"Your front desk agents aren't performing as we hoped by this point in time."

I blinked up at my managers as they stared at me neutrally. This meeting room had glaring lighting, much too bright. The bland baked goods on the table were giving me an itch. One of my co-workers was picking at a danish, uninterested. I betted if it were a pastry made by Kazuya, then it'd be in her mouth right now with the meeting forgotten.

I put my head down, showing them respect. They didn't want me to answer, just to tell me this. Satisfied, they went on to their next item. 

Now, the next item up for grabs...

Remembering Kazuya saying that, presenting something weird, but funny, dressed as an American 1950's housewife like I Love Lucy on steroids. My lips pressed together, trying not to laugh. 

"We're still checking in guests from the marathon group. I expect all of our rooms to be cleaned and pre-selected for them. Some are coming today and are already here, but they'll be arriving in the next few days. I want housekeeping prepared. Don't drop any rooms. As for engineering, we need to be on top of any issues. It was unacceptable that there were phones that weren't working for the wedding group. We're brand new. These phones should be working."

None of our managers expected us to talk. It wasn't a conversation. It was only meant to berate us. That kind of motivation never worked, but it seemed to be universal in this world. Nothing we did was ever good enough. There was always more we could have done, finding our faults even if we did the perfect job. I'd been in this industry for five years, coming in after my military service when my father got me a good job, but it was draining.

Thinking about Kazuya smiling at me. Talking to me about chocolate. How kindly he treated everyone. There was a different way. It didn't need to be like this. He was the owner of French Cup, and yet he was so kind. Taking such care to make sure that everyone was happy, even looking so tired like he hadn't gotten any sleep. Trying that hard, yet being so peppy and smiling himself. 

Under the table, my hands met. Trying hard to keep it together, but this unsatisfied feeling was getting worse. It had started ever since I met him. I'd known there was another way to live life, suspected it, but there he was. He was even doing it now, probably serving someone a little cake and explaining the love he put into it. Telling everyone one by one the history of what he'd made, how much care he'd taken. To anyone else, it was just a little cake. But, at French Cup, it was anything but that. It was magic. It was magic, because of him.

Him wearing his pink beret, like the first day I'd met him. Him grabbing at his sleeve as he talked to me. Him, smiling at me and saying, "when you come back."

I wanted to go right now.

"Park-san, make sure your front desk agents are trained about how to pre-block rooms. We need to make keys in advance to smooth out the process of the group checking in. We can't afford for there to be any gaps in service. Groups are our most profitable..."

Kazuya holding the cat skull, smiling at me as I complimented him about it. His nervous face as he explained that he was going to bury it in the park. Slipping up and asking if I could go with him was the best mistake of my life.

Whatever else my managers had said during that meeting, I had no idea.

Around 7PM, I walked into French Cup. It wasn't when I usually was there, but I couldn't wait to come back. I hadn't been able to make it this morning due to the group checking in, but there was no place I'd rather be. 

Divinely, he was there behind the counter. He was handing a small croissant-like treat to someone on a plate, smiling at them like I'd seen in my mind all day. He was wearing another button up vest and tie tucked into it, a light blue color this time. It went nicely with his spring green colored button up shirt, the sleeve cuffs turned up to reveal a pink underneath. He was a delight of pastel colors. I was so bland compared in my dark navy blue suit, just like the danishes on our meeting room table today. 

I wanted to see what kind of specialty he'd made today. I'd learned he liked to make something special every day among the usual offerings. It had been mousse, which I'd devoured like an animal. Before that, it was these curious little puffy sweet breads with ice cream inside. I'd tried them curiously, but found I couldn't get enough. 

He saw me as soon as the customer was out of the way. His eyes brightened, and I was grinning. There was no helping it. He began tugging at the bottom of his vest. 

"Welcome to French Cup!" He practically chirped. 

"Thank you." I pointed at the showcase, and he moved over there, smiling at me. His hair was in neat waves today, obviously arranged with a lot of care, just like the attention he paid to the treats he made. It made me want to chuckle. There, among the chocolate breads and sandwiched cakes, there was something I didn't recognize at all. The new, special item. I pointed at it, too. It was beautiful, a small sandwiched ring made of puff pastry with piped cream going all around inside. There looked to be sugar dusted almonds on top, and the cream was a light brown color. "What's that?" I asked. "I want to try it."

"Ohh," he said, so pleased. It made me smile even more, and he couldn't stop, either. "That's Paris-Brest. It's named that way, because it's named after two places. It signifies the distance between the two places, because it's named after a bicycle race that took the same route. It was created to commemorate the occasion. It has praline cream inside."

I chanced to look down at it again. The piping alone seemed like it had taken a long time. I couldn't wait to try it. All the care that I'd thought of today, how much he put into everything. This was a shining example. It had been what I'd longed for, something made with all that love of his. 

