CHAPTER one

Cafe Notre Ciel hadn't always been in town, wedged between the old bicycle shop and the pharmacy. Cafe Notre Ciel didn't even exist ten years ago, but in time, became as deeply embedded into the town's history as the ancient oak tree in the park across the road and the war memorial. It was the town's little gem," our little slice of heaven" the old bicycle shop man often said.
It became the biggest attraction in town, people from nearby towns and even Seoul flocked to breathe the sensual coffee aromas and the renowned parisan cakes, so rich and creamy that you would sigh and wonder how you could have ever survived without this addiction.

Little Kids would cry out in delight at the elaborately colorful cakes in the front display window, noses pressed against the windows.
Mothers would sit with a steaming cup of cappuccino, catching up with their other middle aged friends. Teenagers popped in and out after school hours, seeing it was right round the corner from the high school.
It was the hot spot for couples and girls who stalked the good looking older men who visited from Seoul.

It was the place where everyone and everything came to together, to unwind with friends, buy gifts for loved ones or just to sit in the peaceful little shop and watch the rest of the world stroll by.

Everyone loved the shop, with its aromatic coffees and heavenly cakes.

They loved the French furnishings, the calming jazz music that they played, even the little bell above the door that announced your entry.

They loved everything about Cafe Notre Ciel.

But no one ever loved Kim In Young.
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A/N: pointing out any spelling or grammatical errors is much appreciated!

CHAPTER two

You could always recognise the owner of Cafe Notre Ciel by the long, billowing dresses that she wore. Dresses were the one thing that she loved almost as much as her cafe. No matter what the season, winter or summer, rain or shine, you would see her streaking down the hill from her house to the cafe on her bicycle, in a dress that fanned out in the wind, like a floral print fairy. In the morning, she wore a wide brimmed, straw sun hat that slanted over her eyes. Her long black hair rippled against her back, or sometimes in a bun when she could be bothered. She was the type of girl that didn't need make up to look good, her unblemished features were perfect already.
She was that sweet and trendy noona that all the guys in the high school adored. In fact, she was so popular she had to take her mobile number off her business card to stop them from calling her all the time.
She was always so nice and smiley and willing to help. She treated everyone just like her family. She helped old grandparents pick out cakes that their grandchildren might like, and gave free cakes and drinks to children under five. She joked around with the students and talked to them about school and university. She helped the mother of the quadruplets keep her four babies under control. She played cards with old Mrs. Lee who came over at one o'clock everyday and whenever Doctor Kim came around, she gave him a box of cakes for the children in his ward.

But she was only ever like that in the cafe.

You see, Kim In Young was a loner. Not because no one liked her, it was because she never let anyone get close to her. Kim In Young did not go to parties or outings. Kim In Young did not go to other people's houses. Kim In Young did not go to community festivals. Kim In Young did not go on dates. Kim In Young did not talk to people outside of the cafe.

Kim In Young did not want to get involved.
Of course, it wasn't like she completely ignored everyone outside of the cafe. She just didn't say as much, or smile as much either. She was distant and quiet and kept to herself. No one knew where she came from, and where her family was. They basically knew nothing about her.

So everyone was surprised when they found out that Lee TaeMin visited the mysterious Kim In Young every Thursday night after closing time.

CHAPTER three

Tae Min was the one who came up with "Noona Night".
It all started when one Thursday night, In Young was closing down the shop and asking the last of the customers to leave.
"Noona, I got locked out the house and I have no keys. Can I please stay here for a while?" TaeMin pleaded, when she asked him to go home. In Young stared at him for a cold, hard second before deciding that Tae Min didn't look like the type that would stay behind to shamelessly throw pick up lines at her.
"Fine, as long as you help me clean up." She handed him the mop and bucket.
"Yes! Thank you noona!"
After that, every Thursday night, Tae Min would be locked out of the house and come and help In Young clean up. She suggested that he told his parents to get a spare set of keys for him. But even after he got the keys, he still came every Thursday night. When she asked him why he told her he said;
“I like helping you noona, and I like watching you make cakes. Do you think you could teach me?"
"No." She answered curtly.
"Ngaww noona, why not?"
"Cause I said so."
"You're mean! Come on, I'm a good student, I learn fast and I work hard."
"No."
"Nooonaaaaaa pretty please?" He pouted.
“Maybe, later. When I'm not busy."
"Really? Thanks noona! You're the bestest."

