Archive of Our Own ^beta

The scent of bean water, aka, the most disgusting beverage on earth--coffee, is, like a fist to the teeth for Bora everytime she comes in for her shift at Paradise Ice.

She would love nothing more than to not be working at this coffee store currently--however, being a struggling college student on the brink of failing and dropping out, as well having rent to pay -- she has to tolerate this job.

It's just unfortunate that out of all the jobs she had applied for, (And boy, did she apply for many-- A hotel job, a dishwasher job, a grocery job, you name it) this cafe had been the only place that had gotten back to her first.

It's just really unfortunate that making the one beverage she absolutely despises the most is her job. (Yet somehow, doing a banger of hell of a good job at it every single time she does. A blessing in disguise. Or a curse disguised as a blessing. It's a two way thing.)

Yubin and Siyeon are her coworkers, and baristas who are disgustingly in love with each other and have no sense of personal space at work--well, Siyeon mostly, not Yubin.

Only when Yubin's freaking about some cartoon she's watching, ("It's called anime, and it's art, Bora!" she can already hear internal Yubin say, to which Bora has to say potato tomato, they're the same thing)

But, only then does Yubin become more...cute and touchy. Behind that stone face of hers, Yubin's actually really lame, being a weeb after all, but in a cute way, of course. But Yubin would say otherwise, and puff her cheeks and say, "I'm not cute," to which Bora would coo and poke her fluffy Yubun-bun cheeks and say, "That just makes you even cuter!"

Anyways--the point is, after Bora started working at Paradise Ice, somehow she had become Yubin and Siyeon's roomate at their dingy apartment that definitely smelt a little...potty. (and not the soil kind, mind you.)

But when she did first start this job as a barista at Paradise Ice, she had hated both of them, basically everyone at this place. But there had been one personal in particular she especially hated--

"Oh, Bora! You're finally here! Good morning!"

...That person being Kim Minji, the definition of perfection.

Her height, tall enough that there's a perfect height difference between them, and no--she didn't spend ages comparing their heights to figure that out. But also, Minji's stupid, gorgeous doe eyes. And her glorious, silky purple hair that she probably gets a treatment for like once a month.

Minji, who is now approaching her with that stupid, bright smile on her stupid, attractive face.

She especially hated her at first.

"Yeah, yeah, morning or whatever," she mutters, quickly turning her back to her to prepare the coffee machine.

But Minji is quick to slide to her right side, arm propped on the bench, hand resting on her cheek. A wide grin accompanied with bright, expectant eyes on her face.

"So, notice something different about me today?"

Bora clenches her jaw, and watches the coffee machine hum to life. Stupid Minji. Of course she noticed that her purple hair is into a bun today, and that it shows more of the soft skin on her chest and neck but more specifically her sternocleidomastoid, but she digresses--

It's just--when she looks at Minji, her stomach flips. Minji is absolutely ethereal and the reason why Bora is looking at a coffee machine instead of her is because of her beauty.

But Bora can't just tell her that. Nor can she tell her that she notices everything about Minji. To the tiny fleck of a dot on her upper lip, to her slender fingers, to the viens in her hands when she holds a cup of coffee--

She can't tell Minji. She just...can't.

"You changed your nails?"

(She tries to ignore the way Minji loses her composure for a moment. Minji did in fact do her nails as well. A pretty lilac. Bora swallows hard. Was she too obvious?)

"Well, that too, but...try looking higher, into my eyes."

And get a heart attack from having prolonged eye contact?

Bora nearly dies at the thought of it.

But also, in some guilty, sappy girl who is crushing on their childhood crush way, she likes the thought of receiving heart attacks... if it's from Minji, of course. So, she figures, why not?

She turns to look at Minji, glances at her bangs, then to her eyes. She nods to the hair, and Minji nods, smile even brighter, and yeah, this isn't so bad. What was she stressing about?

"Oh!"

Minji blinks, as if she's just realised something really important. Bora furrows her brows in alarm.

"What's wrong?"

Minji sighs, and looks around momentarily.

And really, Bora should've seen this coming. Because she's always being screwed by Minji. Not that way of course, (though, she would love to be screwed by Minji, but you didn't hear that from her,) but, in a way in which her stomach has fuzzy knots, and suddenly she's tripping because of Minji. Stupid, infuriating and dense Kim Minji who is both her manager, and probably will always be "just a friend" to her.

Because in the blink of an eye, Minji is suddenly smirking, a finger tapping her chin as she locks eyes with her.

"Can you feel that? It's like...there's definitely something  brewing between us."

Minji's loud laughter fills the cafe and just like that, Bora feels the world tilt on its axis. The tips of her ears grow warm, as she takes Minji's laughing face in.

The way her eyes are crinkled, as if she's genuinely proud of her stupid pun. All Bora can do is silently stare at her, in both awe and endearment, because she's in love with this woman. This woman--who loves telling her stupid coffee puns all the time, and that Bora herself, secretly loves being on the receiving end of her puns.

But she'll never tell Minji. She can't.

So instead, she coughs and flicks Minji's forehead. "Very funny, Ji. Now go be a useful manager and let Siyeon and Yubin in. We have to open the cafe soon."

"Huh?"

On cue, the buzzer from the back door echoes to the kitchen, where they are--and Minji sniffles and wipes her eye.

