---M&M Chapter 2: How about Mocha?---

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The chances of seeing Mina again was left to the enigmatic pull of strings from the hands of the ever unpredictable fate. Chaeyoung groaned, after a night of impatience that consisted of a routine of staring on her mirror then to her phone and back to her own reflection, she was all but happy to the thwarting fact that Mina never contacted her. If there was one good thing that came down from the wretched night, it was her punctuality for actually arriving at the shop that was still tightly shut since it was only the break of dawn. In short, she had none of the usual comforting sleep which eventually made her grumpily decide that she’d rather have the comforts of the compliments to her for being an early bird rather than spend the rest of the blasted sunrise waiting for a certain beep from her device.

Good thing that Dahyun had a spare ride in their building’s garage. It was an outdated scooter that she obtained after another unfair bargain with one of her mahjong friends. It wasn’t for free, of course; Chaeyoung had to exchange it with something. With little luck, she somehow got away with just loaning Dahyun her favorite Bluetooth headphones. But she knew it was just plainly for mocking her while she wore it to work.

Chaeyoung was already inside tidying the tables and chairs when Dahyun arrived wearing a smirk and, to affirm Chaeyoung’s predictive thought, her Bluetooth headset. Chaeyoung hinted her a sharp look before sighing in defeat.

“Look at you, showing obvious proofs of a hopeless romantic,” Dahyun grinned widely, bringing the headphones down to her neck.

Chaeyoung picked up her stance and looked back at her with confusion. She placed a hand on her hips and dropped the other to lean on the table, “What?”

Dahyun was checking her nails before scoffing a laugh at her friend, “Oh, please, sleep-deprived eyes? An evident higher amount of perfume on you? Your phone on vibrate in your back pocket? Should I go on?”

Scowling with utter disbelief and annoyance, Chaeyoung had agape. She badly wanted to crush Dahyun in her hands. She took a few angry stomps toward her until they were face to face, she leaned in and crossed her arms as she squinted her eyes,

“I am not hopeless! And nor am I a romantic!”

As a fit of laughter escaped Dahyun’s lips, Chaeyoung lightly shoved her out of the way, heading back to the counter with an irritated expression. But thinking about it, was she really putting too much of her time on a lady that barely acknowledged her charisma? Chaeyoung instantly shook her head. She will never accept that. It was a matter of her pride, and as much as revolting as it is, Chaeyoung only had her reputation to uphold since growing up with literally nothing and no one was the only other part of her that she had.

Great, she winced, Dahyun made her think about her past self. She shuddered, shutting her eyes to regain her composure. A tap on her shoulder made her jump, Dahyun had her brows knitted together, but eventually gave a warm smile as she handed Chaeyoung a cup of coffee. Chaeyoung took the beverage and stared at Dahyun, waiting for the inevitable catch of her feigned generosity. She watched as Dahyun took a sip from her own cup with eyes closed. The silence was somehow disturbing, Dahyun opened one of her eyes as she peeked from the rim. Chaeyoung had an amused look on her and then laughed out loud, shoving her memories at the back of her head.

“I never thought I’d live for the day where you give me something for free,” She was grinning so wide that her cheeks were beginning to sore, “Thanks, D.”

Dahyun ignored her outburst as she her heel, smiling to herself. That was a close one. Dahyun honestly didn’t think she could manage to dodge the bullet there. She knew that Chaeyoung was about to enter the black hole of her memories whenever she turns still and her expression blank and dull as a sheet of paper. She sighed out of relief. It had been years after her last episode. What was it that led her to that?

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Chaeyoung fixed herself before switching the sign on the door to ‘open’. The sun had already risen up above the clouds, she stood there for a while, allowing herself to bask in the warmth of the morning. There was a light poke on her forearm, it was so subtle that it felt surreal, she opened her eyes, nonetheless. She was greeted by a gentle smile, close to angelic even,

“Good morning, Chaeyoung,” Mina said before heading inside the cafe.

As much as Chaeyoung wanted everything to be in slow motion like the cliched frame by frame stills in movies, the whole thing happened so fast- too fast- for her liking. Before she could even form any kind of response or even just process the most unlikely yet the most favorable scenario that happened, Mina was already headed to the counter. She turned her body to face her direction as she ogled at her back. Her jaw was still dropped when a realization hit her mind, making her flinch and her eyes widen with bafflement. She knows my name! Chaeyoung mentally shrieked. If that wasn’t a clear sign that she was reciprocating her interest, what else would it be?

Without giving her a chance to produce a suitable gameplan for this encounter, Mina was already opening , most likely that she was placing her order. Chaeyoung sprinted forwards and ‘THUD!’, she collided with the glass door. She felt her surroundings spin followed by a sharp spreading pain on her forehead and nose.

The only two people inside the shop but of course heard Chaeyoung’s moment of embarrassment. Dahyun laughed while pointing at her, wiping the tears that formed on corners of her eyes. Mina jogged to where Chaeyoung crouched herself while rubbing her forehead and holding the bridge of her nose.

“Oh, God, are you okay?” Mina bent down to place her hand on Chaeyoung’s back.

The small contact made Chaeyoung jerk a little. She nodded vigorously, her head still bowed down to prevent making a fool of herself even more. Dahyun followed shortly. She already has an ice pack on hand. With minimal effort, she man