Hyejin is sitting on her office chair admiring the photo of her and Moonbyul that she got printed and framed. It sits on her desk all day and serves as a distraction from the bulk of work on a busy day. 

 

“Hyejin!” Seojung snapped her out of her day dreaming. “Are you going to have lunch with us or are you going to your girlfriends cafe again?”

 

“I’m going to the cafe” Hyejin said. Girlfriend, what a sweet word to call Byul. “Also, she’s not my girlfriend. Yet.”

 

“That’s odd I thought you’ve been dating for weeks?”

 

“She has not asked me yet” Hyejin pouted. She turned to the photo again and smiled. “But I think she will soon!”

 

“err… Hyejin are you sure she doesn’t consider you her girlfriend yet?”

 

“That’s silly” Hyejin chuckled. “It has to be defined and agreed on or else its going to confuse us.”

 

“Ugh, you’re so old fashioned” Seojung checked her calendar. “The Christmas party is next week. What are you getting her?”

 

Hyejin perked up. “This batman CD i found on the internet. She said she played it and fell in love with batman. She lost that cd and its an ultra rare item now but i found it”

 

“Thats what youre giving her?! Are you out of your mind hyejin?”

 

“You don’t think she’ll hate it, do you?” Hyejin asked, uncertainly. “I thought it was special since the reason we met in the first place is because of Batman. It’s like he brought us two together.”

 

“You’re obviously so naive. You have to impress or else she’s not going to stay.”

 

Hyejin laughed. “Obviously she’s staying because, first of all, who is crazy enough to leave me?” 

 

Seojung scoffed. 

 

Hyejin glanced at the clock. It was near lunch. She instructed her secretary to close up as she got up and go to the cafe. 

 

Yes, she goes to the cafe regularly again. 2 weeks have gone by since the last time Kei visited her. 2 weeks Kei free. The next morning, after Hyejin kicked Kei out from her life, she decided not to hide anymore. It was a huge hurdle that she had overcome. The first thing she did was ask Byul if she could drive her to the cafe every morning and drive her home every night. Although oppose at first Byul let her do it in the end. 

 

“I’ll be back” Kei threatened the night she left but Hyejin couldn’t care any less. There’s nothing in this world that could break her love for Byul now. 

 

“Bring it on” she smirked, as she saw the Moon Beans sign in the distance. There are hardly any cars parked outside, probably because it’s lunch time. She wondered what exquisite meal Byul had prepared for her today. Yesterday it was a Vietnamese dish, thin noodles and thin soup that warmed her up. Just thinking about it made her sat up more brightly. 

 

Hyejin saw Byul serving a table. The corners of rose up. One of these days the barista will ask her to be her girlfriend. And if she won’t, Hyejin thought, then I’ll do it myself. 

 

“You’ll make me do it, aren’t you?” She chuckled, her eyes following her baristas movement. The thought made her body tingle, and her tummy turn. Why? She was always been the person who initiates things. She asked  all of the other girls that came after Kei, to date. Yet why? Why was it so natural to expect Byul to be the one to ask?

 

The smile on Hyejin’s face suddenly turned into a frown. Her eyes not moving off of the barista who sat down at the table she was serving. Byul has never done that before, except when she’s with Hyejin and they were always at the corner booth. 

 

Hyejin turned her car off and dashed inside the cafe. Byul was seated across someone, talking animatedly, then she saw Hyejin.

 

“Jinie!” the barista exclaimed. Hyejin approached and glanced at the woman Byul was talking to. She was met with sassy eyes that scanned her up and down. Hyejin did the same, her hair is in a low ponytail, her lips tinted in a sickeningly dark red colour, dressed in sleek black and white striped suit. She had the look of a model. Whatever. 

 

Hyejin felt Byul’s hand on her own and they interlocked automatically, the barista addressed the girl in her polite tone, “Excuse me miss” 

 

Byul led her to their corner booth, Hyejin smirked and glance back at the girl to make sure she saw it. The girl sipped her coffee nonchalantly. 

