Just another slow day at the Deiji Café, as I sit at the counter, staring into space…

"Your small, cold hands and trembling lips…
Able to carry on as if nothing has happened.

Are you afraid of remembering someone?
Struggling to swallow the words bubbling up to your lips…"

Ahh, wouldn't it be nice to have a romantic relationship with Changmin like that. He is just so gorgeous; I wouldn't care what happened if I got to see him in person! His charismatic smile, his adorable mismatched eyes when he laughs, his strong, muscular body…

"Alex~ Earth to Alex. WOOOHOOO~ ALEX!"

"What?" I jumped.

"I'm sorry to disturb your erotic fantasies but we have customers to serve and jobs to do!" She commanded.
"R…right. Sorry Bao. I'll get right to it."
"You better, and wipe that drool off your face."

Yup, there's my best friend for you. Kabao, I don't think I would be able to survive without having someone like her to keep me focused. But she's the sweetest, most energetic person I've ever met. Not a day goes by that doesn't include me and her together, side by side.

"Kabao, wouldn't it be great to meet Changmin and the rest of DBSK?" I asked.
"Yeah, and tomorrow I'm going to meet SHINee." She teased.
"Moh, seriously! It's not like we're that far away. Twenty-thirty minutes max to Seoul. I mean, how hard could it be to see them up close and personal?"
"Real hard. Now just focus on sweeping and I'll make some more coffee."
"Yes, mam."

I went back to sweeping and continued day-dreaming. You have no idea how many countless hours I've spent watching videos, concerts, performances with DBSK on them. They are the ones that inspired me to expand my horizons, and come to Korea to learn Asian linguistics. Now, I bunk with Kabao, wishing that my true dream, meeting DBSK, will someday come true. And I know, someday it will.

"Alex~! Can you help me get this box up here?" Kabao pleaded.
"Coming!" I replied and reached for the box.
"Thank you. Now I need you to stock these on the shelves below the counter, we're running low."
"Yes, mam~"

I took the box behind the counter and knelt down to put the containers on the shelf. I heard the bells on the door ringing, singling a customer. I also heard five familiar, yet strangely unfamiliar, "hellos".

"…Welcome to Deiji Café, please have a seat and we'll serve you in just a few seconds." Kabao smiled.

She scurried back over to the counter and told me to follow her into the back without looking at the tables, and I did exactly so.

"Oh…my…god." She breathed.
"Something wrong Bao?" I asked, innocently.
"Is something wrong? Is something wrong? No. Look outside and tell me what you see."|
"A customer drinking coffee, empty tables, tables with leftover cups…OH MY…HOLY COW!" I quickly reverted back into the storage room.
"Yeah, you get me now, right?"
"Oh...my…gooooooooooooosh. Kabao! Oh my gosh, what do we do? Let's hide!"
"Uhm, no! This is your chance of a lifetime! Go serve them now!"
"WHAT? Are you serious? I can't do that! What would I say? How will I act? What will I wear?"
"Seriously, you're ruining the moment. We work at a café, obviously you act like a waitress, you're wearing your uniform, and you say 'Hi welcome to the Deiji Café how may I help you?' and smile!"
"Ahhh Kabao don't make me do this! I saw them, let's go now~"
"No. You. Out. Now."

She gave me a pen and pushed me out the door. I took a deep breath and put on my best smile and walked calmly to the table. My body seemed to work fine but my brain and my heart didn't feel like cooperating.

"Hi welcome to the Deiji Café how may I help you?" I spoke more fluidly than I expected.
"Hello, we'll have five cups of green tea and a plate of croissants with red bean paste please." Jaejoong ordered.
"Yes, I'll be back in a few minutes" I bowed and went back to get the tea and croissants.

I was serving DBSK…DBSK out of all people in South Korea! I couldn't believe it. I poured the tea equally in five cups and got a plate full of croissants for the boys. I put everything on a tray and carefully brought it over to their table.

"Here you go. Enjoy your tea~" I smiled and slowly bowed my head.
"Thank you" They all said in unison.

I walked back into the storage room to find Kabao waiting there, anxiously.

