Meiqi stands on the tips of her toes, leaning over to catch a glimpse of the clock on the white wall behind the grey metal cabinets that pretty much made up the view she could get in the kitchen.

Ten minutes to two, Meiqi gasps and hurriedly sprays off the remaining detergent on the dishes. She rapidly scrubs the white ceramic plates and lets the foam run down from her arms to the bottom of the sink. Once done, she grabs the cloth beside the sink and wipes the twenty odd plates dry as quick as she can, before drying her hands and shuffling her feet out of the kitchen. She doesn't forget to stop at the small mirror before the exit of the kitchen to fix up hair that has fallen out of her ponytail with all the chores she was busy with.

Meiqi makes her way to the cashier counter, her lips curving into a small smile.

"Right, it's your turn," a fellow high school graduate who, like Meiqi, is spending her free months by working part-time at the cafe, isn't surprised to see her trotting towards the counter. "Not exactly your turn, but, it's Wednesday, and it’s time," Xiaoxiao corrects herself.

Meiqi releases a small chuckle. "You realised," she mutters a reply.

"Like, after a three weeks of beginning to work on weekdays too? Yeah," Xiaoxiao grins, "You done with the dishes?"

"Yeap! All done," Meiqi grins, "Oh right but you could give a check on dajie's cookies in the oven," she reminds them of their next errand.

"Sure," Xiaoxiao nods her head. "What time is she getting back?"

"Not too long ahead I guess? She was complaining about how she'd dread spending too long with her relative," Meiqi recalls.

"Okay," Xiaoxiao nods again, her eyes wide, before retreating into the kitchen. Meiqi then hurries over to the table by the glass pane that separates between nature and the warm, wooden interior of the cafe with a mildly wet rag in hand, before carefully wiping it clean and arranging the chairs tidily around the table. There is a smile on her lips while they silently hum a happy tune Meiqi has been catching on the radio recently that the older employee of the cafe loves to listen to in the kitchen whenever she’s around.

When Meiqi returns to the counter, just as she is prepared for, the chime at the door sounds and a certain person she has been waiting for arrives. Clutching onto a laptop in one arm, the petite figure holds onto the door with her other arm as two other girls join her in the cafe.

She watches as the girl dressed in a white one piece places her laptop down on the table Meiqi had just worked hard on cleaning, as she does every time she’s around. The said girl seats herself down on her usual seat and looks up to one of the two girls with her, who Meiqi assumes are her friends that comes along to the cafe once in a while.

The two other girls remain standing up around the table and seem to be in a slight confusion. The look on the seated girl’s face amuses Meiqi, as she watches closely and tries to understand the situation. Perhaps they’re deciding on who to make the order, Meiqi guesses. So she’s not making the order today? Her heart sinks a little.

Finally, they seem to have come to a consensus; the girl who’s dressed in black all over with a high ponytail walks over to the cashier counter with a tiny pout on her lips.

“Hi! What would you like to have?” Meiqi greets the customer with a smile anyway, but her eyes uncontrollably go to the girl seated on the table by the side of the cafe.

“She lost her voice today,” Meiqi receives an odd reply. “So I’m making the order,” Meiqi turns back to face the girl before the counter with confused eyes. The awkward accent in her speech doesn’t go unnoticed as well.

Meiqi, nevertheless, puts up her smile and nods her head. “Is she getting her Mocha Java Chip Frappe with one extra shot and whipped cream on again?” Meiqi’s lips curve even wider at the mention of the usual order.

“Ah, yes,” the girl before her nods repeatedly. “I want… this,” the girl points to the English words on the menu that says “Green Tea Cream Frappuccino Blended Beverage” after a pause.

Meiqi bends over to look at the menu, before looking up and nodding her head and keying the order into the register.

“Sorry, my Chinese is bad,” the girl sheepishly smiles. “I am from Korea!” she introduces herself rather cheerfully.

“I see,” Meiqi nods her head after a small gasp, now that the dots connect. When Meiqi reaches for the cup and a marker she asks, “Would you like whipped cream?”

“Yes! And my name is Exy, E, X, Y,” Meiqi writes the name on the cup when she spells it out in English. “That one you like there, she is Chinese. Her name is Xuanyi,” her next statement throws Meiqi off.

