Exam Eve at Hana's Cafe
It was the weekend of the midterm planning meeting. And starting the very next week, midterms would begin right away.
The day before. I headed to the cafe where U Hana worked, arriving right at ten in the morning—the time her shift started.
Ding-a-ling. A small bell chimed.
"Welcome!"
U Hana, standing behind the counter, spotted me and broke into a bright smile.
She seemed to be handling the whole shift solo now. A sign she'd gotten the hang of it.
"What can I get for you, sir?"
U Hana teased me in an exaggerated, syrupy voice.
"Coffee, please."
"Just coffee?"
"Yeah, for now."
Maybe because it was still morning, the place wasn't busy.
From experience, being near Daehangno, the peaks were before morning classes and after lunch.
A quick glance around showed just one or two standout customers. All guys.
When I worked here, it had felt like mostly women, but things seemed to have shifted a bit.
Of course, with so few customers, it might just feel that way.
I grabbed a quiet corner seat, set down my bag, and pulled out my books and notes, arranging them neatly. That's when U Hana brought the coffee herself.
On the tray sat the coffee—and a cookie I hadn't ordered.
"...A cookie?"
"On the house."
She said it casually, then her eyes sparkled as she added,
"Mind doing a taste test? Gotta see whose is better."
"...."
Was this about comparing it to Yoon Seo-ha's cookie from the other day? It had to be—suddenly pitting it against some store-bought one didn't make sense.
I caught U Hana grinning mischievously.
But this was already packaged.... Instead of saying anything, I picked up the cookie, unwrapped it, and took a bite.
It was normally tasty. I nodded approvingly.
"It's good."
"...Yeah? Enjoy."
She stared at my face, then burst into giggles, like my reaction was hilarious and she couldn't hold it in.
She'd set the trap and was clearly satisfied, stepping back with a smug look.
Thankfully, she didn't pry further. She headed back to her post.
Probably because other customers were around. I'd felt the same back when I worked here and friends dropped by.
I dove back into studying. "Exam eve" didn't quite fit—I wasn't cramming like my life depended on it. I'd done enough; now it was just mental整理.
Some time passed like that.
U Hana approached again. A look around showed the earlier customers had all left.
A brief lull.
She pulled out the chair next to me and sat gingerly.
"Thought you'd be grinding hard on exam eve."
She said it playfully, but a faint trace of guilt flickered in her expression. Like she felt bad for dragging me to the cafe on such a day.
But it really didn't matter.
"Nothing much left to do."
"Whoa, is this the confidence of someone who studies hard all the time?"
"Want a few tips?"
"For real?"
"Yeah."
"You can just spill like that?"
"It's just a quick rundown anyway."
I'd gotten plenty of help from Yoon Seo-ha myself, after all.
I pointed out a few likely exam topics from tomorrow's subjects. She listened intently beside me.
"And you said you'd handle it solo this time, but you're all ears."
"Gonna share and then hold it against me now? Got expectations, huh? What should I do? A kiss maybe? Mwah mwah."
I pushed her away as she puckered up teasingly.
Right then—
My phone screen on the table lit up suddenly. A short buzz, and a message notification popped up.
My eyes locked on that sentence.
Yoon Seo-ha? Her texting first?
It caught me off guard. Really off guard. I'd never even imagined her initiating contact.
Meanwhile, U Hana naturally glanced at the screen. The phone was right there on the table in front of her.
"...You text with Seo-ha too?"
Her tone was light, but it felt like genuine surprise—or maybe something more layered in.
"Nah. This is the first time she's ever messaged like this."
"Whoa."
U Hana let out a hollow exclamation, sneaking another peek at the screen.
"Seo-ha must really like you."
I got the vibe she was going for, but I couldn't deny it.
Yoon Seo-ha wasn't the type—that much was obvious even without being super close.
The situation felt oddly timed. Last time, a message from U Hana came while I was with Yoon Seo-ha. Now the reverse.
"Can't picture Seo-ha texting a guy first."
"Yeah, but... probably 'cause of exams."
"Hmm."
"I told you, first time."
"Mr. Min-woo, you're too popular."
She laid on the polite speech extra-thick for dramatic effect.
"If Seo-ha likes you, it's the real deal."
"Real deal how?"
"She's like a seal of approval. Top-tier guarantee. Seo-ha doesn't fawn over looks with a 'wow' or anything."
"What're you even saying."
She propped her chin on her hand, gazing up at me with a sly glint.
"So, how'd you reel her in? What charm worked?"
"I didn't reel anyone."
"Then you got reeled."
"...Cut it out, U Hana."
Our shoulders brushed naturally. Close enough not to feel awkward. For regular guy-girl friends, it might've been weird, but...
And with that distance came a familiar scent. U Hana's signature perfume. Sweet, not overpowering, but distinctly lingering up close.
Nothing like Yoon Seo-ha's cool, serene vibe.
Come to think of it, she'd worn this scent unchanged since freshman year.
"Quit with the weird talk and review that part again."
"Aw, why."
"It's exam eve."
"Anyone'd think I never study."
"Don't you?"
"...Can't argue."
Yeah, she couldn't. It wasn't long ago she was whining to me on the sports field about being a failure.
She leaned her head on my shoulder casually. Not blatantly—just a light touch that lingered.
The grape-sweet perfume wafted closer again.
"It's fine. You're with me now."
"......Seo-ha probably doesn't give off that vibe."
"Who knows a woman's heart? I'm a woman too... but no clue."
True enough. Just look at things with Lee Seol the other day.
With her head still on my shoulder, U Hana glanced toward my phone.
"Think Seo-ha noticed?"
Probably meaning the subtle thing between me and U Hana.
"She knows."
From the start, I'd texted U Hana right in front of Yoon Seo-ha, assuring her it wasn't weird.
No real hiding.
U Hana stayed quiet a moment, then murmured softly,
"Even knowing... she still does this..."
Her voice dipped just a touch.
*
The first day of exams was just two subjects.
Thankfully, I felt good about both.
The instant it ended, that post-exam liberation washed over me first. I stretched long and hard.
Still, gratitude was in order. Yoon Seo-ha's tips had nailed the exam questions spot-on.
This went beyond luck.
Seating was rearranged for exams, and Yoon Seo-ha was up front.
I slung my bag over my shoulder haphazardly and walked to where she was still packing up.
The classroom was its usual post-exam chaos, but Yoon Seo-ha remained composed as ever.
Even tucking her exam paper away was calm, her face impassive. Like the exam ending was no big deal.
I stopped by her desk.
"Everything you mentioned actually came up?"
She looked up.
"Did it?"
Her flat response made me chuckle unexpectedly.
"Yeah. Pinpoint accurate... Thanks."
"...."
A brief silence followed her lack of reply, but I just grinned and added,
"Gotta repay you or something."
"No need. You didn't help me expecting payback."
"Well..."
"I just... wanted to try."
A faint blush crept into her pale cheeks.
Saying it herself, maybe.
Yoon Seo-ha could be surprisingly direct in odd moments. All stoic usually, then bam—something disarming out of nowhere.
Then she asked,
"Going to the library?"
Her voice steady as always.
"Yeah, planning to."
The moment I answered, a familiar voice chimed in from the side.
"Me too."
I turned to find U Hana right there.
With the morning exam done, she had time free. Studying together at the library wasn't weird.
Seo Jae-hyun wasn't the group-study type anyway, Lee Seol even less so. Ji Hyun-su had straight-up declared GG on this exam.
And so, the three of us headed to the library.
U Hana grinned suddenly.
"This'll be fun."
What was fun about post-exam library time...?
