Her phone had been vibrating for the past minute but she stayed still hesitating on her place. From where she was sitting down, she could see the name written on the screen. Her hands took a handful of her nightdress, clutching the fabric restlessly.

It died down for a few seconds then it started vibrating again.

She closed her eyes, telling her self to breath. It was heavy and her heart was pounding in her chest. She started counting. Inhaling; one, two, three, four. Exhale; one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Inhale; one, two, three, four; and exhale; one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

Her body relaxed a bit and her mind started to calm down. Within the darkness, she tried to talk to her self, enticing that avoiding it wouldn’t turn the problem away.

You have been through this before. It’s not a big deal. It’s not a big deal.

She swallowed the lump in before swiping the receiving button.

“Ya! Why is it taking you so long?” Her mother voice gushed over the phone. “Perhaps, you’re not avoiding me, right?”

“Hello, Mom. No, no, I was in the middle of something. I’m sorry.”

She bit her tongue before answering. She didn’t like lying. She didn’t like the feeling of knowing she was lying to someone. But, it was not like she could tell her that, yes she was trying not to talk to her because she knew what they would be talking about again.

From the end of the line, she could hear her mother grumbled shortly.

“Chaewon-ah, you’re not forgetting the appointment for this Sunday, right?”

Just like what she had predicted. Her mother never called unless she had something up her sleeves.

“Mom,” she spoke carefully, wishing that just this once, her excuse would work, “I’m really sorry, I don’t think I can make it. I have some important work to do in the shop that day.”

Please, please, Heaven, please let it work.

“Ya! You are the owner of your shop, what’s the use of hiring employees if you can’t even leave it for just a few hours?! Tell them to take care of it! Don’t embarrass me by not showing up or showing up late. It’s really hard to set it up, you know. Chaewon-ah, he’s a fine man, his family is reach and he has a great job. For him to agree to meet you is a chance sent by heaven to our family. We’ll hit it big if we could marry you into the family. So, be on your best behavior, okay?”

It felt as if someone just forced her to swallow a bunch of pebbles. Her mother really just wouldn’t let her had her own way.

“Also, don’t you ever mention that to him, understand? Don’t do the same stupid mistake like the last time.”

This is really not it, she thought. Does she have to talk about it that way? Does she have to be like this every time?

Words of objection were at the tip of her tongue, but then again, what was the use of arguing? Her mother wouldn’t listen to her no matter what, and she would just get more hurt from bringing the topic up. The best decision she could do for the time being was giving in and ended the call before it turned ugly.

“Okay, Mom, I get it. I need to work on something now, talk to you later.”

Her chest felt even heavier after she cut the call off.

.

“At this rate I can’t even tell whether you’re trying to be a good daughter or just simply foolish. Why can’t you tell her you don’t want to go?”

If Minyoung had any choice at all in her head of which words to say, she would stick by using the harshest ones available. She could give Chaewon words of comfort, lots of it, many times, but she believed it would only lead the woman into more vulnerability. Until one day, she would get tired and give in to the situation that wouldn’t bring anything good to her.

“Okay, okay, you can still go, who knows if you could finally meet a good man, but why do you have to hide something so important? Is it marrying a rich kid everything? Would this world get better because of it? Your mother, seriously, did it ever cross her mind that you will just end up getting hurt by hiding it?”

Minyoung snatched her can of beer and gulped down the remaining liquid until the last drop.

“Yeah, I guess it never crossed her mind, or else she wouldn’t tell you do so. I’m the crazy girl here for questioning it.”

Her rumble made Chaewon broke into an amused smile. She took a sip of her own can of beer, liking that at least she still had reasons to smile.

“Ya! This is not the time for you to smile. What are you going to do now?”

“Then, should I cry a river?”

Minyoung huffed into the air. Would you be happy to see your friend cry? Of course not. But, sometimes she wished Chaewon would cry instead of piling up everything inside and keeping that smile on her lips. Who was she trying to fool anyway? She could smile and say she was fine all the way, but her eyes were not telling the same.

“So, you’re really going?”

“You said there’s still a possibility of me meeting a good man if I go,” Chaewon retorted.

Minyoung tilted her head at Chaewon’s answer, looking at her friend with piercing eyes.

“Call me if you need a drink buddy the night later,” she said.

Chaewon smiled again at her.

“I know. Thank you.”

.

Chaewon stood in line behind the people who was waiting for their turn to take off the bus. When it was finally hers, she climbed down quickly and rushed to the pedestrian crossing while the light was still green.

Her shop was two blocks away from the bus stop but she was taking a different route that day. The upcoming matchmaking bugged her mind more than she realized. She had never once forgotten to re-stock her coffee beans but she did this time. When she was about to grind her self some coffee this morning, the container where she usually put the coffee beans was empty. Her logic knew she would be doing just fine without a shot of caffeine for one day, but it was some kind of psychological thing, she felt like she wouldn’t. So, here she was walking into a direction of a coffee shop.

There were three other people lining up to order when she arrived. She looked over the menu, thinking maybe she should get the kids some. Who were in for the morning shift? Oh right, Sungjae, Jiyeon and Taehyung was coming too today.

