BGM: f(x) - Love Hate

 

♫ Baby, do you, do you love me? ♫

 

With Ahjumeonie already at home and Jihye buying a couple of yogurt waffle pies across the street, you the CD player and blasted BoA's 5th album on the speakers. Since no one else was around, the bubble tea shop became your own bedroom: a safe place where you could sing to your heart's content without being criticized for your not-so-pleasant vocal abilities.

 

♫ Maeil gateun jilmun, maeil gati deohaeganeun naui kamjeong, oh yeah~ ♫

  Although you were having a mini-concert inside the Happy Bubble Tea Shop, you still tried to stay productive by keeping the different bubble tea equipment clean and organized. With your back at the counter, you continued singing while drying the newly-rinsed blender jars with a washcloth.

 

♫ Geudaen alggayo? Haruedo yeol du beonssik deutgo shippeunmal~ ♫

 

Unlike in your bedroom, however, you don't have full control of the bubble tea shop. Since it was a store, there was no way for you to lock the door and keep other people from entering while you were busy singing; that's why you almost dropped the blender jar you were drying when you heard a few chuckles behind you.

 

Slowly turning around, you tried to hide your embarrassment by welcoming your unwanted audience with the standard "Annyeonghaseyo! Welcome to Happy Bubble! May I take your order, please?" greeting taught by Kyungsoo.

 

Luhan, Yixing, Kyungsoo, and Sehun erupted into laughter. The way they were laughing reminded you of how your own father cracks up whenever he watches Running Man on television. "I think you should stick to making bubble tea, Jaemi," Kyungsoo suggested, clutching his stomach while laughing.

 

"Oh shut up, Sunbae!" you whined.

 

"♫ Baby, do you, do you love me? ♫" Luhan teased, chuckling as he copied the way you butchered Do You Love Me? by BoA. He then took a seat on one of the stools on the other side of the counter before imitating your horrible singing again.

 

Originally, you were planning on reprimanding Luhan for making fun of your singing, but instead, you somehow ended up chuckling at how cute he looked when he was teasing you. "Oh, stop it!" you chuckled, making him laugh some more.

 

Sehun removed his California Angels baseball cap, took a seat beside Luhan, and rested his elbows on the green-painted counter. "Bubble Tea, you're really bad at thinging," he chimed in.

 

"I know, stop rubbing it in!" you begged, as you took out four plastic cups for the boys' bubble tea. Having the boys as regular customers not only provide you with pleasurable company, but also guarantee you to sell at least a dozen cups of bubble tea every single day.

 

"Where are the others?" you asked, preparing to brew some tea.

 

Yixing, who is seated beside Sehun, put down his MCM backpack on the floor before answering you. "Buying food," he replied, also resting his elbows on the counter. "They'll be here soon,"

 

"Chanyeol's treat?" you asked.

 

"No, Joonmyun hyung's," Kyungsoo answered, making his way to the other side of the counter as if he was still working at Happy Bubble. "It would take a miracle before Chanyeol treats us to anything,"

 

"What are you doing here?" you asked, as Kyungsoo reached for one of the black aprons in Ahjumeonie's rack. "You don't work here anymore, remember?"

 

Kyungsoo just ignored your comment and went on to tie the black Happy Bubble apron on his waist. "But you're so slow, I thought you could use some help," he responded.

 

Observing how he was staring at the newest bubble tea equipment in the shop, you finally realized Kyungsoo's real agenda behind his sudden urge to help you out. "You just want to try the shaking machine, don't you?" you said, both hands resting on either side of your hips.

 

Just then, your best friend Jihye, with a piece of yogurt waffle pie on each hand, opened the front door of the Happy Bubble Tea Shop by pushing it with her hips. "Oh! You guys are early!" she noticed, as she made her way towards the counter. She settled on a seat beside Luhan and placed both yogurt waffle pies on top of the counter. "Here's yours," she pointed to the one topped with mango syrup.

 

"Thanks, Ji. Just leave it there. I still have to prepare bubble tea for these four," you mentioned, scooping tapioca pearls for the drinks. "Yixing, we're out of crystals already. Would you like to choose another sinker instead?" you asked.

 

"Hmm... just put some extra tapioca pearls for me then," Yixing requested, his cute dimple slightly showing as he gave you a polite smile.