"Okay, okay," she beams a smile, and Bora's heart aches.
"But you have to admit, that was a good one right? I got it from the Internet!"

Bora snorts, and turns away. "I bet you did."

Minji lets out a whine, and it really doesn't help Bora's pining, pathetic heart.

Soon, the sleepy voices of Siyeon and Yubin fill the kitchen, and Bora greets them as if nothing happened between her and Minji.

But Minji is quick to share her pun with the sleepy couple, and Bora can't help but die a little inside again when Minji's gaze lingers on her afterwards.

--

Sometimes, Bora likes to stare at Minji.

Secretly, of course. She just likes to admire Minji from afar, when she's behind the counter, or when she's near her coffee machine. Sometimes, she likes to take in how Minji looks when she's doing her duties as a leader. Beneath that pun loving face, Minji is quite serious when it comes to the cafe, which of course, makes sense because she's the manager.

As much as it irritates Bora that Minji never seems to take her as serious as she does with her own cafe, Bora, in some incomprehensible way...likes it. She likes that Minji jokes around with her freely, as infuriating as it can be sometimes with her flirty, stupid puns--only Minji shows that goofy side of herself to her. (and Siyeon and Yubin, but Minji doesn't drop her puns on them as much as she does to Bora, which should annoy her, but it doesn't.)

But Bora can't help but admire a lot of things about Minji. She admires that Minji can be serious when she wants to be. Serious to how each patron should be treated with warmth and kindness. To resolving issues with the register or with the coffee immediately. To when her team is disrespected by a patron, (a Karen) and Minji classily throws hot coffee back at them through her sharp words.

And to admiring how Minji is right now, talking to a table of patrons across.

It's unfair, Bora thinks, for Minji to not realise what she does to her for just simply breathing. It doesn't help her yearning with the way the afternoon sunlight filters through the cafe, outlining Minji in yellow light, as if she's an ethereal being. Bora sighs again, when Minji's eyes crinkle into an eye smile as she takes the orders for that table.

Then Minji turns her face ever so slightly, and Bora quickly averts her eyes down to the coffee pot she's preparing. She nibbles on her bottom lip, and hopes Minji didn't catch her staring. She busies her self for another moment with the coffee pot, and looks up for one last glance.

Her heart drops.

Minji's looking right at her from the table. Bora nearly stumbles when Minji beams an innocent smile and waves to her.

Bora glances around the practically empty cafe, and realises it's her she's really waving to.

She moves to wave back in haste, but her hand accidentally knocks against the hot coffee pot. She hisses from the hotness of the metal, jerking away from it, the impact making it tip over the counter. In a knee jerk reaction, she grabs onto it before it falls to the floor, and promptly gives her palm a first degree burn doing so.

She screeches,  raising her eyes to meets Minji's, who is now looking back at her with mirrored horror. She smoothly leaves her table, tells Yubin to go in her place with a quick apology, and runs to Bora, guiding her into the kitchen away from prying eyes.

"Bora! Are you okay?!"

(If Bora wasn't dying from her stinging, she would've headbutted Minji by now.)

"We need to get it under water! Come with me!"

Minji is quick to guide Bora to the sink. She promptly runs warm water instead of cold water on her palm. Bora hisses at the pain and flinches away, but Minji is quick to hold her shoulder and comfort her.

"I know it stings, but starting with warm water helps reduce the scarring and burn progression!"

And Bora, knowing that even though Minji is probably right, ignores her and begins screeching.

"It hurts!"

"I know! We have to slowly change the temperature, okay? Just endure it for a few more seconds, okay? Can you do that for me?"

Bora nods reluctantly, and after a moment, the water turns cool, and Minji keeps her hand under it a little bit more longer.

"I'll be back, okay?"

Bora nods mutely, palm still under the water. Minji disappears for a moment around the corner,  until she comes back with a kit. She turns off the tap, and gently dries off Bora's palm with a towel. Then she gently applies lotion to the area. Bora's watches Minji, the way her brows are creased and furrowed from concentration. If it weren't for her burn, she would've reached up and smoothed the worried creases away by now.

Minji's fingers gently press against the burned area, the coolness of the lotion onto her skin. Bora sighs at the cool sensation. Minji stops in alarm.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Does it still hurt? Do you want me to--"

"No, no,"  Bora shakes her head, and laughs a little when Minji continues to stare. "I'm a tough cookie, see these muscles?"

Bora flexes her other arm, and Minji laughs quietly. Bora smiles in relief. She doesn't look so pale anymore.

"It feels nice, too."

"Tell me to stop if it hurts, or if I'm too rough."

"Aye aye, Ma'am."

Minji laughs again, and goes back to massaging the lotion, and Bora thinks her eyes might be mistaking her when she sees the tips of Minji's ears red. Bora looks down to Minji's hands gently caressing her palm, and it hits her now that this is probably the closest she's ever been near Minji. Her scent that reminds her of summer--a gentle and sweet breeze, like honey and peaches. It almost makes Bora dizzy with the desire to thread her fingers with Minji's--if it weren't for her burn.

She steals another glance through a flutter of lashes, and this time, Minji's looking at her too, her expression far different to her normal demeanour. Bora quickly looks down again, heart thundering in her ears.

"I'm going to wrap the gauze now."

Minji's voice comes out as a near whisper. Bora's heart squeezes. She wraps the gauze around her palm so gently Bora can barely feel it the stinging anymore. When she's finished her fingers linger as their eyes meet again.

