I was ready to settle - settle into a career, settle down with a family - because it seemed that I wasn't meant for anything more glamorous than what l already had. The thought of pushing back my life plan even just a few more years filled my head with doubts and anxiety. I wanted to fulfill my dreams in life now. What if something happened tomorrow and took away all of my opportunities?  I couldn't live with the thought of not achieving even one of my goals.

 

So I dated the first guy that had one or two things in common with me and liked me back. He wasn't bad looking, a little under groomed at times but I could over look that. We were complete opposites - me being a clean and organized, him being sloppy and disheveled. But our relationship was honestly great. He accepted me and I accepted him. Yeah sometimes we had disagreements but every couple does. My friends and family never approved of him. They were afraid he would rob me of all my money seeing as I worked two jobs and he could barely hold down one. I can't even count how many times I have been told to break up with him anymore.

 

Yeah, I wasn't 100% happy with my life but I had everything I wanted. I had a boyfriend, a job, and a comfortable lifestyle. Who was entirely happy with every aspect of their life anyways?

 

I worked twelve hour shifts three times a week at my coffee shop job, leaving Minjoon,  my boyfriend, at home alone to care for himself. I wouldn't have needed to take the longer shifts if he hadn't lost his most recent job. He told me he was spending his new free time looking for a new job and I foolishly believed him.

 

The coffee shop was located right around the corner from one of the entertainment companies. I could never remember the name of it. They had some foreign word for a name. However I did know a few of their artists personally.  Seo Inguk popped if for a good while when he had some down time. Some of the company's trainees would stop too after a long day. They were all very polite when they would come in. If they had time to spare, they would chat for a bit or sit down at a table. One in particular always came in and sat down for at least an hour if he could. I had learned from a coworker that he was the main vocalist in a group called VIXX and his stage name was Leo.

 

He never said much. I barely heard his voice when he ordered an americano or latte, depending on the day, and he always either bowed his head or mumbled a small thank you before going to his usual seat located by the window that was facing the busy street. Some days I would watch him. He wouldn't look at his phone or listen to music or anything. He would just sit and sip on his drink, collected in his own thoughts. 

 

My one coworker would always get extremely flustered when he came in. She was a huge fan of VIXX and Leo was fully aware. She had made it quite clear the first time he came in when she was working that he was her bias and since then he would kindly smile at her.

 

"Isn't he just perfect? I wish he would say something to me when he came in and not just his order." She sighed one day as we looked over that the handsome man in his normal seat.

 

"Well this is probably the only quiet time he gets. You can't blame him for not talking to us." I told her. "And besides, aren't you like 15? He's a grown man."

 

"Age won't keep true love apart." She rested her chin in her hands as she leaned on the counter.

 

"Keep your dreams, kid. I hope you'll never be disappointed."

 

Or else she'd end up like me.

 

When I finally arrived home from work that night, I could not find Minjoon anywhere in our apartment. I tried calling his cellphone but I got no answer. Maybe he had a job interview,  I thought, but I knew it wasn't true. It was currently 10:37 pm.

 

Minjoon did not return home that night and I feared my family and friends were right about him. He hadn't taken any of his things - he didn't have that much to begin with - so I had faith that he may have just spent the night at a friend's house.

 

"Are you feeling okay? You look terrible." My coworker noted.