 

"I have an idea," Luhan announced, standing up from his seat to make his way towards your side of the counter. "Why don't you eat your waffle first and we'll just take care of our own bubble tea instead?" he suggested, trying to take the sinker scoop from your hands. 

 

"What? No! This is my job. I should be the one doing this!" you reasoned, hiding the scoop behind your back. "And you're not even supposed to be here. Go back to your seat. Shoo!" 

 

"Why are you so stubborn? Bubble tea making is not exactly rocket science, so I think we can handle it. Besides, Kyungsoo's here to help, so there's no need to worry about us making a mess in here," Luhan insisted. 

 

Standing up from his seat, Yixing also made his way to your side of the counter, making the very little space in there even more crowded than before. "I think it's a good idea, Luhan! I've always wanted to try making bubble tea. It seems really fun," he commented.

 

"Oh, no, Bubble tea! Don't let them do it!" Sehun pleaded. 

 

"Don't worry, I won't let these two touch your precious chocolate bubble tea," Kyungsoo assured, throwing two black aprons towards Luhan and Yixing, who caught them easily. "I'll prepare it myself. Besides, my bubble tea making skills are way better than Jaemi here," 

 

"Geez. Thanks a lot, Sunbae!" you quipped. When you noticed that Luhan was no longer beside you, you quickly went inside the little Happy Bubble kitchen and found him making his way towards the refrigerator. "You're not allowed to be in here!" you reminded, shielding the fridge to stop him from getting the rest of the ingredients. 

 

Luhan brushed his fringe upwards, his lips, and took a deep breath. "Why not? I already have the apron on!" he said, pointing to the black Happy Bubble apron tied on his waist. He rested his right hand on the fridge, just beside your left ear, and scooted closer to you. The very little distance between your faces was making it difficult for you to breathe properly. 

 

"Stop being so stubborn and just go back there," Luhan suggested, not breaking eye contact as he spoke. "We'll handle this, okay? Besides, yogurt waffle pies are best eaten after they're prepared," he pointed out.

 

Finally admitting defeat, you bit your lower lip and sighed. "Oh~ I hate you!" you muttered, pushing Luhan to the side so you could walk back to the front of the store and finally eat the yogurt waffle pie Jihye bought for you.

 

"I know you don't," Luhan smiled.

 

 

"I can eat this for the rest of my life," Jihye announced.

 

The two of you were sitting on the black stools, happily eating your yogurt waffle pies, while Luhan, Yixing, and Kyungsoo were busy making bubble tea for all of you. When you noticed Sehun his lips as he watched you and Jihye eat, you decided to share your food with him.

 

"Would you like some?" you offered, extending your arm that was holding the yogurt waffle pie topped with a very yummy mango syrup. "It's really good,"

 

"No, thankth," Sehun refused.

 

You rested your head on your left hand, while your right arm was still extended, offering your snack to Sehun. "Are you perhaps uncomfortable about sharing food with me?" you questioned. "'Cause I don't have a contagious disease, just in case you're wondering,"

 

Sehun looked at the yogurt waffle pie you were holding, considering your offer. He really didn't want to share your food because you seem to be enjoying it so much, but the fluffy yogurt cream and the thick mango syrup just looked so inviting that he unconsciously his lips again. 

 

"Go on, have a bite," you urged.

 

Without thinking about it twice, Sehun took a quick but generous bite off the yogurt waffle pie you were holding. He then looked casually at his hyungs again and acted as if nothing happened.

 

"It's really good, right?" you teased, but Sehun just shrugged and said that it was just okay. The way he was trying too hard to look cool and hide how much he liked the yogurt waffle pie was so adorable it made you giggle.

 

"Hey, Jaemi! What's your favorite flavor of bubble tea?" Luhan asked.

 

Yixing, who was adding ice tubes on the first batch of drinks, scratched the back of his neck with his free hand. "Yeah, you know all our bubble tea preferences, but we've never asked you about yours," he chipped in.

 

"Wintermelon milk tea with pearls and crystals," you replied, patting your lips with a paper napkin. "But since we don't have any crystals left, I'll just settle for an extra scoop of tapioca pearls," 

 

"Copy cat," Yixing teased, causing you to stick your tongue out in reply.

