"There seems to be a lot more people coming in this week, too!"


Namjoo beamed as she put the tray down the counter and observed people coming in and out of the pastry cafe she was working at. The manager who merely walked past behind her coming from the kitchen, greeted ‘good morning’ with a soft mutter and a wide smile. She looked overwhelmed seeing crowds of people who loved eating at their place, and seem to never forget putting a grin on their faces as they leave.



At Petite Sweet, they would serve tons of delicious baked goodies including cakes, cookies, pies, and all kinds of breads and pastries. Name it, and the shop is most probably going to have it. They have been around for only a few months but they are surprisingly one of the top popular shops in town. Luckily, despite the crowds of clients coming in everyday, the only employees working there handle with ease.


The manager, a good friend of Namjoo's, and someone she's staying at an apartment with, is Hyesung. She was thankful to Namjoo for supporting her in her plans, and would always be there when she needed help. She hired her with the thought of wanting to pay a debt but Namjoo insisted she'd love to work for her in the business she built wholeheartedly. Though the older admitted that the shop was still a bit small, she was proud of how successful it got, and how popular it has still been getting — especially when Namjoo invited a special friend to work there, too.



"Well, it's Valentine's week after all."


A faint and subtle utterance resonated as Namjoo realized her voiced out thoughts were eavesdropped. She turned to the one who just spoke and wondered what he was talking about, and instantly got a flick on her forehead. She completely forgot that it was only two days away from Valentine's Day. He laughed and asked if she's been missing sleep, or was she really just dumb for forgetting what day it was. She gave a tiny pout of her lips and caressed her forehead as she responded with the softest whimper. "Jeez, you didn't have to flick my forehead, Hyuk!"


He was Namjoo's best guy friend, and the official head pastry chef and face of the shop. He was recruited by her after telling Hyesung how great he was with baked goods, and socializing too. He was immediately hired and ended up getting the title “the face of the shop” for his well-known popularity among clients. He was smart and good-looking after all — along with being able to bake really good as well, of course. But despite his acclaim, he only has his eyes on one girl.


"You know you look cute when you're kind of mad." He chuckled as he brushed some flour excess onto her chin with his fingers. He changed tones immediately and added that he was starting to worry if she was feeling too preoccupied with work to the point that she forgot what day it was already. Namjoo batted her eyelashes in confusion. She giggled and asked him back if he was feeling alright too, as she gently brushed off the flour from her chin.


"There's nothing to worry about! Maybe it's because I'm having too much fun with working that I forgot it's Valentine's Day in a few days." Namjoo's cheeky smile disappeared. She gasped as her expression suddenly froze. "Wait!? It's 14th in a few days!!?" She repeatedly exclaimed with a surprised look on her face. The guy chortled, but tried his best not to mock her in any way. The manager couldn't hide her laughter either, as she was watching them from the side. Namjoo quickly fished out her phone from the pockets of her apron uniform and looked at the date, it was February 12th already. All she could do was sigh in disbelief and glance at Hyuk as he gave her a gentle pat on her head. She whispered, a bit petulant. "Ah, why didn't I knew sooner."


"Alright, let's get back to work. No phones during shift hours, Namjoo." Hyesung giggled as she left the counter to head back to the kitchen. Hyuk followed, but kept a keen glance at his friend for a few seconds. The manager noticed and smiled.



Awhile later, a group of tall, vulgar-looking men wearing disheveled uniforms and hairstyles barged into the crowd, claiming they lined up before the rest and demanded to let them order first. Hyesung immediately came to aide, and asked what they wanted — already decided to get this over with quickly. The group looked at her with questioning expressions on their faces, and asked where the other girl was. The manager wondered who they were talking about. Just as she was about to request them to order instead, Namjoo came into light and the group of guys up roared. It seems as though these jocks have been looking for her, with weird intentions as to how they started acting. Hyesung urged Namjoo not to entertain them, but the lass insisted since they are “customers” after all.

