Everyday

Logic & Marshmello

 

---

 

FRIDAY

 

Hyejin and Byulyi stared down at the pile of paper warily. On the other side of the desk, their boss gave them a sympathetic smile.

 

“We have to finish marking these by this weekend?” Byulyi asked, fixing her tie nervously.

 

“You know each one of these has three essays, right?” Hyejin scowled, picking up a thick packet of paper.

 

Yongsun’s smile was sympathetic, but left no room for discussion when she said, “You two can do it.”

 

Hyejin groaned. “All of this. Sunday.”

 

“Monday morning,” Yongsun replied, as sternly as their soft-hearted principal could. “They won’t be ready for the real exam if we don’t schedule these two practice exams. They’ll need the feedback as soon as possible. You understand, right?” Her big, bright eyes glittered at Byulyi, who eagerly agreed. Beside her, Hyejin resisted the urge to roll her eyes. If Yongsun asked Byulyi to jump off a cliff, she’d be leaping into a ravine before she finished the question.

 

“Hyejin?” Yongsun asked.

 

“Fine,” Hyejin sighed, "but only if you mark the multiple choice, Boss.”

 

“I’ll make the answer key,” Byulyi chirped.

 

“Thank you, Byul. That would be wonderful. I’ll look over it after you’re done.”

 

Hyejin inwardly gagged at the display before her.

 

After Yongsun left, she nudged Byulyi in the ribs. “Are you really okay with this?”

 

Byulyi shrugged as she counted out half the pile of exams in front of her. Handing one half to Hyejin, she said, “Here—you do the first set of essays and I’ll do the second. When you’re done we can switch piles. Anyway, it’s fine. It’s good for the kids.”

 

Sure. Good for the kids.

 

Hyejin shoved her pile of exams into her bag. “Not like I got anything better to do this weekend, I guess,” she grumbled.

 

She was going to need a lot of coffee to get through this.

 

SATURDAY

 

Bzzz.

 

Bzzz.

 

Bzzz.

 

Thunk.

 

Hyejin opened her bleary eyes to see the bright LED numbers on her alarm clock: 7:38 AM. Her phone had fallen off the bedside table and onto the carpet—whoever was spamming her at 7:38 on a Saturday morning was going to have their fingers lopped off by a rusty knife at the first opportunity, Hyejin inwardly seethed. She reached over the edge of her bed to turn off the phone, inadvertently catching a glimpse of the awaiting text messages.

 

Byulyi: Good morning! Let’s do some great work today!

 

Byulyi: Yongsun and I are going to Starbucks later. Come join us!

 

Byulyi: (or also don’t. It’s up to you…hint, hint)

 

Byulyi: Actually, I’m going to scout around to see if there are any nice, empty, shady spots around the park.

 

Byulyi: do you think Yongsun likes flowers?

 

This idiot, Hyejin thought as she turned off her phone. Scratch the rusty knife—she’d kill her with a rusty spoon. A nice, slow, painful death to pay for her sins.

 

She closed her eyes and tried to dream a little longer.

 

By the time she got out of bed, it was the perfect time for brunch. As she stood by and waited for her toaster, she turned her phone back on, but made sure to mute her annoying friend/colleague.

 

After brunch, she received a photo from her boss—a picture of Byulyi’s triumphant grin as she held up a small pile of exams. Working hard! Yongsun wrote.

 

What dorks, Hyejin sighed. Still, she could not deny that it was enough to guilt-trip her into getting changed. After all, she wouldn’t get anything done at home.

 

Ugh, the thought of playing third wheel to her coworkers made her ill. Coffee first, she decided. There was a small cafe nearby that had just reopened after long months of renovations. Wasn’t there a super cute barista there? Hyejin grabbed her keys. She couldn't remember her face, but maybe she still worked there.

 

Yep, that settled it.

 

Going to the cafe, Hyejin wrote to Byulyi, ignoring the twenty messages the older woman had sent. The new one with the pink walls. Come by with your pile later. I’ll probably be there for a while.

 

Byulyi: near your apartment?

 

Byulyi: ok, but you didn’t reply to any of my messages, and I’m panicking here with Yongsun. She’s so freaking pretty today.

 

Byulyi: What do you think I should—

 

Hyejin muted her once more and pocketed her phone.

 

Five minutes later, she pushed through the glass doors of the cafe, her bag slung over her shoulder. Once inside, she wandered toward a nice, secluded corner, lips pursed, until an handsome, young waiter noticed her. He greeted her hastily, though he made no comment about her seating herself as he brought over the menus, thankfully without harming himself.

 

Hyejin took a quick glance around once the waiter skittered away. They were young boys, mostly, in matching newsboy caps and denim shirts. Good, she thought as she ped the bag, no distractions. She laid her piles of work out on the two tables, meant for either four people or one person and two class sets of thick exam booklets.

 

Once she settled in, she picked up the menu and briefly admired the new ink smell and smooth finish, then moved on to perusing the colourful dishes. Maybe later.

 

The waiter returned with a glass of water.

 

“I’ll take a cappuccino with that too.”

 

He nodded, then promptly skulked back to the bar where all the newsboys gathered behind the stupidly tall partition hiding the espresso bar. It was a quiet afternoon, but they had four guys on duty. She didn’t remember this many men before the renovation. Maybe they were trying to get more female clientele. She gave the four staff members a quick appraisal—yeah, they’ll do just fine. Lots of young girls like these lanky, pretty types.

 

At least there weren’t any distractions, her thoughts repeated happily as she whipped out her pencil case. What colour will it be today? Green? Purple? Or the classic red, signifying the blood of children everywhere.

 

Yep, red it was.

 

Let’s get to work.

 

The paper in her hand was practically smothered with red ink by the time the waiter re-appeared with her coffee. Except it wasn’t the waiter from earlier. Or a waiter at all. The barista was a woman. Her eyes bore into the foam of the drink in her hand, as if she were willing it not to spill with all her might. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, and her newsboy was just a little big as it sat askew on her chestnut hair.

 

Hyejin froze. Her pen clattered.

 

Wow.

 

How did she not notice her? Oh, she realized as the barista drew closer, she was tiny. The four guys were still lounging around—she must’ve been hiding behind the bar.

 

“Your cappuccino,” the waitress said. Her tone was low, not quite enthusiastic but not quite apathetic either. Just...so serious. There was no smile as she placed the drink on the table, careful to place it as far from the piles of paper as possible, and Hyejin was enraptured.

 

“H-hey,” Hyejin said, reaching forward.

 

The girl stared, expressionless. Hyejin dropped her hand and clutched the edge of the table. , she did not think this through.

 

“Can I help you?”

 

“Um, when do you guys close?” Good. She congratulated herself for the absolutely normal question.

 

“Ten.” There was the slightest hint of a smile, and Hyejin found herself smiling goofily in kind. Unfortunately, it was gone as suddenly as it appeared, and the girl quickly turned and walked away.

 

She watched her disappear behind the bar again, disappointment crashing down when she couldn’t see even the hint of her newsboy on the other side of the bar.

 

Dammit, Hyejin, she chastised herself, when did you get so lame?

 

Glumly, she returned to her task.

 

After fifteen minutes of distracted work, Hyejin managed to fall into a rhythm. Her eyes constantly scanned the small cafe, but her focus was just effective enough to keep her on a leash. Half the stack soon disappeared.

 

Then—a phone call from Byulyi.

