“Welcome to Sweet Taste!”

Shuhua greets the customer with a wide grin. She has her hands on a cup and pen, ready to write down the name of the person in front of her. The lady has her eyes on the menu board and seems to be having a hard time picking a drink. Truth be told, every name of the item they sell sounds weird courtesy of their manager. Elkie has always been crazy in naming their drinks and their owner lets her say it will boost their cafe's popularity anyway. 

"Would you like to order our newest item on the menu? It's a drink I personally came up with."

The lady shifts her eyes to Shuhua's face. Shuhua is confused because the line is starting to get long and the lady is still not answering yet. She lets out a small cough to get the attention of the customer.

"Y-yeah, I'll get that. I'll have it to go."

Shuhua smiles and is ready to write on the cup. The lady isn't saying anything at all again. Shuhua looks at the lady and she returns back the gaze but no answer. Shuhua tilts her head, patiently waiting for the lady to say her name. A few seconds more and Shuhua takes the initiative to speak up.

"Your name please?"

"S-Soojin."

"Ms. Soojin please wait at the side, I'll get your drink ready."

Soojin doesn't say anything and gives a slight nod instead. Once she's on the side, Shuhua pulls Yuqi who is cleaning the cups earlier towards the cash register. 

"You man this, I'll make that customer's drink." 

Shuhua points at Soojin who is busy with her phone.

"But you don't make drinks? Soyeon does!" Yuqi retaliates.

"I work in a cafe I can at least make the drink I made up!" Shuhua argues back.

Shuhua has her arms on her side and a pout, with a sigh Yuqi finally agrees. She tends to the customer while Shuhua rushes to make coffee. She gathers her ingredients and begins adding it into the cup. She made sure to add 3 tablespoons of caramel before closing the lid.

"Love at First Taste for Ms. Soojin," Shuhua calls out.

Soojin takes the cup from Shuhua's hands, not even bothering to look at Shuhua. She leaves just like that. Shuhua doesn't sulk though and instead she feels like she just touched the hand of an angel.

"Yeh Shuhua come back here," Yuqi scolds her.

"I think I just found the second prettiest girl alive, with me being the first y'know?"

Yuqi rolls her eyes at Shuhua's statement.

"What's her name anyway?" 

"Soojin. Jinjin, my Jinjin."

Shuhua smiles dreamily while saying Soojin's name.

"What drink did you serve her?" 

"Remember the drink I made?"

"That extremely sweet drink you dare call a coffee?" Yuqi asks.

Shuhua pouts.

"It's not that sweet, Yeeun unnie says it tastes alright."

Yuqi laughs out loud at this.

"Yeeun unnie was being kind to you that day! She had to make Soyeon tweak everything from your recipe to balance the flavor before we could add it to the menu!" 

The two start to banter because of what Yuqi said when Soyeon comes out of the pantry with jars of coffee beans in tow. She puts all the things down and furrows her eyebrows when she sees how messy her station turned out to be.

"You two stop fighting and clean this place up instead! You're giving me a headache," Soyeon scolds them.

Being the kind employee she is, Yuqi gets a towel and wipes the counter. Shuhua watches her instead and begins to ramble about the new customer she met again. Yuqi of course doesn't listen and puts on her air pods instead.

The next day, Soojin returns to the cafe. She's wearing a leather jacket to match her black pants, looking chic as hell. Shuhua's heart begins to pound as she takes in the sight in front of her.

"Welcome to Sweet Taste!"

Shuhua's warm welcome takes Soojin's attention away from her phone. She looks up to face Shuhua patiently waiting for her. She puts her phone inside her pocket and looks at the menu. She's just reading it but she already has a drink in mind.

"I'll get the one I had last time."

"Love at First Taste?" Shuhua asks.

The name sounds too much for Soojin's liking and she didn’t want to say it out loud because of that.

"Y-yeah, that."

"Please wait on the side, while I make your drink."

This time, Shuhua didn't have to pull Yuqi to man the cash register since there's not much customers. Soyeon is back at the pantry so Shuhua takes the liberty to gather the things she needs. She prepares the drink with less mess than yesterday's.

"Here's your drink!"

Shuhua smiles as she hands the drink to Soojin. The latter receives it with a smile that melted Shuhua's heart. Shuhua didn't miss the beauty mark on Soojin's face, right below her left eye as it creased when she smiled. She dared to say that she stopped functioning because of Soojin's beauty.

"You look like an angel," Shuhua mutters.

Soojin curtly nods her head before pulling away from Shuhua's touch. She leaves swiftly like she did last time.

Yuqi quietly watched the sweet scene unfold in front of her with an amused smile. Shuhua looks too whipped for their customer. She ain't Shuhua's best friend if she doesn't for this. She trudges towards Shuhua and slings her arm on her shoulder.

"You're like a whipped puppy," Yuqi tells her.

"I'm not!" Shuhua pouts.

"Even Minnie unnie would agree with me on this!" Yuqi argues back.

"I'm not a whipped puppy. I'm a cool lion, chic, if you must," Shuhua denies.

Yuqi of course doesn't take her seriously because Shuhua's puffed up cheeks doesn't look chic at all. 

"Whatever you say kiddo," Yuqi gives up.

For the following days, Soojin returns to the cafe ordering the same drink each time. Shuhua always makes the drink despite Soyeon scolding her afterwards. Yuqi continues to because up until now, Shuhua can only say pick up lines she learned from dramas she’s been watching that Soojin seems to not pay that much attention to.

“Soojin-ssi your smile is sweeter than this coffee!” 

Shuhua grins but like the previous times Soojin doesn’t say anything at all other than her gratitude before finally leaving the cafe. Shuhua sighs since it’s been a week now, she feels like she has to amp up her  game to make Soojin swoon. She taps her chin slowly while thinking about what she could do. Right on cue, Yuqi comes up to her. 

