“Hey! Where do you think are you going darling? You don’t eat kwek-kwek for lunch. Come with me and let’s have lunch together. I know a good place nearby.” Minwoo’s hand held it tightly and halted me from my craving.

Even if he is addressing me as “princess” or “darling” he has this kind of feel that makes me think of him as a caring older brother and I like it. Nana knew that this person does not tolerate such kind of thing and other than that he already gained 3 points earlier. That can be the reason why I am comfortable with him.

I nodded my head and he let go of the scarf. I walked along with him side by side. My sneakers didn’t make such huge height difference from him. But I think if I wear 4 inches heels, our eye levels will surely meet. He does not mind carrying the paper bag for me. He’s not as talkative as Junjin but will smile at me from time to time as we walk. He also likes to whistle different sort of tunes that allowed me to think he loves music so much, I hope he can sing as well.

We stopped in front of a coffee shop. Yes, it is so near that it’s just almost 6 meters away from his boutique. His location is so strategic to be so close to this kind of place. Coffee shops are considered as hospitals too for my kind.

Its name was embossed from its modern designed flat rooftop. The signage hanged in the middle of its two-story floor setup giving balanced compliment to its wholeness. The combination of steel metal and figurative drift woods made it look uniquely artistic while its name was traced with white led lights it read – Healthy Grounds Café with mini wings on both ends and a halo on the top of the middle word.

I was delighted to know that there is a place like this here. The bell attached to the upper part of the entrance sounded our arrival and the fumes of caffeine filled my lungs when Minwoo pushed the door open. He took the spot near a window on the mid-section of the place. It was not a very big café but it made me feel the privacy of the environment. People like me would love to hang-out here to read their favourite books or simply have an intimate catch-up with a friend.

There are still a lot of seats to be occupied but the number of people seemed enough. Alternative ballad songs made the atmosphere semi-sophisticated with a feel-good aura. I need to remember this place. I can already imagine myself and Nana having a date here as soon as I finish this unexpectedly interesting mission vacation.

I didn’t realize Minwoo is looking at me all along while my head swirls with a lot of things to do. He caught my attention when he pulled a small panda teddy bear at the side pocket of his trench coat and had it kiss my right cheek while I am spacing out.

“This baby panda stays with you while you stay here so you won’t feel alone. Take it my princess.” And he slid it down inside the paper bag together with my new items.

“Thank you for that additional item.” I smiled. I’d like to ask him so many things but I can’t. My curiosity is already killing me but I can’t possibly live here for a year and disappoint Nana with this challenge.

Minwoo smiled at me. “There are still two more people to go. You’ll meet the fifth person here soon. He owns this place. He’s just busy preparing our lunch.” He said as he pointed inside the busy kitchen room. I can hear all the sizzling buzz of frying and tossing inside.

“Nana knew us ever since we were in high-school. She is the most admirable teacher that ever gave us the chance to prove ourselves.” He smiled while trying to contain his emotions. “We were the most rebellious group in our school, all the 6 of us. We are all driven by our own passions and teachers won’t understand us easily. She will always stay with us during our detentions checking if we are doing our duties right.” He paused and continued “Nana treated us like we are her long lost sons, sons who are not blood related but destined to look for each other as brothers.”

Minwoo’s sudden revelation about them surprised me. So that’s why they had that kind of fondness on each other; starting from Junjin, and the doctor, Andy and now him. I can’t wait to meet the other two.

“To tell you honestly, Nana’s game rule not to ask any of you a question related about what you know is really killing me.” I told him bravely. “My whole two days here already felt like a week because I am stressing out too much connecting all the facts that I have gathered since yesterday but nothing makes sense.” It came out from my mouth almost like a rant.

Minwoo covered his smile and coughed jokingly trying to sound serious “But don’t you find this interesting? I’ll tell you a secret so that you will have a good time dealing with this cool mission.” He leaned closer and looked on both sides and said, “Stop over-thinking and just go with the flow. Enjoy it and you’ll never notice that time flies so quickly when you are having fun” he suggested.

I looked outside the window trying to root from what he said when a glass of iced-coffee landed on the table in front of me. I caught a man’s long fingers leaving it carefully and twisting the straw towards my direction. I followed his arms as he withdraws it from my sight and I saw an ethereal looking gentleman standing near me.

His jet black hair was well groomed with all the strands resting on one side. His small face shines with a glowing skin and with his small pointed nose and his tight shut thin lips, he looked like a well-mannered prince. He is elvish to me, his radiance is so surreal. His slim figure can be seen obviously with the usual white folded long-sleeves tucked neatly under his silver-grey slocks. His still a wearing a plaided apron around his waist with a small orange notebook and a pen properly inserted on its front pocket but he does not look like your ordinary waiter. He stands stunningly tall and beautiful for a multitasking barista.

He awkwardly greeted me with a stutter, “I.. I hope.. Kris.. No I mean.. I prepared iced-caramel macchiato for you Kris. You don’t mind right? I hope I got it right.” He led his open palm towards the waiting beverage in front of me. I just noticed that it was my all-time favourite drink that was served by this unexplainably humble owner.

