CHAPTER TWO

It was nerve wrecking when I first stepped into the shop. Despite being with my best friend, Irene, in the shop, I still felt nervous entering it because I do not know what kind of people I had to face.

 

Will they treat me like garbage?

 

Of course I know that they won't treat me like that, Irene said that they were very nice after all, but that won't stop me from wondering, right? 

 

This must be a good place because it is crowded by so many youngsters, also the artsy decoration and paintings hanging proudly at the wall of the shop had caught my attention. Someone with a good sense of art must be working here and it relieves me a little. 

 

"Like what you had see? Told ya! Come on! you are going to like the people here even more! They are so cool!" Irene's words had caught me back to my senses at the moment, I wished I could just get coffee here instead of a job. As we crossed the tables towards behind the coffee bar, there was a young man at his 20s standing by the speakers, jamming into his trance music, only looking up when he sensed our presence next to him. 

 

"Oh hi Irene! Are you looking for Mino? He is not around today and so happen I'm on duty and... is this your sister?" The young man smiled at me and immediately I could feel his sincerity through our exchanged handshake. He seems enthusiastic when he talks. The other funny thing is from a glance I saw Irene blushed, wondered it's because he had mistaken me as her sibling or at Mino's name. Well I guessed it's the later one.

 

"Hi Jinwoo! Ehem actually I'm not here to meet Mino today. This is Wendy and she's exactly why I am here today." Since Irene has always been a regular here, she knew the people here pretty well and I am allowed to skip the formal interviews. All Thanks to her, it certainly saved me through a lot of nervousness. 

 

"Hi Wendy, even though I am the manager here, lets save the formalities and treat this as a casual conversation. Just to know you better, you know?" 

 

Surprisingly, it wasn't only knowing about me, I did know the place better as well. Throughout the conversation, I learn that Jin Woo and his friends started Exspress'o-self for the love of coffee and art. They actually have committed jobs and there are two other people who owns this place as well. So far sitting here and talking to Jin Woo felt comfortable, just one hour of our conversation it had already made my mind in ease to decide working here. 

 

"Great! I would really hope to see you make good coffee one day! You seem to have quite some knowledge about it. Welcome to the Exspress team Wendy." JinWoo mentioned before he went off continuing his job. He's actually very nice considering the fact he did not laugh at my lack of job experiences and just as Irene promised, he did treated us free coffee. 

 

"Oh my God Wendy I'm so happy for you! I didn't imagine one day you would be working and even better at my favorite coffee shop!" Me too Irene. This place looks amazing but it didn't hide the fact that I am still nervous about learning how to make coffee and working around. It may turn out not everyone is as nice as Jin Woo. 

 

Still that night, I could not help but hug my teddy bear and wonder how I would looked like in that black fitting uniform with an apron around my waist. Will I look absurd? Or what will my friends say if they see me working there. As worries came about, the thought of learning to make coffee and settling my bills overtook them. Making me to fall asleep in peace.