1

Beep! Beep!

I stumbled onto the sidewalk, sidestepping to avoid the white Hyundai Ioniq parked in the street, the car's owner giving me the stink-eye from behind the steering wheel.

"I'm sorry I hit your car with my bag!" I explained, shouting to be heard over the horn. My jaw tensed and my hand shot up into the air as I faced the driver. "Okay, well, flipping me off feels a little much."

Ignoring the rudeness of the stranger, I darted into the door of the business on the corner and mumbled under my breath, "Get it together, Jennie. Confidence, confidence."

Once inside the restaurant, I approached the hostess and stuck out my hand. "Hi! I'm Jennie Kim. I'm here for the job interview," I said with a smile plastered on my face, thankful that my voice was steady and controlled now.

Nearby, an older man in a chef's coat put his attention on me making me assume he was the owner who I had contacted on the phone. "The position for pastry chef?" he asked.

"Yes!" I clutched my pink designer knockoff handbag closer to my body as my eyes bounced around the dining room, as opulent and sophisticated as one would think for a French restaurant.

"Wow! This is a fancy place with a lot of expensive looking stuff. Which is totally cool with me. But in the interest of being honest, which I think is an admirable quality in a future employee," said with a wink, "I've never worked in a place like this," I babbled on nervously. "Um...I tend to be a bull in a China shop. Are we even allowed to still say that? I could've easily said a bull in an antique shop. Sorry, I talk a lot when I get nervous. Which I am. Now."

The manager stared at me, brows furrowed, unimpressed. Desperately trying to think of something to say, I caught sight of a glass vase sitting on the hostess stand, different hues of blue gleaming in the light of the chandelier from above. "Whoa! This is beautiful."

Picking it up, I lived up to my reputation of having butter-fingers, and immediately dropped it. The vase shattered into hundreds of pieces when it hit the floor, like a crystal balloon popping. I gasped as the hostess ran to get something to aid in cleaning up.

I chuckled awkwardly. "Wow. Talks a lot and breaks things. Maybe I could be a candidate for the hostess instead," I joked.

The man looked around with wide eyes before landing them on me. "Actually Miss Kim, we already filled the position. Thanks for coming, anyway."

"Right." My lips set in a hard, thin line. "I'm just gonna...I'm just gonna head out," I said, turning on my heels and predictably tripping on the threshold as I walked through the door. "Stuck the landing," I announced to the manager, before I fully faced outside and bolted down the sidewalk.

On the bus to my current job, I wrestled with the thoughts of giving up my dream to be a pastry chef after another failed attempt. This being number three. Currently, my position as a waitress at a cafe my aunt managed, and helping out in the kitchen on occasion, should have sufficed. It was what my parents, bless their souls, had wanted and I owed it to them to help out with the family business.

"Jennie!"

Jisung greeted me with a heartwarming hug once I entered the back door of Cafe Selmarie, ready to bombard me with questions as I hung my bag on the coat hook in the employee's break room.

"I didn't get the job," I huffed, shooing my co-worker out and locking the door. While I changed into my uniform, I filled him in with the details and shared my final thoughts. "So that's it."

"You're not gonna try anymore?" he asked through the door.

"I didn't get the loan for my bakery start up either so I should take this as a sign." I flung the door open and gave him my back, signaling for him to help tie my apron. "It's my destiny to be a waitress for the rest of my life here at the cafe. I guess you're stuck with me, Jisung-ie!"

When I felt a sharp tug of the strings, I faced my friend as he met my countenance of mock-delight with a smirk. "Only until I graduate. Then I'm outta here."

I faked a sigh of relief. "Oh good, I was wondering how I would ever get rid of you."

Jisung put a friendly arm around my shoulders as we stepped in time toward the open kitchen. "You will never get rid of me, bestie. But seriously, I hope you leave this place before I do."

"How could I do that to Auntie? To my parents?" I asked rhetorically as I gathered my long hair into a ponytail and secured it with a pink scrunchie.

