A/N: i am....so sorry. i know its been a long time (more than two weeks, oops!) since my last update so...again, i am very sorry. i was on a little vacation but now im back! i could have updated during that time but im hoping that a break will jog my creativity and will to update. i hope you like this chapter and as always, let me know what you think! comments are my fuel to keep on updating. now...lets get on with it!

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The one problem with work was that she couldn't see Vivi. 

There was no way Haseul was going to get up way before her shift just to go to the beach (and why would she ever let Vivi see her 'i just woke up' face?). And Vivi was normally gone by the time Haseul finished her shift. Yes...Haseul had checked once or twice. 

Maybe it was for the best, Haseul thought. Seeing the gorgeous lifeguard every day would probably just make her crush bigger, make her more invested than she already was. It probably wouldn't be healthy. This whole thing was unhealthy enough as it was. 

But, Haseul just could not help but miss her. Working at that old fashioned cash register, bringing food out to customers, sweeping the place, eating her employee meals and chatting with Heejin and Hyunjin, nothing could stop Vivi's face from popping into her thoughts ever so often. Haseul did acknowledge that it was probably a little too much. That even on the off chance that Vivi liked her back, it wasn't quite like this. But it was a true distraction, the best kind of distraction possible, that could only really be cured by Vivi's presence.  

So, she had to conclude that the problem with work was no Vivi. 

Until, it wasn't a problem anymore. 

The door to Allison's 24 Hour jingled in the mid afternoon, when the place was dying but not quite dead yet. Haseul looked up from her sweeping, ready to welcome this new customer in with her overly cheerful service voice, when she froze. 

It was Vivi. 

Vivi clearly seemed surprised to see her there as well, as she was frozen still in the restaurant's doorway. 

Haseul just stared. It was a beautiful day out, the bright and fading sun bathing Vivi in light from the entrance. The light sparkled through her freshly dyed, orange sherbert hair and Haseul was completely ed. 

It was kinda strange, Haseul thought, seeing Vivi like this. It was the first time they weren't at the beach and while Haseul was used to and practically mad over lifeguard Vivi, with her high ponytail and bright red swimsuit, around the town Vivi was gorgeous too. Her hair was down, falling softly over her shoulders, and Haseul was amazed that anyone could look so good in just a t-shirt and sneakers and an a-line skirt.

Haseul knew it had been mere seconds, but it seemed like hours before either spoke. 

"Hey!" 

"H-Hi," Haseul stuttered, her awkwardness permeating throughout the restaurant. Haseul could hear quiet yet obnoxious giggling coming from a corner of the restaurant and she held back a deep, deep sigh for fear of Vivi thinking it was directed at her. But, of course, Heejin and Hyunjin had to notice whatever...this was. And of course Yeojin had to mention that Haseul 'simped for a lifeguard' (her words, not Haseul's, despite how true they were), and Haseul just knew Heejin and Hyunjin knew Vivi and knew she was a lifeguard and therefore knew that Vivi was the object of Haseul's affections. 

Therefore, the teasing would start today and it would never, ever stop. 

"I didn't know you worked here..." 

Oh. Yeah. Vivi. Vivi was here -

Haseul chuckled. "Yup. This is my job." 

"I can see that." 

The girls fell silent and Haseul absolutely scrambled for words until she finally managed to be a functioning person for one single second. 

"You came here for food, right?" 

Vivi giggled. "I mean...why else would I come?" 

"Then let me ring you up." 

VIvi was still and silent for a moment before giving Haseul that brilliant smile of hers. "That's...probably a good idea." 

Haseul heard Hyunjin snort and gave the girls the most subtle, secretive glare she could manage. It only made this whole thing feel more weird but still...Vivi was here. She was glad. 

Haseul bounded back behind the counter and gave Vivi a grin, as big as her customer service smile but so real. Vivi looked her over for a moment before returning with a smile, clearly returning it. 

"What can I getcha?" 

Vivi hummed. "How about...two orders of chicken tenders?" 

"Ah, a good choice," Haseul said as she punched the price into the cash register. "Anything else?" 

"Should I get a strawberry milkshake?" 

"Of course!" 

"Are you sure?"

