It was a quiet Saturday morning when Sarah sank into her favorite armchair, coffee in hand, trying to enjoy the rare moment of stillness in her busy schedule. The aroma of the freshly brewed coffee mingled with the soft hum of her apartment's heater, a comfort that made her feel content for the first time in days.
She had been back at Bookworms Café yesterday, her thoughts still a little scattered from her encounter with Ryu. His unexpected return had been on her mind ever since. The way he'd casually returned, his smile softening that usual aloofness, had caught her off guard. She tried not to overthink it, but it was hard. It was hard not to feel the pull he had on her, especially when he seemed so out of reach.
The sudden chime of her phone pulled her out of her thoughts.
It was Emily.
"Hey, Em," Sarah answered, voice tinged with a smile despite herself.
"You're not going to believe it," Emily's voice was breathless, like she'd just run a marathon. "I heard it from Sophie—Ryu's back at Bookworms Café."
Sarah froze, the coffee cup halfway to her lips. She had only just seen him the day before. "He's back? I thought you knew... I actually saw him yesterday."
"Wait, what?" Emily's voice was a mix of surprise and curiosity. "You saw him? And you didn't tell me?"
"Not yet," Sarah admitted, lowering the cup to her lap, the conversation suddenly feeling a lot more intense. "I was going to, but... I didn't know how to bring it up."
"Girl, you are unbelievable," Emily teased. "So what happened? Tell me everything. Did you talk to him? Was he... normal?"
"I mean, yes, he was normal. He was just... Ryu, you know?" Sarah's voice softened as she thought of him, trying to ignore the flutter in her chest. "He didn't seem any different, but... I don't know. There's something about him that makes me think there's more to him than he lets on."
"Okay, okay," Emily replied with an exaggerated sigh. "You've got to stop being so cryptic! I'll come over in a couple of hours, and we're going to the café together. I want to see this for myself."
"I don't know, Em. I'm not really sure it's the best idea—"
"Don't even think about backing out," Emily interrupted. "I'm already on my way. You better be ready to spill everything. And don't even try to act like you're not curious about him. You like him, don't you?"
Sarah groaned, rolling her eyes, though she smiled at Emily's relentless enthusiasm. "Fine, I'll meet you there. But no embarrassing me in front of him, okay?"
"You have my word. But I can't promise I won't tease him a little," Emily said with a wicked grin in her voice.
A couple of hours later, Emily arrived at Sarah's apartment, and they set off for Bookworms Café. It was a breezy afternoon, the sun hanging low in the sky, casting golden light across the streets. As they entered the café, the familiar scent of ground coffee filled the air, but Sarah's focus was immediately drawn to the counter.
Ryu was there, as expected, leaning slightly over the counter, eyes focused on the espresso machine. His presence was so effortlessly commanding that it made the space around him feel warmer, even if his demeanor remained composed and distant.
"Ready?" Emily whispered, a mischievous smile spreading across her face. She was already eyeing Ryu like a cat watching a mouse.
"Just—don't," Sarah whispered back, feeling a nervous tension bubble up inside her. She wasn't sure she was ready for this, for Emily to make things awkward when everything was still so new.
Emily, however, was having none of it. She strutted up to the counter, not bothering to hide her excitement. "Well, well, look who's back," she said, her voice cheerful and playful as she leaned in a little too close to Ryu. "The mysterious barista who seems to have all the answers, but none of the words."
Ryu glanced up, his eyes locking with Emily's for a second before shifting to Sarah. "Hey, Emily. Sarah. Back for more coffee?"
"Maybe," Emily said with a teasing grin. "Or maybe we're just here to figure out what kept you away for so long. I mean, you must have had quite the reason to disappear for a while, right?"
Sarah felt her cheeks flush. She shot Emily a warning look, but her best friend was clearly enjoying herself too much to notice. Ryu, on the other hand, remained unfazed, his eyes glinting with something unreadable.
"Nothing too exciting," he replied smoothly, his voice calm as ever. "Just some personal stuff. You know how it is."
"Personal stuff?" Emily repeated, leaning closer with exaggerated curiosity. "What, you got a secret life or something? Like, are you a spy? Or a criminal mastermind? Come on, don't leave us hanging."
Ryu's smile didn't falter, but there was a glint of amusement in his eyes as he leaned against the counter. "You're asking a lot of questions, Emily. Should I start charging for this interrogation?"
"I'll pay in compliments," Emily teased. "But seriously, you can't just drop the whole 'personal stuff' line and expect me to not wonder. You can't hide from me. I can tell when someone's hiding something."
Sarah felt a pang of discomfort. She wasn't sure why, but something about Emily's teasing tone felt like it was crossing a line. She hadn't meant to make things so complicated with Ryu, and now, with Emily making it seem like he was some kind of mystery to solve, she wasn't sure how to handle it.
"Emily," Sarah said, her voice firm but light, "maybe we should just let him work. We're not here to interrogate him."
Emily rolled her eyes but raised her hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, no more grilling. But, I'll warn you, Ryu," she said with a wink, "next time we come in here, I'll expect a little more excitement from you. No more 'personal stuff' nonsense."
Ryu's smile softened into something more genuine. "I'll keep that in mind."
As Emily and Sarah settled into a corner booth, Sarah felt the quiet hum of the café around her, the tension in the air slowly easing. But despite everything, one thought kept circling in her mind: Ryu had returned, and now, nothing was quite as simple as it once had been.