,,Can you clean it up here and close it yourself? I have to go take my parents to the airport." My coworker was packing her things while I turned the sign to the other side so that it reads "closed".
,,Sure." Was my answer. While I was unloading chairs, she came out of the café with a short greeting.
One of the local radios played from the speakers so I could enjoy the cleaning by singing a few songs whose lyrics I knew.
However, when a song that I had a weak spot for started playing and I even learned the choreography for it, I stood in the middle of a spacious room by the chorus and I got carried away by my seventeen-year-old self and just started dancing.
But when I turned to face the front glass door, it was closing quietly, and in front of it stood a man in a bushy oversize jacket and cap.
He glanced from my patterned shaggy socks tucked in flip-flops, through loose black pants, a large T-shirt, to my hair tangled in a chaotic braid that reached under my shoulder blades.
As soon as his eyes landed on my face, I could only hope that it didn´t take on a redder tint.
His half-naked body appeared in my mind, which I had the opportunity to study for several hours.
But then I realized one thing.
,,You often enter closed establishments...?"
,,Only since I am the owner of that establishment." He replied without any major interest.
,,Oh, then-" I was about to give him a quick bow but then ...
,,Wait-"
,,Yeah, I lied. I'm here for my sister." His face still had the same expression - a cold expression.
I would be lying if I said I wasn't mixed up.
,,And why should she be here?"
He sighed and pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket. Then he took a few steps towards me, which made me have the chance to smell his scent.
I was shown a screen where I could see the conversation between Ma-Ri and me.
There was a moment when I wasn't sure if everything was making sense now or vice versa.
,,She wasn't here today." I looked back at him.
With a deep breath, he folded his cap and ran his fingers through his hair. ,,Damn it."
When I realized the urgency of the situation, I unknowingly took one step towards him.
,,Don't you know where she is?" I frowned. Again, his little sister is somewhere alone in the streets of Seoul. But this time it was dark already.
,,Well, obviously. She was supposed to be with you!" he got a little closer to me.
,,You don't even know who I am! How could you let your younger sister go after someone you had no idea about?" I controlled myself so I wouldn't start yelling at him.
,,You're terribly wrong, Millie." He leaned slightly towards me. Then he suddenly turned and headed for the glass door again.
Because of that I didn't have a chance to respond to his words, I rapidly grabbed my overcoat and the keys, which I managed to lock behind me when I ran after him.
,,Do you have any clue where she might be?" I asked as I walked beside him.
,,No one asked for your help." He growled.
,,I notice tha-"
,,Now listen to me. I. Do. Not. Want. Your. Help. Hard to believe, isn't it?" He was really pissed off.
,,Just ... go back inside." A calmer tone of voice emanated from him. At the same time he glimpsed at my flip-flops, which I was still wearing.
I backed away.
I really missed the point in this whole situation. He was on the verge of outburst of anger just because I wanted Ma-Ri to be safe as soon as possible.
But he also let her go after me all alone. So, what was the matter this time?
,,Alright. I hope you find her soon." With these words, I turned and walked slowly back to the café.
Then I went inside again but this time I locked the door. All I had to do was wipe out the few remaining cups, so I got into it quickly.
My mind was racing with thoughts of what had just happened.
A loud knock on the glass tore me from my thoughts. Of course there was the little, lost girl.
She was one big smile and was waving her little hand to me.
As soon as I unlocked the door, she ran inside and started rubbing her hands against herself to warm up.
,,Your brother is looking for you, Ma-Ri. Where have you been?" I crouched to her.
,,So you saw Su-Jin? He's pretty, isn't he?" she smiled broadly.
,,He is. Just like you are." I said, pulling out my phone. I found a contact in it that was named "Ma-Ri", but I'm going to have to change that.
I pressed the green icon and handed it to the girl.
At first she watched me with a confused look, but when her brother's voice came from the speaker, she understood immediately.
,,No! No, I was just-" she spoke with a furrowed eyebrow.
For a moment she was silent, and in a few seconds one tear slowly trickled down her cheek. Then she burst into tears.
When she handed me my phone back, she was still crying so I preferred to be quiet until she calmed down a bit.
,,H-he got a-angry w-with me-e." she tried to talk over the hiccup.
,,Come." I grabbed her hand and led her past the café bar where I sat her.
I pulled chocolate, cream and milk from under the counter and started making hot chocolate for her.
,,Is he coming here for you?" I made sure.
She just nodded and wiped the remnants of tears from her face with her palm.
In a few minutes I was pouring the sweet liquid into one mug and the rest of it into the other.
Ma-Ri took it from me and patted the place next to her. I jumped up there with my mug and she smiled a little.
,,So ... today it's a roller coaster of emotions for both of us." I never knew how to talk to children. Therefore my weak conversation attempt ended as soon as it started.
,,I just got off at the wrong stop and I didn't have another ticket." She snorted again.
After my nodd I looked at my phone to see that the café should have been closed twenty minutes ago.
I tried to come up with some suitable words to make her feel more comfortable. But nothing came out of me when I remembered her brother.
I felt blue as well.
After a short while the little girl rested her head on my shoulder and I was glad that no rection was expected from me.
We were just drinking our hot chocolate when I heard the bustle of the street through the open door.
,,Ma-Ri!"