Even though she pretended she didn't want him around, she was secretly excited when Thursday was fast approaching.
It was a relief to talk to someone without fully pulling out her "I'm-such-a-sweet-nice-smiley-girl" act. She didn't need to use her pitiful small talk skills, because Tae Min did most of the talking anyway.
"There's this new girl at our school, she's from America." He told her excitedly one night, a month after the first "noona night".
"Really? Does she look like a Californian Barbie doll, or is she one of those American Koreans?" In Young asked, to keep the conversation flowing.
"No, I don't know what she is. She looks Korean, but too dark to be Korean..."
"African-Korean?" In Young half-laughed.
"She's not that dark. Geez noona, have you ever considered that you might be a racist?"
"Why do you always call me noona? Can't you just call me by my name?" It really annoyed her how old noona made her sound, might as well call me ajhumma.
"Are you trying to hide the fact that you're racist?"
"Don't change the subject."
"You changed the subject first!"
"Yeah, cause you asked a stupid question."
"You're the one who asked the stupid question, I call you noona because you are my noona."

Awkward pause.

"This is stupid." In Young finally added, throwing her dish cloth onto the table.
Tae Min started laughing.
"Noona, you fail at comebacks."

What was the point of "Noona Night" again?

CHAPTER four

In Young's favourite time of the day was the morning, just as the sun was creeping up the windows sills and through the curtains. She liked to ride her bike down to the cafe when no one was around, when all she could hear were the birds and people stirring in their beds. The whole world felt like hers alone, so peaceful and quiet.
That was her favourite time of the day, when it was just her and the morning. No one else.

She wheeled her bicycle out the front gate and onto the cobbled road, the wheels creaking as it grinded against the rust. She loved her bike, but if there one thing she could change, it would be the creaking. She cringed whenever she rode down a supposedly quiet road, her bike's screeching amplified a hundred times louder than it normally was.

It was warm today, for an autumn day anyway. The sun shone through the orange leaves, filling the streets with a soft golden glow.
She stopped to admire the big oak tree, took in a deep breath and closed her eyes.

A screech from behind her interrupted her thoughts.
"Noona!" Came a deep, unfamiliar voice.
In Young snapped her head around, wondering who on earth it could it be. No one ever talked to her in the mornings except for the drug store owner.
"You dropped your hat."The high school student held out her wide brimmed straw hat. He ran a hand through his messy hair. In Young eyed the ear piercings and undone tie around his neck.
"I found it when I was riding down the hill, figured it was yours."He kept talking when In Young just gave him blank stares.
"Thank You." She said quietly, and took the hat from him. She began to peddle down the road, writing a mental note to get a hat with an elastic next time.
Ear Piercing boy pedalled next to her, looking straight ahead, care free and relaxed. Why was he riding with her? In Young tried to convince herself that he was probably just going the same direction as her, and was going to turn the corner any moment now.

But Ear Piercing boy stuck by her right up until she stopped at the cafe. She got off her bike and wheeled it to the shed behind the cafe. She expected ear piercing boy to be gone when she came back, but he was just leaning against the glass display window of the cafe. She stared at him impatiently, hands on her hips. When is he going to leave?
"What?"He eyed her as if she were annoying him. In Young pursed her lips. He wasn't doing anything wrong, but there was just something about him that got on her nerves.
He pulled out his cell phone and started texting.
Sigh…She really had no time for this.

In Young unlocked the doors and started setting up the cafe. The bell on the door jingled a second later.
"Hi Unnie."Ellie smiled shyly.
"Hi Ellie, oh, how was your social night?" In Young put down the chair she was holding.
Ellie told In Young about her night, and helped her set up the tables and front display. Ellie was an American Korean who did night classes at a college near by, and during the day she worked at the cafe. She was the stereotypical nerdy nice girl. She was always polite to her sunbaes and worked very hard.

