It was the perfect Friday afternoon to take a break. The soft breeze felt cool against her skin and the clouds covered most of the sun.

Mihwa had spent the previous days preparing (and praying) for this upcoming Sunday.

The actual job starts on Monday but her father had suggested that she show the interns around the pâtisserie. He said it was to – quote, unquote– “help them get acquainted with the shop and make themselves feel at home, of course”.

For the next few weeks, her father is giving her full responsibility of the shop’s afternoon shifts on weekdays, the interns would have day-offs on weekends. It meant that the Samseong-Dong branch of Le Napoléon is at the mercy of Seungcheol and her along with seven other boys for five days a week. And even though she knew that they were probably more responsible than her, Mihwa couldn’t help but dread the possibility of an unruly workplace.

Then again, Sunday would still be a pretty chill day. Mihwa will only need to brief them in on how things work and give them their respective schedules– which, by the way, she had just finished making.

Mihwa stared at the draft, scrutinizing it for the fifth time that minute. Things were falling into place and she wasn’t sure if she was excited or terrified.

“Please stop looking at the poor paper as if it offended you.” Wonwoo deadpanned while he placed two iced teas on the table between them. He had arrived earlier in the morning and offered to help her arrange the scheduling. “You’re making it uncomfortable.”

Mihwa shot him a weak glare.                                                               

“Oh, by the way,” Sitting on the chair across her, he added. “Seungkwan and Hansol are here. They just dropped Sofia off at the nearby dance studio for her ballet lessons.”

“Tell them we’re in the back porch.”

“Mhm,” Wonwoo hummed, typing away a quick reply on his phone before returning it to his pocket. “Isn’t that the same studio where Chan has his dance lessons?”

“Yeah, he’s there right now, doing choreography with a friend, I think.”

“Man, I still can’t believe he can dance way better than you.” The older boy snickered.

Mihwa bristled at his words but retaliated. “Yeah, but considering your half-assed rendition of Rainism, I don’t think you have the right to talk.”

“Hey! You damn right know I was joking around when I did that!”

“Keep telling yourself that!”

“Ah, seriously!”

“Are we talking about Woonwoo-hyung’s dancing again?” A singsong voice called from inside the house.

The said boy groaned exasperatedly while Mihwa turned and looked expectantly at the back door. Shortly after, Seungkwan and Hansol emerged from it. She noted the tired look in their eyes as they approached them.

“Mihwa, never, I repeat never, start a conversation about dancing with the mini-Hansol.” Seungkwan whispered, absolutely terrified. Although Hansol gave him a look, he seemed to agree with him. The two boys plopped on their respective chairs, neither of them speaking.

“Um, why?”

“Firstly, she would speak to you in their confusing alien language.” Seungkwan gestured to his half-American friend who merely rolled his eyes.

“It’s called English, yo.”

“Hush, extra-terrestrial being, I’m not finished.” Seungkwan cleared his throat. “Next, she would prance around the busy streets of Gangnam squealing ‘I AM THE BEST BALLERINA EVER’ before suddenly spinning into the road and giving you a freaking heart attack!”

“That was literally your fault for asking her to show you what a pirouette was!”

“Hansol, please, with the way I said peero– yeah that, I didn’t think she would understand me!”

“Ah, yes, the pain of younger siblings and the English language,” Wonwoo chuckled at the two boys who were now bickering over its pronunciation before excusing himself. “I’ll go get some iced tea.”

Amused, Mihwa just shook her head at them. They were boisterous all the time. She never understood where their seemingly endless supply of energy comes from even though she’s known them since their first year of high school. Hansol was usually more silent and mellow without Seungkwan around, but it's quite rare to see one without the other. 

“Anyway, how’s the whole family business going?” Hansol asked after shutting Seungkwan up, the latter still mumbling about how his English wasn’t that bad.

