The air is crisp around the city as the autumn chill wraps around her. Yongsun held her coat closer as if it wasn’t already wrapped around her enough. She walks the asphalted walkway through the palace grounds. She looks to her right where the palace stands and gives a quick nod acknowledging its grand presence. Her little secret habit. This is her usual route from her apartment to her work. 

It surprised her at first that people can just walk around that closely to the palace perimeter like it’s a park. Yongsun soon learned that it kind of is. As long as you don’t attempt to enter the guarded palace you can practically roam around its grounds.

It’s pretty much how things work in this big kingdom with only over five million people. They are so lax with everything. That’s why she loves it here. She loves it here so much that she refuses to leave even if there’re bigger opportunities in other countries. 

The blonde girl walks another  kilometer and a half before she arrives at work. Walking is basically just a warm-up to her by now. The coffee shop where she works is on the ground level of the main train station in the city. It’s always bustling with people getting coffee or snacks before boarding the trains. But what fascinates Yongsun more is when people just sit down with their drink and talk like tomorrow cannot wait. She loves that so much. She’s been lowkey longing for that kind of connection again. Or maybe more, if not for her priorities now. She got cut from her reverie when her coworker taps her shoulder. 

“God morgen, Sol!” he greets, way too energetic. Everyone she knows here calls her ‘Sol’ or as a joke ‘Unge Sol’ which literally translates to ‘young sun’ in english. Obviously a play on words of her Korean name. Also because she looks way younger than her age, they say. Must be because of her mochi cheeks. The memories of when she first introduced herself to anyone amuses her still.

“God morgen, Sven!” She greets her coworker good morning enthusiastically too. “Ready to start the day?”

“You bet I don’t!” Sven lets off a hearty laugh at his own remark. This is why Yongsun enjoys working here even though there’s so much to do most times. Her coworkers surely make her days in this cold northern country warm enough. Also, with the help of free tea and lunch. 

Yongsun is transferring bags of coffee beans to the machine as she usually does. Good thing the ones who closed the store last night cleaned all the equipment well before they left. Sometimes it’s frustrating to be an opener and see mess. It was especially hard when she was only starting at this job, because she thought it was normal. She thought most of the work is for the openers but at least now she knows better. She’s been a closer too a lot of times and she’s made it a point to do her end of the workload. Whether she set an example or the managers found out about the half-assed work some employees put on this job, at least in the end it worked out fine for her. And also for this cafe. 

It’s good to go to a job where you can work and know that the work you put in and the money you earn is satisfactory and can even give you more. One of the many reasons she loves this country. Yes, the tax is high but it’s the same for everyone. At least here she feels taken care off even if she works her off too much. 

As Yongsun collects all the empty bags of coffee beans, she’s reminded of her upcoming rent. She really has to start looking for a cheaper option. It would’ve been easier if she was fast enough to apply for her university’s dorm. But of course she was too confident that her flatmate won’t suddenly decide to get married and move out while one got so homesick, he just left without even telling anyone. Yongsun just received an email after five days about it and wished her luck.

It was so frustrating. How is one person–a student and part-timer–going to pay rent for a 3-bedroom apartment in the middle of the city? It’s ridiculous, but as much as she can she doesn't want to give the apartment up. One option is to find new flatmates, but rent is almost due and she still hasn’t found people who’re willing or desperate enough to share a flat with her. She posted about this on the app that lets you sell, buy, rent and basically post related stuff like that. But so far, the responses she’s gotten are either suspicious or asking for a cheaper share in rent. 

Yongsun is imagining herself living on the streets with the  other homeless people and her mood just shifted. She’s scared of this looming uncertainty for her future. She’s supposed to get it together, even if she doesn’t have a lot, at least she’s where she truly wanted to be.

Yongsun is nudged from spacing out by Sven. 

“You okay, Sol? Shall I brew you a cup to wake you up?” Sven laughs at his own stupid joke, He very well know Yongsun doesn’t drink coffee. 

“Ha-ha-ha, that joke is too old by now, Sven. Please go to the storeroom and think of another one.” Both employees laugh at this remark. Everything is about ready but usually people don’t line up until the rush hour. The early birds just go and get convenience store coffee, just located across the coffee shop where Yongsun works.

The blonde girl uses this few minutes of downtime to ask Sven about her apartment predicament. This is his country after all, he’s always been able to answer her questions with regards to tax, rental fees, heck, even weird laws. One time he told her, totally out of the blue, which stuff NOT to do on a camping trip out in the northern part of the country. That was funny to her back then, but now maybe camping would be her only solution to a home. 

“So, you still haven’t found new roomies?” Sven asks.

“No. I mean, there were a number of inquiries but, ‘I can provide mind-blowing for lower rent’ or ‘Feel free to feel me while I wash the dishes’ is totally not on my standard. Jes-s ing christ, what’s wrong with these people?” Yongsun flares, almost ruining her mood. Sven just laughs loudly.

“Oh man, stupid people are booming in population lately. But for a woman currently living alone, you have to be extra careful. I hope you reported those people on the app?” 

“I did. I even sent in a long complaint email about it.”

“Damn, Sol. Life ain’t giving you downtime on problems these days. But really, no decent ones in the flock of idiots who inquired? Not one potential gal pal, huh?” Sven raises his eyebrows teasingly. This lifts Yongsun’s mood.

“Shut up, Sven, I’m not thinking about that right now. I just need decent people to occupy the two empty bedrooms right now.” Yongsun shakes her head. Sven really doesn’t run out of quips to throw at her. He’s easily her favorite coworker for sure.

“I’m still waiting for mom to decide if she’ll rent out the basement room back home to you with the price you can afford. She’s a bit stingy so I’m not really counting on it, I’m sorry, Sol.” Sven looks at Yongsun with his infamous puppy dog eyes and the woman can’t help but laugh out loud. She smacks Sven’s arm as an automatic response to his jokes. The man laughs with Yongsun even if both his ears and arm hurt--from Yongsun’s dolphin laugh and from hitting his arm.

The fun few minutes between the two coworkers is interrupted when someone coughed. The two stop and look at the source of the interruption. Suddenly both are aware of the real beginning of their shift. They both quickly put on their customer service smiles and face the woman in front of them.

Yongsun steals a glance at the time, two minutes before opening. They hadn't even taken the chains hanging between the two tables out front that signifies they’re still closed. The woman probably really needs her brewed devil’s juice right now. That’s fine, Yongsun thought, she’s a customer after all, and a very cute one at that.  

The blonde barista asks Sven to take the chain so people would know they’re really open now. Yongsun glances at the woman—short ha