Chapter 45 - Lava Java (1)

The heat was relentless. Aki had just been walking for an hour or so but he felt like he ran a marathon.

So far, he took note of a couple of ads looking for part-timers. He made a list of them, their time, and wages. He would have to compare them later and see if he could do two or three together to maximize his time or try one and let himself adjust first.

He did not know if he was doing things right or if there was even a right way to do this. He had never taken a job before. He never really needed to as he was able to save a bit of his allowance to be able to pay his rent and his bills, along with buying things he wanted. But his savings took a blow with all those eating out and hanging out with Zy. On top of that, there were his tuition fees. He was ashamed to ask for his parents' money when it was his fault his savings were lost. The least he could do was to share the burden of the finances. He sighed.

'But what if someone got the job first? Should I have applied first then consider the hours?' He wrinkled his nose. He really had no clue on how to go on this thing. But he also did not want to ask for other's help. He could have asked for Jun or Liam's advice but he did not. As much as possible he wanted to keep this information about working to himself, at least until he got used to this.

He got himself into this predicament and now he was feeling shameful. Aki shook his head despite himself. Maybe he really should have asked for Jun and Liam's advice.

But first, food.

He wandered around cafes and restaurants but the prices deterred him from entering. He really could not afford anything fancy right now. Good thing was that he was not a picky eater so anything that would fill his stomach and quench his thirst would do.

To his luck, this area is surrounded by nothing but fancy cafes and restaurants. No food stalls or fast food chains available or anything cheap. At this rate, he would end up in a convenience store.

'That does not sound bad.' He loved those fried chickens. Just thinking about it, made his mouth water.

As he was walking around to get to the nearest convenience store, he could not help but gawk at the establishments. Each place had a distinct theme but each had the trendy vibe popular lately. They all looked posh and charming. It did not help that this part of the city was near the universities and offices. No wonder this area was swarming with college students and office workers.

Part of him wondered if any of them were hiring. The other part was amazed by what he was seeing. It was not every day that he passed by in this area so everything seemed new and glittery.

He passed by another cafe. Even from the outside, it looked quite cozy. He casually glanced at the menu posted outside which was a mistake because it made him think of food even more and his stomach grumbled in response. Sadly, he was broke.

He cast one last longing look at the cafe. From his position, he could somehow see the inside of the cafe through its wide glass windows. It was quite packed inside. He caught a glimpse of one of the tables near the window and the customers were happily taking pictures of their parfaits. His mouth watered even more. Sweets were his weakness.

"Table for 1, sir?" A cafe employee approached him to which he did not realize that she was there. He guessed that she must have been cleaning the tables in front of the cafe judging from the empty tray and washcloth in her hand.

Aki shook his head. "No, I was just---"

He stopped mid-sentence when something caught his eyes. Or rather, someone.