Four cousins made of two sets of sisters, Serena and Melanie, and Kierra and Linna, with their mothers being twins sisters and their fathers were childhood friends, were currently on winter break from the university and at the moment they were working at a cafe, Simplistic, instead of having fun like a majority of their peers. While living in Seoul, they went by their Korean names out of convenience. Park Minseo and Park Youngseo and Jung Hayoun and Jung Jiyeon, respectively, but amongst just the four of them they would use their English names, having been born in the States.

"So there's an order of seaweed rice ball, a loaded mochi waffle, a lemon cloud ade, and a cherry blossom ice cream." Melanie read back the order before annoucing the overall total.

"That'll be a total of thirteen thousand and five hundred won."

Melanie ran the register while Kierra, Linna, and Serena made the orders as two others, Moon Chanran and Lee Eunchan, ran out the orders and cleaned the area. As for their uniforms, it consisted of an ash gray visor with the shop's logo, a beige sweater also with the shop's logo, black pants, black sneakers, and an ash gray striped apron with the shop's logo, too. Simplistic sold a variety of items from bottled waters, canned milkis, fruit slushies, fruit slushies with cotton candy, ice cream, ice bars, rice balls, corn cheese, tteokbokki, bagels, and mochi waffles. And if you came in during the last half an hour before closing, all items were half off, so the shop could start afresh the next day.

"Less than fifteen minutes left and I can actually snack to my heart's content." Serena muttered to herself, but the others clearly heard her.

"I know right." Kierra agreed with a sheepish laugh.

"I mean, it's easy to take a drink and then work, but snacking is a bit harder."

"True that." The others chimed in with a laugh.

"Go ahead and eat a rice ball and mochi waffle or whatever you want." Eunchan said with a smile as Chanran nodded in agreement.

"Yes, go ahead."

"Y'all deserved it for working hard all night tonight."

The cousins happily cheered at being given the small treat.

"Thank you!" They thanked the pair as they each made their own rice ball and mochi waffle.

"Welcome."

The duo laughed at their behavior before walking to the back of the store to double check products and others things for tomorrow. The group had finished making their own rice balls and taken a satisfied bite out of it when two couples entered the establishment. Kierra took over the register as she was the closes.

"Hi. What can we make fresh for you tonight?"

She plastered on a fake smile whle speaking again.

"We only have the banana ice bars at the moment. We also ran out of the cherry blossom ice cream. Everything else we still have though."

"I wanted the strawberry ice bars. Can you make more?" One of the women asked as the other chimed in a second later.

'Yeah, I want the cherry blossom ice cream, too. Do you think you can make more right now?"

Kierra shook her head.

"No, sorry. It takes time to make and then it has to set. We close in less than fiften minutes and it won't be ready by then."

"Let's get something else."The two males suggested, but both females were adamant about eating what they wanted to eat.

Kierra didn't want to deal with this after listening to the two rant for about a minute, and would inform her aunt and the others if they asked if there was a bad review.

"Look, either order what we have or don't. Doesn't matter to me. If you're not gonna order, then please leave and look for other things elsewhere that can serve you."

"Hey, don't talk to them like that." One of the men countered as the other agreed.

"Yeah. Your shop is advertising these items and so we have the right to ask about them."

Kierra casually pointed to a handwritten signed that clearly stated if said products were out near closing time that they would not be serving more if asked about it.

"You guys just wrote that without us seeing you do it." The first women remarked as Kierra sighed.

"Oh yeah, sure."

She again casually pointed at the security cameras set around the stores.

"We can go through the footage if you insist on thinking so."

Kierra knew the other three were also giving the quartet a look to try them.

"Well... you lost our services. Let's go." The second wowan said in a huff as she pulled her boyfriend along with her.

The other couple followed suit and the cousins cheered, but that ended quickly as it started when a group of seven young men entered soon after.

"Oh, it's Ni-Ki and friends." Serena commented with a chuckle upon recognizing one of them right away.

Linna and Melanie eyed her.

"You do know that one of them is Woojoo's little brother."

"And the other is Sujin's little brother."

"I do, but it's easier to say Ni-Ki and friends because I noticed him more than the others."

Serena shrugged with a small smile as Kierra chuckled with a nod.

"Very true."

