"Ya, Mi Ne-yah." called Ji Yeon.

     We were in her - our room, both sprawled out on the bed. "Yeah?"

     "What do we do next?" she asked, playing with her ring.

     It's been six days since our graduation and we did nothing but Netflix and chill. I meant that literally, okay. Not some ual innuendo or something.

     We've finally come to the point wherein life without studying can get exciting only for the first few days.

     "I don't know." I replied with a shrug. "Wanna watch Tatum's ?" I suggested, turning on my side to face her.

     "We already did, like ten times already." she said with a chuckle. "Do we go job hunting or do we ask our family to boost us up to a manager's position?"

     "That's ridiculous. Of course we have to work our off first." I chastised.

     "Woah. Chill." She sat up and raised both of her hands in the air in surrender.

     "Sorry." I apologized. "Anyway, there's this new coffee shop in town. Wanna hang out there? See if we could think of something to do? Like, I dunno, be a barista or something."

     She laughed at my attempt and said, "Now, you are being ridiculous."

     We both laughed but we fixed ourselves up, grabbed our bags, cellphones and bolted out of our room.

     The drive downtown was short. We located the new coffee shop with my help.

     "How did you know about this cafe?" Ji Yeon asked.

     I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Eh. Just stumbled upon it online."

     "I see." she replied as she parked her car in the designated parking area.

     We entered the coffee shop with amused look on our faces. We bobbed our heads up and down as we looked around and took in the stunning interior of the new cafe in town.

     "This place looks amazing." Ji Yeon breathed out.

     "Understatement of the year." I replied.

     We looked at each other and giggled.

     The interior is honestly way better than Starbucks'. This place looks like a cozy living room. The wooden round tables at the far end corner on the right were surrounded by maroon plush seats. The wall on the right side is covered with book shelves and they're all filled with books. You won't see even a tiny portion of the wall because it's practically covered with books, ranging from the classics to the present day chick lits. The far end corner on the left is where the "bar" is. It's like a bar, only it's not liquor that is served by the barista but coffee. The area near the glass door have more seats than the one at the bar's side, but looks less cozy.

     The place isn't crowded yet and a table is vacant near the bar so we hurried to claim those seats before anyone else could. I offered to order for Ji Yeon so she could watch after our bags.

     "Green tea latte?" I asked her.

     "You know me very well, sweetie." she replied with a flying kiss.

     I smirked at her and then stood up.

     There was only one barista at the bar, but then again, it's not crowded in here like Starbucks so I guess I'll be able to get our drinks fast.

     He's wearing a maroon apron on his waist, partly covering his dark colored trousers, and a dark blue button-up shirt with two buttons ed. Okay, that's too much button in a sentence.

     He wasn't wearing a hairnet like the other guys cleaning the tables. His dark hair was hanging loose and some of it rested on his temples. He's currently making a drink for a teenager on the less-cozy-side of the bar who's practically gawking at him.

     Because I'm facing his side, his movements showcased his muscles on his left arm. Contracting. Relaxing. Contracting. Relaxing. Before I could get hypnotized, I mentally kicked myself. But my eyes landed on his body and wondered how it looks inside the shirt. Again, I kicked myself mentally. Now I could relate to what the teenager was doing.

     I almost didn't notice him approach me. I almost lost my composure. That would have been embarrassing.

     "What can I get you?" he asked, flashing me a smile that I don't think I will ever forget. And his oh-so-white teeth. Ugh.

     "Um. Uh." I stuttered. Damn it! This is embarrassing. What was Ji Yeon's order? What was my order?

     "Okay, take your time." he replied with a chuckle.

     "Um. One green tea cappuccino and one strawberry lemonade, please." Strawberry lemonade? What the hell does that taste like? And green tea cappuccino? Really? Even Ji Yeon's order that I memorized for a decade?

     "Alright! Comin' up in five!" he said cheerfully, and then freaking winked at me.

     I watched him do his work in front of me. I glance at what he's making from time to time so I don't get caught gaping at him. He would occasionally smile at me and I would smile back. Sparks, anyone? No? Okay.

     "Here you go." he told me as he handed me our drinks, not forgetting to show me his charming smile.