"Ellie, could you help me carry the -"The bell on the door jingled again. A tall, suave looking man strutted into the cafe, a pair of aviator sunglasses shaded his eyes and his lips were twisted into a self important smile.
"Jo Kwon! Why are you never on time & why are you wearing sunglasses when its 8 o'clock in the morning?" In Young went up to him and examined her reflection in his sunglasses.
"Handsome, aren't I?" He pulled off his shades as if he were in a shampoo ad, and struck a pose with his fingers. In Young snorted.
"Sure, whatever. Get to work."Jo Kwon continued his strut into the cafe, saying hello to Ellie as he passed her by. She smiled weakly and turned a light shade of pink. If In Young didn’t know any better, she’d think it was just the lighting.

He sat down behind the cash register and placed his feet onto the bench top.
He began to look through the cake orders and organized them into piles. Sure, to those on the street, Jo Kwon looked like a rich, good looking and intelligent player, but in reality he was none of these, except for the player bit.

"What's that kid doing outside?" He asked after a while, as In Yong was placing some cakes in the front display. Ear piercing boy was there, this time leaning on the window on the other side.
"I dunno, he sort of followed me here. I was expecting him to go to school or something." Jo Kwon pushed his swivel chair and glided out from behind his desk, almost hitting Ellie.
They watched as Jo Kwon got up and went outside, leaning against the wall with Ear Piercing Boy.
"Jo Kwon better not do anything stupid." In Young half said to herself and went back into the kitchen.

There wasn't much to do in the mornings. It was basically opening the door and the blinds and turning on the air conditioner. They mainly just waited for Jo Kwon to get the orders all ready and made some cakes.

In Young began her mixture for the base of her cheesecakes. Baking was one of her favourite things on earth. She couldn't cook to even feed some hungry Africans, but she could bake. She remembered how at in high school, she had always only just passed cooking because her cakes outweighed the crappiness of her other cooking. But with a bit of flour, egg, milk egg and butter, she could make a masterpiece you would never forget. She could make mud cake that slid down your throat like dark liquid chocolate and cheesecake that made your head hurt because it tasted so good. In Young never said that herself though, that's what her customers said. Her customers were her advertising. She didn't need giant billboards with pictures of photo shopped cake. Her baking sold itself through word of mouth.
Without cake and éclairs, what would In Young's life turn out to be? Would she be even more of a nobody that she already was?

Outside, Jo Kwon and Ear Piercing Boy were leaned against the wall, laughing and puffing on cigarettes.
"Jo Kwon! Why did you give him a cigarette?" In Young snapped angrily.
"Hey, this guy pulled out his own smokes. I didn't give him anything!"He put his hands up defensively. In Young glared at him.
"We're going to open soon. Get back to work." Jo Kwon stepped on his cigarette and followed In Young inside.

In Young huffed silently. What was with teens these days? All those piercings and smoking! What would his parents be feeling? Smoking one day, overdosing on drugs the next. He's probably just smoking because he wants look good in front of the girls. Girls don't like his type anyway. They stink and they're troublemaking players. As she was thinking this, she looked out the window at Ear Piercing Boy.
Ironically, a group of girls passed by the cafe and rushed over to greet him. They giggled and gushed excitedly, acting all ageyo . ==" * ageyo = acting cute
"That kid is awesome."
Jo Kwon spun around in his chair.
"He's like a mini version of me! Aigo, kids are so cute these days!"
"Who would want to be like you?" In Young muttered. She reached out and held onto his chair to make him stop spinning.
"Yah! Where's the orders for today? You haven't got them sorted and we've already opened! If you keep slacking off like this I'm going to lower you pay!"
"Don't stress out. You look uglier when you're angry." He pouted and glided back over to his desk.
"Alright, that's three hours of your pay gone."
"What? But I just started working!"
"You were supposed to start working an hour ago!"
"Still! That doesn't mean you can take away three hours of my pay!"
"Watch me. Besides you don’t do anything with that money besides from gambling and buying over priced clothes that are for gay men"
"Hey, don't stereotype. Straight men can be fashionable too. Just cause you aren't." He poked his tongue out and put his earphones in even though there was no music playing.
"At least my clothes aren't stretched to the point where I can see my nipples." He pretended he couldn’t hear her and scribbled on a piece of paper.
Urgh, what did girls see in this d!ckhead?

