☆ : cafe

@: kim jongin "Nah, I won't call it impressive yet unless I have really fulfilled my dream. But thank you." Her smile softened at the last of her sentence, sincerely relieved to hear such compliment from him. "Oh, really? Is this house really important to you?" She asked ever so gently, afraid that she might have touched a sentimental topic. "And I don't have a roommate, but I've always thought it would be fun to have one. You know, you'll have an instant best friend."

@: im jaebum The night- morning to be exact, Sungkyung had to handle a few common issue in her bar before she could finally wave off her workers to go home and close the place. The issue being drunken old politician men fighting over something so petty that made people roll their eyes at that. Lucky enough, she got the guards to shove the men out before they cause any more mess than they already did. Sungkyung walk out of the building, putting on her headphone and turn up the volume to block the car's noises while she slowly walk by the pavement. She could never get use to the sounds no matter how hard she tried.

Glancing at her watch, she sigh. It shows over 3.30 in the morning by now. But that's not what frustrated her. It's the fact that she had to get up early tomorrow morning and attend a meeting at the company. She doesnt even know why she should get herself into any kind of event at the company when she don't really got any function in there. Walking pass a cafe that she usually stop by for her breakfast, she decided to grab something before she get home since she barely eat anything for dinner just now.

The sounds of bell greeted her ears as she step inside. Sungkyung was about to make her way to the counter when a young woman in high heels and scarlet red tight dress suddenly crashed onto her. Her ice coffee spilled everywhere, even Sungkyung's own shirt. Fortunately, she wear a black tee tonight, so the stain is not visible. The woman who's about in her mid 20 gasps and instead of apologizing to her, she shouts.

"Hey?! Don't you have eyes? Watch where you're going!" luckily, there are not many customers in the cafe apart from both of them and another guy who's too engrossed with his laptop. Sungkyung sigh, too exhausted to handle such attitude. "Don't you have manners, then." she spoke slowly, looking at the woman with her blank look, more like stating a fact than asking a question before she walk pass her to the worker at the counter. "Excuse me, do you have a napkin?"

@: minnie yontararak “It’s not a big deal, I’d like to think I just got lucky. What’s impressive is a young woman reaching for her dreams.” the man replied with a sincere smile, returning the praise he earned from the lady. For a mere second, he thought he had saw her as if she froze in place once he settled in his position which he eventually disregard by the comment that earns a chuckle from him. “You have a roommate or is it a room just for yourself? At first, I actually thought of selling this place and rent an apartment with a roommate so it’ll be cheaper but, I end up staying here, guess I can’t leave this place.” he flashed a small smile, thinking what would have happened to him if he did sell the place.

@: kim jongin "Oh, twenty-four. And already owning a cafe? Wow, that's impressive." She bemused before freezing in her place. Minnie sunk deeper in the bed along with her heart when he posed that way. She had to look anywhere but his face after that, suddenly timid and shy and mushy. "Yeah, it's very rude to call people kid, Mr. Jongin." She emitted a chuckle instead, hoping to flush all the nervousness away. "Oh, uhm, I am leasing in an all girls dorm a few blocks from here. The owner is Thai and my mom's friend so I kinda have the unlimited stay." Nodding her head, she finally looked at him with a smile on her face.

@: im jaebum Sigh.

It's almost 1am and I'm still here, editing my next vlog. As much as I want to do this within the comfort of my bedroom, I couldn't. Dad and mom are fighting, again. I don't want to hear their screams. I don't want to hear their yelling...

To be honest, I don't want to be with them anymore.

I looked around me, there are only a few people hanging out in the cafe. There's that annoying couple, a student probably working on a project, a woman watching korean drama... And there's me.

I yawned, standing up to buy another brewed coffee.

@: minnie yontararak “Twenty four.” he replied calmly, moving one of his elbow to prop it against the pillow while one of his hand supported the weight of his head. His glance fixated to her, awaiting for her response regarding his age: for some told him it was young, some told it was an age to be having a lover. “Actually earlier, I thought you were a kid, I didn’t know you’re 21.” he commented, since he remembered she had told him how she wasn’t a kid when he keeps calling so while the two of them are downstairs. “Do you rent a place around town or do you have your own?” he asked, considering she came from another country before she came here.

