Seulgi was never fond of mornings, but she didn’t have much of a choice as Wheein had an important appointment to go to and no one else could cover her shift, so she had to step up and do it. Waking up at 7 AM and opening shop, she realized once more, was never a good feeling if she were to be honest. She needed coffee as much as their early customers did or else she’d be a grizzly bear, and not a teddy bear, as Joy had told her before.

Although, Seulgi supposed, it wasn’t that bad as she was able to see and talk to Hwasa again as their schedules usually clashed. Along with Seulgi, however, Joy had also woken up early since they were shortstaffed at the moment.

“You seem happier these days, Seul. Did something happen?” Hwasa asked as she moved around, checking if anything needed to be refilled. Before the barista could respond, Joy had answered first.

“Our little Seulbear is head over heels for a certain someone,” Joy teased as she pinched Seulgi’s cheek. The latter could only roll her eyes.

“Oh?” Hwasa turned around. “Who is it?’

“I’m still older than you, Joy,” Seulgi pouted at the fact that she had to tilt her head up to look Joy in the eye. “You just happen to be really tall,” She continued.

“Not really, you just happen to be really short,” Joy smirked as she pat Seulgi’s head.                           

“I’m fun-sized!” Seulgi argued, but it had fallen on deaf ears.

“Anyway, have you met Byul’s team yet?” Joy asked Hwasa.

“I’ve only met Gaebal-ssi so far, I don’t think the rest arrive early enough for me to catch them,” Unlike Seulgi and Joy, Hwasa’s work hours were much shorter due to her only working part time as the latter was still a student.

“Ah, you haven’t met the goddess yet,” Joy commented. Hwasa raised a brow.

“Goddess? I’m the only goddess here,” Hwasa said with an air of confidence. Seulgi chuckled at that.

“How do you even have that much confidence to say that?” The bear like girl shook her head.

“Well have you seen how Wheeinie looks at her, Seulgi? I think you’d feel very confident if you had someone looking at you like that,” Joy teased, nudging Hwasa whose cheeks had turned the slightest shade of pink.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Hwasa said, dodging the topic. “So is this ‘goddess’ the girl unnie’s head over heels for?” She asked instead.

Joy and Seulgi simply nodded, the latter’s cheeks turning a shade of red as she did.

“She’s whipped,” Hwasa said, recognizing the look in Seulgi’s eyes.

“...and daydreaming, again,” Joy added, crossing her arms as she looked at her best friend’s eyes glazed over with admiration for the girl.

“Do you think she likes me too?” Seulgi asked, tilting her head cutely as her mind replayed her first interaction with Irene. Joy could only sigh and pinch her cheeks.

“Who wouldn’t like you?” Joy asked, and a grin broke into Seulgi’s features. “Except when you pulled that cheesy line. Please don’t do that again,” The younger quickly added. Seulgi pouted at that. The bear-like girl didn’t think it was that bad.

“What did she say?” Hwasa’s curiosity was piqued.

“Do you really want to hear it? It’s one of Byul unnie’s lines,” Joy said as she reached for an apron.

‘Nevermind,” Hwasa shook her head and looked at her the time. She then nudged Joy, and pointed at her wristwatch. The latter headed to the back, preparing the pastries.

“Hey! I think she liked—” Seulgi tried to rebut as she turned to face the counter, noticing that someone had entered and had suddenly stopped mid sentence.

“Seul?” Hwasa asked as she turned around, wondering what made her stop so abruptly.

“Good morning!” A drop-dead gorgeous woman greeted, her doe eyes twinkling as she did.

All of a sudden, Seulgi didn’t mind if she had more shifts in the mornings.

Maybe she could switch with Wheein, too.

Seulgi was entranced, and she could sense the confidence and positivity radiating out of her entire being, unlike the other day when she was quite reserved and appeared quite intimidating despite her small stature. She looked so different— it was a complete 180 of how she was yesterday. Irene was no longer wearing her glasses and oversized sweater, and instead had changed into a miniskirt and a stylish blouse. She looked absolutely amazing and Seulgi almost foamed at the mouth at the duality of the woman.