 

It was tempting to throw the phone into the slightly lemony water, but there was something about three back-to-back calls that told her it was something important.

 

“What?” Hyejin grumbled into her phone.

 

“I need to crosscheck. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

 

Hyejin met the barista’s eyes for a moment, silently hoping she didn’t look too pissed off.

 

“Why don’t you go through the pile first so we can do it all at the same time?”

 

“I need your opinion, okay?”

 

“I swear to god I’m going kill you if you come over here to give me your Yongsun-is-so-pretty soliloquy. Hello? Hey, you better not—”

 

Click.

 

She rolled her eyes and put her phone back down at the corner of her table with a sigh. She looked up and caught the barista’s gaze, though her expression was impossible to read, serious as ever as she nonchalantly looked away toward the door.

 

Hyejin liked to hope she was at least a little interested in her life. It was her preoccupation with the barista that left her pen on the table and her coffee in her hand as she waited for Byulyi, who, not ten minutes later, hurried in like a pink-faced whirlwind.

 

Hyejin raised a brow and placed her cup back on her saucer. “Did you run here?”

 

Byulyi threw herself into the seat beside Hyejin and pulled at her tie, desperately trying to catch her breath. With a sigh, Hyejin gave up her glass of water.

 

“Thanks,” Byulyi murmured. She gulped it down heartily, which drew the attention of all five staff members. The young one quickly and shakily refilled her cup as soon as it hit the table. “Sorry, I have to get back soon before unnie notices I’m gone.”

 

“Oh. I didn’t realize a young woman with a bright blue backpack, apparently dressed for a wedding in a suit and tie, sprinting full-speed across town in a panic was supposed to be inconspicuous.”

 

“I wasn’t panicking,” Byulyi pouted.

 

“Knowing you, you probably ran here because she touched your knee or something.”

 

At this, her face flared.

 

“I’m right, aren’t I?” Hyejin grinned.

 

“Shut up.”

 

“Okay, but listen to this…”

 

Hyejin nodded, picking up her coffee again to buy a moment of silence as her friend rattled on about their beautiful principal, her attention wandering over to the bar as her patience spiralled toward nothingness.

 

Her conscience flittered back several minutes later.

 

“—o you think it means anything?”

 

Her response, having gone through this so many times, was automatic. “No. You’re going to die alone.”

 

Byulyi pressed a hand to her chest and gasped, just loud enough to draw the attention of several people. Including a particularly inquisitive pair of exquisite brown eyes from behind the bar. “How can you be so cruel, Ms. Ahn?”

 

Hyejin put the coffee down, willing herself not to explode and smash the cup on the other teacher’s head. She took a deep breath and counted to five, then exhaled and turned to Byulyi with a tight smile that was all teeth in the most unsettling way.

 

“Listen, unnie,” she said slowly, “I don’t know about you, but I’ve worked well over a hundred hours in the last seven days. And now this.” She gestured at the piles of paper stacked neatly on the table. “And while we are friends outside of work, we are also co-teaching, so I’d appreciate it if you could be an ounce more professional and finish your ing work.”

 

Byulyi winced. “Yeah,” she mumbled, rubbing the back of her neck. “You’re right. Sorry.”

 

“Better be,” she said, crossing her arms.

 

Defeated, Byulyi stood slowly, smoothing our her clothes and hair as she stood awkwardly by the table. “Well, um, I guess I’ll try to finish my pile in the next four hours, then we can switch up? I’ll just...sticky note the ones I want you to double check. Ah, I guess I should try working somewhere else too...so I don’t distract myself and all.”

 

“Sure,” Hyejin said with a small roll of her shoulder. “See you later.”

 

Byulyi hung her head slightly, lingering for a long moment in hopes of finding some way to regain her friend’s favour. Unfortunately, Hyejin looked displeased. And tired. She hadn’t seen her look so tired in a while—part of it must’ve been her fault.

 

She was about to turn and go when she finally caught Hyejin’s eyes, softer now than they were a minute ago.

 

“After the exams are done,” Hyejin said, her voice dropping with a forced sense of aloofness, tinged with a bit of guilt, “we’ll get you a real date.”

 

Byulyi beamed.

 

“Then your next drink is on me,” she declared proudly.

 

Byulyi strutted up to the counter while Hyejin watched, apprehensive as she began chatting amicably with the cute, little barista. There was no reason to be jealous in any way—Byulyi had a one-track mind after all—but Hyejin could not ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach.

 

She turned back to her work, hoping to wave it off.

 

However, the feeling was confirmed when, barely five minutes later, Hyejin’s phone lit up.

 

Byulyi: I got you a hot chocolate. I’ll get it done, so please forgive me!

 

Byulyi: by the way, you should say hi to the barista when she delivers the drink to you. Her name is Wheein.

 

Byulyi: don’t say I never did anything for you ;)

 

Byulyi: oh, and maybe tone down the staring a little so you don’t scare her away? You know it’s bad when I notice things. Maybe, if we’re lucky, you’ll end up as annoying as me one day.

 

Oh my god.

 

Hyejin shot up from her seat, her pen falling to the floor and her cup rattling in its saucer. She glowered at the cash register, but met only the eyes of one of the guys, who looked torn between walking toward her and running away. A murderous glare quickly made the decision for him.

 

Hyejin could practically hear Byulyi’s cackling as she ambled down the street.

 

She shook her head. Whatever, she growled to herself. There were hours of work ahead, and she didn’t have time for the older woman’s annoying quirks.

 

She had about five additional minutes to catch her breath before the other object of distraction reappeared with a steaming yellow mug.

 

Wheein.

 

They exchanged strained, polite smiles as Hyejin tried to think over the pounding of her own heart. She searched the woman’s mostly dispassionate face, wondering if she could hear her heartbeat.

 

Get a grip, she told herself. Just talk to her like a normal person.

 

But the opportunity came and went, and Hyejin was left alone with two mugs and way too much work.

 

Three hours of anger, frustration, distraction, pride, and scrawled red ink later, her stomach heralded dinner time with an embarrassingly loud growl. With a sigh, she put her pen down, rubbed her eyes, and waved over the waiter for a dinner menu.

 

The young guy presented the glossy pages to her and stood by, like a humble peasant waiting for his queen’s royal decree. Hyejin didn’t mind the image. She browsed the pages languidly before settling on the pumpkin risotto. A quick glance at the alcohol menu was tempting, but she doubted her students would appreciate her drunken scribbles across their exam.

 

She gave her pile of work a wary glance.

 

Pumpkin risotto and a pot of tea sounded nice.

 

Once she put in the order, she went back to work. As the minutes ticked by, the distracting presence of the young woman faded further and further away.

 

People came and went around her. The young guy was replaced by a perky college student. The sunlight faded and the house lights brightened.

 

“Excuse me, Miss.”

 

Hyejin jumped, her pen slashing an angry red line across the page and her headphones tugging out of her ears.

 

“What?” She whipped up, her scowl falling away almost immediately at the sight of familiar brown eyes.

 

The barista.

 

“We’re about to close,” she said with an apologetic smile.

 

“,” Hyejin mumbled, clumsily beginning to pile her papers together. “Er, I mean, sorry. I’ll leave.”

 

The girl chuckled, her eyes gleaming with amusement—a rare moment of something unrehearsed. “It’s alright,” she said. “Take your time.”

