Spring.

The season of blossoming, youth and love. Except that, Wendy paid no mind the symbolism that spring carries. Spring, to Wendy, means nothing but the start of a new year in which she would get into the dreaded monotonous cycle of school and working at her part-time job again. She has come to accept it though, she has to make a living to pay for school anyway. It's not that bad really, Wendy reassures herself since she genuinely enjoys her most of her classes as a music major and her coworkers at her job at an ice cream parlour are more or less welcoming.

One hour into her first shift of the year, Wendy is reminded as to why she dreaded the start of this in the first place. After an overwhelming first day of school, Wendy misses the bus that takes her to work as the bus driver fails to notice Wendy who was frantically sprinting for the bus while calling after him to wait. Wendy ends up managing to look like a lunatic, missing her bus, turning up late for her shift and gets a scolding from her manager even before starting work. Wendy is just glad that she did not manage to trip over her own feet and fall face down again. (Wendy swears never to let that painful history repeat) Just as she thought the day could not get any worse, the child she just served manages to drop his entire ice cream cone on the floor and is currently wailing his lungs out. (She mutters curses under her breath as she tries to maintain her friendliest facade.)

It took her a long while, but she finally manages to clean up the mess left behind while trying to manage the steady stream of customers coming in. (She is extremely thankful that no other child manages to make another mess in the meantime.) She is finally allowed a breather as business slows down and takes a much-deserved nap behind the counter praying that her manager is too lazy to check on her today.

Not long into her peaceful nap time, Wendy vaguely hears a voice calling to her. In her state of half-awakeness, she looks up to see a girl looking at her over the counter, in fact, the prettiest girl she has ever seen, but what stood out the most to Wendy was her head of cotton candy pink hair that made the girl look much like an angel. She blinks a few times at the girl in a daze before somehow concluding that she was probably still in dreamland and proceeds to slam her head down onto the counter again. The pink haired girl stares down at Wendy in bewilderment. It is only when Wendy feels the few careful pokes on her shoulder when she finally comes to her senses. In a knee-jerk reaction, Wendy scrambles to stand up but manages to headbutt the other girl in the process.

"Welcome to Red Velvet Boutique, how can I get you? I MEAN How can I help you? I'm really really sorry about that!" Wendy exclaims, mentally slapping herself for screwing up big time.

The girl flinches back, cradling her forehead in her hands. (Wendy notes that the scrowling girl looked adorable, much like an angry bunny)

"It's okay...I'm fine. It is partly my fault for scaring you...but honestly why are you even sleeping on your job? Either way...I was just wondering....wondering if you sold any hot drinks here." the girl replies, stumbling over every two words.

For a moment Wendy stares at the girl weird because who ask for hot drinks at a freaking ice cream parlour. But she belated notices that the girl is drenched from head to toes and is shivering, teeth gently chattering as she pulls her thin coat tighter around herself. During her short nap, the clear sky has indeed given way to gloomy thunderclouds, leaving pedestrians scrambling for shelter.

"One minute!" Wendy squeaks before disappearing behind the door to the backroom. She returns soon after, trying to hold a hot chocolate in one hand and balancing an ice bag on top of a blanket on the other hand. "Hey, sorry we don't sell hot drinks here but I hope you don't mind some hot cocoa that we keep for the staff." Wendy makes her way to the girl who has decidedly huddled at the table nearest to their heater. The girl mutters thanks as she gratefully gulps down the hot cocoa, relishing the delicious warmth it brings, barely noticing as Wendy silently drapes the blanket she keeps in the back room over her. She does notice when Wendy presses the ice bag on her forehead, wincing against the cold but otherwise lets Wendy continue. Wendy takes the chance to admire the girl's delicate features close up without looking too much like a creeper.

"Do you think I can wait out the rain in here for a while? I don't think I'm ready to face running home in the rain yet." the girl flashes Wendy an unsure smile that makes Wendy swoon internally. Wendy nods vigorously, happy to have company since no one would buy ice cream in this numbing cold anyways so she does not expect customers anytime soon.

No one except for this peculiar girl it seems since after 30 minutes of Wendy stealing glances at her from behind the counter, the girl makes her way to the counter and asks Wendy what flavour she would recommend. She makes her purchase, a salted caramel cone as recommended by Wendy, but does not return to her table, but instead lingers around the counter while Wendy pretends to be busy with wiping the counter. Neither of them work up enough courage to start a conversation but both enjoys the comfortable silence between them. The dark clouds eventually clear out and the girl announces that she should leave since it had stopped raining. Wendy feels the tinge of reluctance tugging at her heart as the girl returns her thing.

"Thanks for the drink and the blanket, I would have frozen into an icicle without you. The ice cream was great too, I will definitely stop by for another of your recommendation another time." the girl says to Wendy, flashing her a grateful smile before turning to leave. Wendy grins bashfully at that, already fantasizing at the prospect of meeting the girl again. "Cute." Wendy thought she heard but it was probably just her wishful thinking. After the girl leaves, while Wendy was mindlessly rearranging the basket of umbrellas that she conveniently forgets the store owns, she regrets not finding out more about the girl. (How is she ever going to be able to ask her out?) She holds on to the glimmer of hope that the girl would return as she had said.

Wendy later decides that the girl reminded her of the pink of cherry blossoms. Maybe it is the way her cheeks were tinted the prettiest shade of pink by the cold harsh winds outside, or perhaps it was because of her beauty which rivalled that of the cherry blossom season.

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3 more chapters to come after my exams end or ealier if I continue to procastinate :) I hope it wasn't too bad 💕