Come here and help me!!”.

Hongbin who’s already half asleep was awakened by the urgent call. He rushed into the house.

“Oh, Anyeonghasaeyo ahjumma” He doesn't forget to bow after he saw the older one.

“Ah, you young man! Go help Areum” But the landlord didn't care about such formality, she immediately pushes him towards the stair.

 Areum was on her panic mode, “ahjumma! Kyunggi is in your room, right?”.

“Yeah, Come on lets—“

“Hongbin, you go to the second floor, and enter the room on the right,”. Before she left him, Areum gave her the key to Hongbin.

“There's a toy story luggage under the TV’s cabinet, theres a andy the cowboy printed on it. Go collect all toys that you can find in the carpet and stuffed the luggage with it!”. In a hurry, she grabs the ahjumma hand and took her away.

“Soonbok-ssi, Kyunggi is okay right?! He didn't—“

The two women from different generation left the confused guy alone in the room as they open the door and entered the room next to the stair.

“What the hell is happening…”

………………………………………………….. 

Hongbin carefully opene the room’s door right after he managed to unlock the door. He tried to peek inside first,

“Excuse me..” he said as he take a look at the room with no light on.

He reached for the switch button and turn on the lights. 

“Oh..” He was startled when he can clearly see the room that he’s stepping in right now. Basically, it's a bedroom with a kitchen inside. It wasnt not really the kitchen that surprised him the most, but the fact that the room is all clean and spotless except for a corner that full of colors, and toys just caught his eyes.

He walked in, try to put aside his confusion and decided to finish his mission, which was to stuffed Andy the Cowboy. He moved six steps forward and went to the flashy corner, which the TV is placed at. 

“Andy luggage—“. As he kneeled, he could already see the plastic luggage and reach for it.

“Oh My—“

“Did she actually collected this stuff??”. And he soon realized his surroundings. He was standing on Andy and Buzz Lightyear taking a selfie carpet, and surrounded by the toy story family. He sat carefully, try to not stepping at either Andy or Buzz’s face. Hongbin then Open the light luggage and start to fill it with everything that is not black or white. 

“She was a unique person back then, but I never imagine her room to be like this..” He muttered.

“Oh my God, is this authentic??” Hongbin took his time on paying attention to the details.

“meid in us..e?” 

“Must be either expensive or rare, she will definitely kill me if I—“

CRACK.

“No—“. Hongbin tried to feel his , and wanting to not believe it’s action. He doesn't have the guts to move away and finding the possibility that he might do something that’s worse than not finishing his paper.

“Please, please not the—“

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND!

“!!!”. He jumped out and fell off. 

“What the—“

“!!” He could only curse right after he saw his doing.

There’s no Andy the cowboy, there’s only the beheaded boy. And Hongbin is also not sure whether Buzz light year is an astronaut or a missile. 

“eotteohge?!” He started to sweat at all over his body. He once saw Areum mad and it was because mistaken her shoes with theirs and so she thought it was stolen. Later on, she actually went to the school principal room and make a declaration of war to whoever the person who’s probably wearing that shoe until now.

“I was suppose to help her, right—“

“Hongbin! Are you—“

Not so right on time, Areum opened the door and caught Hongbin who's holding on the late Andy’s head.

“Areum, I—“

“Hongbin..” Areum haven't blinked a bit.

“You should—”

“An..dy..?”. 

A toddler emerged from the back of Areum’s leg.

Wearing a cow patterned pyjamas, he crawled over to Hongbin’s side.

“Andy?” he pointed at the hand of someone who tore a cowboy’s body into two asymmetrical piece, as it holds the body of the late Andy.

Hongbin just stare at the kid.

“Where’s the head?”

Hongbin doesn't sure on how to react to this kid. Should he say sorry in Korean or English, cause just before, he was sure that the kid is blabbering about something in English.

“You guys go talk about it together, I’m going to pack more things”. Areum finally leave the door and start to deal with clothes and others.

Hongbin still kept his eyes on the little kid. 

“Kid… I—“

“Bad guy”.

Finally, Hongbin can understand a word from him.

“No, no, I’m sorry I—“

“UWAAAAHHHHHHHHHH”. 

And so, Hongbin could finally understand the kid completely.

“Wait, wait don’t cry—“

“UWAAAAHHHHH”

Hongbin made some faces as an attempted to cheer him up,

“I mean, yes its okay for you too cry, but—“

But it failed. miserably.

“UWAAAAAHHHHHHH”

“No, dont cry too much! you might hurt you eyes—”

“Hongbin, he’s a baby, your words is too complicated!”. Areum raise her voice to match on the baby's crying.

“But he just said something that I dont understand!” So does Hongbin.

“Baby always does that!”