Mornings crept by slowly because there weren't many customers. The occasional old lady would come to buy her husband cake, and that was about it. In Young worked in the kitchen, making all the cakes that were ordered and to be served that day. Ellie served customers and cleaned up, whilst Jo Kwon was supposed to be ordering things needed in the café and answering phone calls, but just sat at the desk playing solitaire on the computer.
At about noon, Ellie and Jo Kwon were playing cards. In Young watched because she knew that all her money would be gone if she played with Jo Kwon.
"Wakakakaka! Free lunch for me! Damn I love gambling." Jo Kwon slammed down his hand of cards and did a victory spin in his chair.
"You know Ellie can't play cards." In Young pushed his chair so he bumped into a table.
"Its okay, practice makes perfect. What do you want Jo Kwon?" Ellie gathered up her bag and wallet.
"The usual. The fried rice and Kim chi Thank you Ellie." He smiled at her sweetly, which made her flush again.
"No problem. What about you Unnie?"
"uh...…get me sushi if there's any. Thanks." In Young handed her the money.

When Ellie left, he wheeled his chair closer to In Young gazing at her as if he were contemplating something.
"Would you rather take the lead or be leaded?" He finally asked.
"Why are you asking?" In Young stared at him intently.
"It doesn't matter why. Would you go out with a younger guy?"
"Depends who it was." Please don't say he's hinting what I think he's hinting.
"What if it was my mini me?"
"God, you're not serious are you?" She gasped and glanced over his shoulder. Ear piercing boy had come in at about ten and sat down in a corner of the café.
"Serious. I reckon he's got it in for you." He smiled wryly.
"I like to be leaded, so it's out of question." In order to avoid his taunting gaze, In Young picked up the deck of cards and began to shuffle it.
"You know whose got the hots for you?" She said without looking up, but a smile crept onto her face.
"Who doesn't have the hots for me?"
"Shut up. I reckon you and Ellie would make a cute couple." She glanced up to see his reaction.
"Ellie? Nah, not my type." He did another spin in his chair, looking up at the ceiling.
"She's so shy and everything. It's hard to talk to her. And she seems to do everything that everyone tells her to do, like she doesn't have a will of her own."
"Maybe it is her will to do everything that everyone tells her to do."
"Nah... " He trailed off. At that moment, the bell above the door jingled and Ellie came through the door holding two plastic bags. At the sight of food Jo Kwon forgot about everything.
"Come to daddy!" He had his hands stretched like a toddler desperate for milk.
In Young looked over at ear piercing boy again. Seriously, why is he still here? Doesn't he have school? He was sitting in a far off table, staring out the window. He was so still he could have passed off as a mannequin. Creepy…
"Unnie, your sushi." Ellie cut in through her thoughts and handed her a box of sushi.
"Do you want to ask him what he's doing here?" In Young asked, lowering her voice. Jo Kwon chewed his food furiously and swallowed.
"Why do you want to know huh?" He smirked.
"No Jo Kwon, I am not interested." She told him sternly. He shrugged.
"Then why bring it up?"
"Don't you find it weird how he’s dressed in his school uniform and he was up extra early but he's not going to school? All he's doing is just sitting there like he's watching TV or something." They all glanced over at the glassy eyed Ear Piercing Boy.
"Meh, he probably ran away from home or something." Jo Kwon continued stuffing his mouth with food.
"Well then we should talk to him, just in case something's wrong."
"If you're so worried you can go."
"You talked to him before so it's easier for you."
"But I'm eating!" He shoved another mouthful down his throat.
"Don't bother him. He probably just wants time alone." Ellie said quietly. Jo Kwon nodded, cheeks puffed up with food. In Young looked over again anxiously.
"I guess..."
"Besides, there's no harm if he just sits there. Not like he's stinking up the place or anything." Jo Kwon added.
"Unlike somebody else!" In Young laughed. Jo Kwon flicked a grain of rice at her.
"If he comes back tomorrow or something, we could probably talk to him." Ellie suggested. Always the wise one, Ellie was. Thank God In Young hired someone like her, or else Jo Kwon and her would never get any work done.

