3:25pm

"That'll be ₩17,500 please"

So Joon stands at her post, a cash register in a small local coffee shop, taking orders from customers. Some regulars, some only passing by to tediously decide on what drink they'll have, taking ages to pick between Americano's or Cappuccino's. Pastries or chocolates. Cold or hot drinks. Her current customer pulling out her card to pay for an two espressos and cakes.

"Seriously. This place has gone up... it used to be ₩11,000 for all of this." She sighs, tapping her card against the card machine, which activated the transaction. Judging by her Channel handbag and Gucci purse rammed with ₩50,000 notes, she should be the last person to complain.

"I apologise on behalf of the shop ma'am. Prices are decided by corporate and my manager." She takes the card machine after noticing the valid transaction and her card no longer in the slot. "Would you like a copy of the receipt?"

"No." Her customer snaps, placing her card back into her purse, and placing it into her bag, frustratingly zipping it back up. "I don't need such a small amount of money to be printed on paper. I'm only here to meet a 'middle-class' client."

So Joon cracks a smile. "Thank you, your order will be taken over to you soon."

Such people frustrated So Joon, but what could she do? Her duty was to bite her tongue and provide customer service, even to those who believe they're above everyone else.

As she prepared the two espressos, her colleague carefully placing a scone on the plate, that name written in those leather gloves ricocheted through her mind.

"Another one of 'those' customers, huh So Joon?" Her colleague laughs. Her name is Pang Lin. Moving to Korea from China when she was a lot younger, immigrating into the country after her Father's company went bust. Working in a simple coffee shop to make her ends meet. "You deal with them so well aish... I'd slap her..."

"Well then you'd be fired wouldn't you?" So Joon deeply inhales, pressing a button on the coffee machine, which lets out a hot blast of steam, sterilising the apparatus. "But I do understand."

Holding the tray, a stride in her step, Pang Lin takes the order over. Various conversations swerve through her ears as she passes customers. Mostly just useless conversation. "Your order Miss." She smiles, placing it on the table in front of her arrogant customer. "Enjoy."

"Excuse me?" She laughs, forcing Pang Lin to turn around and face her.

"Yes miss, is everything quite alright?" She asks, a smile on her face.

"Ha!" She laughs. "You've got to be kidding me. You forgot something on my order..." she sits there smug, her large fur coat over the back of her seat, perfect clear skin and ruby read lipstick covering her lips. Long curled hair resting against her lower chest and her arms crossed, long acrylic nails overlapping her skin.

"We're so sorry. May I see the receipt?" Pang Lin asks, slightly bowing.

"Why should I need to show you?! You should have just got my order right in the first place..." She snarls, glaring to the side. "Besides I don't have it, the woman on the counter didn't give it to me. Talk about service..."

Pang Lin sighs and approaches the counter, noticing So Joon cleaning the surfaces. "Was there an item missed from that customers order?" She asks, leaning over the front of the desk.

So Joon picks up her pierced slip of paper, which sat impaled on a spike amongst other completed orders, handing it to Pang Lin. "Two espressos, one blueberry muffin and one croissant." She reads in confusion and glances back at the customer. Half a croissant still visible on her plate, a muffin wrapper on her clients' plate , an espresso in their hands. "It all seems to be there."

"She said she's missing something, what is she missing?" So Joon asks.

"A decent personality..." Pang Lin mutters.

So Joon takes the receipt from her and walks over to her customer and takes a deep breath. "Excuse me miss, your receipt."

Her guest sits with his files in his hands, writing down notes from their previous conversation.

"I don't need to see it. The service in this establishment is appalling. To think my Father invests in this company as well." She waves her hand around. "I want to see your manager. I'm a priority customer who is entitled to what I want! The fact that you nor your staff know that is appalling!"

So Joon takes a deep breath and places the receipt onto the table. "This is what you ordered Miss: Two espressos, one muffin and one croissant. If I was told my my manager to give certain customers 'priority' don't you think I would have already done it? I've never seen you come during my shift so how am I supposed to know whether you are a genuine VIP or a liar?"

She widens her eyes and makes an "o" shape with her mouth. "Are you calling me, a liar?" She clenches her teeth. "ARE YOU CALLING ME A LIAR?!"

So Joon stands her ground. "Miss, I never insinuated that you were one."

"Just wait until my father hears about this!" She stands up and charges over to a neighbouring couple who had their full attention on her. She grabs the smoothie out of a boy's hand and storms back to So Joon. "IM NOT A LIAR YOU-!" She throws it at her, causing a mixture of fruits, berries and ice to smother her hair, face and clothes. "Just you wait-! Get on the floor and apologise RIGHT NOW!"

"What on Earth is going on?!" So Joon hears a voice coming from the front of the cafe. At this point everyone is staring at both her and her manager who just came through. "So Joon, what is-" he glances over at her and notices that she's covered in smoothie.

