---

Chapter 2 - Learning some new things


“Daehyun, please please please please please!!!” Gayoon shouted.

 

“Sorry, but my mom wouldn’t like it if you stayed at our house...She barely likes the fact that I’m friends with you.” Daehyun stated.
 

 

“Then what can I do. If I go back to my old home, I could be killed by the debt collectors.”
 

Daehyun sighed. As he walked to the coffee shop, he noticed there was a place for sale. He pointed to it and asked, “Well, how about there?”


Yongguk walked to the two teenagers, who were heading to the coffee shop.


“Hmph...Gayoon.” Yongguk said.


“Yongguk….Here for another battle?”


“What battle?! I-Look, I am not dealing with this. I have a lot to do today now that we have new staff members.”


“Yongguk, how much is that place?” Daehyun asked.


“It’s a lot of money. Why?”


“There’s this situation. Do you mind giving it to a dear staff member of the coffee shop you manage?...Or maybe a friend of his?”


“You mean that girl?! No way! No way times 1000! No way times-”


“Yeah, we get it.” Gayoon said.


“What if she starts working here? Will you give it to her then?”


“No-”


“Sure.” Junhong said as he walked towards them.


“Really?”


“What!?”


“We could use another staff member.”


“We just hired people yesterday! Why do we need another?”


Junhong grabbed Yongguk’s arm and dragged him to a corner.


“She’s a close friend of Daehyun...So I could do something to get Daehyun away from me. I still think he’s upset about that incident that happened a few years ago.”


“So? Junhong, I am head manager, well co-head now...But anyway, it’s my job to make sure this place is taken care of well. Also, I was given the responsibility to watch after you and make sure you make good decisions before officially becoming the owner.”


“You can get revenge on Gayoon.”


“Okay then, she’s hired.”

 

---

 

“This is where you’ll be staying.” Yongguk said as he gestured to an apartment.

 

“It’s nice.” Gayoon spoke. She looked around, and saw another apartment that was built differently from the other. It had long windows, red vintage bricks, long Ivy plants hanging at the sides of the door, and potted plants on the window sills. It was a bit old looking, but beautiful. “But...Could I have that one instead?”

 

“It’s already owned by someone else, it’s not for sale.”

 

“Who is it owned by?”

 

“Junhong. Now, I have to go check on the coffee shop. Remember, you now work here, so make sure you come.”


Gayoon went inside her apartment after Yongguk left. It was spacious...well, for one person. Luckily, there’s only one person living there. She went to the coffee shop, since she now worked there. Yongguk was speaking to the new staff about something, but what did she know? She had just arrived.


“Gayoon, good you’re here. We’re discussing your guys first day of work today.” Yongguk stated. “Okay, so four of us will be going to my friend’s coffee farm to get some organic coffee beans. Meanwhile, the other three out you will be watching the coffee shop. Daehyun, Jongup, and Himchan, you can go to the coffee farm with me. Junhong, Gayoon, and Youngjae, you will stay here at the coffee shop. Now, get to work everyone!”


Daehyun was about to leave the coffee shop when Gayoon grabbed his arm.


“Are you really going to leave me here?” Gayoon asked. “It’s my first day of work, I don’t know what to do!”


“Sorry, but if I see where and how coffee beans are grown, I could improve my experience and become the president of Coffee Petal.” Daehyun said.


“Do you really think you have that chance? Someone who was just hired yesterday is now co-head manager! So apparently, Yongguk doesn’t even think you’re worthy to be a head manager, let alone president!”


Daehyun realized that she was right. Why is Youngjae put at a higher position than him? He’s more loyal to Coffee Petal and has worked here longer.


“Daehyun, let’s go! Stop chatting and get to work!” Yongguk shouted.


“Y-Yes.”


Now that Daehyun left, Gayoon was all alone. What should she do first? Daehyun didn’t tell her how to make coffee, or how to wash dishes, or how to clean. What does being a waitress even mean?


“Um...Where are the customers?”


“The shop’s not open yet.” Youngjae answered, just before turning the sign to open.


“Oh, okay. Well then, what do I do first?”


“I suppose you could start cleaning before the customers come.” Youngjae handed Gayoon a mop, before leaving to the staff room.


“What do I do with this?”

 

---

The other 4 arrived at the coffee bean farm. And out came Yongguk’s friend, Yoseob.


“Yongguk, you’re here! Here to get some more coffee beans?” Yoseob asked.


“Yeah, I thought I should restock with some organic beans from your farm.” Yongguk replied.


“Okay, then follow me too the farm.”


