Midnight Talks 

"The streets I’ve walked till now. The streets I’ve walked alone, crying and lonely. You changed all of those things."

- "The Reason" by SHINee

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“You have to be kidding me.” I groaned and slammed my head on the table.

“Ouch,” My best friend Mina commented, “Did you get a bad grade again?”

“It’s not bad, I mean I passed, but barely.”

“You should be happy! Mr. Kwon is literally the hardest teacher here.”

“Thanks Mina.” I mumbled into my arm.

“You know what would cheer you up? Some bomb street food. Want to go?”

I shook my head and lifted up my chin to rest it on my arm. “I can't I have work tonight.”

She groaned, “You always work, I feel like you are secretly meeting a lover instead of actually working.” My mind flashed to the mysterious stranger from the other night. I quickly shot that idea down.

“Ha, no, that only happens in dramas Mina.”

“Well, you never know!”

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It was the same night as usual. The same closing like every night. I sat at the side of the counter, pencil and notebook in hand. But today I was jotting down my to do list when I got home. I underlined call mom and dad several times. I kept forgetting.

The tiny ring of the bell as the door opened door causing me to jump in my seat. It was him, again.

I eyed him carefully and placed my book underneath the register. He wore the same pair of sunglasses perched on his nose but today his shirt was deep navy blue that complimented his dark hair.

“Hello, what can I get for you today?”

Without even turning his head to the menu, “iced black coffee, one sugar. Can you add a shot of espresso. Thanks.” Did he want to die? I eyed him carefully and hummed a yes.

Okay this was worse than his black coffee pick yesterday.

I wrote down his order on the cup as he swiped his card before shifting away to lean his back towards me. Alright. Weirdo.

I began to make his order, the strong scent of the espresso wafted in my nose even causing me to gag a bit. Coffee smells great of course but I am more of a tea person myself. I placed the finished drink of the counter that was higher up.

“Your order of liquid caffiene.” I could see the edge of his lips pull up. He mumbled a thank you before ducking his head and walked out of the cafe.

That wasn’t the last night I saw him either. Every single day of the week he would come by the cafe, always around evening when the sun began to sink, ordered black coffee, thank you and walk away. It’s been almost two weeks with the same routine.

“Hana, you okay?” I shook my head as Jihee broke me from my thoughts one afternoon.

“Oh, yeah, don’t worry about unnie.” I stacked cups in their right row, “Can I ask a question actually?”

Jihee nodded and leaned her forearms on the table she was cleaning, “Of course, what's up?”

“What type of customers usually head over here at night time? Like to order coffee?”

Jihee eyebrows connected slightly in thought, “Well,” she began and scratched the back of her head, “There are a few dance studios around here, in the beginning a lot of students came from dance class to get coffee here but that was a year ago or so? Maybe two? Now they all go to the Starbucks right across the street.”

“Ah okay,” okay so maybe he was just a student? No he couldn't be he looked so much older than student. 

“Why?" Jihee asked her voice laced with dominance.  "Do you have a customer that’s bothering you at night?”

“No, no, just same customer every night, orders the same thing, nothing big.”

Jihee nodded slowly, “Well tell me if he does start bothering you, I will take your end shifts and deal with him.” She held up her hand as a fist, implying she was going to punch someone.

“Haha! Don't worry I will.”

After Jihee left my two goals of the night where. Clean all tables and the shop until it was spotless. Lastly, talk to Stranger Guy. Which couldn't be so bad, unless he was a murder. Then that would be bad.

My eyes shifted on the clock and onto the door as I waited. He would be here anytime now. I focused scrubbing down the wooden table removing the circle of coffee cups.

Then the bell of the door rang echoing the shop.

“Hi Stranger,” I said as I lifted my head from the now clean table.

It took a second for him to register what I said. I walked around the counter to wait for him at the register.

“Stranger?” He questioned and for the first time he pulled off his sunglasses and look at me dead in the eye. With two long strides he now stood in front of me his dark chocolate eyes engulfing me.

Whoa. He was wow.

“Yeah, people I don't know are strangers, right?” I said and looked away trying to break the intense eye contact.

I peeked back at him to see a confused look on his face. “You’re joking.”

“No? Why would I? Should I know you?” I tapped on the register trying to connect his face to someone I might possible know. But, yeah, nothing. Did I run into him in my classes? Maybe? 

The man stayed silent for a second the point a finger up in the air, “Do you know this song?”

My eyebrows knitted together and I focused on the soft acoustic playing. It sounded like a group of guys softly singing. “No I don’t.”

He laughed out loud. “You’re pulling my leg, you have no idea who’s singing this?”

My lips pressed in a thin line, “No I don't, should I?”

He paused for a second before he rubbed the back of his neck. “Uh, it’s not important.” He again smiled brightly, “Can I get the usual?”

“Sure,” I said softly.

“Minho.”

The deep voice called out. I paused my movements. “Hm?”

“My name, it’s Minho. Choi Minho.”

My eyes lifted to look at his. They were deep with sincerity. I picked up the sharpie and wrote in English, ‘Minho’

“Kim Hana.” Minho gave a small smile. 

“Are you from Korea?”

I blushed, “What gave it away? How I said my name, my accent, or how I wrote your name in English?”

“No that wasn’t it, I mean” I cut him off with a laugh.

“I’m half Korean, half American. I was born in the U.S.”

I walked to get his coffee started, “How long did you live in the States?” Oh, he wanted to talk to me now?

“All my life, but I visited Korea often. But I am currently here permanently for university.”

I poured the hot coffee over the ice before mixing in one cube of sugar. I made sure it was cool to the touch and I placed the plastic lid on it and handed it over to him.  

He grasped the cup softly and captured my eyes again, “Did you not listen to Korean pop music over seas?”

I laughed a bit, “Not really, I was way into Taylor Swift and Drake, oh and G-Eazy. I have a thing for rappers.”

This time Minho busted out in the loudest laugh it even echoed through the store. “Yah! What are you laughing about.”

“S-sorry, I didn't take you as a uh,” He stifled a few laughs, “A rapper girl.”

I scoffed “Well it depends, some, you have any Korean musicians you like? Maybe I’ll take a swing at kpop.”

Minho placed the straw in the lid and he seemed to stop himself, “Can’t say I do.”

“What a shame.” I smiled, “Well it is getting late, you probably need to get home Choi Minho.”

He pulled up his lips and looked down at me. “See you next time Kim Hana.”

The door closed with the slight ding. I didn't realize my heart was beating right out of my chest. I didn’t even realize I was holding my breath the entire time or the hot red feeling on my neck due to the not so stranger Minho.

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If you are wondering how Hana pronounces her name it is "han-nuh" while usually in Korean it is pronounce 
ha-nA" since few of my friends had a few questions on it and I had to verify it with a few of my fluent Korean speaking friends :)