Four cousins who were two sets of sisters, Kierra and Linna, and Serena and Melanie were currently on winter break from university. The four were supposed to be back home in their own country, relaxing. Yet due to studying for final exams and a busy work schedule on top of that at the same time, the cousins ended up having to stay in Seoul instead for the first time since living abroad. So, the quartet decided to cancel their winter vacation and returned to work to earn money. They worked at a restaurant, Gong's Food, as part-timers to help pay for schooling, living expenses, and other fun activities due to being far away from home.

"Sir, there is no need for your anger."

Linna had shielded herself in time by using one of the serving trays to block the shattering glass due to the table she was tending to had thrown a glass angrily. The customer began yelling at her incoherently. She remained calm and spoke after the customer quieted down.

"I'm only here to inform your table that no alcohol will be further served as y'all reached the allowed limits."

"That is total bull! We only had four bottles. There's a lot of us. How could we reach the limits?"

"Sir, there's only three in your party and yo-

Before Linna could even finish her explanation, the owner, Gong Hyungjin, immediately came over to disfused the situation.

"We're so sorry, sir. I'll have her bring out another one on the house."

He glared at Linna.

"Chae Yiseul, apologize."

Linna gave him a weird look.

"I'm not apologizing to him, Mr. Gong."

"I'm ordering you to do so, Chae Yiseul."

"No."

"Chae Yiseul, apologize to this gentleman right now."

"No. He's not a gentleman and I'm no-ahh!"

Hyungjin roughly placed his hand on her neck and forced her to bow to the customers. When Serena witnessed the incident, she instantly ran over to aid her cousin as the other two were busy in other areas of the restaurant. She kicked the back of the owner's thighs to knock him down to his knees as he released Linna's neck to break his fall with his own hands. She swiftly pulled her younger cousin away from the older man and the table with a glare directed at them all.

"How dare you lay a hand on her? There's clearly a notice on the wall of how much alcohol is served to a table per party and per hour."

"Lee Chaejin! How dare you disrespect me?" The owner shouted at her.

Hyungjin could barely stand up due to landing on a few of the smaller shards of the shattered glass.

"Let's go."

Serena swiftly pulled Linna along with her to the back of the store. Kierra and Melanie asked what had happened as they heard loud sounds and spotted the other two while following the pair.

"Mr. Gong is being an ." Serena replied before casting them an apologetic look.

"I don't know about y'all, but I'm quitting and am not working for that guy any longer despite not putting in my one month's notice."

She quickly changed back into her regular clothes and grabbed her belongings. The other three did the same, agreeing with what she had said and returned to the front.

"I will not pay any of you if leave." The owner threatened.

"The four of you clean up this mess right now and take care of the customers."

"I quit." The cousins chimed at the same time with a smirk.

"Have fun finding a replacement for us on such short notice." Linna added with a knowing look.

"Don't go. I need you for Friday's event. It's Christmas Day! I don't have any one else to do it!" Hyungjin yelled after them before changing gears.

"Yah! I'll make sure you won't get work anywhere else!"

"We know you don't have that kind of power." Melanie replied, reminding of his own status.

"You only own this shop and have no other assets. Also, you don't control us."

"We're not taking any more crap from you either, Mr. Gong." Kierra said with a firm tone and gave him a firmer look.

"So, you don't scare us."

The customers were staring and whispering, wondering what was going on. unlike the employees, minding their own business.

"Have a good day, sir."

The quartet mocked salute as they turned away and left.

"Y'know, we still need jobs."

Kierra reminded the others as the quartet were sitting outside a bubble tea shop which was a block away from their old work place.

"And very soon before the new year sets in so we can get all our expenses taken care of before then."

"Yeah, true. I don't want to wait until the last minute to figure all that out." Melanie agreed.

"We still have bills to pay our Spring enrollment, and all that other good stuff we like."

Serena sighed before taking another sip of her milk tea.

"We just need to find one with a better boss and work environment."

"Yeah, I totally second that." Linna agreed with a nod."

"You four are looking for work?"

A female voice asked from behind them. The quartet turned their heads to the person and noticed one of the employees of the bubble tea shop.

"Uh, yeah." The quartet responded.

"Not sure if you're interested, but my cousin is opening a pop-up business for a mini-cafe of sorts and needs workers. Those she hired, bailed, and she's in dired need of help. If not, then she'll end up closing shop before even starting. So how about it?"

The quartet glanced at one another while shrugging and nodding.

"Yeah, sure, we're down." Serena answered for the four of them.

"When and where?"

"Despite how small the place is, it's pretty cute." Melanie complimented upon the place when the quartet arrived at the location.

The place wasn't that far from their school and their home which compared to Gong's Food, was convenient. After receiving the information from the owner's cousin, Jung Jaekyung, the owner wanted them to come by that same day to meet. So here they were awaiting what kind of job they would be doing. The doors were locked, but the quartet could still peer inside and observe the area.

"Seems like a typical cafe though." Linna said with a smile.

"I like it."

"I'm glad. Welcome."

A female voice spoke from behind them. The four turned around to greet the woman.

"Hello."

