Way Back Home

Chapter 7: Opening Up

The fresh ambience and jazz music welcomed Joy and Sungjae with warmth at Cafe88. Its interiors had lots of plants inside with a matching high ceiling and lightly painted walls accentuated with huge glass windows for the sunlight to easily go in.

Sungjae was observing Joy who seemed to already admire the place.

"Not bad for a first impression?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Hold your horses, mister. I got to taste their goodies first" Joy playfully answered while going straight to the displayed goodies. They had a lot in store today- from red velvet cakes to Oreo-stuffed cookies. Joy's eyes were widely looking at the amount of options set before her eyes.

Aish. I should probably extend my menu. Competition's getting creative these days, huh.

"Joy? What do you want? Or should I just get you that red velvet cake since you've been drooling on it for minutes now?" Sungjae asked with a grin. He does not know why he is so amused with Joy especially when she looked like a kid eyeing for desserts.

"I-I was just observing, you know. Just getting ideas on what I could add to my goodies. Everyone's coming up with new things now. I mean, look at that! Oreo-stuffed cookies? Sounds sinfully good to me!" Joy defended herself but unknown to her, she had obviously failed the moment she pouted after that.

Sungjae let out a chuckle. "Of course, Miss baker. I'll get you the red velvet cake AND the Oreo-stuffed cookies. You know, just to taste test" winked Sungjae.

Joy rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I'm getting us seats!"

———
Sungjae made a mental note to thank Changsub for hitting the jackpot. Despite already spending almost the whole day discussing several potential marketing strategies for his business, Joy seems to have even more to say.

"Sungjae? Is this too overwhelming for you? We could end on this note, maybe. Baby steps" Joy looked at him curiously. She was afraid that she had looked too prepared. Despite only finishing a vocational course, Joy could really count as an expert in the online field because of her experience.

"Yeah, I guess we could stop here for now. I'm getting a headache!" Sungjae jokes as he acted in pain. "Thank you, Joy. This really means a lot. I'll treat you somewhere nice next time, too!"

"Hey, it's nothing. Everybody starts somewhere and it doesn't hurt to help each other" Joy said.

I just wished people genuinely helped me too.

Joy's sad eyes met with Sungjae. Before Joy could let him catch her emotions, she tried to immediately divert the topic. "Do you need medicine for that Joy-induced headache of yours?" she could only force a joke.

"Haha! I'm just kidding! But you know when I feel stressed I would usually go to the bay and would catch the sunset! Do you want to go there? I think we can make it. We worked hard, teacher Joy. Reward timeeeee" Sungjae whined like a baby and put on his best puppy eyes.

How could Joy resist that?

"Fine. You better study hard, student" Joy smiled.

———
"TA-DAAAAAA!" Sungjae shouted with his arms wide open. "I'm glad we made it on
time. Look at THAT sunset!" he closed his eyes, inhaled and exhaled, and savored the ocean breeze as it hits his face. He has always loved sunsets. Maybe because SoHyun loved it as much as he does, too? They went here a lot as kids to play. Trying to not let his thoughts bring him down the black hole again, well at least not in front of Joy, he turned his head to look at the lady.