Ara stood behind the counter, pretending to be busy wiping a clean surface, but her mind was far from focused.
That smile.
Taehyun's smile.
It wasn't smug or overconfident, but it had just enough curve to annoy her. Like he was in on some joke she didn't get.
She let out a small groan under her breath.
Why did that annoy her so much?
Before she could spiral further, Lady Han approached gently. "You okay?"
Ara straightened. "Yeah. Just… tired."
Lady Han gave her a knowing look but didn't pry. "Go take a short break."
Gratefully, Ara slipped out the back door into the alley. The air was cooler out here, the sky beginning to darken into twilight. She closed her eyes, letting herself breathe.
Just as her heartbeat settled, she heard footsteps.
"Don't tell me this alley's yours too."
Ara opened her eyes—and of course, it was him.
Taehyun stood a few steps away, his coffee cup still in hand, a faint smirk playing at his lips.
She rolled her eyes. "You again."
"I could say the same thing." He leaned casually against the wall. "Are you following me?"
She gave him a look. "You came after me."
"Did I?" he said lightly. "Could've sworn I needed some air. Not my fault you beat me to the best spot."
Ara shook her head, a dry chuckle slipping out. "This is the trash alley behind a café. Some 'best spot.'"
"Hey," he lifted his cup in mock salute. "It has character."
She arched a brow. "You've got strange taste."
He grinned. "Yeah. I noticed."
There was a pause. Not tense—just… hanging between them.
"So," she said, folding her arms. "Is this what you do? Drop random lines and smirk like you're in a drama?"
Taehyun laughed, genuine this time. "I don't know. You tell me. Is it working?"
Ara snorted. "You wish."
He tilted his head. "You're fun when you're annoyed. Way better than that whole blank face earlier."
She clicked her tongue. "It's called professionalism."
"It's called trying not to explode," he shot back, smiling.
Before she could answer, the door behind her opened, and Lady Han peeked out again. "Ara? Time's up."
Ara nodded and stepped back toward the door, then paused.
Taehyun was watching her with an amused glint in his eyes.
"Don't cause trouble," she muttered.
He gave a mock salute again. "Wouldn't dream of it, barista girl."
She rolled her eyes and disappeared inside.
Behind her, Taehyun finally took a sip from his cup and muttered with a grin, "Definitely interesting."
The night had settled like a heavy blanket over the city, soft and still.
Ara lay on her small bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling as her mind refused to rest. The day had drained her—university lectures, café shifts, Arianna's mockery echoing in her ears, and Taehyun's annoying half-smile that still lingered at the edge of her thoughts.
She let out a long, tired sigh and closed her eyes.
Everything felt too much.
Too loud.
Too heavy.
But as the silence wrapped around her, her thoughts drifted backward—back to a much younger version of herself.
Her first day of middle school.
The classroom had smelled like fresh paint and pencil shavings. Little Ara had stepped inside hesitantly, her new shoes making the tiniest squeaks on the polished floor. Her uniform hung neatly on her small frame, and her thick, curled lashes framed the brightest brown eyes—soft and nervous, like a startled deer.
She had clutched the strap of her school bag tightly, trying to ignore the murmurs.
"She looks like a doll," one girl whispered.
"Her eyes are so pretty," said another.
Ara had flushed, shrinking into herself, and quietly slipped into the seat near the window. She didn't want to be noticed. She just wanted to blend in.
Then came P.E. class.
The girls were all laughing, chatting, changing into their gym T-shirts, their voices bouncing off the walls. Ara opened her school bag with small, careful hands—reaching for her gym shirt.
But it wasn't there.
Her heart dropped.
She blinked, checked again.
No shirt.
No… I saw Mom put it in this morning… she said she made sure everything was packed.
A cold rush of panic swept through her. Her fingers scrambled through the bag over and over, her eyes beginning to sting.
Around her, some girls had begun whispering.
And giggling.
One of them stifled a laugh behind her hand, eyes glinting with mischief.
Ara's lips trembled.
She didn't know that behind her back, a group of girls had taken the shirt while she was in the restroom. Just for fun. Just to see her panic.
And now, the P.E. teacher's voice was calling from the doorway, asking everyone to head outside.
Ara stood frozen, too afraid to explain, too embarrassed to cry.
She felt the tears build up anyway.
Until…
A hand appeared in front of her.
Tiny and gentle.
Holding a clean, neatly folded gym T-shirt.
Ara looked up in surprise.
The girl standing before her had the kind of glow that made her seem almost unreal—long lashes, delicate cheeks, a warm, confident smile that lit up the dull locker room.
"I brought an extra," she said cheerfully, her voice light and kind. "You can wear this one."
Ara stared, stunned. "R-Really?"
"Of course," the girl giggled. "We have to help each other, right?"
She tilted her head slightly, her ponytail swaying behind her as she added sweetly, "I'm Arianna. Arianna Park."
Ara blinked.
The name lingered in her mind like a soft breeze.
The kind girl with the bright smile… the girl who had saved her from embarrassment on her very first day of school…
Was Arianna Park.