She blinked several times and hauled herself out of bed. A little disoriented, she stopped in the middle of the room and tried to find her bearings. 

“Oh, I’m back in Seoul,” she thought aloud and went to take her morning shower. 

She went Bohemian today and wore her Manoush day dress keeping her colors close to autumn but not too close to make her blend in the background. She let her hair down, simply brushed it and let it cascade gently down her back. She faced herself in the mirror and as she had been doing the last couple of years said to herself, “This will be a good day.”

She planned to spend her day out of her apartment and head out to the coffee shop, which a good friend of hers maintains, located a block away from her apartment complex. The coffee shop, simply called “The Beanery”, is actually a two storey building that was later designed to look like a house. The lower floor was laid out to look like a living room to give customers a homey feel of the place, as if you are entering a friend’s house instead of another coffee shop. There are couches, tables, chairs comfortably scattered around. Meanwhile the second floor was turned into a gallery of some sort where a young uprising artist can do his exhibit. 

She checked the contents of her bag and made sure her arsenal for the day is complete: her iPad, iPod, sketch notebook, a couple of pencils, a pen and another book she was thinking of finishing today. 

“All’s here, time to enjoy autumn in Seoul again,” she said as she collected her wrap and stepped out of her apartment door. She paused by her door embracing her first day out in Seoul and breathed in the crisp autumn morning air.

She arrived at The Beanery and was welcomed with the strong aroma of brewed coffee and a sweet whiff of milk, cinnamon, vanilla and chocolate. The yummy scent of pancake batter, bacon and honey wafting from the kitchen made her stomach grumble. 

She went straight to the counter and greeted the young man who was busily primping himself.

“Seungri, finally got to catch you here. Is my breakfast ready?” 

“Yah! How are you? You finally got out of your cave, huh? I tried calling you yesterday but you were not picking up,” he pouted coming out of the counter to hug his morning visitor. 

Chae rin laughed at his childish pout and put her arms on his shoulders, “Awww, blame it on jetlag. Can I stay in your beautiful and sweet smelling coffee shop for the whole day today? I just want to chill it here for awhile.”

Ever the businessman, Seungri asked, “Are you going to order food and coffee the entire day?”

“I thought you said it’s on the house?” Chae rin as she led him to one of the corner tables she saw when she came in. It was the perfect place for her since the table was right beside a window facing the busy street.

After much complaining and cajoling, Seungri left Chae rin at her spot and went to manage the café. 

“I was kidding. You can have this place for however long you want; food and beverages on the house. Not even I can resist your charms,” Seungri said as a parting shot. Of course Chae rin was really going to buy food and whatever beverage is on the house while she’s staying in the shop. She never intends to burden anyone. 

She delved into her bag and took out her iPod, put on the headphones and began her day simply watching people pass by. Four hours later, she was going over the sketches she had made of the activities she observed, things that popped out of the daily mundane things as she looked out from the window where she sat. There are a few interesting drafts she made and hope to transfer to the canvas waiting for her at her apartment. Seungri brought her fourth cup for the day. Ever the hidden gentleman, instead of bringing her a cup of coffee he brought her a hot chocolate with vanilla along with a plate of cookies. 

“You’ve had too much coffee already I am worried how you’ll get to sleep tonight,” Seungri said putting before her the hot chocolate and cookies. 

“Don’t worry, I hardly drink the coffee. I only sip a little and let time pass. I just want to make sure I’m ordering something from your shop, my way of paying rent,” she smiled. 

Seungri responded with a smile too but had to quickly avert his eyes to keep himself from staring at her. She is all aglow today and with the early afternoon sun streaming through the window where she sat hitting her honey blonde hair, she looked like a forest fairy out to lure the naïve young men of the village.

“Hey, why do you turn away like that? You don’t like looking at me?” 

“Looking at you is a wonderful way to pass the time, but it’s too much of a distraction. Besides, you never give me a chance so what’s the use?” Seungri mumbled taking the other cups from her table. 

“Such a ‘gentlemean’,” she said at his retreating back. She hid her embarrassment from his compliment by giving off that earthy laugh of hers that musically reverberated through the coffee shop. 

A few hours later, she stood up and gathered her sketch pad. She has done enough drafts for the day and she now plans to enjoy her late autumn afternoon walking around the city. There could still be some kind of an inspiration out there waiting for her. 

“Leaving now?” Seungri called out to her when he saw her fix her stuff and arrange her coat. 

“Uh huh,” she replied walking to the counter. “But I will be back tonight because I want a refill of that chocolate drink you served me.”

“That was a mix I made especially for you. I’ll see you tonight then,” Seungri winked at her and gave her his cutest smile.

“You know the winking and cute smile never worked on me, right?” she said and laughed again when she saw him playfully smirk at her. She waved goodbye and went out of the café.