     Before I could even take a hold of our beverages, he let go of them and they landed on the counter. Ji Yeon's cup broke but mine didn't because I think it was made of plastic. But both of the drinks splashed on my clothes and all hell broke loose. I stood up to prevent the liquid from spilling over my frayed shorts. I went from swooning to steaming in a matter of seconds. I am enraged by the carelessness of this guy! It's such a deal-breaker.

     "What the actual !?" I exclaimed. Sorry for the cuss, I can be foul-mouthed sometimes.

     "Oh, ." he cursed. "I'm really, terribly sorry. I'm so sorry." He grabbed a towel lying on the counter and attempted to wipe the mess on my shirt. But I grabbed it from his grip and wiped it myself. I could already feel the cold and hot liquid below my chest. It's sticky and I hate it!

     "Your apology is futile and will never dry my favorite shirt!" I shouted on his face. Yes, I was wearing my favorite crop top. It wasn't actually a crop top per se. I just grew out of it. Nothing special on the design or something. It just has a teddy bear's face printed on the little pocket sewn on the left side of the chest. I just keep wearing it because it's the last clothing I bought with my Mom. Back in high school. Thus, the teddy bear. Thus, became a crop top.

     Ji Yeon immediately ran to my side upon hearing my delirious screaming. I saw the amused faces of the young girls in the cafe and the other staff through my peripherals. But boy do I care.

     She looked at the mess on my shirt and made a face. "What happened?" she asked. She followed where my eyes were glaring at. "O-oh, hi." she stuttered as she greeted the hot barista with a flirty smile.

     I turned my glare to her and she gave me a guilty look. "Where the hell is your manager?" I asked the guy in front of me furiously.

     He scratched the back of his neck. "I-I own the place." he stuttered.

     "O-oh." It was then my turn to stutter. "O-okay. Then how will you compensate this?" I asked, motioning to my shirt, trying to regain my anger back.

     "I-If you could please follow me to m-my room.." he trailed, still stuttering.

     Huh. Already entering his room, not even an hour has passed? Huh.

     He signaled a waiter to clean the mess on the counter. He opened a small door at the side where the baristas come in and out of the bar. He looked at me to tell me 'this way', with the shame still visible on his face.

     "Ji Yeon-ah, could you please, uh, wait a minute?" When she gave me a nod, not forgetting to wiggle her brows teasingly, which I replied with an eye roll, I followed the manager to his room.

     He entered a door with a sign that says 'Authorized Personnel Only.' Upon entering, I saw a sink on my left and two doors in front of me. One says 'Staff' and the one at the right says 'Manager.' He entered the one on the right and I followed without hesitation.

     "Um. There's a shower room over there. I just changed the towel this morning so.. And I, uh, if you could please give me your shirt after taking it off. I'm gonna wash and dry it clean." he told me, avoiding eye contact.

     I just raised an eyebrow at him and then went inside the shower room at the far-end corner on the right side. The two walls and the door were entirely made of glass. The lower half is white and the upper part is translucent. He could totally see everything I do, waist up at least. But that is more than enough to trigger one's imagination.

     And so, I took off my clothes, opened the door a little and then threw the shirt out. From inside the room, I could see his silhouette bending over to pick up my shirt. He then walked around the shower room towards the sink adjacent to it. The place isn't that large so I can see all of his movements.

     I turned the shower on and enjoyed the warmth of the water as every drop trickled down my bare skin. I scrubbed my body with his shower gel and I almost smelled him like he was just an inch away from me. Or maybe it was just my imagination running wild.

     I glanced to where his silhouette stood. From this angle, I could only see his left arm moving fast. And then I remembered that he tried to wipe my shirt with his left arm. My eyes almost popped out of their sockets when an idea, a horrifying idea, came into my mind. I quickly washed the foam on my body and grabbed the towel and then dashed out of the shower room. I didn't care if my wet hair was making a mess on his shiny wooden floor. Or if my body was barely covered. I won't tolerate this and he has to stop. I caught him red-handed!

     "What the hell do you think you're doing!?" I exclaimed furiously at the man whose back was facing me.

     He turned around in surprise and when he saw that I was only covered by a small towel, he averted his eyes to the ground. "I, uh, was I washing it aggressively?" he innocently asked.

