Serene.

Chap | 003

・────── ・❁ ・──────・

        I check the time. It is half past two, so that means my break has started. 

        I reach to untie the knot that has secured my work apron to my body. "My break started. I'm going to head outside," I tell Étienne, who looks back to me as I hang my apron with the others. 

        He raises his eyebrows. "Are you not going to talk to her?" He turns to face the customers who are seated. 

        "Who?"

        "The girl you have been staring at ever since she entered. You seem interested, so aren't you going to talk to her?" 

        I feel my face heat up. "What are you talking about? I'm not interested if you mean what I think you mean. She's just a regular, so I was waiting for her," I say. 

        He rolls his eyes. "You were still waiting for her-"

        "Come on, stop talking and get back to your work."

        He laughs. "Whatever you say, monsieur Hwang."

        Yes. I am not interested. Definitely not.

        Am I...?

        I watch as Étienne turns back to the cash register, and my eyes find her again. She is writing in that same notebook. 

        I want to talk to her. Will she allow me? Would it be okay if I sat with her and talked?

        Before I can even think, my legs start leading me away from the counter and to the jazz band. They were now playing a slow song. I greet the five members, and I continue to make my way through the tables of the seated customers. 

        Wait, what am I doing? Where am I going? Oh my god, I need to stop. I'm going to embarrass myself. Hyunjin stop. Hyunjin-

        I stop. 

        I'm right beside her table. I want to walk away, but she looks up, and we're looking at each other. 

        Oh my god. No.

        "Thank you for the chocolat chaud," she says with a vague beam on her lips. I try to say something, but my throat feels dry, so I just laugh. She continues to look at me. I'm still beside her table. The silence begins to kill me, so I finally speak. 

        "Is it...May I sit with you?"

        It could just be me, but I swear I saw her hazel eyes twinkle. 

        "Oh! Yes, yes, definitely!" 

        She moves her chair away, leaving some room for another. I try not to smile so hard as I drag a chair from an empty table.

        Excitement fills every inch of me.

        I will finally get to know her. I'll finally get to know who this Serene is. 

・───・───・

・────── ・❁ ・──────・