Love Me Once Again

Seventeen

His cafe was actually located near Konkuk U. I vaguely remembered somebody went to Konkuk..

The cafe's opening hours were from twelve noon onwards. So when I arrived, it was closed.

Puzzled why he asked to meet at eleven, I was going to text him when the door opened.

"Hello!" he grinned at me. "Come in, come in," he invited.

I stepped in. The smell of freshly brewed coffee welcomed me. At the counter, they were already people preparing food and coffee.

"The cafe don't open until twelve," he told me.

"Ya, I read it outside. I thought it was closed. I was going to text you."

He brought me to the counter and handed me a menu.

"Do you still not drink coffee?" He asked. I was surprised he remembered.

I smiled. "Ya. I don't do coffee."

"Then try our tea or lattes," he suggested.

I took a look at the menu.

"I'll have a matcha latte then."

"One matcha latte," he said to the guy at the counter.

When the guy looked up, I could have believed that they were brothers.

"My younger brother, Jongjin," Yesung said.

I took a good look. I couldn't believe this was the adorable young boy back then, who came with their mom to get tteokbokki. He was taller than me now.

"Doctor...?" Jongjin piped in surprise.

Oh ya, he saw me in the hospital when his brother was hospitalised.

"Oh - hi," I greeted awkwardly.

"Do you still remember the Grandma who sold tteokbokki on the main street when we were young?" Yesung asked him.

"Grandma? Tteokbokki...?" He frowned. Then suddenly he exclaimed because he remembered. "Oh yes! Tteokbokki - Mom loved the tteokbokki so much that she would always drop by.. What about it?"

"She's the granddaughter."

"Eh?!" He looked at me again. I smiled at him. "Oh wow... you are a doctor now.."

"And you've all grown up," I chuckled.

"Eh..." He grinned shyly. He stirred the latte.

He placed the drinks - my matcha latte and Yesung's iced Americano - and two slices of cakes on a tray, and Yesung picked up the tray.

"Let's go to the rooftop," he told me, and so, I followed him.

We went up three levels of stairs before we reached the rooftop. There were cosy sofa seats and couches and little tables. Unlike downstairs, which was a proper cafe setting, this was more chilled and relaxed.

Yesung set down the tray, and I helped to set the cakes and drinks out from the tray.

Then we sat down and looked out across to the opposite building.

"So you owned this cafe," I said.

He nodded. "Ya, but Jongjin manages it. And sometimes my parents would come down and help if they have nothing to do at home."

"I see.."

"So, how do you find this place? Please give me your most honest opinion."

"I think it is very nice. The customers can choose if they want the normal cafe atmosphere on the first and second floor. Or if they like to sit in the open at the rooftop, especially during spring or fall months. The whole place is very cosy and warm," I said.