Cold Coffee | 𝐉. 𝐘𝐮𝐧𝐡𝐨 ✓

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[Lee Saeyan]
9th Jan 2023

          The night was cold. I watched it pass by me, standing behind the counter. Once bustling street was now deserted and vacant. Bored and exhausted, I started counting minutes until I would have to close the cafe and head back home.

         Brewed coffee has a significant scent, I had realised it that night. The musty, somewhat, bitter and earthy fragrance, uplifts your mood. Eventually, I began looking around, wondering about life, and all those little things.

          A bell chimed by the entrance. I was alerted to footsteps following its echo. You walked in, smiling and laughing, playfully prattling with your friend. I didn't pay attention to who it was, walking next to you, standing tall by your side. I didn't care, my eyes were only on you.

         With your smile-struck face, you stepped up to the counter, looked me in the eye and your smile widened. Marvelous and quite beguiling. The way your eyes crinkled by the corner, almost shutting themselves, brought new feelings to my heart.

        I awkwardly smiled at you, while you narrated your order.

        "One decaf coffee, and one strong," you spoke to me, staring down at the display of confectioneries below. "Oh, and a chocolate cupcake."

          You went on to sit by the window booth, your friend already in place, flashing you a smug smile. Minutes later, I stopped by your booth with your order, and I caught an eerie spark in your eye when you gazed at the cupcake. The decaf was for your friend, while the strong and bitter one was for you.

         I went back behind the counter, biting my lips as I stared at you. I wanted to adore you, your features, and how striking they appeared under the moonlight. I wanted to cherish your smile, or the toothy grin you offered to your friend.

         There were a lot of things I noticed about you that night; your big doe eyes encasing an entire universe, your lips always stretched in a warming curl. I observed you would twist the ring on your forefinger, frequently so. Is the ring significant to you? Maybe it is. You spoke to your friend with such enthusiasm, as if, it was the last time you'd meet him. It felt strange.

         At the end of it, I was left feeling empty. When you were gone, everything seemed futile. Biting away at my impassive self, I tidied up the cafe before leaving. In your booth, out of the two mugs, yours was full. The cupcake was half-eaten, while your coffee had gone cold.