CHANYEOL

'I'm sorry, sir. We live in the era where nothing comes for free anymore. We don't do that here.' 

Annoyance hit him. 'Excuse me?' he snapped.

'Excuse me?' she fought back, trying to match his loud voice.

The girl behind the cash register looked back and forth between her employer and the handsome regular customer who always dine at their cafe usually around 5, after work. It was just a small matter really, usually Dohyun would follow his request since it's not a big of a deal but apparently, to her employer, the owner of the cafe, it was a huge deal. 

Park Chanyeol is a civil engineer who works at the constuction company nearby. He was one of the first customers who drop by the shop since the very beginning the shop was open. He's just a customer who wants to have an extra tomato gravy on his bolognese and extra parmesan on top of it. But ever since the last monthly staff meeting she had, her employer, Seunghee has set a policy and warned her specifically about not following every special request customers are making.

'You know how we have measured each portion for a meal, right? It's unfair to other customers if we gave out extra to others when they pay the exact same amount for each dish. We are professionals, we shall served the exact same dish to all our customers. I'm not going to tolerate to any failures of following the SOPs I've prepared.' Seunghee reminded, then turned to the nervous Dohyun, who kept blinking when she received such attention from her employer. 'Customers are not always right, Dohyun. Just how much profit will I be making if we keep loosened up to all the customers, you get me?' 

And today, how she wished Park Chanyeol wouldn't have come. He is a regular, just imagine how he would be questioning her on different treatment from the last time he came. Unfortunately, right at 5 pm, the bell by the glass door rang, indicating someone stepped in and there was him, in a nice button down plain light blue dress shirt and brushed up hair coming in with his attention on his phone before he smile at her when he reached the counter.

Fortunately by the time he made the request and Dohyun explained on the cafe's new policy, her boss showed up, answering all of Chanyeol's wonder and being as typical as she could sound, it wasn't as fortunate as anyone could think of since they are now spitting mocks on each other while blaring lasers into each other's eyes.

'That'll be 14 500 Won, sir.' Dohyun spoke when her employer retreated herself to the kitchen after a heated argument with Chanyeol. 'I'm sorry.' she whispered.

Chanyeol showcased his wide smile. 'No worries.' he replied. He moved his head nearer to the lady at the cash register, making her widened her eyes at their closeness. 'Just make sure she's not the one who does my spaghetti. I don't even want to wonder what she will put inside it after what we had.'

'I heard that!' a piercing screaming interrupt their silent conversation.

'Yeah, thanks for reporting. That was meant for you to hear anyway.' he continued mocking while giving the last smile to Dohyun before heading to his favorite table at the corner of the cafe where he could have his privacy.

=

'They didn't come.' Seunghee muttered bitterly while sighing lightly. Seunghee is a strong young woman who is brave and bold, who didn't stop what she wants to do just because others tell her not to and Dohyun admired her for that. As the business got better by each day, Seunghee decided on starting an investment on opening up another branch for her cafe. It was the launching and the first opening event for her new cafe in Dongdaemun, and by the end of the event, Dohyun had never seen Seunghee seemed so fragile. There were sadness blooming inside her behind those smiles she gave off to her guests all the time for the day. Despite the crowd that came, she was expecting someone to come and congratulate her. 

Which they didn't.

Her parents didn't come.

'That's okay, I'll finish it up for you. It's already late. You might miss your bus to go home.' Seunghee held her hand out, expecting Dohyun to pass her the rag. 

'But-'

'Go. You've work hard today.' she interrupted her.

Dohyun didn't fought back, knowing no one could win her, especially when she was just her workers. She passed her the rag without any objections and immediately took off her apron. Besides, Seunghee was right. She might miss her bus if she didn't go now. Dohyun managed to bow to her employer before leaving and she saw a glimpse of tired smile on Seunghee's face, signaling her goodbye to her.

Right when Dohyun was out of the scene, Seunghee stopped what she's doing and sat on one of the stools by the bar. The dim lights around didn't make her feel any better. It just make her feel even more lonelier. But it wasn't for long until the bell rang, loudly since it was a pin drop silence in the cafe and she saw two man with strong build came in with two huge congratulation flower wreaths. 

Just who in the world bring that at this hours?

'Who-'

'You've done a good job. Thank you for sending it back all the way here.' A man followed in suit behind those two men spoke when they were positioning it beside other flower wreaths. It was Park Chanyeol, showed up in her cafe 30 minutes after 10 instead of his usual 5 pm routine. She couldn't help but slightly smile, feeling delighted at the sudden presence but still managed to let out a cocky remark after that.

'I'm sorry but we're closed.' she said.

Chanyeol heaved a loud huff as he sat at one of the tables, ignoring her remarks. 'Give me a break. They sent off the flower wreaths to a wrong place and just imagine how much effort did I make to take it back all the way here.' he complained.

'Please, there were two dudes who brought them in.'

'I paid them.'

'Fine.' she gave up, which is unlike her. 'Bolognese?' she asked.

'You're really making me one at this hour?' Chanyeol asked in disbelief.

'Yes or no?' she strictly asked as she didn't have time to drag on this matter for too long.

'Absolutely yes!' he almost shoot up from his seat out of excitements. Seunghee can't help but chuckle at his action. 'Extra gravy with extra parmesan on top, please.' he emphasized his usual request everytime he's having a meal at the cafe.

'Your request is so annoying.' she grunted.

'I didn't ask for much. It's not like your business would go down to bankruptcy by giving me those.' he shot back at her.

'Fine, just for today. Since it's on me.' she replied and went straight to the kitchen while rolling her eyes at him. Chanyeol grinned in satisfaction as he waited for his meal to come.

It was comforting. Just both of them sitting in front of each other under the dim lights in a closed cafe chatting about some random stuffs which suddenly leading to a little personal things which displayed more of their own trueself. Despite Chanyeol's slurping sound on his spaghetti, it was still a comforting environment, Seunghee thought.

'My parents didn't attend. I was expecting them to come. How could they- I, I thought they're over it.' she muttered. 'I don't get what was there to be upset about. Look where I am. Not just anybody at my age could get where I am today.' she ranted.

Sighing, her tone went lower than before. 'Why can't they just be happy for me? I just needed support from my family. That two positions over there were