 

“Who is that?” Hyejin asked with a raise eyebrow. 

 

“Just a customer Jinie” Byul said as she gently pushed Hyejin to sit down. Hyejin opened to ask more but Byul chuckled. “I’ll get our lunch”

 

Hyejin inspected the woman as she waited. Models are the likes that hanged around Kei back when she was still working in Korea, not surprising cause she works in the fashion industry, Hyejin was thrice forced to hang out with a bunch of them, suffice to say all events ending with disastrous results. Since then she learned to hate the sort. And this one is making her alarms bells ring. 

 

“If looks could kill” Byul commented when she came back. She set aside the permanent reserved sign on the table and quickly set the food in it. She sat opposite Hyejin. “What are you glaring at?”

 

“Why were you talking to her?” Hyejin asked without humour. 

 

“Ahh, Dahee” Byul said as she unpacked their lunch. “A modelling company just moved somewhere near, she’s one of its models, she was inquiring about the cafes menu and telling me how convenient it is that theres a coffee shop nearby.”

 

Hyejin’s eyes narrowed even more, so she is a model, her guts were right.  “And you had to sit down just to hear that?” 

 

“Jinie…” 

 

“Hmm?”

 

Hyejin felt Byul’s hand on her chin, the barista smiled as she turned Hyejin’s head to meet hers. “Eyes on me”

 

Hyejin rolled her eyes but smiled. Byul had scooped a large amount of fried rice on her spoon and turned it to Hyejin. Hyejin’s tummy grumbled and accepted the food willingly. As always, the food tasted great, she focused on it as she and Byul talk about the incoming events this holiday. 

 

“My staff discussed it and they choose to have 1 week off each over a party and so they’re taking turns now. Yooa went first.” 

 

“My staff probably would choose that if given the choice but since it’s a tradition now, we’re having a party instead.” Hyejin groaned. 

 

“You would choose that too?” Byul asked, amused. 

 

“Anything to get off work” Hyejin laughed. “If you can’t come with me to Jeonju will you come to the party at least?”

 

“I will, Jinie, don’t worry.” Byul said, booping Hyejin’s nose. She noticed the lack of food on Hyejin’s plate, she picked up her last slice of beef and fed it to Hyejin. Her lion chewed on it happily. 

 

“You promise?”

 

“Yes yes, I promise, now gimme a kiss” Byul pouted. Hyejin leaned in to give Byul three pecks on the lips. “Ahhh, you smell like beef.”

 

“My pleasure” Hyejin laughed. 

 

“That’s good you’ve cheered up” 

 

Hyejin raised a quizzical brow. 

 

“You were glaring daggers at the model earlier” 

 

Hyejin felt embarrassed. Now that she thought about it maybe it was her hunger that made her act rude, after all the model did nothing to glare at. She glanced at the spot where the girl sat, she was no longer there. 

 

“Sorry” she apologised. 

 

“Suddenly?” Byul laughed. She pinched Hyejin on the cheek. “You’re sooo cute JInie”

