The first time he saw her, Yunho was transfixed. She bumped into him as she hurried along the street. She bowed and apologized more times than was necessary. Yunho found it cute. He helped her pick up her things that had fallen on the ground. It was then he found out what her name was. Ahn Sun Hee. It was written in bold letters on her ID. He hid a smile as he gave it to her and she bowed down again before leacing. Yunho watched her until she disappeared into the crowd.

 

 

 

The second time he saw her, she was even more beautiful. He had wandered randomly into a coffee shop, craving for something strong and sweet. He got exactly what he wanted: a strong cup of espresso and the sweetest smile from the barista. Yunho remembered her ID, of course, he thought, this was the exact coffee shop indicated there. He mentally slapped himself for the lapse of memory.

 

 

 

The third time he saw her was no accident. He wandered into the coffee shop again with the sole purpose  of seeing her, of talking to her, despite the fact that their only words to each other are of coffee names and sweet cakes. Her smile and their brief exchange of coffee pleasantries were enough for his heart. For now.

 

 

 

The fourth time he saw her, she recognized him; not as the guy she bumped into a few days ago but as a customer starting to become a regular. She had even asked him if his order was “the one before?” and Yunho smiled brightly. She remembered.

 

 

 

The fifth time he saw her was outside the coffee shop. She was with a girl he recognized as his cousin Changmin’s secretary. Realizing their 6degree connection, Yunho thought that it might be, maybe, perhaps, definitely fate at play here.

 

 

 

The sixth time he saw her, he was at the café again. He ordered his usual from her and, to be fair, finally gave his name.

 

“Yunho, just call me Yunho.”

 

“Yunho-shii.”

 

His name sounded perfect on her lips. It was then that Yunho realized, no, simple meetings like these aren’t enough.

 

 

The seventh time he saw her, he was determined to take a step further. He stayed longer than usual in the coffee shop, bringing with him his laptop and blackberry and doing business there like he would in his office. He stayed for four hours, surreptitiously glancing at Sun Hee from time to time and thinking she keeps on getting more beautiful every second. Then she finally removed the apron and went out with her bag. Yunho watched her from the corner of his eye and, feigning exhaustion, closed his laptop and arranged his things. He went out of the coffee shop a minute later. He saw her standing on the pavement right outside the coffee shop, checking her watch then pulling out her phone from her pocket. He smiled and was about to approach her when a guy walked up to her and flung his arms around her. Yunho froze in his spot as she returned the hug. He watched as the man, in simple shirt and jeans, clean cut hair that showed too much of his forehead, kiss her on the cheek and laced his fingers with hers. They walked hand in hand through the streets of Seoul.

 

 

 

Jung Yunho had never been heartbroken before. But he could say now that the hurt he feels must be close to it.