Juri fiddled with the pencil in her hands while the professor started the day’s lecture. She was out of it that day – she had too much things in her mind. One, she had a ten-page art appreciation paper due in two days which she, because of work, couldn't find to time to take care of.  Two, she still didn’t have enough money to pay for her tuition fee that semester. And three, that which bothered her most, she had the same dream last night as the days before. It seemed so much of a cliché, but it was the same old dream of some boy, playing with her in a garden under the beautiful summer sky, when suddenly, the sky turned dark and it started to snow, and suddenly she was surrounded by fire—

“Class,” the professor suddenly stressed out, finally catching Juri’s attention. “Please be careful. It’s all over the news that three mansions burnt down last night. Summer is just too hot this year. So please, do yourselves a favor and take care of yourself.”

And then the class was over. Juri didn't even hear anything from the real discussion; just the Art Theory professor’s final words before he sent the class away. He always had those sidetracks at the end of the lesson and actually, they were the only things worth hearing in his class. Everything else for her was either boring or honestly unncessary in real life.

“Unni,” Suzy, a classmate that has been sticking with Juri since a successful project together, suddenly appeared right beside Juri’s desk, her brown eyes glued at her with curiosity. “Are you all right?”

Juri stared back, and then averted her eyes to some girls at the far corner who were glaring at her, obviously those rich girls from the richer part of town. They were whispering to each other like some insecure teenagers jealous over a girl who had the chance to shake hands with their idol. Juri just ignored them and turned back to Suzy.

There was a reason why they hated Juri. The girl standing beside her, Suzy, was actually the resident Queenka of the college. All girls would kill for a chance to be part of her clique, and a chance to breathe the air she breathes. She was beautiful, a head-turner to the very least. She had that natural long brown hair that curled in the end, big brown eyes and long curled lashes. Though she’s still young, she was taller than most of the girls in campus. She was practically a subject of all the girls’ envy. Only that she had a bit of a temper, and a big annoyance on anything that breathes, probably except on Juri.  She somehow grew fond of her for some reason Juri herself did not understand.

It was probably a disappointment to all the social-climbers for their queen to be with a girl like Juri. While everything in Suzy was beautiful, Juri was a nobody. She had boring straight hair, and her lashes were almost inexistent. She was small, thin and fragile, even though she must be older than most of her classmates, being delayed a year for some personal reasons. But she did have beautiful almond eyes that even Suzy would always compliment with the kindest words that could escape . But truth be told, Juri barely cared about her appearance. She just had no time for such things.

Suzy just stood there, waiting until the bell rang. All the other students, including the rich girls, rushed out of the room for the next classes, leaving the two alone in the large lecture hall. Suzy bit her lip and tightened her grip on the painting kit she was holding on her chest. “About tonight… I hope you didn’t forget,” Suzy said, avoiding Juri’s eyes.

“Oh,” Juri said as he stared blankly at her desk. And that was another thing to add to her already full to-do list. “I almost forgot,” she said with a chuckle. “But I have to work tonight… Can you wait?”

A small smile crept on Suzy’s face. “Um, sure…” she answered, trying to conceal her joy. “But I didn’t really want to bother you! I just really need help with that paper,” she said with a pout. Juri just smiled at her. Somehow, even with her pride and all, Juri finds her adorable.

“I guess you should just come to the café after class and just wait for me there,” Juri suggested. Suzy nodded. “T-thank you,” she muttered hesitantly as she looked away.

Before Juri even had the time to react, Suzy already rushed out of the room. “See you there!” she said without even looking back.

Juri smiled. The resident queenka has a cute side after all – but she had no time to think about that. She had a full load of important things to think about. She just banged her head on her desk, trying to push all the stress at the back of her mind. Just please take me away from here—

3:15… Fifteen minutes late, again. Juri almost ran out of breath as she stopped in front of a small café in the Upperside she works at. She had to run all the way from school just to get there in time, every single day. She hurriedly entered the back door, almost stumbling on the way.