Everyone followed Yoseob, though, Daehyun was distant. Every now and then, the others would ask him if he was okay. And honestly, he wasn’t. He was stuck on the fact that Yongguk considers Youngjae as someone better than he. Gayoon was right, but what could he do?


“This is where the finest coffee beans are grown. I normally don’t give them away without a high price, but since you’re my friend, I’ll let you have these.”


“Thanks. We’ll put them to good use.”


“Great, I’m going to check on the rest of the farm. See you a little later.”


“Okay, bye!” Yongguk turned to the others. “Now, everyone begin picking coffee beans. We need to get as many as possible because we’re going to be having a big event this weekend. So get picking!”


Everyone, except Daehyun, did what Yongguk said. Daehyun couldn’t stop thinking about what Gayoon had told him.


“Daehyun, is there something wrong? Why aren’t you helping?”


“I-I don’t want to...And I don’t need to.” Daehyun said quietly.


“Huh? What was that you said?”


I don’t-I don’t...I’m not doing it! I don’t want to and I don’t need to! I’m not your slave Yongguk!!!”


Daehyun walked off, and bumped shoulders with Yongguk. But before leaving the room, he turned around and said, “And I quit! If you don’t treat me for what I’m worth, you don’t deserve me working here!”


Well, at least that’s what happened in his imagination.


“Daehyun? Daehyun?”

“Huh?...Uh, I’ll get to work.”


Stop daydreaming Daehyun and do something!, Daehyun thought. He sighed deeply. This was going to be a long trip.

 

---

The coffee shop was flooded with customers. There were so many orders waiting to be taken, and only one person taking them - Junhong. Gayoon was still cleaning and Youngjae was doing something in the staff room. He was about to die doing this by himself.


“Gayoon, could you help? There’s a lot to do and I’m pretty sure you’ve done enough cleaning.” Junhong stated.


“Oh yeah sure.” Gayoon mumbled. “What do I do?”


“Make some coffee. We have orders to complete.”


“But...I don’t know how to make coffee”

 

+ +   + +  =

Coffee Formula

 

Gayoon tried to make coffee, but eventually she gave up after 15 tries and Junhong had to make it anyways.

 

“S-sorry” Gayoon said, looking down.


“Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it soon.” Junhong told her, just before patting her head and then leaving.


What was that for?, she thought as she touched her head. Suddenly, the door to the staff room opened. It was Youngjae.


“Oh, Youngjae, you’re finally here to help?” Gayoon asked.


“Yeah...Sorry it took me so long.” Youngjae replied.


“So, what were you up to?”


“Oh...Um, nothing much...Do you need help with anything?”


“Well, I could use help making coffee.”

 

“Sure.”

 

 

---

Daehyun picked the coffee beans looking depressed. After every bean he picked, he sighed. Himchan walked over to him and asked if he was okay.


“Of course I am.” Daehyun replied.


“It doesn’t really look like it.” Himchan mumbled. “But if you are then-”


Daehyun grabbed Himchan’s shirt before he walked awayed.


“Wait! Okay, so I’m a little upset. I mean, don’t you think it’s weird that the newbie is already the head manager when I’ve been working here for so long! So freaking long! And I haven’t even been promoted to president of the coffee shop yet!!”


“Um...well it seems like Youngjae has a lot of experience with making coffee. He doesn’t have much experience with Coffee Petal, but he sure is talented with making coffee in general.”


“You’re not making me feel any better.”


“Then talk to Jongup, he’ll cheer you up. He was a clown.”


“We hired a clown to work at a coffee shop?! The world’s gone mad!!!”


“I heard that.” Jongup said.

--

“YES! I can make coffee now!” Gayoon shouted.

“Haha, you did well.” Youngjae complemented her.

“And it was all thanks to you!”

“No problem...Well, I’m going to take my break now.”

“Wait, you’re leaving again?”

“Yeah, make sure to clean up the shop and close it down.”

“Okay!”

Gayoon was smiling brightly. It was the first time she smiled like that since her father left.

“Sorry to pop your bubble, but it’s time to clean up.” Junhong said, handing her a towel.

“O-Of course. Where should I start?” Gayoon asked.

“Well, I guess we should start with the tables. I’ll help.”

So the two started wiping each table, until they got to the final one. At first, they didn’t even noticed that they were cleaning the same table. But then, they’re hands touched. They both stopped and paused there for a moment. Neither of them said a thing. The door flung open and Junhong turned to the door. Only to be hugged by the girl who walked in, Kwon Yuri.