Hello Darlings! This fic is one of many that I am posting in an effort to figure out what project I'm going to focus on next. I'm going to post two to three chapters of several different projects I'm working on, to start. I'm looking for feedback from you dear readers to figure out which you want to see more of! My thought is, the project with the most reviews by...November 30th? Will be the one I put the most effort into! Depending on how inspired I feel, the others will get updates as well, just slower than my focus project. That's the goal anyway! We'll see how it works out! Please enjoy!

She was here again. That quiet girl. She had started showing up at the beginning of the summer. Every Wednesday and Friday at precisely 5:00 in the evening she would walk through the door, setting the little bell ringing. She would take a seat at the booth centered under the front window painted over with the Paper Lantern's logo. She ordered the same thing every time, a plate of wantons and a glass of lemonade, then she would pull out whatever book she happened to have on her and read for an hour while she ate. Then at around 6, sometimes a little later, someone would knock on the window. She'd pack up her book, leave her payment plus tip on the table, and head out the door. It was like clockwork. Easy. Predictable.

He hadn't noticed her at first. She sat at a booth that wasn't his to serve and when she showed up he was usually in the back helping scrub dishes in preparation for closing time. Then Kim Soo had gone on maternity leave and he was asked to cover her tables until she got back. The first time he had served her, he hadn't given it much thought at first. She wasn't exactly eye-catching. She had shoulder-length, brown hair, eyes hidden behind thick framed glasses, and she was wearing a nondescript long-sleeve shirt and modest jeans. Nothing to flaunt any figure she might have. Nothing to catch any attention. Just a regular girl used to slipping under the radar.

When he went to take her order she had blinked up at him and had politely asked if Kim Soo was feeling ok.

"Maternity leave." He had answered as shortly as possible. He never understood why some customers insisted on making small talk with him. It's not like they actually cared about what he said.

"Oh! Right, she did tell me that…" the girl had trailed off, staring blankly at her menu. After about a minute of silence, he had gotten impatient.

"Do you want something to drink?" He had asked, being careful not to show his temper. wasn't afraid to dock his tips if she heard him giving any lip to her customers. Even annoying ones.

"Huh?" She had startled, apparently having forgotten that he was still standing there.

"If you need time to order, I can get you a drink." He had clarified, her reaction giving him a little amusement.

"Oh! No, sorry, um...sorry. I'll have an order of wantons and a lemonade please. Sorry."

As he had jotted down her order he had grumbled, "Relax, I'm not gonna eat you or whatever." miffed by her apologetic attitude.

"Sorry." She had whispered again, sinking into her seat and ducking her face but not before he saw her utterly mortified expression. Completely confused by her reaction, he had taken her order back to the kitchen. She hadn't looked afraid of him exactly, he had seen enough people fear him in school to recognize that look, but more like she was embarrassed by her own actions. Like she was used to being judged and falling short and having to apologize for her shortcomings. He was probably putting way too much thought into it. Could be that was just her personality. Having dismissed his wonderings, he had served her her order and just left it alone.

After a few weeks, they had fallen into a comfortable pattern. She would come in and sit down. He would take her already prepared food to her table, she would thank him, he would mutter "You're welcome." and that was the end of their interaction for the night.