Minji shuffles away, coughing a little. "How does it feel now?"

Bora shuffles away a little too, and makes her wrist go limp. "I feel like myself again."

"Thank God," Minji sighs. "Well, because it's your dominant palm, you'll have to take it easy. Let it recover. We're going to close soon so you should just go home early for the day."

Bora huffs. "I'm not that frail. I can still do stuff."

"Don't be stubborn. I can't let you hold anything with a handle because it'll make your palm uncomfort--"

"BORA! Yubin told me you burned yourself!"

Bora whips her head as Siyeon bursts into the kitchen. She runs up to her and squeezes her into a side hug. Bora almost faints as Siyeon starts shaking her.

"Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine, but Sing--"

"Do you have to go hospital?! Do you want--"

Suddenly, Yubin appears out of no where, and bonks Siyeon's head. Bora collects a gasp of air as Siyeon finally lets go, and Minji laughter fills the kitchen.

"She'll have to go to hospital because of you, Siyeon," Minji says.

"Sorry..."

Yubin chuckles and pats Siyeon's pouting cheeks with affection, and turns to Bora. "Are you okay?"

Bora nods, and thats all Yubin needs before dragging Siyeon out of the kitchen with her. Minji watches them go, before turning to her again.

"I still think you should go home early."

Bora lets out a loud, dramatic sigh and nudges Minji, hoping it'll snap her out of her worried face. "I'll be fine, Ji. Really. Believe it or not, I can do stuff with my left hand too."

Minji raises a brow. "Like what?"

"I can clean the tables, I can help out with closing, I can still clear the dishes," Bora shuffles closer to Minji, and grins, "I can also do this as well."

Before Minji has a chance to reply, Bora tickles the area near Minji's armpit, and doubles over with laughter at the way Minji jerks back, squealing with wide eyes.

"Hey!"

Minji's shock settles into a huge grin that matches Bora's one. She steps closer, cornering her by the fridge, and Bora squeals in defence, but Minji doesn't tickle her.

Minji huffs. "You should be lucky I'm letting you off easy today. Next time, though..."

"Next time, what?" Bora taunts.

"Next time, I'll--"

But Minji's reply is cut off by Yubin.

"Hey! More work, less play!"

Their eyes meet, and after a beat of silence, they both burst out into laughter. Minji shuffles back and Bora follows behind her as they make their way out of the kitchen to Yubin, but just before they fully leave, Bora tugs the back of Minji's shirt, stopping her.

Minji whips her head around with an innocent smile, and Bora, despite filled with adrenaline, feels herself fluster once more as the words on her tongue struggle to come out. She's never really been one to say this to others, but--

Minji turns around completely, and Bora takes in a deep breath.

"Thanks...a latte, you know, for my hand."

It takes a moment, but Minji gasps and covers her mouth, and Bora grits her teeth when Minji squeals loudly and jumps on her toes.

"Did you just use a coffee pun? On me? I can't believe--"

As a involuntary reflex, Bora attacks her armpit again, effectively silencing her with a squeak. She escapes out to the front to Yubin and Siyeon, hearing Minji buzz with excitement. She feels her cheeks grow hot by the second.

(Minji raves to Siyeon and Yubin all until closing about how she used a coffee pun on her. Bora finds it incredibly endearing that it only takes so little for Minji to be over the moon for the rest of the day.

She never realised until now willing she was to set aside her own embarrassment to make someone else happy.

Not until Minji came into her life.)

--

"Now this movie looks interesting."

A week passes since then. Today is a quiet, hot afternoon in the cafe. There's no customers inside and it's practically empty -- except for the two birds that keep trying to swoop in everytime the cafe door swings even a little open from the summer breeze.

Yubin and Siyeon are with Bora today, huddled behind the counter near the pastries. Siyeon, on her phone, scrolling through the movie app deciding what movie Yubin and her should watch for their date. Yubin, fanning her shirt with one hand, and sipping on her ice coffee in another hand. Bora, bored out of her mind and fanning herself with her hat, watching the two birds continually fail to come inside.

(She's officially named the black crow--T, and its companion, the pigeon--Rex, so together they're T-Rex. She's only known them for about half an hour, but she's quite attached to them already.)

"Bin, did I like The Conjuring movie? Or is it the Annabelle movie I Iiked more?"

"If you have to ask me, then you probably didn't like either of them, Sing."

"Oh, true." Siyeon blinks, pats Yubin's cheek, then goes back on her phone. "Thanks, Binnie."

"Can you two stop being gross for one second? Also, aren't both movies basically the same?" Bora mindlessly asks, only to witness Yubin's face contort into mild  annoyance.

"Don't start this again."

"What?" Bora picks at the shell of her, then inspects her nail. "They're all the same, kind of like all the Saw movies. Just different ways of death to spice it up a little, you know?"

Something passes through Yubin's face. Perhaps disgust. Or rage. Or being offended. Or a mix of all. "It's called a cinematic universe, and both franchises have one, Bora." Yubin mutters, breathing heavily through her nostrils as she slowly sets her cup down.

"Ooh, someone's pulling the nerd card again." Bora snorts, and rolls her eyes. "I'm soo scared."

