Joy is using all her might to not doze off.

 

 

“Hey, it’s rare for you sleep during lunch time instead of class.” Hayoung nudges the sleepy girl while munching on her pizza.

 

 

“Is it because of your job? Anyway, tell us more. Are there many pretty girls and handsome boys?” Sulli seems excited and Krystal just cooly sips on her mango juice while nodding. 

 

 

“It is not because of my job,” Joy takes a bite of her fried chicken. “It’s just you guys were so loud binge watching movies last night. And Jirin-ah, don’t watch too much dramas. ”

 

 

“Sorry.” Sulli sticks out her tongue, “But dramas have their magics too…… Well, how is working there by the way? Tiring?”  

 

 

“No, not really. They are really nice and treat me well.” 

 

 

“So, you’ve met Wendy’s girlfriend, right?” Krystal finally speaks. “Is she really beautiful? Rumor says she can easily beat any young actress out there.”

 

 

Joy ponders a little, “Yeah. Wait, why are you curious about her all of a sudden?” 

 

 

The American-born girl shrugs, “I’ve never had the chance to meet her. I heard she and Wendy make a cute couple.”

 

 

“Just say you are actually interested in Wendy.” Hayoung mocks. 

 

 

Sulli cackles and Krystal just rolls her eyes.

 

 

 

Joy look at her friends and offers, “Her name is Irene. Drop by later and see it for yourselves.”

 

 

Wendy is caring and talented but she still doesn’t see why people around her are all falling a bit for her.

 

 

“Hm, why are you frowning, Sooyoungie?” Hayoung pokes her cheek. “Do you like Wendy too?”

 

 

“No!” Joy drops the chicken thigh on her tray. “Just no.”

 

 

Wendy is Irene’s and Irene is Wendy’s. And she simply hates the idea of cheating and embraces the idea of loyalty.

 

 

Let’s say Joy believes in love.

 

 

 

“What a reaction Park Sooyoung.” Krystal eyes her from head to toe. “Fine, I assume it’s because you like someone else.” 

 

 

“Is it me?” Hayoung gives her friend a playful wink.

 

 

“Or, is it someone you met recently?” Sulli uses her brain this time.“Oh your boss! How romantic! “Coffee Prince” everyone?”

 

 

“No!.” Joy shakes her head vigorously, “It’s a girl too, remember?”

 

 

“I honestly can't picture you being straight and I’ll still take it as a yes.” Krystal smirks, “What is her name again?”

 

 

“Kang Seulgi.” Sulli has good memory after all.

 

 

“Let’s go meet this Kang Seulgi today after class then!” Hayoung happily suggests.

 

 

She surely notices the evil looks of her friends, “Please tell me you guys would spend a small fortune and please don’t get me fired.”

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

Hearing the door, Seulgi looks up and sees a panting girl walking towards the counter.

 

 

“Hi Joy, you’re early today.”

 

 

Joy sees the comforting smile and somehow pants harder, “I-I……”

 

 

The older girl's grin grows wider as she pats the younger’s back, “Sit down and take a breather first. Do you want something to drink too?”

 

 

“…… It's fine,” Joy looks at those worried cat-eyes. “T-thanks for the offer though, unnie.”

 

 

 

Seulgi walks up to her coffee machines, “Alright. But you haven’t told me why are you early today? Did you skip your class?”

 

 

Joy always find it unbelievable that Seulgi likes to nag her. But also kind of cute.

 

 

“My friends are coming to pay me a visit today. So I just want to give you guys a heads up.”

 

 

“Nice. Introduce me to your friends then.” Seulgi smiles again, “Now, you go help Irene. She needs an extra pair of hands for the cakes.”

 

 

Joy just nods before rushing to the back and lending the baker a hand.

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

“Irene-unnie.” Joy peeks over the petite girl’s shoulder and checks what she is up to.

 

 

“Oh, you’re here.” Irene wipes her hands on her purple apron. “Help me get these outside and take out the ingredients on that list from the fridge.”

 

 

Joy looks at the handwritten list held on the rack by a bear magnet and the tray of cakes, “Unnie, will you teach me how to make these one day?”

 

 

“Maybe. If Seulgi’s shop gets big enough.” The baker lets out a small giggle.

 

 

“I want to know how to make this chocolate craquelin too.” The young girl drools a little seeing the said tasty dessert.

 

 

 

Irene then chuckles, “Hey, it’s my specialty. And do you know I’ve gained Wendy’s heart with this?”

 

 

“Really?” As a typical teenage girl, Joy is always excited to hear love stories. “Tell me more, unnie! So how did you meet? Why did you make her this? W-”

 

 

“Get your job done first.” Irene softly pushes the giant baby’s forehead with her knuckle.

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

After accomplishing the tasks given by Irene, Joy walks past a bear called Kang Seulgi who is standing at the register and spacing out.

