“3.. 2.. 1.. GOOO!!”

As the traffic sign went green for the pedestrian, Hyeri dashed forward in such spectacular speed, crossing the street with two small plastic bags in her hands. It only took ten seconds as she arrived at The Vault, hardly pushed open the bookstore door with her right foot.

“OH SHE’S COMING!”

One of the customers shouted at the breathless Hyeri, signaling to the others to give standing applauses to their hero.

“Ah.. Thank you, thank you..” Hyeri bowed at them, feeling so proud with herself. As she finished her hilarious bows, the queue adjusted to its former line.

Chaeyoung dramatically hugged her best friend, and then helped her to sort the contents out. “I’m sorry, Hyeri. We supposed to prepare this earlier..”

“It’s okay. I broke my own record by the way.” Hyeri giggled as she handed Chaeyoung the new stapler she bought just now from a convenience store opposite the bookstore.

Chaeyoung patted on Hyeri’s shoulder, feeling proud as well. “Yeah, four minutes forty nine seconds. Last time was fifty five seconds.”

“I can’t believe a famous bookstore in Seoul doesn’t have any working staplers, for god sake.”

“What is famous? We’re just starting.”

So, The Vault had been running its business since a month ago, as it’s supplying the local and imported books. The bookstore didn’t have much space as the place was not that big, and yet not that small either. With all the high renting and along with slow sales, that’s all both Chaeyoung and Hyeri could afford.

“Aish.. Where should I put this..” Hyeri sighed to herself looking at the piles of books that just arrived this morning.

“Just toss them behind the couch.” Chaeyoung laughed as she busied herself with the new stapler.

“Anyway, Chaeyoung, what time is the new supplier coming today?”

Chaeyoung looked up at the ceiling, pouting her lips as she thinking. “Hmm around 3 PM, he said. Why?”

“I’m planning to switch my afternoon shift with yours. Is that okay?” Hyeri was serving a customer with a receipt number ‘027’ printed on it.

“Listen, you know you can easily ditch the shift whenever you want to..” Chaeyoung shrugged her shoulders. “Don’t bother anything.”

“No no no, I’m just trying to be professional here.” Hyeri whispered to Chaeyoung as she scanned the barcode and wrapped the book inside a plastic bag. “Thank you! Please come again any soon!”

The customer tiptoed her feet as she felt intimidated by the taller Hyeri. “Can you give me a call when the next edition of this book arrived?”

“Oh of course!! Write down your contacts here so we can inform you as soon as possible!” Hyeri gave her a small note and a pen.

“Here.” The customer passed over the memo to Hyeri. “My friend really needs this book. I’m tired of listening to her whining in almost every day.”

“Don’t worry! The Vault is really fast in ordering!!”

“Yeah, because it’s such a silent store.” The customer rolled her eyes.

“WELL, um, thank you miss... Jisoo?” Hyeri reassured herself to spell the impossibly-read-handwriting of Jisoo’s correctly.

“Yep. Thank you very much!” Jisoo excused herself as she walked outside the bookstore.

 

– “She puts her hands on her hips and opens , most likely to ask just where I can shove the book, I guess. I lean back with an amused smile, eagerly anticipating the explosion… that never comes.

She tilts her head to the side, closes , and says, “You know what? Never mind.”

And with that, she walks out the door.

Huh.

Kind of anticlimactic, don’t you think? I thought so too.

Wait for it.” –

 

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN ‘WAIT FOR IT”?? UGHHH SUCH A CLIFFHANGER!!!”

Chaeyoung screamed out of nowhere and that made Hyeri jumped on her feet. “What the.. Can you tell me why are you not helping me here instead??”

She ignored her as she scrolled down her browser, and then hitting the comment box section. “Okayyy what should I say..” Chaeyoung began to type in incredible speed. “Dear authornim, until when I can wait? Ahhh why are you doing this? And you Juyeon, CAN’T YOU BE BOLD?? Aishh.. I love this ff so much I don’t think I can eat dinner in peace. Update soon juseyoo!!”

“Are you okay??”

“Totally not okay,” Chaeyoung threw her phone sadly. “What time is it?”

“8.30 AM.”

“Great. The author must be sleeping by now. It’s almost 10 PM in New York.”

“Heh??” Hyeri had no idea what Chaeyoung was whining about. “Author, author who?”

“The author of Story series. Her last update is pissing me off.” Chaeyoung crawled on the big couch in the back of cashier counter. “I’m so done with my life..”

Hyeri stared at Chaeyoung who was pouting her lips, sulking, with her hair piled up on her head. She looked like a little girl instead of woman in her 20s. “You’re too cute.”

“Hyeri, I’m serious.”

“I’m also serious saying you’re cute.” Hyeri giggled as she glanced over at a calendar hanging on the wall. Her eyes grew wider as she noticed a marked date on today. “AHH!! I forgot about this!!”

“About what?”

Hyeri clapped her hands together. “Let’s go shopping!! There is a clearance sale at Uniqlo, special only on today!!”

“Hmm.. I don’t feel like going out..” Chaeyoung waved a hand saying ‘no’. “And, who will handle this place?”

“That’s why I asked Bambam earlier.” Hyeri grinned. “We have a quite free time until the supplier come this evening!!”

“Free time means I need to reread her other series, or keep clicking the refresh button until I saw the update notification.” Chaeyoung shrugged a little. “And for your information, I’m wearing Yves Saint-Laurent.”

Hyeri crossed her arms. She needed to rescue her miserable friend. “Seriously? Chaeyoung?”

“Yeah. I’m a big fan of her fanfics.”

“Yeahhh I know, but get yourself together, we’re living in this real world..”

“Hmm should I spam on her Twitter too..” Chaeyoung took her phone back and clicked the app.

“PARK CHAEYOUNG PLEASE LISTEN TO ME!!”

“Chill, Hyeri. I know she has her own life too.”

“So that’s why you have to live your own life too!! Oh my girl..” The same time as Hyeri finished her sentence, The Vault’s playlist started play