 

~~~~~

 

Byul waved at the customer who arrived, the model named Dahee, as always Byul remarked how she looked divine in a suit and sleek low ponytail. 

 

“How are you” Byul asked standing perkily at the register. 

 

“Better now” the model smiled, “How about my favourite barista?”

 

Byul chuckled and shook her head, she didn’t answer. 

 

“What can I get you?”

 

“The usual plus a vanilla latte and a slice of cheesecake please”

 

Byul raised an eyebrow. “To go?” 

 

“For here” the model said as she swept her gaze to the corner booth. “Your friend’s not here yet”

 

“Hyejin?” Byul asked, inputting the models order. “She’ll be here soon. Do you need something from her?”

 

“Just curious, she’s always here” As Dahee said this she looked closely at Byul’s reaction. 

 

Byul smiled there was a time when Hyejin seemed to be avoiding the cafe but these days especially since Dahee showed up she’s been hanging out there more and more, in the mornings before work, at lunch, and after work until the shop closes at 10 in the evening.

 

“Not always, I could only wish” Byul said. She told Dahee how much the food cost and saw the look the model was giving to her. “Something on my face?”

 

“Nothing…” Dahee handed her the money but stood rooted to her spot. 

 

“Miss Dahee?” Byul asked, “You turned red suddenly, you ok?”

 

“Y-yeah”

 

“Go ahead and sit down, I’ll bring you your order.”

 

Dahee muttered her thanks and went to take a seat. Byul wondered what happened but shrugged it off. As she was preparing Dahee’s additional order it reminded her of Hyejin and what she usually orders, she was curious of who it was for since it’s the first time that Dahee has ordered an additional order since showing up 3 days ago. 

 

“Your friend better come quickly or their coffee will get cold”

 

Dahee looked at the vanilla latte and frowned at it. “She’ll be here soon”

 

The chimes at the door tinkled, Byul perked up and turned to greet the customer. Her heart skipped a beat and struggled against the surprise that formed on her face. 

 

“Here she is” Dahee said her tone is of restrained anger. “Kei come here”

 

“I’ll leave you two” Byul made haste to wipe her face off of recognition and made her way back to the register. But she knew it was too late. The girl saw her startled face. 

 

She knows that I know.

 

