Seulgi steps into the cafe, the quietness in the cafe welcoming her with open arms, pulling her away from the morning chatter and loud honking from the outside. Seulgi was never one to go to Starbucks. The smell of freshly brewed coffee never failed to make her crinkle her nose. But a student is a student, and in this chaotic world, it seems like a cafe is the only place one could eat and drink in a suitable environment. Seulgi used to love going to the libraries, but with that new librarian bestowing his incessant shushing, Seulgi thinks she could do without it. 

“Hi can i take your order?” 

Seulgi curses inwardly, kicking herself for not preparing her order before hand. What was she supposed to say now? Seulgi looked up at the cashier, casting a small sheepish smile before asking “I’m sorry, but can I ask, what is a coffee based drink with the least coffee in it?” 

Goddamn it Seulgi. 

The girl blinked, as if taken aback, but quickly recovered and gave her a smile as if understanding her worries. “Our mochas only contain two shots of espresso, there’s the regular mocha or the whites chocolate mocha. If you’d like something sweeter, i’d recommend the white chocolate one” 

Now it was Seulgi’s turn to blink, her attention caught by a certain barista a few metres away, not catching anything the cashier had said. “Ah sure the second one then!” Seulgi chirps up, praying it would be the better of the two. 

“A white chocolate mocha?” 

Seulgi perks up at the name. That doesn’t sound so bad. So she nods. 

Most people would go back to their seat and wait till a certain barista calls their name, but Seulgi on the other hand, had chosen to dump her bag there before standing at the counter, watching the said barista do her job. Mesmerised by the girl’s actions, Seulgi noticed her white tumbler coming through the rows of different flavoured pumps. The girl mixed her drink together, before dumping it into the blender. Seulgi was one second too late, jumping from the sudden clash of ice against the blades. Looking up and finally calming herself down, Seulgi thanked the gods when the barista didn’t seem to notice her breakdown from the blender’s sound. 

“A white chocolate mocha for Seulgi?” 

Seulgi pipes up at the glorious way her name rolled off the girl’s tongue, before accidentally making eye contact with the barista. Seulgi couldn’t help but stare at how flawless this girl was. Her big sparkly eyes seemed to send Seulgi into a trance, not allowing her to look away. The girl smiles, grabbing a cup holder and placing it snugly around the white tumbler before sliding it forward to Seulgi. 

“I’d assume you’re Seulgi then?” 

Seulgi gulps at the girl’s husky voice, the girl reduced to giving a blank nod as a reply. 

“Yeah- Thank you.” 

The girl sends her another smile before moving on with the next order.

Seulgi thinks she might like coffee soon enough. 

//

Placing a folded napkin below her cup, Seulgi whipped out her computer and foolscap paper, and in a few clicks, she was right where she needed to be. Staring at the online notes their chemistry teacher had sent them, Seulgi let out a soft groan. 

She had a week to understand this topic, a week. It doesn’t help that Seulgi absolutely hates chemistry. Basic chemistry was fine, but to ask her to understand the topic on periodic table and metals all by herself was just rude on another level. He had said this was an “easy” chapter so there was no need for him to waste time teaching it, but Seulgi begs to differ. Seeing the zig zag lines drawn at different areas of the periodic table, Seulgi squints, not understanding the purpose of it. Her teacher had made markings around the lines, but what on earth does “alkali metals” and “halogens” even mean. 

Whatever screw it i’ll just scribble some stuff and hope i understand along the way. 

Seulgi was two parts in and she already felt like falling asleep. She had barely any idea what atomic radius meant and why it decreases across a period but increases down a group. But as she said before, whatever. 

Seulgi switches the colour of her pen, highlighting it the way her teacher wanted them to, hoping it’ll make her remotely understand what he was hinting at. Making her third switch to her orange uniball pen, Seulgi accidentally hit her tumbler, sending her into a frenzy in fear it might spill. Amidst the chaos, and just as Seulgi thought she had slid past the looming danger, her purple uniball pen, fell. 

Seulgi’s eyes widened, diving to grab her pen, only to have her face smashed against someone’s arm. Seulgi’s heart dropped, eyes clenched shut, waiting to hear the deafening clink of her uniball pen’s death. But all she heard was a soft chuckle, before a warm palm was placed against her cheek. That was when Seulgi realised she still had her face against the person’s - a girl, judging from her laughter, arm. 

“I’m sorry!” Seulgi smiles sheepishly, before looking up. It was like déjà vu, locking eyes with the same pair of eyes that took her breath away an hour ago. “I-” Seulgi finds herself stumbling upon her words, eyes darting around in embarrassment. The girl sends an eye smile her way, lifting her hand and placing it facing downwards, motioning for Seulgi to extend her hand facing upwards. Lifting a brow in confusion, Seulgi complied, part of her not understanding why the girl couldn’t have just placed the pen on the table, since carrying the clearing crate with one hand would be tiring. 

Her question was answered when the girl hovered her hand above hers, before interlocking their fingers, the pen clasped between their hands. The girl gives her a cheeky grin before letting go of her hand, leaving the purple pen in Seulgi