 

SUNDAY

 

Hyejin yawned as she trudged over to the cafe, piles of paper messily crammed under her arm. The young guy greeted her and led her to a table as if they’d never met before. In fact, everyone ignored her as if they’d never seen her before. Other than a slight raise of the cute barista’s eyebrows, Hyejin could almost believe she hadn’t spent her entire Saturday here.

 

She ordered a nice, strong coffee before he could hand her the menu, then got to work arranging her corner of the booth into a makeshift study.

 

The first hours tick by uneventfully. Once in a while, she’d glance up and around the cafe. A young couple sat across from her table, both looking silently at their phones. Ah, love, she thought. A kid was doing his homework while his mom chatted with her friend. Once or twice, she even managed to catch Wheein’s eye. She urged herself not to overthink—you’re so predictable, Hyejin thought, and you’re going to end up an idiot like Byulie unnie if you overthink every little thing.

 

Then, as if the mere thought of her was enough to conjure her presence, Byulyi showed up with a grin and a big wave. “Hyejin!” She called, just loud enough to draw the attention of the girl at the bar. Wow, subtle, Hyejin thought with an inward roll of her eyes. “I thought you’d be here!”

 

It was 2 PM, but somehow too early for Byulyi’s too-wide grin.

 

“I hope you’re here because you want to work,” Hyejin said with a sigh.

 

“Nope,” Byulyi said with a sheepish smile. “But I am ready to deliver yesterday’s work for you if you like.”

 

“Of course you are.” Hyejin smirked. “Question is, did you finish your own work?”

 

Byulyi, who stood hovering beside Hyejin’s table, pressed a hand to her chest in mock horror. “How dare you accuse me of not finishing!”

 

“You know I never believe in you,” Hyejin said, as stony and serious as if it were a universal fact.

 

“Wha—that’s so mean!”

 

Thankfully for the flustered older woman, Hyejin broke into a grin. “Then again, you must’ve been with the boss yesterday, and I know you’d cut off your tongue if she asked, so I wouldn’t put it past you to finish your work. Even if you’re throwing up blood to do it.”

 

Byulyi cringed. “Morbid, but not incorrect.”

 

“So, why are you standing around like an idiot?”

 

“Oh. No reason, really. Just here to exchange piles. Assuming you’re all done with class B?”

 

Hyejin crossed her arms. “Let me guess. Boss is busy, and you’re lonely.”

 

“That goes without saying,” Byulyi huffed. “But also….” Her eyes slid toward the bar, where Wheein was adjusting the newsboy cap above her eyes and talking to one of the guys behind the bar with it. Byulyi grinned a conspiratorial grin. “I came to watch the show.”

 

She was all teeth and Hyejin wanted to punch her in the face.

 

“ off,” she said. “It’s too early for this.”

 

“Did you get her number? She’s a real cutie,” she sang. “C’mon, Hyejinie, you can tell unnie anything.

 

Hyejin narrowed her eyes, saying nothing for a long, excruciating moment. Still, Byulyi’s grin did not falter. She watched as Hyejin’s long, manicured fingers reached for the cell phone laying on the table. She cocked a brow when Hyejin held the phone to her ear.

 

“Um, what are you doing?”

 

Hyejin pressed a finger to her lips.

 

Byulyi shifted her weight uncomfortably, waiting. She turned to catch the attention of the barista, whom she greeted with a wink and a wave.

 

“Hey, Boss?”

 

Byulyi’s head whipped around so fast, it seemed like a miracle her neck didn’t snap. Horror filled her expression in a way that made Hyejin want to burst into laughter, but she simply flashed Byulyi a wicked smile.

 

“Yeah, sorry to bother you,” Hyejin said, coolly as possible. “Did you happen to lose your new puppy? Oh, you didn’t get a new puppy? Maybe I misremembered. Do you want one? Maybe I’ll get you an early birthday present if we cancel the next exam. No? Nevermind then. Have a good afternoon.”

 

At the end of the call, Hyejin hung up, placed her phone back on the desk, and crossed her arms, as smug as ever, as she waited for Byulyi’s reaction.

 

And judging by the other woman’s tomato-red face and stunned silence, she’d say she’d won.

 

It was almost too easy to rile her up.

 

“What the hell was that?” Byulyi cried.

 

“Nothing,” Hyejin said, checking her nails to maintain a steely expression, “just making sure Yongsun knew her new dog is doing alright. Weirdly, she said she doesn’t have a dog. Wonder what I’m looking at right now.”

 

Byulyi’s mouth opened and closed.

 

“Ahn Hyejin, I hate you so much.”

 

“That’s nice,” Hyejin replied, “now are you going to leave me alone so I can leave at a normal time today, or do you want to keep pushing my buttons?”

 

Defeated, Byulyi picked up a stack of paper from one of the many piles laid out, and exhaled through her nose. “Fine, you win,” she grumbled. “I’ll get you back next time.”

 

Hyejin merely scoffed, then waved as her friend walked away. Finally—peace.

 

She swept the room one last time before diving back into work, her gaze wavering slightly at the sight of Wheein’s profile. She changed her earrings today, she thought absently. She’d compliment them later.

 

For now, work.

 

Soon, 6 o’clock rolled around, and Hyejin’s stomach wasn’t going to let her forget it. Maybe just a few more. She flipped through the pending pile—nine more.

 

She sighed, and waved the waiter over. The young guy had left, replaced by a perky college girl. On any other day, she’d appreciate her enthusiasm, but in her current state of exhaustion, she almost preferred one of the indifferent boys who scurried around.

 

Today was a cheeseburger kind of day, she decided. Except, maybe she shouldn’t get grease on her students’ work. The boss would be pissed. “Hyejin,” she’d say, shaking her slowly, “I’m disappointed in you.” In reality, she would mean, “How could you betray the children like that?” Yongsun was always overdramatic. Then she’d have to battle the torrent of student complaints. Considering their abysmal scores. She’d have enough to deal with without complaints of “My paper smells like dead cow.”

 

Hyejin ordered an expensive steak. She’d put it on the boss’s tab later.

 

As she was about to return her menu to the server, she eyed the alcohol menu for a moment. It was a school day the next day, but so, so tempting. Maybe just—

 

“Ms. Ahn! Hi!”

 

Hyejin jolted. Guess she won’t be drinking tonight.

 

She pressed the menu into the waitress’s hand, then turned to look up at two familiar faces. A tall boy with meticulously combed hair stood next to a tall girl with round-glasses and a pulled-back ponytail—two kids from her senior class.

 

“Hey, what are you two doing here?” She said with a friendly grin.

 

The girl held up a camera, returning her smile with twice the excitement. “We’re filming for a science project! We just finished eating.”

 

“Yeah? Working hard on Sunday, aren’t you?”

 

The boy cast his eyes on the piles of paper on the table, then thumped his chest. “Of course!” he declared, “Since Ms. Ahn is working so hard for us, we have to work hard too!”

 

The girl rolled her eyes. “Don’t listen to this dork. He’s been texting his girlfriend while I do all the work.”

 

Hyejin raised a brow. “Oh? How is your girlfriend, Jihun?”

 

“Ms. Ahn, haven’t you heard?” The girl snickered. “Jihun has been telling everyone that he’s going to quit school and become an NBA player because he thinks he’s too cool for school. I feel sorry for his girlfriend.”

 

“Yah! It was a joke!” Jihun cried, shoving the girl playfully. He then pointed at the girl, and, with a carefully schooled blank expression, said, “Ms. Ahn, Minju is bullying me. Can you take off marks on her exam?”