"Uh, Bora? Binnie? Can you two not--"

"Listen, I'm just being technical," Yubin says, pinching the bridge of her nose. "They're both franchises, each with movies that can be classified of being in chronological order, with their own plot that adds to the universe. It's not even that complicated when you understand each movie and their significance to the overall universe."

"Right." Bora rolls her eyes. "You know what I think it is? I think it's milking the same damn movie over and over again, and calling it a day. I mean, eight movies for one franchise? I mean, overkill much? I think there's something to be said about capitalism, greed and milking already saturated franchises that is clearly--"

A slam of the cafe door opening wide interrupts Bora's monologue. All three of them whip their heads to see Minji panting.

"Everyone! There's an ice cream van just down the road! Who wants? It's on me!"

Siyeon shoots out of her chair, arm up. "Oh! Anything with choco, please!"

"Me too, Minji. Thank you."

"Okay! Choco for the lucky couple," Minji beams, and faces her. "And Bora? What would you like?"

"I--"

It's all going by too fast, that Bora realises one very important fact.

"Are you going to carry all four cones back yourself?"

There's a moment of silence. Minji scratches her temple, then her expression brightens.

"Why not one of you come along and help me? Get out of the cafe a little?"

But before Bora can even interject, Siyeon and Yubin act fast.

"Dibs not me!"

"Sorry, Bora," Yubin looks the least bit unapologetic. "But I absolutely refuse to go out in this heat."

But I can't be alone with Minji, Bora mouths to them.  Yubin feigns innocence.

"You suggested it, why not go yourself? Have some bonding time with your cru--"

Bora's eyes grow wide, and she barks out loud, nervous laughter. She speeds off her stool, pushing a confused looking Minji out the door. "Let's go! Right now! Can't keep the ice cream waiting!"

Before they're out the door, she looks back to Yubin and Siyeon, and makes a neck slicing motion with her hand.

I'm going to kill both of you, she mouths to them.

The couple only innocently wave back at her.

Bora tsks, and once they're out, she stops pushing Minji. Huffing a little, she stretches her wrists, and catches Minji's gaze on her palm.

"Looks like your burn recovered fast, hey?"

Bora looks down at her palm, and last week's memory of Minji being in close proximity to her--tending to her--burns her cheeks once more. "Ah, it did."

"I'm relieved."

Minji smiles, and Bora returns it with a quiet laugh.

"Yeah, me too."

...Why is it suddenly so awkward?

She clears her throat, and begins walking forward, Minji trailing behind her. They fall into a silence--except for the occasional sound of children playing nearby or the whir of a car in the distance.

The summer heat has grown more humid, and Bora clenches her jaw. She's always prided herself in making conversation, but it's like when she's alone with Minji--outside of the cafe, it's different. For a moment, it's as if she isn't a barista, and Minji isn't taking on the role of manager in front of so many eyes.

Right now, they're just simply Minji and Bora, quietly passing and reflecting through the summer mirage together.

(Ultimately, this is Yubin and Siyeon's fault. How could they even do this to her? She makes a mental to make sure they sleep on the couch tonight.)

"So, the weather's pretty hot today, huh?" Bora lets out a dry laugh, and dies a little because what is wrong with herself? Who starts a conversation about the goddamn weather?

"Oh, definitely. It's never this hot."

Silence passes again.

"So, what flavour are you going to get?"

"Well," Minji begins, "I was going to get something sweet, like choco or vanilla, but I think I have enough sweetness since you're here with me, so, maybe I'll--"

It takes a moment to process, but Bora's jaw drops, and she turns around with flustered cheeks. Minji grins, looking immensely proud of herself.

"Get it? Because you're as sweet as ice cr--"

"I got it! My god, Ji."

Minji beams a smile, and it's so pure and bright. "I got it from the Internet! Good one, right?"

"Totally," she mutters. She averts her eyes away, really because Minji's excited expression is honestly too endearing for her pathetic, pining heart to handle.

But Bora can't stop the tiny lovesick voice in the back of her head:

She thinks I'm sweet?

Wait. No. What is she thinking?

She slaps her cheeks, and begins speedwalking to the ice cream van ahead.

"Hey!"

Minji's shoes thud behind her. Bora picks up the pace on her feet.

"Kettle down, will you? You're too fast!"

Bora contemplates on turning around and jabbing her armpits. Real hard. Judging by the way Minji bursts into another fit of uncontrolled laughter, Bora does just that.

Minji shrieks upon her jabbing, and runs away from her, but Bora is quick on her feet to circle around her. Minji covers her sides, grinning. "Okay, okay! I'll stop! Have mercy!"

"Too late for that now!"

They bicker and jab each other the whole time until they finally get to the van, and after finally reaching an agreement that Bora will stop jabbing if Minji stops punning, they wait in line for the ice cream like the civilised adults they're supposed to be.

"Oh, I think I see Siyeon and Yubin."

Bora follows Minji's squinting line of sight, and low and behold, in the distance, Yubin and Siyeon are right outside the cafe.

Except Siyeon is crouching infront of the two birds Bora saw before --T and Rex specifically, Siyeon trying to pet one of them. And in true Siyeon fashion, being a self declared animal whisperer --T and Rex accept her head pets, and perch on her shoulders. Siyeon's head whips to beaming faced Yubin, and it's like they've both reached enlightenment.

"They're so cute," Minji says, and chuckles. "I bet Siyeon's going to be attached to those birds."

"You mean T and Rex. They're a pair."

"As in T-Rex?"