We detached from each other when we reached the prep line, automatically observing if any ingredients needed refilling. "When my parents were sick, I promised I would help out with the cafe. They put so much work into it and I knew Auntie couldn't manage alone."

"Makes me want to stay forever and help you and Auntie," Jisung muttered, pouting his lips.

I flicked his chin. "She's not your aunt."

"Then I would stay for the free food."

"Just finish school and then...well, you got your whole life ahead of you."

With a goofy grin, he nodded, noticed a plate under the heat lamp that was ready to go, picked it up and went towards the front of the house to the dining area. Only one year younger than me, I still felt an older sister vibe with him and wished him nothing but the best. To graduate with a degree and start a career was exciting. That's how I felt when I graduated from culinary school two years ago. Like I had my whole life ahead of me. But then Mom and Dad passed away, one after the other within two years, and the universe had other plans for me.

Of course, this job allowed me to still work in the food industry. But who knew when I would get an opportunity someday to control my own destiny.

Looking around me, steam swirled from the espresso machine, spreading the aroma of freshly-brewed coffee throughout the small casual dining establishment. Regulars hunched over laptops, tapping furiously, while others gossiped and giggled over steaming mugs and sweet scented pastries. The handful of employees milled around doing double duty as cooks, servers, hostess, and manager.

Despite the cozy atmosphere, I felt stuck here at Cafe Selmarie. Like Rapunzel in "Tangled," I wondered, when would my life begin?

Seeing that Jisung and another waitress, Minji, had the handful of tables of customers covered, I concentrated on helping Yijin, the cook, on a French onion steak risotto. Humming my favorite pop song to myself, I toasted the rice, deglazed it with wine, and added stock until it achieved a creamy, silky texture. Moving from stove to counter easily, having spent the last two years working here cooking and serving, I felt confident that the risotto was a success when I tested it with a spoon.

Until Auntie showed up.

"Did you taste this?" the middle-aged woman asked me incredulously. "Taste that," she ordered, in her usual no-nonsense tone. "It's like baby food! It's mush! It's overcooked, Jennie. Not by two minutes but by ten!"

Being used to her aggressive, loud ways, I attempted to defuse her outburst by taking a spoonful and adding "Mmm!" even though the risotto was a little soupy. "It's not bad, Auntie. Maybe I did put a little too much liquid."

"Maybe?!" She scrutinized me and the veins in her aged skin were ready to pop. "What's wrong with you? Fix it."

"Yes, Auntie," I replied, picking up a clean saute pan.

But as soon as she was out of earshot, Yijin called out to me from behind the long metal counter. "I got it, Jennie."

"Thanks," I muttered.

Dejected, I started preparing an apple tart that someone ordered instead. Dessert prep always gave me a serotonin boost especially knowing that I had made the pastries myself.

"You know, Ms. Kwon should really give you a break. You're the one who came up with the ideas to make the cafe more popular. Updating the website, advertising on social media, coming up with a slogan," Yijin listed, trying to cheer me up.

I looked up momentarily and nodded in agreement. "Ah...family I guess," I reasoned, not sure why I was always defending Auntie. Nonetheless, I had a soft spot for her being my closest relative in the city at the moment. Yet the work I did to get and keep the cafe off the ground was for my beloved parents' cause entirely.

"Argh!"

I whipped my head in the direction of Yijin's cry of frustration and ran to the walk-in freezer to help him. Holding the door open so it wouldn't shut and lock him inside, something I mentally told myself we needed to get fixed, I watched the cook pick himself off the floor of the cold room.

"Watch that first step into the freezer. It's a doozy!" I teased, returning his glare with a jokey, toothy smile.

Moving to the front of the house, I got ready to wait on customers when Minji took her break. Up ahead, the two men sitting at a wooden bistro table in the corner immediately caught my eye. It wasn't every day that business suits dined here, especially on a Friday night.

They looked like the typical white collar workers, literally wearing white dress shirts, one man in a dark blue suit and tie, the other in a charcoal gray suit and conservative cobalt blue tie. Their presence screamed power and masculinity, so unlike the cafe's décor of flowers hanging from the walls, French vintage posters, and chalkboard menus creating a warm, inviting atmosphere.

