Despite her embarrassment, Chaeyoung wasn’t deterred. She would go over and welcome the flower shop girls, even though her chance to make a perfect impression was ruined. However, it wasn’t the worst thing she had ever done upon a first meeting; the first thing she had ever said to Dahyun and Jeongyeon was “What do you think you’re both wearing?” in a tone that was very snarky. Chaeyoung still didn’t think she was in the wrong— Dahyun had shown up wearing yellow plaid pants with red slippers looking like an old man and Jeongyeon with an orange sweatshirt which made her looked like an inmate from OITNB. Chaeyoung had, however, felt terrible for weeks after, despite their reassurance that it was fine.

Chaeyoung’s phone beeps and as she looks at its singular notification, she grins. Speak of the devil, indeed.

dubudubudahyun: hey whoooooo wants to cover my shift it’ll owe you one owo​

🍓gongju: i gotcha, i’ll just stick around here

no🍯hyung: on your phone during work? rebel chaeng!

Biting back a smile, Chaeyoung shut her phone off once again. It wouldn’t be the first day she had spent entirely at Deja Brew, but that wasn’t a problem. She loved Deja Brew, in a way, as much as one can love the place where they work. Deja Brew was full of soft chairs, that one horrendously ugly couch that Jeongyeon found in a thrift shop, the bookshelf that Jihyo stocked with her favourite magazines and books, the fireplace that was never lit because none of them knew how to start a fire, and the upright piano in the corner. Paintings of Chaeyoung’s hung on the walls, Dahyun brought in some sparkly garlands and demanded she hangs them up. Chaeyoung had done her best to make Deja Brew as home-y as possible, so she didn’t mind spending her hours there. Besides, all of her friends worked there, anyways, so where else did she have to go?

The day passes in a flurry of orders taken and coffee-making, and then, once Jihyo comes in, just coffee-making. Jihyo’s better at making the drinks visually appealing but tends to get distracted as she makes the drinks. Ever since an unfortunate incident involving an order for six and shaky hands, Chaeyoung’s learned that it’s best to have Jihyo on the register. They chat when they can, Jihyo telling Chaeyoung her thoughts about the songs Chaeyoung recommended.

Around noon, which is when Chaeyoung is technically off, she leaves to go get lunch. As she walks down the street, she catches sight of cute flower shop girl (number one, with the obsidian black hair who might be the cute flower shop girl #2’s girlfriend) waiting on the opposite street corner. Which would be fine, Chaeyoung wouldn’t be concerned, if not for the fact that she’s waiting for the light to change, and like she’s going to cross the street, to Chaeyoung’s side.

The light changes.

Despite reassuring herself constantly that she can do this when presented with the opportunity to make a new first impression, Chaeyoung does the worst. As cute flower shop girl approaches, Chaeyoung lets out what can only be known as a squeak, and flees.

Jihyo flinches when Chaeyoung sprints through the door and slams her hands on the countertop. Chaeyoung pants for a few moments, trying to catch her breath, and then letting her head drop onto the cool marble. A few seconds later, Jihyo sets a glass of water next to Chaeyoung and pats her on the head.

“What’s the matter, Chaeyoungie? Does this have something to do with the cute girl from across the street?” Jihyo’s fruity voice inquires.

Chaeyoung’s head shoots up. “How—unnie, you always know more than you should, but this is something else.”

Jihyo just smiles, and extends her hand. Pinched between her index finger and her thumb is Chaeyoung’s sticky note from earlier. “I found this when you left. Plus, you only get this flustered when a girl is involved!”

Chaeyoung sighs, and goes to lay her head back down— lunch can wait until the streets have been cleared of every cute girl who works at flower shops and dress like hipster farmers.

“Chaeyoung, look out!”

She glances up, afraid that Jihyo has spilled coffee, or something is throwing another basketball at her head because seriously, how many times can that happen to someone–!

Jihyo is pointing out the window, so Chaeyoung follows her finger and sees something worse than maybe ten basketballs. Perhaps predictably, cute flower shop girl is about to walk through their door.

For the second time that day, Chaeyoung bolts. She runs clear around the counter, bumping Jihyo as she practically dives into the back room. Jihyo looks like she’s trying not to giggle, and for the next ten minutes, Chaeyoung sits there, facing away from the door. When cute flower shop girl finally leaves, Jihyo shoots her a thumbs up, and so Chaeyoung exits. Her face burns as she stands back up, brushing off her skirt.

“Jihyo-unnie, listen–”

“She was just as cute as you said, and she seemed really confused.”

“Did she–”

“Ask about you? No. She did order, though, one for a Momo and another for a Nayeon.”

Oh. So cute flower shop girl is Nayeon, and cute flower shop girl #2, who is Momo, is her girlfriend. Chaeyoung blushes even brighter with shame, and doesn’t say anything else on the subject.

“I’m going to go get that food I left to get 20 minutes ago.”

Much, much later, when Jihyo has left and Jeongyeon has come and gone, Chaeyoung is closing the café when she notices a lone lit storefront across the street. Of course, the one storefront is Fleur-de-Lis, and there seems to be a singular figure inside. Chaeyoung can’t make out who it is, but there don’t seem to be any customers inside.

It was the perfect time to go welcome them, and apologize for just about all of her behaviour, Chaeyoung decided. She picked up some pastries from the day, putting the best looking ones in a to-go box. Chaeyoung made three of the boxes, hoping that whoever was still at the flower store would deliver the other box to her friends. As she tied up the boxes with pretty ribbons, Chaeyoung began doubting herself. What if she just embarrassed herself even more?

Mustering up all her courage, Chaeyoung picked up the boxes, turned off the lights, and locked the doors before she could talk herself out of it. Spurred on by adrenaline, she took herself across the street, and boldly opened the door of the flower shop.

The girl sitting at the front counter looked up— it was cute flower shop girl #1 (Nayeon?).

“Sorry, we’re clo— Oh! It’s you!”