Now that she remembered, she hadn’t talked to Myungsoo about the change of plan.

Oh crap.

She rummaged through her hand bag and fished her cell phone out.

The up front customer finished her order and the other two customers moved up. She followed them while waiting her call to get through.

“Myungsoo-ya, are you still sleeping?”

Myungsoo greeted her with a hoarse and slurring voice, asking her who she was.

“It’s me, Chaewon Noona. Did you stay up again last night?”

She was looking at her shoes as she talked on the phone but she could feel the customer right in front of her turned around and stared at her. Was she talking a little bit too loud?

“I’m sorry to interrupt your sleep. Myungsoo-ya, is it possible to re-schedule the shoot to Saturday? I forgot that I have an appointment on Sunday. I know I can leave it all to you, but it would be hard for Jiyeon and Seungwan to make all the arrangements just by the two of them.”

Another passing second as Myungsoo told her he needed to confirm it with Minseok but as long as he knew, the boy was usually free on weekend, it wouldn’t be much trouble. She could still feel the lingering gaze of the customer in front of her.

“I hope so,” she lowered her voice though she didn’t think she was talking loud enough to disturb people before. “Call me as soon as he makes a decision, okay? Thank you so much, Kim Myung, now go, go back to sleep, and don’t eat ramyun as soon as you wake up, get something healthy. No, no, come to the store later, I packed some lunch today, okay? I’m hanging up now.”

She ended the call and thought maybe she should apologize to the person in front of her. She lifted her head up and…

“Song Joongki-ssi?”

The man standing in front of her met her eyes with a big smile plastered on his face. But the other customer too had finished his order and the server told him to move up and placed his order.

“Moon Chaewon-ssi, oh, wait.”

He walked forward and told the server to get him one cup of iced Americano.

“Are you ordering? We can place the order as one,” he told her.

She shook her head in response.

“No, it’s okay. I’ll just go after you.”

Joongki paid for his coffee and stepped aside for Chaewon to order.

“I want one hot long black coffee to go, one iced coffee, one caramel macchiato and green tea latte. That’s all.”

“Everything is twenty thousand won. Please wait while we make the order.”

The server handed her a buzzer that would buzz when her order were ready. Beside her, Joongki was waiting with his cup of Americano, ready to lead her to find a seat. Naturally, she followed him and they sat down on the table near the window.

“I didn’t know you are a regular here. I always buy my coffee from this place every morning, but this is the first time I see you,” Joongki told her a little bit too excited.

“Ah, no, actually I rarely drop by here,” Chaewon shook her head.

“I see. You prefer the other franchise, I guess, the one at that corner? Which one was yours? The iced coffee? Or green tea latte?”

Chaewon smiled at his try at guessing. Why was he being so curious over trivial things?

“Not really. I usually make my own coffee but I ran out of coffee beans this morning. Also, it’s the long black.”

Joongki’s eyes went wide upon hearing her answer. This woman in front of him was really unpredictable. How could she have such contrasting image from what he had imagined? He meant, she went around wearing one piece dresses, reading a poetry book, turned out to own a flower shop, and don’t even he started on the way she talked. In his eyes, she had a really loving way of talking. The kind of people like her, didn’t they usually drink something like green tea, something sweet or healthy? Well, this was why you can’t judge people easily.

“By the way, did you get back home safely that night?” Chaewon asked him.

“Of course. Why? Were you worried?”

“Yes, I was a bit worried. It was near midnight when you left my place. It’s a relief that you got back safely. Thank you again for the ride, when you really didn’t have to.”

Their table was vibrating as the buzzer for her order .

“Wait a minute.”

Chaewon immediately left to the counter to get her order. The coffee shop was almost empty. Only a few customers went in to order some beverages to go, and an employee was mopping the floor. Joongki stared at her, who was bowing to the server, probably thanking him for her order. He found his self smiling alone.

“She’s cute.”

She walked back to their table with a cup holder where the four beverages stayed arranged. She was only a meter away, walking too fast and not noticing the wet floor sign that was put not too long ago. Her flat shoes made a screeched sound as her right foot slid forward.

She would be lying flat on her back if not for the hand that reached out and caught her at the right time. His hand grabbed hers firmly, pulling her body toward him in a fast motion thanks to his quick reflex.

“Are you okay?”

Her heart was beating hard from the shock. Rather than the pain, she was more concerned about the embarrassment if she really ended up on the floor. The panic made her lost her sense and focus for a while, and after she heard his question, it dawned to her.

She grimaced in pain. It seemed like she accidentally sprained her left ankle while trying to hold her balance.

“Why? Are you hurt anywhere?” Joongki asked, noticing her facial expression.

They were standing really close. He was still holding onto one of her arms, while the other hand was on her shoulder.

“No, it’s okay. It’s just, I think, my ankle.”

Joongki let go of her and went down on his knee. Chaewon tried to stop him, not feeling good because someone had to do that for her. But he wasn’t listening, already pressing the inner side of her ankle.

“Does it hurt here?”

“No,” she said.

He pressed hard at the outer side and it almost made her cry.

“You did sprain it. Luckily it’s not on the inner side so it won’t be serious.”

