Chapter Text
Jaeyi was wiping down the tables after a busy afternoon. Today’s special was salted caramel mochas and her last customer had a spectacular time spilling his mocha every time he bent down to fill in the crossword puzzle he brought with him.
Swaying customers aside, her new coffee shop was doing pretty well if she said so herself. Great location, within walking distance of a number of apartments, offices, and even a hospital a couple of blocks away, Jaeyi never had to worry about a lack of customers. Sure, buzzing and bustling Seoul was nothing like the sleepy, idyllic town of Manyang, but it was a nice change. A change she felt she needed.
She had decided to sell the butcher shop and her apartment above it, a couple of years ago. Too many memories attached to it, so much so that she had felt stuck in that shop. After everything with Kang Jinmook and Han Kihwan, and Lee Dongsik’s arrest and subsequent release from prison, Jaeyi had wanted to move past it all.
It was fine at first, Dongsik was back again, Han Juwon visited now and then, there were group lunches and dinners regularly. It was peaceful.
Then, Dongsik moved to Seoul. To stay with Han Juwon. It seemed, somehow, in between all the loud get togethers, and the quiet drinks after, those two had gotten their shit together. About time, Jaeyi had thought. Then, the Oh siblings moved, too. Oh Jihwa had gotten a promotion that came with a new office in Incheon. Oh Jihoon followed her after he was done with his military service. Im Seonyeo and Kang Dosoo had decided to move as well. Something about better schools for Heemang in Busan.
One by one, everyone moved on. The butchershop got real quiet those nights. She needed to move on. Everyone else had, and there was nothing tying her down anymore. So she sold the shop and moved to Seoul. Han Juwon’s lawyer friend had some contacts in real estate, called in a favor, and just like that, Yoo Jaeyi had a brand new coffee shop in her name. One that didn’t have any history attached to it, or her mother buried in the backyard. A shop that was just hers.
“The muffins are done, Jaeyi-yah,” Jeongje announced as he pushed through the kitchen door, carrying a tray of said muffins. “Should I refill the caramel syrup or are we good for now?”
Turns out, there was one other person that had had enough of Manyang as well. Park Jeongje quit the force for good and followed her all the way to Seoul. He worked part-time at the shop, when he wasn’t teaching art to kids at the local library, and he was a pretty good baker, too. But he got lost, sometimes. In his head. Less and less as the days went by, but every now and then, Jaeyi would catch him standing by the windows, staring off into the distance. She still wasn’t sure if he left Manyang to get away from his mother or to be closer to Dongsik.
“I think we’ve got enough, ahjussi. It should last until the evening rush.” Jaeyi walked over to help him refill the muffin displays.
Whatever Jeongje’s reasons, she was glad to have a familiar face in an unfamiliar city. Dongsik called often, talking her ear off about the inanity he fills his day with. And Juwon sometimes stopped by the shop on his way to work. The four of them sometimes got together for dinner whenever their schedules miraculously lined up. It was good. Peaceful.
These days, Jaeyi found herself smiling more. After all, change was more palatable when you had someone to change with.