@: kim jongin "Hey, I was 5 years old. Don't judge, I am the youngest so I was kinda like, spoiled by my parents." Minnie was actually very thankful she overcame that trait. She learned to be contented with material things although it kept her driven to achieve her dreams. When both of them had calmed down, Minnie smiled and asked, "How old are you by the way?"

@: minnie yontararak “You tried to run away because your parents won’t let you adopt a puppy?” he questioned in disbelief, laughing at the thought of how her own childhood fiasco played out. Once the sound of their giggles faded, a smile still crept to his lips in amusement with her life stories. “Hmm.” he thought of another question to ask, although, the man just ends up in asking if she had one for him. “Got any questions, tidbits about me that you’d like to know?”

@: lee taemin On any other day, Tiffany wouldn't have reached out to him. But like many others in her contact list, she needed something from him. It amused her to see how somethings never changed, how there were still so many that wanted nothing more than to please her, in any way. This was something she took full advantage of, after all she had learned how to manipulate and use by the very best, her parents and the countless foster homes she found herself in. She chuckled darkly at her choice of words before turning her attention to her phone that dinged, indicating a new text message. It was rather pathetic how the male had eagerly agreed to meet up with her after she spewed a bunch of bull about how she missed him and wanted to see him after all this time and catch up. She couldn't care less, she simply needed his skills for something and then she'd be on her way. But for now she had to play the part, so she plastered a huge fake smile that she had perfected over the years and walked into the cafe, spotting Taemin almost immediately. "Oh my gosh Taemin! It's been so long! How have you been?" She spoke energetically and pulled the younger into a tight hug, internally cringing at her own behavior but determined to play the part nonetheless.

@: kim jongin "Eight?!" Her voice rose up into a pitch again, but this time, in surprise. That was indeed a very surprising age to learn your passion. She learned hers when she was already old enough to practice it. "That was very young, impressive." She nodded her head in disbelief with hanging open. "Well, I could imagine the disaster." Her laughter immediately mixed up with his after that and when it faded, she turned to her side and faced him too. "Hmm, well nothing worth bragging about. Hmm, let's see." She hummed a tune for a moment while she tried to pick something up from her memory box. "I guess, I'll have to pick that time I tried to run away from home because my parents won't let me adopt a puppy. I don't remember exactly what happened but like my mom and my dad would tell me about it." She paused briefly to breathe from stiffling back her giggle. "They said I was packing my toys in my back pack as if those were all I need. They didn't even stop me. They just laughed at me."

@: minnie yontararak “Alright.” he hums considering her offer to lie down and talk there, he was also interested and having a sense of entertainment with her company and also, the stories he heard from her about her life. “Eight? It’s a messy brewing system I have there but, that’s my first try of brewing.” he chuckles at the memory of that moment, deciding to turn his body to where he could face her. “My father woke up with coffee droplets around the kitchen, broken mugs and one crying little boy at the floor.” he started, “It was like a scene from a horror show he said,” he followed. “Do you have those stupid funny stories during childhood?“ he asked.

@: kim jongin "Nice!" Is all she could say when he said he could stay up. Her smile rested comfortably on her lips, sitting there like it belonged there. She really hoped he would stay up, cause she was just getting started with the conversation. She just didn't want to end it midway where everything was getting more interesting. "Hmm, we can just lie down for a while and talk, maybe." She hums a short tune of thinking, gathering up all of her brain cells for a small talk or something. "When did you learn to brew coffee?" The very basic question amongst her list.

@: minnie yontararak “It’s not yet one of those sleep-or-i-die kind, maybe I’ll just stay up with you ‘till you fell asleep too.” the man replied with a smile besides he did made that comment for the sole purpose of getting rid of the high-level of nostalgia brought to him when the girl starts to question him about his father and the cafe he owned. “Would you like to do something?” the male tried to asked reluctantly, his voice came out as a whisper while he turned his head to look as he waited for her reply. “Talk about other stuffs and all you can think of.” he trailed off unsure if the words coming out of his lips even have sense.