 

"Oh! Wait! What flavor are we going to prepare for Chanyeol?" Kyungsoo suddenly asked. Unlike his friends, the Genie PV star still doesn't have a preferred bubble tea flavor. He has been ordering different flavors with different sinkers every time he visits Happy Bubble in an attempt to figure out which bubble tea combination suits his tastes the most.

 

Luhan looked at the wall behind him and announced Chanyeol's drink by choosing a random flavor and sinkers from the enormous Happy Bubble menu. "He'll have a... kiwi-flavored bubble tea... with pearls... and black bricks!" he decided.

 

"Jaemi received another love note today," Jihye suddenly informed, taking another bite of her yogurt waffle pie with strawberry syrup. "You guys want to hear it?" she asked, earning her a pinch in the arm from you. "Ouch! But Jaemi! It's so cheesy I have to share it with them! They need to hear it!" your best friend reasoned.

 

"Whatever! I'm still not showing it to them," you maintained.

 

Jihye put down her yogurt waffle pie on the counter and smiled. "That's alright. I've memorized it anyway," she declared. Your best friend then cleared and recited the familiar poem written on the latest note you received:

 

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

Your smile is sweeter than a thousand honeydew.

 

"Sweeter than a thousand honeydew?" Kyungsoo repeated, turning on the shaking machine by pressing the green button. "That would turn anybody into a diabetic!"

 

 

"FOOD'S HEEEEEEEEEERE!!!"

 

If Chanyeol's deep-voiced greeting announced the arrival of the rest of the boys, then the smell of fried chicken that suddenly filled the tiny bubble tea shop hinted the presence of the food.

 

"I thought you're getting pizza?" Yixing asked, noticing the boxes of Mexicana chicken carried by Jongin and Moonkyu.

 

"Oh, we are getting pizza, alright," Minseok responded, quickly occupying the vacant seat beside Jihye. "But Chanyeol here is craving for Minsarang's Hot & Sweet Bulgogi Pizza, so we're having them delivered here," he explained, smiling at your best friend.

 

"But the pizza from Minsarang is quite expensive!" you suddenly blurted out, pouring the honeydew-flavored bubble tea in a plastic cup. Immediately after you finished your yogurt waffle pie, you went back to the other side of the counter to help the three boys prepare bubble tea. "Jihye and I went to eat there last year and we almost died when we saw the tab!" you added.

 

Kevin walked towards the counter and sat beside Sehun. "I bet you only went there because it is owned by Junsu sunbaenim's father," he guessed, making you pout as he correctly predicted why you traveled all the way to Janghang-dong in the first place. "Exactly! She dragged me all the way there because she had this feeling that we'll meet Junsu oppa there that day, but he was apparently overseas for some photoshoot when we came. We saw Junho oppa, though," Jihye confirmed.

 

"You work since when?" Zitao asked, noticing the black Happy Bubble aprons worn by Luhan, Yixing, and Kyungsoo.

 

"Since today," Luhan replied, putting on a pair of dome lids on the plastic cups you just poured with honeydew bubble tea. "We're just helping Jaemi out," Kyungsoo chimed in, attaching the stainless cups from the shaking machine. "If she prepared all these bubble tea alone, the pizza will be delivered and eaten by the time she finishes everything," he added.

 

The pseudo-twins then squeezed themselves between Jihye and Sehun's seats in the unusually-crowded counter to get their bubble tea. "Perfect! I'm thirsty!" Moonkyu exclaimed, as he slurped a couple of black bricks from his honeydew bubble tea. "Please tell me that Luhan hyung wasn't responsible for preparing this drink," Jongin begged, making Luhan grunt in response.

 

"I was in-charge of the honeydew bubble tea. Placing the dome lids on the cups after I poured your drinks is his only contribution," you assured, stealing a glance at Luhan before looking back at Jongin. "Why? Is he horrible at cooking?" you asked.

 

Yixing, who was measuring milk for the next batch of drinks, couldn't help but laugh. "Adding an egg to an already-cooked ramen is about the only decent thing he could do inside the kitchen," he revealed, still laughing.

 

"He did accidentally include bits of egg shells that one time, though," Kevin piped in.

 

Luhan furrowed his eyebrows. "Look who's talking! Trust me on this one, the worst-tasting ramen I've ever eaten in my life was prepared by this guy," he declared, pointing to Kevin. "I'm afraid that's true," Kevin confirmed, resting his elbows on the counter before intertwining his fingers. "Out of the four o