Bora nods. Minji snorts.

"Well, I bet zero cents Siyeon's going to become attached to T-Rex."

"She already is. Both of them."

As if on cue, Siyeon lets out an excited squeal when Rex perches on Yubin's head, echoing down to their side of the road. Bora grins, and seeks out Minji's expression, surprised to see one of fondness.

Minji's voice comes out soft, "I guess you're right."

"I want what they have," Bora sighs, and her eyes meet Minji's. She expects Minji to nod and agree, but something flickers in her eyes.

"You have me," Minji says, lips parting. Her voice, soft and calm. Her brown eyes, reflecting against the afternoon sunlight, warm with tints of honey.

She's so beautiful.

Bora's throat hitches, and her heart thunders in her ears when Minji steps just a little bit closer.

She blinks, and the gaze is gone.

"Because I'm punny," Minji suddenly says, grin widening.

Bora, absolutely flustered beyond belief, nearly chokes her.

"You--What was our agreement?!"

"Ow! OW! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

(For the rest of her shift, Bora tries not to think about the way Minji had looked at her, and she distracts herself enough that she forgets.

But when it's time for all four of them to say goodbye at the end of the day, Minji looks at her again with those same eyes walking away from the cafe, waving goodbye -- only to bump into a tree as she does.

Bora doubles over in laughter, waving back as Minji bashfully recovers as if nothing happened, waving again to them.

She falls for her even harder than the first time.)

-

"So you're telling me a shrimp fried this rice?"

"Siyeon, focus."

After saying goodbye to Minji, Siyeon and Yubin (the couple never did decide what movie to watch in the end) and Bora herself (because they all decide to just have dinner and go home together instead, Bora's definitely not third wheeling) end up at a restaurant for dinner, because they all suck at cooking. Bora doesn't forget to grill the two about today's circumstances, going off on her tangent, pointing at both of them rather dramatically with her utensils.

"I still can't believe you two made me go alone with Minji today!"

Yubin hums, taking a delicate bite of her rice. "Well, you finally had bonding time with her. I expect a thank you."

She's sort of right about that. Bora picks at her ramyeon with a grumble. Siyeon wrinkles her nose at Yubin's plate.

"Freaky little shrimp tails."

Yubin sighs, and covers the shrimp with rice, seemingly for Siyeon's sake. She directs her eyes to Bora. "On the topic of hating stuff, Bora--can you please stop arranging the magnets on our fridge to spell out that crude nuts joke? We went over this, they're for reminders only."

Bora, now in the middle of taking a sip of her red wine (actually apple juice because she can't afford wine) ends up chugging it all down instead. She sets the glass down, and lets out an exasperated sigh. "Can we stop changing the subject? For five minutes?"

"So you can keep talking about your Minji drama?"

"More like love drama."

Bora watches Yubin and Siyeon share a high five and yeah, maybe she'll need another bottle tonight.

"Has Minji ever said anything to you two? You know, about me? About oh--I don't know, how she might like me back too?"

They both shake their heads, and Bora groans.

"I can't even tell anymore if she's flirting with me or if she's making fun of me through her puns!"

Siyeon stills. "Wait, how'd you even fall in love with Minji anyways?"

Bora grits her teeth, and fights down the blush she's sure is forming on her cheeks. "I thought I told you the story before."

"Um," Siyeon sets her fork down. "I'm pretty sure you haven't."

"I have! Right, Yubin? At least I told you!"

Yubin shakes her head. "Nope. You never told me either."

Bora stares at them.

Unbelievable.

"You two just never listen to me."

Yubin hums. "Says the one who never listens when I keep telling her to stop rearranging my magnets for some crude joke."

Bora shakes her head, sitting back on her chair, arms crossed, laughing lowly. "Well, you know what's crude?"

"Don't you dar--"

Yubin doesn't take the bait, but Siyeon does.

"What?"

"De--"

Yubin thrusts cold water in her face, interrupting her joke, and ultimately, making her screech. As collateral damage, Siyeon screeches as well out of shock, and falls back on her chair, bumping into a waiter who's holding a billion trays of soup, which land onto the table behind. A horrific domino effect playing infront of her eyes.

(It is no surprise to all three that the restaurant bans them forever.)

-

But, in all truth, Bora doesn't exactly remember when she first fell in love with Minji.

She thinks it could've started two weeks into being a barista at the cafe. Still ruminating in her hatred of working in such a horrid place with unfamiliar faces.

But she thinks it all starts at the origin, the beginning, a year ago, when Bora was twenty three, and Minji was only a stranger to her just like Yubin and Siyeon.

She had been in her third year of college, on and off studying dance, struggling to pay rent because she recently had been let go from her previous job. Her former roomate, Gahyeon (who now lives by herself, but regrets so because apparently her new neighbour is very distracting) had told her that the cafe near her was looking for a new barista. Bora, despite her distaste for coffee decided it was a sign to apply.

The interview itself, had been unlike any of the other ones Bora had attended in her life. She arrived to the cafe--Paradise Ice--at 8 in the morning--an ungodly hour. Bora had been led by a quiet woman who she comes to learn later on is Yubin, who isn't so quiet after a few drinks.

She remembers passing Siyeon by the pastries, bowing a little more lower than usual because she looked intimidating. (But how she wishes she could tell the Bora in the past that Siyeon had been nothing more than a puppy eyed softie.)

