Girl

There was curiousity in Cheri’s mind about the boy whose face was grubby and hands all muddy. She supposed that the boy was doing an experiment on the muddy dirt that was lying under the hot weather. The boy’s action had disrupted her singing. Not being able to hold her curiousity any longer, she politely asked him, “May I ask to what you are doing?”

“Nothing.”

“It can’t be possibly ‘nothing’.”

The little boy only ignored the girl and continued soiling his hands by fixing them on the mud, moving them as though they were drawing circles. Cheri was quite disappointed to know that her question was left unanswered but she still hopes to befriend him.

“I’m Cheri,” she told but the boy continues to snub. His dark-colored eyes were staring firmly onto the ground, laying his chin on his knees and his lips were frowning – a look so sad that Cheri couldn’t help but pity him although she couldn’t tell the reason to his wretchedness.

“V! There you are!” shouted a man in a waiter’s suit, coming towards them. Not noticing Cheri’s presence, the man pulled violently of the little boy’s wrist and took him away from the mud into the Café that lies before Cheri. The café was large and people could tell it was newly-built for the scent of its paint and the uncontaminated compound it has.

Cheri looked in horror of the boy, called V, taken so fiercely. And whatsmore, her question was still unanswered. Still curious, she watched the boy everyday as he learns the basic work of a waiter. If not outside, then she would peek through the window to look inside. And V never took notice of her. Not to mention speaking to her or answering her questions that was increasing rapidly.

But then as years past, Cheri was caught peeking.

“Who are you searching for?”

This made the 14-year old Cheri jumped in surprise to V’s sudden presence not far beside her. She was peeking through the window before V came out and took notice. The girl tried to talk but only an unclear stuttering came out. While she was doing this, she observed the young boy who has becoming quite handsome and tall and manly despite his straight face. Because of this, her cheeks became hot and you could tell she was blushing from a distance. She gulped and answered V’s question, “I was looking for…”

This is my chance! Cheri figured. I’ve wanted to talk to him!

But instead, the little miss stepped a few steps backwards and hassled away toward the street, passing the lamp post and disappearing from sight. V watched her leave and tilted his head slightly aside, looking quite confused to the girl’s reaction.

Cheri collapsed onto the bed at the Orphanage where she lives with the rest of her orphan brothers and sisters. She was blushing madly and Hani, her room-mate, was worried. Hani is a stunning girl; her hair is blonde, has light skin, big blue-crystal eyes and she was sure to grow up to become very attractive. Being older than Cheri, she is very protective towards the little miss and had her easily-mistaken as Cheri’s older sister but Hani never detest when being called so because she considers Cheri as a little sister to her too.

“Cheri! Tell me what happened!” asked Hani. But Cheri only muffled on her pillow, still blushing.

What is this fluffy feeling? Cheri thought, wondering what was happening inside of her.

Whenever she reminded of V’s appearance and his change of voice, she would squeal as her heart flutter and cheeks redden. She had never felt that way before and she couldn’t fully understand what it was. But clearly, she was happy and excited. She felt like she was the cheeriest gal in the world. And what a joyful day it was for her.

There she wondered if she could keep feeling so fluffy.

Maybe…

“I want to work at Café Sagna!” she suddenly said. Café Sagna is of course where V was. She thought if she worked there, she could feel fluffy all the time. And this sudden decision shocked Hani, “what?”

“I want to work at Café Sagna,” Cheri repeated to her friend whose eyes were wide. Now that Hani believed that she heard it right before the reiteration, she asked for reason. “Because I don’t want to be a burden to Miss Fowel and the other nuns anymore, I want to grow up.”

Ofcourse, this was only a back-up reason because Cheri knew that none would consider her request if she only said she was doing this to feel fluffy everyday. Hani bought it and was astonished to Cheri’s answer. But she couldn’t help letting Cheri go and work at the most strict café in Carina and so she expressed, “I’m not saying you are not disciplined but please not at Café Sagna. Choose another place to work at. Maybe the Woody’s BBQ or the-!”

“Café Sagna provides shelter and food for its workers.”

“I know.”

“I’ll be well-mannered, so don’t you worry.”

Hani was worried as a mother. She sighed deeply, staring into her friend’s eyes that were determined-looking.

Cheri has always been this brave.

“Then you may but I will have to go and work with you,” Hani agreed at last, ending it with a gentle-worried smile. Cheri hugged and thanked her. How great it is to have a friend like Hani. But deep in Hani’s heart, she was wishing for her friend to change her decision while she can…

But it never happened.  

They both grew up in the Café since then. Cheri got what she wanted and was well-mannered as she promised she would be and became the staffs’ favorite especially whenever she sang. She gets to see V every single day as the two girls were learning how to become a high-class waitress. And Hani became the attractive girl as promised but with a very different personality – don’t get me wrong, she does still cares about Cheri and works well but she has habituated to pleasure. She is addicted to ual interactions and men who went to her increases. Unlike Cheri, her love was only for one. But even so she gets to be in the same building as V, they barely talked to each other. Only once in a while with a ‘hey, can you get me that/this’ or ‘good morning’ or just a simpler ‘thanks’ because even if Cheri decided to start discussing about something to him, she will end up stuttering followed by a blush and then running away.

After years past, the three teenagers grew up as adults and became official staffs, working under Madam Zee who owns the Café. When Madam Zee entered the Café to see the three for the second time (the first time was when they were accepted to become assistants), Cheri let loose a gasp when the white-as-sheet face of the Madam was close to hers. She thought the Madam was a ghost.

“What is wrong with you child? It is rude to gasp right before a person’s face!” Madam Zee angered with a very fierce tone. “What is her name?” She looked at one of the staffs, standing aside. It was not on purpose that she looked at Sehun – after all, he is the only staff that Madam Zee finds likeable and so she usually asks the questions at him. And Sehun didn’t like to meet eyes with the Madam. He finds the Madam scary and he often tries to avoid being asked by her – but he usually fails. “It’s Cheri, Ma’am,” he answered shortly.

“Well, well, Cheri. I heard you were a fast-learner and very well-mannered. I hope you won’t,” she air-quoted the last word, “disappoint me.”

Cheri held her breath and gulped her fear.

“Those who do disappoint me shall starve as I cut his food supply to 30 percent for a month,” she continued and skimmed at V as though V was once a troublemaker. “I want to see you charm the customers with your quality service!”

V stared at her with a serious look.

She ended and went away with her fur coat covering her broad shoulders and heels high as the height of her expensive purse. She lifted her arms and shouted, “Open the café!”

This part of story is very important for it tells how these people know each other before they get to know each other even deeper as the real trouble begins.