"Will you stay awake with me?"

________________________

YOOJUNG LEE

The inside of the tea shop is quiet.

It's peaceful with nobody in here, with all the pretty designs and soft, fragrant scents. My eyes are starting to droop now, and I put my elbows on the counter as I glance lazily at the clock.

Six in the evening.

I'm in the middle of yawning loudly when the door suddenly chimes, swinging open to show a boy with his head lowered down to the floor.

I get to my seat behind the counter so fast I nearly trip the way there.

"H-Hi!" I say, my voice catching a bit. I cough, clearing out my throat. "How can I help you?"

He hesitantly looks up, fidgeting with his sleeved hands.

And when he does, the first thing I notice is the shadows under his tired-looking eyes.

"U-Um." He starts, voice shy and quiet as he blinks at the menu board. "I don't really know much about tea..."

"Do you need one that helps you sleep at night?" I ask, and he nods. He couldn't be more than my age— and I was seventeen, helping out my mom at the shop.

But I knew everything about tea that a seventeen-year old girl could know.

"To help you relax at night, I recommend chamomile." I start, pointing at one of the teas. "Or valerian root—but chamomile should work better."

I guess insomnia, but he shakes his head and says in a small voice.

"I have n-nightmares."

I smile warmly at him.

"I'll brew one for you to try right now." I say, realizing that was the cause for his pale cheeks and dark shadows. "To see if you like how it tastes. Is that okay?"

When he nods, I start brewing the tea. I usually didn't offer samples— this was actually the first time, because ingredients were so expensive nowadays.

But for some reason, I don't think I mind with this boy.

As I separate the passionflower and chamomile before combining them together, I can feel him watching me with a curious look in his eyes.

"How old are you?" I ask, trying to break the silence. "I'm seventeen, by the way."

He fidgets with his hand some more, and I hide a smile as he finally ends up shoving both of them deep inside the pockets of his black sweatshirt.

"I'm fifteen."

My eyes widen. That was younger than I'd thought— he was a bit taller than me, but of course that just might be because I was shorter than the average.

"Try." I say, handing the steaming cup of freshly brewed tea in his direction. "Sorry— it might be a bit hot."

He takes the white mug in his hands, which has his sleeves pulled over now. Then looking down at the tea inside, he begins blowing at it softly.

This time I let the smile ghost on my lips.

"How is it?" I say, genuinely curious as he sips carefully on the edge. He smiles slightly, sipping one more time before looking up.

"It's good. Thank you."

He looks more relaxed from before, and I watch him with almost like a motherly look as he finishes the mug. He somehow made me feel calmer just looking at him.

He's almost done when he suddenly flips his head up, eyes wide.

"S-Sorry!" He exclaims, reaching for his pocket. "I forgot to pay you. How much—"

I laugh. "It's fine. Consider that a sample."

Only then he calms back down, finishing the rest of the tea. He already looks so much better from the exhausted, anxious boy I'd seen earlier, his features soothed even though the shadows are still there.

__________________________

The next day he's back, same time.

He looks happier, and I'm dozing off on the counter again when the door swings open. I instantly look up, and feel myself relax back when I recognize him.

"Hey— did the tea help?"

"It made yesterday much better." He says, smiling. His eyes squish together when he smiles, and it's honestly so cute.

I grin. "Really? I'm glad to hear that."

The shadows look less darker, and I watch him drink up another cup of tea, squeezed between his tiny little hands. This time I also don't accept any payment.

He's halfway through the drink when he looks up with his lips pressed together.

"Are you sure I don't need to pay you? I just feel like..."

"It's fine." I laugh. I hadn't met anyone as likable as him before, and I just shake my head when he keeps staring at me. "Really. It's okay."

Then his eyes roam down to my name.

"Yoo...jung." He sounds out, and I blink in amusement as he tilts his head.  "Noona."

"That's right." I say, tapping my fingertips against the counter. "What's your name? It's not fair that I don't get to know yours now, hm?"

"My name's Jimin." He whispers, licking at his lips as he puts down the cup. Then he looks around at the inside of the tea café, his eyes catching at the designs on the walls, ornaments on the shelves.

"It's so peaceful here."

"You agree with me." I say, smiling and taking his empties mug to wash it down. When I finish and dry my hands on a towel, I turn around to find Jimin asleep.

His head's rested in his arms against the countertop, eyes closed with sleep.

It's already near the closing time of the shop, but I sit with him past it until he wakes back up.

It looks like tranquil sleep he hasn't gotten for a while.

_________________________

It's almost nine when his eyes flash open, going wide in shock as soon as he notices the dark skies outside.

"Jimin, you're awake."

"Noona!" He shouts, climbing so quickly off his chair he nearly trips and falls. "It's— It's nine? I slept for three hours?"

"Why didn't you wake me?!"

"You looked like you needed the sleep." I reply lightly as I blink out of my own daze. "Come on— I'll walk with you to your home. I can't let a fifteen year old go around in this dark."

"Noona, no." He murmurs, looking unhappy. "I'll take you home."

I laugh, patting the top of his dark hair.

"Jimin, I'll be fine. Just lead the way." At my words, he finally pushes his lips close. I follow him with a smile still on my face as he heads down the street, eyes flickering anxiously back and forth.

I notice.

"What's wrong? Are you looking for someone?"

He swallows, shaking his head. My eyes widen slightly when he suddenly presses closer to my side, gaze looking almost afraid at the darkness around us.

"I just— I just don't like the dark."

"Aw." I whisper, and he shoots me an embarrassed look. But I let him stick close to me during all the way to his home for that.

He lives surprisingly close to me.

"Your house is just five minutes away from mine." I muse out loud when he points at a building. He looks strangely happy when I say that, and waves at me as I watch him go inside the doors.

"Bye, Noona!"

On the way back, I let a smile freely spread on my face.

When I push the door open to my own home, I see my mom look up curiously from the kitchen. She's in the middle of tugging a jacket on her shoulders, and her worried look turns into relief when I come in.

"I was about to go search for you." She sighs, pulling the jacket back off. "Why were you so late?"

But before I can answer, she snaps her fingers together.

"Yoojung, I almost forgot to tell you." She says, and I look up in surprise. "You know Mrs. Park, my friend. I'm going on a three-night trip with her, starting tomorrow. I need you to stay with her son while we're gone."

"What?" I whisper out, completely not expecting. "Since when? And her son?"

"I think he's younger than you." She says thoughtfully, and I just blink, still stunned. And the first person I think is Jimin, how I wouldn't be able to be there for him at the café.

What if he comes to sees me gone tomorrow?

"What about the café?"

My mother shrugs. "Close it for a few days. It's not a problem."

My eyes are still wide.

But what about Jimin?