chapter 2. the temptation of the devil
not so in loveJeon Jongkook loved the smell of coffee but after six months worked in front of coffee machine, he started to feel a bit nausea. What did possess his boss to place her employees in the same place without rotation. So today he raised this issue, his boss only shrugged it off
“Because you are my best barista.” His boss said cheerfully.
“But that doesn’t mean I want to work every shift in front of coffee machine.” He complained. Funny, this coffee shop was the only place that they could complain without fear of losing your job.
Their boss, a weird young woman who finish her college in USA never really bothered by hierarchy. She had this quirky attitude and devil may care personality. Game addict, anime addict, plus Ben Affleck huge fans and Chris evan delusional fan girl. Her name was Ailee.
In Jungkook’s opinion, it should be Alien rather than Ailee. He told her once and she said, “Really? I’m flattered you think I’m from other planet like Son Goku. Hey which planet am I coming from? Mars? Hey, talk about space…do you know Armageddon the movie Ben Affleck is sooo handsome, ah may be you haven’t even born…” it ended up with long rant about movies and random topic.
After that incident, Jungkook learnt the most important thing about her ‘Never ask crazy question to crazy person if don’t want to be crazy’
“Boy, you always welcome to rotate with Taehyung.”
“No thanks.” Jungkook and any sane men in this job would love to avoid Taehyung job.
“Ehh, why? He got the best part of this job. When could you go cosplaying and get paid? Hey, I made his secret fantasy come true, ah by the way do you have any idea what is good for valentine?”
Once, it was Halloween Taehyung wore vampire coat complete with the fake fang and blood, he had to hands out flyer on Hong—dae street. Then on Christmas he had to pretend as Santa Claus for Christmas event and had to say ‘ho ho ho’ until his voice hoarse, but the bigger problem was Taehyung’s embarrassment so he couldn’t meet anyone eyes for whole week.
Well, Taehyung got double pay check that day-hey he earned that-but Jungkook personally would never do that. No matter how much the devil would pay him.
“How can you make Taehyung-hyung agree to take that job?”
Ailee tapped her chin with her forefinger, “that is my secret. Would like to know? But it’s not free, you have to pay.”
Jungkook was no mean idiot, he knew that gleam on Ailee’s eyes would bind him on Faustus contract. He bet she lured Taehyung with the same way too. Ha but Jeon Jungkook was smarter than Taehyung.
“No. Thanks I value my pride and life. I bet you make him do that because he is the most gullible here.” He said
Ailee gave him secretive smile and shrugged, “Well, you make your own conclusion.” She then snapped her finger loudly, “Aha! Should we make him dress as cupid for valentine day?”
She definitely wanted to dress him with white toga, and fake wing the Taehyung would have to hold pink arrow. Jungkook shuddered Of that horrific image that popping in his head.
“Don’t do that, moron.” Kim Myungsoo, the manager came from his small office. “I will report you under ual harassment accusation.”
Thanks god for the sound of sanity.
“It’s not harassment if he wants to do that.”
Myungsoo stared at her with flat look. He reminded Jungkook of Sphinx. It was scary, and unnerving. “Tell me do you think any sane 22 years old man want to play as grown- baby in diaper who only has wings that even couldn’t help him if someone wants to take his pacifier away?”
Ailee pouted, “It is bad if you say it like that.” She folded her arms and then sigh, “How about he gives free hug? It’s like a good campaign to spread warmth in this cold winter.”
“Then boss, the woman would line up until Busan.” Jungkook said.
“It’s good then.” She clapped her hands, “Taehyung needs lot of experience with woman, he is little bit green in romance.”
Jungkook and Myungsoo exchanged glance before laughing out loud, “Boss with face like that, he doesn’t need your help to date or anything with romance. He is not stupid.” Jungkook said.
Myungsoo agreed, “He will know love when it comes.”
“Really?” she challenged them. “wanna bet?”
Myungsoo and Jungkook shrugged carelessly, Jungkook hadn’t know Taehyung for long time but he knew that Taehyung wasn’t really blind about romance and attraction. He must be a thick headed dense creature if he didn’t know attraction with his face.
You practically could see ‘figurative’ drool when he walked in to the room.