"Is there anything you'd like from our menu?" She greeted with her usual beaming personality, and asked them politely. One of the guys gave a shrug, nudging a point at her, saying they'd like her for "take out" — like, they were hitting on her. Hyesung told them if they weren't serious in purchasing anything from the shop, she'll have to them out of the premises immediately. The jocks laughed and shook their head, commending her for doing a good job for being the manager. They gave a nod and told them they'd leave if — and only if — Namjoo agrees to go on a date with one of them on Valentine's Day.


"That's stupid!" The manager exclaimed, eyeing the crowd gathering at the scene. She wanted them to leave immediately, but she couldn't think of a way to get rid of them without making a fuss.


"That's completely stupid." A voice came resonating all of a sudden.


"Why would you ask someone on a date when they already have a boyfriend?" Namjoo bats her eyelashes in surprise as she felt Hyuk's hands wrap around her waist from behind. She could almost feel his cold breath — the air conditioner was most probably set to high — run down her neck as he rested his chin on her shoulder. She couldn't move for about a few seconds, but was able to display a bright smile towards the group of jerks who ended up dumbfounded and embarrassed in front of a huge crowd. Hyuk gave them a sharp scowl and asked them if there's any problem. The guys took a step back and apologized, quickly leaving the crowd of customers laughing and clapping at some point. Even Hyesung was in shock.


Hyuk immediately broke off from the back hug and asked if she was alright, or if the situation gave her trauma or something. She laughed a bit, and shook her head as she took a turn to thank him. Not even one question regarding his sudden action. He gave a quick nod and mouthed, “Back to work, then” and skipped back to the kitchen.





After hours of serving customers, the other employees took turns covering the rest of the shift. Namjoo sauntered towards the kitchen to take a few minutes of break, and to eat. She looked for Hyuk and asked if he wanted to eat with her, offerring him a treat to dinner for saving her earlier. The lad didn't hesitate even for a second, and accepted her offer. They went out the café, not even realizing customers' eyes that were following them.





It was morning of the 14th, Namjoo arrived at the cafe a bit too early yet she was still beaming and uplifted. She seemed to be very much excited about the holiday.



"Uh, we ordered three strawberry parfaits, though." One commented as only two of the said treat were served on their table. Namjoo, in confusion, took out her order notes and tried searching for theirs. It was taking her seconds and one of the girls looked a bit impatient, though not really. She bowed her head a bit and just as she was about to panic, a hand reached out scooting a strawberry parfait towards the table.


"Here's a strawberry parfait, on the house. Happy Valentines' Day!"


It was Hyuk. He acted like a professional, offering free treats to the customers and dealing with them quickly and comfortably. He gave a smile and apologized in Namjoo's behalf as he messed her hair behind the hair net. "She must've forgotten to write it down, or forgot to tell me. She just forgets a lot and you just have to forgive her." He added in a teasing manner, along with a low chuckle.


"Hey, no way! I never forget to write down orders. You purposely didn't put it on the tray!" She complained, uttering tiny whimpers in between. The group of school girls giggled witnessing the scene ahead of them. Hyuk chuckled along and agreed that it must've been his fault either way. He smiled as he pinched Namjoo's cheek, turned to the girls to take a bow of his head before striding back to the kitchen.


One girl gave a bright smile at Namjoo and said it was no one's fault, and thanked her for the quality service. With another set of bats of her eyelashes, she knew she didn't get what the customer meant but eagerly smiled in response anyway. The girls giggled and thanked her once more. "It must be fun to be able to work with your sweet boyfriend during Valentines' Day." Other one of the girls commented again.


Namjoo's eyes widened as she immediately denied what the girl just said, gesturing with her hand waving from left to right repeatedly. She told them they're only good friends, and that he was typically like that. The girls giggled another time and one replied, "That's what they always say." Namjoo was left a bit uneasy.



Getting back to the counter, gripped on the tray, she came upon the manager asking her if there was anything wrong. Namjoo shook her head and laughed anxiously. She told her what the girls said just awhile ago and Hyesung couldn't help but scoff, wondering how dense her little friend can get. She asked her to put down the tray and glanced if any other customer needed service, when there was none, she gave a pat on her shoulder and grinned.


