The professor called out names for the assignment.
"Song BoRa - Kim TaeHyung"
I stood up from my seat, looking around the classroom for my partner. A boy at the far end of the class stood up, already looking at me, rather staring with an expressio...
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Once we both were seated in his car, I guided him the way to the café. Even though the café was nearby University, it would still take 10 minutes. One could reach in 15 minutes by walk using shortcuts. And I guess it will take 15 minutes by car too if we keep driving at the speed Taehyung was driving. He was testing my patience and I was trying not to burst at him.
He slowed it down further when he noticed I wasn't reacting to him at all. "Do you even know how to drive?" I asked him, trying to keep a calm expression on my face. "How else do you think the car is moving?" He replied. "Oh, the car is moving? Seriously? I don't see it moving?" I looked to my left and right trying to act as if seeing if the car is moving at all. I was about to open the door to step out and show him that it wasn't moving at all when he held my arm to stop me.
"Okay! Okay! I'll drive faster." He said and I replied him with a Thank you! And with that, he pressed the accelerator hard. He was speeding extra fast now and I had to close my eyes at one point fearing for my life. I heard a screeching sound and opened my eyes to notice we were already outside the café.
I quickly thanked Taehyung and got out of his car and ran inside the café. Once I entered the café, the bell on the door announced my arrival. I noticed the time on the wall clock and I was 7 minutes late. It was the first time I was late and that too by 7 minutes. Hoseok looked at me smirking from the other side of the counter. I am not liking that smirk. Jin-ssi was standing behind him. He was smiling but it wasn't a normal smile. There was a hint of tease in it, I guess. I quickly went at the counter and bowed him apologizing for being late.
"Bora! It's okay. I understand why you are late." I looked up to notice both Hoseok and by boss smiling teasingly. "It's just .." Jin-ssi looks at the wall clock, "7-8 minutes. You have always been on time. So it's completely okay for today. But quickly get to work. Students have started coming in." He got back to working on his laptop.
"Hey! So finally you are late" Hoseok laughed. "Yup, thanks to you. You jinxed my on punctuality record." I said while wearing my apron. I went up the counter to take orders. I was checking and logging in the billing machine when the customer with a deep voice said, "Excuse me! Can I have one can of Coca-Cola please?" I was bewildered. Why would someone ask for Coke at a Café which is famous for its coffee? I looked up to find Taehyung smiling sheepishly.
"What are you doing here?" I mumbled. "What? Now I can't even visit this Café?" I heard Hoseok and Jin-ssi giggling behind me. Why are they laughing? "Since I was here, I thought why not have a drink?" He said. "And you are asking for Coke at a Café? Seriously?" I asked him.
"Yes, because I don't drink Coffee, It's too bitter." He scrunched his face as if he tasted the coffee right now. He looked like a baby who tasted medicine by mistake rather than just swallowing it. I smiled at the face he was trying to make. Jin-ssi cleared his throat and I was brought back from my trance.
"Okay. Uhm. Anything else you would like to order?" I was back to being professional. "No, Thanks! That's it." He paid for the order while I handed him the can. I was still laughing at his choice. He took up a seat at the corner of the café not visible to me when I am at the billing counter. I ignored him and attended the other customers in line.
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I looked up at the wall clock. It was almost 9:15p.m. Wow! 15 more minutes and I'll be off from work and then the weekend. I leaned on the counter drinking water from my bottle. It had been around 3 weeks since I started working at this Café and I didn't have any off day yet. So Jin-ssi being the sweetest boss gave me off for the weekend. And I already had my plans set for the week. Sleep and only sleep.
Jin-sii entered the' Counter' room and asked me with a sweet smile on his face, "Is your boyfriend going to drop you back home too?" I choked on the water I was drinking. Coughing badly, Jin-ssi quickly patted and rubbed my back so that I could calm down. After my cough was gone, I asked him still shocked, "Boyfriend?" I was unintentionally loud and stuttering at my words. "Isn't the guy you came with your boyfriend?" I was trying to comprehend the words being said by him. It took time for it to hit me that he was talking about Taehyung. "He is still sitting at the same desk and is waiting for you, I guess." I rubbed my neck and then my temples. What is he talking about? I left the Counter room without answering anything to Jin-ssi.
I went to the corner I saw him earlier leaving to have a seat. He was sitting alone at the corner table lost in his mobile. I walked up to his table and he looked up from his mobile. "What are you doing here? For 6 hours?" I didn't know what expressions to hold at that moment. I didn't know if I was surprised, shocked, angry or confused. And the thought that my boss thinks he is my boyfriend wasn't helping either.
"You seriously need to learn the way to talk to your customers. Is this how you talk to every customer?" He was smirking. I crossed my arms, "No. This is some special treatment for some special customers."
"OOOH! Special. So I am a special customer. I see." He smiled to himself. I sat in the chair opposite him. "Okay. Jokes aside. Can you tell me why are you still here?"
"Oh is the Cafe closing for the day? Are you leaving?" He asked seriously. "Ugh! Answer my question first. Don't ask me a question in return for my question" I snapped back losing my patience.
"Okay Okay." He said wiggling his hands. "I – uh" He hesitated, "Actually I was alone at my flat. My flatmates are out of town for the weekend. I didn't want to go to an empty flat. So I thought I should rather sit here and be alone than actually be alone at home." He shrugged his shoulders.
My eyes softened. This was coming from a guy who didn't have any friends at college. Even till today, I haven't seen him talking in college apart from Namjoon and me of course. And here he was not willing to go home because he was too alone. "You are weird." My thoughts came out loud without my realization. "Huh?" he said. He wasn't expecting this as a reply. I quickly replied, "I mean you are very difficult to understand. What exactly are you Kim Taehyung?"
"Alien" he laughed his boxy smile. I couldn't help myself but laugh at his reply. "I agree with you," I got up from my seat to leave when he asked, "uhm Is your shift over?"
"Uhm Yeah, almost. I just have to---" He cut me before I could complete. "Great! I'll drop you home" He stood up excited from his seat. I was surprised by his sudden excited and jumpy stance. "Uhm—It's okay. I can go on my own." He didn't listen to any of it and pushed me forward so I could go towards the counters' door. "Whatever! Finish your work quickly and I'll drop you home."
I walked slowly towards the counter still thinking about whatever was happening. Am I in some parallel universe? Why is he being so sweet and weird? I entered the counter room still lost and confused. "Bora, log out from the system. I am going to close the café and leave for home. I am tired." Jin-ssi fake yawned to emphasize his sleepiness. I nodded, logged out and picked my bag. I was still confused and I am sure my facial expressions screamed confusion because Hoseok suddenly waved his hand at my face and asked, "Where are you lost?" I shook my head and bid him and Jin-ssi a quick bye. I walked out of Café to find Taehyung already sitting in the car waiting for me.