 

“Alright, alright,” Hyejin laughed. “You two better get going. I have to get back to work or you won’t see me at school tomorrow. Besides, you want your papers back, don’t you?”

 

The two students cringed.

 

“Okay, take care, Ms. Ahn!”

 

“Don’t work too late! Remember to rest!”

 

The two students waved, then exited out the door. Hyejin watched as Minju shoved Jihun once more before bursting into laughter. Ah, to be young again, she thought with a shake of her head.

 

Her eyes slid over to the bar, where she found Wheein carefully observing her. She blushed, suddenly embarrassed but unsure why. She chanced a smile in Wheein’s direction, but the barista quickly looked away, her face hidden by the brim of her cap.

 

Huh.

 

Hyejin shrugged, then returned to work.

 

At 9:30 PM that night, Hyejin found herself on the street outside her apartment. Having finally finished Yongsun’s impossible task, she had taken her graded papers home, then ambled outside for some much-needed exercise. It was pitch-black by now, and the streetlights only lit up the main road. Weird as it was, she didn’t want her muscles to atrophy after two consecutive days of sitting, so she marched up and down the street.

 

After a few laps up and down the block, Hyejin saw a little grey cat trotting down the dimly-lit path.

 

Hyejin stopped, and stared. The cat stared back with big, yellow eyes. She inched a little closer. Alarmed, the cat took off running.

 

“Hey!” Hyejin cried after it. “Where are you going?”

 

In a spur of the moment decision, Hyejin jogged after the cat, stopping shortly when it ducked into a nearby bush. Hyejin slowed, and squatted in front of the bush, peering through the foliage in search of her reluctant new friend.

 

“C’mon, kitty, I know you’re in there. Why are you hiding?”

 

No response.

 

Hyejin sighed, then pushed herself up, dusting off her pants as she did so. When she turned around, she met the curious gaze of a familiar face. The girl from the cafe—Wheein—was standing a respectable distance away, quietly watching. Her hair was down, the cap gone to fully reveal her face under the yellow light. She wore a simple set of jeans, a black sweater, a backpack, and the same empty expression.

 

“Hey,” Hyejin said with a crooked smile, “I know you.”

 

It was meant to be a friendly joke. After all, she’d left the cafe only an hour ago, but, unexpectedly, the girl flushed pink, gripped the strap of her backpack tighter, and hurried away.

 

Bewildered and disappointed, Hyejin watched her retreating back for a moment, then turned to gaze at the bush. As if on cue, the branches shuddered, and the cat jumped out and bolted down the street. “You’re not so different, are you?” Hyejin laughed.

 

WEDNESDAY

 

“As soon as the bell rings, I’m leaving,” she told Yongsun.

 

Yongsun laughed and waved her off. “Enjoy your day, Hyejin. I’ll get Byulyi to get tomorrow’s exam ready. Thank you for your hard work this week.”

 

This week had been brutal—the results of the last exam were unsurprisingly bad, resulting in far more after school and lunchtime appointments than anybody wanted. Even Byulyi’s usual energy seemed snuffed. Hyejin plodded through her apartment door and threw down her things. She surveyed the mess wearily—a problem for another day. Just thinking about the pile of dishes in her sink made her want to curl up and die.

 

No, this simply was not going to happen—sorry, Marie Kondo.

 

Hyejin plucked a novel off her coffee table, something she’d picked up months ago because it looked mildly interesting. It had been collecting dust, but today was the day. The day that she can finally start this book and finally push all thoughts of work away.

 

To brighten up her day even more, she decided to go to a restaurant. No cooking, just relaxing.

 

But which one?

 

Curious brown eyes came to mind immediately, but—alright, there was no point pretending. There was never any question. She pressed the novel under her arm and headed out.

 

The cafe was quieter than usual on an early Wednesday evening. It was only 4:30, but dinner seemed right, and Hyejin wasn’t about to fight her own stomach. This job was turning her into a grandma, she decided.

 

The young guy at the front beamed at her and led her to a table by the bar—just the way she liked it. Was this creepy? She wondered as she peered over the menu in search of that cute little face she was so fond of seeing. She frowned—the question suspended—she wasn’t here. Wheein wasn’t here.

 

Dammit, she thought with a scowl. At least the food was still good and she was still determined to enjoy this goddamn novel.

 

She was halfway through her dinner, and partly through what turned out to be an excruciatingly boring novel, when the door suddenly flew open and in rushed the main attraction of the evening. Hyejin’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of ruffled bangs, pink cheeks, and gasping breaths. Their eyes met for a searing, hot second, before she stumbled toward the bar with mumbled apologies. One of the taller boys laughed and clapped her on the back before ushering her to the back room.

 

Five minutes later, she re-emerged flush-free, tying the apron around her waist and fixing her cap and hair with what seemed to be relief.

 

Hyejin wondered what happened, until her ear prickled at the answer.

 

“I’m guessing your date must’ve gone pretty well if you’re late for work,” the young waiter said, leaning his chin on the wall of a bar between him and Wheein.

 

Hyejin couldn’t see her expression behind the espresso machine. “The opposite. Bored me to death. Talked so much that I missed the bus.”

 

“Damn. Better luck next time, noona,” he said, patting the countertop with a smile.

 

“Not counting on it, Hansol.”

 

“Aw, Wheeinie,” the third voice of one of the other boys joined in, ruffling Wheein’s hair through her hat, “so pessimistic. Don’t worry, oppa will take care of you.”

 

Wheein groaned. “Please get away from me.”

 

The young waiter laughed. “This is what happens when you’re the only girl here.”

 

Conversation shifted, then drifted away as the customers flowed in. Hyejin could barely focus on her boring book as she watched the activity behind the bar, wondering who on Earth could be lucky enough to go on a date with this woman. And who could be stupid enough to botch it up.

 

Her veins were thrumming with jealousy, and she didn’t try to deny it.

 

Her thoughts were abruptly shattered, however, when a stupid grin filled her vision.

 

“Heeeeeeey.”

 

Moon Byulyi must’ve been the most annoying person on the planet.

 

“Why are you here,” Hyejin deadpanned.

 

Byulyi clutched her chest. “You’re so cold, Hyejin! I just came to see my best friend.”

 

Hyejin’s eyes narrowed. “Are you stalking me, unnie?”

 

“It’s not like you make it very difficult. You sit wherever you can have the perfect line of sight of a certain barista, so of course you’d be here,” Byulyi said, taking a seat beside Hyejin. As she did, she waved to the people at the bar. One of the boys waved back, but Wheein simply sent over a blank stare.

 

Byulyi smiled back, then slung an arm across Hyejin’s chair. Wheein dropped her eyes and disappeared behind the espresso machine. Byulyi’s grin widened.

 

Meanwhile, Hyejin, none the wiser, was still talking, her tone increasingly annoyed as she repeatedly jabbed her straw into her tall glass of water.

 

“—you know. Can I just not think about work for one day? One day! But no. Here you are. Ruining everything.”

 

Byulyi turned to her, her toothy hamster-like grin almost maniacal at this point. “Guess what?”

 

Hyejin sighed, palms held out in frustration. “Seriously? Do you never listen? I swear to god if you’re going to say anything about Yongsun, I will personally—”

 

Undeterred, Byulyi leaned in to whisper in her ear.

 

“I think Wheein likes you.”

 

Silence.

