Zimzalabim Café

 

Henry was standing by the counter with a thoughtful expression.

“Why are you looking like that?” Irene asked.

“Do you think Wendy is a bit weird today?” Henry asked “Did you do anything to her?” Henry asked again.

“No, why would I…”

“I don’t know…she’s seems like she’s a bit distracted today.”

“Maybe it was of her injury.”

“Did you bring her to the hospital?”

“She refused, Henry.”

“What a stubborn girl…” Henry scoffed.

The two went silent and they had their eyes fixed on Wendy who was whipping some cream while day dreaming. There weren’t any customers in the morning, Irene was bored, so she came out from her office to join Henry and Wendy.

“You know, I told her so many times that opening a café is a bad idea. Considering that there’s a dozen other café a long this whole blocks that had been here all along. Wendy got this place with cheap rental and that’s how I know it wasn’t that strategic place. Even I having a hard time to find this place when she told me about it.”

“Every place has its charm Henry, maybe Wendy saw something in this place that you don’t.” Irene said.

“This place is indeed beautiful but we can’t survive if we don’t have customers. Yes, yesterday we do have a lot, but look today not even one customer.”

“If you are so nosy about not having customer, then why did you decided to come and help Wendy to run her café?” Irene raised her voice.

Henry was startled by Irene’s sudden loudness “Wendy had been my childhood friend Irene-ah, she doesn’t have anyone else but me in this world…I can’t abandon her.”

“She has no one in this world? What…what about family?”

“Her family…they…”

“That’s enough Henry…” Wendy’s voice cut Henry from finishing his sentence.

“Sorry Wendy I didn’t mean to talk about your family but Irene was asking so…” Henry tried to explain and again Wendy cut him off.

“Then you should tell her to ask me…”

Henry sensed that Wendy is getting agitated so he stopped talking.

“Wendy, you are a little rude to Henry, he was just trying to answer me…”

“I said enough!” Wendy raised her voice. Irene was stunned at Wendy’s sudden mood change. Wendy saw Irene’s reaction and sense of guilt made her regret her action.

“My family disowned me…so I don’t want to talk about them ever again.” Wendy explained before she stormed out from the café.

“Wendy!” Irene called for the younger girl but she was too late.

“It’s okay Irene, she’ll come back…just let her cool herself down.” Henry said with a forceful smile.

Irene felt guilty that she asked about Wendy’s family, she didn’t know that Wendy had a dark history. Now she felt like she wanted to know everything about the girl, she wanted to help her and she wanted to be there whenever Wendy needed a shoulder to cry on, or ear to listen to her problems. Irene felt that Wendy is the type that wouldn’t voice out her problem and her concern. She wanted to change that, she wanted Wendy to rely on her more and she knows the only way to make her happy is to filled her café with patrons. Irene took out her phone and made a phone call.

 

Outside

Wendy is sitting by the water fountain a few block from her café. She tried to calm herself down. She knows she was wrong storming out like that but she really hated it whenever people mentioned about her family. She sighed when she looked up to the sky “If only I wasn’t born in that family.” she thought.

“Unnie?” a voice captured Wendy’s attention and she turned to the voice’s direction.

“Mina…” Wendy greeted.

“What are you doing here unnie?” Mina asked and she joined Wendy by sitting beside her.

“Just…clearing my mind.” Wendy smiled.

“Me too…” Mina replied.

Wendy saw the sadness in Mina’s eyes and she knew what happened “The confession didn’t go well?”

“She…likes someone else…” Mina said sadly.

Wendy put her arm on Mina’s shoulder and pulled her closer “It’s okay Mina…love hurts sometimes…but you learn to grow from it.”

“I thought she loves me…” Mina sobbed.

“It will be okay Mina…you’ll get pass this.”

At that moment someone shouted Mina’s name and she was running toward them “Myoui Mina!!” the girl shouted.

“Momo…” Mina gets up on her feet and turned toward the girl. Wendy also stands up and watch the girl approaching them.

“Momo…what are you…”

Mina couldn’t finish her sentence when Momo suddenly hugged her “Don’t ever runaway like that!” Momo cried.

“But you…you said you already have someone that you love!” Mina cried.

“Pabo!!” Momo pushed Mina away so that she can take a look at the girl.

“It was you that I love idiot! When you asked me if I have anyone that I love and the answer is yes I do love someone and that someone is you, you didn’t even listen to my explanation and run away…I was so worried…” Momo rambled.

