The soft hum of voices filled the café as Eun-Ji finished arranging a tray of pastries on the display counter. The warm scent of coffee and sugar swirled around her, a comforting constant in her otherwise ordinary day. She glanced at the clock, still an hour left on her shift. She sighed softly, brushing her hands on her apron and preparing for another customer.

Her days at La Lune Café were predictable. Quiet mornings, a busy lunch rush, and the occasional regular with an extra-friendly smile. Nothing about it was particularly exciting, but she liked it that way. It was simple, manageable.

The familiar chime of the door opening pulled her attention toward the entrance. She glanced up, ready to greet the new customer, but paused for half a second.

The man who walked in looked as though he’d stepped out of a photoshoot. He was tall, with sharp, defined features, dark hair styled effortlessly, and dressed in a black jacket over a white shirt. He exuded confidence without trying, the kind that made people around him take notice.

Eun-Ji’s gaze flickered back to the pastries. He wasn’t the first good-looking man to step through those doors, and she didn’t see why he would be any different. A customer was a customer.

But as he moved further into the café, murmurs began to ripple through the room. His name floated on hushed lips,Sanghoon.

Eun-Ji vaguely recognized it. He was that actor everyone seemed to talk about, the one whose face was on every other advertisement. She’d never paid much attention to celebrities, and frankly, she didn’t see the point of getting worked up over one now.

Still, she straightened her posture as he approached the counter, his manager trailing just behind him. Her role was simple: take the order, offer a polite smile, and send them on their way.

When he reached the counter, Sanghoon glanced around the café before his eyes landed on her. The moment he saw her, something in his expression shifted. His confident demeanor softened, and a small, genuine smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

Eun-Ji, noticing his gaze, met his eyes briefly out of courtesy. She offered a polite smile, the kind she gave every customer, and spoke in her usual calm tone.

“Welcome. What can I get for you today?”

Sanghoon didn’t respond right away. For a moment, he simply looked at her, his dark eyes lingering with an intensity she couldn’t quite place.

The manager cleared his throat, stepping forward to place the order. “One iced Americano and a caramel latte, please.”

“For here or to go?” Eun-Ji asked, already inputting the order into the register.

“For here,” the manager replied.

Eun-Ji nodded, printed the receipt, and handed it to the manager, keeping her movements efficient and practiced. She glanced briefly at Sanghoon again, noticing the soft smile still playing on his lips. It was strange. Most celebrities she’d encountered before wore their fame like armor, keeping people at a distance. But he seemed oddly… open.

When she brought the drinks to the counter a few moments later, Sanghoon stepped forward to take the tray. As he did, his fingers brushed hers. The touch was brief, but his smile widened slightly, as if it meant something.

“Thank you,” he said, his voice warm and smooth, his eyes locked on hers.

“You’re welcome,” she replied, her tone neutral, her polite smile unchanged.

He lingered for a second longer than necessary before turning to find a seat. Eun-Ji watched him out of the corner of her eye as he settled near the window, his profile illuminated by the golden afternoon light.

She busied herself wiping the counter, her mind already moving to the next task. To her, he was just another customer, albeit a famous one. She didn’t understand the whispered excitement among the other patrons or why Min-Seo kept nudging her with wide eyes.

“Did you see that?” Min-Seo whispered.

“See what?” Eun-Ji replied without looking up.

“He smiled at you. Sanghoon. Smiled. At you.”

“So?” Eun-Ji shrugged, keeping her voice low. “He’s a customer. It’s my job to smile back.”

Min-Seo groaned, throwing her hands in the air. “You’re impossible. If that were me, I’d have melted on the spot.”

Eun-Ji simply shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips,not because of Sanghoon, but because of Min-Seo’s dramatics. She glanced toward the window again and caught him looking her way. His expression was calm, but there was something curious in his eyes, something almost… searching.

She turned away, focusing instead on tidying the display case. He might have been Sanghoon to the world, but to her, he was just another name in the sea of faces she served every day.

Or so she thought.

The soft glow of the streetlights guided Eun-Ji as she walked home, the evening air crisp against her skin. Her shift had ended uneventfully, save for the earlier visit from Sanghoon that had sent Min-Seo into a near frenzy for the rest of the day.

Eun-Ji shook her head at the thought. She still didn’t get what all the fuss was about. Sure, he was handsome, objectively so, but at the end of the day, he was just another customer. Her job wasn’t to swoon over people; it was to make coffee and smile.

Her apartment building came into view, a modest four-story complex tucked away in a quieter part of the city. She climbed the stairs to the third floor and unlocked the door to her unit. The faint aroma of lavender greeted her, courtesy of the diffuser her best friend and roommate, Ji-Ah, had insisted on getting.

“Eun-Ji! You’re back!” Ji-Ah’s voice called from the living room.

