Lee Yunji’s POV

Is it too early to take a lunch break?

The café was empty again, just like it had been this morning. The rush of a generalized lunch hour was over for the majority of Seoul’s workforce and it didn’t seem like business was going to pick up for another hour or so. People couldn’t afford to take breaks whenever they wanted to. After all there was always far too much work to do and way too little time. Even I felt the pressure, taking half hour lunch breaks most days.

Anxiously, I chewed at the corner of my bottom lip. Tapping my pen lightly against my post it note pad as I watched people outside blur by- teasing me with the possibility of business. The radio made the atmosphere livelier than it would have been if I were to be there in dead silence, but it didn’t really get through to me. None of the songs distracting me, none helping to pass the time. I lazily scrawled random words on a post it note, accompanied by doodles that really didn’t match up. My thoughts wandered from one thing to another and I found myself reminiscing over my mother’s homemade dosirak. I missed the days where she would send me to school with one of those every day.

My parents had moved away to express their disapproval of my choice to not attend SNU in my last year of high school. The news to them was shocking and they both pleaded with me countlessly to just do as they said- to be a sensible daughter. I knew of their concerns and to be perfectly honest, I couldn’t blame them for worrying. But that didn’t mean I was going to give up my dream for a safer option- for the status quo. I was an average Class B student throughout my whole academic career, nothing remotely special. I stressed like all the other kids about my grades and buried myself in textbooks in an attempt to cram as much knowledge into my head as I could. I went to an academy after school just like the rest of my peers and fund myself maximising my time by completing homework tasks during my school lunch breaks. There was barely any time for a social life during the time, and even less for other things like Kpop.

I remember one day, I came crying to my grandfather about it all. I thought it was cruel how life was seemingly set out to be all work and no play from start to finish. Because I was the only grandchild of my grandfather, he coddled me often. We were close and could have been described as secret best friends in a sense. When I was done letting my eyes leak for what seemed to be forever, the old man who loved me placed me in the front seat of his car and without a word began driving. I didn’t ask where we were going and he didn’t say anything. 5 minutes later, we stood outside a teahouse with adults of all ages drinking tea and chattering away as if there was to be no tomorrow. It confused me when I took it all in- all I could think was why are we here? My grandfather led me to the counter and ordered two cups of something called ‘milk tea’ and he requested another thing called ‘special pearls’ to be added to the drinks.

That day, I fell in love with bubble tea.

It became my stress reliever, the one thing I needed whenever I was upset or hurt or in need of a treat. Bubble tea helped me get through high school without drowning in the sea of depressed kids.

My stomach growled and I shushed it, mentally apologizing and telling it to wait just a while longer. I would take my lunch if nobody came within the next 2 minutes.

Of course when anyone says something like that to themselves, someone just needs to show up.

The universe does not want me to eat.

A man came walking through the door with long legs and confident steps. He was tall, abnormally tall. With from what I could tell, perfect pale skin. A pair of dark blue jeans hung from his waist, an excellent fit on him. Accompanied by a black hoodie with a white shoe lace print, a red cap and expensive looking sunglasses. He looked like he didn’t want to be recognised in a way. I stopped staring at him to prepare the system so that I could get his order out of the way as soon as possible. My head down, fingers punching codes into the computer.

An accented, familiar voice floated into my ear, “Hi, can I please get one large chocolate bubble tea and a can of coke?”

I tore my attention away from the screen that was now all set up, to be stunned. The guy who had walked into the room had removed his sunglasses and cap out of what I could only assume was common manners. He had flawless skin like I had presumed and a handsome face that could make a girl trip over her feet. My eyes widened at the sight of him and my tongue conveniently decided to stop working. This made the stranger’s face twist into a vision of sheer panic, his eyes doubling in size and his jaw turning tense.

He lifted one finger to his lips as a sign to keep quiet, “Don’t freak out?” He gently spoke.

Now this…this is where I snapped out of my daze and got furrowed my eyebrows- confused.

“Excuse me?” I raised my eyebrows, not following whatever was going on inside the customer’s head.

“Please don’t scream or anything.” He requested in an unnaturally calm voice. As if trying to keep himself cool and collected as well.

I frowned and tilted my head to the side, “Why? Are you going to rob me now or something?” I questioned, not seeing how that could really happen in broad daylight. Despite what dramas would have liked me to believe.

Apparently it was now the outrageously good looking guy’s turn to be puzzled by the look he was giving me. A mixture of bewilderment and uncertainty plastered on his face like an exfoliation mask.

“What are you talking about?” He asked.

“I could ask you the same question.” I replied, considering whether he may be crazy or something.

“You do know who I am. Right?” He said, watching me carefully and judgingly. As if I was an idiot or a hermit who lived under a rock.

I should have caught on by then, but I hadn’t had my daily dosage of coffee and was quite tired from the previous days already.

I smiled politely, “Am I meant to?” I asked in the most neutral tone I could muster.

It seemed that my answer kind of bothered him, “EXO,” He popped, “Ring any bells?”

Why are you suddenly going on about EXO?

I blankly stared at him, holding my tongue in an attempt to not offend the odd man any further than I might have already unintentionally have done.

He pursed his lips together, “I’m Kris from EXO.”

I blinked, before I started laughing. I didn’t mean to be rude, it just happened. A natural reflex to what he just said.

“Y-y-you’re EXO’s Kris?” I quipped, in between the last spasms of laughter. He nodded once, looking at me as if I was the insane one. “Impossible.” I waved my hands in a motion to show how I didn’t believe it.

“What do you mean? I am Kris from EXO.”

“No, no, no, no, no,” I shook my head, “My second husband is way more handsome than you.” I giggled.

I was the only one that was amused though, because the moment I settled my eyes back on the man I was implying was an imposter, my blood drained from my face. He was making that face.

The Face.

Realization slowly dawned upon me and my mind went fuzzy. I robotically turned around and slid down to the cold, hard floor. My back against the cabinets, my knees touching my chin.

“Omo.”

Kris was a lot taller in real life than he looked on camera. I always knew he was tall but it never really dawned on me how tall he really was until that day.

“Holy crap it’s Kris.” I whispered to myself.

Though I never anticipated meeting him in my own bubble tea café.

Writer's Notes:

First of all, this has not been edited yet because it's quite late over here. So if there is anything wrong with the spelling, grammer, etc. we have not seen it yet. Secondly, I was really surprised to see that 5 people had already subscribed to this when I woke up this morning, it was an awesome way to start the day.
So yeah, things are going to actually start now...I'm excited so I hope you guys are too~~
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