 

Hyejin turned to Byulyi, expressionless, and stared until Byulyi’s grin finally flattened. Then, she raised her hand, covered Byulyi’s face with fingers splayed, and shoved her backwards. Byulyi yelped, and just barely managed to catch herself before she fell.

 

“W-what was that?” She cried, drawing the attention took of several pairs of eyes.

 

Hyejin simply picked up her novel and opened it up. “Being stupid,” she said calmly as she pretended to read.

 

“Ahn Hyejin, you’re really mean sometimes, you know that?”

 

“So you’ve said. Many times. Don’t worry, it’s only to you, unnie,” she replied with a smirk. “Now, can I get back to my evening in peace?”

 

Hyejin stayed at the cafe for another thirty minutes after Byulyi left, distractedly going between watching the bar and trying to read her impossibly boring novel. Feeling sufficiently creepy by the end, Hyejin sighed and went up to the bar to pay. Instead of the woman she’d been daydreaming about all day, however, a man was smiling at her from behind the till.

 

Somehow, her one stress-free day felt like the most stressful day of all.

 

She smiled back at the man, the corners of her lips straining. She didn’t recognize this one, but they all looked the same to her.

 

“You come here a lot, don’t you?” The man said, grinning.

 

Great, he’s a friendly one too.

 

“I live nearby,” she answered, handing over her phone for payment.

 

But the man was undeterred by her clipped tone. “Are you a teacher at the high school over there?” he asked. As he spoke, he held her phone up and away like a hostage. She reached for it, unabashedly hoping her glare would wipe the smile off his face.

 

Of course, he had to be the most stubborn or the most socially inept man on earth, because he continued to gesture as he spoke. “You know, a lot of students come through here,” he said. Hyejin watched the patterns he drew with her phone, intensifying her glare to the edge of social acceptability. “Do you ever run into them?”

 

“Sometimes,” she said through gritted teeth.

 

Like an idiot, he laughed. “Your students must have a hard time concentrating when their teacher is so pretty.”

 

Hyejin turned away for a moment to pretend to look out the window while she rolled her eyes. Who the hell did this guy think he is? She thought, annoyance rising to dangerous levels. Why was it so hard for a girl to enjoy a nice, peaceful Wednesday evening with a book and some eye candy? Why?

 

Finally, Hyejin quirked a brow. “I hope you don’t make a habit of hitting on all of your female customers.”

 

He laughed again. Hyejin wanted to punch him in the mouth. “I don’t mean any harm,” he said. “I just find you interesting.”

 

Somehow, having spent hours of her life in this very room poring over stacks of paper, she doubted it.

 

“Are you single?”

 

“What?”

 

The cafe was pretty empty at this point—she could probably win this fight.

 

He raised up both hands in defence, leaving a fraction of a moment free for Hyejin to reach over and swipe her phone back. “Asking for a friend,” he finished with a wink.

 

Hyejin shot him one last, equally futile, glare. “Goodbye.”

 

The man waved, his smile bigger than ever. “Oh, I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.”

 

Just as Hyejin was about to storm open the front door, she heard his laugh ring once more throughout the quiet cafe. “Damn, she sure knows how to pick ‘em. That one’s feisty,” he said.

 

Just as the door began to close behind her, she heard the young waiter sigh. “She’s going to kill you, Hoseok.”

 

“Lighten up, Hansol. Our sweet girl’s happiness is on the line.”

 

SATURDAY

 

When Hyejin arrived with another set of exams on Saturday, the cafe was packed.

 

“Wow, there sure are a lot of young women here,” Yongsun observed, looking around from beside her.

 

“And yet she only has eyes for one,” Byulyi lamented. Hyejin’s hands were full, but she did not hesitate to shoot her a murderous look—she’d remember this. But Byulyi, never one to understand the nuances of Hyejin’s threshold for annoyance, simply smiled.

 

The young waiter greeted them with a handsome smile. “Welcome back!” he said with a small bow. “Sit anywhere you like. I’ll go grab some menus.”

 

“No wonder so many women come here,” Yongsun commented as she took a seat in an empty booth. “This isn’t one of those host restaurants or butler cafes or something, is it?”

 

“Of course not,” Byulyi said with a nervous laugh. “Unless that’s...what you’re into?” She tried to pass it off as a joke, but the desperation pulled out in waves, and Hyejin couldn’t help but cringe from secondhand embarrassment.

 

“Boss, they’re all wearing denim shirts and newsboy caps. Does that scream butler to you?” Hyejin said.

 

“I suppose not,” Yongsun said, laughing airily. “You can’t deny that beautiful people attract business. Speaking of beautiful people attracting business, I’ll need you both to prepare a speech for the recruitment meeting next month. Parents love you two and we have to grab as many students as possible. I won’t let Irene beat me again this year.”

 

Hyejin sighed. “Your competitiveness is scary sometimes.”

 

“Hey, don’t complain,” Byulyi added—Hyejin tried not to roll her eyes. “It keeps us paid and our resources up to date. You want a new photocopier, don’t you?”

 

“I hate that you keep holding this pipe dream over my head,” Hyejin grumbled. “It’s bad enough you always side with the boss.”

 

Yongsun crossed her arms “If we can finally beat Irene, I’ll seriously consider it.

 

The young waiter returned, interrupting momentarily to deposit two menus. “You know that’s impossible,” Hyejin said, languidly flipping through the pages of the menu she’s claimed. “Their school always ranks higher than us. You have a better chance at seducing Irene and getting her to skew the data than actually getting higher enrolment numbers.”

 

Two pairs of eyes stared at her from across the table. She didn’t have to look up to feel the heat attempting to burn a hole in her skin. Byulyi’s jaw was no doubt flailing around uselessly on the floor.

 

After a long pause, Yongsun hummed. “Y’know, that’s not a bad idea.”

 

Hyejin whipped her head up.

 

Byulyi, horrified and speechless, turned, opening and closing like a goldfish. Her eyes were just as big.

 

“I’m kidding.”

 

Hyejin chuckled. “Well, at least she’s pretty. You could do worse, Boss,” she said, tilting her head toward Byulyi.

 

Yongsun and Byulyi flushed, but before either of them could reply, a new voice interrupted.

 

“Hello, can I get you anything?” This voice was flat, cool, smooth, somehow musical in its monotony, and, most of all, familiar.

 

Hyejin tilted her eyes upward to meet the dark eyes of the last person she expected to see serving her. What was Wheein doing here? Her mind raced. What happened to being able to just quietly watching and admiring from afar.

 

“Um, we’re not ready yet.” Hyejin cleared . “I mean, can we have another couple of minutes?”

 

Wheein nodded, then walked away as silently as she had appeared. Hyejin watched, just long enough to catch the big, stupid grin of the man from Wednesday.

 

When she turned back, her two companions were peering over their shared menu, no doubt trying to mask their equally stupid grins.

 

“Can we just figure out what we’re having so we can get to work?” Hyejin snapped. “Contrary to what you two think, I don’t actually enjoy spending entire weekends here being forced to read bad writing and drink expensive coffee.”

 

“Alright, alright,” Yongsun said with a wink. “Whatever you say.”

 

When Wheein returned, Hyejin placed the order for herself and her snickering, oh-so-professional colleagues. She even managed to keep her voice steady and her hands minimally damp. She couldn’t remember the last time she was so nervous in front of a cute girl, but there was something about the way her dark eyes bored into her as she stood there with her little notepad.