"Come on, Vivi. Treat yourself." 

Vivi smiled. "Alright. Add in a strawberry milkshake for me." 

Haseul rang her up completely and gave her crush her receipt, running to the back to give Vivi's order to Allison to make. 

"What's with that big smile?" Allison asked with a sly grin. 

"N-Nothing," Haseul answered. 

Allison just gave Haseul a knowing look and took Vivi's order from her fingers. As soon as she could, Haseul went back to the main seating area. Vivi was already waiting at an empty seat. Haseul peeked at Heejin and Hyunjin whispering in the corner of the restaurant, looking back and forth between Vivi and each other. Haseul ignored them, glancing over the restaurant to make sure nobody needed help, before going over to where Vivi sat. 

"Can I sit with you?" 

Vivi gave Haseul a look. "You don't have to ask." 

Haseul took a seat next to Vivi, both girls looking between the shiny tables and the kinda dirty floor. 

"It's crazy that you work here. This place is an institution," Vivi said quietly. 

"I really liked it here. Everyone's so nice." 

"Going to Our Beach...working at Allison's 24 Hour...you're really getting the Egret Cove local experience." 

"Oh I'm glad. Egret Cove is a sweet place. With sweet people," Haseul said, giving Vivi the slightest of glances. 

"These days I'd..." Vivi now gave Haseul more than a glance, a real solid look. "I'd have to agree." 

And Haseul flushed. 

"Sticking around?" Haseul asked, as soon as she could muster the courage, with probably a little too much excitement than was necessary. 

But by the way Vivi deflated, for a moment her huge emotions seemed merited. 

"No," Vivi answered with one of her pretty soft sighs. "I promised my mom I'd bring the food back right away for us to eat." 

Haseul deflated too. 

"Well...alright." 

Just then Allison came out of the back, paper baggie in hand. 

"Here you go sweetie," Allison said to Vivi, giving her one of those motherly grins she was so good at. "My goodness you've gotten pretty." 

Haseul had to agree, but Vivi blushed fiercely. "Thank you, Allison." 

"Wait, how did you know she was doing take out?" 

"She almost always does," Allison answered. "I heard her voice from the back. But Haseul..." 

Haseul sighed. She always had a hard time remembering to ask if they were eating it there or taking out.

"Sorry!" Haseul whined, and one smile from Allison told her it was more than forgiven. 

Vivi got up and frowned, looking down at Haseul. "I guess I gotta go now." 

"A-alright..." 

"But I'll visit sometimes." 

Haseul perked up a ridiculous amount. "Really?" 

Vivi gave her a dazzling smile. "Really." 

The two girls did that thing where they just looked at each other for a while, not speaking, just staring, almost in a daze. Finally, Haseul shook herself out of it (when she heard Heejin and Hyunjin snorting from the corner, again). 

"Well...I'll see you around!" 

"See ya," Vivi answered with a giggle, and left the restaurant. 

As soon as the door shut, Heejin and Hyunjin pounced. 

The couple quickly slid into the seats at the table where Vivi just sat, across from Haseul. The soon to be senior sighed. She knew this was coming, but she couldn't exactly say she was ready. 

"How do you know Vivi?" Hyunjin asked in a sly voice. 

"How do you know her?" Haseul answered. 

"We go to school together," Heejin explained. "She's two years older than us so we're not super close. But we're acquaintances, and everyone knows she's super cool." 

Haseul, being the exact opposite of cool, winced. 

"Now, explain," Hyunjin firmly spoke.

"Me and my sister go to Our Beach a lot and she's the lifeguard there. She said it was weird to see new people in town and introduced herself to me, and since then we've been...friends." 

Yeah, Haseul felt like she could describe Vivi as a friend, at this point. It was far from her ideal relationship with Vivi, but it's more than she could ever ask for, than she ever could have imagined. 

"Vivi? Shy as hell Vivi, introduced herself to you? I wasn't sure, but now I do know she's as whipped for you as you are for her," Hyunjin teased. 

Haseul chuckled awkwardly. "What are you talking about?"

Heejin and Hyunjin gave her the most 'duh' look possible. 

"You're not exactly subtle, my dude," Hyunjin said. 

"Although neither is she," Heejin added. 

