Naeun is stirring the creamer as she looks down warily at Jongin who sits Indian-style on the floor behind the counter. He is sipping his chai latte as his eyes fixed on his phone, oblivious to what’s happening. Naeun sighs, trying to give a signal by going on and on about unending customer line today. Jongin just gives her an obviously artificial sympathetic sighs before back to scrolling his phone.

Yookyung is walking pass the counter to the kitchen, and Naeun mouths ‘help me’ in which Yookyung simply reply with an understanding chuckle. She can’t do anything to that, there’s a flood of customers today and as crazy as Naeun’s post is, so is hers. Naeun groans, her hands are already shaking, she couldn’t even smile anymore, her legs are exhausted. Where the hell is Sehun??

There’s two more girls who need to be served, only one of them placing an order though so Naeun could manage a smile of relief. She is aware why, she is totally aware why girls are lining up like crazy today. “Here you go.” She push the drink towards them, blinking as she waits for them to give her attention - and money, for that matter. The girls are blushing and keep elbowing themselves as they pointedly whispering about Jongin. Naeun rolls her eyes, “1200 won please.” And she smiles, a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. One of the girl hands her a note and they scatter away without a thank you.

“Jongin, can I ask for a favor?” She asks as she smacks the key of the cash machine.

Jongin looks up from her phone.

Naeun looks down to him, hand resting on her hip. “Get out of here.”

“What?”

“Or the least you can do is stick in the kitchen or in Junmyeon oppa’s office or something. Just not out here.”

“Whyyy?” Jongin pouts, drawing his word.

“I’ve been dying here, okay. The girls keep lining up. Like, instead of calling for a waiter, they came here instead. I don’t care if I inflate your ego, you can feel all superior about yourself, but please do me a favor and get out of here.”

“I was in the kitchen but Kris hyung suggested I should sit at the counter because the wifi is the fastest here..”

“He’s trying to sell you, don’t you realize that? And no, the fastest wifi is in his room.”

He gasps. “What? So I was manipulated?”

“Yes, now get out of here. Or get me Sehun.”

♦♦♦

“Where do I belong..?” Jongin mutters sadly at lunch break.

“I guess you should stay in the kitchen Jongin. Kyungsoo oppa doesn’t mind you there.” Yookyung suggests, “Except when you keep trying to scoop the cookie dough.”

“Kitchen is too busy.”

“The counter too.” Naeun provides before sipping her water, making Jongin’s pout goes longer.

“Why can’t you stay in Junmyeon hyung’s room?” Sehun asks, his forehead crinkled.

“He keeps babying me, it’s annoying.”

Right on cue, Namjoo is whining at the kitchen. Kyungsoo and Eunji are probably lunching out so Namjoo took the chance to mess around. She is trying to put a tray of cookies into the oven and Junmyeon is fidgeting beside her.

The four of them staring attentively from the pantry.

“You can do it Namjoo, you can do it. I’m sure Kyungsoo will be proud of you. You can do it!” Junmyeon cheers and Namjoo rolls her eyes as she carefully push the tray into the heated oven.

She didn’t manage to push it halfway as Junmyeon shoves her towards his back and grab the tray, “It’s okay, oppa will do it.”

“Oppaaa….you just ask me to do it myself!”

“There.” Jongin concludes. Only Yookyung find it amusing.

“Back to the topic, isn’t it great that Jongin can lure the girls in?” Sehun restarts. “I need extra money this month.”

“Yeah, that, if I’m not on shift.” Naeun says nonchalantly.

Jongin groans, “You’re the most irresponsible woman on the planet, Naeun.”

“You try to serve all the girls with their endless order and then you talk. And you Sehun, where the hell were you?”

“I was running an errand. Chorong noona brought me along to the mart so I can bring all the stuffs for her.”

Naeun snorts. “And I was said to be the most irresponsible woman on the planet.”

Jongin inhales sharply, leaning forward to the table to take back their interest. “Back to the question. So where do I belong?”

“Home?” Naeun said, brows arch as if she’s stating the obvious.

“But Jongin helps bringing in money, Naeun.” Yookyung says, trying to ease the tension. “Maybe you need a post, Jongin. Say, maybe a doorman?”

“But Jongin is not a great smiler.” Sehun frowns as he gazes up to the ceiling. “Oh, maybe you can smirk.”

Imagining it, Yookyung’s face twists in horror. “That’s so creepy.”

“Nahh, I don’t think I’ll be able to stand too long.” Jongin rubs his chin with his finger. “I could just sit at the counter, right? Why not?”

Naeun exhales loudly, “You really don’t understand the problem, don’t you?”

“If it’s because of the girls, it’s not that I lead them into thinking we can be more than strangers.”

Naeun shuts her eyes, clenching her teeth, her bottle of water crackles in her grip, “That’s…not..the..problem.”

“I’m not good with girls too, in fact I never kissed anyone.”

Sehun gasps, “You never?”

“Yeah. I know girls want to kiss me, but I don’t think I can handle that many..” Jongin shrugs innocently.

“Well, yeah, I can see the problem here.” Yookyung’s brows snap up to the sound of such a mature tone coming from Sehun.”But it’s okay, I know a good lip balm. Maybe you can apply it often..”

As Yookyung bursts out laughing, Naeun on the other hand has the urge to behead all her old Barbies. “Why on earth are we going this far? This is such a simple problem. You should get off the counter and sit somewhere else. And the real question here is, where? How do we-- Omg, I need to get out of here.” She said as she arise from her chair and stomps off from the pantry.

Not even surprise with Naeun’s outburst, Jongin frowns as if considering something. “What’s the brand? I like watermelon flavor.”

Yookyung sighs as she stares at the two boys faded into their own conversation about lip balms. “We’re not going anywhere with this.” 

a/n : trash.