59 The Last

"Unnie!!!"

"What?"

"We're in muffin crisis!"

"How many more?"

"20.. Nope! 30!"

"Hera, you better confirm the number. Or we'll not be able to serve on time!"

"It's 20! Confirm!"

"Jeez, I need to bake more..."

Those two hands work like magic. Whisking the butter with sugar, carefully crack eggs into the batter, and sieve the flour gracefully.

Yeah, sounds magical!

But, you know it better, don't you? There is no way you would bake like Snow White. Singing and surrounded by cute animals!

Baking is science. The cold kitchen is almost like a lab for bakers. One mishap and it's done. Shut down the whole kitchen, go home, and cry.

"Unnie..."

"Yes, Sweet?"

"A man is waiting at his table to talk to you.."

"My dead Sweet, I'm in a hurry now..." she ignores her assistant, strudes straight towards the oven, and tosses in the muffin tin.

"I'll let him know..."

"You better not sell me..." she laughs between her words. It might sound like a joke, but the actual intention is obvious.

Sweet gets the message.

Karin lets a huge sigh come out of her lips. Monday is the day when she has to do extra cardio exercise, especially in the kitchen. Her small cafe always swarming with people at the very beginning of the week. It always happens this way.

And she couldn't even feel happier.

"Unnie! The Music Show is starting!" Sweet drags Karin out of the kitchen. They gather together at the front table, watching Hope Boys' performance. Last week, they had All Kill for three main music charts for the latest single, Luna(Tick).

"Hope they can win again this week!" Sweet shrieks.

"Of course! Hope Bunnies will vote for them, no doubt!" Karin replies with a smile on her face.

"Too bad he needs to compete alongside his girlfriend's girl group!" Hera smirks.

"I hope no one burns the house!"

They laugh as they watch the performance on the LCD screen.

"They have nothing to lose. If Hope Boys loses to Hope Girls, still, the song is still composed by Jun and Yunta. So, technically, they still win," says Karin.

What happened between her and Jun Seo in the past never affected the relationship that they had before. Jun Seo still comes and meets her, sometimes with his girlfriend. The girl now is Karin's friend. No bad blood among them. Everyone is mature now to understand the situation.

"Excuse me..."

A customer approaches. Hera leaves the group for a second to attend the counter. Karin and Sweet still enjoy the show. Laughter can be heard from that side of the table.

***

The cafe is closing. After cleaning the counter and the kitchen, Hera packs her bag and is ready to leave with Sweet.

"Unnie, are you sure you gonna be just fine alone?" asks Hera.

"Yeah, go ahead. I'm leaving soon, don't worry..." Karin replies. Hera nods. She grabs Sweet's hand and they both walk toward the entrance and leave Karin alone.

Since the silence is unbearable, she decides to switch on the TV.

"The city has been decorate in such aesthetic mode to welcome the royal convoy from-"

The phone suddenly blasts. Karin leaves the table to get it.

"Black Tea and Coffee, may I help you?"

"Hello, I would like to make an order,"

"May I know the further details, ma'am?"

"We would like to order mini pumpkin tart and chocolate muffin. 50 pieces for each. And if it's possible, could you make a mint latte, less ice, venti size?"

"Only one?"

"Yes. Only one. Make sure you pack it chill," the caller gives Karin an instruction.

"Can you send me the location via this number and further details about the event?"

"Sure. I'll send it right away."

***

"This is huge..." says Hera. Sweet nods in tiny.

"The event or the building?" asks Karin.

"The event. The security is super tight! There are 3 security check, from the back door to the kitchen. And, there's more to come, I think..." Hera puts away the phone from her ears when a man in suit comes to check on her and Sweet. They even open up the box which contains the food for the event.

"Hello? Hera?"

"Yeah.. yeah.. just pass by the security check," Hera engages to the call back. Sweet is clinging on her all the time. The young girl looks so scare of her environment.

"Oh my God, unnie..."

Karin feels antsy when she heard Hera gasps heavily.

"Are we getting scam or what?"

"No... But... Unnie..."

"What?"

"This is... Royalty..."

Karin frowns.

"Royalty?"

"This is a formal event for the royalty. Everyone wears a formal dress and suits..." Hera replies.

"Unnie, we are so under dress..." Sweet whispers on the phone.

"I'm so sorry, guys! If it's not because of my injured leg..."