"Wait...was Vivi who Yeojin was talking about the other day?" 

"Hyunjin!" Haseul whined; she could only take so much of this. 

"Sorry, sorry," Heejin mumbled. "But you do like her, right?" 

Haseul sighed. She didn't think she could get away with lying: either the couple would immediately uncover her as a fool, or she'd get exposed later on, and her tentative friendship with the girls would be ruined. 

"Fine. Yeah, I do." 

"Knew it," Hyunjin mumbled, and Heejin gave her a withering look. 

"But it's not as easy as that," Haseul continued, ignoring her friend. "First of all, I literally have no idea whether or not she likes girls. Like...I have no clue." 

"Well that's easily fixed. Just ask if she listens to girl in red," Hyunjin interjected. 

"And do it sooner rather than later. If she turns out to be straight-" 

"AKA if she doesn't at least know who girl in red is," Hyunjin interrupted. 

"So if she turns out to be straight," Heejin continued. "Just leave her be." 

"Stay far away," Hyunjin finished. 

"Stay away? Even if she is straight I'd still wanna be friends," Haseul spoke. 

Heejin and Hyunjin shared a look. "Damn. You really do like her," Hyunjin mumbled. 

"And here's the other problem. Say she does like girls: what then? Just because we could like each other doesn't mean she would. And I do think the chances of her liking me back are pretty low." 

"I dunno about that, she was looking at you in a certain way when she grabbed her food just now..." Heejin spoke lowly. 

"And she introduced herself to you! That's pretty surprising for her. She must've been struck by your beauty and been unable to resist." 

"Don't tease me, Hyunjin." 

"I'm only kind of teasing. I swear. I know your situation with her is far from hopeless." 

"How do you guys even know what she looks like when she likes someone? You both did say she's only your acquaintance." 

Heejin and Hyunjin shared another look. "With the way she was looking at you, it would be obvious on anyone," Heejin explained. 

Haseul sighed. "Guys..." 

"We're not saying that you should leap onto the tables and scream that you're in love with her next time she comes into the restaurant," Heejin started. 

"Actually, I think Yeojin would say that's a good idea," Haseul interjected. 

Heejin and Hyunjin laughed before Heejin continued. "But you should at least find out of she likes girls or not. If you know she could be interested you, then pursuing her won't be as scary." 

"Who ever said anything about pursuing her?" 

Heejin and Hyunjin sighed, and Hyunjin put her face in her hands. "This is going to be a disaster; I can see it already."

"You're not gonna pursue her," Heejin continued from Hyunjin. "And if I know Vivi, I know she probably won't pursue back." 

"And then the whole summer you two will just be pining after each other with nothing to show for it and then you'll be sad and angsty and she'll be sad and angsty and- ugh, it'll just be a disaster," Hyunjin finished. 

Well...Haseul could kinda see that. At least on her end. But as for Vivi, she just couldn't be sure. To her, it seemed like friendship was all Vivi wanted. And there was no way in hell Haseul was going to risk that friendship for some stupid feelings on her part. 

"That's it," Hyunjin spoke up after a second. "I guess we'll have to get involved." 

"Wait, what?" Haseul cried. 

"You're right babe," Heejin answered. "We'll team up with Yeojin and help them get together." 

"TEAM UP WITH YEOJIN?" 

"Brilliant. It's settled," Hyunjin spoke. 

"Must it be?" Haseul whined. 

"You just have to figure out if she likes girls or not," Heejin said. 

There was a lot Haseul didn't think she was capable of, especially concerning Vivi. But that...maybe that she could do.

"Alright, fine. I'll figure out if she likes girls, okay? But that's it. And I don't want to find you two scheming away." 

"It's a deal," Hyunjin answered. 

"Girls!" A voice cried from across the room. Pulled out of their conversation the girls all looked to the source of the noise: Allison, standing in front of the kitchen. And at the counter was a very angry looking gentleman. 

"I've been waiting ten minutes," he grumbled. 

"We are so, so sorry!" Haseul cried as the girls all got up and raced to help him out. 

"He could've said something," Hyunjin whispered to them, and Haseul giggled. Maybe the girls really did have her best interests at heart.