“Oh yes, thank you. This is my first love and will always be my top of mind choice.” I stir it without looking at it since my eyes were still fixed at him. His face looked burdened at some point but still trying to recover from embarrassment. He then placed two plates of full meal for me and Minwoo and turned his back quickly to return the steel tray to one of his staff.

Minwoo generously moved from his seat to provide another room for him. He sat down full of finesse and moved the spoon and fork near my plate encouraging me to start eating. “Minwoo told me that you are the fifth person.” I smiled to encourage him not be awkward anymore.

He lowered his head with a sudden realization in his face that he hasn’t introduced himself yet. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth under those tiny lips as he tried to look away with such mistake. Minwoo laughed at him like it was a normal thing that happens to his friend and hit him with his elbow.

“Oh sorry I forgot. It’s nice that you reminded me.” He is trying his best to escape his embarrassment and openly said his name “I’m S.. No, I meant Hyesung.” And he pulled a smile from his puffy cheeks. I was surprised how his smile draw a better picture of him from what I thought was already noble.

I smiled back and replied “Please feel comfortable around me. No pressure. Just to let you know, I’ve met Junjin, Andy and the doctor yesterday. I’m sorry but I can’t seem to remember his name.” It was true. No matter how much I think about it, his name did not register in my mind. Shame on me, he’s the person who treated me as nice as them but forgot about his identity. Sigh.

“Oh, Dongwan. Hahaha. That sounded rather interesting. Hahaha. He is a doctor to us too. We are his first patients.” Hyesung blurted with pleasure. It seemed that the awkward moment was gone. I hope it never comes back. He looked way better with a curve on his face which openly exposes his perfectly aligned teeth. He had this natural mini eye bags that seemed to exist to promote manliness in his facial feature.

I took a gulp of my iced caramel macchiato and gradually felt the caffeine infiltrating my system. My lazy head recovered a bit. I took my time to appreciate the food that Hyesung offers in his gourmet café. To my surprise I just realized that a cup of crab rice is waiting to meet my stomach. It is partnered with grilled pork chop glazed with mini bits of pine-apple, THESE ARE MY FAVORITES. On the other side of the plate there were three mini rice-balls half-way covered with nori and sprinkled with sesame seeds on its top. It looked interesting.

While Minwoo ate happily beside him humming with the playing song, Hyesung offers me to taste the mini riceballs and started to pick it with chopsticks by himself and attempted to feed me courteously. He carefully put his open palm under my chin just in case the riceball escapes his grip. His sincerity for his dish moved me so I tried to compromise and took it.

The taste of sesame seed combined with nori and well-seasoned rice made my taste bud miss my home. It tasted like one of Nana’s recipe but I cannot remember which of them. It blew a whole blast of nostalgic feeling inside my heart that made me want to ask him were he learned about that but, I can’t.

“Delicious right?” he asked me as soon as he saw me swallow it with pleasure. “I can make more of it so you can take it to the Villa” he offered freely with so much eagerness on his face.

“Hey! Don’t force her to like it!” Minwoo interrupted him and picked one of the rice balls on my plate and ate it right away.

“Why did you eat that?! That’s for Kris!!!” Hyesung’s hands grabbed Minwoo’s neck jokingly as if he wants his friend to return it but it’s too late. He withdraws laughing and ended with saying “Eysh. I knew this will happen. It’s a good thing I made some more.” He got up from his seat and walked towards one of his staff and whispered as he explained.

He returned to Minwoo’s side shaking his head while looking at Minwoo’s mischievous face. I admire their incomparable closeness. They can get mad with each other yet still manage to be together like that. Hyesung’s easily provoked temper cools down as soon as Minwoo consoles him by means of admitting his fault.

Thinking about it, they have uniqueness and are really different from each other but they managed to blend as close as this. I am now starting to wonder how the last one is going to make an impression.

Our lunch at Healthy Grounds Café became an instant business discussion with both of them. I can see the potential of possible market profitable investment on both businesses that they are managing and even with Andy’s semi bistro restaurant but they insisted that they wanted to just stay in Sylfaen. They also told me that they are already aware of their business competencies outside the town but refused to leave their roots because it is already more than enough for them; that’s what they said.

My mind kept on telling me that it’s such a waste for them to get boxed like this in Sylfaen but the way they explained it to me, made me understand their decision.

They switched the topic from bargain of happiness over success, the things that you love and the things that you will leave behind, the things that you need and the things that you want and lastly the things that you dreamed of vs the things that really matters. Success equates on the same range of your satisfaction in life and in that case, it is broader than I expected.

Their playfulness is something not to be taken as an account for any point of immaturity because they speak with abundant wisdom when serious things comes in and decision making gets rough. They are the kind of people that I need to be acquainted with. I have acquired knowledge from them which can be classified as a reliable foundation for business growth discussion. I admired this side of them.

“If you would like to gather more insights about this sort of stuff, the best person would be the one whom you haven’t met yet.” Minwoo said with respect in his voice.

Hyesung nodded in agreement to what he said and in an instant got his phone from his pocket and said “Speaking of the devil” as he looked on his blinking screen which letters read – “My Neighbour”. I was a bit puzzled he didn’t even saved the person’s number with a proper name.