"I think it's time I tell you a secret."


Namjoo was immediately puzzled and wondered what this ‘secret thing’ was about. She nudged at her to tell her quick before a customer arrives at the scene and Hyesung couldn't help but giggle at her friend's scamper. She took a glance at Hyuk from the inside kitchen and pointed at him with her thumb.


"You do know that ever since you brought him here, the place has gotten popular, right?" Namjoo half agreed, as she claimed it was also because of Hyesung's hard work. She laughed and told her to stop inputting such dramatic replies. The petite lass was able to laugh with her but wondered even more as she tilted her head a bit, thinking where she was going with the situation.


"Since you're that dense, I'm going to tell you and you should know that the sole reason people come here everyday is because those customers love eating while watching you two relentlessly flirt with each other."


Namjoo felt her cheeks heat up. She got a bit startled at the sudden offense brought up. She glanced at Hyuk who was busy making dough as of the moment and turned back to Hyesung with a rather confused, blushing face.


"F-flirting... We're not relentlessly.." She tried thinking what the word meant as it passed her mind completely. "We're not flirting, though!" She defended as she shook and nod her head both quite a few times.


The manager left with a slight grin on her face.




A few hours passed, the cafe ceased to become unoccupied as more customers arrived.


Namjoo was serving a table of a set of high school girls when she just started spacing out, perhaps pondering about what Hyesung told her. She gave wrong plates to some of the girls, but they just started giggling.


"Namjoo." Hyuk approached him, and carefully clangs on the tray on her hand with the tray on his. Just the right impact to snap her out of trance. He sighed lowly. "You got to stop daydreaming in the middle of busy work."


With another rebuttal, she claimed she wasn't daydreaming as he'd hoped. Hyuk raises an eyebrow at her as he switched customers' plates to their rightful owners. The petite girl just stood and watched, and eventually realized that that was supposed to be her job. She stammered with a quick pout of her lips. "I-I was just... mildly spacing out, that's all. You just interrupted me again."


"At least I'm doing my job well."


Customers before them are giggling once again. Namjoo turned to them and a sudden flash of memory, of what Hyesung told her earlier, surfaced. She shook her head like a kid would, and immediately denied they were in a relationship. Hyuk, as well as the other customers, stared at her.


"He's just a really good friend. And this is just our usual, casual interaction. Definitely not flirting." She explained with eagerness in her tone.


Out of instinct, Hyuk moved closer to her and almost dropped the tray as a crowd gasping could be heard from the background. It was a peck; Namjoo felt his soft lips against her cheek — it was quick but she just knew it was what happened. Before she couldn't even react, Hyuk was already striding back towards the kitchen. Though she wanted to catch up to him, she didn't forget her manners, and bowed almost in 360 degrees just to apologize for the sudden commotion to everyone inside the cafe.


Namjoo rushed to the kitchen and asked him why he did what he did as soon as she set foot. At the same time, a customer suddenly comes to the counter to order, even ringing the service bell, but Namjoo surprisingly ignored them. Hyuk asked her to get back to work but she demanded an answer. "I'm not leaving until you tell me why."


"I just felt like doing it." He responded in a mild tone she honestly didn't expect. "Now, if you're not going to answer to customers on your counter, I'll do it instead." He sighed as he added.


Namjoo thought she was just overthinking things and tried shaking it off her mind. She came up towards Hyuk who was at the counter taking customers orders with a smile as if nothing happened — fortunately these customers just arrived and didn't witness what just happened.


"I just felt a bit vexed." Namjoo whispered as she started taking over the counter and taking orders. She made sure Hyuk heard it despite the overlapping conversations inside the busy cafe.


"Of course, someone as dense as you wouldn't get how I feel." He smiled.

A/N: This is another quick work I did that was supposed to be for last year's Valentine's but alas I didn't get to finish it sooner.
I'm really sorry for the slow updates. I will honestly, honestly, get back to updating and writing more.
I intended the cliffhanger... I'm sorry. Hehehe