“Oh, um, I recently finished the schedules with Wonwoo-oppa’s help,” Mihwa smiled and showed them her draft. “I think we’ve shuffled them up well enough so they can learn to get along with each other.”

“I’m back with iced tea!” Wonwoo announced, setting down more glasses. Seungkwan and Hansol thanked him, grabbing their drinks.

“Mihwa, samcheon messaged me to tell you to check your phone.” Her cousin said, taking a sip from his own iced tea. She checked her phone immediately and mentally scolded herself for not noticing.

From: Abeoji =_=

Seungcheol will be staying at our house in the duration of the intern screening. He’ll be arriving later this evening. Also, remind Chan to be home before dinner.

To: Abeoji =_=

What time will you and mom come home? Kwan and Sol are here.

From: Abeoji =_=

Tell the nanny to cook whatever. Eat dinner without us.

Sighing, Mihwa typed a short affirmation and sent it. Chan would probably sulk at the news. Being unable to spend meals with their parents wasn’t unusual. They should’ve gotten used to it by now, but sometimes Mihwa just really missed the presence of her mother and father.

From: Abeoji =_=

Your friends can eat dinner there.

A smile tugged at her lips. Well, maybe dinner isn’t going to be so glum after all.

“Hey,” Wonwoo said, catching her attention. He spun his car keys around his finger and gestured to the door. “It’s almost five-thirty. I’ll be picking Chan up. You guys wanna come?”

“Yes!” Seungkwan and Hansol proclaimed simultaneously.

“I’ll just wait here,” Mihwa shrugged. “Or there won’t be any space for Chan anymore.”

“True,” Hansol teased. “Wonwoo-hyung’s new convertible can only take so much.”

“Sometimes I think he loves that car more than he loves you, Mihwa.” Seungkwan shook his head.

“Shut up you guys,” Embarrassed, the eldest turned to leave. The other two followed suit after bidding their goodbyes. “We’ll be back!”

Promptly after they left, Mihwa went to find their housekeeper and inform her about dinner and the drinks left in the back porch. After which, she decided to pass the time in her room. She opted for reading through a new dessert cookbook her father gave her recently. There wasn’t anything special in it actually. Macarons and Meringues were fairly easy to make. Although the multi-layered cakes were something else entirely. Not to mention the infamous Baked Alaska. That terrifying dessert needed the perfect temperature so as the ice cream inside it wouldn’t melt, but how was that even possible when the recipe required dousing the cake in alcohol and setting it on fire?

Honestly, it was a pain having to go through all this dessert business. Her father was obviously going to ask her to make one someday, regardless if she was in the company or not.

Mihwa shuddered at the thought and put the book down.

Before graduation, she intentionally applied for a medical course for her university program. And the sole reason was because it was too time consuming and thus preventing her father from bothering her and her soon-to-be busy schedule.

The plan is fool proof, Mihwa thought to herself as she lay on her bed. Checking the time, she decided to take a little nap while waiting for the boys to return. She dozed off, smiling. After the intern’s summer screening, it’ll all be over.

Mihwa woke up because of two reasons:

One. Chan violently shaking her awake.

Two. Wonwoo’s obnoxious laughter.

“What are you two doing in my room?” She hissed at them, still groggy from the rude awakening.

“We came to wake you up, noona,” Chan smiled sweetly at her, as if he didn’t just disturb her precious sleep. “Dinner’s ready and we wanted to eat together with you!”

Their cousin, on the other hand, was still giggling maniacally.

“You have drool on your face!” Wonwoo snickered, completely entertained when she reached up to wipe it off her face while glaring at him. “What’s your precious sunbae gonna think when he sees you like that?”

“Seungcheol’s here?!” Mihwa sat up immediately, almost bumping into Chan. She proceeded to grab the closest hair brush to fix her hair. “I almost forgot. Where’s Seungkwan and Hansol?”

“Oh, the food’s there already and they’re all downstairs waiting for you.” Her younger brother replied, dragging Mihwa out of the room with Wonwoo trailing behind.