 

Wheein relayed the order back in a voice Hyejin could see herself getting obsessed with. Get a grip, she told herself. Except, as if sensing Hyejin’s efforts, Wheein had to sabotage her efforts by flashing an adorable, lopsided grin. It was only a moment, as if she hadn’t meant to do it, but Hyejin was completely disarmed.

 

She found herself frozen, unable to react until the girl walked away.

 

She exhaled—how long had she been holding her breath?

 

“Wow, if you and Wheein ended up together, you would be so whipped,” Byulyi quipped.

 

Hyejin tossed her napkin across the table with a glare. “I don’t want to hear that from you of all people.”

 

Byulyi laughed a little too loudly as she glanced over at Yongsun. “Maybe we should get to work, since Yongsun has so graciously offered to do the multiple choice section for us.”

 

Hyejin rolled her eyes, but pulled the stacks of paper from her bag anyway. Yongsun smiled and did the same. Work was work, though , undeniably, it was a good distraction. At the very least, work kept these two quiet.

 

After three hours, the three were making good progress. Between frustrated sighs and constant scratches of her red pen that she could not hear over her noise-cancelling earbuds, Hyejin would periodically look up and around the cafe. Four out of ten times, she’d catch Wheein’s eye and smile, usually roaming her gaze away just in time before she could get caught—it was just subtle enough, she congratulated herself. Thrilling, but subtle. Meanwhile, Yongsun and Byulyi broke into conversation every five minutes, yet miraculously managed to keep up with the growing pile of completed exams.

 

Hyejin didn’t care enough to listen, but though their heads were close together in hushed whispers and shy glances, she would not be entirely surprised if Yongsun was driving the whip at the same time, threatening Byulyi behind those gooey smiles. Byulyi would like that, wouldn’t she?

 

After another hour, Yongsun graciously paid the bill and left. About a minute of restless fidgeting later, Byulyi took off after her.

 

Finally. Peace. Her fingers deftly counted the number of exams left. At this rate, she may have a Sunday, after all.

 

The dinner crowd flitted in and out like abstract blocks of noise. Hyejin moved to sit in the booth, facing the bar in case she needed something—or in case she needed a better view. The young guy who had been greeting new patrons left, and in came the college girl again. Hyejin watched her come in, wondering if she was the same girl as last time. As there were no other female staff in this cafe besides Wheein, it should’ve been easy to recognize this college girl.

 

Hyejin shrugged—it was probably the same person.

 

Two hours before closing, Hyejin pulled out her phone and set up a timer. Eight minutes per essay, two essays per exam. Her thumb grazed the remaining pile as she counted how many more she had. Four minutes per essay—she sighed. No breaks, she told herself, mustering whatever resolution she had left inside her. Let’s power through.

 

At 9:50, she slammed her red pen down, pulled her earbuds out, and rubbed her weary eyes. Done! Finally done! Just the thought of doing nothing tomorrow was enough to bring her to tears.

 

When she opened her eyes again, she found the cafe nearly empty.

 

In the far corner of the restaurant, Wheein was busy mopping the floor, her back to Hyejin, while she hummed along to the gentle music. Hyejin propped her chin in her hand, watching for a moment as her over-exherted brain slowly brought her back to real life.

 

“Hi there!”

 

Hyejin blinked, then looked up at her least favourite smile in the world. This guy again? She thought warily. Annoying Wednesday Guy stood before her, somehow beaming more than usual as he held a pitcher of water in his hand.

 

“Yes?” Hyejin channeled as much poison into her smile as she could.

 

“We’re about to close,” he said. “Can I get you anything else? Water? Coffee? A date?”

 

Hyejin recoiled. “Excuse me?”

 

“Asking for a friend,” he repeated with a wink.

 

Hyejin groaned as she stood and began shoving things into her backpack. “You don’t give up, so you?”

 

He shook his head, his smile curling into a smirk. “Trust me, you want to say yes to this date.”

 

Hyejin frowned. “I’m too tired for this.”

 

“Just say yes,” the waiter insisted.

 

Her brow arched. “I’m not just going to ‘say yes’ to a random guy just because he doesn’t give up.”

 

“Trust me,” he pressed, “say yes.”

 

“No!”

 

“Yes!” He pointed to the stack of paper. “You’re finished with your work, right? So you’re free tomorrow?”

 

“Listen—”

 

“JUNG HOSEOK.” Two pairs of eyes immediately flew to the corner of the room, where Wheein was stomping toward them with a mop held dangerously in both hands. “What do you think you’re doing?”

 

Hoseok shrugged. “Sorry, Wheein, she said no.”

 

Wheein flushed crimson, glaring into him hard as if to avoid Hyejin’s eyes. “Y-you can’t harass customers like that!”

 

He held up his hands in defence, the water in the pitcher sloshing slightly over the rim. “C’mon, don’t be like that. Oppa was just trying to get Wheein a date.”

 

Hyejin’s heartbeat quickened. Her fingers missed the zipper on her backpack, grabbing the air as she blanched at the statement. She blocked out the man’s triumphant smirk in her peripheral and saw, in her flustered state, Wheein attempting to hide her face under the brim of her cap as the mop shook in her hand. Her ears were as red as Hyejin’s felt.

 

“G-go do the dishes!” Wheein said, lifting her head to shoot him a glare.

 

“Yes, ma’am,” he sang. With a bow and a final annoying wink, he sauntered into the back room behind the bar. Hyejin could just make out the eyes of the other boys peering out from the back.

 

“Sorry about that,” Wheein sighed. Her grip on the mop tightened. “The boys can be stupid sometimes. They mean well, though.”

 

“I get it,” Hyejin laughed.

 

They quickly lapsed into silence, yet they lingered around each other, the air hanging with expectancy, words balancing on the tips of their tongues. Hyejin’s hand on her zipper didn’t move. She looked instead from Wheein to the cell phone lying on the table.

 

“Um,” they both started. With a nervous chuckle, they gesture to each other, each willing the other to go first.

 

Finally, Wheein cleared . “Why don’t you go first?” She said, her lips tugging back in a flicker of an uneasy smile.

 

“Oh! Um, I guess I just wanted to say is, uh, if I...knew what he was asking,” she said, punctuating with a nervous chuckle, “I guess I...wouldn’t have said no?”

 

“You...wouldn’t?” Wheein bit her lip to contain her smile. Shy eyes darted away as she rubbed the edge of her denim shirt between her fingers. “That’s...that’s great. Really great.”

 

“Yeah?” Hyejin grinned. In an uncharacteristic act of unprofessionalism, she opened her backpack and pulled out one of the exams, only to rip off a small blank corner. “I’ll explain it to them if I asked,” she said, confidence surging as she glanced up at Wheein’s pink face. “This is too important,” she added with a wink. She then pulled out a pen and began scribbling down her phone number.

 

Wheein said nothing as her heart pounded against her chest. She could’ve sworn Hyejin could feel every beat when she picked up her hand and slipped the piece of paper into her open palm, curling her fingers around it. Her hands were so warm and certain, as if they knew exactly what they wanted.

 

Hyejin’s hand lingered on Wheein’s, content to stay there forever if she had not looked out of her peripheral in that moment to see the boys watching them from behind the bar.

 

She cleared and let go. “Are you free tomorrow?” she asked quickly.

