It had been a month and a half since Ki had seen Issa.

That was a lie. He'd seen his face in the halls, waiting in the cafeteria queue or during their weekly P.E lesson, but they'd never actually properly talked. And in the rare chance they did have a moment of peace to themselves: their interactions were limited to Issa grinning at Ki as if they were the best of friends, which would result in Ki smiling back and hastily looking away. He didn't need a new person coming in to complicate his life. He figured as long as they never talked again, he'd do fine.

He was wrong, as what would be proved that fateful day.

Ki hates working the counter in the café. To him, it was like having Satan shove a flaming hellish dildo up his ass. Not a good feeling. The building was just as ugly, white paint chipping off the outside bricks, 90s wallpaper decorating the walls. Did it at least seem a little homely, yes, but the mix of foldable plastic tables and the odd chipped glass coffee tables covered by plastic christmas themed table covers made Ki want to rip his eyes out. Nothing had changed since they'd moved into the rented two-floor building at the corner of Sherrywater's money-drained highstreet. Sun-bleached flags of South Korea and Great Britain hung from the cobwebbed windows. Thumbed, yellowing books that Ki and Misumi had, ahem, borrowed from their school libraries sat collecting dust on a shelf which displayed family photographs, primary school pottery and other miscolored Bric-à-brac. And if you were upstairs in their cramped apartment above the cafe, it smelt of nothing but musty bread, dust and artificial bamboo air spray.

It was a Sunday, the day had already been dragged out by an almost two-hour long mass that morning, and felt sour from how incredibly boring this, his eighteenth birthday, felt. Sure, his mother had booked them a table at a local korean bbq to celebrate with a few family friends, but that was it. Not that he didn't know he was still more fortunate to even have his family just barely be able afford a one-hour slot at a bbq buffet, but it felt so underwhelming in comparison to his friend Liam's. His family had gone all out, organised a two hour laser tag session as well as renting out the church hall to party in all through the night, complete with smoke machines, a dj, laser lights. Nevertheless, Ki was thankful for whatever his mother and sister put into the day.

"What's this for?"

"These shoes? They're for me, of course. I decided to splurge out on these men size 13 nikes," Misumi smirked, "I'm just kidding. It's a present, happy birthday brother,"

"Oh, you remembered," Ki takes the pair of shoes into his hands and examines them. He's been wanting these for months.

"Of course I did, it's just over a week from the best day of the year other than my birthday: Halloween."

"I know you're too shy to ask mom (엄마) for money. How'd you get enough cash to buy these?"

"Well, I'm a hardcore drug dealer. I go around the hood at night and supply the good kush," Misumi rubs her fingers together to signify money and snorts with her words.

"Oh good, you can start contributing to the rent," Hayoung, their mother, calls out from the back of the café, busy paying their piling bills.

"Lah! No!" Misumi complains, earning her a smile from Ki, "I didn't mean it like that!"

"Sure you didn't," Ki mutters, followed by a wack on the shoulder by Misumi.

Hayoung clicks her tongue, "Oi! You're cheeky this afternoon, aren't you? Get changed out your pyjamas, maybe it will make you act like an actual mature adult for once."

Misumi slinks off into the kitchen to do who knows what.

Ki lets out a sigh, too lazy to go up the stairs to their upstairs two bedroom apartment, "No-ones come in for the past three days. I'll be fine just staying in my pjamas."

That was a mistake. He heard warm laughter drift throught the door and he lazely trailed his eyes towards the direction of the noise. A duo of customers came in, the sight of which made Ki want to hurl himself off a very, very high cliff.

It was Issa. And a mixed Asian looking kid. But Ki's focus was mostly on Issa. All Ki was wearing was a faded, oversized Seoul souvenir t-shirt and paint-covered sweatpants. Sweatpants. And Issa was looking like he'd walked straight out of pintrest, dressed casually but not to lazily and smartly but not smart-looking enough to look geeky. His dark, curly locs fell over his face, constantly being swept up by Issa's long, slender fingers. His forehead was covered in a light sheen of sweat due to the early Autumn heat, but there was a warm smile stretched across his face as he spoke to his companion in a calm, almost soothing voice.

Ki ran his hands through his hair furiously and tries to rub the dark circles under his eyes away as the two approach the counter.

"Oh, hi Ki."

"Hi, Issa."