"Unnie, dont you dare talking like that! You need rest. You work too hard!" Hera almost scolds Karin on phone. "Right now, just wait for us at the cafe. We'll be back soon," Hera continues.

"Give me updates, okay?"

The call ended. Karin sighs, softly taps her right leg that she placed on the chair. Unfortunate event happened this morning when she slipped in the kitchen and fell even before she could finished packing the order. Now, she has to rely on Hera and Sweet for the order.

Finger cross.

As she is about to stand up and move to the rest room, she hears a bell rings at the front door.

Someone is coming into the cafe.

"Sorry sir but we're-"

Without a beforehand warning, the man lifts her onto his shoulder and runs into the kitchen in hurry. Karin, who is too shock to react stone out like a dol hareubang that decorate the whole Jeju Island.

As they arrive at the kitchen, that's when Karin finally smacks into an epiphany. Her brain cells works normally.

"Who the fuck are you?!" Karin smacks that board shoulder. The man still hides his face behind the black cap that he wears.

"Sorry, but can I hide for a while in here?"

"What?! Man, this is a cafe, not some kind of shelter!" Karin refuses to let the man stay. She pushes him away, but the man still holding her shoulder, the position that he has been into since he dropped her down.

"Just for a few minutes..." the man stretches his neck out. "Or maybe hours..."

"That wont do! No way! Get out!"

A bickering starts between them. Karin tries to push the man away, but the man insists to hold him while hiding himself. The tug a war game begins. As Karin pushes the man, she uses the power a bit too much.

They ended slamming on the floor, with the man lays on the floor with Karin slams onto his body. The cap gives a way from the face, revealing his pair of hazel eyes with darker sight.

That's when Karin catches a glimpse, a panorama that projects into her tiny 3lbs brain. A voice of someone calling her name, laughter and happy times in the big ass kitchen, a motorcycle ride, watching sunset together...

Both of them halt as they stare deep into each others eyes.

Time stops as if they were in vacuum space.

Footsteps can be heard from the front. Karin quickly strays away from the man, fixing her clothes and tries to balance herself because of her injured leg. Two man in suits barge in, looking at the man who still lay down stunning on the floor.

"Your Highness! We need to join the convoy, now!"

One of the man helps him stands up. The other one marches towards Karin. Luckily, the man manages to stop the man in suit before he takes some reckless action.

"What did you do to His Excellency?"

"He barge in like some maniac, trespassing my cafe, and you wanna treat ME like a criminal?! Are you sure?" Karin crosses her hands around her body.

The man looks at the man that he refers to as Your Highness. He shakes his head in tiny.

"She just wanna help," the man confirms it. With that, the man slowly retreats from Karin.

"I'm sorry for that," the man apologizes. Karin nods, but she can't look straight into his eyes. Her heart beats so fast like it almost bursts out from her rib cage.

When the man comes forward and sticks out his hand, the feeling gets more intense. Like Karin has been strucks by a lightning.

"What's your name?"

Karin takes time to answer the question because of her mixed feeling. She somehow feels shy, at the same time she feels an urge to know the man further. But, that's not her nature!

Now, she stands there, feeling confused.

"Miss?"

Karin stands straight, shocking by the voice. Slowly, she sticks out her hand and gives the man a light handshake. Her heart beats uncontrollably and her head spins a bit.

"I'm Karin..."

"It's a beautiful name..." the man smiles at her.

"What's yours?" Karin musters her will to ask.

"I'm Frederick X," the man replies.

"That's one hella weird name!" Karin's reaction causes the man to laugh. He pulls Karin closer a bit.

"Let's keep this between us," he whispers, glaring at the two men. "That's not my real name. I got it from my... Family," he acts cautiously.

"What's your real name then?"

The man stares deep into her eyes.

"My name is..."

"Khittan..."

They announce the name simultaneously.

Both of them in stoic shock.

"Do I know... You?" he asks.

"I dont think so. But... Somehow, it feels just as the same as my.."

"Dream..."

Again, they are in shock.

"So... It's you..." Khittan finally smiles. Karin still in daze, but later she slowly paints a smile on her face.

"Yes. It's me," she replies. The man's eyes suddenly glassy. Karin watches him with her heart feels overwhelm.

"The search is over... My wife..."

Khittan softly brushes Karin's hair. She touches his finger as tears drop from her eyes. The feeling is weird, but somehow Karin can feel the love from the man who stands in front of her right now.

Though she never met him before.

Except in her dreams...

***

THE END