Wendy just stand there awkwardly, she watched the two girl confesses their love to each other and she was happy that Mina finally gets her feeling returned by her crush. The two girls laughed when they realized that both of them had been misunderstanding each other and they reconciled. When Momo wanted to lean in to kiss Mina, Mina rejected and softly tell her that Wendy is there.

Mina introduce Wendy to Momo and Wendy teased the two girl which caused the two of them to blushed at Wendy’s remark. Wendy invited both of them to her café, she said the two of them should celebrate this day. Mina wanted to reject at first because Wendy had helped her a lot, but Wendy said she’s doing what she’s doing because she considers Mina as her friend. The three of them walk back to Wendy’s café.

When they reached the café, Wendy was surprised to see that the café was full. She rushed in to check on the situation because she remembered that Henry is hopeless whenever it comes to making drinks. She saw Irene is busy taking the customers’ order and Henry is busy behind the counter to making drinks. Wendy asked Mina and Momo to be seated and she went to behind the counter to help Henry.

“Why didn’t you call?” she asked Henry.

“I’m afraid you are still angry!” Henry replied hurriedly because he is busy making all the drinks.

“Why would I be?” Wendy sighed and she instructed Henry to go and help Irene to take the orders while she checking on the drinks order to make.

Irene went to the counter and she saw Wendy’s already there busy making drink, she smiled. “Welcome back Wendy, I hope that your head is clear now. We don’t want a grumpy barista.” Irene teased.

Wendy smiled at Irene “You should let me focus in making drinks or else I’ll make a wrong drink and then customers will complain.”

“Roger that Miss Son…” Irene went back with a smiley face. She is happy that Wendy seems to be a lot better compared to earlier. She went to the cashier counter to attend to customers that wanted to pay for their drinks.

 

YG University

“Good Afternoon Miss Chairman! May I know why are you here?”

“Good afternoon Miss Chae…I was looking for someone…” Jisoo greeted the lecturer, she scanned the whole room to seek for her favourite blonde and she noticed Rosé was sitting at the last row, she was hiding behind her book.

Jisoo turned to the lecturer “I saw that one of your student stealthily eating something behind there…” Jisoo pointed at Rosé which caused the blonde to look up with her cheek full of food.

“Miss Park, I need to see you in my office now.” Jisoo demanded.

Rosé quickly swallow her food and follows Jisoo. The whole class murmured because they never seen their chairman to pull out student during classes.

Once Jisoo and Rosé reached Jisoo’s office, Jisoo turned and pinned Rosé against her door. Rosé yelped.

“I miss you…” Jisoo whispered seductively.

“We just met this morning…” Rosé reply shyly.

Jisoo leaned in “But it feels like forever…”

“Unnie…control yourself, we’re in campus, what if people see us?” Rosé whispered.

“Then I’ll expel them…” Jisoo was ready to capture the younger girl’s lips but then her phone rang “Damn it!” Jisoo cursed and she takes out her phone and saw Jennie’s name.

Rosé was disappointed when Jisoo didn’t kiss her, she saw the caller ID too and she asked Jisoo to pick it up, it maybe something important.

“What is it Jendeukie?”

“Unnie, meet me at Wendy’s unnie café…”

“Why?”

“Well…there’s something I want to tell you and Rosé so please bring her along.”

“Can’t you just tell me thru the phone?” Jisoo rolled her eyes.

“Just meet there at 3!” Jennie hung up on Jisoo.

Jisoo grunted and then she looked at Rosé, Rosé had a worried look on her face then she smirked and smashed her lips to the younger girl, which caused Rosé to moaned in surprised.

“Jennie said she wants to meet us at Wendy’s café at 3, but it’s only 2 now, we still have an hour, how about, we continue what we are about to do?” Jisoo smirked.

“Unnie! No before marriage!!” Rosé protested.

Jisoo pouted, but she respected Rosé decision to keep her dignity and ity until after marriage, but it seems like an impossible for Jisoo to wait for that moment, because South Korea is still does not recognize same marriage.

“No , but can we at least snuggle?” Jisoo tried to act cute.

“Sure~ come here you big baby…” Rosé opened up her arms to welcome Jisoo into her embrace. They both fell on Jisoo’s office couch with Jisoo being on top of Rosé.