The sight of the two young men gave me pause until I shook myself out of my train of thought and approached their table.

"Hi, I'm Jennie. I'll be your server today."

"Hi, I'm Hyunjin, I'll be your customer today," the businessman on the right said with a grin.

I giggled and turned to the man on the left, whipping out a small pad of paper and pen from the pocket of my apron. "I guess you have to tell me your na-"

My words caught in my throat upon taking a closer look at the young man. Dang, was he handsome! I mean his friend was good-looking, but this guy - this guy - was like a Korean god, in the Roman mythology sense of the word. It was magical how his balanced features, glowing complexion, and intense gaze made him stand out. The way his suit fit his lean frame so well, exuding confidence and sophistication, didn't hurt either.

"My name?" he asked, his voice rich and deep.

The sound out of his mouth pulled me further into the abyss of struggling to speak coherently. I couldn't help staring, fascinated by his alluring aura. Almost dropping my pen, I finally found my voice, forgetting to wait for him to announce his name.

"M-May I take your order?" I asked, quickly, hoping to finish the task and leave before I embarrassed myself any further.

"Can you guys just do a chicken breast? And a slice of tomato, slice of mozzarella, drizzled with balsamic vinegar?" the unnamed man started.

I blinked at him, startled by his beauty, but also from his request. "Um...we don't have that-"

"Oh, I know it's not on the menu," with air quotes for "menu." "But you definitely have chicken back there. Right? I did see that in the other dishes."

Narrowing my eyes at him, I tilted my head and explained. "Yeah. But-"

"Good. And a side of tomato, mozz-"

"I mean to put those together...we don't tend to go off the menu."

The customer, who was starting to just lose a bit of his handsomeness, continued, scrunching his face, not entirely convinced by my claim. "Well, you see, you serve salads. And a caprese sandwich. So I know you guys have those ingredients. I got you there, right?" with a finger gun in my direction, sly smile on his face.

I returned the smile, remembering that the customer was always right. "Of course, I'll check with the cook."

"No, go ahead, ask the cook. Why don't you ask him? I can wait. Since he's sort of in charge of the restaurant," he nodded.

For three long beats we stared at each other before I turned my head to Hyunjin, then the rest of my body followed.

"Is it my turn now?" Hyunjin joked, rolling his eyes at his friend. "About time. Should we throw in a salad? Maybe just a little salad. I don't know, get some greens in there. We don't have to if you're not gonna eat it. It's a good way to get your veggies in. Dressing on the side. Are you good with that?" He peered at the other man. "We don't have to. I'll just have the risotto."

"Right. So just a risotto. Anything to drink?" I asked forcing a cheerful tone, gathering the menus from them.

"Just two Cokes," Hyunjin said.

"And two creme brûlées for dessert," the other added.

"Actually, you might want to keep this in case the cook says no," I said, leaving one menu on the table.

The worst person on earth to order pushed it back towards me gaining my attention. "He won't say no," he said cockily, a corner of his lips tugging up.

"I'll be right back."

I forced the words out, swiping the plastic menu and walking briskly to the kitchen's pass thru window. Jisung met me there as we both handed in our small papers.

"Yijin! Special order. Will you do it?" I breathed a sigh of relief when he read the order and answered me with a nod. Turning to my other co-worker, I blew some air up in a huff, making my long bangs flutter. "These guys must be foodies. That one's insufferable! Assuming that we would bow to his request."

Jisung glanced behind him. "What are they even doing here? They look too serious."

"They're too good-looking," I scoffed, hand on my hip as I waited for the food.

"Oh, so you noticed?"

I gulped, giving my friend the side eye. "You'd have to be blind not to see that," with a shrug.

An hour later, happy customers all around, I picked up the check presenter from the suits' table and gawked at the amount printed on the line reserved for the tip. It was triple the usual amount that I would expect.

"That's my way of apologizing for being so insufferable."

