Mr. Jiwon picked up his order as soon as I called him. I didn’t dare to look at him and turn my back when he approached the counter.

“Do you know him, Dara?” asked Ms. Jihye.

“N-no,” I answered.

She looked confused and asked again. “You acted a little weird when you saw him. Mr. Jiwon is a regular customer of the café.”

So he is a regular customer. Would I be seeing him every day? How would I get used to seeing his cold look every time?

“Okay, Ms. Jihye. I’ll make sure to do my best in making his coffee every time.”

She just nodded at me and smiled.

Afterwards, our day continued just like that. So far, I’m enjoying my work. I am really fond of coffee that’s why when I had the chance, I studied being a barista. If I have an opportunity in the future, I will go to Italy and continue studying about coffee there and then maybe one day, I can also put up my own café too.

“What are you thinking, Dara?” Shinah asked.

We are currently having our lunch in the kitchen. There are not many customers right now so Ma’am Sera told us to take our lunch already.

“I am just thinking of my dream to go to Italy.” I said then continued munching down my packed lunch that I cooked this morning.

“Italy?!” almost everyone exclaimed.

“Y-yeah. I dreamed of studying there.” I explained.

Kyungmin, who is eating across me, asked “Wow! So you plan to go there right after graduation? You’re quite amazing, aren’t you? You’re studying in a well-known university and planning to study overseas as well?”

I suddenly felt embarrassed in front of them. They are looking at me with very curious eyes and I can’t help but feel conscious.

“It is not a concrete plan, though. It is just a dream. I will graduate first and see what opportunity comes after. And besides, Italy is a country known for their coffee so I am going there for that.”

Mr. Donghyun suddenly smiled as he eats. “So you are actually serious in being a barista, eh? I thought you are just like every college student out there, working in a café because they easily get hired but never really took making coffee seriously.”

He was right too. Coffee shops and cafés like this hire students like me but most of the times, they do it to earn money but are not passionate about the job. My first part-time job back then was a cashier in a convenient store. The job was pretty good but when I first encountered a job opening advertisement of a café, I felt like it was something I need to do. The next semester after, I enrolled in a barista academy and studied making coffee there. On my sophomore year, I already managed to get a foundation level certification and got hired in a coffee shop for the first time. Right now, Wonderland Café is the third shop I got hired into.

After our lunch, I finished my shift as well. They all smiled to as I leave and congratulated me on a job well-done for my first day.

I went to look for tutorial centers in the area for a bookkeeping certification. The paychecks that I will be receiving in the café will be the one I will use to pay for my tuition fees. In the end, I took all the flyers I got from the tutorial centers and will check the best offer among them later. It was almost five in the afternoon when I got back to the apartment.

“Minji, what do you like for dinner?” I asked her after taking my shower.

She is with her laptop and lying on her bed.

“We should probably have Kimchi fried rice or Bibimbap so we can finish the side dishes mom sent last week.” she replied.

With that, I looked inside the refrigerator and took out the side dishes in their containers and see what can I mix in for our dinner.

“By the way, I was chatting with Chaerin. She already arrived in Hawaii just this morning.” Minji said and stood up to help me in preparing our food.

“Oh yeah, I also received a message from her. Should we call her later?” I asked.

She sat on the floor with the bowl in her hand and mixing Bibimbap already as I start the stove for the fried rice.

“Yeah, that would be great. But how was your first day? Did you do well?” she asked.

“Yes, I had fun except that… well,” I hesitated continuing.

She turned her eyes to me as I get the fried rice from the pan.

“Except what?” her voice suddenly became in a curious tone.

I sat with her as I put the food in the table. “Never mind that. Let’s eat already.”

“Come on, tell me. You know I will not get a sleep if you are not gonna tell.” she insisted.

Minji has always been the curious one. She is always in need of news and information even about the smallest matter. She is really perfect for the major she is taking in. Minji is a Mass Communication major at Ewha too. Ever since high school, she has always dreamed of being a news anchor in a big broadcasting company. I am happy that she is really doing what she has always liked to do.

“I know you are not gonna stop so I’m telling you. I saw that man again.” I said and start eating.

Her eyes lit up when she heard me. Uh, oh. Did I made the right decision on telling her?

“You saw the rude man you met at the bus stop, again? Hey, Dara! I really think that he’s really destined to you!”

I know she will say that. Such a romanticist!

“Stop it, Minji. Let’s eat already then call Chaerin.”

I’m grateful she didn’t open that the topic again as we eat. After finishing dinner, she took her laptop and started a video call with Chaerin.

Chaerin is a friend of mine from my major. I introduced her to Minji and they also became close so we hang out every now and then.

“Chaerin!” Minji screamed as soon as the other line accepted the call.

“Hey, Minji. Can you tone down your voice? Hi, Dara! How was your new work?” Chaerin asked as she adjusted the focus of her camera.

“I’m good! How about you? How was the flight? Are you not having jet lag or anything? Is it okay to call at this time?” I asked.

Chaerin laughed at us. “Are you that worried about me? You should have come and see it yourself. Kidding! I am fine. I just woke up from my sleep. As you can see, I haven’t adjusted to the time here so it is kinda weird but I’m good.”

“See that, Chaerin? She cares so much about you and yet she neglects me here. And now, she is interested in a guy. Am I gonna lose my best friend here?” Minji told.

What is she talking about? Me? Interested in a guy?

“What are you talking about Minji? Are you imagining things now?” I frowned at her.

“Hey, guys. What is this you’re talking about? Who’s the guy? Dara, are you seeing someone now? And Minji, stop being so dramatic, will you?” Chaerin shot us with her questioning.

Minji laughed at us and said, “Dara kept bumping into some man. She said that he’s very rude and indifferent the first time they met and today she saw him at the café she works at. Isn’t it a little too good to be a coincidence? Chaerin, I think our friend found her destined man!”

“Minji, how many times do I have to tell you that it is not anything like that? I came to know today that he’s a regular at the café and I would probably gonna see him almost every day. Even though he’s very rude and cold and annoying, I would have to put up with it.”

“What, you even said yourself that he’s handsome! You would not say that if you are not a bit interested in him.” Minji is still not giving up on the idea.

It’s really hard to explain to her sometimes.

“Yes, he’s handsome but his personality is as bitter as the coffee he orders. How can I possibly like someone with that kind of attitude? Cut it off, Minji. It will not happen, ever.”

Chaerin gave a deep sigh upon hearing our argument. “Enough with that, girls. Dara, tell me more about that man next time, possibly when Minji is not around. And Minji, don’t be so excited for Dara. She will tell us if it is really the case. You guys are tiring to talk to like this. Did you hear anything from Bomi? Isn’t her exchange student program ends next month?”

Bomi also belongs to our circle of friends too. She is Chaerin’s high school classmate and an Art major. She is now in Germany for her studies.

“She is probably at school this hour. Our last talk to her was last week, right?” I asked them.

We continued to chat for more minutes before Chaerin left to get more rest. I hope that she really will have a good time there. I will be missing her for the next three months but it’s her time with her family too. And I am looking forward to finally see Bomi. It has been half a year already. We’re missing her so much.

Minji and I continued to chat afterwards until sleepiness gotten us. With that, the official first day of summer break ended that way.