One.

Cafe Hazelnut :D

 

Ji Eun inserted the key into the keyhole, unlocked the back door and stepped inside. She walked in, walking past the mini store room and turned left into the kitchen. The kitchen had a baking corner and  she noted the few ingredients laid on the table. She smiled to herself and called out, “ Unnie? Im here!” and put her bag into the cupboard. Seconds later, she heard the door open behind her and expecting Kim Taehee unnie she turned around happily and almost collided with …. Kim Dongjun.

“ Kya!” she yelped and backed up on the cupboard. Omomo. Almost. Collided. With. Dongjun. Dongjun who was in a hurry, stopped, startled. Completely oblivious to the fact that he almost collided with Ji Eun , he smiled “ Hi Ji Eun , morning!” Ji Eun drew in a shaky breath and nodded at him. Compose yourself JiEun ah.

“ Morning…. Err, have you seen unnie?”

Dongjun  pretended to look around before shrugging, “ Nope. I just came down. Did you check the front?” Ji Eun shook her head and headed towards the white door that lead to the café with Dongjun behind her.

Sure enough, Kim Taehee was at the front. Putting fresh flowers into these tall slender vases, and arranging them on the tables. She turned when she heard the door open and smiled when she saw them both.

“ Hello you two,” she smiled. Dongjun strode across the room to his sister and peered at the flowers. “ They…uh,look pretty noona,” he said.

Taehee smiled quietly and continued arranging them. She noted her little brother glancing nervously at his watch and at her.  “ I’m almost finished,” Taehee answered and Dongjun smiled sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.

“ Alright, let’s go. I’ll make you breakfast,” she smiled.

 Taehee cooked a simple dish, of omelette and garlic fried rice. Dongjun wolfed down the whole thing while Taehee watched her little brother, smiling. Ji Eun shook her head.

Dongjun immediately shot her a look. “ What?”

“ Nothing,” Ji Eun evaded and ate her portion  of the garlic fried rice quietly. Dongjun huffed and finished his food.

 “ As always noona, you are the best cook,” he patted stomach happily. “ I shall study well today!” Suddenly his phone rang and he answered.

“ Yeoboseyo? Ah! Ne ne, im coming. HAH. Im NOT late! BOH?! If im not there in 5 minutes ….make me buy you lunch?! HYUNG! THAT’S EVIL!” Dongjun scrambled up and grabbed his backpack. “ I’ve still got 10 minutes!” Dongjun hurried towards the door, and turned back. Didn’t say goodbye to noona yet.

“ Thanks for breakfast! You know I love you!” He smiled while covering his phone with his hand and ran off.

“ Have a good …day,” Taehee called out as her brother vanished, and she smiled to herself. That boy.

“ What? NO. I was talking to my sister you dimwit!” Dongjun grumbled as he shut the backdoor. “ I’ll see you soon. I’ll make it, Im NOT buying you lunch!”

~

Kim Taehee got up from her chair and started collecting the dishes when a soft hand stopped her. Ji Eun smiled and took the dishes from her, “ I’ll clean up unnie, leave it to me,” she said. Taehee smiled gratefully. Seconds later, the phone rang and Taehee rushed to the telephone and picked it up.

“ Hazelnut Café, how can I help you?”

…….

“ Who was it unnie?” Ji Eun asked and approached Taehee with a broom. She was about to go out front and sweep the floor.

“ Daehyun oppa. Says he’ll be late. He’s getting the groceries.”

“ Oh, okay…. Two of the guys are at the back, so they can help oppa. Sooyoung ah~ Lets go clean the café!” Ji Eun ushered the other girl who was around her age, one of the workers here.

“ Is Taemin here yet?” Taehee asked. Ji Eun nodded, “ He’s at the back.”

“ Arasso.”

Taehee walked to the kitchen area and found Taemin there, drinking a glass of water. “ Annyeong!” He greeted her. Taehee smiled. “ Im assigning you to the cashier today Taemin,…”

Taemin nodded. “ No problem, leave it to me! I’ll work hard!” He bowed respectfully and smarten his uniform.

“ Please make sure counter is clean and neat. Oh, and write up the special on the board. We’re having cupcakes,” Taehee smiled when she saw him grinning.

“ Ji Eun baking ‘em? Sweeeet. Do we know what flavours?”