The smooth voice behind me forced me to spin around and gaze at the tall man, a proud look on his gorgeous face. Cheeks pinkening, I scrambled to explain myself.

"Thanks," I muttered. "I- you- you weren't supposed to hear that."

He gave me a half-smile, thankfully taking my insult in a good-natured way. "And give my compliments to the chef for the crème brulee. Someone at work suggested I check out the desserts at this cafe and it did not disappoint."

"I will," I said with a bright smile.

"In fact, I'd like to tell them myself. The chicken was quite good too."

"You are telling her." I almost felt like winking, amused with how I was divulging the information.

"You make the desserts here?" he asked, lifting his eyebrows.

"And the cook makes the other dishes."

"You're really good at it."

"I mean, I am basically a professional pastry chef," with a smile.

He ducked his head and raised it to give me an intense look, chocolate eyes dark and soulful. "Excellent. See you around, Jennie."

The way he said my name in his baritone voice filled my tummy with butterflies, and I gazed with wide eyes. As he turned away, I was mesmerized by a long strand of jet black hair that moved along his flawless forehead. The scent of his woodsy cologne penetrated my nostrils pleasingly and, like a school girl with a crush, I leaned forward to take another whiff. Then I recalled his name from the credit card he used to pay and said it out loud, the three syllables rolling off my tongue easily.