     When my eyes landed on his hands that were covered with foam and bubbles, holding my shirt, and looked like he was about to wring it, I felt ashamed of myself for thinking that he was... . Why am I thinking of myself so highly? Ugh. This. Is. Just. Embarrassing!

     I decided to go on with what he thought I was thinking. He doesn't have to know that my imagination was in fact, already running wild. So wild.

     "Uh, yes! That's my favorite shirt!" I chastised, feigning annoyance. "Um, uh, please treat it with utmost care." I told him as I tried to fix the towel around my body.

     "Oh. I'm sorry." he apologized. "I, uh, have a stash of clothes in the small drawer near the bed. You can pick anything you wish to." he told me while looking anywhere but my body.

     I didn't respond, instead I walked straight to the drawer he was talking about and picked the first shirt it revealed when I pulled it open. It was a plain gray T-shirt which would undoubtedly look like a dress on me.

     I walked back to the bathroom rather hastily, hugging the shirt on my chest. From the translucent glass wall, I saw his body relax. And so did mine. Huh. I didn't notice I was tense the entire time.

     I then dried myself and put on my clothes. I combed my hair a little with my hand while drying it with the towel. As soon as I was done, I stepped out of the shower and slipped on my sandals that sat just outside. He was also done washing already because I saw my shirt hanging above the sink.

     He was sitting on his good-for-two-people sofa, right across the bed. Upon seeing me, he stood up and shoved both of his hands in his back pockets. He looked like he wanted to tell me something. "I, uh, made you and your friend another drink. It's all on the house." he said with his apologetic eyes looking right at me. God, I love those sparkling orbs.

     I raised an eyebrow to maintain the upper hand. "You or one of your guys?"

     "Actually, yes, one of the guys." he said. "Hey, I'm really, really sorry." He pulled his hands out of his pockets and clasped them together and continued. "I did quite a mess and I sincerely hope you could forgive me. I know that you know my shop is new in town and I don't really think it's a good start when there's a word going around that the boss messed up big time in his opening week. So, please, please, what can I do to make it up to you?" he pleaded.

     Okay, so much for being a . I've got puppy eyes pleading in front of me and puppies are one of my greatest weaknesses. "Actually," I started and paused to give it a thought. "I'd really be glad if you'd let me work here." I gave him the sweetest smile I have ever given anyone.

     He let out a nervous laugh with a sigh that sounded like I was asking for something impossible.

     I blinked expectantly. He scratched the back of his head while he struggled to say something. "Actually, if you haven't noticed, everyone who works here is a guy and-"

     "Huh. That's rather ist." I cut off.

     "No! No!" he defended. "It's just.. The name of the cafe is Love & Respect for a reason. There are many husbands out there who abuse their wives and boyfriends who mistreat their girlfriends. The concept is that, we, the guys here, want to show everyone that not all men are abusive and egotistic. We here, love and respect all women." he explained with admiration in his eyes.

     I was in awe. I'm amazed by his advocacy. It made me forget about the deal-breaker that happened a while ago. "Hmm. I like your ideals but the offer stands." I told him.

     He frowned but smiled when he thought of something. "Do you bake?" he asked.

     "I used to. I could learn it again if I try." I told him. "Can't I just dress up as a guy and clean tables?"

     "No. You're too pretty for that. They would notice easily." he replied rather quickly. He didn't seem aware of what he just said because when he saw me blinking my eyes in front of him, he pursed his lips. I felt my cheeks heat up a little and I saw that he was quite turning red too.

     I cleared my throat as I struggled to speak. "So. Baking then. When do I start?" I asked like nothing happened.

     "Tomorrow."

     "Cool." I replied curtly and then my heels. I want to get out of this room as soon as possible.

     "Wait!" he called out.

     I stopped dead in my tracks. I turned around only to see him standing just two feet away from me. He extended an open palm for me to shake. Oh, right. I don't know his name yet and he doesn't have a name tag like the other guys.

     "I'm Jackson. Jackson Wang." he said with a coy smile.

     "Mi Ne. Park Mi Ne." I replied as I shook his hand.

-----

Do you sense a love triangle? Hmm? No? Okay.. 😂 <3

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