"So how's Mr. Shim? Is he handsome up close?" She teased.
"I…I didn't look at him for too long…" I lied.
"Oh please. I see your face. Did he smile his charismatic smile that you adore oh so much?"
"Oh, shush. Do me a favor and finish putting the containers on the shelf underneath the counter while I clean the tables next to DBSK."
"Ohoho, now who's being Ms. Bossy all of the sudden?"
"Just be quiet~"

I took a tray over to the table near DBSK to clean up the mess from the previous customer. I tried to listen to what they were talking about, but they were just talking about their practice and how they need to fix areas. Jeez, is being an idol so hard that even while relaxing you're thinking about work? But still, I was glad they were here. They chose our café out of all the ones in Seoul. Did they hear about the excellent food, the exquisite tea, and the adorable waitresses? "Wait, stop day-dreaming, you don't need them staring at you." I interrupted myself.

I took a quick glance back at them and they hadn't seemed to notice anything.

"Excuse me." It was Changmin, did he see me?
"Yes?" I smiled and turned around.
"Could we get some more tea please?" Yunho added.
"Oh, yes" I was able to breathe again.

I took the tray back from the other table and brought back the teapot to pour them all some more tea.

"Enjoy~" I smiled and bowed again.
"Thank you" They are always in unison.

I washed the cups and the tray in the sink and looked back at their table to see them glancing over at me. "Did I do something embarrassing? I wasn't day-dreaming." I thought to myself.

I walked over to them only to hear they wanted the bill. I placed it on the table and smiled again.

"Thank you for coming, I hope you enjoyed your meal." Bowing my head again.
"Oh, of course. It's nice here, quiet. And the service is very sweet and kind." Jaejoong was planning to kill me, I swear.

"Ahh, thank you. Please come again sometime!" I blushed.

I looked at all their faces. They all seemed to be smiling but I think I noticed a twitch or something in Changmin's posture. What did I do now?

"Thank you for the service. Good bye" Yoochun said as they all left.

I think I could have dropped dead right there on the spot. DBSK just left my, our café. Deiji Café. Oh my god.

"BOO!" Kabao playfully screamed. "Come back to earth, now you get to clean DBSK's table~"
"Huh." I walked over to Changmin's spot, and sat down. "I'm sitting where Changmin just sat. I'm touching the same cup Changmin touched. I'm about to drink from the same cup Changmin drank from…"
"HOLD IT! I will not allow you to have an indirect kiss with Changmin. Bad Alex. What if he found out and becomes disgusted with that! Then it would be horrible. Oh my poor Alex~"
"Jeez. Rip my heart out why don't you."

I finished cleaning the table. Unfortunately I had no souvenirs…

"Ahhh today was a good day, huh Alex?" Kabao asked.
"Uhm, yeah, definitely! I don't think I've ever experienced so many feelings in a day before."
"Haha, look at my little Alex. Fawning over her first love."
"Oh shush, I'm your unnie, I demand respect."
"Please~ Oh by the way, don't forget Jaejin is joining us for work starting tomorrow.
"Jaejin?"
"My cousin! Seriously, listen to me when I'm talking"
"Sorry, sorry. I forgot. I can't wait to meet him. He looks so cute in those pictures from when you were young!"
"Just wait until you see him all grown up~"

We closed the café and returned back to our apartment to get a good night's rest. As we opened the door to our flat our neighbor's opened theirs.

"Hi~" Henry and Jarred greeted.
"You're coming in aren't you?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
"We were bored. You two go to work after school so we're always bored" Jarred answered.
"Oh please, God knows you two have plenty to keep yourselves busy." Kabao smirked.
"You know us too well~" Henry smiled.

The three goofballs kept themselves busy in the kitchen. I'm guessing Kabao was telling them about the day's events. While she was telling them, I was documenting every second of the day in my diary. I was so captivated in writing I didn't notice the two menaces bouncing on my bed, until they spoke.

"Hey Alex, what'chu writing~?" They asked together.
"Nothing, go talk to Bao." I shooed them away.
"Oh, what's this? Do I see Prince Min in there?" Henry speculated.
"Alex, you need to learn how to catch his heart from the love birds~" Jarred advised.
"Uhm thanks but no thanks. Jarred, I can handle my love life, and Henry, you need glasses or something. Clearly this entry has nothing to do with Prince M…Changmin."
"Sure, sure~" They snickered.

I took my diary and ran to hide it in my closet for now. There's no way in hell I'd let them read my diary. And Prince Min? Where did they get that from? I only wrote about it in my…diary. Those guys are going to get it. "HENRY! JARRED!" But I was too late. They already ran away to their apartment. I banged on the wall, "I know where you live!"

Despite dumb and dumber, today was the best day ever. Life couldn't get better~