(Yuri POV)

I spread my arms and shouted, “Hi, Seoul. Please be good to me.” I just arrived yesterday from Goyang, Gyeonggi. After a long internal battle within myself, I had decided to leave everything and start new life here in Seoul. I left my work, my friends and my beloved family to have a clean slate new beginning. Why? My three-year-boyfriend cheated for a long time that I was too damned stupid not knowing until I caught him handy-dandy with my cousin. Then, my investment went down the drain, next thing I knew, I lost millions already. So, I have to leave, for now.

 

I was wandering around the city to look for a job. Until, I stumbled a café near my apartment. Wanted: Barista. I was contemplating to apply, as I have a degree in Bachelor of Science in Mathematics major in Accounting. Am I smart? No, lah. I just like numbers too much. Should I be applying for a more blue-collar-job? But, this job will definitely give me a good start. It is a light job and I could still do forex and stock trading while working there. I have to get back to my portfolio and recover my investment eventually. I am no longer interested to be framed in a cubicle. So, I went in and inquired about the vacancy.

 

I had been working now here at the café for 4 months and met wonderful people in the course of my working here. Well, I have my boss, Taeyeon, the owner of the café. She would be sometimes do the cashiering, bartending or even serving the customers. Her girlfriend, Tiffany, currently works as a host in entertainment and leisure tv shows, and also do modelling. She is great conversationalist, frank and out spoken. How come a midget like her will have a celebrity/model girlfriend? It is a mystery. I was taken aback at first when I learned about it for the first time. But seeing them almost every day, I got envious with their relationship. They are pleasantly sweeter and gentler than any normal boy-girl relationship out there. While, there is Seohyun, the baby sister of Taeyeon, still in 3^rd year in Theater and Arts at Dongguk University. The 3 of them co-own this café plus a newly open bar in Downtown. There is also Yoona, who do the cashiering and serving, she also do modelling like Tiffany, but only part-time. She does not want to go full time as she love her privacy. She also attend the same university and course with Seohyun. Then, Sooyoung, my co-barista, the shikshin together with Yoona, as they literally always wanting/looking for something to eat. Donghae is in-charge of serving and maintaining the cleanliness of the café. Taeyeon also manages the new bar with Sunny and cousin, Hyoyeon, the scary smart foul mouth and dancing queen of the group respectively. We somehow, clique together despite of our personal differences. And so far, I am doing well with my new job, and on the sideline, thankfully, able to slowly recover my losses and start having decent gains from the stock market.

 

“Can I have 1 Americano and 1 double Cheese Cake, please”, I heard the customer said in a velvety feminine voice. I got intrigued and looked at her.

 

“That would be $12.40, Ma’am”, as Taeyeon, told the customer. The customer took off her shade first before she handed her credit card. I was captivated by her voice and now her beauty at first sight. Wow, she has beautiful angelic but cold face. Her long wavy hair is blonde. I have the urged to comb my hands on her shiny hair, seems smooth and sweet-smelling. She is not midget nor tall. Her body seems quite fit too, petite but curvy on the right places, plus her bosom accentuates her feminity. ‘She is perfect’, I mentally muttered to myself. I am not gay, I am straight, but she is wow, extremely very beautiful. I mentally, again, palmed myself, that I got gay at the moment for her. Is she from showbiz or what? Well, I shake off her beauty quickly out of my mind. I prepared the order and gave it to Donghae, whose smiling creepily, to deliver the order. I looked for her around the table and saw her looking our way, I unconsciously smiled and nodded at her, surprisingly, she smiled back, only timid-small-forced-back smile to be exact. Well, that was better than a frown.

 

“She is beautiful, right, Kwon Yuri”, Taeyeon nudged me on my rib. “You are staring at her for heaven-knows-how-long-already.”

 

“Yah!!! That hurts”, as I rub my side. “She seems lonely, very sad.”

 

“She is still beautiful, though”, she countered.

 

“I will tell Tiffany about you ogling a customer”, I threatened her.

 

“Well, she is Jessica Jung Sooyeon”, she dismissed my threats.

 

“How do you know? You are not franking me”, as I looked at her.

 

“I am not Yoona nor Hyoyeon”, as she waived her hand a no-no-no sign. “Her credit card. You pabo.”

 

‘So, she is Jessica Jung Sooyeon’, I thought to myself.

 

“Oh, Yuri, you are so head over your toes for her already”, she teased me.

 

“No, I am not”, I denied but deep within I was totally captivated by her. Geez, I am officially gay now for her.

 

And, she never left my mind since then, I was so intrigued and wondered my thoughts on her that night on why she looked so lonely, so sad despite her beautiful face.