@: kim jongin Minnie almost forgot to listen to his words as she got so beguiled by the way he talked about the coffee shop, and how he had made it for his father. It was something a few would know she was sure of it, and because of it, Minnie had a little sense of pride being one of those few. "Are you sleepy? I am not yet sleepy tho." She lowers her voice almost into a whisper. Her body became so used to working 'til late at night thinking of ideas for her production that it couldn't sleep early these days. Her mind was very much wide awake.

@: minnie yontararak Minnie sounds happy and contented while telling the man her own life story, compared to him, she sounds so proud of what she achieved which she should be while the other sounds so lonely; When he heard her next question, he couldn’t help but to sigh as floods of memories came crashing by in his mind as he remained focused staring at the ceiling. “Maybe, i guess. He is a broken man but, he tried his best to be a good father.” his lips twitched into a small sad smile, remembering the good man who raised him in this place. “It’s not that though, I just find it hard to run his hardware store alone and I figured since I want to keep the place, and coffee was his favorite thing in the morning so why not make it a coffee shop- i can brew too.” he forced a chuckle, it was rather odd how he ends up with a coffee shop. “We should sleep hmm?” he yawned.

@: kim jongin It was one of her habits to really look at the person as they speak and so when he began talking, she had her head turned to him again, practically staring. He was not looking but she could see from the corners of his eyes the emotions he was feeling while talking. She felt that he was rather lonely than cold. "Well, I am a very clichèd woman. I was born from a commoner family in Thailand, but I was so persistent about being independent and studying abroad so I had to convince my parents about it. I love movies. I don't even know why. I just..love it. Since high school I was so fond of making them, filming random videos and editing in some free multimedia editing applications, thus, I am here. I wanted to start my career here." She had her head back at the ceiling now, but her smile was brighter and prouder. "Hey, if this was a hardware store, why did you change it to a cafe? You don't get along with your dad?"

@: minnie yontararak “Yeah, right.” the male snickered, the sound of his chuckle combining with the sound of hers while he lightly shook his head in disbelief to her confession about her sleeping habits— he will see about that once the two of them drift off to their slumber.

As the laughter faded followed by the sound of her soft sleepy voice, he hums upon hearing his name being called. “You heard rumors and stories about me in the neighborhood.” he convinced, “Inherited father’s hardware store, and turns it into a cafe that luckily became a hit; just completely opposite with the personality of my father, he was always loving and kind with the community while me, i’m stuck with the town grump nickname” he confessed and smiled while he talks about his father and his shop, he missed him so much. “You?” he questions after a momentarily silence.

@: kim jongin With her face scrunched, Minnie chortled as goofy as she could. "I'm pretty sure my sleeping habit is worse than yours." Of course she was not sure, but she said it because she was confident that it was. Poor Jongin would probably suffocate from her weight a few minutes later to an hour tops. "I am kinda like, exercising, when I'm sleeping. I move around a lot." She chuckled then again before heaving for deep inhale. Did she really have to tell him that? Was it necessary? Only then she realized how comfortable it was to have someone to talk to like this. It made her heart flutter inside her chest. "So," she started when her laughter had faded. Her voice softened and almost sleepy. She knew her body was slowly sinking in bed and was ready to sleep but her mind was restless. She wanted to talk to him more. "Jongin," She smiled at the air above them. "What's your story?"

@: minnie yontararak He laughed at her teasing, even the silhouette can indicate how she had a grin on her face right now. “Yeah, I know. I didn’t mean it like that.” he clarified his answer, also turning back so his eyes can meet the ceiling. “I am not, I might have some sleeping habits too so aren’t you also worried?” he manage to question back with a grin on his face, it felt nice and amusing with the two of them just talking there at the dark cozy room while the sound of the storm faded into the background.

@: tiffany young Its been about two years since he's seen his old high school friend Tiffany. Taemin was nervous as hell to see her again because well she was his first crush. It's kind of pathetic really, he would do anything to please her. If she asked him anything he would drop everything and do it. He met her in high school as a freshman it was during his first week of school when the junior Tiffany took him in and they started hanging out. Everyone tried to tell him she only hung around him because he would do her homework for her.
Sighing Taemin grabbed his coffee he ordered and headed over to the table. He sits down and grabs his phone out to text Tiffany. "I'm by the window in the corner"

@: kim jongin She couldn't help but to chuckle as well when his voice rose, it was kind of adorable coming from a man who was always cold and composed. She swore her face is blushing right now and was onlt thankful of the darkness for keeping it from exposing. "We're just going to sleep tho," she teased with a grin on her face before turning back on the ceiling. "Also, aren't you worried I might have sleeping habits or something? I mean, I'm not saying I do but you never know."

