Promise U

Chapter 2 : Daydreaming

(Moon Byul's POV)

"And Korea wins the game! Wow what a riveting match this was, but we snag the gold again!" The TV above my head roars out the results from a soccer match.

I don't pay much attention to the TV during the day, because the cafe is pretty busy most of the time to keep me occupied enough.

My name is Moon Byul-I, but you can call me Byul. I'm 27 years old and I'm the head chef at Bridge the World Cafe, a small but well accredited restaurant in the heart of Seoul. My father, Jin, opened this cafe with my mom not long after I was born, but sadly she passed at an early age and it's been just the two of us ever since. But we've had a wonderful little life together, with plenty of memories in this cafe.

It's a steady Friday morning as a handful of patrons come and go with their morning coffees. There are a few sitting down at tables with their breakfasts, content as I finish drying off some dishes at the counter.

"Excuse me? Do you mind changing the channel to the news. I'd like to see the press conference happening today." An older woman sitting at the counter asks me.

"Yes ma'am." I bow to her and grab the remote.

"I'm thrilled to unite the Kim and Nam family." A beautiful woman says on TV.

"Is this correct ma'am?" I ask.

"Yes, thank you so much dear."

We both go back to what we were doing, until she chimes back in a few moments later.

"Ah what a shame. That poor girl."

"Sorry?" I say to catch what she said again.

"That Kim daughter of the Rainbow Tech guy. She's a grown woman, but seems to have all of her decisions made for her. They could have all the money in the world, but it doesn't matter if they can't love each other as a family. I mean look at you and your father!"

I giggle at her response. "Yes that's true ma'am."

"How is your father by the way? I haven't seen him around here lately." The woman asks.

"He hasn't been feeling well the past few weeks, but I guess that just comes with age. He's appointed me to head chef in the meantime while he takes some time off to rest." I reply.

"Oh that's wonderful! Well you are doing a great job. Thank you again for the meal." The older woman bows and exits the cafe, leaving a generous tip on the counter.

"Thank you ma'am!" I bow as she exits and a lone Hyejin walks in behind her.

"Ah Byulie!" Hyejin yells as she walks in. Hyejin is my childhood best friend who frequents the cafe as if it's her second home.

"Hi Hyejin. The usual?" I ask.

"You know it."

I begin to make Hyejin her usual latte as she sits down at the counter in front of me. She makes herself comfy and looks up at the TV.

"Aish Byulie, you watch this shit?"

I look up at her confused. She points to the TV as I see the press conference I turned on for the elderly woman.

"Ah, no. An older woman who was just in here asked me to turn it on. I haven't been able to change it back since. Besides, I haven't paid any attention to it." I say in response.

"Geez that family. The wealth they have, but unwilling to share it with the rest of the country. It's like trash reality TV happening right in front of our eyes!" Hyejin says passionately.

I don't care about any politics of current events, unlike Hyejin. She gets invested in all of the drama and gossip as if it's her career. It's fun to entertain her sometimes though.

"You're just mad it's not you marrying Eric Nam." I joke to her.

"Pfft, should've been me." Hyejin responds in a dramatic way. We both laugh as I get back finishing her latte while she looks back up to the TV.

"The daughter's pretty hot though," Hyejin adds, "don't you think Byulie?"

I look up at Hyejin, look up to the TV to catch a glimpse of this hottie, but then look back to Hyejin to roll my eyes at her.

"What!" Hyejin responds. "There's no harm in day dreaming. Besides, you spend all your time in this cafe. What better things do you have to do?"

"Besides working?" I say sarcastically to Hyejin.

"Ah c'mon Byulie. Sometimes I worry about you. That you'll get too lonely or something."

"And swooning over celebrities is the answer to finding love?" Again with the sarcasm.

"Aish Byulie, you know what I mean. Just work on finding interest in someone." Hyejin responds in the most loving way possible as she reaches for her latte that I just finished.

Hyejin's not wrong. Sometimes I do get lonely working in this cafe all day by myself. Occasionally I'll head to the gay clubs down in Hongdae. They get as far as one night stands every now and then, but I never see them past that one night.

And to be honest, I'm not sure if I care too. None of them have peaked my romantic interest enough to want to pursue any. But getting close and vulnerable with people is a great fear of mine. So I keep most people at a distance, besides my father and Hyejin.

"Put it on my tab Byulie, I'll get it next time!" Hyejin says as she grabs her belongings and heads towards the door.

"That's what you always say Hyejin." I roll my eyes and wave her goodbye.

"Bye Byulie! Have a good day!"

"You too Hyejin."

-

I lock the restaurant door behind me and head out on the dark streets of Seoul.
It's late, past 9 to be exact. And I've spent the whole day managing the cafe from sunrise to sunset. I should be tired, but I'm not in the slightest.

Ever since dad go sick, I've suffered from extreme insomnia. I think it's due to the looming fact of potentially losing my father too, leaving me all alone forever. I try my best to save face in front of him and my friends, but sometimes it's just too hard to keep in. This walk home seems to be one of those moments.

I don't live far from the cafe, so going home this instant would give away my weakness. I don't want to cry in front of my father. Perhaps I should take a stroll. The Mapo bridge isn't a far walk from here. Maybe I'll go there to kill..... some time.