C h a p t e r S e v e n
VII

“What did you do this time?” the owner cried despairingly, looking over the counter after disposing the last of the shattered glass shards into the bin.

But Seung Yeon did not answer. Her eyes were wide open from shock, was also open, as if she was about to scream.

“It’s okay, she just knocked over a chair,” a soft voice reassured the owner. Seung Yeon edged away as he walked closer and watched attentively as he restored the chair to its original. “This little waitress here will take my order,” he pointed to Seung Yeon, who flinched and avoided his gaze, slowly edging closer to the wall. The owner nodded in response with a forced smile, and soon returned to his work.

Young Saeng scanned her from head to toe; it was a habit from his occupation to observe details.

“Your finger is bleeding,” Seung Yeon looked at her finger; she had temporally forgotten about her finger since he had entered the shop. She was about to put her finger in , to stop the bleeding, but Young Saeng grabbed her wrist gently and stopped her from doing so.

“Don’t your blood, you’re not a vampire,” she shook her wrist free from his grip. He smiled, apparently amused. Seung Yeon watched in silent as Young Saeng reached up for the first aid box with no difficulties at all, he did not need to jump up, or stand on tip toes, all he needed to do was stretch his arm up

“I was watching you trying to take this down – I guess glass windows and doors are not only effective for design, but also affective for stalking,” he took out a plaster from the box and handed it to Seung Yeon.

She eyed the plaster suspiciously.

“Are you going to put it on before you bleed to death or do you want me to help you?” upon hearing the last part of the sentence, she grabbed the plaster from his hand, careful not to initiate contact.

He closed the box silently, and reached up to restore it back to where it came from.

“I’ll do it,” Seung Yeon said, suddenly remembering she had a job to do, and that now, he was the customer.

“Can you reach?” he teased mischievously. He flashed her a smile that sent chills down Seung Yeon’s back before proceeding to his usual seat. She glanced over at the owner hopefully, but he was too busy cleaning out the cupboards full of old stocks of coffee beans. She sighed despairingly, and reluctantly obtained a copy of the menu from the counter before going to serve the only customer in the shop.

“The usual,” he ordered, staring at Seung Yeon from his seat, seemingly entertained by the great distance that she kept – she was standing two tables away.

“The usual?” enquired Seung Yeon. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He suddenly remembered how she was absent for the past few days, which meant she wouldn’t know what his usual order was.

“Plain coffee,” he clarified.

“Anything else?” she asked whilst she took her notepad out from her apron and began scribbling down his orders. There was no need for her to write anything down, it was simple enough to remember an order from the one and only customer in the shop, but she did so just to avoid his gaze which had not left her for one second since he had entered the shop.

“As of now, no,” he answered, his eyes still transfixed on Seung Yeon. She had silently hoped that he wouldn’t order anything else, just so she could get away from his range of vision.

Soon she found out that it did not matter how long it took him to decide his orders, because the shop was so petite in size that you could see the whole interior regardless of where you sat. The nervous Seung Yeon fidgeted nonstop whilst she waited for the coffee to finish brewing. She tried to ask her employer to take the coffee over to him, but he refused.

“He said he wanted you to serve him. Now go and stop wasting time, you’ve already broken at least five of my brand new glass cups this morning, if anything else happens today I would deduct more money from your wage,” he said firmly. His expression was still dark, and appeared to be still very annoyed at Seung Yeon for breaking his new cups.

Much to her dislike and resentment, she had no other choice but to deliver the cup of coffee. She placed it on the table silently, careful not to make any clattering noises, and then she turned abruptly, as if in a rush.

“Don’t you want to know why I’m here in the early hours of the day?” he asked, just as Seung Yeon turned her back against him.

“I have no interest in your life,” she said simply, trying to sound as calm as possible.

“What if I said I came here for you?” he said jokingly. Young Saeng was anticipating the reaction and the priceless expressions she always had whenever he appeared. As expected, she turned around to face him. Her furrowed brows and pursed lips managed to generate another smile from his usual cold and expressionless face. Seung Yeon eyed the fresh cup of coffee, and without a second thought, took hold of the cup; she badly wanted to throw the cup containing the hot beverage at him.

“What are you going to do?” he enquired, with a playful grin on his face. “Throw the cup at me?” he glanced at the cup held firmly in Seung Yeon’s hand.

She felt a prickling pain from the heat of the cup; it burned her small hand, she did not know how long she could withstand the pain for.

“You could always try,” he looked over to the owner, “but I don’t think he would be very happy about it.” Young Saeng sat back in his chair, and rested his arms on the leather coated armchair.

Seung Yeon firmed her grip on the cup; the pain was now unbearable; it was almost at the point where she could no longer feel anything in her hand. It was clear that she resented him, but she could not do anything about it, she did not dare to, for the fear of her job and her life. Frankly, Young Saeng did not have any special feelings towards Seung Yeon, but he enjoyed teasing her, and watching her helpless self not daring to do anything back.

She gritted her teeth slammed the cup back on the table forcefully, t