Meiqi tries to open but fails to speak. The one I like? Meiqi’s cheeks flush red when the words replay inside her mind. I don’t like her! Meiqi rebuts, but her lips are frozen. I don’t even know her, Meiqi furrows her eyebrows as she thinks. Her hands tremble when she tries to write the name. Ever since the first day Meiqi has seen her, almost two month ago, she has been too shy to request for her name. Her order is special and easily identifiable anyway. And like the usual customers that frequent, unlike this one called Exy, it is rare for anyone to give their names spontaneously.

“Oh and my friend, she wants that one,” Exy points again, to the chalkboard where the special drinks are drawn. “Pink one,” Meiqi returns to her senses and keys in the next order. “Her name is Bona. We are exchange students from Korea. We’re all third year students, Xuanyi as well,” she continues to introduce them while handing over a credit card for the payment.

Meiqi doesn’t look up when she politely takes the card with two hands and settles the payment, too embarrassed to show her face.

“Thank you for your order, please wait patiently as we prepare,” Meiqi returns the card, politely with both hands again, but still does not look up.

“Xiexie!” the girl named Exy pleasantly thanks her with a bow before walking off.

The next day, it is Xuanyi herself before the cashier counter, with a wide smile that still makes Meiqi’s heart skip a beat. Meiqi doesn’t know how this person she doesn’t even know has the ability to flip her feelings all over.

“Yesterday, you’ve written my name wrongly,” the girl speaks with a voice hoarser than usual, “It’s yi with a ren zi pang, and yi ren de yi,” she says with a wide smile.

Meiqi feels her heart drop within her. The expression on her face must have as well, she figures, when Xuanyi begins laughing heartily.

“Sorry! Really,” Meiqi bows and utters an apology.

“It’s alright!” Xuanyi beams, “Don’t worry,” she says between laughter. “My friend said she had a good conversation with you,” she continues speaking, “and that you remember my order.”

“I… do,” Meiqi mumbles.

“Alright then as usual, here’s my card,” Xuanyi gets the card out of her wallet and hands it out to Meiqi.

Meiqi politely receives the card. With the momentum of the conversation, Meiqi asks, “Isn’t it unhealthy to drink this much sugar too often?”

“Which is why I only come on Wednesdays and Thursdays,” Xuanyi replies, “before my late class. Are you working part time here?” Xuanyi then asks while Meiqi settles the payment.

“Yes,” Meiqi nods her head, “until I get my results and university starts.”

“I see,” Xuanyi remains gleaming, “And your name is?” the next question stuns Meiqi. She stands up straight, looking up from the cash register.

“Meng Meiqi,” Xuanyi reads from the nametag pinned on the brown apron over her. Xuanyi’s voice isn’t at her best, but the way she reads her name out sounds like pleasant ringing of bells to Meiqi’s ears. “Nice to meet you, I am Wu Xuanyi!” Xuanyi places a hand out for a handshake.

Meiqi’s eyes widen. After slowly bringing up a shaky hand, Meiqi reciprocates the handshake. She then hurriedly returns Xuanyi’s card and bows. Xuanyi walks off to her seat after a warm smile that still sends arrows at Meiqi’s heart.

Meiqi stays frozen on the spot, her cheeks reddening and heating up so much that it causes her to sweat.

“Someone’s getting in,” a voice scares her from the back. Meiqi jumps.

“Dajie! Don’t do that please,” Meiqi pleads with a hand on her chest.

“Today I am ordering,” a cheerful Exy greets Meiqi.

“Ni hao,” Meiqi smiles. Exy has become a familiar customer after three months of frequenting the cafe with Xuanyi.

“The term’s ending soon, Bona and I will go back to Korea soon,” Exy says next.

“Oh,” Meiqi nods her head in understanding.

“Xuanyi says you will start university soon. Have you chosen? Xuanyi is from Shangda, you should go there too,” Exy says with eyes that seem to hold an underlying meaning.

“Right,” Meiqi says. She widens her eyes in realisation that the deadline for application is the next day: Shanghai University was not her top choice, but thank goodness she applied for it. Now it’s the top choice, Meiqi thinks.

“Jiayou!” Exy says next.

“Thank you,” Meiqi replies courteously.

“Go to Shangda and befriend Xuanyi,” Exy smiles.