“Well, if I win both of you will dance Twice cheer up in front of our shop.”
“fine, if we win we want raise.” Myungsoo stated confidently.
Jungkook wanted to resign from this bet when he saw satisfied grin on Ailee face, but Myungsoo had already shook her hand as part of the deal. He wanted to tell Myungsoo that he changed his mind but Myungsoo glare implied ‘trust me’ or more likely ‘shut up if you want to live.’ So as the smart man he was, he shut his trap.
But you know, what they said bad prediction always come true. When Taehyung entered their shop with weird face and suddenly smacking Jungkook head, “Brat, you give me spoil coffee again, don’t you? Because my stomach feel weird when that crazy customer smile.”
Jungkook felt his world crashed down, and his left eye twitch painfully as though a Faustus contract form on it. (Damn! He worked here too long, he started to make lot of anime reference like his boss).
“Oh my god, we hired an idiot!” Myungsoo had no inclination to hide that he just called Taehyung an idiot.
Of course, Ailee had to say it, “Cheer up baby!”
***
Taehyung didn’t take it well being called idiot by his manager, but protesting could be translated as death wish or request of more verbal public humiliation. Myungsoo would love to do that. So, as the sane man he was -even though he wasn’t so sure anymore- he did his duty to close the shop.
The café was two floor building, the first floor was uses for the café and the second floor was their boss living space. It was their silent agreement to make sure the shop locked as save as possible, as crazy as their boss she couldn’t win over the intruder, because crazy people didn’t automatically have black belt.
“Actually I have.” Ailee said cheerfully. She sat on the clean kitchen table and waved her feet back and forth, “you know, street in New York is quite dangerous. So I decided to take Taekwondo class.”
“What?” Taehyung locked the back door and folded his arm. “ Are you saying that you really can kick someone ?”
“of course. Do you think I was lying ?”
Well, who really believe when someone with 1.63 m height said she wanted to kick 200 pounds 1.90 man? Well, even though the customer really deserve that after slapping their woman co worker bottom, but of course Taehyung and Jungkook did the kick action.(Who know what would happen to their boss? Hey they still needed their money! Who would sign their paycheck if their boss has broken neck or worse broken right arm?) Not to mention Ailee said she wanted to ‘kamehameha’ their ? Who would believe her ability after that statement? Taehyung didn’t.
“Yes.”
“Ck. Kim Taehyung how could you doubt your boss?” Ailee was offended by his simple answer.
Taehyung looked at her flatly, “Boss, you sent me to crazy customer that made my stomach hurt, I think I deserve to doubt about any of your statement.” He said.
Ailee jumped from kitchen table, leaning to Taehyung and then squinted her eyes, “Is she beautiful?”
“I don’t know, she is screaming like banshee,then…”Taehyung frowned uncomfortably. He rubbed his stomach, “then she smiled, after that the spoiled food from Jungkook started to kick in…, it still makes me uncomfortable. That Brat, I should hit him harder.”
Taehyung planned to revenge had to stop, Ailee tapped his shoulder and gave him -eating grin. “You want to know something? Your stomach ache is not because of Jungkook. I know exactly why your stomach ache.”
“Why?”
“Well, nothing is free in this world, Taehyung. You have to exchange something to get this information.” Taehyung got really bad feeling with this. He remembered the last time he agreed to do something, he ended with vampire costume or Santa costume. He wouldn’t fall to same trap for the third time. He was naïve but never stupid.
“No thanks. Do you think I will fall to the same trap again?”
“Tch.” Ailee clicked her tongue in displeasure. “fine, this time I will tell you for free, because I’m the best boss ever.” She said suddenly and being overly cheerful.
Taehyung suspected she had bipolar disorder, but it would be great insult to anyone who really had bipolar disorder. So, he settled down with the hunch his boss was plotting the ultimate wicked thingy, he couldn’t let his guard down.
“Once upon a time, human had four legs, four arms and two faces. But because of Zeus is afraid human become too powerful then he spilt them into two different body, but they still connected to each other.” She explained “and you my boy, just find yours.”
“that is bull.” Taehyung denied, “boss only spastic superstitious idiot who believe that.”
