Last Night at the Café

12 | Seollongtang

His hand stilled. He gave the puck of coffee another tamp and a quick twist before slotting it into the group head. With a flick of a switch, followed by a low groaning and a hiss, espresso spewed out into a waiting shot glass. He had schooled his features into one of easy nonchalance, but already, irritation worked on his lips. His gaze remained fixed on the stream of espresso flowing out, as if considering some mystery.

"Does she come here often?" Dong Woon went on, his brows rising inquisitively.

Kazu filled a paper cup with hot water before tipping in the shot of espresso.

"You've got to be more specific," he said, just managing to keep his voice light.

"She's called Jeon Seollal," Dong Woon added in exasperation. "Don't you know all your customer's names?"

That wasn't quite true, although he did know the names of his regulars. He snapped on a plastic lid before slotting the cup into a cardboard holder. Dong Woon hadn't moved to collect his order. In fact, his fingers began tapping a nervous rhythm on the counter.

"She had her laptop out, and she was sitting alone. You saw me with her," he went on, his tone urging him to remember. "You even brought my order to the table!"

"Ah, I see," Kazu muttered stiltedly as he slid the cup before Dong Woon.

A sickening pulse was just starting to pick up in his chest.

"She comes here often, doesn't she?" he went on. His words rushed from his mouth like an excited gurgle of a stream as the sides of his eyes crinkled with a grin. "It seems like she does."

He let out a noncommittal grunt. Questions sparked in his head. But it was a losing battle between assuaging his curiosity and maintaining an uncaring facade. How had they met, for instance? Seollal was a kindergarten teacher while Dong Woon was some sort of Marketing Executive. Seollal had studied in a university in England while Dong Woon had graduated from Sungkyunkwan, one of Korea's top universities. Seollal didn't come from Seoul while Dong Woon was a native. There seemed to be few things, if not nothing that connected them.

"How did the two of you meet?" he asked finally, hoping he didn't sound too inquisitive.

"A group date," Dong Woon said easily. Then he made a face. "I don't know if she's interested in me though. I asked the moderator for her number, but the moderator said she didn't want to give it out."

Kazu could not deny the burst of amusement in his chest. He released the portafilter from the group head, then tipped the used coffee puck into a bin.

"What do you think?" his friend went on. "Maybe I should come by more often, bump into her, would it be more natural then?"

Sometimes he wondered at the irony of people asking him for advice on their relationships when he could barely figure out the rut he was in now.

"Dong Woon ah, if you want to come by more often, that's up to you. But don't push it. If she doesn't want to give out her number, then give her some space. Things like these take time." He wiped the basket with a cloth. "It's a relationship. Relationships need two people to meet in the middle for it to work."

He could almost imagine the twist of impatience on Dong Woon's mouth when his eyes crinkled in exasperation.

"Hyung!" he grumbled. "What if she changes her mind when I'm more sincere?"

"In that case, you can show your sincerity when she's actually here," he said, his tone wry.

Dong Woon's groan filled the air as he turned to leave the shop.