 

 

And she finds this trait of her boss very, very cute.

 

 

Her eyes are staring into space and is slightly open. Just like a cuddly teddy bear.

 

 

So, Joy playfully sneaks behind her, “Boo.” 

 

 

“Oh my!” Seulgi squeals in fear, drawing a few customers’ attention, “It’s you! Don’t do that again. I beg you.”

 

 

Joy, on the other hand, is holding her stomach laughing, “Unnie you are really cute……” 

 

 

“I-I am also your b-boss, Park Sooyoung.” 

 

 

“Alright,” Joy is ready to check on the customers but something clicks into her smart brain. “Unnie, aren’t you friends with Wendy-unnie before she met Irene-unnie?”

 

 

“Yeah, and before she got famous with her artistic skills and charismatic smile.”  Seulgi answers in a rather playful tone with the mention of her best friend.

 

 

It makes Joy laugh a little, “So you must know a lot about their love story.”

 

 

The older girl proudly nods, “Their epic love story.”

 

 

“Can you please tell me how they met? Please, unnie!”

 

 

Seulgi’s fingers and toes all cringe at the weirdly enchanting cuteness, “Okay. Stop it, or I will puke my tongue out and I cannot tell you their love story.”

 

 

So, Joy places her chin on her palms and patiently listens.

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

Three years ago, Bae Joohyun, who went by the name Irene, was a famous figure in college.

 

 

It was not only becasuse she was really pretty, but she was also known to be strangely bipolar.  Sometimes she was cold as ice with a face on, then the next minute she acted like a 5-year-old clinging on her friend’s arms begging for ice-cream.

 

 

But people were strange too. They loved her more and every day Irene would receive dozens of flowers, gifts, confession letters from the moment she stepped into the campus.

 

 

She had never accepted any of these pursuers.

 

 

 

Not until a carefree, all-time bright girl got admitted to the same college and snatched all the attention of the students from the Bae.

 

 

At first, Irene didn’t give a damn and felt rather relieved. But gradually, she became desperate to meet the girl since even her friends kept blabbering about her.

 

 

Just like in the movies and dramas, it was an afternoon where warm sunlight was shining on the green field, with summer breeze swaying the flowers, and also Irene’s dress.

 

 

Such scene had caught a girl’s eye and she was stunned for a second. So she clutched tighter onto her charcoal pencil and sketchbook, but did not know to continue when she could not have her eyes off of this girl in white dress.

 

 

Who was Irene pacing around the campus park waiting for her friends.  And little did she know by then, there was a certain someone drawing her under the shades of a birch tree.

 

 

 

Half a hour, or a hour soon passed, and students rushed out from the buildings and disturbed the peaceful moment in the park.

 

 

Arriving at the scene, Irene’s friends immediately noticed the familiar looking girl standing up and holding her signature A3 sketchbook not far away from them.

 

 

Irene followed her friends' gazes and found the girl who was in her usual white T-shirt and denim shorts, with a flannel tied around her waist.

 

 

The girl then walked up to them and handed her a page torn from her sketchbook with a bright smile. It’s her freshly-drawn sketch. She had perfectly depicted Irene's picturesque features and translated them onto a piece of paer with her defined charcoal lines.

 

 

Irene reached out to shake her hands even when it was stained black. Her hand was small but was so, so warm. A little bit dry too, probably because an artist’s hands were constantly exposed to paints, ceramics, and gesso.

 

 

Even her smile was warm.

 

 

And that’s how Irene and Wendy met.

 

 

 

Irene had never expected that she would fall for someone because of a sketch.

 

 

But it’s such a beautiful sketch. You should clearly see the touches of her charcoal pencil and how she smudged some parts with her gentle fingertips.

 

 

She was a nice person too. She had a pair of expressive eyes and eyebrows. She got a charismatic look.

 

 

After befriending with the girl for months, with rumors of Irene secretly planning to murder the younger girl spreading around, Irene wanted to turn the table around and woo the girl with something she was good at. After experimenting (and failing) for a hundred times and nearly burning her kitchen, Irene brought a chocolate craquelin to Wendy’s studio.

 

 

And it fitted Wendy’s taste perfectly.

 

 

After all, Irene did her research and knew Wendy did not have a sweet-tooth. So, she had bought almost every dark chocolate in town just for her cake.

 

 

 

A few days later, Irene waited Wendy outside her class. People were staring but she didn’t care.

 

 

The girl who had her backpack on her shoulder came out and was startled by the figure blocking her way. 

 

 

“Wendy, there’s something I wanna tell you.”

 

 

“O-oh Irene? Yes?” 

 

 

Wendy nervously scratched her nape since she knew better Irene was going to do.

 

 

 

The campus goddess did an epic hair flip and cleared .