“Let me stay like this for a while…your heartbeat is so fast…”

“It’s all because of you unnie…” Rosé replied.

“Chaeyoung ah…”

“What is it?”

“You know…someday I would like to get married to you, then we can live together in a small but comfortable house, we can adopt a few dogs together and raised them together and then maybe we can adopt a few human babies and raised them together…I want to grow old with you…”

“Unnie…” Rosé teared up.

“I know we haven’t established anything yet between the two of us…but I want you to know even though I am scare of the society, especially now because we’re in Korea…but I want to be with you Rosé-ah…so…will you be my girlfriend?”

Rosé cried happy tears, she nodded profusely “Yes Unnie…Yes!”

“Oh God! Thank you agree! If not, it would be a waste to give you this ring!”

“What ring?”

Jisoo get up from the couch and she kneeled in front of Rosé, her hand fishing something out from her coat. She took out a small blue box.

“Unnie what is this?”

“No Chaeyoung, I’m not proposing to you, but I want to give you a promise ring…a promise that I will love you forever, until you’re old and your face all wrinkly, my love will never change.”

Rosé was speechless, she never thought Jisoo will be this romantic, she seriously never expecting anything from Jisoo. All she ever wanted from her probably is her love. Rosé held out her hand to Jisoo and Jisoo put the ring on Rosé ring finger. Jisoo kissed the finger, it was her way to show Rosé that she had sealed her promised with the ring and a kiss. Rosé pulled Jisoo into a tight hug and keeps on whispering how much she loves her.

Jisoo was happy that Rosé felt the same way too, but now her only concern is how their other two friends going to accept their relationship. The four of them are like best friends, Jisoo is afraid that if she and Rosé being a couple with bother the other two. She and Lisa ever made a promised not to make a move on either Rosé or Jennie. Though they always been flirty with Jennie and Rosé but they never thought they will fell for them. “Screw it, Lisa knew how much I like Rosé and Jennie knew too…I’m going to tell them later that we’re together officially!” Jisoo thought to herself.

 

Zimzalabim Café

 

“This is soooo delicious!” Momo expressed with her eyes open widely.

“Eat slowly Momo-ah, or else you might choke on your food.” Mina wiped the corner of Momo’s mouth with a tissue when she saw that Momo got all of her food all over .

“I’m glad that you two enjoy it…” Wendy smiled at them. A lot of their customers had left so Wendy had some free time, so she joined Mina and Momo at their table.

“You should bring me here earlier Mina-ah, it was so unfair of you to be eating all this yummy stuff yourself.” Momo mumbled with full. The view kind of remind Wendy of Rosé while she was eating.

Irene finished cleaning up the table next to the trio, she approached them to check if they needed anything else “Is everything okay here Mina?”

“Oh! Hi Irene-unnie! Yeah everything is okay!”

“You seem happy today Mina-ah…” Irene smiled at Mina. She used to look anxious and depressed but today the girl looks so happy.

“Because she successfully confessed her love to her crushed.” Wendy replied with a smirk.

Mina blushed but Momo remained oblivious about her surrounding as she busy digging on her shortcake. Wendy keeps on teasing Mina and Irene was amused by the story on how the confession happened. They laugh and chatted happily until Wendy’s stomach suddenly growled and the trio looked at her blankly.

“Wendy, are you hungry?”

“A…little…” Wendy awkwardly smiled.

“I’ll cook you something…” Irene offered and she went inside the kitchen.

Wendy watched the girl walked away, she smiled and she was caught by Mina and Momo.

“Unnie…is she your girlfriend?” Momo blurted out.

“What?! No! We’re just friend, I wish I had a girlfriend that looks like her. I mean she’s beautiful, graceful and…”

“And we think you’re falling for her…” a high pitched voice cut Wendy off.

Wendy turned and saw Jennie and Lisa approaching her, they were holding hands and it seems odd to Wendy.

“No I don’t…she’s just a friend Jennie-ah.” Wendy denied.

“But your eyes said otherwise unnie!” Lisa chipped.

“And talking about otherwise, you two seems so clingy today…” Wendy tried to divert the topic to other topics.

Jennie and Lisa blushed so hard and they looked away to different way. Then it hit Wendy, she gasped happily, her hands clasped on that was wide open “Are you two together now?!!”

