The store was actually not very far from her house, just a few blocks away. She could ride her bike or just walk if she wanted to with no problem at all which she likes. She also noticed that there's not a lot of students in or around the store and that makes her wonder why because she knows her aunties ice cream is really good and her new school is not that far from here. 

 

“Hi auntie! I'm here to look around”  Lookkaew said as she walked inside the store giving her auntie a smile.

 

“Kaew, my child, how are you? came inside and gave me a hug. I haven't seen you for soooo long” her auntie said while giving her a big hug that felt like she was being crushed like a powder.

 

Her auntie showed her around the shop, introduced her to the staff and some of the regular customers. The shop was neither too big or too small, she thought it was the perfect size. It wasn't too big that they needed 3 people at the counter and it wasn't too small that there wasn't any sitting space. There were just a few tables inside and outside the store for 2 workers to make it work. 

 

“Auntie! Do you have any advice on how to scoop? I can't get the hang of it.” The scooping part was the hardest for Lookkaew. Either she was too weak or she was doing something wrong because how hard could it be to scoop an ice cream. After some time she finally gets the hang of it. She spent her afternoon in the store to observe and learn how to work and went home afterwards. Her aunt said she can start working tomorrow because she has other appointments to do and they need extra staff. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today was Wednesday and her official first day working for her aunt's ice cream shop with her aunt not being in there. She felt more and more nervous as she walked closer towards the shop while having many doubting thoughts. Can she really do this? how can her aunt just trust her without seeing her actually work? Oh no....what if I can't scoop and line piles up.

 

She was about to turn around when a person called her name. 

“Lookkaew! Welcome, come inside! There's no customers yet, so I'm just doing some small tasks and prepping. Ohh right My name is Som, we met “Right, Hi Som, Again My name is Lookkaew and starting today I'm going to work here, pleased to meet you! Lookkaew indeed met her yesterday and if she remembers correctly, Som is one of the part timers who works there and there is another one, but Som is the one who has a lot of shifts and is working almost full time.

Som showed Lookkaew around the locker room where they changed their clothes and gave her a personal key to a locker. As Som said before there weren't any customers yet so she showed and taught Lookkaew some tips and tricks to make it easier for her. 

 

“Lookkaew, what do you do, and what's your reason to work her?

 

“Mmm… I just wanted to earn some pocket money, so I asked my auntie if I could have some shifts here”

 

“True.. Some extra pocket money is something we always could use, in which college do you go to? Maybe we are in the same department”

 

“Ohh noo, I'm not a college student yet, I'm actually starting in SHH (Star Hunter High) as a freshmen, you know the school not far from here”

 

The shocked look Som gave was not something Lookkaew expected.

 

“Liesss, Are you seriously just a highschool freshman? I was so sure you and I were the same age!! U gave me the collage aura! but you're telling me you are a baby!

 

After that episode, Lookkaew felt the difference. Som felt more or less like a big sister who wanted to help her with anything and it made her feel at ease and not stressful at all. Lookkaew was a bit concerned if she told Som her age, that Som would think she is too young to work and that she is annoying but nope. Som was an angel for Lookkaew. If Lookkaew was unsure with anything Som would tell her and teach her how to do things and she is thankful for her doing so and with that her first day of work was done. 

 

Lookkaew was heading home after her shift ended and it went better than she expected. The work was not too much, they had rush hour where things were a bit hectic but nothing they couldn't do. Most of the customers were regular people who lived close by and were more than understanding that there was a bit of waiting. When there weren't many customers she just ended up chatting with the customers and enjoyed that. Before she knew it she was already at home.

 

“Mom! Im home” She shouted as she entered the front door. Inside the kitchen she finds her mom and auntie cooking dinner. She didn't know her auntie was visiting and that they would eat dinner together, so makes a confused look while looking at her auntie.

 

“Baby Kaew!" How was your first day? I stopped by to hear how it went, but your mom said I should stay and eat dinner with the family because it's been a long time”

 

“Ahh it makes sense, That was a good idea! it's been so long since the last time”

 

Lookkaew told her family how her first day of work went while they were eating dinner. She told them she was really glad to work there and it was a lot better than she expected. Her coworkers were kind and sweet, they took care of her and the customers were also really kind. She again thanked her auntie for letting her work there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After working there for a few days, she already remembers the routines, tasks and the customers. She found out that early in the morning, most of the customers were old people who wanted to enjoy their morning with some ice cream and liked to have a small talk with the employers. In the afternoon there's a lot of families and kids and this is where they have a bit of a rush hour because it's the time when the kids just finished school and the parents come to pick them up. Before going home they would likely stop by the store to buy some ice cream. In the evening a few high school students come by after school and a lot of couples for their dates. Late in the evening there's still a few high schoolers who came by, probably because they just finished their clubs but other than them the store is ready to close. 

