Joon dragged himself to Sweet Treats the next morning.
He’d slept fitfully last night. When his alarm blared at four, he’d pried his eyelids open and almost whipped them shut again.
Felt like someone had rubbed his eyeballs with sandpaper.
Nevertheless, he’d showered and got dressed.
He kept yawning on the bus ride over and struggled to stay awake while the bus charged through darkness of the city.
Not even the sun was awake yet.
What kind of unholy hour is this?
When the bus rolled into the business district, Joon hopped off and jogged to Sweet Treats. He checked his watch and hoped he’d made it before Sky. She was way too small to be chugging that heavy shutter up on her own.
In the distance, a figure strode toward him. Her curvy body and shuffling stride seemed familiar. She wore a plain T-shirt and cut-off shorts. Joon narrowed his eyes, struggling to place her.
She had warm brown skin. Like Sky.
Toned brown legs. Like Sky.
But where were her dreads?
Joon Gi and and the woman met on the sidewalk in front of the café.
His eyes slipped to the fluffy black curls around her head. They were large coils that sprang all over her head and stopped just below her shoulder.
Sky.
Joon blinked rapidly. “Why’d you change your hair?”
One corner of her lips curled up in the glimmer of a smile. “Good morning to you too.”
Joon Gi didn’t bother returning the greeting. “Is it… real?”
“Yes.” She cocked her head and fingered a curl. “What do you think?”
“You look different.”
“Good different? Weird different? What?”
His eyes moved from her hair to her dark brown eyes. “Good. You look beautiful.”
“Thanks.” She ducked her head shyly. Smoothed a thatch of gorgeous curls behind her ears. “I usually change between braids and faux dreads, but I decided to wear my natural hair from now on. I was hoping I looked… unrecognizable.”
“You definitely caught me by surprise.”
“Then I guess it was mission accomplished.”
Joon Gi sensed there was a story behind the sudden hairstyle change but, instead of prying, he turned to the shutter. “Shall we?”
Sky smiled and nodded.
He noticed the dimple in her right cheek.
Why hadn’t he seen that before?
As she bent over to free the lock, he made a cursory sweep of her body. Slim shoulders. Small waist. Slightly flared hips. A plump rear that took more of his attention than it should. Apart from her hair, she was exactly the same.
And yet, she seemed changed.
Sky glanced over her shoulder and caught him staring. “Joon Gi?”
“Huh?”
“Could you help with this?”
He scrambled over to her and thrust the shutter high, almost knocking her out in the process. Sky skittered back just in time, laughing in relief.
He studied her out of the corner of his eye, trying to be subtle about it.
And failing.
“Did something good happen last night?” he asked, unable to keep his curiosity in check.
She squinted her eyes in thought. “I made a good decision.”
“What kind of decision?” He stiffened. “You didn’t sell the store, did you?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“Good.”
She cut him an inquiring look as she unlocked the front door and led him inside. Joon ignored the question in her eyes and focused on opening up the café. It had only been a handful of days, yet it felt like he’d opened the store with Sky since the beginning of time.
Their interactions always fell into an easy rhythm, as if they’d known each other for longer than they had. He wondered why he felt so comfortable with her when he was so on edge around everyone else.
Or maybe I’m just going insane.
Sky froze in the middle of the room.
Joon gestured to the kitchen. “Don’t you have baking to do?”
“Wait.” She whirled toward him. Chewed her bottom lip. Darted her gaze around the café. “Can I… ask you a question?”
Taken aback by her hesitance, he shrugged. “Sure.”
Sky fisted her hands and held them to her head, eyes closed. Just before Joon was about to ask if she was alright, Sky’s eyes burst open and she blurted, “Do you watch porn?”