Eun-Ji kicked off her shoes and stepped inside, finding Ji-Ah sprawled on the couch with a bowl of popcorn in her lap, her laptop open to a drama she was halfway through binge-watching.

“Hey,” Eun-Ji said, setting her bag on the counter. She grabbed a glass of water and sank into the armchair across from Ji-Ah.

“How was work?” Ji-Ah asked, tossing a piece of popcorn into her mouth.

“It was fine. Pretty normal, I guess,” Eun-Ji replied, taking a sip of her water.

Ji-Ah gave her a knowing look. “You guess? That doesn’t sound convincing. Something happened.”

Eun-Ji hesitated, debating whether or not to mention it. It wasn’t a big deal, at least not to her, but she knew how Ji-Ah would react. Still, the way Ji-Ah was looking at her, eyebrows raised and expectant, made her sigh in defeat.

“Fine. Sanghoon came to the café today.”

Ji-Ah froze, the popcorn she was about to eat falling back into the bowl. “Wait. What?”

“Sanghoon,” Eun-Ji repeated, keeping her tone casual. “The actor. He came in with his manager. Ordered an iced Americano and a caramel latte.”

Ji-Ah blinked, as if trying to process the words. Then she exploded.

“Oh. My. God. Sanghoon? Sanghoon? You met Sanghoon?!”

Eun-Ji frowned at her friend’s volume, glancing toward the door as if the neighbors might overhear. “Calm down, it’s not a big deal.”

“Not a big deal?” Ji-Ah practically screeched, sitting up straight and setting her laptop aside. “Do you even hear yourself? Sanghoon, the nation’s heartthrob, the guy every girl dreams of marrying, walked into your café, and you’re saying it’s not a big deal?”

Eun-Ji shrugged. “He’s just a person. He came in, ordered coffee, smiled, and left. That’s it.”

Ji-Ah clutched her chest dramatically. “You’re killing me. Do you even realize how lucky you are? I mean, people wait hours just to catch a glimpse of him at events, and he just walked into your café like it’s no big deal!”

“Well, it wasn’t,” Eun-Ji said simply.

Ji-Ah stared at her in disbelief. “Okay, hold on. Did he say anything to you? Did he look at you? Was he nice? Oh my gosh, did he flirt with you?”

Eun-Ji rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop the small laugh that escaped her. “He said thank you. That’s it. And no, he didn’t flirt. He smiled, but I think he does that with everyone. It’s probably part of his job.”

Ji-Ah flopped back against the couch, groaning. “You’re hopeless. If it had been me, I would’ve fainted right there. You don’t even care.”

“I don’t see the point in getting excited over someone just because they’re famous,” Eun-Ji said, finishing her water. “He’s just like anyone else. He drinks coffee, pays for it, and leaves.”

Ji-Ah sat up again, fixing Eun-Ji with a serious look. “You’re telling me that when Sanghoon, one of the most gorgeous men alive, smiled at you, you didn’t feel anything? Not even a little?”

Eun-Ji hesitated, her mind briefly flickering to the way his smile had lingered and the warmth in his voice when he thanked her. She shook the thought away. “Not really. I mean, he’s attractive, sure, but it’s not like I’m going to see him again. It’s just one of those random things that happens and then you move on.”

Ji-Ah groaned again, covering her face with a throw pillow. “You’re impossible, Eun-Ji. Absolutely impossible.”

Eun-Ji laughed softly, standing up to head to her room. “I’m going to shower. Don’t stay up too late binge-watching dramas again.”

“No promises,” Ji-Ah called after her, though her voice was slightly muffled by the pillow.

As Eun-Ji closed the door to her room, she shook her head at her friend’s reaction. She still didn’t get it. Sanghoon might have been a big deal to the rest of the country, but to her, he was just another customer.

And yet, as she pulled out her pajamas and got ready for bed, she found herself thinking back to that smile.

It wasn’t his fame that had stuck with her. It was something quieter, subtler,the way his eyes had softened when they met hers, like he wasn’t looking at her as a barista or just another face in the crowd.

Eun-Ji shook the thought away again. It didn’t matter. She’d likely never see him again.

The faint glow of the bedside lamp cast a warm light over Eun-Ji’s room as she tied her hair into a loose bun and settled into bed. She pulled the blanket up to her chin, her mind drifting over the day’s events.

Her conversation with Ji-Ah replayed in snippets, and her friend’s over-the-top reaction made her smile. Ji-Ah really knew how to make a spectacle out of anything.

Then there was him.

Eun-Ji frowned at the ceiling, trying to push Sanghoon from her thoughts. She didn’t care about him, and she certainly didn’t want to waste time overanalyzing the way he’d smiled at her. Celebrities like him probably smiled at everyone the same way.

With a soft sigh, she rolled over and closed her eyes. Tomorrow would be another routine day at the café, and she was determined not to let today’s unexpected encounter distract her.

