Junghee and Gwiboon had spent all day at the mall, shopping for the perfect date outfit for Gwiboon — she’d finally landed a date with the new boy at school, Taemin, and she was giddy with excitement.  Junghee wasn’t usually one for shopping but she was happy to tag along and support her friend.

“Let’s stop and get some coffee,” Gwiboon suggested after she finally found an outfit she was satisfied with. “My treat.”

“Okay,” Junghee agreed, she was always happy to accept free coffee and caffeine sounded wonderful - the crowds and the perfume and the overbearing salesman at the mall always gave her a headache.

They went into the first coffee shop they came across, a cute little mom and pop place decorated in soft pastels that felt like something out of a dream.  It was small and quaint and perfect.  The place was packed though, the tables all full and there was a line of people waiting at the front.  Gwiboon didn’t seem to notice, just pushing Junghee into line and chatting away about her upcoming date.  Junghee was trying to pay attention, she really was, but she’d kind of already heard all this like 14 times today and she found herself more than a little distracted by the barista behind the counter. 

God, he was cute. 

He had sandy brown hair that skated along his jawline, swooping across his forehead in what could only be described as effortless but probably took an hour and at least three different products to manage.  His eyes were small, looking all but invisible when he smiled.  And his smile… it looked so genuine and sweet and he had what could only be described as ‘kissable’ lips.  As soon as the thought entered her head, she couldn’t seem to shake it.  They were just so… plush.  With every step forward she took in line, coming closer and closer to him, he just looked more and more handsome.  Why didn’t any of the boys at their school look like that?  He didn’t look that much older than them, but somehow he still looked miles out of Junghee’s league.   

Her head was still off in space, dreaming up scenarios about his gorgeous face when she found herself at the front of the line, his smile directed at her— he was just so pretty and so distracting.

“What can I get for you today?”

“A kiss would be nice,” She breathed, the words out of before she realized she’d said that out loud. 

An awkward silence fell, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion like he couldn’t figure out if she was trying to be funny or not.

“Oh my god, Junghee!” Gwiboon shrieked, smacking her in the arm and jolting her out of her daze.

“… sorry,” She said quickly, her cheeks flaring with embarrassment. 

“That’s umm… not on the menu,” His lips quirked into a smile, holding back a chuckle as he said it.  “Can I get you something else?”

She could feel her face flush, bright red and obvious.  In all her 16 years of life, she couldn’t think of an event more mortifying than this.  How could she just… say that?  Why couldn’t she just keep her damn mouth shut?  Why was she such an airhead at the worst possible times? 

“Just an iced coffee, please,” she muttered, avoiding his eyes and wishing for a meteor to fall out of the sky and end her pain. 

Gwiboon ordered her drink as well, still chuckling at Junghee’s slight as she passed over her card to pay.  Junghee could feel everyone’s eyes on her, the knowing smirks and outright laughs... even as the other barista passed their cups across the counter, she could feel his humor at her stupidity. 

“Calm down,” Gwiboon laughed, nudging her with her shoulder as they grabbed their drinks from the bar.  “It was cute.”

“It was embarrassing,” She hissed, making a beeline for the front door, Gwiboon trailing along behind her.  The fresh air was a burst of relief from her pain as she left the cute barista and the room full of witnesses to her mortification behind.

“You stress too much,” Gwiboon told her.  “Didn’t you see how flustered he was?  He was definitely checking you out.”

“Stop it,” Junghee whined.  “I’ve embarrassed myself enough for a lifetime.  I’m going to crawl into a hole and hibernate until my next life.  Hopefully by then I’ll have learned to not make an out of myself in public.”

