Chapter Text
Kim Dokja couldn't see colour.
Well, to be fair no one came into the world with the ability to see colour, that was a 'gift' rewarded once you had found your soulmate. Everyone lived in a grey world and no one could tell you for sure when you would find your soulmate. Some were lucky enough to find them relatively easy as young high school students or one day happen to be walking past a stranger where they would notice a colour on them. Some may never even find their soul mate and always live in a grey world- truth be told, Kim Dokja didn't mind that idea.
He stared down at his phone, reading a web novel he had been following for a few years now, unaware of a figure approaching him.
"Oi, Kim Dokja" his friend, Han Sooyoung called out with a light smack on his head.
Han Sooyoung, his friend from University with a few courses overlapping, she was also in the midst of writing her own novel. After having met her soulmate Yoo Sangah, they were able to see colour and experience a sweeter life together. The campus angel.. and the campus warrior.. no one understood how fate decided to put them together. Dokja assumed if anyone could neutralise Han Sooyoung it had to be someone like the warm Yoo Sangah.
"Ugh I feel like it's gonna rain today.." She groaned as the two walked in the direction of the cafe where they both worked as part timers.
"That's what the news said, didn't you bring an umbrella?" Kim Dokja raised an eyebrow.
"Of course I did. See? It's purple but you can't see that huh." She jabbed.
"I prefer my grey umbrella"
"Grey you say.."
"What? Why?"
"Nothing. I just meant I don't want to work till closing if it's gonna rain.."
"What can we do. We have to earn some money at least"
"Bleh! Just wait till I publish my novel. I won't have to work like this!"
"Yeah yeah, work hard Sooyoung-ah"
The two students made their way to the café that they worked part time in, greeting the manager as they tied up their aprons and got ready for a busy afternoon. On rainy afternoons like this their cafe was busy with coming and going customers who wished to stay inside for the warmth and delicious food with hot chocolates.
Han Sooyoung worked the front of house with him, accepting the orders and making the drinks. The manager was also kind enough to let them have a free muffin and drink during their break and only Han Sooyoung could make him the perfect mint hot chocolate.
"Hello, what would you like to order?" Kim Dokja greeted politely to the customer who just came up to the counter.
"Oh, Sangah-ya" he recognised his good friend, her lovely appearance with a warm smile, silky flowing hair and confident walk making a few heads turn just to catch a glimpse of her. He wasn't surprised by this anymore, knowing she had been nicknamed the 'school's goddess' during their high school years. On top of that she had a caring personality and the brains to make it into law school.
"Hey Dokja~ Is Sooyoung-ee on her break soon? I was hoping I had timed it right." She hummed, eyes lighting up when Han Sooyoung popped up from behind the coffee machine.
"Speak of the devil." He smirked and dodged the oncoming slap to his arm, setting out a tray with two muffins, a coffee for Han Sooyoung and warm tea for Yoo Sangah. Their usual order.
After thanking him, the two women went to the cafe's 2nd floor seating area to enjoy the 30 minute break, just Kim Dokja and the new part timer working now.
Was her name... Lee Haejin? Yoojin?
He quickly peeked at her nametag as she came back from cleaning the tables.
Ah, Park Yeji. He was really bad with names..
"Yeji-ssi, how are you finding work?" He asked, trying to make some small talk as they relaxed with the lack of new customers. A small smile pulled his lips up, pale grey lips curved.
She blinked in surprise, flushing a little as the college sunbae striked up a conversation with her.
"U-Uh it's surprisingly fun!" She answered brightly, "Not too hard" she added sheepishly and glanced up at him.
He nodded, "yeah, this cafe isn't so bad for part timers."
"Sunbae.. Can I ask what you study?"
Kim Dokja sipped his mint hot chocolate, enjoying the sweet drink that warmed his insides.
"Hm? I study Programming and Literature as a minor." He answered, tilting his head at her. "What about you?"
"Oh I major in History, I'm especially interested in our world's colour origin" she said, talking about how everyone was born only able to see in greys until the day they met their Soulmate.
"Oh? Any interesting theories?" He asked. Kim Dokja had never really wondered too hard about this fact of the world since he never minded just seeing grey. There were still many shades of the world he could appreciate and because he had never seen any colours, he didn't miss it. It was just annoying when Han Sooyoung worked this fact into insults against him.
"Hmm.." Yeji-ssi seemed to think rather deeply about his question, absentmindly wiping the counter top.
"It's not really a theory but.. just a big question I guess.. Why? What's the point of all of us seeing colour only when we meet our soulmate? A lot of people have different answers to this."
The reader's eyes looked out the cafe windows, watching as the light pitter patter of water droplets hit the glass and raced down. How the blurred grey figures of people and umbrellas raced past to find cover from the rain.
"At least we know if there is a God, they're a cruel person." He murmured without much thought. He didn't notice the surprised widened eyes of the girl.
"Cruel?"
Kim Dokja rubbed the back of his neck as he looked at her with an apologetic smile.
"Ah was that too harsh? I just think it's sad we have to have a person just to see something as simple as colours." Narrow shoulders shrugged.
Park Yeji wondered if this sunbae's thoughts would change when he met his soulmate.