Word count 1213

It was another dreary day for Chanyeol at the café. The time ticked by at a listless pace as only a few costumers came in and out. The business was slow and the weather was bleak. He sighed as he wiped the clean table down for the 10^th time in that hour. His head shot up at the sound of the welcome bell tinkering signalling a new costumer. It was a woman in her early twenties, her hair black and straight, she was warmly wrapped up in a coffee coloured scarf. He watched as she closed her umbrella and placed it in the umbrella rack. He noticed she was wearing a tan leather jacket, a mundane pair of jeans and knee high black leather boots.

The woman took a seat by the window as she glanced out at the road, watching the peak hour traffic, listening to the blaring of car horns. Chanyeol straightened up his uniform and grabbed his notebook and a pen. Naturally the corner of his lips stretched out to reach his cheeks as he showed off his pearly whites.

He stopped in front of her table before clearing his throat. “Welcome, how may I be of service for you today?”

Jessica looked up at him and eyed him up and down before a soft red graced her cheeks, “Can I please just get a hot chocolate?”

“Sure coming right up,” He beamed at her.

She found his smile goofy but it in an endearing manner. “Dreary weather,” Chanyeol called over the counter.

“Ha, yeah…slow day?” She called back as he nodded deep in thought. The pair fell into an awkward silence.

Chanyeol came over with her ready hot chocolate and placed it her table. She said quick thanks before taking a sip on her hot chocolate to hide her embarrassment. Only to realise it was still very hot as she quickly placed the cup down and stuck her tongue out. Great, she burnt her tongue in front of the cute guy, she thought.

Chanyeol observed her over the counter as she took experimental sips on her hot chocolate, testing the temperature. Nope, still hot, Jessica thought. Chanyeol stifled a laugh at the sight of Jessica frowning down at her hot chocolate.

When Jessica finished her hot chocolate it was around 11pm and it was time for Chanyeol to shut the store. Jessica left first on her normal route home though it was frightening for her to be walking alone so late at night.

Chanyeol whistled a tune as he locked the door and pulled down the shutters.

Jessica noticed how late it was getting settled for a faster pace. It hit her like a train, all of a sudden she was on the floor and a shadowy figure was on top of her. She groaned as she tried to get up but met eyes with her attacker, she let out a scream. How she wished and wished she had her frying pan with her. He smirked as he made a move for her blouse. She struggled to get him off but that only excited him, extracting a sinister laugh.

Chanyeol heard a scream, it sounded like a girl, and he took off into a sprint following the sound. He rounded the corner and saw a man onto a woman trying to get her blouse off. Chanyeol warily approached the guy and he noticed it was the girl for the coffee shop. Her cheeks tear stained and her eyes begging for help. He was filled with some sort of anger, that someone could be as low and disgusting to do this to someone so vulnerable. He clenched his fists as he whispered, “thumbs out, thumbs out,” furiously under his breath.

He tapped the guy on the shoulder and when the attacker turned Chanyeol’s fist made contact with the attackers face. The attacker startled by the sudden appearance and bolted. Chanyeol’s face scrunched up with pain as he shook his hand out. His thumb accidentally found its way back into the fist.

Jessica slowly got up before bolting down the street. Chanyeol didn’t even get the chance to ask if she was alright.

After that night Chanyeol hadn’t seen her again. He worked day after day in the same coffee shop, waiting for her. Every time the bell tinkered he was half expectant to see the pale baby faced woman but she never showed.

One day after months, one day, she finally came back. When he heard the tinker and saw her there he automatically broke out into the biggest smile. She tugged at her scarf uncomfortably and went to sit down. If she was being honest she missed his dumb smile. He rushed to take her order and when he handed her the cup, he stood there expectantly.

Jessica looked up at Chanyeol standing there staring at her. She squirmed uncomfortably in her seat and when he still wouldn’t go away she raised a questioning eyebrow. He gave her a worried look and she just sighed. They stayed quiet for a bit before Chanyeol had to go attend another costumer. Chanyeol wanted to know if she was okay, he wanted to protect and make sure she doesn’t get in harm’s way. He became very attached to her like a very loyal puppy.

It was afternoon and Jessica was ready to take her leave so Chanyeol asked her to hold on a minute. He told his employees to mind the shop whilst he was gone.

“Are you ready to go?”

“Um…what.” Jessica shot him the most confused face.

“I’ll walk you home.”

“You really don’t have to.”

“I know but I want to.”

Jessica eventually caved into his begging and let him take her home. The walk to her house was mostly silent and he stood a metre away from her, not wanting to make her uncomfortable in case she suffered from some sort of trauma.

Just like that day by day Jessica would visit the coffee shop and he would take his duty as her guard dog and walk her home every single day and on occasions he would buy her flowers. As time went by the distance between the two became smaller and smaller.

One rainy night, much like the first, Chanyeol was closing up and he noticed Jessica standing there under her big black umbrella. He gestured her to come in but she shook her head. He wondered what was going on so he rushed outside. She was trembling and he growled at the thought of what might’ve happened to her but he was pleasantly surprised. She reached up onto her tip toes and her soft plump lips came into contact with his. At first he was stunned and Jessica turned abruptly on her heels ready to make her getaway. She came down to the shop that day with the resolution that she was going to kiss him silly before she chickened out. Before she could run away Chanyeol grabbed her by the waist and spun her into him before planting his lips on hers. She dropped the umbrella and it was happening they were making out in the rain.  Jessica looked up at Chanyeol and his goofy grin was hanging on his face and she smiled back.