Stella's Cafe: A Jang Geun Suk Fanfic

1. Night Shift at the Cafè

I had worked at Stella's Cafe for four months.

When I first got the job, it was supposed to help me pay for my flat, my text books at school and meals.

But then the scholarship that was supposed to pay for my actual classes fell through and so I had nothing to do but work at the cafe.

It was depressing but I told myself at least I was making money and saving a lot. At this rate, maybe I would be able to apply for a payment plan when the next semester started.

So I threw myself into the world of coffee and made all my customers think that making a cappuccino and serving it to them gave me the best pleasure in life. But I was bored out of my skull.

One day during my lunch break, my colleague who I never saw because she worked the night shift rushed into the kitchen where I was eating a bag of crisps and an apple (things I grabbed on my way out of the door).

"You have to exchange shifts with me tomorrow." she told me emphatically staring deeply into my eyes as if the salvation of the whole world depended on my agreeing with her.

I squirmed on the stool I was perched on. I didn't want the night shift! No one did!

It started at 3pm and ended at 10 at night and because Stella's Cafe wasn't exactly downtown, not too many people came in during that time. It became practically dead after 7pm. We told the boss so many times that it was a waste of money to keep the place open past 8 but he would never listen to us. He always told us that he met his wife in a cafe at midnight and so we were lucky he even let the shop close by 10!

The worst thing about night shift, though, was that you could not have a social life. While people were out celebrating the night with friends and lovers, you had to sit in an empty cafe babysitting an espresso machine.

I wanted to tell her "No," firmly, make her ask someone else but I couldn't. I was never good at being firm. That was probably why she came to me in the first place. "Why...?" was all I could manage with a distinct whine in my voice.

"Because I have the most important date in my life!!! If I don't go on it, I will die! And I'll do it at your doorstep!" she said still staring deep into my eyes. Was she trying to hypnotize me or something?

"you have a date?" I asked genuinely surprised. I who had evenings off had not managed this feat and she had?

"Isn't it wonderful?" she bubbled taking no offense at my surprise. "He lives in my building and we always leave for work at the same time! And oh - he's so cute! He has a dimple right here- " she pointed at her chin, "Anyway, we just used to say hi until yesterday. I guess he's been working up the nerve to ask me out! Do you see why I have to go? So will you switch with me? Pretty please with extra sprinkles?"

"Tell her No!" my mind screamed at me even as I sighed and nodded my agreement. I would take the graveyard shift.

At least it paid a little extra, I consoled myself after she was gone. And it's not like I had a boyfriend to disappoint I thought and immediately felt depressed again.

A lonely, gloomy mood overtook me for the rest of my shift that day. My regular customers seemed to sense it and didn't bother with their normal casual chatter so it was very quiet in the cafe. I couldn't help thinking how much quieter the night shift would be. Aishhh! Why couldn't I have just said no?

***

"You understand that closing time is 10 pm?"

"Yes boss-nim."

"You can only close at 9 if there is no one in the cafe."

"Yes boss-nim, I understand."

"- or if no one has come in for at least one hour!"