"Ah finally some authority." She pours the rest on her head and places the cup down. "Fire this girl or I'll tell my father to stop funding this company."

Jeon-Hyuk. Tall, handsome and young. His black thick hair reaches his eyelashes, has perfect luscious lips and a slender but slightly muscular body.

"I'd like to complain about her." Her tone suddenly changes when he appears in front of them, looking helpless and playing victim.

Jeon Hyuk stands with his hands on his waist. "Ok Miss, what exactly happened?"

"She called me a liar and refused to give me what I asked her for." She pouts and shakes her lips.

So Joon sighs. "I-"

"Wait a minute So Joon." Jeon Hyuk orders. "May I see the receipt?" So Joon shamefully hands the soggy piece of paper to him which changed to a pinky colour, but the writings still readable. "Two Espressos." He glances to the table to see two empty cups. "One croissant and one muffin" He glances back to see crumbs left on the plates. "Which came to ₩17,500. I don't see anything missing."

"You must not know me." She squints her eyes to read his name tag "Je-on Hyu-k. I'm a very important person. You see my Father funds the company and has been doing so for over 5 years, I've had privilege passes and been allowed free confectionary."

"And your name is?" He asks.

She blushes "Park Ji Eun."

"Ah yes I remember you! The Park family! You invested in our company yes I remember now." He laughs.

"Ah I'm glad someone knows!"

"Yeh. But your father stopped sponsoring when he was fined for fraud." Jeon Hyuk adds. "So you're just like any other customer here I'm afraid."

Her smile instantly drops.

"I'm pretty sure you haven't left a great impression on your client." Jeon Hyuk sighs, noticing him packing his items away and putting on his coat.

"I don't think we'll be suited for your plans." Her client mentions. "Thanks for lunch." And leaves.

"Wait!! No!!" She shouts, watching him leave the cafe.

"Now, May I ask you to leave before I call the police, for you harassing one of my staff." He asks.

"Ugh!! I'm telling my father about you." She points at Jeon Hyuk. "You." Then at Pang Lin." And. YOU" then at So Joon, her eyes expanded. Picking up her belongings she storms out of the cafe.

Everyone returns back to their own conversations.

"Are you ok?" He asks, wiping off the smoothie.

"Yeh I'm fine." She replies.

"Go home early today, you've worked hard doing overtime recently. Take a long bath you smell of fruit." He laughs.

"Thanks" She smiles and heads towards the staff room. "I'll clock out now."

"Hey!" He says. " we have each other's backs under this roof, don't forget about it."

So joon cracks a smile.

—

5:30pm

With a towel around her head and wearing pj's, she enters her bedroom, Jo-Hyun lying on her bed flicking through her phone.

"So, was he fit?" She asks.

"What!? Are we still talking about him?" So Joon sighs, sitting at her dresser and combing her wet hair. "He's gone, I don't know where he lives so I'll never see him again. It's not like I care anyway, he only gave me a ride home."

"It's a weird name 'MonsterWoo'" she sighs.

"Wait-"

"I found the gloves in your living room dumbass."

"Ugh. So annoying." She sighs, pulling out her hairdryer.

"Think about it though Joon. Tall, nice body, tattoos, good hair, nice face. Rides a motorbike! Ain't no body messing with him babe."

So Joon picks up her phone, noticing three missed calls from an unknown caller.

"Hm?" She unlocks her phone and calls the number on the screen. " have you tried to call me? I have missed calls."

"Call them up sis. Might be him..." she laughs.

Beep

Beep

Beep

"Hello?"

So Joon gasps and covers the phone with her hand. "ITS HIM." She hisses.

"Erm. Yes. You called me earlier? Sorry I was in the shower."

"Yeh. I think I left my gloves at your place, they're black leather ones. Have you seen them?"

"W-what does he want?" She laughs.

"Gloves!"

"YEH WE HAVE EM MONSTERWOO!"

So Joon turns to face Jo Hyun. "SHUT UP" she hisses. Jo Hyun stands and takes the phone off So Joon.

"Come to her place big guy if you want them!" She laughs.

"Excuse me?"

"Jesus Christ his voice is deep" She mutters to So Joon. "Yeh They're here alright. Black with white stitches? Get yourself a new pair though honey these are wrecked!"

"I'm on my way"

"Aha bye sweetie." She puts the phone down. "And that my friend is how you reel in a man."

"JO HYUN WHAT THE HELL!" She shouts. "Oh my god. My place is an absolute mess, my hair is a mess, I'm not wearing makeup, what the hell were you thinking!?" She rapidly ties her hair back into a messy pony tail.

"The one thought on my mind right now is to get out of here sister. Good luck!" She runs towards the door and opens it, So joon chasing after her. But when the door is opened.

They find him at the door.

...