"Here's your coffee, Ma'am! Enjoy!" Renjun bows at the old lady and walks back to the counter.
He looks at the entrance when someone enters, and it's Saerim. She's holding a rolled paper, smiling at him. "Hi!" she greets happily. She looks fine today, wearing a blue wide pants and a plain white crop top. Her hair is in a ponytail style.
"Oh. Hello! Have you finished your plates yet?"
"Yes!" She unrolls the paper she's holding. "Here!" She then shows him her work, a proud smile on her lips. "What do you think?"
"It's amazing! You're great. I'm sure you'll get a high grade for it."
"I really hope so. Thank you!" she giggles and rolls the paper again.
"So, what can I get for you today, Saerim-ssi?"
"Uhm, maybe just an Iced Caffuccino Latte. Wanna drink something on my way to school."
"Of course! Three dollars, please. I hope you didn't forget your wallet this time." Renjun chuckles.
She laughs, "Oh my God! Don't worry, I didn't forget it this time. That was so embarrassing of me, I'm sorry." She pulls out her wallet from her pants and grabs a three dollars. "Here you go."
"I received three dollars." Renjun gets the money and put it on the cash register.
Saerim watches him, smiling. She notices his nametag and tilts her head, "How do you pronounce your name?"
"Huh?" Renjun looks at her, "Oh. It's Reon-jwin."
"Ronjin?"
"Reon-jwin."
"Are you Chinese?"
He nods, "I am. But, ethnically Korean."
"Wow! So, like, you were raised here?"
"Yeah. I was born on China but I was raised here. You're right."
She giggles, "What's the equivalent of Oppa in Chinese?"
"Uhm, it's gege."
She gives him a confused look, "Sounds hard to pronounce."
Renjun chuckles, "Try it. Gege."
"Gah-gah."
"Guh-guh."
"Guh-guh."
"There!" He laughs, "How old are you, by the way?"
"I'm 20."
"Mhm. Just call me Renjun-oppa or just Renjun."
Saerim nods, "Okay, Reonjin-oppa."
He chuckles, shaking his head. "Alright, I'll go ahead and make your coffee, okay?"
"Oh, yeah, of course! Thank you."
After he makes her drink, he slides it in front of her. She happily holds it and bows, "Thank you, Reonjin-oppa! See you."
"It's Reon-jwin." Renjun laughs, "See you. Have a good day!"
Saerim scrunches her nose, "Reon-jwin. Such a cute name." She happily skips and exits the café.
"Seems like that girl likes you."
He startles when his bestfriend suddenly speaks behind him. "You scared me, what the fuck! And what makes you think that?"
"Well, she keeps smiling while talking to you. She didn't even blink. And she called your name cute." Jaemin moves his eyebrows up and down.
Renjun rolls his eyes. "I'm gay."
"I know! I'm just saying, she seems to like you." Jaemin laughs. "I mean, anyone would have a crush on you, you're pretty. But I'm prettier!"
"Whatever."
"Excuse me?"
Renjun turns and sees the old lady in front of his counter. "Oh. Yes, Ma'am, how can I help you?"
"Could I get a refill?" She places the cup on the counter and Jaemin grabs it.
"Of course, Ma'am." Renjun replies as Jaemin refills her cup.
"Thank you, sweet boy."
×××
It's one in the afternoon and the café is empty. Since Jaemin's coffee shop is not that popular, not every hour there's a customer. There was one time when there's literally no customer for almost three hours. Renjun and Minjeong played card games to ease their boredomness.
"Ugh, I feel so sleepy." Minjeong yawns, "Why aren't there any customers coming? Come on!"
"Because unfortunately, Jaemin's café is not that popular. To be honest." Renjun pouts and sighs in his chair.
"Should we promote our coffee shop more? Maybe I can recommend it to some of my college friends."
"Please do! As much as I like the sight of an empty café, but not when it's afternoon. It's so boring and not pleasant to see at all."
Minjeong nods, "Let me text my girlfriend to invite her friends here." she then pulls out her phone from her pocket.
Renjun widens his eyes, "You have a girlfriend? How come I didn't know?"
"Well, you're not asking." Minjeong laughs, clicking on the messages.
He rolls his eyes. "I want a boyfriend."
"Then, you should ask your crush out."
"I don't have a crush." Renjun sighs.
"Yeah, right." Minjeong playfully rolls her eyes.
They get startle when the bell rings which means someone enters the café. It's a mother and her child.
"Good afternoon, Ma'am!" the both of them greet.
The mother chooses to go to Minjeong's counter. "Hi, can I get, uhm, an Iced Matcha Latte? And a cold Caffuccino Latte but no ice, for my child."
"Mom, I want bread."
"And also, bread."
"Iced Matcha Latte and Caffuccino, cold but no ice." Minjeong repeats as she registers them, "Got it. Which bread, Ma'am? We have ham and cheese bread roll, cinnamon roll, garlic bread, and clubhouse sandwich."
The mother looks at her child and asks, "Which one would you like?"
"Bread roll." the child replies, staring at Renjun.
Renjun notices and smiles at the child. The child smiles back before looking at her mom.
"Ham and cheese bread roll," Minjeong repeats. "Got it. Anything else?"
"Clubhouse sandwich, as well."
"Of course. What else?"
"Nothing else."
While Minjeong is busy taking the mother's order, Renjun takes another customer's order. It's a man in his 40s, he assumes.
"Good afternoon! What can I get for you?"
"Just a black americano with 8 shots."
Renjun widens his eyes but punches it into the monitor anyway. "What else, sir?"
"None."
"For take out or dine in?"
"Take out. Please, I'm kind of in a hurry. Here's the payment, keep the change."
"Oh. Thank you, sir." Renjun accepts the money and puts it in the cash register.
He immediately makes the man's order, although the latter keeps telling him to hurry up. Minjeong raises an eyebrow and says, "You can't speed it up unless you want your coffee to taste bad. Be patient!"
When Renjun finishes, he immediately gives the coffee to the man. The man complains, "So slow." before leaving the shop.
Renjun scoffs, "What the fuck is his problem? Ugh, I hate customers like him." he rolls his eyes.
"I know, right?"
"By the way, thank you." Renjun smiles slightly.
Minjeong nods, "Sure."
×××
Renjun's alone again and it's 6:30PM. He's sitting on his chair while looking at the clock, watching the shorter hand move. He sighs, "It's so quiet. I'll bring my sketchbook next time."
He's staring at the clock for so long, he didn't notice there's someone in front of his counter.
"Uhm, excuse me?" the person speaks, startling Renjun.
He turns to look at the person and bows, "Good evening! What can I get for you?"
"Caramel macchiato, please. Take out."
"Sure." He slightly smiles and punches the order to the monitor.
"Bye, Donghyuck! See you tomorrow."
"Bye."
Sighing, Donghyuck crosses over to the other side of the street, holding onto the strap of his backpack. He looks at his watch that reads 7:12PM. He pouts as he continues to walk.
He walks and walks until he stops in front of the Bunny Café with a sign that says, 'Sorry, we're CLOSED'. He squints slightly and reads the schedule which is written just below the sign. "Opens Monday to Friday, 7AM to 7PM." He slightly nods and continues to walk.
"I kinda miss coming to that shop and see that barista's smile." Donghyuck smiles at his thought.
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