Half A Heart || BTS V Fiction

4 - Encounter

"Macchiato for Dodoa!"

Aera called for a costumer's attention for her order.
Yes, Muchies is something like a café, a shop, or something like just a small village walk-in store where you can have anything. Well, as long as we have it.

"Hey Lia!" Jenny called me.

"Yeah?" I replied while washing plates used by our customers.

"Can you take over for Aera there some minute? The girl needs to rest." She said as she went near me. "I'll do the dishes" She continued.

"Yes, Sure! It's already past two. Have she eaten something?" I asked as I take off the apron and gloves.

"Just some granola. Costumers are still flooding today." She said sounding half annoyed and half glad.

"I told you. That kid the other day must be a wizard in disguise! Haha!"

Yeah! Seriously, after that time he left, we never lose costumers. There's no hour where we would just sit doing nothing. They are everywhere!

"There you go! Shoo!" She pushed me off the kitchen.

"Hey Aera-ya! Off there! I'd take over." I spoke to Aera at the counter.

"Wait, I'll just take this two." she said smiling.

"Okay. Just call me when you're done." I told her and went out of the counter.

I started to help Sungjae take the plates and fix those empty tables.

"I can take care here Lia." Sungjae told me.

Why are people pushing me away from every work I want to do this time?

"No, I'm good. I'll just wait for Aera to finish serving her costumers there." I replied nicely.

"Okay. Uhh. Can you please take those dishes inside?" He asked as he pointed the unoccupied outside table. See, you need help Sungjae-ssi. Eat your might buddy. I laugh in my mind. I don't know how I did that!

"Yeah, sure!" I said then went out.

"Okay... Another hanky was left." I talked to myself as I saw another handkerchief was left by the right... I mean by our costumer. I might tell Jenny that we start making a store for abandoned handkerchiefs. We might earn a lot.

I put everything, I mean the used plates, utensils, and glasses, in the tray. As I carried the things inside, Aera calls for me.

There's my cue.

"Can you put this in the sink?" I asked her as I passed the tray.

"Sure! Thanks a lot Lia. I'm quite drained here." she replied looking relived.

"No problem. Go on eat some decent food, stop the granola bars. You might die." I joked at her. Then, I took my place at the counter.

"Good afternoon! What's your cup?" I asked the lady in front of me.

"Hello! I would like to have that strawberry crumble." She replied.

"Strawberry crumble, Check! Your kid might like something else Ma'am." I told her while smiling. She's with a little girl, around 8 or 9 I guess.

"Uhh.. She's just my sister." She said.

"Oh! Sorry! What would you like little miss?" I asked the kid beside her.

"The... banana... shake." she uttered lowly.

"Okay Ma'am. Strawberry Crumble and Banana Shake. Anything else?"

"Uhh.. Two slices of blueberry cheese cake."

"Two slices of blueberry cheese cake, Banana shake, and Strawberry Crumble. others?"

"And please, don't add anymore sugar in my strawberry crumble. Just the sugar from the strawberry and milk is enough."

"Sure Ma'am. That's all?"

"Yeah."

"Okay Ma'am. Wait up for your item and here is your bill. Thank you!"

"No. Thanks to you!" She replied nicely then went to find a vacant seat while carrying the order number.

I rested for few moments after three more costumers. Then, I realized Aera forgot to log out her account, and I used her account for those four costumers.

As I logged out her account, I felt a costumer went in and approached the counter.

"Good afternoon! What's your cup?" I asked the costumer as I entered my account number and password in the computer.

"Uhm... Hi! Uhh.. I would like to have.. hhmmm.." the costumer sounded troubled choosing what to take, but that caught my attention. Aside from being a costumer, I know who this costumer is. Just like every cliche movies, a deep and husky voice answered my inquiry.

Taehyung.

"Can I have the vanilla shake with three scoops of caramel ice cream?" he continued... and smiled.

My stomach starts to flutter. I felt nauseous but I love it. As my heart starts to beat fast, breathing also became difficult then my body went numb. I can’t move a single limb. I’m lost. I need help. My chest tightened.

'Tae' I whispered inside my mind.

I can't find the right words to say.

"Uhh. Miss? I will have a vanilla milkshake." He repeated.

I'm stuck at the spot. I can’t feel how cold I am just at this moment. I feel like I am holding a bunch of pricks in my hand. I want to look away but it seems like my body was inoperable.

There he noticed how troubled I am and tried to reach out for me. The moment that he almost touched me, I felt someone grabbed my arms and took me away from the counter.

"There are tears..." Those were one of the last words I heard from him.

Then I felt the warm liquid washed down from my eyes as I went inside the staffs' room.

He called out for me once more, but too late, I was far away from him... again.