“ She told me vanilla and chocolate cupcakes.  Her special frosting and those custom toppings,” Taehee replied and passed him the toppings box. “ Let the customers choose them, charge $1.00 for each additional topping…arachi?”

“ No problem , if that’s all…. I’ll be going,” he bowed respectfully and left.

“ Phew!” Taehee blew on her bangs and took a deep breath. Rightly so, because soon after Daehyun barged through the backdoor hollering, “OMO. I think I need to workout more, these things are HEAVY… hey you! Minho! What are you doing just standing there? Make yourself useful!! ”

“ Y-yeh hyung..” Minho stammered and quickly lifted the groceries from Daehyun. “ Arrange them in the store room, you know what to do,” he ordered and Minho nodded, disappearing into the store room.

Taehee left the men alone and went to the front of the shop. Making sure that everything was neat and tidy. All her workers were at their stations and the shop looks presentable.

“ Let’s have a good day everyone!” She called out cheerfully and she turned over the closed sign. Now, Hazelnut Café is open.

 

“ Sooyoung ah, run over to the back and see if Ji Eun has a new batch of cupcakes ready. Its selling like mad! We’re already running out!” Taemin called out. Sooyoung nodded and rushed to the back.

“ Ji Eun ah, are there any more cupcakes?”

Ji Eun looked up, some frosting on her pretty face.  “ There’s no more at front?” she gasped. Sooyoung nodded, “ We’re running out…”

“ Arasso. Tell Taemin oppa another 15 minutes. I still need to do their icing,” Ji Eun said without looking up from her cupcakes.  “ Haneul ah, lets hurry!”

“ Taemin oppa! 15 minutes!”

“ Arasso. Gomawo!”

Taemin turned his attention back to the customer with a smile on his face. “ Would you like to pay sir? Ne. I’ll get your bill for you..”

By three o clock, there were less customers in the café and everyone could take a breather.  Sooyoung was clearing up tables and Ji Eun was icing the last batch of cupcakes for the day, with Haneul’s help. Taehee came up front to the counter with a glass of cool water.

“ Here you go,” she smiled, handing it to Taemin.

Taemin stared at the glass of water and at his boss. “ For me?”

“ You’ve worked hard,” Taehee smiled and put the glass down in front of him.

“ Ah really, I could have taken it myself … and-”

“ leave the counter and cashier alone?” Taehee chuckled and looked at him questioningly.

“ Erm….right, anyway. Thanks noona,” he smiled.

Moments later, the front door of the café bursts open, the little bell rings and in walked Dongjun with his haversack over his shoulder, his face flushed but a wide grin on his face. “ HAH! I won!” Following close behind him was Siwan and Kevin, panting.

“ Yah Dongjun ah~ You know its not fair asking us to race you~” Kevin complained. Dongjun grinned at his hyung and pulled a face, “ Boohoo.”

He walked over to the table by the window and dropped  his haversack on the table and took a seat. “ Man, all that studying is making me hungry!”

Kevin and Siwan took the seats opposite him. “ Agree. Is Mr Jang crazy? How on earth are we supposed to finish all that reading?” Kevin complained. “ Its ridiculous!” he muttered in English .

“ I know,” Siwan muttered darkly.

“ Its going to be a loooooong night,” Dongjun groaned.

“ I cant even think right now… my brain feels dead,” Dongjun complained. Siwan looked around and his gaze stopped at the counter. “ Are those cupcakes?”

“ Cupcakes?” Kevin repeated and looked at the counter. Ji Eun’s cupcakes! “ Lets grab some before it finishes. Quick!”

Dongjun immediately stands up and heads to the counter. “ Taemin ah! Can you give me some of those cupcakes?”

“ Ne, arasso. Er, do you want toppings?”

“ Toppings?”

“ Yeah, we have chopped nuts, gummy bears, rainbow sprinkles, chocolate sprinkles, white stars. …See for yourself,” he pointed at the box.

Dongjun peered at the myriad of colours of the various type of toppings. He got dizzy and just randomly picked the toppings. “ That…that..and that..Thanks.”

He put the plate on the table for his two friends and soon after their order came and they ate happily.

“ As always, her cupcakes are the best!” Siwan mumbled appreciatively.

Dongjun and Kevin nodded. Both eating their cupcakes. 

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ramesh #1
Chapter 2: Kim hyun joong as a detective...wow sounds interesting.....looking forward for your update!!!!