Gwiboon just chuckled, changing the subject and keeping Junghee distracted and talking until the red hot embarrassment she felt like she was drowning in started to dissipate. 

~~~ 

“It’s my birthday and I have already decided where you are taking me,” Gwiboon announced after class.

“Oh really?” Junghee laughed.  “Care to enlighten me?”

“Nope, it’s a surprise.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Junghee replied.  “It’s your birthday.  I should be surprising you, not the other way around.”

“It’s my birthday so I make the rules,” Gwiboon shrugged.  “Now come on.”

Junghee rolled her eyes, falling in step beside Gwiboon as she took off down the sidewalk.  However, dread dripped into her stomach and seeped through her veins as they started winding down a familiar road.  “Gwi…” she said, her tone guarded. 

“It’s my birthday,” Gwiboon replied with an air of finality.

“Gwi! No!” Junghee cried, planting her feet and refusing to walk another step.  “Why?  Why would be try to drag me back into the cafe after I made such a fool of myself?”

“Because,” Gwiboon huffed.  “He’s cute.  You’re cute.  You’d be cute together.  I assure you, last week was not the catastrophe you have worked it up to be in your head.” Gwiboon crossed her arms across her chest, looking just as stubborn as Junghee felt. 

“But… it was so embarrassing,” Junghee whined. 

“It was adorable,” Gwiboon informed her.  “And he thought so too.  What’s the worst that could happen?  He says no?  So what?”

“So I’ll be even more mortified than I am right now,” Junghee said.  Of course he would say no!  What was the point of embarrassing herself further?

“ it up, buttercup.  You are taking me to that cafe for my birthday and that is final,” Gwiboon stated.  If Junghee hadn’t known Gwiboon her whole life and considered her a best friend, she would have walking away at that moment.  But unfortunately, Gwiboon knew her well enough that she knew Junghee would cave.  And she did, begrudgedly and with very loud opposition, but she caved nonetheless.

Junghee felt like she was running the gauntlet, her self preservation skills screaming at her to just turn around already but Gwiboon had her by the arm, half leading and half dragging her towards the front door.  The cafe was not as full that day, a few scattered tables but no line at the counter.  There was only one barista behind the counter that day, her barista.  The universe really hated her, didn’t it?

Gwiboon stomped up to the counter, Junghee dragging her feet the whole way.

“Hi, How may I help you?” He greeted her, his smiling looking less customer service and more amused when Junghee glanced up at him. 

“I’d like two iced coffees to go,” Gwiboon told him.  “And she’d like to formally make your acquaintance.  This is Junghee.”

Junghee was sure she was in hell.  There was no other explanation.  She’d offended a god and now she was suffering for all eternity. 

“Hi?  I’m Jinki,” He said, looking adorable with his confused little frown.  Her heart seemed to skip a beat… damn him and his cute little face. 

“Fantastic,” Gwiboon said. 

Jinki went to go make their drinks and Junghee began reconsidering her and Gwiboon’s friendship.  Who really needed a best friend, anyway?  The concept was hugely overrated. 

“Oh, fine.  Go wait outside,” Gwiboon sighed.  “I’ll get our drinks.”

Junghee didn’t argue, tears prickling at her eyes as she stormed outside and huffing at the unfairness of it all.  Why did Gwiboon have to pour salt on her wound?  This whole situation was embarrassing and she really just wanted everyone to forget about it and let her file it away in her brain to brood over when she couldn’t sleep for the next 40 years.  What was so wrong with that?  But no… Gwiboon just had to go and make things even worse, bringing her awkwardness to the forefront of everyone’s minds once again. 

When Gwiboon finally came back outside, two drinks in hand, she looked entirely too pleased with herself given the situation. 

“I hate you,” Junghee whined, giving Gwiboon the best glare she could muster which was a pretty good one if she did say so herself. 

“I predict you will take back those words in the very near future,” Gwiboon smiled.

“What did you do?” Junghee asked, horrified.

Gwiboon just smiled, passing Junghee a cup.

Junghee really needed to find better friends.  Ones who didn’t torture her for fun. 

Later that night, her phone buzzed with a text message.

Unknown: my shift is over so we can discuss some off-menu activities now if you’re still interested ;)

Ohhhh she was going to kill Gwiboon.  Or maybe buy her a coffee as a thank you. 

Can i just say that i've never read anything more relatable than 'damn him and his cute little face' and i'm proud of past me for writing that lol