“I want one decaf Caramel Macchiato with soy milk, no added sugar, less vanilla syrup and caramel drizzle. Make it in grande. And two tall Iced Vanilla Latte, both less sugar and ice, and,” the man in browline glasses nudged his friend at her arm, “Krystal?”

The woman in chestnut hair averted her eyes from the menu boards to the cashier. “Oh—I’ll have one hot Americano, triple espresso in grande. Thank you.”

“So polar opposites we are; I can’t handle caffeine and you drink coffee more than water each day,” Kris scoffed as he handed his credit card to pay their morning coffee routine.

“But that’s why we’re friends. I can’t stand people who drink my coffee, but with you, everything is safe,” Krystal replied.

“Yeah, right,” Kris shrugged it off while his work colleague just chuckled.

As they waited for their orders at the pick-up corner, Kris caught a glimpse of someone familiar beside him: a man in black sweater and faded jeans who was busy with his phone. He reminded Kris of someone, but years of not seeing this particular guy made Kris doubted his memory. Only when the barista called someone named Kai and the man beside him answered to that, Kris realized he was right.

“Bloody hell, Kai? Kai Kim?” Kris called the name as he tilted his head.

The man instinctively turned to look at Kris and widened his eyes. He grinned in surprise. “Gosh, Kris?”

“God damn it! Kai! Where have you been?” Kris half-screamed, pulling Kai into a brotherly hug.

Kai patted Kris’s back in return, “Here, there, and everywhere, man.”

“How are you?” Kris asked as he pulled back, “and what are you doing here? I thought you’re in Tokyo now.”

“I am here for a business trip, represent my firm for the Asian Architectural conference,” Kai sipped his coffee, “still live in Tokyo, though, just graduated from the Shueisha.”

“Are you serious? Wow, I never thought you’re a Tokyo University-material,” Kris hit Kai’s shoulder playfully. “I wonder why you always surprise me every time we meet.”

“Said someone who took his master earlier than me,” Kai smiled knowingly, “I assume all is well with you? How’s the ads agency doing?”

“The competition is tight, but we’re fine. Still got Samsung in our hands, though. Gotta keep it as ours,” Kris replied, proudly, “how long are you going to stay? We really need to hang out.”

“Believe me, I want to. But I’ll fly back to Tokyo tomorrow morning, so…” Kai said with an apologetic smile.

Kris frowned. “Too bad. We should’ve gone for a drink or something.”

“I’ll tell you when I visit later. Here,” Kai handed his phone to Kris, “just save your number.”

The barista then called Kris and Krystal’s name respectively, saying their orders were ready. Still busy with Kai’s phone, Kris asked Krystal to pick up their drinks. Krystal pulled the cups to her direction and asked the barista for a coffee tray to go.

Kai frowned at the scene, wondering why the woman who’d been standing behind Kris with her back facing him was familiar from her side.

And her name was Krystal.

Wait, wait—

“Krystal?” Kai called the name carefully as he stepped closer to where she was standing.

Take a deep breath and exhale slowly, Krystal told herself. She turned her head to face her caller, the one she avoided since the first time Kris called his name. “Kai.”

“You both know each other?” Kris widened his eyes at Krystal in inquiry, “why didn’t you tell me?”

“It’s not a big deal. We’re just old friends,” Krystal said in one breath.

Kai just stood in silence, but Krystal could notice thin wrinkles on his forehead. He narrowed his eyes at her, his eyebrows creased. Krystal once again avoided his questioning stare.

“Really? Wow, coincidence,” Kris muttered to himself and turned to Kai, “here. Keep in mind to call me the next time you’re here.”

“I will,” Kai nodded and put his phone inside his pocket.

Kris looked back and forth to them both. “So, old friends, huh? Since when? Junior high school?”

“No, actually—”

“Hold on,” Kris’ phone was ringing from his pocket. He took it and groaned upon seeing the caller ID. “, I need to take this call. It’s our LG client, again.”

Kris rolled his eyes at Krystal as he answered the call and walked away. Krystal nodded knowingly in return. Her eyes stuck to Kris’s back until he was no longer at her sight.

Krystal sighed as she turned her head, facing the guy who unexpectedly showed up after years of missing.

“Old friends? Really?” was the first thing Kai said when their eyes met, this time properly.

“What do you want me to say?” Krystal snorted as she took the coffee tray from the counter, ready to go. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have works waiting for me at the office.”

Quick-wittedly, Kai took over the coffee tray from her hand and put it back to the counter. “Is this really the way you talk to your old friend after eight years?”

Krystal crossed her arms. “What? Do you expect a hug?”

Kai rolled his eyes. “You and your sarcasm, of course.”