When the trio reached the dining area, they were greeted by an entertaining sight. The boys were already seated on the table, completely preoccupied with something else. Hansol and Seungkwan were playfully bickering over which dessert better – chocolate cake or goguma cheesecake – while Seungcheol sat between them, calming them down. It was deemed unsuccessful though as Seungkwan launched himself at Hansol when he corrected his diction on cheesecake.

“Hey, knock it off, you brats,” Wonwoo called, walking up to them and pulling them apart. Chan bounded over to help his cousin once Wonwoo got pulled into the argument instead.

Amidst the loud noise, Mihwa heard Seungcheol call out to her. He beckoned her to stay in the empty chair beside him and she politely obliged. Sitting down, she took a better look at him.

The cute and fluffy boy from her memories was definitely not cute and fluffy anymore. Aside from growing taller, Seungcheol had become leaner. His face was chiselled, a prominent jaw framing his delicate features perfectly. Unlike before, his hair was styled now, lighter and straighter with his fringe sweeping upwards. Bless puberty and its wonders.

“Hey, cupcake,” Seungcheol greeted. His voice was deeper than she remembered.

“I thought we were over that nickname,” Mihwa cringed, trying her best not to blush. Admittedly, he’d become super attractive and she didn’t know how to deal with that.

“Still not used to it, huh?” Seungcheol smiled warmly. “How are you, anyway? It’s been like forever since we’ve talked.”

“I’d say I’m fine but there’s the stupid intern screening…” Mihwa huffed at his amused expression. “Also, that is your fault for not keeping in touch.”

“True,” He shook his head. “I’m sorry about that by the way, it’s just that… well…”

Mihwa gave Seungcheol an inquisitive look as he scratched the back of his head, seemingly embarrassed.

“I don’t know why, but I just get really awkward whenever I talk to you outside of the academy.”

“Ha?”

“Yeah...”

Before Mihwa could ask why, Wonwoo had tiredly announced the subdual of Hansol and Seungkwan. He placed Chan in between the two to prevent future mishaps.

“Okay,” He said, settling down unto his own seat. Wonwoo flashed a grin. “Let’s eat!”

Everyone said their thanks in unison and proceeded to eat. Mihwa was grateful for Seungkwan and Chan’s inability to stop talking. The boys carried the conversation animatedly throughout the meal, not leaving any periods of weird silence. The dinner was great and all, but Mihwa couldn’t help but glance at Seungcheol occasionally. She pondered why she suddenly feels so anxious around him. It was unusual considering how well they got along before. Then again, distance really does strain friendships.

“I’ll head up first, guys,” Seungcheol said as he stood up from his seat. “The trip from Busan was pretty tiresome.”

Wonwoo waved it off. “Nah, dude, that’s fine.”

“Rest well, hyung.”

“Good night!”

“Sweet dreams!”                                                                                  

“Ah, wait, oppa,” Mihwa started, stopping the older boy. Seungcheol seemed a little surprised but he gave her a tired smile and a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder.

“Let’s catch up some other time, cupcake.” And at that, he left. Watching his retreating figure, Mihwa sighed. When did things suddenly get so awkward? Things were going to be significantly harder if she and Seungcheol couldn’t work together properly.

“I bet you scared him off with your nasty bedhair, noona,” Chan snickered mischievously, earning a high-five from Seungkwan. Suddenly, the younger boy gave out a yelp of pain as Mihwa stomped on his foot under the table.

“Shut up, Chan.”

---

A/N:

It's a slow burn, guys, slow and painful burn HAHAHA we're gonna meet the boys in the next chapter thou

and i just had to put VerKwan interaction before they fade into the background characters they are hahahahaha*gets hit by a brick*

also yes, i love little sofia i had to mention her

BUT OMG YA'LL SHOULD REALLY WATCH WONWOO'S CRAPPY RENDITION OF RAINISM