Seulgi did not spare Wendy the embarrassment.

The morning after was total chaos. She came to Seulgi’s house that night out of impulse, completely forgetting that she had work the next day. It wasn’t until they were about to sleep that she remembers this little information, setting several alarms so she can responsibly prepare the next morning for the working day.

Her work started fairly late, so getting a decent night’s rest shouldn’t have been a problem, but both her and Seulgi slept through all the alarms – blame Seulgi for having them slept so late.

Actually, that’s not fair. It wasn’t entirely Seulgi’s fault. Wendy meant it when she told Seulgi that she wanted to catch up on some shows on Netflix. Seulgi, being the soft-hearted being she is, felt guilty and told Wendy they can watch it together as a compromise. Wendy, of course didn’t mind delaying her shows for one more day, rather spending the rest of the day with Seulgi talking about everything and nothing. But she guesses it wouldn’t hurt to do that while catching up with her favourite shows. And so, a few episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and a whole plate of madeleine cookies later, the clock read 3:46am.

Wendy woke up extremely late, only an hour before her shift starts. She didn’t have time go home and get clothed in her own wardrobe, which led to her being dressed by Seulgi.

Seulgi’s style was more eccentric compared to hers. Seulgi liked bright colours, cute, animated prints and an eclectic array of styles, whereas Wendy prefers a muted and comfortable style, opting for oversized hoodies and shirts – and maybe the occasional crop top if the occasion calls for it.

Seulgi also owned normal outfit choices that would align more with what Wendy would want to wear, but Seulgi wouldn’t be Seulgi if she didn’t at least try to push Wendy out of her comfort zone. And that’s exactly how Wendy ended up dressed in a pastel blue shirt with a cartoon print of lips at the centre, tucked into pastel pink skinny jeans.

Wendy has seen both articles of clothing worn by Seulgi before. She paid it no mind then as it looked perfectly normal on her, but for some reason, as she looked at her own reflection against a mirror, she can’t help but grimace. She looked like an overgrown child, but Seulgi says otherwise, calling her ‘cute’ and ‘fluffy’ with her signature eye smile.

Looking at Seulgi being so elated and proud of herself by merely dressing her like a walking rainbow, she can’t help but give in, knowing that such a simple act could make her friend so happy.

Just before Wendy walks out the door, with her pride barely intact, replaced with shyness and embarrassment, she was stopped by a gleaming voice.

“Wannie wait!”

“Don’t forget your frog hat!”

Upon hearing Seulgi’s delighted voice, Wendy stopped dead on her tracks.

Like a proud mother, Seulgi approaches Wendy and firmly placed the bright green hat on her head, placing a few light pats on it after, hoping to dissuade the pout that was forming on Wendy’s face.

Seulgi waves Wendy goodbye, giving her the widest grin and the most enthusiastic thumbs up.

Wendy simply rolled her eyes. She let out a defeated sigh, wishing for the ground to swallow her whole.

Can someone please kill me already?

–

Wow.

Was the first word uttered as she stepped foot inside Velvet Café. Wendy had almost forgotten today’s outfit, thanks to the empty bus she rode on her way to work. Not a single gaze landed on her until she entered the café. Her vibrant little ensemble was a contrast to her workplace. If she were to describe the place, her word of choice would be pristine. From its white walls and shelves to its matching cream-coloured appliances, the café almost looked drab, the only splash of colour coming from several indoor plants. Wendy stuck out like a sore thumb against the muted colour palette.

She audibly groaned seeing Taeyeon’s amused reaction. She was so incredibly embarrassed and would rather not go through another round of teasing.

“Let me guess, Seulgi’s clothes?”

“Why do you have to guess if you already know the answer?” Wendy bites back with another question of her own.

Despite Wendy’s irate tone, Taeyeon was completely unbothered, savouring the rare occasion of Wendy being decked out in rainbow and cuteness. Just when Wendy was about to turn away to put on her apron, Taeyeon adds, “I like the hat too!”

Wendy groans, removing the hat and trying to shield her clothes with her arms.

–

Taeyeon left after a couple rounds of teasing, leaving Wendy and Joohyun to fend off a wave of caffeine-deprived customers. They go through rounds of cleaning, organising, and stocking up until they find themselves at the end of both their shifts, waiting under the same bus stop.

Filling in the silence of the night, both girls talk about everything and nothing at the same time. Wendy finds that talking to Joohyun is actually quite comfortable. She usually finds conversing with other people to be quite daunting, especially people as exuberant as Joohyun. Joohyun often led the conversation asking questions, but making sure to not probe unnecessarily when she sees Wendy stiffening at more difficult topics. Wendy appreciated this. Without Joohyun showing some interest in her life, she doubts she would’ve opened up as much as she had to Joohyun. Talking to Joohyun felt safe.

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