Last Night at the Café

16 | Espresso Martini

A / N

This chapter is dedicated to anwikawrites !

~

HEAT SPREAD ACROSS her features when a gentle hand landed on the top of her head. Following her little date with Kazu, Seollal spent more time at Home than ever. He had yet to ask her out again; they were both busy, he with his café, she with her story. But if secretive glances, soft smiles and the frequent KakaoTalk messages that they exchanged were anything to go by, then she was confident they were starting to share something between themselves.

"You're here early today," he said.

She could barely raise her head to catch his glance. She was all too aware of her burning face as her fingers remained still over the keyboard.

"Now that I've got someone interested to publish my story, I have to work even harder."

He nodded as he pulled away.

"My lunch break is in an hour. Would – "

"Sajangnim!" a voice pipped up from behind the counter. "You should take your lunch break now!"

Seollal held back a chuckle as she turned over her shoulder to see Jieun beaming at them. Only her eyes showed from over the coffee machine. Beside her, Anna pulled her urgently away.

"Well – " he started, the side of his mouth quirked into a smile. "Shall we?

~

A steaming bowl of jjamppong stood before her. Seollal inhaled the spicy aroma of the seafood soup noodles as a smile spread across her face. The little table saw them sitting knee to knee, heads nearly bumping into each other as they crouched over their food, arms tucked into their sides.

She was careful not to jerk her head up.

"This is it!" she declared after a slurp of the spicy soup.

He had brought her to a tiny, family restaurant, one he often went to because they dished out affordable meals in large portions. Located in the corner of the street beside a convenience store, the shop was crowded at this hour.

"Here." He held out a serviette he had unfolded. "You're wearing white."

She tucked it into her collar and patted it down over her shirt. The side of her mouth curled into a slight smile as she watched him shyly duck his head.

"So, I was wondering," he started, "do you have plans for tonight?"

"I want to finish up this chapter," she said with a grin. "I came up with a new scene and I have a good feeling about it."

He nodded, his hands making quick work to stir up his noodles.

"There's this place that opens at midnight," he said. "It's a café owned by a friend – "

"Midnight?" Her eyes grew wide. "I'd love to go!"

"Hey," he teased with his eyes narrowed, "I haven't completed my sentence. Won't you give me a chance to ask you out properly?"

"Oh!" Her breath caught. "Erm – "

Seollal jabbed her chopsticks into her bowl as she pressed her lips together.

"Your face is red," he said, the side of his mouth tugged into a smile.

She cleared her throat.

"It's the heat."