 

(Jessica POV)

I could feel someone was staring at me, so I looked up and saw a beautiful girl with long raven black and straight hair. She was shamelessly staring at me that I found her eyes very expressive. I could see her genuine admiration, appreciation and respect for me in those eyes. I was touched and my heart suddenly did some somersault. She suddenly averted her eyes and shook her head, then proceed on preparing my order.

 

I choose a table where I could see her. I was intrigued with her eyes, I failed to check on her other features because of her eyes. I saw her looking around the tables and when she saw me, she smiled and nodded at me. I got nervous and replied back with a timid smile. She placed my order on the counter and was taken by server, whose smiling weirdly on me. I frown and just looked at him and said my thanks in stoic face. He ruined my moment with the raven girl.

 

(Yuri POV)

For the next 2 weeks, Jessica was consistently coming to our café, either in the morning or the late afternoon. She would come, sit at the far end near the window, then power-up her laptop and she will be staying for at most 2 hours. And every time, I would unconsciously stare at her, she seems to feel me and she would look up on me then I would quickly smiled and nodded to her and she would give me the same.

 

“Oh, poor Donghae”, my other co-worker, as Yoona laughing at him. “My $20 bucks, please.”

 

It has been awhile since they were betting when Jessica would notice Donghae, since the guy has been trying-very-hard to be noticed by her. He would delivered the order and would initiate a conversation with her, but Jessica would only thank him then would proceed on her laptop.

 

“Quit it guys”, I told them, “We have customers to attend to”, since I noticed group of teenagers coming in the café.

 

“Seriously, that girl is a snob”, Donghae claimed. He pouted as he approached us on the counter but left immediately to attend on a customer.

 

“She talked and even laughed with Tiffany and Seohyun”, Taeyeon said. “Would also smile at our Yuri here”, she added. “Why don’t you approach and talk with her too, Yuri?” she questioned me. I just shrugged my shoulder on her.

 

“Your girlfriend is queen of talk shows”, Yoona butted-in. “While, Seohyun, she is.... she is our Seohyun”, then laugh. “It is not surprising if she will smile to our charismatic Yuri, who would not?” she added more. I got shy on her statement.

 

“Fany has been asking her if she wanted to do modelling”, Taeyeon said. “Apparently, she is a busy person as she is an accountant / fashion designer of her own brand, she is working online at the moment while here in Korea, plus they have small family business here she has to attend to.”

 

“So, the girl manages accounts plus small business”, Sooyoung chipped in, “so, she is rich!?”

 

“Don’t you like her, Yuri Unnie? Just because you had a boyfriend, it does not mean you are straight”, Yoona added.

 

“Don’t wait for lousy Donghae to drastically make a move”, Sooyoung said while we looked at Donghae who’s clearing and cleaning the table now. I clenched my fist and jaw on the thought.

 

“She came from U.S. like Tiffany and just landed here for a vacation, for how long, we do not know”, Taeyeon added more.

 

“Wow, you really have quite information there”, Yoona commented.

 

“Apparently she likes our tea and coffee, that is why she keeps coming back”, Taeyeon added again.

 

“Ohh”, that is the only word I was able to come up after their long conversation, and it ended there, as we have to cater the long order of the teenagers.

 

(Jessica POV)

It became a habit of mine to visit the café every day. I had to drive for 1-1.5 hours just to come here on this café. I wanted to see Yuri. Yes, I had come to know her name the following day I came back for a coffee. I made sure to check her nameplate. She has a handsome face for a girl and taller than me. Her built is curvaceously y and appealing. I liked looking at her. She gave me a good vibe and positivity.

 

I had eventually met Tiffany and Seohyun, whom I only talked too. Tiffany intriguingly approached me and asked if I am from U.S. and since she learned that we shared the same state of California and more like pre-destined, we shared the same birthing hospital, she would come and sit on my table and have conversation. She has been asking me to do modelling with her, emphasizing that our beauty should not be wasted and kept in the dark. I just laughed on her. We always had our talk whenever she would come, while patiently waiting for Taeyeon, her girlfriend. I was surprised at first knowing that she is in same gender relationship. But later on, I admired and respected their relationship. Taeyeon literally pampered her to no-end. Who would want a boyfriend if your girl is Taeyeon? While, Seohyun was just polite and would asked me if I am okay with their service. She would warmly approached and greeted me every time she would see me in their café. And, how I wish I had the same courage as them to approach Yuri too. I would always feel and see her looking/staring at me, she would smile at me and I would smile back. And it was quick and fast.