@: mark tuan enjoy your night
/murmurs to the customer i see out of the cafe, closing the door after them and returning to the kitchen, the place silent aside from myself and the noise i make whilst baking
/despite the late time of night the cafe is still open, and i'm happy it is considering its the only job i've managed to keep stable for over a month, my special "friends" not making it any easier
/speaking of which as i fold a mousse mixture in a bowl i glance up and watching a ghoul hang upside down from the lighting, frowning at them and swatting at this ghost as i'm familiar with them, telling them their long hair is going to get in my dessert
/sighs before i pop the bowl in the fridge to set a bit, washing my hands and drying them off before i fill up a piping bag, hearing the bell above the front door jingle so i speak up loud enough for you to hear
i'll be right there
/glances up, looking past the glass sheet that separates the kitchen from the dining area, allowing customers to watch the chefs at work but it allows me to see you as well
/throws a brief look at the clock on the wall, seeing its coming up to midnight now and whilst i'm used to people coming in late, they're often the usual customers that work like clockwork but you- i've not seen you before
/brushes my hands off on my apron, peering around the break in the glass sheet to you, standing behind the fridge cabinet showing off the cakes that are made freshly, leaning my hands on the edge as i bow my head to you politely
welcome. what can i get you?
/asks as i offer a friendly enough smile, nudging my glasses up the bridge of my nose as well, tilting my head as there's something a little off about you but i can't quite put my finger on it just yet

@: minnie yontararak When the lady turned her face to his side, he froze. It was the first moment he was able to examine the structure of her face, unto the tiny little details that it beholds which made her beautiful and perfect as he stared at her silhouette in awe.

The tone of her voice was enough to indicate that perhaps he wasn’t the only one feeling a sense of awkwardness at the entire situation. “I’m o-okay.” he answered bluntly, that even his voice rised up a pitch just like hers which brought him to chuckle.

“It’s good, quite nice.” he began to explain how he felt sleeping together in a bed with her, “It’s just— I forgot what it feels like, it’s been long since I sleep beside a woman, and it feels nice.” he confessed.

@: kim jongin Minnie had never thought, ever in her life that she'd be sleeping in a man's room as soon as she entered it. She had only been in a man's room once before and it was the place of break up for her. She thought she'd be traumatized after that but luckily she was still fine. She lied down on the bed in a stiff straight position, eyes on the ceiling and arms on her side. She normalized her breathing by taking deep inhales and strong exhales. Suddenly, he spoke out of nowhere making her shake a little in surprise. The stunned woman turned her head to the side that she was facing him. It was dark so all she could see was the silhouette of his face against the moonlit through his window. She just realized then how perfect his nose was, as creepy as it may sound. "Uhm, y-yeah. You?" Her voice rised up a pitch despite talking in a normal volume, she didn't know why.

@: minnie yontararak It is taking all of his guts to control himself, to hide how the idea of the entire situation is bugging him. It has been four years since he had shared his bed with a woman in his own place, the rest of the fling relationships or one night stands was spent in one cheap hotel or at the girl’s place. It’s not that he is feeling heat all over his body although, he will not deny the fact that the job of a heater isn’t needed much despite the cold stormy night; he knew that she will sleep beside him in the small bed, and in the morning, the owner was sure how the earliest bird among his employee would see her perhaps walking down the staircase or leaving the coffee shop that sparks the idea that he is with a lady’s company throughout the night. “All right, hop in here, kid!” the owner announced, one of his hand taps the mattress of the bed gesturing his words, playfully teasing the female who turned into one amused child upon observing his room. Jongin smiled at the compliment for his room, “Thanks.” he softly spoke, walking towards the wall beside the door where the light switch was located. He waited for her to settle at the bed, it was nice that she also sleeps with the lights off yet the idea of spending the rest of the night in a dark room with her never crossed his mind until he finally switch it off and settle himself beside her. It feels weird. “Are you comfortable?” he gulped knowing he wasn’t.

