Pedestrians walk along the street, basking in the comfort of the spring morning. A few take a turn into a simple coffee shop. A bell chimes throughout the shop. “Hi, welcome to Screamin’ Beans! How can we help you today?” A short youthful girl asks the customer at the register. The girl wears an apron that read I Scream. You Scream. We all Scream. AAAAAHHHHHHHH . “Alright, that’ll run you 5 dollars and 65 cents. Thank you for your patronage!”

Turning swiftly, Yeri yells to another taller girl adorned with her respective apron, I’m constantly procaffeinating . “Saeron-ah, one iced americano and blueberry tart please. And Wendy unnie, we need that refill on croissants!”

“Okay, on its way!” From the depths of the kitchen, a voice emerges. Carrying a large tray filled with the said pastry, Wendy uses her back to push open the kitchen doors to get to the front.

With a soft intake of air, Wendy savors the calming atmosphere in her shop. A small smile grows upon the sensation. She calls out to the individuals in the shop currently, “A new batch of croissants, fresh from the oven.” Placing the batch into glass display, Wendy pats herself down, effectively dusting off any invisible dirt.

She eyes the tables to see a few stray napkins and chairs in the vicinity. Moving past the register and grabbing a clean rag, the shop owner starts to clean off various messes. Realizing that there was no rush, Wendy slows her movements, once again relishing in the simple and clean ambiance of the shop.

Looking outside the cafe, she spots the budding flowers beginning to bloom. She soon gets distracted as a group of butterflies fly by. Following them with her eyes, they move swiftly before vanishing as fast as they came.

As the bell chimes once more, Wendy looks up, giving the next customer a sun-breaking smile. “Hi! Welcome to Screa-oh, hey Sooyoung, need your daily hit?” A low groan emits from the messy girl in green. Here comes Park Sooyoung, strutting in in a state of tiredness. “Hey unnie, Saeron. Devil child.” Multiple heys and hellos echo throughout the space (one slightly angry one from the resident diable enfant.)

Sitting down in her usual corner, the spark of joy scans the not-so-crowded shop. There were only a few people, just regulars who needed their morning fix and were trying to have a head start against the day ahead. She fixates upon the plain wall in front of her. The gears in her semi-functional brain start to turn.

Wendy heads back behind the counter. Giving a pat on her young coworkers’ heads, she quickly prepares Sooyoung’s breakfast meal. Pouring freshly brewed coffee into a cup that read Prettiest Beach Around , she adds in a bit of sugar and creamer. Adding a cup filled with wild blueberry black tea and an egg McMuffin from Mickey Ds onto a tray she sets aside for occasions like these (though, these are daily occasions). Tray in hand, she heads back to her taller friend.

Joy looks at the meal and gives the owner the money to pay for it.

Right when she takes a bite from her McMuffin, Sooyoung stops, seemingly remembering something important. “Yo, Wendy unnie, I remembered something!”

The elder courses to the other side of the counter before giving a hum of acknowledgment to the younger. Flouncing her long arms to make a point, “So, hear me out now. What if…”

The dramatic pause causes Wendy to raise a questioning eyebrow. “What if you added more things, like drawings on the wall and stuff. To make things much more exciting and a bit more aesthetic. Like Pinterest status aesthetic.”

Another eyebrow joins the one already raised up. “The plain design isn’t thaaat bad, is it?” She looks at her workers for inquiry. “ Is it? ” Saeron gives a modest nod before attempting to busy herself by, uhhh, peeling almonds (?). Wendy turns at Yeri with a kicked puppy expression. “My my, why don’t you look at that-” the younger grabs her phone hastily, “-My pet guinea pig, uhh  , Bluppi is calling for me. Hey schmoopy, you doing ok?”

Wendy looks at the girl currently finishing her McMuffin and is now moving on to the coffee. A sigh of defeat and a loud bang on the counter. “Okay, what do you suggest then?”

Joy raises her drink to the air like she’s at a bar. Smirking as she takes a sip, “I knew that you would come through.” The younger places the drink down for the extra effect. She leans forward, both elbows resting in the table as she rests her head in her palms. “I was thinking, ask an art student from my uni, cause art students, they poor y’know?”

After much consideration (not really, she’s too soft for her practically adopted daughters), she makes a decision. With fingers shaped like a check mark on her chin, “Okay, okay it is spring after all. A small change could be good for everyone right?”

Joy sends a wink and a finger gun of her own, “Right on the nose. Well, I’ll be on my way. Call me when you want to go.” Grabbing the cup, she downs the last of her coffee. Picking up her tea-to-go and her bag, she prepares to leave the shop. “Time to up! Also, you forgot to add in soy milk.”

Wendy scrunches her face in confusion, “You don’t ask for milk in any of your drinks though.”

Joy snickers, “It’s cause...I’m soy into you.” Flabbergasted, Wendy watches her customer exit her cafe cackling like a witch on something. Saeron looks at her boss with a sympathetic gaze. “That’s just Joy unnie for you, she does that to everyone don’t worry.” She shudders at the thought of the experience.

Lowkey embarrassed, Wendy looks to the ground before looking up again, determined. “Well, the next batch of tarts aren’t going to bake themselves. Yerim!” Yeri zooms out of the back used to spontaneous loud noises, specifically ones that include her name. Seeing her register replacement, Wendy makes her way to the back to bake a new batch.

Yeri and Saeron look over their boss before resting at the counter to talk.

“She’s lonely again, isn’t she.”

“Yup.”

“If she goes through with Joy unnie’s plan, we’re totally hooking her up with that artist if they’re hot right?”

“Yup.”

The bell chimes, effectively forcing them to continue the conversation later. “Hi! Welcome to Screamin’ Beans, how can we help you today?” And the cycle continues.