Jennie shyly nodded and Lisa grinned happily. Wendy screamed and almost caused ruckus in her own café. Irene went out when she heard Wendy’s scream and she saw her cousin standing there, holding someone’s hand and then there’s Wendy who jumping up and down congratulating her cousin and the person beside her. Irene walked toward them to check on what is going on.

“Oh Irene-unnie!!” Wendy greeted Irene happily.

“I think you’ve met Jennie before, well she was my junior back in high school and guess what?! She’s finally got herself a girlfriend!” Wendy said excitedly.

Jennie’s face was pale when she saw Irene surprised face. Lisa sensed that her girlfriend is getting tensed. Mina and Momo only could watch the 4 adults looking at each other looking confused, happy and scared.

Momo leaned forward to whispered something to Mina “Why do I feels like this won’t end well?”

Mina frowned and Momo and she shushed her telling her that it is inappropriate to say such a thing.

Wendy looked at Irene and noticed that she wasn’t smiling or giving any reaction “Isn’t this news exciting?” Wendy asked nervously.

Irene stared into Jennie’s eyes, but the younger girl avoided her cousin’s stared and her grip on Lisa’s hand tightened. Jennie was scared, she is scared because Irene knew about her mother who disapprove of same relationship. Lisa noticed her girlfriend getting nervous, so she tried to calm her down by rubbing her thumb on the back of Jennie’s hand.

“I am happy for both of you…” Irene finally spoke out, but her eyes were telling Jennie to meet her once she gets the chance to.

“Well, let’s get you two something to eat to celebrate your relationship! Wow 2 couples in a day?” Wendy sighed in disbelief and she walked back to the drink counter. Irene excused herself and followed Wendy.

Mina and Momo scooted over to give space for Jennie and Lisa. Jennie seated opposite Mina and Lisa opposite Momo. Lisa asked if Jennie is okay, Jennie just nodded trying to avoid all the question regarding the drama earlier with Irene.

“Thank you, do we know you two? Feels like I’ve seen you somewhere before?” Lisa asked the two.

“Yeah…if you remember the dancing academic?” Momo replied with a glare.

Lisa squinted her eyes and tried her best to remember Momo and she gasped when she remembered who Momo is “YOU!!!” Lisa pointed at Momo.

“Yes me!” Momo stood up and she smacked on the table.

That surprised Mina and Jennie. Jennie was scared when she saw Lisa was glaring so hard at Momo, while Mina trying to pull Momo down.

“I can’t believe it!” Lisa shouted.

“Me neither!” Momo fired back.

Jennie and Mina braces themselves when they saw both girls raised their hands. They wanted to stop them but they were too scare.

“BRO!!” both of them shouted and did a high five.

Jennie and Mina eyes were wide open and they were astonished when they thought the two girls were going to fight, but no, they greeted each other like they’ve known each other since forever.

“What’s up M to the O to the M to the O!!” Lisa high five Momo and they bumped their shoulder together.

“Lalisa Manoban! Where the hell did you gone to after high school?!”

“I got into YG University! You?!”

“JYP University man!”

“Cool!!” they both squealed.

Jennie and Mina looked at each other confusingly.

“What did just happen?” Mina asked Jennie, and Jennie shrugged.

“Oh sorry babe! Momo was my best friend back in high school! Then after graduation we kinda lost contact because I lost my phone and she moved back to Japan…” Lisa explained to the confused and frowning Jennie.

“Yeah Minari, Lisa is the best friend that I always tell you about!”

“What a small world it is!” Mina clapped her hand happily at the best friend reunion.

****

Irene tasted the soup that she made, she smacked her lips together and when she is satisfied with the taste, she scooped it and serve it in a bowl. She handed one to Henry, Henry thanked her and chow down on his soup. Irene then took the other bowl to Wendy.

“Thanks.” Wendy thanked the older girl.

“I’ll serve the drink to Jennie and Lisa, you eat your soup, don’t let your stomach to starve, you’ll get gastric.”

“Thanks! Oh God I am so hungry…” Wendy sighed in relief as she finally able to get a little rest.

Irene approached the noisy table and she served the drink to Jennie and Lisa. She kept quiet and the 4 girls were afraid of her so they kept silent too. Lisa was dissatisfied with the way Irene served them, she wanted to scold Irene but Jennie stopped her.

“But babe…” Lisa whined.

“No Lisa…I’ll explain to you when the time is right…” Jennie whispered and begged with both of her hands clasped together. Lisa just nodded.