@: kim jongin Minnie's heart was scrambling and panicking inside of her as they walked towards his room. If didn't felt wrong but it didn't felt right either. She was beginning to doubt if this was a good idea but she couldn't back out. After all, her dormitory was probably closed at this hour due to the curfew. She had to mentally face palmed herself.

The room looked very cozy and cool. Cool in a refreshing way, but you could say that it meant the cool boyish look as well. She walked in observing around like a lost kid amused of what she was seeing. Soon, he was done fixing the bed, at the same time she finished looking at the small book shelf on top of his desk. "Oh," she cleared when he called her attention again, "lights off. I can't really sleep when it's on." It was her habit which she thought was just a normal thing. But then anxious thoughts occured again, she was going to sleep with a man she barely knew on a small bed in a dark but cozy room. She held on tight to the small part that was its coziness. At least it was cozy. "Nice room, by the way."

@: minnie yontararak “Oh..Okay.” the owner reluctantly answered with a nod of his head, she seems weird scrambling with the words she could use to reply to him. “Come.” he invited, switching off the lights of the cafe as he leads the way upstairs, the keys jingling against his fingers as he opened the bedroom door and took a step aside to let her in before he closes the door at his behind. It wasn’t a spacious one with half of the second floor became a storage area, leaving only a half for the man so his room just plainly consists of a bed, a desk and a cabinet– plain but, it was neat.
Jongin walks towards the bed and puffs the pillows before he spread the blanket over, setting the bed for the two of them. He sighed once he was done,
“Lights on or lights off?” he questions, glancing to her direction, since he did sleep with the lights off always which his dad has seen as a problem while growing up.

@: kim jongin She would be lying if Minnie says that she was not panicking. The girl was definitely panicking inside of her. She did not want to be rude and kick him out of his bed, but also she didn't want to be so quick on sleeping beside him. They were still strangers after all! Minnie had to think quick cause it was getting late and the man was probably tired. He had no couch! Well, she understood him since her own couch were overused and rugged. Suddenly, she thought she needed to buy a new one. "Uhmm," she raised a hand and pressed her lips together forcing it to speak even before she could change her mind. "Its okay, uhmm, let's use the bed." Use the bed! She face palmed herself with her choice of words. It was not like they were gonna use it other than sleeping. She scrambled on her feet and stood up with shaky legs. "It's your bed, you have the right to it."

@: minnie yontararak What sounds like stammering of the lady sends the man into a slight embarrassment, he never had the company of a woman in his place so the male was not quite sure if his statement sounded inviting her into something or just as what he meant it was. He lives alone for three years already, and he never did expect a guest to stay in it over the entire evening. “I-I have no couch.” he bit his bottom lip under his front teeth as his face flushed, remembering how a couch was sale during the garage sale of Mr. Gao in the neighborhood last Saturday: he should have bought that. “I..I live alone so I just didn’t see the need to own another one when my previous couch became worn out and saggy.” he explained while stealing glances at his side. “I think I have a small foldable thingy in the storage room, I’ll figure it out. You can sleep on the bed.” he spoke, realizing the time which was almost two o’ clock in the morning.

@: kim jongin She thought since it's raining too much outside that it would be a very cold night, but in contrary, it was just her nerves that felt cold. Her face and her heart felt very warm right now, squeezing some kind of alien feeling in her system. She decided to gulp it all down, that kind of feeling. "Oh, thank you." She said lowly when he grabbed her plate to put into the sink. Now, her hands were in her lap, her smile maintaining itself on her lips especially when he said her name's cute. He technically called her cute. Her insides flipped. Jongin. So that was his real name. Minnie felt victorious after knowing it. "E-eh? O-oh." This time it was her who stammered and was speechless. Finally, the chatter had lost her words. Minnie looked out the window and noticed the angry shower of rain splashing on the window, its strong winds whipping the trees. It was impossible to go home now by the looks of it. "I-I mean I, I can sleep on the couch." She volunteered with a polite nod, her eyes meeting his.