Coffee?

May I Have Another Please?

I couldn't stop looking at her. She was simply prepping the espresso machine and letting the contents drip slowly while preparing the milk. Why is a complete stranger making me feel so many different ways? I can't help but be self-conscious about what I'm doing in front of her or be nervous about the possibility of creeping her out. For fuck's sake, she probably already thinks I'm a creep.

     I can't hold it in anymore, "I'm sorry, what's your name?"

Oh my God... Did I just say that?

She suddenly turns around with a slightly shocked expression with lips slightly ajar but quickly turning into a smile, "Oh, my name is Yeonwoo." She then returns her attention to the milk.

"Yeonwoo," I repeat to myself, "that is a beautiful name."

After steaming the milk, she gathers the contents for my drink and places them on the counter in front of me and looks at me straight in the eyes, "You took the words right out of my mouth, but I gotta say, Nancy is definitely a prettier name." She winks at me and resumes to making my latte.

She winked at me... Oh God, I'm having heart palpitations. I think my cheeks are getting red. Dammit, I probably look like an idiot.

"Here you go, Nancy." she says while handing me my latte. As I got a hold of the cup, our fingertips touched and heat radiated from the little area of contact. We both looked down at our hands and as I return my gaze to her face, her focus is still on our hands and the smile that dominates her face also brings her eyes to smile as well. I'm going crazy.

"T-thank you, Yeonwoo" I was able to mutter.

"No problem Nancy, I'll see you around?"

     "Definitely," I say almost immediately, and of course, she had to giggle. I can't get enough of hearing her giggles.

...

It was still raining pretty hard and I had no intentions on leaving the shop any time soon, so I just decided to look out the window in hopes of finding something interesting. I didn't realize where my time had gone after looking down at my watch and seeing that half an hour has already passed. What am I going to do? I couldn't help but run my hand down my short and damp hair.

Suddenly, a light thud on my table drew my attention as I noticed Yeonwoo standing beside me with her coffee cup in front of me on the counter. She gives me a shy look and it seems like she's avoiding my gaze. I don't know if it's the lighting, but her cheeks look a bit flushed. What a cutie.

"Would you mind if I spent my break with you? It's kind of boring at the back of the store," she asks as she continues to avoid my eyes.

     "Of course, I'd love that," Oh God, she's talking to me, I don't know what I did to deserve this.

I took a few moments while she was settling down to observe what she was wearing: a well fitting black shirt, dark denim jeans, and a pair of Stan Smiths. Even though her outfit screamed basic, she made it look so good.

"Sooo, are you a new hire?" she observes me while she takes a sip out of her cup.

"Yes actually, I started working a week ago," she replies. Wow, being this close to her is making me feel a lot of things, I think my hands are getting clammy. Wait, what's on her upper lip?

I really couldn't hold my laugh in, "I think you have a moustache." After saying this, she gives me a surprised look and her face immediately radiates a red tone. I couldn't stop giggling, she looks adorable. I reach for a napkin and lean over the table to wipe her foam moustache off her face - taking my time, delicately grazing the napkin over her smooth and milky skin. I don't know what it is about her that makes her so attractive.

I didn't really take in how close we were until I noticed that she leaned in slightly, staring at my face with those beautiful eyes - observing every detail, every beauty mark, that I had. And then her gaze reaches my lips.

I felt so compelled to close the distance between us.

Before anything else happened, she leans back into her chair, looks down at her cup and whispers a faintly audible Thank you.

I think my cheeks were getting a little sore from smiling, but it was so hard not to stop.

Out of nowhere, she asks me,

"Do you like the rain?"

I didn't think twice about my response, "To be really honest, I enjoy it - mostly when I'm inside and warm though," she chuckles, "but sometimes, I love going outside in the rain for a bit. I love the feeling on my skin."

"You know, sometimes when it rains and I'm just feeling super stressed or down, I go outside and fool around in the rain. I honestly look crazy, but it helps me feel grounded - it helps remind me that I'm here," Yeonwoo says while starring out the window. She looked so genuine and at peace,

She looked beautiful.

She continues, "But I do agree, I think I enjoy the rain more when I'm indoors. The sounds, the look - everything about the rain when you're inside makes everything around you even more..." She looks at me with a smile, "beautiful."

Heat starts creeping up to my cheeks and I can feel my ears getting warmer. Mcdonie, get a hold of yourself, "That's very poetic of you to say."

"Well, it is true," she childishly defends, "look at what the rain has given me today."

I look at her in confusion, but she slightly tilts her head and gives me the warmest and most down to earth smiles I haven't seen in a long time.

"Yeonwoo-ah," the second barista calls out from the counter, "your break is almost up!"

"Alright, I'll be there in a minute Hyebin!"

Damn, already? I want more time. I need more time.

Yeonwoo chuckles to herself and shakes her head, "It looks like I have to get back on my grind." Oh my God, she did not just say that.

I playfully slap her shoulder, "I can't with you," I giggle.

As she stands with her coffee cup, she suddenly places it on the table, "Wait one second," and hurries to the back of the counter. On her way back, she stumbles and trips on her own feet, but quickly gets her balance back and rushes to my side with a piece of paper and a pen in hand. She looks flustered in the most adorable way, "Do you mind if I got your number?"

"Yeah, Of course," I chuckle. As cheesy as it was, I left a heart at the end of my number and a small note: Thinking of you ;) . And after handing her back the piece of paper, she laughs and walks back to the counter with Hyebin.

It's still raining pretty hard outside and I have nothing better to do. I'm not about getting sick from going home or getting a taxi since my place is only a few blocks down, so I did the most obvious thing I thought I could do.

I got a hold of my coffee cup and my feet lead me back to where the cash register was - where Yeonwoo was, "Hey, may I please have another?"

     Yeonwoo glanced at Hyebin who was occupied with stacks of boxes and smiled, "Alright, but this one's on the house," she whispers.

"Thanks Yeonwoo-ah" I say, copying what Hyebin said earlier.

"Anytime, and please, just call me Dabin."

...

Well, this is definitely a first for me, so I hope you guys enjoyed this little short. I plan on writing a bunch more stuff in the near future so hopefully, you guys will be posted for that!

(Update! I've decided to make this into a book of short stories held within/is related to the coffee shop. Each story will be it's own to tell and I promise to come out with more soon!)

- leave a message and tell me what you think!

Thanks for reading,
- S.A