"I'll take one. I can't wait," I said, my hands going together just like they had in the meeting. This restless feeling.

"Absolutely," he still smiled, such a warm one. I couldn't stop looking. It was so sincere, so special. "Will you be sitting next to the window like you usually do? I can bring it to you."

I nodded, rolling my fingers on my knuckles, not able to get enough of him. 

"Okay, I'll bring it to you. Do you want your usual coffee? I'll bring that, too."

It was honestly too late for coffee, but I couldn't resist. I nodded again, eagerly. "Yes. You know me so well." 

This caused him to look down, his bottom lip disappearing into his mouth. I'd seen this before, but he was so cute-

A ripple went through me. Thinking of him as cute. 

I let out my chuckle and he let out one of his own. I went to my usual table and sat down, staring at him strangely without shame. He ran around behind the counter, getting my order ready. He really was cute. Everything about him. But, he was more than that. He co-owned this whole place. He'd made all of those treats in the showcase. He was... He was amazing.

I was waiting outside of French Cup when it closed. I felt like a stalker, but I wanted to talk to him. Something in me had an urge, and I couldn't stop myself. I needed to see him again. Maybe once per day wasn't enough.

I knew it seemed strange. I hadn't felt this way before. Following him to French Cup in the first place. Offering to go with him to help him say good-bye to that cat. Racing here after work, and not being able to leave. I was aware it was awkward. There wasn't a name to these feelings. It was all new to me. But, something in me wanted to explore it. Maybe...with him.

It was really crazy. Ignoring my managers today. Checking people in like I was a zombie, no more usual enthusiasm to make sure they were taken care of in the best way. Showing my co-workers how to do their jobs, but not going the extra mile. It was unthinkable, but my mind had been elsewhere. It had been at French Cup, with him. Imagining him there, doing what he usually did, nothing odd. Him helping customers, cleaning with the fervor that he had for that task. Wondering about how he made all of these treats, what really went into it. 

All of the other customers left, and even Nikki did. He didn't talk to me when he went past me, but he seemed tired. I didn't want to bother him. He'd done a great job all day, too. My hands were in my coat's pockets, one of my hands fiddling with a random piece of paper in there. There was only nervousness. Wanting to see him. Knowing that at any moment, he'd be the next one through the door. I wanted to catch him, but to do what? Just talk? Yes, that seemed like it would be satisfying. I didn't want to keep him too long, because he must be tired after a long day of work, but I wanted to talk to him...about anything at all. 

As I was thinking this, the bell twinkled above the door, and there he was. He immediately turned, a key going into the lock. He twisted it, and it made a secure noise. He looked up and we both jumped. 

"Oh- Gyeong-Wan?!" He gasped, his hand going over his mouth, the keys on the keyring around his finger jangling as he spoke. 

"Sorry," I said, grinning just like I had in the shop. It was automatic around him. I'd never smiled so much in my life than when I was around him. I only realized that in this moment. The way he made me feel. "Um... I don't know, I wanted to talk to you. I don't know..." I shifted on my feet, unsure what to say just like before. I had no plan, only a desperation. Yeah, that's definitely what it was. A need to be around him, for anything at all.

"A- about what?" He was giving me his easy smile, too. He began playing with his sleeve, this cute thing he did.

"I have no idea." Too honest. It made me blush, but it was dark, so maybe he wouldn't see.

"Oh." He started laughing, and I was, too. "Um." He checked his watch with a flick of his wrist. It was so quick, but I saw it anyway.

"I'm sorry, do you have to be somewhere?"

He scrunched up his face, then grinned. He twisted his body from side to side. Way too cute. "Um...yeah, I do. I promised a friend I would-" His face brightened just like when he'd seen me in the shop today. He gasped so loud. 

"What is it?" I asked, my focus entirely on his face. That expression. He was dazzling.

"Come with me!" He said suddenly, so commanding, but still laughing. He grabbed my hand, and my face was completely red in the dark. He held it so surely. He started walking with purpose in the direction of my hotel. 

"Okay," I laughed with him, absolutely at the mercy of his whim. 

He could have asked me to jump off a cliff with him in that moment. He could have asked me to jump into a dumpster full of rotten meat. Or, he could have led me into dreams, because any of these things with him were the stuff of dreams. His hand alone was a dream. 

He led me around the corner, and the Modern was in front of us, growing larger. "Where are we going?" I asked, still chuckling at his determination and my nervousness of my hand in his hand.

"We're going to see a movie," he announced.

My body must have exploded into a million fireworks. My blush was absolute. He didn't see it, but my body wanted to spontaneously erupt into dancing. This unknown feeling in me was in celebration.

Did he just...ask me out on a date?