From Afar | Winrina

12 | The Start

| Kim Minjeong

We've been working for three hours straight already.

Yuji kept insisting that she would help, despite my resistance. She said she would only accept my treat after we finished working here in the Cafe, so I gave up and let her do what she wanted. 

She has been serving a lot of customers, while I'm here behind the counter, taking their orders.

I would be lying if I say that she's not a big help here in my work, because to be honest, she is. Aside from her beauty which obviously attracts a lot of customers, she has been walking around the whole cafe just to serve them. I think some of my waiters and waitresses are already resting since she's doing their job so well. 

She really fits here, should I hire her?

I chuckled at that thought.

I don't know what came inside her mind that she just decided to hang out with me again. We were together yesterday, and we just saw each other earlier, yet she looks so eager to be with me.

Should I be happy about that?

Maybe yes, maybe not. 

My decision was already made. I was planning to avoid her completely. Yet here she is, and here I am, stuck in the same place. I honestly don't know what I'm gonna do anymore.

How can I get rid of my feelings for her?

I feel trapped. Trapped between her and Aeri. Trapped inside this messy situation that I keep running away from.

But I just can't seem to escape. I always end up in the middle. 

I want to be with her, so bad. I want to hold her hand and tell her how much I like her. 

But there's the rejection, there's the fact that Yuji wouldn't like me back.

There's the hesitation, the fear that I can't give everything that she deserves.

And there's Aeri, there's my best friend. I don't want to lose her. 

I'm stuck pretending that I like someone else just to make her believe that everything is okay. I honestly feel so bad dragging Ningning into this.

What's worse, is that Ning doesn't know anything about what's happening. She's probably still confused as to why I did that.

But I can't tell her. Not yet, at least.

"Yuji." I called her. She's talking to some guys at the table who are obviously flirting with her. I can tell that she wants to leave them, but I know she doesn't want to disappoint anyone.

She looked at me, and I swear I saw the relief in her eyes when she heard me calling her. 

That bad, huh?

"Go to my office, you can already take a break." I smiled at her. 

"But she's serving us." One guy from the table interrupted us. 

I tried to hide my frown.

"Mark!" I called one of my staff. Mark immediately approached me. 

"Yes, boss?"

"Please serve the customers here."

"No problem, boss!"

"Come on, Yuji." I held Yuji's wrist and dragged her gently towards the office. 

"You're sweaty." I muttered as soon as we got inside.

She smiled at me. "It's fine. Do you have a towel?"