“Hey, you just deny one of the most romantic fact ever, believe it or not, that crazy customer connected to you by red string of fate.” Ailee folded her arms, “and I believe in that.”
That just prove Taehyung’s theories that his boss was somekind of spastic crazy woman but he had conscience to hold his tongue so he said the lesser evil thing in his head, “then where is yours?”
“my what?”
“soulmate.”
Ailee shrugged, “I never meet Chris Evans in person so I think his occupation became a huge barrier between our string our fate.”
“boss, I’m sorry to tell you this but You are just delusional fangirl.”
Ailee waved her hand nonchalantly, “stop destroying my dream, you the killer of childhood dream.”
“I don’t see any child here.”
“well, forget about me, my son. It’s about you. Let me help you with your string of fate.” Taehyung got really bad feeling about it. Ailee looked a lot like a cat that had bird trap into her paw. Her conceding tone remained Taehyung of the fraud fortune-teller on TV.
“I don’t need your help.” Taehyung said, “There is nothing to help about, and I feel like you will con me and take away all of my money, boss.” He added.
“Kim Taehyung, I am really hurt you see me that low, I am the kindest and most helpful boss you can ever have, I am your cupid into your love story, your fairy godmother of your fairytale ending.”
“Boss, I don’t believe in any fairytale you speak about and I don’t believe in destiny or whatever you bull you spat before.” He shoved his jacket into his back and walked toward the front door to leave the house of madness. His basic survival instinct advised him to get out from here before he made another Faustus deal with Satan.
“and it’s not like I will meet her again.” He said. Even though he felt a dull ache in his chest when that word left his mouth. Somehow the possibility of not seeing that smile wasn’t favorable either.
“you will meet here again, you are fated to each other.” Ailee said stubbornly.
“No I will not.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Yes! Yes! Yes!”
“No! No! No!”
“how about we have bet? I will give you two weeks day-off with full paycheck if the crazy customer didn’t come to our shop within one week at your shift.”
Taehyung squinted his eyes, it was too tempting. 2 weeks off while you get still get paid, he could take vacation to Phuket. He had fallen in love with Phuket ever since he saw his friends picture on instagram, it would be the best adventure he would ever had.
“Fine.”
“But…” Ailee dragged her tone longer, “if she come to our shop with one week, you have to stand in free hug booth on valentine day event.”
Because it wasn’t likely to happen, Taehyung shook her hand with the confidence he had when he solve math problem (by the way math washis favorite subject during high school). He believed the customer was too ashamed to meet him again especially after she slammed the door and asked for food.
Personally, Taehyung didn’t believe in fate or whatever. He was educated young man who would graduate from one of Korea best university, it was beyond him to believe the myth like that. “Fine, but boss you will regret this when I get my vacation.”
Ailee gave out mysterious smile, “You should never play with Life and Fate, my son.”
“Fine. Whatever.” Taehyung rolled his eyes, “and stop with my son thingy, you creep me out, boss.”
“Ehh, why?? Every one in this shop is under the protection of Mother Ailee.” She stretched her hand. “I am responsible to all of your well being and love life, especially love life, you hear me Kim Taehyung…hey hey!! Why are leaving?”
Taehyung shuddered and left, it was much better to leave the delusional 28 years old woman with her delusion. If he stayed so much longer, he worried about his mental state. Taehyung would never believe it. It was like wasting his parents money for college if he still believe in fate.Kim Taehyung was filial son, so he would use his brain and scientific approach rather than fate or destiny or red string of fate. He would get his vacation and proved that his boss was wrong. 100 %.
Uhh boy, he just didn’t see Ailee expression after he left. She opened her laptop to find the address of the last customer and searching for her phone number. She also designed some coupon that should be used before this week end, she also reschedule Taehyung shift a bit.
Ailee did believe in fair and square bet, she also believed in fate but she also believed in effort and hardwork. So, she was giving fate a bit nudge to the right direction, -and this time the right direction was a bit more profitable for her pocket and business but she really wished for Taehyung happiness, she swore for her figurine collection-. After all being cupid (and rich) was one of her ambition in life.
Who knew? If this was a huge success she could open matchmaking service.
***
author note :
Thank you for commenting and subscribing my story, I will try to update faster.
Comments