9:00 PM

Everyone’s shift comes to a close.

Seungwan removes her cap (part of their uniform) and combs her fingers through her hair as she exhales deeply, releasing the exhaustion after a long day. By the looks of it, it was an exhale of hope, or if she was being braggy, victory. 

She removes her apron as she gets out behind the counter, walking to a table seated on the farthest corner: Sooyoung’s table.

Sooyoung, clicks the timer on her phone, signaling the end of the other girl’s shift (she took the last two orders). Across from her is Seulgi, hands cupping her face, waiting excitedly for the verdict. The place was almost empty now, say for a table of a couple finishing their drinks and getting ready to leave. One of the crews, Ten, is busy wiping the tables.

“19.” Seungwan announces. “Making it a grand total of: 77 cups.” She puts her hands on her waist as a power move. “Beat that, Sooyoung.”

//

Flashback

“Okay, okay!” Ten gets everyone’s attention. “Stakes?”

Seungwan doesn’t even need a minute to think. “If I win, Sooyoung would take two of my Thursday shifts for me!” She excitedly proposes. Ah, the prospect of having those two days off. She can finally try out those new recipes she’s been dying to do.

Ten nods before turning to the other girl. “How about you, Sooyoung-noona?”

“If I win, I would like to go on a date with Seungwan.” Her challenger says without a beat.

Ten whistles at the awkward silence that bestows upon the group after that. “I...I mean…Seungwan-noona…” he sputters, but fails to say anything substantial.

Seulgi was kind of enjoying it, but being the good friend she is, she still asks in a whisper. “You sure about this, Wannie?” Seungwan answers her reassuring look and pat on the shoulder.

And acting like that didn’t shock her at all, Seungwan agrees to Sooyoung’s stake. “I know I’m gonna win, so okay.”

“You sure about that, cupcake?” Sooyoung taunts. Making the table erupt into jeers and laughs. Her opponent scoffs at her while keeping an unenthusiastic face.

“Joohyun-noona, would it be okay if you keep track of Sooyoung-noona? And Seulgi-noona you keep track for Seungwan-noona.” He asks nicely to his older co-workers, to which both girls nod; wishing they could care any less.

Ten puts his hands together. “Okay! Then it is settled, who makes the most number of medium sized Café Latte this week will win.” He looks at the both of them. “Now both of you shake on it.”

//

She’s one of the favorite baristas, so this was no problem. And thanks to Seulgi’s charms, the coffee run from Park Gyuri’s office 26 floors above them and Sunmi’s architectural firm from two blocks down (which made Joohyun jealous, by the way!), managed to help her from sealing this bag.  

Or so she thought.

Sooyoung slightly straightens up from her seat with a straight face. “Oh, boy.” She mutters unimpressively. Sending Seungwan into an internal panic as her jaw drops slightly. Why isn’t she worried? Why isn’t she worried?

With a flip of her hair, she calls out to Joohyun, who was emerging from the stockroom. “Joohyun! The glorious scroll please.”

Not liking how she was yelled at, the older girl throws her the “glorious scroll” which was actually a piece of crumpled paper unceremoniously at her face, but she still managed to catch it graciously. Sooyoung cracks her knuckles and straightens her back as she prepares to open the paper revealing her record.

“TEN! Drumroll please.” Ten immediately let goes of the wiping cloth he was holding to enthusiastically fulfill Sooyooung’s request.

“80.” Sooyoung announces with a smile on her face “I win.”

Joohyun laughs as she hits the play button on her phone to blast Celebration by Kool and the Gang, specially downloaded for this moment, as per Sooyoung’s request. There would be confetti, but she strongly hates the loud sounds coming from the party poppers. There were confetti on her pocket, though.

Damn it to hell.

Seungwan stares in hopelessness and defeat as the four people with her in that shop was dancing along to the music. She really lost by 3 cups. Someone really just had to order a strawberries and crème on her shift.

When the hype died down, Seulgi immediately hugs her friend. “I’m sorry, Wannie.” She mumbles as she pats her friend’s head. She answers it with a pout – unsure about Seulgi’s sincerity since she was smiling so wide; like she was anticipating the date more than anything.

The possible scenarios that would be happening that weekend are making a chaos in her mind, making her dizzy. Just how bad can a date with Park Sooyoung go?

//

Without any prompting, Sooyoung walks her home that night. Seungwan tells her she doesn’t have to, but she’s quick to reason that “I need to make sure you are safe before our date” with a wink. Seungwan just rolls her eyes as she loops their arms together, walking out from the shop.

“February Employee of the Month Son Seungwan, how do you feel about losing to last year’s September Employee of the Month?” the taller girl asks her as she forms her hand to a fist, pretending it was a microphone.

Seungwan clears before playing along. “I think, the only one who would be losing h