Love Stories Over A Cup Of Coffee

A: Come Back

I never thought that Chiang Mai would be this cold. Gosh I'm freezing but I cannot get inside. Yahhh, Apple, what are you doing to yourself? You'll die at this rate!!! When will he open the door??? Ugh why am I angry at him? He didn't do anything wrong. Sigh. Apple, you brought this upon yourself.

I heard someone opening the door. Finally!

"Good morning world!" Shouted the man who just came out from the door I've been waiting to open. "Throw everything you can at me, I'm ready for it!" He shouted again.

"Yah, I never knew you were this high spirited." I commented. Well, it's more of a teasing. We aren't that close, but I guess what we have witnessed in the past years have made us closer. He was once just a stranger, but now, I consider him as a good friend. The type of friend we usually see in dramas that comes out once in a blue moon to help or to fix what has been broken. The type of friend that would make things better for everyone.

I saw in his eyes that he's both surprised and scared when he saw me.

"You!" He pointed at me. "What are you doing here?" He looked at his watch. "And at this hour?"

I laughed. I couldn't help it. His reaction is just too innocent and funny.

"Hey, chill Dr. Podd. Come on, let's get inside, I'll tell you everything." And I went inside his camp even if I haven't been invited to go inside.

"So, can you explain now what are you doing here at this hour?" Dr. Podd asked me as he offers me a cup of coffee. "You can tell me what you're comfortable to share. Don't force yourself to tell things you do not want to." He reminded me.

I took a sip of my coffee first before telling him what happened between me and Secretary Na.

"So, you mean you haven't talked to each other since then?" He asked me in amazement. I nodded. "He hasn't called you?" I shook my head. "You didn't call him?"

"I did, but cannot be reached. I even tried calling his father but no answer." I told him and took another sip of my coffee.

"What about your grandfather? Did he say anything?"

"Well, he advised me to take things slowly and allow Secretary Na to sort things out. And I think that's the best for us both." I explained. Oddly enough, I feel okay telling everything to Dr. Podd.

"So, tell me, you are here, because" he stopped and waited for me to continue his sentence.

"Because I want to sort things out as well. I want to think about a lot of things about my life. I don't think staying in a familiar space could help me." I explained.

He smiled. He let out a deep sigh. "If that's what you want, okay fine. I'll make an exemption for you. I will accept you without an invitation, but on one condition, manage the cafe."

I smiled. Running a coffee shop is my forte. "Deal!" I shouted out of excitement. "I'd love to work on your cafe!" And I feel very excited about it.

Running the cafe at Dr. Podd's camp isn't that hard. There's only a few customers most days. But it gets busy during holidays and some weekends. Dr. Podd was the only regular customer.

"You've been here for almost a month, don't you have any plans to go home, yet?" He asked me as he sat on the table just in front of the counter.

He's here to get his usual morning coffee. I made his drink, gave it to him, and sat across him.

"I have to admit, you really make good coffee." He complimented.

"Of course I do." And I giggled after he rolled his eyes as he hears what I said.