The sound of her alarm shattered the stillness of the morning. Eun-Ji groaned and reached over to silence it, then lay there for a few moments, enjoying the rare calm before her day began.

She got up, stretching lazily, and went through her usual morning routine: a quick shower, brushing her hair into a simple ponytail, and putting on her café uniform. Her reflection stared back at her in the mirror, practical and no-nonsense, just as she liked it.

In the kitchen, Ji-Ah was still asleep, her door firmly shut. Eun-Ji grabbed a slice of toast, her bag, and headed out the door. The cool morning air was refreshing, and she took her time walking to the café, savoring the quiet streets before the city fully woke up.

By the time she arrived at La Lune Café, the early rush of regulars had already begun. Eun-Ji tied on her apron and greeted Min-Seo, who was busy ringing up an order.

“Morning!” Min-Seo chirped. “Ready for another exciting day?”

Eun-Ji gave her a wry smile. “If by exciting, you mean the usual, then sure.”

Min-Seo laughed and handed her a clipboard. “You take inventory; I’ll handle the counter for now.”

The day moved along at its usual pace, regulars coming in for their usual orders, the occasional new face, and the comforting rhythm of the espresso machine steaming milk and pouring shots of coffee.

It wasn’t until late morning, as the lull between the breakfast and lunch rush set in, that the café door chimed, and Eun-Ji glanced up.

There he was again.

Sanghoon walked in, his manager trailing behind him. Today, he wore a simple white button-up with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, looking effortlessly put together. As he entered, the café’s atmosphere shifted slightly. Patrons whispered to each other, and Min-Seo froze mid-step, her mouth falling open.

“Eun-Ji,” Min-Seo hissed, elbowing her. “It’s him! Again!”

Eun-Ji rolled her eyes and moved toward the counter. “I see him,” she said quietly.

This time, Sanghoon’s gaze found hers immediately. That same soft smile from yesterday appeared on his face, and Eun-Ji could feel Min-Seo practically vibrating with excitement beside her.

“Welcome back,” Eun-Ji said, her tone even as she placed her hands on the counter.

“Good morning,” Sanghoon replied, his voice smooth and warm. He nodded toward her name tag. “Eun-Ji, right?”

She blinked, slightly surprised he’d remembered her name. “That’s right. What can I get for you today?”

“The same as yesterday,” his manager interjected before Sanghoon could answer.

Eun-Ji nodded, jotting down the order. She noticed that Sanghoon’s eyes lingered on her for a moment longer, as if he were waiting for her to say something more.

When she handed them their drinks a few minutes later, Sanghoon accepted his with that same deliberate smile. “Thank you,” he said, his gaze steady on hers.

“You’re welcome,” Eun-Ji replied, her tone polite and professional.

This time, instead of sitting by the window, Sanghoon and his manager took a table near the counter. She could feel his presence even when she wasn’t looking directly at him, which was irritating in its own way.

“He’s totally into you,” Min-Seo whispered when they were out of earshot.

“Don’t start,” Eun-Ji muttered, shaking her head.

Min-Seo grinned. “I’m just saying. He came back two days in a row. That’s not a coincidence.”

Eun-Ji busied herself wiping the counter. She wasn’t interested in indulging Min-Seo’s fantasies about Sanghoon’s intentions.

Later that afternoon, Eun-Ji received a message on her phone. It was from Tae-Min, her childhood friend, who was as lively and persistent as ever.

Tae-Min: Eun-Ji, don’t forget, my birthday party is this Friday at 7 PM! No excuses, okay?

Eun-Ji smiled at the message. Tae-Min had been one of her closest friends growing up, and though they didn’t see each other as often these days, he always made an effort to include her in his life.

She replied quickly: I’ll be there. Happy early birthday!

His response came almost immediately: Good. Bring Ji-Ah if you want. And don’t forget to dress up this time!

Eun-Ji chuckled. Tae-Min had always teased her about her simple style, but she appreciated his easygoing nature.

“Something funny?” Min-Seo asked, leaning over to peek at her phone.

“Just Tae-Min. He’s having a birthday party this Friday.”

“Oh, that sounds fun! Are you going?”

“Of course. He’d probably show up at my door and drag me there if I didn’t.”

Min-Seo laughed. “You have to tell me all about it. Maybe you’ll meet someone cute!”

Eun-Ji rolled her eyes but didn’t respond. She doubted anything exciting would happen at Tae-Min’s party, but at least it would be nice to catch up with old friends.

The rest of the day passed without incident, though Eun-Ji caught herself glancing toward the table where Sanghoon had been sitting long after he’d left.

It wasn’t that she cared, she told herself. He was just another customer, and his visits would eventually stop. But as she walked home that evening, she couldn’t help but wonder why his gaze had felt so… persistent.