He rose up on his feet while Chaewon tried to move the sprained leg. It was painful but she thought she could endure it to walk to her shop. Joongki signaled one of the servers to come over.

“Can you watch over my bag and this coffee here for a while? This lady here hurt her ankle, I’m escorting her to her place, it’s just around the corner. I won’t be long.”

The server nodded in agreement and received both belonging from him. After the server left, he took Chaewon’s bag and slung it over his shoulder.

“Climb up,” he turned around, getting on his knee again.

Both her eyebrows went up as she looked at him in confusion.

“Pardon me?”

Joongki turned his head to talk to her. His facial expression undisturbed, contrasting to her agitated one.

“You can’t walk with that condition, it will only make it worst. I’ll take you to your shop.”

Chaewon put up her free hand in the air showing her rejection of the idea. The other hand was thankfully holding onto her cup holder just fine.

“No, really, seriously, there’s no need. I’m fine, I’ll be fine on my own.”

He stared at her right for three seconds, before saying, “Do you want to climb on my back or I’m just gonna pick you up in my arms? The latest choice would make people stare at you even more though.”

She gave him a pleading look, not getting the situation at all. Why did she have to trouble him over her sprained ankle? It was not like they were friends or something.

“Joongki-ssi, really, you don’t have to. Please.”

But he was not yielding.

“Make your choice now,” he warned her and started counting, “One…two…three?”

“Okay! Okay! Piggyback.”

He handed her the lunchbox she had put on the table before and signaled her to climb his back. Hesitantly, she did so with each hand holding all the drinks and the lunchbox, still murmuring that he didn’t have to do it, that she would be fine walking alone.

“Let’s put you in my shoes. If I hurt my self, are you just going to go and leave me to deal with it alone?” he asked her as they walked out of the coffee shop.

She didn’t give him immediate answer even though she knew exactly what she would do. She was busy sending glances around, worried if someone who knew her or him saw and misunderstood them. There was no one she could identify, but she instantly hid her face at the crook of his neck as she realized some people were giving them a curious look.

“What are you going to do?” he asked again, nudging her with his shoulder. “Don’t say you’re going to leave me, when you even gave me medicine on the train.”

The sound of her defeated sigh made him chuckled.

“I know, but I definitely won’t carry you to your workplace or something,” she muttered. Her voice was muffled by a part of his collar fabric.

“It’s more you can’t carry me on your back,” he teased, “it’s not like you have the power to do it.”

He crossed the street and they were just a block away from her store.

“I’m sorry, I must be heavy.”

Joongki smiled. She was still a woman after all, he thought, worrying about her weight.

“You’re lighter than you look,” he told her honestly. She was not skinny, but even if she gained a few more pounds, she wouldn’t be considered chubby. “You should eat more.”

They arrived on her store right when Taehyung was changing the sign on the door from ‘close’ to ‘open’. He rushed over as soon as he recognized Chaewon was the one resting on the stranger’s back.

“Noona, what happened?”

Joongki asked him to open the door so he could bring her inside. The boy did as he was told, holding the door opened and setting the chair so Joongki could put her to sit. Jiyeon and Sungjae, who were in the middle of putting preservative on the vases, stopped their activities and approached them.

“Noona, what’s wrong?”

“Unnie, are you hurt somewhere?”

They asked in unison.

“I’m okay, Kids, just a sprained ankle.”

She gave them a firm smile, assuring them she was alright.

Joongki took a look at his wristwatch. It was already nine past two minutes, he was late. He wanted to stay longer but he had a meeting at nine thirty, he couldn’t help it, but at least she had her trustworthy employees to take care of her.

“Please get some ice cubes and help her with it so it won’t get swollen,” he talked to three people standing around her, “you can buy a counter pain reliever too. Importantly, don’t let her walk too much today, sprain ankle can get dangerous if you take it lightly,” he turned to look at her when he said the last line, before going back to her employees again. They all nodded even though they were silently questioning his identity. Was he a friend of their boss? They never saw him before though?

But he looks familiar. Did I saw him somewhere? Sungjae asked his self.

Joongki squatted in front of her, taking her left leg and placing it on a chair after removing her shoe. She stuttered over the gesture, but fortunately he didn’t go as far as taking her sock off.

“When the pain and swelling has receded, try to stretch your ankle,” he spoke softly, “I have to leave now. See you again in a better condition, okay, Chaewon-ssi.”

He stood up, nodding to the three people who were watching them with interest. He was ready to leave when she grabbed his arm.

“Thank you so much, Joongki-ssi. Please make sure you drop by here when you have time. I have to repay you for this kindness.”

He smiled widely at her before disappearing behind her shop door.

“See you soon, Chaewon-ssi.”

.

Author's note :

The default editor is not working on me. AFF is being weird.

Anyway, I don't know if anyone really read this story, or is it that you find it boring or not up to your expectation because no one said a thing about this story. Comments make me happy and sometimes it gives me inspiration and aspiration to write better, but I'm gonna keep writing despite the absence of comments. I still appreciate everyone who read this story, and I'm more than thankful with a few loyal readers. See you on the next update ^^