Good confident start. He starts reccomending some items as his mother taught him, but Issa clearly has a hard time reading, constantly rubbing his thumb over the corner of clear tape laminated menu.

"Can I have the...err," He hesitates with his pronounciation,"Guyr-"

"Gyeran Bbang?" Ki smiles at his efforts and Issa nods in acknowledgement,

"Alright, Misi!" Ki calls out the the back and Misumi sticks her head around the corner to listen to Ki's onslaught of Korean that clearly confuses both Issa and Tao back front.

"How much is it ?" Tao's getting out his wallet, "I'll pay for it."

"A roll of Gyeran Bbang is £2," Ki nods,

"Well it's my lucky day then, coz I have just £2 in my wallet."

"Wait, you're not having anything?" Issa looks towards Tao.

"It's okay, I don't have enough money for it," Tao faces Ki, "I'd like a receipt please?"

"No-no! I'm the one who ordered it," Issa's pushing Tao's hand away from the counter, "I'll pay, I'll pay. You get something for yourself"

"I insist."

"I insist too."

"No, really. Don't bother yourself with paying. I was the one reccomended us to visit this place, so I may as well be the one paying."

"Tao, you paid last time we ate out. Remember that Filipino ice cream parlor place in Chinatown? You paid then, let me repay the fav-"

"You can get another roll free," Ki blurts out.

Sh*t.

Sh*t.

Sh*t.

Why'd he do that? It was definitely not free. His mom would kill him. If he let them go without paying they'd just lost what could have been their income for the entire week-

"Wait, what?" Tao raises his eyebrow, confused, "You sure it's...free?"

"Buy a Ggyeran get any bread roll free," Ki blurts out the fake offer, immediately wanting to slap himself. The Rhee's were already on the brink of debt, Hayoung barely had enough to pay for their small upstairs flat and the cafe rent. But of course, of f*cking course, anxiety had to run through his veins and force the kindness out of his heart.

"Oh, cool!" Tao's eyes gleam as he buys a pineapple bread and redbean bun, two of the most expensive bread rolls on the list. Ki remembered the bell tower in the church and imagines jumping off in his mind. F*ck. His mom had certainly heard him giving away free food. He'd have to deal with the consequences later.

"One pineapple bread and one redbean bun coming right up," Ki said through gritted teeth.

//

"What is it with you and giving out free food?" Misumi leans against the glass display cabinet as Ki slumps down in a stool to try out his new trainers, "You know how mom reacted last time you did that."

"Yes-yes." Ki sighs, kicking his feet up against the wall to tie the laces, "I know. Just don't bring it up with eomma, okay?"

"He's just over there, still eating with his mate, y'know!" Misumi speaks in a hushed voice, "Just go over and explain you got the offer wrong and Tawn or whatever his name is needs to pay up."

"No! I am not doing that," Ki stands up and walks around with the trainers on, trying them on for size, "That'll make me seem like a real..." He looks around for Hayoung, "Asshole."

"Fine then. If you won't do it then I will. What's his name?" Misumi stands up straight and dusts herself off in preperation,

"Issa," Ki rolls his eyes at Misumi, "His name is Issa-"

"Yes?"

Ki turns around to look at Issa standing there with ten quid in his hand. Misumi looks at Ki, nagging him telepathically to ask for payment,

"N-Nothing," Ki shuffles closer to the counter to hide at least his sweatpants, "Do you need any assistance?"

"No, no, I'm good," Issa smiles, "Just...err... take this. In case you didn't know, we could hear you from our table. Sorry if we guilt-tripped you into giving us food for free."

Across the room, Tao is silently yelling at Issa's back.

"Oh...err...I mean-" Ki hesitates to take the money so Issa leaves the £10 note on the counter and after a minute or so, packs up and leaves with Tao in tow.

"See you around, Ki." Issa flashes a smile,

"Yup, have a nice rest of your weekend," Is Ki's reply.

He watched Issa leave with Tao, until they disappear out of the frame of the cafe's streaked window. The sound of the bell rings to a silence.

"Y'know, I think he payed extra. So we just profitted, by accident," Misumi clicks her tongue and finger guns, "Good going, Weon-kee."

"Yeah," Ki nods, presses his lips together and slowly inserts the bank note into the cash machine with a resounding 'ca-ching', "Good going."