The windchimes softly jingled signaling new entry into the coffee shop. A petite woman in mid-20s rushed in while patting her coat to dry off the residues from the light New York showers.

“Arrgh! I hate rains!” Her steps halting in front of the counter where the barista stood, grinning ear to ear.

“Good morning, Miss Kim? Your regular?”, the barista enquired, fingers tingling above the screen, ready to log in the order while attempting to cover a hue of pink adorning his pale cheeks with his free hand.

“Brian, I’ve told you what… like a million times? Call me Jennie. Miss Kim makes me feel older than I am and I don’t even have wrinkles yet!”

The teen could only blushed more before sliding behind the fancy machines to prepare a fresh roast.

The earthy aroma of roasted Ghana coffee beans delighted her sense.

Ah! Pure heaven! The young woman delightfully sighed as she relished the first sip. Growing up, Jennie had never a coffee person, that was until she met Jisoo. Kim Jisoo, her best friend, her confidant, and well... her first love.

The smooth brew coffee suddenly felt coarse, scratching . Memories flashing in her mind about high-school, basketball, old friendships, competition, love and… heartbreak.

Jennie gasped, grasping the edge of the table to steady herself before she lost herself in the abyss of regrets.

It had been twelve years. Twelve long painful years of constant pining and calculating every what ifs yet here she was yearning only if she gathered courage in that one moment.

--

Twelve years ago.

Jennie knew that St. Lawrence High school was an institution like no other. With a history of over 70 years of machining top-notch students, St. Lawrence was infamous for being referred as the “Korea’s finest,” “Korea’s Exclusive” and “Home to Present/Future Chaebols” institute. Yet as Jennie entered through the large iron gates of the school, none of those popular newspaper titles seem to do any justice to the school’s magnificence. V