Anyhow, Serena and Kierra glanced at the group of seven males as they stared at the menu sign while Melanie and LInna made their way elsewhere out of sight. Serena took noticed and leaned closer to Kierra to ask her about it.

"Where did those two go?"

"You're so clueless despite making fun of them and using their situations as inspiration for your story plots." Kierra commented as it finally dawned on Serena.

"Ah, right. The ones that they have some type of situationship with."

"Yes. You do realized that we go to school with them, right?"

"I do, but then again, like our circle never really cross paths."

"C'mon, don't act like you don't know of them."

"It's easier that way since I don't really hangout with them."

"Girl, you were even in the same class with one of them for all three years of high school."

"Yeah, true, but I do recall that you had a certain type of relationship with someone though."

"I do not."

"Right. To which you were also in the same class for all three years of high school, too. Lemme see. What was his name again? I think it was Park J-"

"Yeah, nevermind. Don't remember him or them. Let's get to working."

"That's what I thought."

The two nudged one another playfully while awaiting for what the seven wanted to order. Anyway, Linna had a crush on the one named Park Sunghoon. Melanie was friends and tutored by another named Sim Jaeyun, who also went by Jake. Kierra has a weird relationship of sorts with a third named Park Jongseong, who also went  by Jay. As for Serena, well she had had classes in the past with the fourth named Lee Heeseung, but her path never really crossed with his to interact much out of school. The other three were Kim Sunoo, Yang Jungwon, and Nishimura Riki with the latter going by Ni-Ki where they all attend the same university, Hyebi University.

"Now it's your turn."

Kierra nudged Serena to work the cash register. Serena shot her cousin an annoy look before facing the young men with a polite smile.

"What can we make fresh for you tonight?"

Ni-Ki leaned closer with a lovable smile.

"You think you could add in a bit of service for us, Minseo?"

"Not for you."

The others busted out laughing at the unexpected interaction while Ni-Ki rolled his eyes in good-nature as Serena smiled.

"Is Youngseo and Jiyeon around?" Jungwon inquired, curiously.

"Yeah, they're in the back. Do you want to talk to them instead?"

"Nah, I'll talk to them later, but I can talk to you, too."

"No."

"Wow."

Jungwon scoffed, eyeing Serena as she chuckled before turning her gaze over to Sunoo.

"Do you have any mint choco related items?" Sunoo asked, looking around the menu and the display.

"I don't see any listed."

"Why, yes, we do, Mint Choco Lover." Serena cooed playfully with Sunoo chuckling.

"Yeah, yeah. So, what do you got?"

"We have a mint syrup we can use to make some stuff like putting it on the mochi waffles and ice cream. We could try blending some as a shake if you like."

"Oh, perfect. Yeah, I'll think about it."

Sunoo flashed her smile as Serena did the same thing while inputting more than the half-off discount before glancing at the others as it was getting near closing time.

"Alright, so what would you like to get started with?"

Some spoke at the same time while the others glanced at one another wondering what the other was gonna order. Serena heard a few items, but did not input any of it into the register, wondering if this was gonna end well.

"Yeah, we'll take one of everything."

She glanced over at Jay who had spoken with Kierra shooting him a disbelief look.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, Hayoun, seriously."

Jay shot her a wide smile as Kierra scowled, but still spoke in a polite tone.

"Let me double check on the ice bars."

"Okay."

The smile remained on Jay's face as Kierra's scowl shifted to a netural expression while she crouched down to double check on the ice bars. Serena hadn't noticed as she continued inputting one of every menu item into the system after hearing each of them order.

"Um, anything else while she checks that?"

They once again spoke over one another before they got their order in control. Serena inputted all the other additional orders into the system while preparing all the bottled and can drinks as they continued to order. Serena re-confirmed the group's order as it got bigger once all seven mentioned in detail what they wanted for sure.

"Alright, your total will be ninety-eight thousand and seven hundred and seventy won."

"Wow. Really?"

"Mmhmm."

They were surprised of the total, expecting it to cost more. Serena refrained from chuckling at their reaction before hearing one of them speak. Suddenly four cards were offered to Serena by the oldest four although she wasn't sure which one to take. Each one insisted that he would be paying for all of them with neither of them backing down. Serena did the only thing she knew that would settled it faster

"Hey, Hayoun."

"Hmm?" Kierra hummed while grabbing all the ice bars after getting the rest of the bottled and can drinks.

"Left or right?"

"Left."

