Sya

Coincidence? Or Something More

Yoon Jeonghan never thought much about love. As a barista at a small cafe tucked in the corner of the city, his life was simple. Open the cafe. Brew coffee. Smile at customers. Close the cafe. and Go home.

Until she came.

A girl with soft eyes and a warm smile. She ordered the same thing every time, choco milk and a slice of cheesecake. Nothing fancy. But there was something about her that lingered.

She came in almost every other day. Always alone. Always ordering the same thing. Over time, Jeonghan memorized her order. He didn’t need to ask anymore. Just a small nod when she walked in, and he’d already be making it.

But there was one thing he didn’t know—her name.

They shared small talk, casual hellos, and polite thanks. Sometimes, a comment about the weather or how good the cheesecake was that day. That was it. No names, no numbers. Just quiet, comfortable routines.

Then, one night, Jeonghan’s motorbike broke down, so he had to take the bus home.

That’s when he saw her.

Sitting by the window, lost in thought, the same way she always was in the cafe. And this time—no counter between them, no customer-barista roles to hide behind.

He took the seat beside her.

“Choco milk and cheesecake?” he asked, smiling.

She looked at him and laughed. “You remembered?”

That was the first time they officially met. Her name was Hana. She lived just a few stops away from where Jeonghan usually got off.

After that, he chose the bus over his motorbike—just to see her. Sometimes, they’d talk on the ride. Sometimes, they’d sit in silence, watching the city blur past. It didn’t matter. It felt... enough.

Even at the cafe, their conversations grew slightly longer. Still short, still sweet, but there was something about her presence that lingered in Jeonghan’s mind far after she left.

She was special.

But one day... she didn’t show up.

At first, Jeonghan brushed it off. Maybe she was busy. Maybe she was sick. But then a week passed. Then two. A month. Two months. The seat by the window stayed empty. No more choco milk. No more cheesecake. No more Hana.

Still, Jeonghan waited.

He kept that table clean a little longer every night, just in case she came. Sometimes he stayed until well after closing, pretending to clean something, eyes drifting to the door.

But she never came back.

A year passed.

He never saw her again. He didn’t know how to find her. All he had was her name, a smile he couldn’t forget, and memories of conversations that never went deep enough to leave any clues.

Still, every once in a while, he’d make a glass of choco milk and plate a slice of cheesecake, placing it on her usual table.

Just in case.

And even though she was gone, the memory of her stayed.