Coffee and Cigarettes and Everything in Between

Twelve

Winter

So here I am outside the building that Karina told me to go. It is located at the far end of the city so it took me a while to get here. Nothing interesting about the establishment, it was just like any other building in the city: tall, a lot of floors and it screams executive feels.

As I went inside the building the guard greeted me and asked which floor I'm headed and what errand I'm gonna do inside. He must have been suspicious because I'm wearing my normal clothes that is of course consist of a flannel shirt and jeans that literally gives out the "I'm not from here" vibes.

"Uhm I'm here to meet a friend." I politely answered him.

"May I ask who it is?" He replied with doubt still laced in his voice.

"My name's Winter, I'm here to meet Karina Yoo." I said with a small voice. After hearing my answer, his face lit up and he finally gave me a smile.

"Why didn't you say so earlier? She's at the rooftop waiting for you. The elevator is there to your right." He said as he assisted me inside the building.

The guard waved me goodbye as I entered the elevator and I smiled at him in return. As the doors closed only then did I remember that I didn't even catch his name.

The elevator ride was quick and before I knew it I was already facing the door of the rooftop. But before I opened it, I collected myself first and fixed the flowers that I got for her. Once satisfied I held the doorknob, turned it and pushed the door open.

I was met by a gust of cold wind and the open sky. There was almost nothing here aside from some cleaning materials at the left side and a few benches here and there.

Amidst the emptiness of the place there was Karina. In a printed shirt, a leather jacket draped around her shoulders, denim shorts, a round eyeglasses loosely placed on her nose bridge and her hair tied up in a messy bun.
She sat there at the far end of the bench with a cigarette in hand. She must not have noticed me enter because she looked so calm this way unlike her normal easy-going personality. I didn't wanna disturb Karina but I also didn't wanna just stare at her when I can be with her so I decided on the latter.

"Hey." I softly called out and broke her train of thoughts.

"Hey." She answered back as she drop her cigarette and motioned for me to come closer and sit beside her.

"So where are we?" I asked her.

"In one of my favorite places. I come here usually to think or just find a better perspective I guess." She answered as she took in the view in front of us. The sun was almost setting so the sky was a mix of different colors, the clouds in various shapes complimenting the sky and the skycrapers towering above the city. It was beautiful and Karina being here with me, it was perfect.

As I gave Karina the flowers, my gaze landed on the cigarette that she just dropped and it wasn't even halfway finished. I've noticed that after we started dating she barely smoke when we're together. I already told her that it didn't bother me so why?

"Winter you're not listening." She said with a chuckle. I must have been so immersed with my thoughts that I spaced out for a moment.

"Sorry. So what were you saying?" I asked with a shy smile and this time I made sure to pay attention.

"I said do you remember when I asked you why you got me daisies on our first date?" Karina said as she looked at the flowers that I just gave her. As always I got her daisies. And of course I remember our first date and my reason for choosing daisy for her.

"You don't stand out too much but you're the most beautiful one out there." I said as I looked at her. She didn't respond at first instead she gave me a peck on the lips which caught me off guard which in turn made my cheeks burn up to which she responded with "cute" as she poked my nose.