 

Wheein shook her head sadly, but before she could reply, a voice from the bar cried, “Yes, she is!” It was the man from earlier, startling both of them out of their private world. He went on with a mischievous grin. “Our part-timers love their job so much, they can’t get enough of it. Hansol would love to take your shift, Wheein. He’s been begging me. As his noona, you should help this boy chase his dreams!”

 

Wheein laughed uneasily. Normally, she would not allow her friends and coworkers to bully her into something like this, but as she gazed over at the beautiful woman with her four-inch heels and bright smile, she wasn’t sure she could say no.

 

“I guess I’m free tomorrow, after all.”

 

Hyejin’s grin lit up her face, painting her years younger, years more innocent in her pure joy, and Wheein couldn’t help feeling the same.

 

“Then it’s a date.”

 

SUNDAY

 

Hyejin jolted awake at seven in the morning. Unable to go back to sleep, she decided to clean up her apartment while she played the day out in her mind. Maybe inviting her up would be too fast, too soon, but she didn’t want to completely discount the possibility either. In the off-chance that they were completely incompatible as anything more, the idea of making a friend wasn’t so bad either. Especially a friend as cute as Wheein.

 

She made lunch, checked her emails, and tinkered around with her lessons for the upcoming week. It was a slow crawl to five o’clock, where they’d agreed to meet outside her complex. Restless and in need of distraction, she even took the time to reply to Byulyi’s “urgent” messages.

 

By the time she was making her way downstairs, her stomach was in knots. She pulled her shorts down and adjusted her shirt. The hot weather didn’t help either—she could practically feel beads of sweat pooling against her clothes.

 

When she reached the gate, Wheein looked up from her phone with a shy smile. Dressed in an oversized sweater and matching shorts, she looked absolutely delectable. Hyejin couldn’t help but smile as she quickened her pace.

 

“Hey,” she said, smile widening. “I hope you didn’t wait long.”

 

Wheein shook her head. “Not at all. I parked my scooter over there,” she said, pointing. “D-do you mind? I, um, we could get a taxi otherwise.”

 

Hyejin’s brows rose. “The yellow one there?” She smirked. “Sounds cozy. Let’s go.”

 

Wheein handed Hyejin a helmet, then settled into the seat of her yellow scooter. Hyejin, meanwhile, tried to wrestle her rapid heartbeat into submission as she slipped behind her. There was not a lot of space, and she was sure that her nerves would be exposed if she were any closer. At the very least, she wouldn't want her heart to shoot out of her chest and kill them both.

 

“Hold on tight,” Wheein said.

 

Hyejin reached behind her to grab the back of the seat. A moment later, Wheein twisted around and raised a brow. “Um, what are you doing?”

 

“What?”

 

Wheein chuckled, her smile unfortunately hidden behind her shoulder. “You’re going to fall off,” she said, taking one of her Hyejin’s hands and placing it on her stomach. “Wrap your arms around here. It’s safer.”

 

Hyejin did as she was told, but not without taking the opportunity to tease this girl a little bit. “You’re always so stoic. I’m shocked you have such a bold side.”

 

Wheein turned her eyes to the road and started the scooter. Though Hyejin could not see her face, she did not fail to see the red tips of her ears. She smiled, laying her ear into Wheein’s back, just close enough to feel the steady heartbeat through her sweater. Wheein was so soft, and the way they fit together… Hyejin hoped she would at least be a bad conversationalist—or harbouring some fundamental flaw—or else she’d soon find herself hurtling into obsession, and she didn’t have time for that.

 

But good god, she'd certainly make time for that.

 

The date began five minutes ago and she already found it difficult to contain...everything.

 

Fifteen minutes later, they found themselves in a modest cafe, much like Wheein’s own place of employment but in much cooler tones. Deep greens, gold detailing, and dark woods invited them inside and seated them at a simple table at the centre of the mostly-empty room. Hyejin flipped through the menu—the ink didn’t smell as fresh, but the selection was vastly superior.

 

“Don’t tell my boss this, but the pizza here is way better than our place.”

 

Hyejin laughed, prompting a small smile from Wheein. “I can’t promise I won’t tell,” Hyejin said with a wink. “It’s just the kind of secret I want to whisper to my future grandchildren on my deathbed.”

 

“You always seemed so serious, but it seems you have an idiot side too, don’t you Ms. Ahn?” Wheein replied with a low laugh that sent shivers down Hyejin’s spine. She’d never been particularly fond of her title, and she was far too entrenched in her job for roleplay fantasies, but there was something about the way Wheein curled those syllables around her tongue that she really liked. Hyejin did not reply; Wheein’s smile grew. “You’re blushing,” she stated with a twinkle in her eye.

 

This woman, Hyejin knew then, was going to be the death of her.

 

The night wore on, full of banter and anecdotes, sprinkled generously with harmless flirting in between. Yes, there were moments of silence, quiet moments that were too difficult to break, but Hyejin loved every second of her time together and wanted every second of every minute together stretched into infinity.

 

Was that too much? It must’ve been.

 

By the time the scooter pulled up to the gate, she knew she had to make a decision fast.

 

“We’re here,” Wheein said, craning back with a smile. Hyejin reluctantly let go of her middle, and pulled back, her entire body buzzing when she saw Wheein’s dimpled profile against the orange sky.

 

Wow.

 

They watched each other, assessing, studying, searching, inviting. Hyejin didn’t want to be wrong, but the feelings on Wheein’s face were familiar. She’d seen it many times tonight on the face reflected in Wheein’s pupils. Hyejin could feel herself melting like fresh Gruyère and she knew then that if Wheein stayed in her life in any capacity, she would become as gooey and disgusting as Moon Byulyi someday.

 

She inched forward; Wheein smiled, turning further on the scooter for what’s to come.

 

Hyejin’s eyes never left Wheein’s as she moved. Wheein parted her lips, her cheeks pink. A warm breeze rustled their clothes.

 

Suddenly, the clash of hard plastic sent them both recoiling back. Wheein turned to steady herself. Hyejin grabbed onto her seat, nearly falling off the scooter in surprise. She blinked, touching the helmet where the plastic visor protruded. With wide eyes and a flush of embarrassment, she realized that she had forgotten about her helmet and had misjudged the size of her protruding head when she leaned in.

 

Meanwhile, Wheein lifted herself off the bike, then turned to offer Hyejin a hand. “Are you okay?” She asked with a small smile.

 

Hyejin took her hand and hopped off the scooter. Happily, Wheein did not let go. “I had no idea our helmets were so into each other,” she joked to cover her embarrassment.

 

Wheein laughed. “They do spend a lot of time together.” She reached under Hyejin’s chin, fingers brushing against the soft, silky skin, and unbuckled her helmet. Hyejin watched, blood rushing and body humming as Wheein reached around the back of her head, lightly caressing as she brushed the strands away to access the wheel. Slowly, she loosened the helmet and began to ease it off Hyejin’s head.

 

Hyejin never could have predicted how unbelievably the act of helmet removal could be. Wheein was really something else.

 

While she stood frozen in contemplation of how her body was responding to this strange realization, Wheein removed her own helmet and replaced them both, one by one, into the seat compartment of her scooter. Their hands, in all this time, we’re still linked.

 

And now, helmetless next to the yellow scooter, Wheein wore a wide smile that Hyejin found herself copying immediately. “So, um,” she said , shyly swinging their intertwined hands, “you were in the middle of something?”

 

Oh yes, Hyejin concludes as she leaned in again, when it came to Wheein, she was definitely going to be at least twice as goey as Moon Byulyi.