Areum fasten her hand on picking and packed her clothes.

“That's why they need to learn how to speak!”

“But—“.

Hongbin has gave up on trying to explain his thoughts.

“Psst! Psst! Don’t cry, don't ruin your beautiful pyjamas with that tears of yours..”. He tried to open his arm for Kyunggi. He carefully put his arm around the crying baby and pat his head.

“Argh, I should call him for some tips—“

“There’s no tips”.

Areum couldnt handle the hectic and finally jumped in. She took Kyunggi from the clueless man’s hand and pick him up.

“You just have to love him with all your mights” She immediately change into another person.

“Hsst, there’s nothing to worry about, that guy’s not bad, he’s just dumb” She whispered.

Hongbin was done with everything, as he finished the toys packing event.

“Areum… just—“

“You can help me with the other luggages, and don't forget to turn off the lights and lock the door”. As the baby was no longer crying, she brought him outside.

Leaving Hongbin alone in an unfamiliar room, again.

“She—“

Hongbin picked up all of the luggage,

“She’s a female haekyeon hyung..”

And do exactly what she told him to do.

“And now what?” Hongbin has finally done with lifting three luggages at once. Areum was waiting for him in front of the house while talking to the land-lord.

“Oh, Young man, You’re such a sensible human being” Soonbok-ssi took out a handkerchief from herpocket and wipe the sweat all of Hongbin’s face.

“Your face is so handsome too, oh I wish that—“

“ahjumma, he’s younger than your grandchild” Areum attempted to save her friend from the old lady.

“Hongbin, you can try to put the luggages on the taxi trunk” She pointed at the taxi thats already waiting.

“Oh, okay”  He bowed at Soonbok-ssi and pick up two luggages at once.

“Ah, is that heavy? can I help you?” an old lady is weak for a young handsome boy who’s trying his best for the sake of a girl.

“Hey, you should love your bones more”. Areum reminded Soonbok-ssi on the fact that she’s not young.

“And look at his muscles, he’s a fine young man!”

Hongbin wanted  to not hear a thing and continue his generous actions.

“Areum, lets go!” He said as he close the trunk.

“Oh, you’re coming with me?”  For some reason, she’s surprised.

“Huh?”. 

But Hongbin was more, amazed, by her.

“Oh, no, never mind, you go in first!” Areum shooed him.

 The poor guy just hopelessly got in to the taxi.

“Well, Seonbook-ssi, please call me as soon as possible, for any progress on—“

“Hssst!” The land lord put her index finger on the young lady’s lips.

“Don’t talk too much, he might hate you because of it”

“Huh?”

She tighten her arm, protecting the baby.

“Kyunggi Loves me the most!” 

“Hah, Talking to a stupid woman like you is tiring!” Soonbok-ssi shaked her head and pointed at the taxi.

“Go, now!”

“Hah, fine!”

After wasting some minute, She finally started walking.

“But remember! I’m not stupid, Its just that—“

Soonbok-ssi could only grin at them, signalling something like she’s definitely done with her. “Lee Kyungi! please take care of that woman!”. 

“Alright!”. Areum copied the sleeping baby voice, while playing with his hand. "See you!"

“So, can you tell me what just happened?” Right after Areum and Kyunggi got in, Hongbin wass already sitting, with tons of questions mark running through his head.

“Oh, right—“

Areum re adjust Kyunggi’s position first,

“So Soonbok-ssi is the kindest land lord you could ever ask, that house, it was once a house that he builds with his husband, but then his husband died and her child goes overseas for some reason. She chooses to stay there and becoming the mom of young girls who’s coming from the country to live in a proper bed with a cheap price in Seoul. Its because she hang out too much with us, she acts like one of us. She's very superstitios and She’s a fan of kim woo bin, and lee min ho and, I forgot how many hot guys are there in the TV, so—“

"No,"

He sighed.

“I mean, can you at least properly, introduce me with this young fellow who’s comfortably sleeping on your lap?”. 

“Oh! Its Lee Kyunggi!”

She smiled.

“My baby!”

“Your—“

Hongbin doesn't even want to finish his curiosity. He’s been through too much.

“Ah, just, so what are you going to do now?”

“Hem, maybe I’ll take a look for some cheap hostel for me and—“

“Nope, that won't happen”. Hongbin shok his head. 

“What? Why?” Areum looked at Hongbin’s tired face.

“Can't you see your luggages? The clothes, the toys!”

Hongbin started to pats on his own face.

“There’s no cheap hotel that can take on that amount of stuffs!”

“What? Really? So what should I do then?”

Hongbin just stared at the window, as he leaned his face on it.

“I could never let a woman and a baby stranded in the middle of the night,”

“Let's just go to my place”