I came to say I love you

Chapter 1: Morning coffee

Jang Ye-jun had woken up on the wrong side of the bed. At least that's what his colleagues would say if they saw him in his current state. So far, his jacket had gotten caught in the subway door, he spilled his coffee when he tripped on the stairs, and he had a head splitting migraine at only eight-thirty in the morning.

Close to his subway exit was a coffee shop that the young man had passed by many times before. Never had he visited the establishment, but today he was in desperate need of caffeine to calm his rattled nerves. Coffee seemed to not only wake Ye-jun up, but it also seemed to be the only thing that kept him alive.

Ye-jun quickly dodged a mother and her gaggle of twins and two older children. As he ducked into the coffee shop, the smells of gasoline and hot asphalt were replaced with the smells of coffee beans and artisan breads. Already being in this atmosphere had released some of the tension in Ye-jun's tight stressed muscles.

Tokki Keopi had a relatively simple menu when it came to food. A few breakfast sandwiches, some cupcakes, and a few breads. However, the specialty drinks menu was a mile long.

Ye-jun walked over to the barista. "Can I get the largest coffee you have?"

"Italian roast, African Roast, or our Costa Rica blend?" the lively barista asked.

"Uh… Italian," Ye-jun said as he pulled out his wallet.

As he searched for a five, the barista continued the ordering process. "Decaf or regular?"

"Regular," he answered as he held out the five thousand won.

The barista looked at it and smiled up at him. She wasn't quite finished. "Room for cream?"

Ye-jun just looked at her before blinking. "Ne."

"That would be three thousand won."

When Ye-jun sat down in one of the shops small two seater tables, he looked at the twenty ounces of life support and thought about the entire ordeal that went into getting it. When did ordering coffee become so complicated? He winced when his migraine decided to kick it up a notch.

_____________

In the condo above Tokki Keopi, Sam Areum was getting ready for another day of hard work. She was pulling her long hair into a loose pony tail as she looked at herself in a hanging mirror, fixing her bangs for the last time. She headed for the front door when she deemed what little make-up she had on was appropriate.

"Ji-ah, Ji-hoonie, get your butts out the door!" Areum yelled. "School starts in a half hour!"

A teenage girl with the same ponytail hairstyle and bright eyes as hers come out of a long hallway. "Why a handsome mess ahjussi asleep in your room, and who is he?" she asked as she texted on her phone. She was in a jean skirt and a light pink tank top. A pink plaid backpack hung off of one shoulder. Pink All-Stars completed the look.

"He's a friend and he needed a place to crash last night," Areum answered quickly.

"Uh-huh?" a teenage boy shrugged as he walked over. "And I suppose you slept on the couch," he said glancing up from his iPad. His eyes were a light blue, and he had shaggy hair.

Areum smiled. "There's the pillow and blanket," she said pointing to the long tan couch in the open living room. Sure enough a small bed had been set up.

"Imo, you're not fooling anyone," the girl said.

"Sure I am, Ji-ah. Your Halmeoni and Halabeoji never caught onto my tomfoolery as a rebellious teen. I highly doubt they can do it now that I'm an adult," Areum laughed. "Don't get in trouble. Arasso?"