Chapter Text
The sound of the guitar echoed through the café’s almost new brick walls, the smell of alcohol, coffee and sweat mixed in the air. A night like many others, anyone could say. But it was true that the life in the café had become quite livelier than it already was, not that that was something bad. In fact, from the counter it seemed like nothing else mattered, as Sooyoung took a sip of her self-made Americano.
Customers were all focused on that night’s performance, as the three girls who played not only were they really good, but they also were regulars everyone knew about. It wasalmost as if they were watching a close friend perform. So there were no longer orders to be served, and the kitchen was more than forgotten at that point.However, one of the café’s waitress rushed to the back of the counter, her face full of worry and dark strands of her hair covering her face.
“Is something wrong Hyejoo?” Sooyoung asked calmly, as she put her cup back in the sink.
Her composed reaction not matching at all with Hyejoo’s anxious gaze. Sooyoung didn’t need to ask her twice, as she saw the younger girl grabbing a mop with the utmost speed.
She let a soft chuckle. “Again?” The older girl asked trying to sound a little bit more serious.
It was the fourth time of the day Hyejoo had dropped something, not to say Sooyoung almost had lost count of how many times it had happened in a week. But in the end it was impossible to blame Hyejoo, even if she was the one to blame. Everyone just had this soft spot for her.
“I’m really sorry, I’ll clean it right now” Hyejoo replied, slightly bowing. The words coming out of her mouth as if they were already memorized from saying them so much.
Suddenly Jiwoo appeared from behind her, with a grin that only meant that she was just about to tease her.
“Maybe it’s too late for you to be still up, are you sure you don’t need some sleep?”
Hyejoo didn’t seem too cool with it though, and mouthed a quiet “shut up” without looking at her and kept on with her task.
“Aww, come on Hyejoo! You know I’m kidding. Need some help?”
“It’s okay” Hyejoo replied silently. “I can handle it myself”
Jiwoo’s self-assurance was crushed when she saw Chaewon making a sudden appearance and offering her help, which Hyejoo accepted instead of hers.
“Hyejoo you should be more careful. Let me help” Said Chaewon in her usual kind voice while she took the mop from Hyejoo’s hands.
“I knew it. Son Hyejoo, you hate me don’t you?” Jiwoo sobbed dramatically.
The two girls turned their back to her and started laughing, and Sooyoung that was enjoying their antics silently from the other side of the counter, eyed Chaewon as if she was just about to tease her.
“It’s not that she hates you” Sooyoung started, with a smug grin. “She just prefers her over you. Chaewon is just so charming. Don’t you think, Hyejoo?”
Hyejoo looked totally oblivious to Chaewon’s pretty noticeable blush, and couldn’t find an answer to what Sooyoung said, so she just went with a “???” face.Jiwoo immediately shut up and understood what Sooyoung was trying to do, and if that implied teasing Chaewon or Hyejoo she was up for it. Let’s say that everyone in the café knew about Chaewon’s obvious crush on Hyejoo, everyone except Hyejoo. So now it was kind of a tradition to tease Chaewon like that in front of Hyejoo and her not having a clue of what was going on.
“Well, well, I will leave you two alone then” Said Jiwoo winking at Chaewon, who just rolled her eyes.
Sooyoung and Jiwoo fell silent when the two younger girls disappeared in the crowd, looking at each other with a smirk followed by a high five. Then they both looked at the girls performing in front of them, forgetting about Chaewon and Hyejoo for a moment. They had known those three musicians since everything started, they were probably the first customers that visited Eden Café. At first they looked like some diligent music students who were really passionate about music and were as gay as Sooyoung and Jiwoo (which is pretty difficult). In the end the only thing they got right was the “being as gay as Sooyoung and Jiwoo” part. They were complete airheads though. Well, at least they gave some life to the café.
The band, called Odd Eye Circle, was formed by their leader and main vocalist, Kim Jungeun, who also played the guitar, Jung Jinsol the drummer and finally Choi Yerim, vocalist and keyboardist.
“Their new song is pretty cool, it makes me want to sing along until my throat hurts, somehow” Jiwoo said softly, genuinely complimenting the girls.
“Yeah, everyone seems to think the same as you, look at Heejin, maybe someone should stop her from damaging her voice” uttered Sooyoung. Regardless of her concern, she was kind of happy for her. She enjoyed seeing her like that.
“Heejin has grown so much, you know? Since when you first brought her here. Gosh I sound like a grandma.” Said Jiwoo silently.
Sometimes Jiwoo liked to contemplate things in a serious way, very differently of her usual lively self. And suddenly she seemed to become sensitive and fragile. This was one of those things Sooyoung loved about her, and when they had those kind of meaningful conversations where they could really talk about their feelings sincerely Sooyoung really appreciated it. Both had met so many different people while working at Eden Café that sometimes they invested a lot of time helping people out and they didn’t have time to talk about themselves, not that that was a problem, since both of them had agreed in that kind of life.