 

"Young lady!" Are you working again today? Are we going to see you everyday from now on?” One of the regular elders said, as Lookkaew was scoping his usual. Morning was something Lookkaew finds joyful because of the elders who come and buy the same scoop of ice cream. She finds it healing that they were doing the same thing every morning and chatting with the elders was fun, it made her feel like she had a lot of grandparents. 

 

“Sorry grandpa Jom  , from next week on, I have to go to school, so I can only be here in the morning on the weekends! Other than that, my shifts are in the evening after school. Do come and visit If you have some time” 

 

"Don't apologize dear, you need to focus on your school, it's important, but we are a bit sad that you're only going to have morning shifts on the weekends. Your haven't been here for long but we already love your company”

 

“I know, and thank you, Im also sad I cant have any morning shift in the weekdays, because chatting with you have me feel like I have a lot of grandparents grandma Pyo”

 

Grandma Pyo along with Grandpa Jom is one of the elders who comes and visits the store to buy the same scoop everyday and stays there for a few hours to chat among them and to the employers. These two made an impact for Lookkaew, they made her feel at home even though she hadn't known them for so long. Since she started, they talked and they asked Lookkaew about anything and everything while they were eating ice cream. Lookkaew heard a lot of stories about back in the old days when they were still young and Lookkaew also told them her story and why she started working.

 

After a few hours it's already afternoon and a lot of elementary students and their parents begin to come. It was rush hour. Lookkaew made a mental note. Friday rush hour means rush rush hour. The weekend starts so a lot of families take their children to an ice cream store to spend some time with their children. For the next 3 hours, Lookkaew didn't do anything other than scooping ice cream in cones, in cups or on top of waffles. She underestimated the Friday rush hour a bit, It was a lot harder than what Som had told her.

 

It was already evening and there's not a lot of people any more, just a few couples but they could take care of themselves. 

 

“Lookkaew, see you around. I'm finished with my shift for today and your auntie would come just before closing time to lock the store and teach you how”

 

“I thought you would be teaching me how to close the store?”

 

I know, I'm really sorry, but something came up and I need to leave early. I called the boss about it earlier, I just haven't had a time to tell you because were busy” 

 

“Ahh, That's fine, see you around p´Scene!”

 

P ÌScene was the other part timer who worked mostly from late afternoon til closing compared to Som who worked from the morning till late afternoon. She gave another older sister vibe. If Som gave the quiet, kind and understanding big sister vibe, then the p´Scene gave the loud, wild and funny. She works fast and is good at entertaining the customers. If there's a long queue, she will have some small talk and the next thing I will hear is her and some customers laughing. She can make the rush hour feel more enjoyable than what it is. 

 

Lookkaew was glad p´Scene first clocked out after the rush hour because oh god, she didn't know if she could make it out alive. 

 

The store was quiet and there's not much to do, so Lookkaew decided to take her Ipad to study for a bit. Looking through Lookmais notes trying to understand it.

 

She was so into her study that she didn't notice someone trying to get her attention. She looked up and made eye contact with the customer. She is handsome, Lookkaew thought.

 

“Excuse me, can I buy some ice cream for me and my friends?”

 

The handsome girl spoke and snapped her out of her thoughts. It was the first time she saw a girl that handsome in real life and it made her stoop for a bit. 

 

 

 

 

 

When Lookkaew got home, she went straight to her room looking forward to lying down on her bed after a loooong day. She really needs to make a double mental note on Friday rush rush hour. She is done for today. 

 

“Kaew ~ sweetie, I made an appointment at the uniform shop tomorrow and I already called your auntie. You need to go home early so we can go to the shop and pick up your uniform”

 

Right… She totally forgot that she still doesn't have a uniform and she starts on monday. Time goes so fast when you're doing something.

 

“Got it mom! when do I have to go?”

 

“ Just be home early in the afternoon ~ ”

 

Lookkaew was done. She changed her clothes and got ready to sleep. 

 

She was sleeping early today.