Chapter 1 

 

 

The cold November air burns my lungs as I run franticly. Curse my short legs! Why can’t I go any faster? Block after block I finally meet the familiar “rose coffee” sign. I turn into the small stone pathway leading into the coffee shop.

 I run into the staff room striping off my clothes and changing into my uniform. I look into the mirror to find a sweaty mess. Crap, I can’t look like this at work! I try to straighten up my long black tangled hair, I’m a mess! All the sudden I hear the door knob turning, crap! I turn to see who it is, my boss, she just looks at me I glance at my watch, crap! I’m 27 minutes late, and this isn’t the first time. I’m going to get fired this time I just know it! 

“Look, I’m really sorry for being late again. There is no excuse for what I’ve done, and I can only beg you for forgiveness!”

 I drop to my knees. My face almost touching the floor. 

“Please I beg-“

she interrupts me 

“get up.”

 I follow her orders 

“look at me!” 

I slowly lift my head fighting back tears. Finally our eyes meet; I see disappointment in her eyes. She lets out a sigh. 

“I’m very disappointed in you… how could you think that I would fire you for being late?” 

she says with a frown. What? am I hearing correctly?

 “What?” 

 “JiEun –ah you’ve worked for me for 9 months, you’re a good friend to my daughter, and you’re a good worker. I came in here to ask if you can watch the shop while I run a few errands.”

 I’m shocked at what she says, but I collect myself quickly and reply, “Yes, I will watch the shop well!” she smiles at me 

“good, I’ll be gone for a few hours. I hired a new employee to help you while I’m gone, his name is JongKyu. He should be here in half an hour. But, honey you can’t run the shop looking like that.” She pulls out a hair brush from her purse and starts taming the beast known as my hair, then she pulls out some make up, and starts applying it. I hate make-up! Finally after what seemed like forever. She faces me towards the mirror. I take a look, surprised the beautiful girl standing there... I hate it!!! It doesn’t fell like me. 

“Wow, I love it!” I say. 

She smiles at me, and we walk out into the main area of the shop. “See you soon.”

 She says with a smile. I return her smile 

“have a safe trip!”

 as she walks out of the shop she turns the 'closed' sign over. I thought I was done for!

I clean the tables while I wait for customers. 

 

Finally I hear the bell alarming me that I have company. I run to the door and bow “hello, welcome to Rose Coffee!” when I look up I find a stunningly beautiful woman in her 20’s she has long blond hair she has cute eye makeup and pink lip-gloss. She replies 

“ah, yes thank you.” 

I walk her to her table. 

“Are you here alone?”

 “No, I’m meeting my boyfriend.” “Ah that makes sense a girl like you wouldn’t stay single for long!” I say with a smile 

“that goes for you too.” 

Changing the subject I ask, 

 “what can I get you?”

 “is it all right if I wait till’ my boyfriend gets here to order?” “Ah, yes of course!” 

I smile at her and continue to wash the tables. A few minutes later the bell rings again, I rush to the door to greet the person, to my surprise the person bows before I do and says 

“Hello my name is JongKyu. I will work hard!”

His hair is dyed brown; he has very squinty eyes, and a very defined jaw.

 “How old are you?”

 I ask.

 “I’m 18” 

“ Haha, no need to speak formally I’m the same age as you. There are extra uniforms in the staff room down the hall.”

 “All right.” 

he makes his way to the staff room. Once JongKyu returns wearing the uniform he catches the rag I throw at him. 

“Start by washing both sides of the windows.” 

“Got it.”

 he walks to the closest window, and begins to clean it. The lady’s phone rings, disrupting the silence. 

“Hello this is YeEun, can I help you?” 

she steps outside then starts to scream into her phone, 

“What! It’s canceled? You can’t do this! I'll call my lawyer!”

 I walk outside, all of the sudden she throws her phone on the ground, smashing it into bits. “Ma’am is everything all right?”

 She turns around 

“does it look like I’m all right?” she yells. 

"Um, no, not really…” 

I reply in a small voice. 

“Ah, seriously!” 

she turns around and storms out of my sight. 

I let out a long sigh, and head back inside to find JongKyu stuffing his backpack with money from the cash register.

 “JongKyu! What do you think you’re doing? Don’t make me call the police!” 

“Hey, don’t worry so much.”

 I catch a wad of money he tossed at me. He heads towards the exit, I stop him halfway to the door. Standing face to face, I look him in the eyes our height difference is pathetic I don’t even come up to his shoulder.

 “What? You want more?” 

he asks.

“that can be arranged.”

 He starts digging around in his backpack, before he looks up, 

I swing my fist at his face with all my might. He falls backwards his hand feels his cheek where I punched him 

“so you’re going to play superhero?” 

“Just put the money back!”

 I try to sound intimidating but I don’t think it worked because he just starts laughing 

“make me.”

 He gets up, I swing my fist at his face, but he grabbed my wrist before I made contact. 

He captures my other wrist. Crap, I’m stuck. I try ripping my wrists free, useless. Suddenly I feel his knee bash into my stomach. My legs give out but he holds me in this position. Again and again his knee hits my stomach. He stops for a moment 

“help somebody-“

again my stomach takes another blow this time I cough up blood. I think some blood hit him because he let my wrists go. I curl up in a ball on the ground, barely breathing. I feel rubber on my fingers, I try to move my hand, too late. I hear multiple cracking noises, he broke my hand from stepping on it. I let out a cry of pain. I can’t let him get away with the money! I drag myself to the door, I see a fuzzy mans figure. It must be him. I swing my good hand at his face with all my might, which wasn’t much. Then everything goes black.