WITH GRACE.

2장

time transpired fleetly. my classes for today were all plotted in the morning, leaving a good vacancy for my job.

i work part-time in a dessert shop a little distance away from university. i've only started working there around a month ago, but in that small timeframe i realized that the job was truly a great experience. the place offered a nice atmosphere for both costumers and workers to focus and relax. aside from that, the staff were quite friendly and helpful for a newbie like me. the best part was the scent of cocoa and milk wafting throughout the shop which i found quite enticing. it was initially a chocolatier, after all.

i absolutely live for chocolates.

as i went through the backdoor meant for staff use, the smell of cocoa immediately greeted me. i also met coworkers who greeted me kindly as i made my way to the dressing room. i got changed into my work attire before proceeding to my station ㅡ the cashier. being extroverted helped a lot in my task. at first, i was inevitably shy but i grew accustomed to the task the more i spent time at work. as a cashier, i must stand and show a friendly smile to customers and assist them throughout their orders besides being in charge of billing.

i stood by the cashier for four hours, my legs already hurting. customers have come in and out of the shop within that duration, thus i was unable to find time and seat to rest.

the chimes by the door clinked once again, announcing the arrival of new customers. i put on my smile, readying myself for another customer interaction, while i waited to take orders. unsurprisingly, it was dongkyu and jungwon along with a few friends who seem to be older than the. i assumed they were the boys' friends from the university's dance crew. they first set out to prop themselves on the seats of the six-seater table available in the shop. they sat there for quite some time, perhaps discussing orders, before one of them finally headed out towards my station.

"hi! welcome to i&credible chocolatier and patisserie. what would you like to have for this afternoon?" i smiled at the guy.

he looked at the menu above before his sight landed on me. he was momentarily still as he looked at me. i cocked my head to the side, showing him a confused look.

"umm...sir?" it jolted him out of his trance.

"oh, umm... sorry. i...uhh... i'd have six sets of the sunset selection for dine in." he was initially stuttering and i wondered why.

"would that be all, sir?"

"i'd take a box of the dark chocolate tops as well."

"sure thing. the total amount payable is displayed on the monitor. would you opt to pay by cash or by card, sir?"

"card, please."

after his payment was settled, i asked the guy to wait by their table and return when their buzzer rings. his order came soon after and i rang their buzzer. he returned to my station with the buzzer on hand. seeing as there were three trays for his order, i offered to assist serving one tray to their table. i followed him behind, carefully holding the tray in my hand.

"enjoy the desserts!" i said with a smile.

before i was able to turn my back, two awfully familiar voices called out to me.

"noona! "

i sighed.

"yes? what can i do for the two of you, sirs?" it was shop rules to remain polite and professional to customers during the entire shift.

i smiled at the two with my eyebrows up. they were aware that i had to go by the shop rules, and thus told them to call me alternatively. as expected, they only responded with cheeky smiles. their friends, however, looked at the three of us questioningly.

right, not a lot of people knows my relationship with these two. in the first place, there's barely anyone who recognizes me.

"cut yourself some slack, noona. your shift's almost done." jungwon replied.

"yeah, noona. we just want you to sit with us later and take a break. let's head home together." dongkyu added.

i cautiously looked around for staff members before i chose to answer them.

"don't you two have training tonight? and you got friends with you. it would be wrong of me to impose myself." i said to them while i scanned my eyes on their friends.

"do you guys mind?" dongkyu asked their companions.

"no, not at all." one guy replied and smiled at me, flashing his pearly whites.

i awkwardly smiled back.

"see, noona? so what do you say you take a break with us?" dongkyu diverted his attention back at me.

"well, I...uh... still got ten minutes on my shift but I'll see –"

"noona!" jungwon pleaded, showing me his big feline eyes.

i sighed, defeated.

"fine, fine. i better get back to work first. enjoy your food!" with that, i left and returned to my station.

not long after that, my coworker who was meant to shift with me came to work early. she basically forced me to leave my post early in exchange for that one time i had to work overtime because she had some emergency. i reluctantly agreed.

i changed back into my own clothes and got my things. before i completely left the staff room, i grabbed the drink mistakenly given to one customer for takeout earlier and paid for it.

i entered the dining areas through the alternate staff door, carrying my things. i looked around and when i spotted the boys, they were waving at me, urging me to come to their table.

this is going to be awkward.