 

 

“I think I am in love with you. If there is a tree, I would crave your face and your name on it. Yes, I know my drawing . And it doesn’t even have to include me. Because I love you so much, Son Seungwan.”

 

 

“So you aren’t going to ask me out or to be your girlfriend?” Wendy ignored the burst of cheers around them and folded her arms eyeing the confident girl up.

 

 

“I’m pretty sure you are going to say yes since I have just used the most romantic way to tell you that I have a knife.”

 

 

“Bae Joohyun, I am so going to give you my name. We can even get married tomorrow.”

 

 

It ended with Wendy being dragged away by Irene. And the next day, everyone knew the school goddess had claimed the easy-going charming derp hers from then on.

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

“Wow, this is epic.” Joy takes a glimpse of Irene who is arranging the cakes and desserts in the cabinet, “I can’t imagine Irene-unnie would say something like that.”

 

 

Seulgi pours milk into a cup, “'Cause you seldom see her with Wendy.”

 

 

“Seriously, when will she come back? I mean, I seldom see Wendy too.”

 

 

“I don’t know. And I hope Irene won’t murder me before she gets the money she needs.” Seulgi gulps.

 

 

 

Joy grins and wraps her long arm around the bear’s shoulder, “Don’t worry, unnie, I will protect you.”

 

 

The second she wraps the bear into a hug, she regrets a little because of the awkwardness and the stiffened body of Seulgi.

 

 

So, she slowly retrieves her arm and quickly makes her escape, leaving a Seulgi who thinks her eyes might have a problem because she thinks she just saw her employee blush. 

 

 

When she is still thinking what just happened, someone comes into the shop. Technically, not someone but a whole group of people.

 

 

 

“Sooyoungie, we are here!” Krystal exclaims and steps in, followed by at least a dozen of her classmates.

 

 

“That’s a lot of people.” Seulgi mutters, and freaks out a little by the huge lineup.

 

 

“Guys, keep it down.” Joy comes out from the back kitchen and shushes her friends.

 

 

“Hey, we are here to help.” Hayoung pouts. 

 

 

“Yeah,” Sulli yanks her arm. “Look, we've brought our friends here.”

 

 

 

Krystal walks up to a girl who is standing at the register and forcefully shakes hands with the girl, “Hi, I’m Krystal. A friend of Joy. You are really pretty so you must be Irene-unnie.”

 

 

Joy face-palms.

 

 

The girl lifts a smile, “I’m Kang Seulgi. Welcome to my coffee shop.”

 

 

Seulgi is fine with that since it’s not the first time she got mixed up with her best friend.

 

 

Krystal manages to keep her cool, “Oh…… Hi, Joy’s boss.”

 

 

 

“Seulgi, is something wrong?” A gorgeous head sticks out from the food counter hearing all the fuss and noise. 

 

 

“No, it’s just that we have a lot of customers.” Seulgi’s cheeks heat up recalling Krystal’s words. “It’s Joy’s friends.”

 

 

“That’s Irene.” Joy whispers, not wanting her friends to embarrass themselves again.

 

 

Her friends nod and greet them with a light bow before ordering tons of food and drinks.

 

 

Seulgi and Irene have their sleeves rolled up to start their work. While Joy is busy catering to her friends’ needs.

 

 

 

Someone barges in again and nips Krystal’s ear in a split second.

 

 

“Jung Soojung, you’re dead!”

 

 

“Unnie, it hurts……” It’s normal for Krystal to beg whenever this person appears.

 

 

“You brat used my card again!”

 

 

“Unnie, I’m sorry. My friend works here now and I just wanna help. I promise-”

 

 

“You should have just asked me first!”

 

 

 

 

Seulgi and Irene, once again, think they should flee once and for all. Since this newcomer is way too scary.

 

 

“Jessica-unnie?” Wendy pushes the front door open and loudly greets the girl who is ready to punch the out of Krystal.

 

 

“Wendy?” Jessica, who has been holding Krystal by the collar, turns her head and drops her sister on the floor.

 

 

The woman’s attitude and tone then take a complete change and flashes the artist a sweet smile, “Fancy seeing you here!”

 

 

 

Joy cannot help but think people with bipolar disorders are actually not that rare.

 

 

“It’s owned by my best friend and my girlfriend works here.” Wendy points at the two girls who are only peeking from the counter, “Please don’t blame Krys. She means well. I can pay you back if-”

 

 

“No need then!” Jessica giggles and gives Wendy’s arm a light tap, “It’s absolutely fine to help your friends, isn’t it Soojung?”

 

 

Krystal nods and rolls her eyes once again.

 

 

Wendy then introduces Seulgi, Irene, and Joy one by one to Jessica.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Irene is not too fond meeting this woman who is being so close with her Seungwan. She only knows Seungwan has known her for some time through an art exhibition. Still, she smiles politely and shakes hands before going back to her baking.

