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The hanging bell chimed announcing the arrival of a late customer, Munyeong paused from wiping her ornate coffee maker turning around to give whoever it was a mouthful for not reading the ‘closed’ sign
It was man, about as old as her dressed all in black and startlingly handsome. Her scorn died in her throat at the site of him
He stood at the threshold, taking in the tastefully decorated café and she found herself watching him
He swiped his wet hair back and pulled out something from under his shirt, a pool of water collected where he stood
Had it been raining? She hadn’t noticed the change in weather, she could’ve sworn it wasn’t when she bid her last customer goodbye
Her nose turned up in distaste at the thought of her carpet being stained, he had yet to notice her standing behind the counter
Munyeong clears her throat hoping to get his attention, he turns at the sound and hurries over
‘I’m sorry’ he says in a honeyed voice
She blinks, he was quite possibly the prettiest man she had laid eyes on
‘I’m sorry’ he continues ignoring her awed look, he must get that a lot
‘you’re probably about to close up but I couldn’t risk this getting wet’ he says holding up an art tube
She nods, taking in his appearance, he had the most striking eyes, the color of freshly brewed coffee and she suddenly found herself fighting an urge to lick her lips
‘Would you like a drink? She says cheerily, offering him her sweetest smile
‘I don’t want to trouble you…’ he looked doubtful glancing at the gleaming surfaces
‘It’s alright you look like you could use a hot drink’ she says gesturing at him
‘Ah you’re right, Thank you’ they share a laugh
Soon they were sitting at Munyeong’s favorite table, steaming mugs of coffee in front of them, watching the city bathed in rain
‘So art student? She asks, too curious about this handsome stranger
‘Architecture, I’m in my last year’ he smiles and then offers her his hand
‘I’m Gangtae’ she takes it
‘Munyeong’ his grip was strong and almost as warm as the smile he gave her, and she finds herself returning it
‘That ones new’
Nam Juri makes a rather obvious observation, nodding at the picture now adorning the otherwise bleak wall
It’s no surprise that she notices thought Munyeong, her walls had always stayed bare despite the many suggestions her friend had made
‘a customer gave it to me, she says simply
‘This is so unlike you’ Juri states cocking her head thoughtfully at her friend
‘it’s pretty’ Munyeong offers in explanation as she stares into the bright stokes of color that contrasted sharply against the dark tones of the café
They don’t meet again until the year is almost over and the streets covered in snow when he shows up dressed in Christmas colors and asking for an expresso
She obliges and proceeds to watch in mild horror when he empties 5 packets of sugar into the drink
‘I have a deadline’ is all he says
This time its she who finds him
He is different dressed in a 3-piece suit and as handsome as ever, he looked out of place on the crowded train
Its his first day of work and he was too nervous to drive
She hadn’t slept the night before and didn’t trust herself behind the wheel
‘you cut your hair’ he says
‘I cut my leash off’
‘you look beautiful’ he tucks in some hair behind her ears, his thumb caressing her cheek in a feather light touch
She would have kissed him then, his soft lips parted in awe and eyes wide in wonder
The train screeched to a stop bumping their heads together
They laugh and move away, not quite touching not quite not
‘Munyeong’
The sound of her name so softly whispered that she barely heard it over the whistling wind roused her from where she crouched over the cold marble stone
he stood behind her, a bouquet of white lilies in hand eyes rimmed red
later as they huddled under one of the many trees that ironically breathed life into the cemetery, she tells him about the daughter she never got to hold and he about the mother that never held him
The next time they meet its planned
They wear matching turtlenecks and he carries her tiny purse
They walkout of 3 cafes until Munyeong finds one that brews coffee to her taste, he complains until she lets him sample it off her lips
They watch a movie in a drive through and kiss under the stars, it is the perfect date
They barely make it past her front door, he slams her against the door and kisses her senseless he asks if he should stop with his wet mouth trailing kisses along the hollow of her neck, she kisses his lips in no, they don't stop
Later as they lay together in the afterglow, he whispers 3 words into her neck, she hugs him close and whispers them back
They get married on a summers day and the weather is as unpredictable as the day they met
His suit is soaked and her makeup runny, but their faces sparkled brighter than the sun