a cup of coffee • kim doyoung

eight

---

Kim Dongyoung

I watched her as she settled into the seats in the corner, taking out her laptop and plugging in her AirPods.

Unintentionally, I've come to notice the smallest details about her. How she comes in with one strap of her bag lazily slung onto her shoulder. How she always sits back facing the door. How she rests her head on her palm, not to mention the way she zones out from time to time too.

Something about her just makes her seem so interesting.

I've worked here for almost 2 years, and it usually takes me a while to memorise people's faces when they walk in. Their orders take slightly longer, but I never forget them.

On the other hand, she is different.

She had casually slid into my head before I even realised it. Maybe it's because of our weird meeting, but ever since the first time she came, I started to observe her more and more, not in a creepy way. The things she does are strangely alluring, and somehow I feel the need to actually get to know her.

That would be easy for a person like Mark, who seizes every opportunity that is thrown at him, be it socially or not. That's how he got this job – he saw the flyer outside the cafe and immediately came in asking about it. It didn't even take him a second look. Others would call it desperation, but I see it as eagerness.

Unfortunately for me, I'm not that kind of person. The first two instances were a coincidence, but the next would require actual confidence and initiative.

"Whatcha thinking about?" a big hand landed on my shoulder from behind. I jumped and the glass I was holding almost slipped out of my hand.

"Yah, you scared me! What if I drop this?" I stuck the glass into Johnny's face and he just laughed.

"Why? You scared that girl would see you?" He nudged me playfully as I continued to scrub furiously at a stubborn stain on a mug.

"What are you blabbering about?" I answered without looking up, letting his words flow right in and out of my ears.

"Don't play dumb! I know you're interested in her," he pointed into the distance. I sighed and looked up, following his finger to a corner table by the window. It wasn't until I finally let his words process in my head that I knew what he was talking about.

"What? Of course not," I defended calmly, or that's what I thought I did. The heat surging up to the tip of my ears says otherwise though.

"Pft sure, you've been staring at her ever since she sat down there. I have sharp eyes too you know," Johnny leaned against the tabletop beside me and folded his arms.

"I wasn't staring," I pushed his question away and went back to the dishes. It took me a few more seconds to realise he wasn't going to leave until I actually tell him something. I rolled my eyes.

"She just happened to be in the direction I was looking in, okay?" I desperately said, but he didn't buy it.

"No no, there's definitely something else," He shook his head. I expected him to continue, but he just stood there looking at me. That's the thing about Johnny. If there's something he wants to know, he drives the conversation into a weird position until the person feels so uncomfortable that they have to spill it by themselves. Not a very nice trait, but very practical.

But now I feel uncomfortable.

"I just find her unique, okay?" I surrendered, "I mean, no one has ever ordered black coffee from us before."

Johnny straightened his back, his eyes widened.

"Oh, so she's the one who ordered that?" His eyes glimmered, "I should over go there and interview her right away."

He stepped passed me in a second, but I managed to grab him back before he went out of my reach. Who knows what he'll say to her?

"Don't," I said a little too loudly, "You'll disturb her."

He looked back at me with a smirk, then nodded slowly. He backed up to where he was before and tilted his head at me. I don't like where this is going.

"Look, if you tell me now, I won't tell the others," He slid in so fast I nearly got knocked over. He lowered his volume, "Especially Mark."

"I'm really not interested," I emphasised strongly. Gosh, was there anything that can stop this guy?

"Yah Suh Youngho! You left a coffee spill here didn't you!" Ten shouted from the break room.

I guess that can.

Johnny clicked his tongue as he stood up straight.

"You're off the hook for today, but if you're lying, you know what's coming," He pointed two fingers to his eyes, then to me, before disappearing into the back room.

I sighed. To be honest, I wasn't exactly lying, but I wasn't telling the truth either. Our strange stroke of serendipity had somehow lifted us off the right foot, but now I have no where to place the other. Could I even have a normal conversation with her instead of startling her from behind the counter?

I don't even know her name.

I looked over to the corner table, but she wasn't there anymore. A mix of disappointment and determination washed over me.

Next time.

---