Sweet Serendipity

Chapter 1

"Of course, I've seen her films and always thought she was, well, fabulous. But, you know, a million, million miles from the world I live in."

- William Thacker, Notting Hill

Jeju-do - February 14, 2022 (11:00 PM)

"Hand it over, Hyeokie. I'll do it."

"No."

"You're too old to be this stubborn!"

"I'll finish what I started."

"If you can't properly draw a heart, then what can you do?"

"Hey!" Jeong Hyeok snapped. "Do you know how many notes I wrote today? We sold over 500 cups, I can hardly feel my hand!"

It's Valentine's Day— an equally celebrated and loathed day, depending on the status of your love life. 

And every year, the boys of Sweet Serendipity, a small coffee shop located in the heart of Jeju, would come up with new ways to attract more customers and boost their sales on February 14.

This year, Park Kwang Beom volunteered to do the decorations, 

Kim Ju Meok took care of social media marketing,

Pyo Chi Su, well, nobody really assigns him anything,

And as for the nauseatingly sweet Ri Jeong Hyeok, aside from putting together a new Valentine's-themed menu, he also took the initiative to write short romance movie quotes on the cup holders, with little hearts as a bonus. However, after having written more than 500 of them, his hand started trembling on its own and his bonus drawings were looking like peanuts rather than hearts.

Back to the situation in hand, the two middle-aged baristas were finishing a last-minute bulk order with 30 minutes left until closing time.

Chi Su was already done making the drinks and was only waiting for Jeong Hyeok to finish with the quotes. He grimaced when he read the last one Jeong Hyeok wrote, "'I'm just a boy, standing in front of a girl, asking her to love him'. Who falls for this?!"

"I do."

"Sure you do because you're an old-fashioned grandpa."

"I'm not old-fashioned. I'm romantic."

Chi Su made a face. "Yeah, right. A romantic grandpa who's dating life is drier than the Sahara."

Jeong Hyeok laughed. This subject had always been a point of contention between them, so much that he's become immune to Chi Su's petty digs over time.

"You can tease me all you want. Just don't set me up with anyone," he preempted as he can already see where the conversation is leading to.

"I can never understand you. You keep saying you want to meet someone, but you refuse to go on blind dates and turn down every girl who confesses to you. I don't know if you're just picky or your ideal type simply doesn't exist!"

"Oh, she does." Jeong Hyeok puckered his lips towards the tv they had in the coffee shop and Chi Su groaned.

Of course, it's one of his favorite actress' films again. He should have seen it coming, for Jeong Hyeok had a crush on her since forever and binged her works on days when he felt really single. 

Chi Su turned it off despite the fanboy's protests and his tone took a serious note.

"Hyeokie, you know I'm your best friend and I support you in everything, but you've got to stop watching those films! It distorts your idea of real women and even if someone like that actress does exist, they're worlds away from us mortals' reach."