radiant | jung hoseok | ✓

chapter one | straight black coffee

The world is on the cusp of spring, inches away from its long-awaited exhale from the frigid cold. The air smells of budding leaves and damp sidewalks from melted snow that has not dried in the afternoon sun. The tall, brick buildings of the downtown area are snuggly pressed together and still blanketed with darkness. The sun has not yet risen from its cozy bed as for the rest of this small town; it was five in the morning, after all.

I continue driving down the vacant streets of downtown and take the route I always have to the cafe. I have driven these roads about a thousand times now. I'm willing to bet money on it.

Ever since I graduated college, I have worked as a barista and pastry chef for the Hallowed Grounds and I couldn't be happier. I had a hobby for baking and making complicated drinks at home and couldn't see myself working in an office for the rest of my life. I yearned for the excitement of working with others and falling into an organized chaos every day instead of staring at sheets of boring numbers or being trapped inside a cubicle.

When I learned of the infamous coffee shop, I became a regular customer out of love for their hidden talent of cupcakes and killer London Fog lattes. The owner of Hallowed Grounds, Kasey Highmore, worked with the staff on a daily basis and came to know me by name because of how many times I came.

Then I saw the hiring sign in the window and the rest was history.

I turn into the small alleyway to the Hallowed Grounds and park in my usual spot behind the building. I grab my small purse and double-check my face in the mirror to make sure my foundation is even. With that, I leave the car and hurry into the cafe through the back entrance.

The lights are already turned on when I walk in. The small entryway is empty aside from a pair of combat boots set up by the door. They have been there for years and nobody knows who they belong to; the world may never know and that's alright. Some things in life are constant, unchanging, and I am comforted by that fact. Though I yearn for new experiences whenever I get the chance, I prefer a stable type of life to balance that.

I hang up my coat and purse on the rack beside Kasey's blue one. The brick walls of the entryway appeared to be swatted with brushes coated with white paint giving the area the faint scent of plaster. The hanging vent in the corner continues to hum softly in the background.

With that, I head down the small hallway and enter the kitchen area. The lights have been turned on as well and shine blindingly on the silver appliances lining the counters. A large rolling rack is set beside the swinging door that leads into the main house area with fresh treats and pastries sitting on top.

The kitchen carries my favorite scent of all; the scent of fresh vanilla bean, melted chocolate drizzles on fresh scones, and the steam of espresso shots. I inhale the smell and relish its sweetness for a brief moment before waltzing into the kitchen, awake as ever.

I find Kasey leaning up against a counter with a distant look in her deep brown eyes. Her lips are pressed into a concentrated frown and her black hair is pulled back into its usual messy bun. Kasey has the type of face that ages with kindness; it's as if her face softens with every passing day. I notice she is wearing contacts today meaning she must have gotten up earlier than usual.

"Good morning," I greet with a slight bow of my head as I pass by her. I head towards the sink already filled with dishes and roll up my long sleeves.

It is customary for all employees to wear black button-down shirts and black dress slacks. We wear aprons that tie around waists with small pockets for tips and notepads. Kasey hated the idea of making everybody wear name tags because of a bad experience she had when she worked at another cafe before opening her own. There was a man who kept asking for her by name because he saw her name tag, claiming that he knew her personally, and Kasey had to get a restraining order against him. After years of working at coffee shops and cafes, Kasey is very protective over her employees and she has every right to be.