Coffee and Cigarettes and Everything in Between

Winter

It's been over an hour ever since I've applied the last on the canvass in front of me. The last one, the last painting to complete the pieces for my exhibition.

Eighteen months of waiting and painting. Numerous days of blankness. Countless hours of staying up all night. Tedious seconds spent perfecting each .

It all boils down to this. The final piece of the collection.

The buzzing of my phone distracted me from the spell that my painting had me under. Dusting off my hands from my jeans, I carefully slid the screen to the green button.

"Come home." Was the two words that my bestfriend immediately uttered.

"What? You miss me already?" I answered back trying to .

"Just come home." She said in a serious tone.

"Why? Did something happen to you?"

"I'm fine. Just come home once you're done over there."

"Can't you just tell me over the phone? Gi, I'm already thinking of about a thousand things that could have went wrong over there while I'm hauled up here in my studio for the last four days."

"You ! Everything is fine, great in fact. Just come home as soon as you can."

"Are you sure?"

"A thousand percent! Winter Kim I swear you and your overthinking ! Ah! Just get your little over here will you?!" Frustration was evident in her voice. I can already imagine her rolling her eyes at me on the other line.

"Okay, okay! No need to yell at me!"

"Now why are you yelling!?"

"You started it!"

"Not my fault you followed along!"

"Uchinaga! You dumb—"

"Well you're dumber! See you in a bit! And hurry up will you?! Bye!" The line cuts off. Yeah my bestfriend is the best.

After putting away my paintings in a safe place and tidying up the studio, I locked the doors and head for my car. Looking at myself in the mirror, I checked for any residue paints that might have grazed my face. I didn't have the time to take a shower since there was urgency in Giselle's voice that only comes out in very important matters. My gaze landed on the clock as I was fixing my hair. 2:34, the red lights read. I still can pass by the café since Karina's shifts on Thursdays end at five. Looking at myself through the mirror one last time, I finally put the key in the ignition and start heading back to the city.

How can someone look so beautiful while wiping a table? How can someone look so gracious while balancing a tray on the palm of her hands? Looking at her from outside the cafe through the wall glass made me realize just how clueless she is of her beauty. As far as I can tell everyone inside the café can't help but steal glances of her girls and guys alike. Amusingly I didn't feel any jealousy despite of the pair of eyes that followed her as she does her work. They can all look all they want but at the end of the day I'm still the one that gets to hold and kiss her.

"Move it. Stop blocking the way." A loud voice invaded my ears as a man bumped my shoulders making me stumble a little from where I was standing. I followed the voice and mumbled a "sorry" as the man walked passed me.

Gathering all my senses, I finally moved my feet and entered inside the café. The chiming of the bells hanging by the door announced my presence. My eyes immediately finds hers as she looked up from the task that she was currently working on. I was greeted by her heartwarming smile.

"Your regular?" Ningning asked as she attends to me since Karina was still occupied by another customer.

"Yeah but I'll have it to-go this time." I answered as I pull out my card from my wallet.

Ningning saunters away as she whips out my order.

"Hey." Karina greets me as she leaned over the counter and kissed my right cheek. I looked around to see if any of her customers saw her yet another bold move. And yeah some of them did which caused me to blush harder.

"Hi." I managed to squeak out.

"Ningning is preparing a to-go aren't you gonna be sitting in?" She asked me like she wasn't bothered by her actions considering that her workplace has a strict rule to not engage in any physical acts with their customers. Yes she is clearly the favorite barista in the building.

"Gi kin