The afternoon came and went, with heaps of students from the local high school flooding the shop. Jo Kwon’s desk was surrounded by at least three girls at all times. Seriously, he needed to tone down his player instincts a bit, or else the café was going to turn into a fan girl meeting place or something. Ellie had her hands filled trying to serve the customers, clean up and help In Young cook the things she couldn’t cook. No help from Jo Kwon of course.
Eventually In Young had to leave her sanctuary in the kitchen and help Ellie. She tried to peel the fan girls off Jo Kwon and into seats, but they were super glued to his desk. Oh well, at least Jo Kwon knew how to sweet talk them into buying a few cakes before they left.

"He didn't even buy anything!" In Young said angrily, as she mopped the floors. It was seven thirty and the last of the fan girls and older couples had just went. Ear Piercing Boy left just before the first wave of students. He jumped onto his bike and rushed off without a word.
Ellie was cleaning the tables and stacking the chairs, as Jo Kwon was making himself a coffee.
"Does it matter?"Jo Kwon pressed the button on the coffee machine and it whirred loudly.
"No, but still. By the way, you have to clean the coffee machine later because you used it last." In Young shouted over the noise.
"I thought that was Ellie's job." He said, when the whirring died down.
"Well you can do it because she's done all the work today, whereas you've just been picking up underage girls all day."
"Hey, it's really boring you know!" He took long draught from his cup.
"Don't worry I'll clean it." Ellie urged. She began walking over to the machine with her cloth.
"No! Its okay, I'll do it. " Jo Kwon sounded completely different when he was talking to Ellie. He put down his cup and took the cloth from her hands.
"Milk moustache."Ellie giggled, pointing to his upper lip. Jo Kwon quickly tried to lick it off, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"There's still some left." She told him.
"Where?" He fingered his lips.
"On the left."
"Is it still there?"
"That was your right."
"Right."
"Yeah right, I said left."
"Right or left?"
"Left. It's right there!" She pointed to the side of his lips.
"Where? Right?" Exasperated, Ellie sighed and picked up a napkin. She leaned over and gently brushed the side of his lips.
"Is it still there?" He finally said. She caught her self staring at his lips and jumped away from him.
"No."She turned away and felt herself going red.

"Hey guys I'm leaving first, I have some things to do. Would you mind locking up for me? Thanks." In Young grabbed her bag and threw them a pair of keys.
"I know you like him, stop denying it!" Jo Kwon said goodbye in style, for sure.
"Shut up Jo Kwon. Bye Ellie!" In Young waved and closed the door behind her. Smiling to herself, she wheeled the bike out from the shed and pedaled into the night.

Ellie and Jo Kwon were left alone in the café, with only the sound of crickets filling the silence.
Even though they had worked together for about six months now, they were still a bit awkward. Jo Kwon didn’t see Ellie or In Young like the girls he normally went out with. They were different. You couldn't hit on them or shower them with gifts till you won them over. They were the ultimate hard to get girls. But Ellie wasn't just hard to get. She was hard to talk to, hard to read and hard to get in her pants.

"Uh, I'm going to go now. See you tomorrow." She smiled nervously and left, almost running. Jo Kwon stared after her curiously.

She seemed so painstakingly innocent Jo Kwon personally wanted to do something about it. Normally if Jo Kwon met someone as innocent as her, he would grab the chance to transform her into a sexy, dirty bad girl. But Ellie was too rigid, too frigid, too distant and too rule abiding to bend in any way. She was all books, rules and homework, everything that Jo Kwon hated. But on the other hand, this scared Jo Kwon. Yes it scared him, because for once, there was a girl that he couldn't make to bend at his every will and desire.
Kim Ellie was the player's biggest challenge.

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In Young sat alone in her living room. The only light in her room was the TV, flashing brightly as she switched from one channel to the next. There was nothing good on. Nothing that could satisfy her. Nothing to distract her. Nothing.

She turned off the TV and the room fell into darkness. The only sound made was the whisper of her clothes as she got up and picked up something from the coffee table. She made her way onto the balcony, clutching tightly what was in her hand. The little lights below her winked friendly, trying to comfort her. But even they could never erase the sense of absence she felt. She ached, hands trembling with anguish.

She looked down at the open locket in her hands. It felt cold against her hands, even when warm tears spilled onto her palm.

There was nothing inside it.

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A/N : Damn those little squares are annoying.

GREAT STORY! I'm really looking forward to reading more!