It was as if she was looking at a mirage.

Her stomach didn’t seem to agree with her this time though, as it was an ocean of calm as compared to the last time she had seen Irene. Maybe she was getting used to seeing such a goddess.

It was probably that.

Irene leaned forward, meeting Seulgi eye to eye.

“You okay there?” The melodic voice asked, and Seulgi wanted to kneel down in front of her again.

That was, until her brain seemed to have reminded her that she hadn’t responded yet.

“G-good morning to you, too!” Seulgi stuttered. Hwasa rolled her eyes affectionately and rubbed Seulgi’s back before joining Joy. The bear like girl spaced out, completely mesmerized at the woman in front of her.

“Wheeinie isn’t here today?” The ethereal woman asked, a pout on her delicate features. Seulgi’s mood dampened a bit that that. She knew that Irene had been here for a few days, but she’s never actually seen her come in. She’d never even held much of a conversation with the woman, but she seemed to have missed Wheein as if they were old friends.

Maybe they were old friends, Seulgi mused. Or perhaps Wheein just got along better with her. That girl was like a puppy in human form after all; it was impossible to not like such a happy and endearing human being.

“Nope,” Seulgi responded, popping the p. “She had an appointment to go to this morning, so I’m covering for her,” She continued.

“Would you like the usual before you get to work?” Seulgi then asked. The woman tilted her head, and her face visibly scrunched in confusion. The bear like girl hadn’t noticed that Irene was this expressive.

“Um maybe you’d like to try something new then, Irene-ssi?” She decided to ask, watching Irene’s expression contort into a grin.

That was new.

Was it something she said? Seulgi wondered.

“No, but um, what specifically was my usual again? I spent all my time, uh, coding yesterday that I forgot,” Irene said and pouted cutely.

If she kept being like this, Seulgi might as well melt on the spot.

“Oh, it was carrot cake and a vanilla latte. You must’ve been working hard yesterday, Irene-ssi,” Seulgi smiled, her eyes upturning into crescents as he spoke.

“Jisoo,” A voice as sharp as a blade suddenly cut through the air. Irene had practically jumped at the sound, and quickly turned around.

“Unnie, hey! Haha, I didn’t see you there!”

Seulgi craned her neck to see who had just arrived.

It was Irene. Again.

Except this time, she was wearing her glasses and oversized sweater combo. For some reason, her stomach seemed to be doing backflips again.

Wait, what?

“What do you think you’re doing?” Glasses Irene said coldly to Miniskirt Irene. Seulgi was beyond confused.

Unbeknownst to the bear-like girl, Hwasa and Joy were behind her, watching the spectacle.

“When Jisoo said looked like her sister, but just didn’t have her sense of style, she wasn’t kidding,” Hwasa mumbled, crossing her arms.

“She’s a regular?” Joy asked, watching the Irene look-a-like pale at the presence of the actual Irene. The barista couldn’t blame her, if looks could kill Jisoo was long gone.

“Yeah, she comes in at the morning, usually with her girlfriend,” Hwasa said, leaning back against the counter.

“They’re like night and day… But damn, what is in their water?” Joy said as she observed the preppy girl and the ice-cold woman who were both equally stunning. Hwasa hummed in agreement.

“T-there’s two of you?!” Seulgi practically yelled as her brain struggled to process things. Joy was just thankful the café was still quite empty.

“Yup, I’m glad you know how to count!”

“She’s my sister, Seulgi-ssi,”

Glasses Irene and Miniskirt Irene answered at the same time. The former seemed to glare at the latter who only chuckled.

The fact had only managed to baffle Seulgi even more.

“You’re both so pretty? What?” Seulgi absentmindedly said, agape. Glasses Irene seemed to color at that while Miniskirt Irene confidently grinned.

“Thanks, thanks, we get that a lot, especially Hyunnie here who’s just pretending to be shy,” Jisoo said, grinning as Irene hit her shoulder. The preppy girl winced in