Jennie then turned to Irene and nodded at her cousin. Irene nodded and she walked back to the counter.

Wendy saw that Irene was a little hostile toward Jennie and she couldn’t help herself but to ask Irene “What was that Irene? You were hostile against Jennie…did something happened at her boutique yesterday?”

“Nothing…” Irene lied.

Wendy was getting frustrated at Irene being mysterious and secretive but she didn’t want to dig in too deep into Irene’s personal matters so she just keeps quiet and enjoy her soup. When the café bells ring, Irene immediately nudged Wendy and Wendy looked up and she saw a crying Yeji, accompanied by three of her friends. Wendy immediately put down her soup and she rushed to Yeji.

“Yeji-ah, what happened?!”

“She left the country unnie…” Yeji sobbed.

“Who left?”

“Her girlfriend.” a pink hair girl replied.

“Ah…” Wendy understand the situation, she leads the girl to a vacant table and asked them to sit there while she went to make them drinks.

“Situation?” Irene asked.

“Red code?” Wendy replied as if Irene will understand what she meant by red code.

“I see…I’ll go talk to them…” Irene offered and Wendy nodded, giving Irene the permission that she didn’t seek for.

Irene approached the table of the high school girls “You okay Yeji?” she asked.

Yeji wiped her tears and she cried again when her eyes met with Irene. “Wow I’m not that scary am I…” Irene asked herself.

“Lia unnie left Yeji unnie.”

“Yah Yuna ah! Lia unnie didn’t left Yeji unnie, she was forced to go study abroad!”

“Heh…she still left.” The pink on scoffed.

“I’m sorry…but may I know you girls are?”

“Oh! I’m Chaeryoung, this is Yuna and that pink hair is Ryujin.” The chestnut hair girl introduced.

“Yeji-ah…” Irene softly call for Yeji attention.

Yeji sobbed but she is looking at Irene. Irene smiled softly. She pulled a chair and sit beside the girl. “You love this Lia?”

“I love her so much unnie…” Yeji cried again.

“Then…work here.”

“What? She just got dumped by her girlfriend and you wanted to work with you?!” Ryujin asked, she disbelief at Irene who was being insensitive.

“Listen here lil girl, your friend over here begged us to let her work her because she wanted to marry that Lia girl. What I am suggesting now is to work here, save as much money as you can and then fly to meet her and bring her back here.” Irene explained.

“Oh wow…’ Chaeryoung and Yuna was amused by Irene, Ryujin can be a stubborn sometimes and it was the first time someone ever counter Ryujin’s remarks. Ryujin was speechless and she looked down when Irene glared at her.

“So what say you Yeji? Do you want Lia back?”

Yeji nodded profusely and finally a smile appear on her face.

“Now that’s a good girl.” Irene complimented the younger girl.

Wendy came with the girls’ drinks and she was surprised to see that Yeji is smiling even though she still has tears in her eyes. Wendy looked at Irene and uses her expression to asked what she had done, Irene winked at Wendy and clicked her tongue, giving her an okay signal.

“If Yeji going to work here, we are going too…” Ryujin voiced out.

“Who said Yeji is going to work here?” Wendy asked confusedly.

“Irene-unnie said I can work here…” Yeji replied.

“Irene…” Wendy glare at Irene, and Irene looked away pretending that she didn’t hear Wendy called her.

Wendy sighed when the 4 high school girls looked at her with their puppy eyes “Fine…all of you can work as part timer here, but promise me you will study hard for your exam! I don’t want to hold accountability if your result is bad!”

“Yes mom~” Irene teased Wendy.

“Aish…it was all your fault!”

“Kill two birds with one stone Wendy ah~” Irene teased again.

The high school girls laughed at Wendy, though it was embarrassing but Wendy is happy to see that Irene able to make Yeji smiles again. Even though she thought Irene going to make the situation worsen but she didn’t. They were laughing and chit chatting happily when someone approached them.

“Irene Bae Joohyun…”

Irene turned and she turned pale when she saw that person. That person was a middle age man, he was surrounded by many escorts all wearing black,

“…Father…”

“Father?” Wendy and the 4 high schoolers exchange gazes and then they look at the man and 5 of them gasped. Form the other table a girl can be heard gasping.

“Uncle!” the girl shouted.

“Good to see you here Jennie…”

“Your highness, we have secure the premise…”

“Your highness?!!” everyone in the café were surprised.

To be continue…