~~~~~~~~

Flashback, Hyejin’s house, 2 weeks ago.

~~~~~~~~

 

Yongsun and Hyejin just left the room to wash the dishes leaving Byul with Wheein, Taeyeon, and Tiffany.

 

To Byul’s confusion the three friends huddled together and started whispering to themselves. Byul sat there awkwardly.

 

“Listen we have no time” Byul heard Tiffany say. “We have to tell her”

 

“Unnie” Wheein said sternly. Tiffany shook her head then opened her phone and showed it to Byul.

 

“Do you know this woman?”

 

“Her names Kei, she comes to the cafe sometimes.” Byul nodded confused. “Why do you have her photo?”

 

“Byul we have to do this quickly.” Taeyeon glanced at the door.

 

Tiffany took a big breath and told her a story. “It might not look like it but Hyejin got bullied for being chubby when we were in high school. She and Wheein were in the same year but there are moments when she was left alone and couldn’t defend herself. This brought her self esteem to a zero, we tried our best to make her feel better but we failed. The summer before college she climbed the hill behind their house three times a day which help her lose weight but her confidence did not come with it. She was a sweet and funny kid, I would never have changed a thing.”

 

It was hard to imagine Hyejin with her bullies or how she must have suffered climbing up and down a hill. Byul never thought Hyejin had that kind of past. She looked at Hyejin’s friends wanting to know where they are going with this. Tell her what?

 

Wheein hesitated for a bit but continued Tiffany’s story, “But college started and Hyejin met her. Her real name is Kim Jiyeon but she goes by the name of Kei. After the first day they met, Hyejin transformed. Drastically. One day, Hyejin came back to our dorm with newly shopped clothes, excessive make up on her face, and a person in tow. She excitedly introduced the person as her girlfriend. Right away I knew the person was bad news. But I saw how Hyejin lit up in her company, I thought maybe she could finally learn how to be confident so I let her be. I wasn’t aware that that day was when Hwasa was born.

 

Hwasa is everything Kei taught her to be, she’s alpha, engaging, and charming. She moved out from our dorm and in with Kei. Later, I learned they were attending parties and skipping classes. And because the change was so rushed, Hwasa went past confidence and landed straight in arrogance. 

 

In the transformation, Hyejin got trapped inside the persona.”

 

Byul was suddenly reminded of the contact name Hyejin set for herself. Hyejin. Just Hyejin. 

 

“Then without warning, Hyejin just vanished. She didn’t finish her midterms, she didn’t contact anyone for two weeks. We found out that she saw Kei cheating on her and that she broke up with Kei. She may have been Hwasa in that relationship but it was Hyejin that got hurt. Our sweet maknae was the one hurting and we couldn’t do anything about it. 

 

It was a sorry state. We had to tell her parents. We don’t know what they did but she was set right, she was back on track, becoming Hyejin again leaving the lifestyle that led her astray. She moved back to our dorm, focused on her studies and went back to normal but gained confidence once the arrogance melted away.”

 

Byul was speechless for sometime. 

 

“I never knew”

 

“It must be hard for Hyejin to bring up” Taeyeon said, the other two nodding along.

 

“I’m glad she’s better now” Byul said, then focus on the other topic. “But I don’t know why you have to tell me about her ex” 

 

“Because she’s back” Tiffany said as if that was an answer. 

 

“Do you know what happens when her ex comes back?”

 

Taeyeon told her about all the vile things Kei did just to get Hyejin everytime. Byul’s face became darker in every example. 

 

“I know that Hyejin wants to leave Kei’s clutches, we told her to avoid Kei at all cost but that doesn’t seem to work, Kei always finds Hyejin and she always gets her.”

 

Byul felt like she had a lump in that she couldn’t swallow. 

 

“Hyejin always go back to whatever she’s comfortable with. That’s the reason she kept going back to her. Because somehow she can be reckless with Kei.”

 

“Well you may be wrong this time.” Byul said but weakly. “I won’t let her take Jinie”

 

Wheein smiled. “I hope you’re right but we can’t risk it can we? Because for the first time Hyejin knows what she wants. She wants you.”

 

“Really? She told you?” 

 

“She doesn’t need to.” said Wheein. “But yes she told me”

 

“Hyejin just needs help to completely break away from her.”

 

“So how do we help?” Byul asked.

 

“We have to expose her.” Taeyeon said. “Let her choose between you and Kei.”

 

Byul’s heart sank. An overwhelming fear and dread washed over her. The subject of her anxieties floated to the surface all at once. Make Hyejin choose her over an ex that she always comes back to? She felt helpless all of a sudden. Will she be able to keep Hyejin? She sure as hell won’t let Hyejin go, 

 

…but what if Hyejin lets go on her own? 

 

An incredible pang shot through her heart.

 

“No” she said, shaking her head unconsciously. “No.”  

 

Tiffany looked at her. “You’re amazing you know that. Not because you make Hyejin laugh before 7:30 or because you bring her groceries or cook for her everyday. But because you managed to get her to trust you in a short amount of time, you made her feel comfortable, which then made her comfortable with herself, she looks happy and loved. You do all that just by being sincere. She’s been looking for your kind of sincerity, you can make each other happy. I know she knows that that’s why I know she’ll choose you.”

 

Byul didn’t have time to reply the four of them jumped at the laughter from the other side of the door, Yongsun and Hyejin walked in and they fell silent. 

 

~~~~~~~~~

End of flashback

~~~~~~~~

 

That happened two weeks ago, the anxiety that came after that was incomparable, and it was hard to take in what Tiffany said last. The next day she waited for Kei to arrive, to confront her? make her meet Hyejin? To expose her as her friends suggested? Byul did not know but she waited and waited. 

 

The person who walked in through those doors was Hyejin. It was morning a time where the lion would still be sleeping soundlessly, yet there she was smiling from ear to ear will all the sincerity of an untroubled soul. Day after day Hyejin showed up with not even a peek of Kei in sight. Byul threw away caution and lived blissfully. But in hindsight maybe it was just a calm before the storm. 

 

The anxiety rose up like it never vanished in the first place today for in the evening glow of the setting sun Byul could see Hyejin in the driveway about to walk into the cafe, and as the door swung open she panned her gaze towards the left where the threat to their peace sat, showing a face with anticipation behind a menacing smile.