But what she specifically remembers is the moment her eyes landed on the backside of a purple haired woman by the front counter.

"That's Minji. Soon to be your manager if you pass training." Yubin had told her.

And Bora had been nervous the night before coming here. She had heard a lot about Minji from Gahyeon. How she takes her role as a manager seriously, being a team leader and all for the cafe. How she makes sure every patron that walks through her cafe is greeted with warm hospitality, to how she likes to keep an error free inventory list--

But the one, simple thing Gahyeon had failed to mention--

"Hello, Bora! Thank you for coming in so early today. I hope it wasn't too burdensome to come here. I'm Minji, nice to meet you!"

Minji had extended her hand out, and Bora, well--she had been speechless because Lee Stupid Gahyeon, had failed to mention how gorgeous Minji is. Like -- really gorgeous.

The second thing Gahyeon, or anyone, had failed to mention, is how much Minji liked using coffee puns and dad jokes. But Bora hadn't come to know that until her first week of training, which she somehow had miraculously passed, despite her hatred for coffee, and being flustered by Minji countless times.

But Bora thinks if she could pin point an exact moment, it would have been three months into her job.

She had struggled more than usual with her assignments at school, and failed one. It had happened during her first closing with Minji, who at the time, she finally had become friends with and understood, despite all the puns and jokes.

She remembers the way her phone had lit up with her results after rolling down the cafe curtains. She remembers the way her heart had sank. Her feet had carried her to a table and she sunk into a chair, staring blankly down at the wood.

She doesn't remember how long she had stared into nothing, but all she remembers is the way Minji's voice had pulled her out of the void.

("Hey, what do you call a sad cup of coffee?"

Bora looks up at her, confused and a little dazed. Minji offers her a small smile. Two cups cradled in her hands with steam, the unfamiliar scent of home that fills Bora's empty chest.

"A depresso! But thankfully, this little bad boy isn't depresso at all. It's an expresso train to feeling happy again!"

On any other day, Bora would groan and roll her eyes because of Minji's puns. But today, it makes her chest squeeze, and her eyes water. "You didn't have to."

Minji settles down across her, cups still in her hands. "I know you've been having a hard time lately with school, I know plenty myself how hard it is. So...I made a warm drink, just for you."

"I--" Her cheeks flush, which she notices seems to happening more than a lot lately, especially around Minji. But disappointment settles quickly. "Thank you, really, but I don't drink coffee."

"Oh, I know." Minji beams. "It's milk tea. I heard you talking about how much you were craving it today."

Her ears grow hot. "You heard me?"

"Well, I'm sure the whole cafe did. You did announce it several times today to Yubin and Siyeon. Very loudly."

"Oh."

She averts her eyes down, and Minji laughs softly.

"You know, we've never hired someone who hates coffee as much as you do, and yet, you make it so well. You're quite talented."

"Thank you. But  I think it's just...skill," she rubs her nape. 'I'm really not talented at all. My mother loved drinking coffee a lot, my father, not so much but he still drank my coffee. I always used to make it for them, until I moved away."

Minji hums, kind and gentle.

"Do you miss them?"

"Everyday," she begins to play with her nails. "I want to see them and make coffee for them again. But right now, I feel like I can't even face them because of this. I'm a hot mess right now." She gestures to herself, rather pathetically, and slumps further into her chair. Minji settles into her own, warm eyes with little nods, and Bora feels like she could talk about everything and anything and Minji wouldn't judge her.

But she doesn't, because the last thing she wants is to have Minji deal with her emotional baggage. So instead, she silently accepts the warm cup from Minji. She brings it up to her lips, but she doesn't move to take a sip.

"I don't know what is happening in your life, and I won't pressure you by asking questions, but I want to tell you I'm here for you, as a friend," Minji says, so softly. "Your worries aren't a burden to listen to."

Bora's heart aches. Her throat constricts, and tears prick at her eyes. She blinks them away.

"Thank you," she says.

Something in her chest snap. She's never really done that before--saying thank you to someone honestly. Because her family never really said it to her, just like they never said the words I'm sorry, or forgive me.

Saying these words show you are weak.

"Thank you," Bora repeats again, and the painful block of pain wedged in her chest begins to soothe. Minji smiles at her, so gently and Bora thinks if there's anyone in the world she'd choose to be weak in front of right now, it would be Minji.

And so, she does.

"And thanks...a latte, you know, for listening to me," she says again, fidgeting as she looks up to watch Minji's eyes blink, then widen as she gasps loudly, the universe itself pooling into her bright eyes.

"Did...did you just use a coffee pun on me?"

Her face grows hot when Minji leans a little too close to her face, her expression, absolutely starry eyed with happiness. Embarrassment crawls up Bora's neck. "It's-- You know what I mean!"

And then Minji snorts. Bora looks at her quizzically, and Minji bursts into hearty laughter, a sweet and cheerful laugh that tickles Bora from the neck down to the depths of her tummy.

She stares and listens, and she realises that she would do anything to make Minji laugh like that again.

"It wasn't supposed to be...punny," Bora says again, her words edging into a smile as she watches Minji double over into laughter again. She realises the heavy block of pain wedged in her chest no longer aches. Instead, she feels light. So incredibly light that there's an urge to lean over and kiss Minji, and--

Oh.

Oh.