Helping people out, that’s what they did. It wasn’t a regular café at all. There was Heejin, who Sooyoung welcomed when she found out she was having problems at school, then there were people as Haseul and Yeojin, or Kahei and Hyunjin that discovered the café by themselves and decided to stay. That things couldn’t be any happier was a thought that crossed the mind of both girls who stood silently behind the counter.
“Yeah, but look at Haseul. I’m impressed she is able to stop herself from drooling, but I’m sure her eyes are about to fall at this rate. It impresses me even more the fact that Jungeun doesn’t notice, though” Jiwoo said, her voice giving hints that she was kind of pissed off.
“Why are they like this? I’m tired of playing cupid”
The music finally stopped and the three girls smiled while trying to catch their breath. Jungeun went to the center of the stage and held her microphone once again.
“I hope you enjoyed tonight’s performance! I see you are having a good time, it makes us really happy! We will be releasing our new EP ‘Blindfold’ next week, so please look forward to it. See you next time!” Jungeun’s voice echoed through the café and the ovation seemed like it wouldn’t stop, which made the girls smile from ear to ear.
“I’ll buy it for sure! Would you give me your autograph right!!!” Yelled Heejin, not caring about the condition of her throat at all.
“We literally talk every day, you dumbass” Noted Yerim while sticking out her tongue, clearly enjoying the attention.
Little by little people started leaving the café and going back home. As always the last ones to leave where Odd Eye Circle, who stayed to thank the staff.
“You were amazing, girls” Greeted Chaewon patting Yerim’s back.
“Next time, tell Sooyoung to make your free time longer, It doesn’t count as listening to us if it’s while doing the dishes” Stated Jinsol trying to tease Sooyoung, who just played along.
“Yeah, and maybe I should consider a pay raise too”
“Hey, Chaewon deserves it, don’t you think?
” Sooyoung laughed quietly. “Believe me, if I could I would. You know Eden Café is not at its best right now”
Jinsol pouted and patted Chaewon and Hyejoo’s head, messing their hair up.
“By the way, where did Jungeun go?” Asked Sooyoung looking over the almost empty place. Everyone fell silent.
“I saw her and Haseul talking outside” Jinsol muttered while raising an eyebrow.
“Oh” Jiwoo looked as she was about to scream, even if her answer was kind of quiet.
“It’s finally happening?” Yerim didn’t really buy it.
Haseul played with the sleeves of her coat and stared at the ground every five seconds, as she wasn’t capable of looking at Jungeun’s face for more than that. Jungeun wasn’t any better, though.
“You were really good!” Haseul greeted, trying to sound as the Haseul everyone knew and not the ‘completely -whipped-for-Jungeun Haseul’
“Thank you… To be honest I could have done much better, I even sang out of tune once…”Jungeun played with the strands of her hair, trying not to stutter.
“Really? Don’t worry, I didn’t even notice. Don’t be so ha-hard on yourself!”
Haseul tell me you didn’t just stutter.
After some seconds of the most uncomfortable silence, Jungeun spoke. “I’ll work harder form now on, thank you… It’s getting dark, do you want me to take you home or something?”
‘Or something?’ Are you serious?!
“Do-Don’t worry, I live pretty close! You should get going too. See you tomorrow?” Haseul stepped backwards, preparing to get out of there as soon as the conversation (if that counted as one) finished.
“Sure! See you…”
Haseul turned around in a blink of an eye and was about to leave when she heard Jungeun about to say something again.
“Wait, I-” Jungeun completely froze, and all her will disappeared as soon as she looked at Haseul’s face again.
“Never mind, good night Haseul” This time she spoke in a much calmer voice and Haseul could have sworn it sounded sad.
“Good night”
Another wasted chance.
The morning of the next day
“Hey Sooyoung, do you think someone could have a hangover of drinking coffee?” Jiwoo asked while stumbling.
Sooyoung groaned while looking for the café’s main door keys. “It’s 6 a.m, you are just tired”
After a few seconds of finding the right key, the door opened. They were both ready for another day in Eden Café, their minds where already set to ‘work mode’ and all they could think about was seeing the faces of their not only customers but also friends, and the new stories they had to share. That café had somehow become a home for all them, as cheesy as it sounded.
That’s why when they stepped inside the local and saw a completely different reality they couldn’t believe their eyes. They didn’t want to.
Chairs and tables completely smashed, glass spread through the café’s floor, kitchen totally ruined, painted walls, the speakers, the microphone, the stage were the previous night three girls had done a performance was burnt. Maybe that’s not enough to describe what Sooyoung and Jiwoo were seeing with their eyes. Their workplace or rather, their home was completely destroyed.
“What…What the fuck has happened?” Jiwoo muttered, feeling shivers through her body.
“Jiwoo, call the police now!”