“Oh, so you still remember me after all,” Krystal smiled in provocation.

“Okay, let’s stop here,” Kai cleared his throat, “how are you, Krys?”

Krystal narrowed her eyes. “Don’t try to be conventional, Kai. It doesn’t suit you.”

“Don’t worry, I am still a die-hard idealist as you know me, but hey—that’s a different thing,” Kai smiled, rather flat, “you haven’t answered my question.”

“As you see, I am doing fine,” Krystal paused to search for the right words. But instead of asking him back, she grabbed the coffee tray and held it with both hands in front of her. “And I assume you are doing fine too. So…”

Krystal couldn’t finish her sentence. She let it hang as an unfathomable silence slowly engulfed them for a moment that felt too long. Kai stared at her like she was an abstract painting that he couldn’t make sense at all.

“You won’t let your guard down around me, do you?” Kai half-whispered.

There was a hint of sadness in his words and Krystal didn’t fail to notice it.

Because losing myself near you will not be pretty at all. “It’s just…”

“What?”

“Okay, Kryssie. Ready to go?” Kris interrupted Krystal thought, stepping on the empty space between Kai and Krystal. “I have a meeting at 10, so we better go now.”

Krystal nodded absent-mindedly. She glanced at Kai who then averted his eyes to his running shoes.

“I am sorry, Kai. These LG people are such a pain in the ,” Kris opened his arm for a farewell hug, “so, I’ll see you soon, I hope?”

“Same old, same old,” Kai hugged Kris in return, “yeah, hope to see you soon.”

Krystal didn’t know what to do, so she just smiled before she followed Kris to the door. Kai didn’t even budge. He stared at her intensely; his eyes followed her until she disappeared among the crowds.

Opening the coffee shop door, Krystal looked back at him once. Kai was still staring at her.

As they waited for the traffic light to cross the street, a familiar voice called Kris from behind. Krystal didn’t have to look to know who it was.

“Kris, do you mind if I talk to Krystal for a second?”

Kris blinked in confusion at first. He glanced at Krystal who seemed petrified by the situation.

“Sure, sure. Take your time,” Kris immediately agreed. He turned to Krystal and took the coffee tray from her hands. “Here, let me take it. Victoria and Amber will be furious if I don’t bring this right away.”

“Thanks,” Kai smiled. He waved as Kris turned his back and crossed the street.

Krystal drank half of her coffee in just a gulp. Somehow she felt she needed more caffeine rushing through her vein to prepare her for everything that might come next.

“Are you busy this afternoon?” Kai asked her, rather straightforwardly. Seeing Krystal shook her head, he continued, “Will you go out with me? For a drink?”

“Drink?” Krystal frowned, “why?”

“Why?” Kai repeated.

“Yeah, why,” Krystal said it again, “I mean… why you suddenly invite me for a drink?”

Kai scratched the back of his head, contemplating with himself. He couldn’t help being intimidated by the curiosity reflected in Krystal’s eyes.

“It’s just… we haven’t seen each other in such a long time and I want to talk to you while I can,” Kai said.

Krystal held her breath. “So, it needs to be tonight.”

“Well, as you heard, I’ll be leaving for Tokyo tomorrow morning, so…”

Their surrounding was far from quiet—the sound of vehicles, chattering passersby, traffic jam—but it seemed like silence became their best friend at the time. Krystal just stared at the road; her half was hoping for Kai to break the ice while her other half was trying to make up some words. Kai, in front of her, preferred to sip his Iced Americano until it ran out.

“So—”

“Listen, Krys,” Kai interrupted her, abruptly, “this morning, I planned to have coffee at my hotel. Instead, I decided to walk around the block and I found this coffee shop. I texted my friend, saying that I was going to visit him right after my order came when suddenly Kris saw me. And there was you.

“Now, what if I’d decided to stay at the hotel? Or if I’d missed this coffee shop? Or if my order had come before Kris saw me and I’d already left? Have that possibility ever crossed your mind?

“Then this meeting would have never happened. I wouldn’t have met you, I wouldn’t have had the chance to talk to you like this,” Kai softened his voice, “and after all this time, after these ing eight years… I refuse to think that our meeting is just a mere coincidence. Call it fate, call it tragedy, but there is sure something more than that.”

Krystal was stunned. Like a thunderbolt, her mind suddenly recalled all memories of someone named Kai Kim. The pictures of the past ran like a slideshow inside her head; collection of every moment that they shared during teenager years.

Of Krystal’s first love in her life.

“So, yes. I am afraid that it has to be tonight… or never,” Kai continued, “still, it’s up to you.”

“Okay, I’ll see you tonight.”