They introduced themselves one by one while using their Korean names as it was easier than their real names.

"Chae Yiyeon."

"Lee Chaewon."

"Chae Yiseul."

"Lee Chaejin."

Serena informed the woman more afterwards.

"We were sent by your cousin, Jung Jaekyung."

"Oh, lovely. I'm Jung Seoyoung and welcome to Simplistic Pop-Up Cafe."

She passed by them to unlock the doors and welcomed them in.

"Since we only have about two to three days to prepare, let's get started so that y'all will be ready by Thursday evening."

Seoyoung explained how the shop ran as well as where things were designated and parts for usage. She also informed them that the workers she had hired were college students from the same school as them. When those hirers learned of the hours and schedule for Simplistic, they didn't want to work after all. So, it left the cousins to fill in their spots, happily, instead. The group spent all evening going over the menu items, prices, set-up, uniforms, and other work-related functions. The cousins wrote down their training schedule and other information. Seoyoung even paid them for the time they came in today and for agreeing to work for her immediately.

As for the cafe itself, Simplistic would be opened for about two months or so for seven days a week with limited hours. From Monday through Thursday, the hours were from five in the evening to nine at night. Then from Friday through Sunday, it would be from twelve noon to four in the late afternoon. The cousins just needed to arrive two hours prior to opening to help with prepping ingredients, cleaning, and other things. They couldn't wait to start this Thursday with this fortunate opportunity that came their way. They weren't sure which of their fellow schoomates gave up this job, but they were thankful to get a job so quickly, even if temporarily.

"So I have an order of seaweed rice ball, a loaded mochi waffle, a lemon cloud ade, and a cherry blossom ice cream. That'll be a total of thirteen thousand and five hundred won."

Melanie rang up the customer's order while handing them their number tent. All worked all positions and assisted the other if backed up or were free as all orders were made to order. As for their uniforms, it consisted of a beige sweater with the shop's logo, black leggings, black sneakers, and an ash gray striped apron with the shop's logo. Simplistic sold bottled waters, can milkis, fruit slushies, fruit slushies with cotton candy, ice cream, ice bars, rice balls, and mochi waffles with the prices ranging from 1,000 won to 6,000 won. Another plus to the pop-up store was that if you happened to come in during the last half an hour before closing, all items would be half off. The last bit isn't promoted openly, but just a bit of service to sell all products so they could start afresh the next day.

"Here's two sets of furikake rice balls."

Kierra placed the two small plates onto a tray.

"Awesome. Thanks."

Linna took the tray, placing it alongside an original and apple milkis before she ran out the order to the customer.

"Yeon, do you have the spicy tuna roll ready for customer number twenty-four?"

Serena looked over at her cousin while setting a mango slushie onto another tray.

"Yeah. Here you go."

Kierra handed her the plate as Serena thanked her while setting the item alongside the slushie and a bottle of water.

"Thanks." Linna flashed them a smile before taking the order upon returning.

"Thank you." Serena thanked her while placing a plate of plain mochi waffles onto another tray.

"This one is ready with the two mango cloud ades for customer number six, too."

"Nice."

Linna also took that order with her. How the store kept track of the orders were that each customer was given a plastic number tent from one to thirty. After the order has been processed a receipt would print out to which Melanie would placed on the correlating number click for the others to easily view without falling behind. The place held a capacity of about forty people at a time not including the staff and so far there hasn't been any issue since there were enough space to not feel so closed in. If it did, then the customers would patiently wait outside until their turn. Seoyoung assisted in this aspect as she checked on guests, made sure the store was well stocked, and even heated.

"Seaweed, furikake, tuna, and spicy tuna rice balls ready to go for customer number fifteen."

Kierra placed the four plates onto the tray as she also placed four water bottles onto the same tray as Melanie was busy with a customer.

"The melon, coconut, and banana ice bars, the vanilla, chocolate, and black sesame ice cream, and a fresh cream mochi waffle for customer number eleven is ready, too."

Serena placed the said items onto another large tray.

"Okay, thanks."

Linna took the two trays away.

"Welcome."

"Hey, Seul," Kierra called for her sister when she returned.

"Could you top the moffles with the fruits for customer number thirty while I make more strawberries bars?"

"Yeah, I got you."

"Thanks."

"Welcome."

"Here's two more orders." Melanie hung up two more slips of receipt.

"I'm gonna catch up on the dishes since there's no more customers at the moment."

"Okay, thanks."

The others responded.

"We'll take care of the register if anyone comes to order."

"Awesome. Thank you."

Melanie hurried away to the other side of the store out of the view of the customers to clear the dishes. Kierra asked Serena to make her some more rice as she began working on the two new orders. Kierra made more strawberry mix for the ice bars, then later pouring them into a mold, and placing them into the freezer to hardened. Serena hopped onto the till when she noticed people entered the shop as Linna just finished the loaded mochi waffles with fresh cream, ice cream, fruits, and syrup with her running out the two orders afterwards.

"Less than fifteen minutes left and I can actually snack on these leftover rice balls and moffles to my heart's content." Serena muttered to herself happily, but the others clearly heard her.