“Sorry I’m late!” she bowed as soon as she got to the kitchen, still panting from her long run. The manager, a petite young lady with wavy blonde hair that cut to her chin looked at Juri from head to toe, letting out a thin fruity laugh when she noticed her hair stick to all directions.

 “It’s okay, Juri, didn’t I tell you it’s all right to be a bit late? You can’t fly from the school to here. It’s understandable,” she chuckled as she placed a tray of empty cups on the counter.

“But owner-nim—”

“It’s Jia unni,” she said as she took out an apron from a drawer and handed it to Juri. “Just call me unni. And quit with nim, I’m only two years older than you, and just happened to take over the business at a young age. So just call me unni, okay?”

Juri just smiled and nodded eagerly. At least there was a kind person who understood. In fact, Jia was too kind, and too young-looking even, that it was hard to believe she was the café’s boss.

The café was in its busiest hour when Suzy finally came. She still had her autumn school uniform on, her hair high up in a ponytail. Her bodyguard, Jaeho, a heavily-built man in his usual black suit stood beside him, carrying her white canvas backpack with one hand and her painting kit with the other. He followed Suzy like a tail everywhere for who knows how long, probably except in school, since no bodyguards were allowed inside.

Juri was on the cashier when she saw Suzy. She gave Suzy a small wave, and wearily smiled as she mouthed to her that she can’t approach her just yet. Jia noticed and volunteered to replace her in the cashier, but Juri refused.

“You have paperworks to do, unni. Mir will manage,” Juri slyly smiled at Jia before the two shot a look at Mir who just came out of the kitchen, holding a tray of clean plates. He was a bronzed young man, taut and attractive, his tousled auburn hair tied in a small loose ponytail.

Mir was a full-time waiter in the café, the best one they got, probably.  He seemed to have a lot of fan girls who always flock in the café after school hours. They would just stay there and eat their hearts out, eyes feasting over Mir’s good physique that showed even in his plain white dress shirt and skinny black slacks.

Mir’s eyes widen at Juri’s suggestion. “You’re kidding,” he said in disbelief.

Juri and Jia both didn’t say a thing. They just stared at him innocently, and Mir had no choice but to whine. “But noona! You know we have issues!”

Jia chuckled, letting out that same fruity laugh. “All of us have, well, probably except for Juri,” she said as she wiggled her eyebrows. It was safe to say that among everyone there, only Juri got in her good side. “But you see, Juri is at the cashier.”

Mir pouted a bit before he sighed and dropped his tray on the counter. “Please bury me well,” He said in defeat, making Jia and Juri burst out in laughter.

Suzy raised a brow as soon as he saw Mir come near. He almost ran back to the kitchen in fear, but Jia was waiting for him with a glare.

Mir played with his fingers as he waited for Suzy to order, never laying an eye on the girl. He continued to stare at his toes, trying to calm himself until Suzy shouted.

“Ya, waiter-ssi!” Suzy said at the top of her voice. “Are you even listening?!”

Mir looked up, confused as ever. All the other customers were already shooting glances at the two of them. Suzy just sighed and rolled her eyes. “I’ll have a glass of water.”

“Ne?”

“I said a glass of water,” Suzy repeated in annoyance. She slightly looked at Jaeho in the next table and sternly asked if he wanted anything. When he shook his head, Suzy sighed and finally handed the menu to Mir. “Give him a cup of Americano.”

“Ah, ne,” Mir said blankly as he walked back to the kitchen like a soulless robot.

“Still alive?” Jia asked jokingly as Mir came back. “Barely,” he just answered as he uncomprehendingly punched her orders.

“Well she’s much mellowed down today,” Jia said with a grin. “You’re lucky she’s in a good mood.”

“Ha-ha,” Mir sarcastically answered and left for the next customers. He was obviously evading the area where Suzy was, trying too hard even that he almost tripped.

“He’s charming, isn’t he?” Jia pointed out with a chuckle, to which Juri just answered with a snort and a short nod.

*A/N. The Jia mentioned here is actually Woolim's Jia, not Miss A's.