The Earth had been silently spinning on its axis, people passing the cafe window to go home and escape from the winter snow. Bodies and couples alike huddling close for warmth in their beanies and scarfs. Some faces weary and tired, and some faces content as they pass through the humming silence.

But Bora's weary silence had suddenly been filled with laughter--with hope, with love--

And it had been then, that she realised she had fallen in love with Minji.)

-

The text happens during the weekend, on her day off. Bora's in the kitchen, sleepily scratching her stomach under her pyjama shirt, head deep in the fridge when her phone lights up a ding.
                                        
minjisauras: everyone~!! ^ω^ I want to invite you all to my birthday party  ε==(っ≧ω≦)っ  coming up next saturday o(≧∇≦o) I'll send the address soon (*°∀°)=3 but it's at my friends beach house!! ( ✧Д✧) YES!!  so get your beach themed outfits ready so we can all have some fun~!!

GO!✺◟( ⑅❛ั ᴗ ❛ั ⑅)◞✺GO!

Bora drops her jaw.

Oh God.

She's going to be sick.

She drops the orange juice, and makes a beeline towards Yubin and Siyeon's room.

"Yubin! Siyeon! Did you check the group chat?!"

The door slams open, and Bora sees they're both huddled together on the carpet, infront of their TV, controllers in their hands playing some co-op game. To her most expected non-surprise because she's used to this, there is no response from either of them.

"Uh, hello?"

Yubin doesn't budge her eyes away from the screen, and Bora sighs. Desperate times call for desperate measures. She clears her throat, and picks at her fingernail.

"You two know the first dude betrays the second dude at the end, and no matter what path you choose, one of them will die?"

Yubin's finger twitches. The screen pauses. Both Siyeon and Yubin slowly turns around, and their faces may be stone, but there is clear rage in their eyes.

Yubin deeply inhales. "How dare you--"

In truth, Bora's never played this game, and she doesn't actually know if what she's just said is actually true, but judging by Yubin's death stare, it probably does turn out to be true.

But being used to Yubin's constant threats, she's practically unfazed. "Well that finally got your attention, Minji texted us about her birthday party and it's going to be at a beach house! And I don't have any beach wear! We need to go shopping! Like right now!"

Yubin continues staring at her, before inhaling slowly. "It's literally midnight Bora. And also, I can't believe you just--" Yubin pinches the bridge of her nose, and continues muttering to herself. "You are the reason we have middle fingers, you--"

Bora rolls her eyes and stands infront of the TV, making both of them groan in unison.

"Yeah, yeah, you can murder me later. Right now, we need to go shopping!"

Siyeon sets down her controller. "Like right now?"

"Yes, right now!"

Siyeon furrows her brows. "And you said her party is going to be at a beach house? Binnie, did you know Minji had a beach house?"

But Yubin doesn't reply, now staring at her phone.

Bora shrugs. "It's her friend's apparently."

"Oh."

"Someone please remind to me take Minji's phone away from her," Yubin mutters, with a face of what Bora can now assume is mild horror.

"So we're finally getting our own beach episode. Nice."

Bora squints at Siyeon chuckling to herself, and Yubin sighs in defeat, shoving her phone away.

"Alright, midnight shopping spree it is then."

-

(They do find their beach outfits in the end, and somehow, a midnight shopping spree turns into a midnight food crawl because Siyeon wants Italian food. It comes to no surprise to either Bora or Yubin when Siyeon, an hour later, drunkenly makes a scene inside the restaurant and they get kicked out, Siyeon screaming, "You're like the Olive Garden of Italian food anyways!" as they get dragged out.

They end up eating soft serve ice cream with a chocolate flake outside the McDonald's parking lot as a way to end the night. Bora, slurring on about her theory that Minji is just exploiting homosexuality, and through it, making fun of her. Siyeon, disproving her theory through video games, and Yubin, the only sober one, empathetically listening to her best friend and her girlfriend.

One could think it's the most miserable way to finish the night, but Bora thinks this is one of the best nights of her youth she's spend thus far.

The summer night begins to cool as Siyeon ruffles Bora's hair. Yubin, leaning on Bora's shoulder, laughs as Bora continues to defend herself against Siyeon about her not so far fetched theory.

Bora always wishes they came into her life earlier.)

-

In the blink of an eye, the day of Minji's birthday party by the beach arrives, and Bora could not feel any more constipated because their mode of transport to the beach house is a mini bus Minji's friend has specifically sent just for them.

Siyeon, Yubin and Bora all wait outside their apartment building for the bus to pick them up. Bora had asked Minji yesterday how they'd know it's their ride, and Minji had answered rather nonchalantly.

("You'll know because it'll come right at three in the afternoon. The bus will be pink, and it'll obnoxiously say Happy Birthday Minji slapped on the side. Handong insisted."

"Oh.")

So Handong is the woman behind the beach house and the bus. She's heard about her a little from Minji -- how she dabbles in all sorts of business. With a name as expensive as hers, Bora thinks she probably looks just as expensive too.

She burrows her chin in the front of her sleeveless black hoodie, and shoves her hands in her mahogany red swim shorts. She doesn't plan on dipping in the pool or ocean, but the summer heat is too sticky and humid to wear anything other than shorts.

"Oh! The bus is here!"

Just as Siyeon says it, the bus rounds to the corner, and Bora drops her jaw. Minji had not been kidding when she said the design would be obnoxious, because Minji's whole face is slapped onto it too.