 

 

Whereas Joy steadies her shaking hand before shaking Jessica’s. She is so ready to herself right now after witnessing how the ice princess Jessica Jung manages to kick Krystal’s  single-handedly.  

 

 

As for Seulgi, she is just being herself. She greets the ice queen grinning like a teddy-bear and goes back to brew the coffee skillfully as if nothinghappened.

 

 

Jessica settles down next to Krystal and no one is dare to make a noise.

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

The four finally finish getting all the orders done for the group, including Jessica's, and serve them nicely on their tables. Everyone is blown away by the delicate desserts and nice steamy coffee.

 

 

Joy stands by the tables and asks for her friends’ opinions while they are devouring the food and drinks. Seulgi, Irene, and Wendy remain at the counter observing the room.

 

 

“They seem to love it.” Wendy looks at the satisfied faces.

 

 

“Thank god.” Irene wipes off the sweat on her brows.

 

 

“It seems to be a good start for us, don’t you think?” Seulgi gleefully claps and high-fives her best friends.

 

 

 

“Joy brings luck. What a good choice of name.” Wendy laughs.

 

 

Irene stares at Wendy’s happy face and clings onto her arm, “You finally showed up today.”

 

 

Seulgi soon excuses herself, “Joy seems to need help, I’ll go.” Then she rushes to Joy’s side neglecting Wendy’s glares which are crying for help.

 

 

 

“Son Seungwan.”

 

 

“Yes?” Wendy tries her best to control her face muscles.

 

 

“I thought I couldn’t see you except at home.”

 

 

“But here I am, right?” Wendy cheekily smiles. 

 

 

Irene takes the chance as no one is watching, and nips the cheeks not-so-darlingly, “I told myself to wait a little more but it’s hard when you aren’t around.”

 

 

“Joohyun-ah, just a little more. I’m going to get it done real soon.” Wendy says determinately. Yes, she is getting her final paycheck from Jay at the end of this month. In less than a week.

 

 

“Tell me you are not seeing someone else.”

 

 

“I am not seeing someone else. I love only you, Bae Jooyhyun.”

 

 

Irene just sighs and hugs her, “Don’t take too long.”

 

 

“I won’t.”

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

Joy thought she is gonna die cleaning the mess her friends left and getting teased by them.

 

 

She grumpily tosses the bag of trash to the bin and slams the back door shut.

 

 

“Why the long face, Sooy- Joy?” Seulgi bites her tongue for almost calling the girl by her Korean name like her friends just did.

 

 

“U-unnie? I’m sorry if I banged the door too hard.” Joy hangs her head low, ready to get scolded.

 

 

 

“It’s okay. We all need to let off some stream from time to time. It’s good to bang something…… I mean, doors. Yeah, doors.” Seulgi bites her tongue again. She isn’t good with words when it comes to speaking, unlike Wendy.

 

 

Joy blushes, “Uhmm…… Of course, doors.” Oh, her innocent mind has never ever existed in the first place since her dream is to become a successful seductress with a nice body. And her friends are all masters of rated jokes with corrupted minds.

 

 

 

Seulgi recovers from the little short-circuit of her brain, and studies the girl who is playing with her fingers, “Ugh, is there something you want to say?” 

 

 

“Yeah.” Joy abruptly looks up, “Hmm, I can’t come to work tomorrow.”

 

 

“Nothing bad happened, right?” Seulgi’s face turns into a concerned one again. She doesn’t know why this young girl is always making her worried.

 

 

It is not that she is particularly clumsy or something.

 

 

 

“It’s annual dinner for our dorm.”

 

 

“It’s all about getting dressed up and getting drunk as I remember.” Seulgi tries to make a joke to lighten the mood. 

 

 

“This is exactly I am worrying about……” Joy timidly voices out.

 

 

“Why? I thought you are the outgoing type.”

 

 

 

Joy checks if anyone else is around before speaking again, “I don’t know how to wear heels.”

 

 

Seulgi blinks and muffles her laughs. “Only that?”

 

 

“I don’t know how to drink as well.”

 

 

Seulgi laughs out loud, “That’s it?”

 

 

To which Joy shyly nods. 

 

 

 

“You could have told us earlier! You have us. Don’t you remember Wendy is a brewmaster? That girl never gets drunk and you can ask her for some tips.” 

 

 

Joy smacks herself mentally for not thinking of this.

 

 

“About high-heels, you have Irene-unnie. You see, she’s such a lady…… A short one, so she wears heels occasionally. Just kindly ask for her help. I mean, don’t height just like I did, haha.”

 

 

Joy is blissful to know her new friends would be such a great help.

 

 

And then, Seulgi scratches her head before walking away, “Well, as for me……  I can only pay you every month. But you are welcome to ask for my help if you need to, okay?”

 

 

Joy watches her boss leave and thinks to herself, yeah, getting a part-time job is not all bad.