"One through four."

"three."

"Me or them?"

"You."

"Thanks."

"Mmhmm."

The seven were confused about what had just happened, but realized what it was for as Serena tapped the card of the third person, counting from the left side of her which was Heeseung. Serena gave him a polite smile after indicating for him to swipe.

"Your order should be out with you shortly and your number is five. Please have a seat anywhere you like."

"Thank you." The group thanked her as Heeseung shot her a smile while he took the number tent.

"Thanks."

"Welcome."

"Hi. Sorry, but could we push like two of the tables together?" Jake asked a second later.

"Yes, you can." Serena replied.

Jake smiled as he and the others pushed two small tables to make an even bigger one together while thanking them.

"Thanks."

"Welcome."

Ni-Ki lingered at the counter as he pointed behind Serena.

"Can I have one of those first?"

She glanced over her shoulder to see the jars of lollipops she and the others had brought for themselves before focusing back on him.

"No."

"Not even one?"

"Nope. They're mine."

"There's like a lot."

Ni-Ki pouted as Serena shook her head still.

"And your point is?"

"You're mean."

"I know."

"Please?"

"Not uh."

"Fine."

Ni-Ki made a face before changing topics.

"Anyway, what are y'all doing on Christmas day?"

"Working."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"All day?"

"No. Just the day time."

Serena eyed him.

"Why are you asking?"

"Just asking."

"I ain't gonna give you no lollipops."

"C'mon. There's like so many."

"Yeah, I know."

"You're mean."

"I know."

Ni-Ki made a face, but relented.

"Fine."

Serena flashed him a smile as he walked away, sulking.

"Alright, so it's just me and you as our sisters preferred to keep their distance at the moment." Kierra informed Serena as the latter's brows furrowed.

"Wait, why do they wanna do that?"

"You know why, but anyway, we'll just take it out per set to make it easier."

"Okay, cool."

Serena lifted the tray of canned and bottled drinks with two hands before remembering something. She set the tray back down before grabbing a handful of lollipops and placing them onto the tray with a knowing smile. The rest of the night went fine despite Melanie and Linna staying out of sight until the group had left, not wanting to interact as they preferred to do it on school grounds instead of outside of it despite their sisters teasing them afterwards.

Come Christmas evening a couple of days later, Kierra and Serena eventually found themselves at Lotte World alongside their sisters, two friends, and others they attended school with and were more or less friends with. Ni-Ki and friends were present and were casually conversing with their other mutual friends, too. Still, Serena and Kierra were a bit apprehensive as they preferred a smaller outing due to not socializing as much as their sisters. Then again, Melanie and Linna weren't looking forward to the nightly outing either upon seeing Jake and Sunghoon, respectively, within the crowd.

"Let's turn back." Kierra suggested, whispering for only the three to hear.

"They did not say that he would be here and so I don't want to be here."

By 'he', Kierra meant Jay.

"I'm with Kierra on this though. I thought it would just be a girls' night out and not a class friend trip." Linna agreed with a slight nervous tone.

"I didn't think he would be joining us, too."

For Linna, 'he' was Sunghoon. Despite how she found him cute and all, that didn't mean she wanted to be around him like this. She was okay at keeping her distance.

"Maybe it won't be that bad." Melanie reasoned with a calm demeanor as Serena shot her a weird look.

"Didn't you like run away last time from Jake when the others came to Simplistic?"

"I didn't run away from Jake. The dishes needed to get cleared up."

"Right."

"Anyway," Kierra interjected, "Melanie actually gets along with Jake though."

Linna nodded.

"Yeah. They're a lot closer compare to me and Kierra."

Melanie rolled her eyes.

"He's just a classmate and my math tutor."

"Again, why did you run away when he came in that night with the others?" Serena inquired with a quirk brow, not dropping the matter.

Melanie nonchalantly gave her sister a vague answer.

"Because I can."

"Right."

Melanie dimissed the issue.

"Besides, I mean, if you actually think about it, we all don't have to do the same thing as them since there's so many of us and it's not like they would notice."

"Yeah, that's true." Serena agreed with a nod.

"Like we can hang out in different areas and even do different things, too. I remember Jiheon and Jisun wanted to try out the new headbands they got here."

"Oh yeah, they did. Saerom and Jiwon wanted to take loads of pictures, too."

Melanie cast the others with a knowing look.

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