“You should ask for her phone number,” Yuqi says.

“W-what? W-why would I do that!” Shuhua says defensively.

Yuqi gives Shuhua a weird look.

“Dude, you’ve been head over heels for that girl since she first stepped in to this store. Denying won’t get you anywhere,” Yuqi tells her.

“Whatever,” Shuhua scoffs.

“But seriously, ask for her number.”

Yuqi pats Shuhua on the shoulder before doing her assigned task of reassembling the cups. When Yuqi is out of her way, Shuhua pouts and contemplates whether she should actually do her friend’s advice. 

Weekend comes and Soojin is back at the cafe. However, it surprises her when a different person is at the cash register. She approaches the person with heavy steps and hesitation. 

“Welcome to Sweet Taste!”

The person’s raspy voice isn’t as adorable as Shuhua sounds but her face makes up for it. Soojin reads the employee’s name tag which says “Yuqi”. Soojin reads the menu, a few more visits and surely she’ll memorize it soon. 

“What can I get for you?” Yuqi asks.

Soojin looks back at Yuqi.

“That drink I always order?” Soojin says.

“I’m sorry, it’s my first time taking your order so will you please say the name of the item for me?” Yuqi says.

Soojin breathes in, this will be the cheesiest thing she’ll ever say.

“Love at First Taste. I’ll have it to go.”

“Can I have your name please?” 

“Soojin.”

“Can you also please write your phone number down on this paper.”

“Yeah sure,” Soojin mindlessly answered.

Soojin takes the pen and tissue from Yuqi and begins to write her phone number on the paper. She only realized what she was doing when she’s done writing.

“Wait?” Soojin mutters.

Soojin looks up to see a grinning Yuqi.

“It’s for my friend, she has a huge crush on you but won’t do anything about it,” Yuqi finally explains.

Soojin can feel her cheeks warming up and surely with a tint of red. Yuqi’s grin grew wider because of this.

“If you don’t want to give your number it’s fine, anyway please wait at the side while I ask our barista to make your drink,” Yuqi tells her.

Soojin steps aside with the tissue paper in tow. It didn’t take long before Yuqi finally shows up with her drink. 

“Can I ask you something?” Soojin shyly says.

“Shoot,” Yuqi replies.

“Why is the usual person on the cash register not here?”

Soojin takes a small sip from her drink.

“Shuhua usually takes the weekends off to catch up on school,” Yuqi answers her.

Soojin curtly bobs her head, taking in the information.

“The drink tastes different,” Soojin suddenly says.

Yuqi laughs.

“It’s less awful than what Shuhua makes right?” 

Soojin is quite taken aback by Yuqi’s straight-forward answer. However, she doesn’t say anything.

“Soyeon our barista tweaked Shuhua’s original recipe but she’s been serving you the original one. You’re the only one she serves and you don’t seem to complain so Soyeon lets her,” Yuqi answers her.

“Is that so?” Soojin says.

“Yeah.”

“Thanks, I’ll get going now.”

Soojin turns away with her drink. 

“Have a sweet day!” Yuqi greets her off.

Yuqi grins even more when she sees the tissue paper that Soojin left behind. She takes it and puts it in her pocket before going back to the cash register.

Shuhua returns to work on Monday and the first thing she gets is a paper with numbers on it from Yuqi. 

“Is this what I think it is?” Shuhua exclaims.

“Yep, I wanted to help you,” Yuqi proudly tells her.

“I badly need money, thanks for these lotto number entries,” Shuhua says.

Yuqi’s smile fell, she tilted her head. Shuhua stares at Yuqi and repeats the same action. When realization hits Yuqi she sighs heavily.

“! That’s not for lotto!” Yuqi says, frustrated.

“What? Then I don’t need this!” Shuhua frowns.

“That’s Soojin’s number, idiot!” Yuqi manages to say. 

Shuhua’s eyes widened.

“My Jinjin’s number?”

Shuhua stares at the numbers again and begins reading it. A smile forms on her face as she reads. Although she frowns as she wonders how Yuqi got her hands on this valuable piece of information.

“How did you get this?” Shuhua questions her.

“I talked to her duh!”

Shuhua’s eyebrow’s furrowed.

“Why did you talk to her!” Shuhua complains.

“Because I have to? I mean I had to take her order and I last minute asked for her number. You know it’s weird that she didn’t even think twice to give her number. Bro, I can feel that she has a crush on you too!” Yuqi tells her.

As Yuqi says those words the subject of their topic enters the shop. Shuhua pushes Yuqi away and smiles widely.

“Welcome to Sweet… Taste...”

Shuhua’s voice falter at the end when Soojin didn’t come alone this time. She’s with another girl and they seem to be very close. The new girl is clinging onto Soojin’s arm and Soojin is letting her. The only time the girl let go is when Soojin is about to order.

“What can I get for you?” Shuhua’s voice sounds less enthusiastic than usual.

“I’ll have the usual and can you recommend a tea?”

Shuhua racks her brain to remember the items in their tea collection. Her mind’s first thought is their most bitter one.

“I’ll recommend Heartbreak Tears,” Shuhua says.

“W-what?” Soojin utters.

“It’s new on the menu. Iced black tea with cream to at least balance out the bitterness. A drink that sympathizes with you when you get a heart break,” Shuhua explains.

“Is there any less bitter tea?” The new girl asks.

Shuhua gives her a pointed look.

“For you, none,” Shuhua replies.

“What?” 

Yuqi hears Shuhua’s words and decides to step in. 

“Shuhua why don’t you ask Soyeon to prepare Soojin-ssi’s drink while I finish taking their order? I’ll recommend Strawberry Magic…”