 

 

End.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MEANWHILE , YET ANOTHER FRIDAY

 

Hyejin puttered around her office, shoving things into her backpack and running final photocopies for her class on Monday. All the while, students flitted in and out, and it wasn’t until an hour and a half later that she was able to leave.

 

Tonight would be their third date in five days. Something told her that her apartment needed a good, deep cleaning. Just in case. Just the image of being able to cuddle Wheein on the couch with a movie in the background warmed her entirely.

 

“Bye, unnie,” she said, grinning and waving to Byulyi at the back of the room. Bewildered by the uncharacteristic joy radiating from the younger woman and hopelessly mired in her own work, Byulyi barely had time to respond.

 

Once Hyejin left, Byulyi blinked at her own work. She had been assessing the students’ grades and pondering what they needed to focus on next, but Hyejin completely derailed her thoughts.

 

Hyejin was so brave, Byulyi mused, chewing her lip. She was so honest and confident in getting what she wanted.

 

She had come into work on Monday, absolutely glowing. Over the course of the week, nothing could’ve stopped her from gushing about Wheein. They went out on Wednesday night for a midnight snack after Wheein got off work, and on Thursday morning, Hyejin was again radiant. It was like their souls had switched places.

 

They’ve been working together for years, their friendship dating back even further, and she’d never seen Hyejin so happy.

 

Byulyi, meanwhile, has been stuck in this place of pining endlessly for two years now. She sighed as she went back to the spreadsheet in front of her. Friday night, and she has no plans. She distracted herself for moment by contemplating dinner, but her mind quickly wandered back to the new couple.

 

Hyejin had asked Wheein out so easily.

 

Why couldn’t she ask Yongsun out too? She wasn’t exactly subtle about her feelings. She supposed that an official declaration might tamper with their current relationship. She was her boss, after all.

 

Besides, Yongsun was just so wonderful.

 

She sighed dreamily, jumping when the office door creaked open.

 

Speaking of heavenly creatures....

 

Yongsun poked her head inside. “Hello, Byul,” she said, her smile as pretty as ever. “You’re still here?”

 

Byulyi swallowed and smiled sheepishly. “Y-yeah,” she said. “Not much else to do tonight, I guess.”

 

Yongsun nodded, then pushed her way into the air-conditioned room, closing the door behind her. “Where’s Hyejin?” She asked.

 

“On a date,” Byulyi replied, shaking her head. “That girl is obsessed.”

 

“Oh, c’mon, don’t you remember being young?” Yongsun laughed.

 

“I’m only two years older, unnie…”

 

“Well, yes, but you’ve been a bit grumpy lately,” Yongsun replied, strutting forward to sit slightly at the edge of Byulyi’s desk. Byulyi’s gaze trailed from the papers she moved, up to the twinkle in her eye. “Has something been bothering you lately?”

 

Byulyi rolled back in her chair, inching away as her cheeks warmed. “No,” she said, smiling, “everything is fine. Maybe I’m just tired.”

 

Yongsun hummed. “I see. Well, I’m going on a date tonight.”

 

Byulyi’s eyes whipped up from her tightly laced fingers on her lap. Eyes wide, it took a moment to collect herself before replying. “O-oh. Congratulations?” She was having a hard time maintaining enthusiasm for this smile, especially when all she suddenly wanted to do was curl up under her desk and weep.

 

Yongsun looked out the window behind Byulyi’s desk. “Are you okay with that?”

 

“O-of course,” Byulyi laughed nervously, “why wouldn’t I be?”

 

Yongsun grabbed both armrests on either side of Byulyi, frowning deeply as she moved in. Byulyi slunk back into her seat, but Yongsun followed closely, until her face was mere inches away. Byulyi’s face burned, her breath stuck in , and she was sure she was sweating pools everywhere. “Are you sure you’re okay with that?” Yongsun whispered.

 

Byulyi nodded stiffly.

 

Yongsun pouted. “You’re going to make me do all the work, aren’t you?” She sighed. Before Byulyi could reply, Yongsun held her down by the shoulder and closed the distance between them. Byulyi flinched at the unexpected touch, but Yongsun held her down, determined to prolong the moment long enough for Byulyi to wake up and return the kiss.

 

When she did, she reached up to touch the side of Yongsun’s face. Pure, chaste, and tender quickly escalated the heat between them. Two years of pining created a hunger inside Byulyi that seemed to awaken when she pulled her closer. The chair rolled back, hitting the wall, Yongsun collapsing onto Byulyi’s lap with one knee on the chair.

 

Suddenly, a series of loud raps at the door sent Yongsun springing back. “Oh my god,” she breathed, straightening out her clothes and hair as much as she could. “We’re still at school.” She murmured, more to herself than anyone else as she ran a hand down her face.

 

Byulyi smiled sheepishly, rubbing her elbow. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “I guess I wasn’t as okay with your date tonight as I thought.”

 

“Ms. Ahn, are you in there?” Came the muffled voice of a student outside. “Ms. Moon?”

 

“I told you they probably went home,” another student answered. “They have a life you know.”

 

“Ugh, but my assignment is due tomorrow.”

 

“Told you to come earlier.”

 

“Shut up, nerd.”

 

“Wow, I guess I won’t be helping you with this.” The voices dimmed into a murmur as the students walked away.

 

“That was close, wasn’t it?” Yongsun said, grinning mischievously. “Now, where were we?” She began leaning in again, but Byulyi held up a hand, pushing her back slightly by the shoulder when she was undeterred.

 

“Unnie, you know you, um, run the school right? And you make the rules, so...maybe we shouldn’t break them?”

 

Yongsun sighed. “Fine, you’ve made me wait two years already, what’s another few hours.”

 

“A-a few hours?”

 

“Yes, I’m going on a date tonight,” Yongsun said, straightening up with a wide grin. “With you. Seeing Hyejin and Wheein so happy, it gave me the courage to finally ask. I didn't want to wait any longer. You wouldn’t turn me down, would you?”

 

Byulyi gaped for a long moment, wondering if she had perhaps died from overwork and she had dreamed up the entire last ten minutes. However, when she closed her eyes and opened them again and Yongsun was still waiting in front of her with a sweet smile, excitement began to bubble in her stomach.

 

God, how could she ever say no to this woman?

 

“No,” she replied with a chuckle, “of course not.”

 

“Good,” Yongsun said, pulling her up out of the chair by her hands. “You haven’t eaten since your coffee this morning, have you? You must be hungry. I know a good place.”

 

“R-right now?”

 

“Yep, right now,” Yongsun said, slapping the lid of her laptop closed. “From this moment on, you’re not allowed to think about work, okay? Let’s go.”

 

Byulyi laughed as Yongsun pulled her to the door, leaving her barely enough time to grab her keys and phone.

 

“Okay. I’ll only think about you.”

 

Yongsun turned back for a moment with a teasing grin. “I hope you don’t perform one of your famous soliloquies. You know, the ones that you recite for Hyejin whenever you don’t think I’m listening? It might be too embarrassing for me to listen to you rhapsodize about my beauty for eight minutes.”

 

Byulyi flushed crimson with embarrassment. “Maybe I’ll just think about crawling into a corner and dying,” she mumbled.

 

Yongsun laughed, tugging at her arm playfully. “C’mon, you dork. Let’s go get some food before you start crawling into corners.”

 

“Yes, ma’am.”

 

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