Seoul, a bustling metropolis of 9.7 million inhabitants. How difficult is it to find one? Maybe all it takes is coffee, courage, and one rainy night.
Seollal is an aspiring writer who teaches English in the day. Kazu is a café owner whose business h...
"SO?" YU AH teased as she stepped up to her. "How was it?"
"How was what?" she mumbled.
Seollal and Yu Ah stood shoulder to shoulder amidst the buzz of the morning crowd. Workers decked in sharp suits of dull grey, blacks and whites crowded the space, their faces stuck to their phones, their ears studded with wireless ear pieces, their mouths moving mutedly behind their masks, speaking into their devices.
There was Kazu, head bowed, shoulders hunched, brow creased as he worked on a row of orders stuck to his coffee machine. There was something endearing about the way he was so focused
Then he raised his head, his cheeks rising in a smile. Her breath caught as her fingers raised into a quick wave.
"Your date!" she hissed.
Seollal dropped her gaze as a few pairs of eyes glanced their way.
"It was alright," she said under her breath.
"Alright?" she screeched as she clutched her arm, her sharp tone nearly tearing her ear off. "Only alright? You look like a schoolgirl in love!"
She smacked a hand over her friend's mask as she threw a desperate glance around the shop. At this rate, the whole of Seoul would know about what she was up to.
"Not so loud! And I do not look like a schoolgirl in love!"
With a huff, she crossed her arms around her chest. There was Jieun, jabbing Kazu in the arm, but he refused to look up, his head ducked as he filled a cup with steamed milk.
Then her brow creased into a frown as she turned to her friend.
"Do I really look like that?"
"Have you messaged him again?"
"Message?" she dumbly muttered.
"If you enjoyed your date and want to see him again, isn't it normal to text him?"
"I thought, well, I don't know, isn't it more appropriate to wait - " she muttered, blinking blankly at her friend.
"Did he message you?"
"Yeah." She shoved her phone before her friend's face. "Look."
Kazu:
Thank you for tonight! Have a good week ahead.
My turn to pay next time.
Me:
Thank you for tonight too! Goodnight!
"Yah, that's not a reply!" Yu Ah hissed as she batted her on the arm. "He hinted at a next time and all you said was goodnight?"
"How long have you not dated?" she went on with a grumble. "Did it go well?"
Her mouth pursed as she stared down at her shoes.
"It did."
"Is he a good guy?"
"Yeah."
"Do you like him?"
"I – well. He's nice."
"Do you want to see him again? Outside of the café?"
"Well, I – "
"If you want him, then you have to get him before someone else does!"
"But – but I thought usually guy's texted – " she stuttered, all too conscious of their proximity to the counter. "And I don't know whether he wants to meet again, and isn't it too soon? Isn't there a certain number of days you have to wait – "
"How long do you want to wait? Until he's married to another woman?"
"One hazelnut latte for Seollal," Kazu announced. "One iced mocha for Yu Ah."
Without another word, Yu Ah grabbed her by the wrist and hauled her to the counter.
"Annyeonghaseyo, Kazu-ssi. I'm Kim Yu Ah. Seollal's best and only friend."
"Hey!" she complained from her side.
His eyes crinkled as he shot them a smile.
"Hello, Seollal's best and only friend."
Yu Ah grinned and nodded at him.
"How did it go?" she asked. "The date?"
"Unnie!" she grumbled, tugging at her arm.
"I enjoyed myself," he said. His gaze flew briefly to hers. "I'd like to take Seollal out this time. That is, if she wants to meet me."
"Hmm, Seollal," Yu Ah said in a near-comical tone as she tapped her chin, "Kazu-ssi said he enjoyed himself and he'd like to – "
"Yes, I heard that! I'm right here! I'll message him!" She grabbed their order from the counter. "Thank you very much. Sorry about her."
~
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