"Kim Taehyung."

~~~~~~~

A week later, I mentally did a happy dance when I saw him walk in with his friend again. Taehyung looked good. Really good. All in black, he wore a turtleneck under his suit blazer which sent me into a meltdown. Giving Jisung a forceful yet discrete nudge in his side as we stood near the hostess stand, I squealed under my breath in glee.

"That really cute guy from last week is here again," I swooned, my insides feeling warm and giddy. "Pretend like I'm telling you a story and it's really funny. So just laugh...now!"

Boisterous laughing was heard from me and Jisung, complete with wide mouths and him pointing at me. As soon as the two men were led by Minji and seated at the corner table in my section - yay! - I turned to my friend and pulled excitedly on the back of his shirt.

"We made eye contact," I gasped. Quickly I reapplied my pink lip gloss and gave myself the elevator eyes. Clean white shirt...check...no stains on my black work pants...check...and my apron was semi-spotless. "How do I look?" I asked my co-worker anyway.

Jisung scoffed. "So this unbearable foodie is giving you a lady boner?"

Brushing my hair back to smooth out my long tresses set in a high ponytail, I gave him a bright smile and picked up a menu. "Correction. This hot, gorgeous, big tipper, is giving me a lady boner."

He held me back before I could proceed to wait on the new customers. "So what? He's charming, he's handsome. There's gotta be some flaw that he has or something."

Like stealth spies, we lingered behind a partition wall to get a solid peek at Taehyung. We watched him pick up the flip menu stand from the table and say something to Hyunjin, before reaching into the inside of his suit blazer.

"Ha!" Jisung stage-whispered upon seeing a pair of glasses in Taehyung's hands. "See? He needs to wear glasses. What a nerd-"

He was interrupted when we took in the sight of a now bespectacled Taehyung, looking more handsome-er than ever. "No! How?! Where did he come from?" Jisung whined in mock-defeat.

I pursed my lips to the side in deep thinking. "Can't tell if he's single though."

Jisung and I shared a knowing look before he flipped the menu he was holding over his shoulder and I whipped out my phone from my back pocket. Huddled in the corner, I opened every social media app until I found Kim Taehyung on Instagram. Peering over my shoulder, Jisung squeezed my elbow and slipped into detective mode.

"Let's get to work," he said.

"Okay," I started, swiping the screen through Taehyung's posts quickly. "We're about twenty-five weeks deep and no sign of a girlfriend."

"No, check the tagged photos," Jisung ordered in a serious, "private investigator" tone.

"Checking," I agreed, pointing at him. A moment later I relayed my observation and tilted my screen so he could get a better look. "It remains unclear. Lots of photos of him with this perky brunette but nothing suggesting romantic significance."

"Go to her page," he almost barked.

"Going to her page," I repeated as I pressed on the screen. "Bingo! 113 weeks and the two of them photographed on a dock in what looks like a beach town on Jeju Island."

"Check the caption," Jisung urged, his hold on my arm tightening.

"Checking." I did as ordered and read the caption out loud. "'Just kicking it with my favorite...'" Jisung and I turned to each other, our faces lighting up in unison.

"...cousin!" we said at the same time.

"Yes! It's a pass. You're approved to slide into DM," Jisung announced with a grin.

"Uh...wait!" I said, a lightbulb going off in my head. "I'll give it a few days. Then I'll like his third most recent post."

"Yep...yep," he nodded, leaving to get back to work as I put my phone away.

I took that as a sign to take the men's orders and perhaps flirt, even though I didn't usually show this type of behaviors with customers. Then again most customers weren't breathtakingly handsome men who screamed rich, strong, and classy in their suits.

Same as last time, Hyunjin requested something simple while Taehyung ordered off the menu. "I'll have a toasted formaggio panini."

I stared at him for a few seconds, pen hovering over the pad in my hand. "Yes, so a grilled cheese?" I asked, playfully condescending tone as I scribbled.

"No. This is different though. Give it a Southern Italian fare. Make sure it's good cheese. Like Gruyere, Havarti, or a vintage cheddar. The kind that melts." His attitude carried the weight of someone accustomed to dissecting ingredients with forensic accuracy.

"Doesn't all cheese melt?"

He sighed, as if burdened by the mediocrity of the world. "Nope. And make sure it's cut diagonally. It's the cultured way to serve it."

"That's how everyone cuts their grilled cheese sandwich," I deadpanned.

At this point, based on Hyunjin's look of amusement, I wasn't sure how serious Taehyung was being. Was he pretending to be a difficult food snob? It was intriguing, something different than the usual mundane small talk I usually had with patrons. If this was his way to create some banter between us, I decided to play along.

"You know what else everyone does? Have it with a bowl of crème de tomates," I suggested, accentuating the name of the soup with a French accent. "I'll bring you one."

"Oh! I'd love to try that. Maybe even dip the sandwich in the soup." Taehyung's eyes bulged in excitement, almost exaggeratedly.

"Ooh! You're a genius," I said, liking the way it stroked his ego based on the way his lips tugged into a cute boxy smile.

Enjoying the back and forth, I wished I could join them at the table and continue but then left for the kitchen before I got in trouble. Despite not seeing his reaction, I could very well feel his eyes on me. Side by side with Yijin, I prepared their food personally myself and served it fifteen minutes later, pleased as punch as I watched them savor the dishes.

"Scrumptious !" Taehyung gushed.

"Everything here is delicious," Hyunjin chimed in.

"You guys seem like foodies. What's your favorite dish?" I asked, keeping the conversation going for fun.

"Can't go wrong with a beef bourguigon. Do you serve it here?" Taehyung looked up at me expectantly.

Always seeking return customers, I gave him a line with a bit of an ulterior motive. "Maybe it'll be one of our specials someday. You'll just have to come back and find out."

He grinned cutely. "Nice apron by the way."

I stared at the perfect cupid's bow of his lips as a nervous laugh slipped out. Not wanting to show the effect he had on me, I cringed at his clumsy compliment but liked the attention. We shared a smile while Hyunjin began to tell me his favorite dish but I was only half listening and then I was called by another table.

Back by the hostess stand I resumed my position of stealing glances of Taehyung from afar. Every time he went to wipe his mouth with a napkin, I dreamily thought about how his lips, so pink and soft, would feel on mine. He actually caught me looking at him once, but then I quickly turned away, flustered.

"Jennie! Table four has been waiting for their food so long, their dinner is now their breakfast," Auntie yelled my way, snapping me out of my daydream and causing me to hop to the kitchen to retrieve their food.

However, her comment didn't keep me down too long when my day was brightened later seeing Taehyung dig into his wallet, pull out some cash, and leave an extra big tip on his table before he and his friend left.