A/N
happy wonderful wednesday!
i'm debating whether or not i should post a qna for philophobia, since i am going to publish a second book and maybe your answers are going to be there. but, i guess i should anyway? idk, what do you think?
well, in case anyone has a question, go ahead and comment your question here.
a little announcement: a second book is confirmed (haha you already know that from two paragraphs before this but oh well). i can promise you that everything that happened in chapter 33 will be explained. what i can't promise is when i'll publish the story. i'm currently writing lucid dream right now (go check it out!) and i'm not sure if i'm able to write two books at once. so, bear with me. i promise it'll come.
anyway, i hope you enjoy this bonus chapter! i thought i'd make this since i don't think i'll insert this anywhere else.
—w.
—❦—
August 2015
The bell rang as another customer came in. Jihye straightened her apron, fixing her name tag and plastered her smile as she faced the customer in front of her. It was a regular, and as Sora likes to call him, the handsome guy.
Well, he is handsome.
"What can I get you today?" Jihye asked, giving him an actual smile.
He frowned at the menu, eyes traveling through the list of beverages. She never really managed to get his name, but she's seen him almost every evening that she could recognize him just from his legs.
"I'll have some latte."
Jihye blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"
He let out a light chuckle. "I'll have some caramel latte."
Jihye gave him an apologetic smile as she insert his orders on the cashier. "That will be $10."
He gave her exactly that with an understanding smile. "Tough day?" he asked.
"More like boring." Jihye took the money from his hand, their fingers brushing against each other ever so slightly. She blushed.
"I can only imagine the horrors of standing behind the counter for so long."
She shook her head dramatically. "You wouldn't know." She hands him the receipt. "One caramel latte coming up. I'll take it to your table."
He gave her a smile. "Thanks —" he peered to her name tag, "— Jihye."
She rolled her eyes, watching him as he walked to his usual position, at the edge of the room, on the circular table, second from the left. It's quite far behind but not too much that he's detached from the outside world and the light of the sun. One can say it's the perfect position.
But still, a good four months and he still has no idea who her name is. Well, to be fair she doesn't even know his name.
She heads to the coffee machine, preparing his latte, one which Sora should've prepared, if only she wasn't sick. Her co-worker would've be exited to prepare his drink. But today, she's alone. Literally alone — aside from handsome guy over there. She's been standing behind the counter for a good hour until handsome guy came in.
Jihye carefully poured in the milk on his cup, creating the wonderful coffee art everyone in this world loves. She hopes he likes it to, or at least appreciate her effort.
She heads over to his table, carefully balancing the coffee on her hand. He was reading a book, head crouched down and frowning at the words before him. He wore a pair of glasses. She didn't know he wears glasses, but he looks fine nonetheless.
He looked up as she approach him. His lips lifted into a small smile and Jihye couldn't help but blush. God, Sora will clown her for this.
"Here's your latte." She carefully put his cup down on the table, right beside his laptop.
"Thanks," he said, his smile growing. She replied with an awkward smile and turning around way too fast. If he can sense her nervousness he didn't show it.
Being a part time worker in an unknown cafè at the edge of Seoul has its perks. One being the wonderful and tranquil space she can enjoy everyday. Two, she knows how to make great coffee. But that also meant catching up on papers and essays during shifts.
Jihye also has a spot — one at the very end of the cafe, much further than where he usually sits. And at times when the cafe is nearly empty, she swallows herself in words and references and books. In no time at all, Jihye could forget the wondrous smile of handsome guy and the way he makes her feel, or Sora's words of mockery if she knew what happened. All Jihye could think about is the diagnosis of antisocial behavior and how she could identify them in a person.
"Hey."
She looked up.
"Can I join you? Kind of lonely there." Handsome guy pointed to his former table. He was holding his laptop and his books on his chest, his cup of latte at the very top.
"Uh..." She gulped. "Sure."
He took a seat as Jihye began to read the characteristics of a narcissist. Her world disappeared once again and she's swallowed into this world of anti social behaviors and their traits. She has an exam tomorrow, and she can't fail this.
"I'm Seokjin, by the way."
She snapped back into reality. Blinking at him, she asked, "What?"
"My name," he repeated, "Seokjin. Just thought you should know."
"Uh... I'm Jihye?" she replied. "But you already know that."
He chuckled. "Yeah, I do." He pointed to her book. "What are you reading."
Jihye lifted her book with both hands, showing him the cover. "About antisocial behavior."
"Antisocial? The ones who don't like to talk?"
She sighed. "Contrary to popular belief, antisocial isn't as simple as not wanting to talk to someone. They're actually pretty talkative."
"Oh? Really?"
Jihye nodded. "I'm sure you've heard of them — psychopaths, sociopaths, narcissists. They're the actual anti-socials. And they're pretty talkative."
"Well, my friends like to call me a narcist, does that make me anti social?"
"I don't think you are one."
"Hm, maybe not. You never know." He chuckled. "What makes you read about them? The antisocial?"
"I have an exam tomorrow," she replied. "I'm a psychology major."
His eyes grew wide at the sound of exam. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother —" He pursed his lips. "I didn't know."
She waved his apology away. "It's fine. I do need a break." She pointed to his book. "What are you reading?"
He lifted his book up. "The history of theater."
"Wow, you're into theater?"
"Believe me, if I didn't have to write an essay about it I wouldn't even think of reading these things."
"Then I guess we're in the same boat."
"Reading uninteresting subjects and alone, in a cafe. And I assume, you have nothing better to do than to read that?"
She pursed her lips. Yes, she doesn't, but should she tell him that?
"I don't think so." He leaned back on his char, a huge smile on his plump lips. "When does your shift end?"
"In an hour."
"Want to grab dinner?"
"What? Right now?" Jihye frowned. She looked down to her clothes — her university clothes which were put together in the last minute to avoid tardiness. She's not even sure if her makeup isn't smudged all over her face.
"No, silly. In an hour, after your shift ends." He laughed, shoulders shaking as his high-pitched voiced filled the room.
"But — But — I'm..." She searched her head for a word to describe her situation. She couldn't possibly tell him she's not dressed for dinner, right?
"You what? You look fine, beautiful even."
Jihye pursed her lips. Beautiful? Really? She's beautiful? Well if she is then he's beautifuler. Does that make any sense?
"So, what do you say? Grab dinner with me?"
"Well, I mean I have an exam tomorrow. And I should study, but..."
"But?"
"Dinner sounds nice."
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