All of their jaws drop.

The bus door opens, and Minji comes out, looking absolutely gorgeous in her floral dress.

"Everyone!" she grins, and enthusiastically claps her hand. "Ready to go?"

"Yes!" Siyeon is first to recover from her shock, saluting to Minji eagerly. Yubin follows Siyeon and they enter inside the bus, but Bora is still in shock.

"Bora?"

Minji steps infront of her, and Bora realises her mouth is still open. She shuts it quickly.

Minji laughs, and pokes her nose, snapping her out of her trance. Then she takes her hand, and Bora's heart leaps as Minji drags her inside.

"Come on, let's go! You're sitting next to me, remember?"

They quickly get inside, Siyeon and Yubin in the seats infront of her. Bora dies inside as she stares at the two seats they'll be occupying.

She's going to be sitting next to Minji for the next two hours.

Just the two of them.

"You can go in first," Bora tells her, stepping back. Minji furrows her brows.

"You don't want the window seat?"

Well, Bora did initially want the window seat, but she had remembered the memory of Minji telling Yubin last year that she always loved daydreaming watching the scenery pass, music from her earphones when she used to go on family drives a long time ago.

Bora had remembered the longing look in her eyes after she told the memory to them.

"I'll pass," Bora says, before putting on a pompous voice. "Besides, it's the birthday queen's birthday, no? You only deserve the best after all."

"Stop it," Minji shoves her, giggling as she sits down. Bora beams, getting comfortable next to her.

"Well, you can take the window seat when we sit together coming home," Minji offers brightly, and Bora's smile drops.

She forgot about that.

"Ooh lala!" Siyeon sings in the seat infront of her, and Bora nearly reaches around and chokes her.

"I'm glad I get to spend my birthday with all of you this year."

Bora turns to the sound of Minji's soft voice, and her heart begins to pick up because Minji's already looking at her, with the same fond gaze she had given to her the day they got ice cream together.

"Me too," Bora breathes out, honest, eyes lingering on hers.

Minji blinks, and the gaze is gone.

"I don't have much words to expresso how much it beans to me that you came," Minji says, a little smug, grin widening. Bora sputters, cheeks burning hot. She shifts, and Minji, seemingly as a reflex, quickly covers her front with a squeak.

"Disgusting," Yubin mutters infront, and Minji bursts into whiny laughter.

Bora watches her laugh and bicker with Siyeon and Yubin, and a small smile makes way on her face. Despite the urge to tickle her sides -- she'll let it pass today, because Minji looks the happiest she's ever been in a long time.

-

"I'm telling you Gahyeon, she definitely has a Live, Laugh, Love poster in her house."

"Yoohyeon would never."

For the past hour since she's arrived to the beach house, Bora's been mingling and eavesdropping on other people's conversations. Right now, she's with Siyeon and Gahyeon, talking about her neighbour Yoohyeon.

She's not sure where Minji is, probably somewhere among the sea of 300 guests that are in the beach house or in the backyard--which is the actual beach.

(She had asked Minji if she knew every single person who had been invited, and Minji said Handong had been in charge of everything, including the guest list.)

Bora swishes her pina colada in her hand, looking out to the rest of the beach. The evening moonlight is bright and the beach lights up with fire torches and life. Guests decked out in their swim wear playing volleyball, dancing to the DJ'S music and some enjoying their drinks under the straw beach umbrellas.

She notices a young couple in the distance sharing a drink with two straws, and she sighs.

She misses Minji's company.

"Do you two know where the birthday girl is?" she asks.

Gahyeon shakes her head. "I saw her by the kitchen, but she was surrounded by Handong's relatives and friends. Didn't even get a chance to say Happy Birthday, or ask about how her blind date last week."

Bora, in the middle of drinking her pina colada, chokes.

"What?"

"What?" Gahyeon replies, before gasping. "Wait. Did she tell you how it went? You have to tell me! The guy I set her up with was so cute!"

Gahyeon leans in, and Bora stammers.

"I...I don't--"

Siyeon's hand lays on her shoulder. A gentle squeeze, and Bora averts her eyes down to her empty glass. Why didn't Minji tell her anything?

"Hey, hey! Let's go back to talking about Yoohyeon, hm?"

"Aww, but I want to know!"

Dread settles into the put of her stomach, and frustration bubbles into her chest. Why does Minji keep playing around with her and get her hopes up? Is she going out with him? Did they--

She stops, catches herself, and takes a deep breath.

"I think I'm going to go to the toilet."

"Bora--"

Siyeon looks at her, eyes full of worry, and Bora shakes her head, forcing a smile. She just needs to be alone.

Her feet carry her somewhere inside the beach house, dazed, up the stairs, and into the second floor balcony. She contemplates not going inside because there's already a figure there. Bora is about to turn away to find another balcony, but the figure turns around.

Bora widens her eyes when she realises it's Minji.

Minji steps a little closer, and Bora's heart drops.

"Bora? What are you doing here?"

Bora sighs, and decides to approach her, forcing a smile on her face. "I could ask you the same thing, birthday girl."

She joins her side, and together they both look out to the moon dipping into the ocean. "I needed a breather."

Bora snorts. "Looks like we're both here for the same reason."

"Party too stuffy?"

She looks at Minji, and the image of someone else other than her -- someone other than her holding her hand burns her mind. She blinks it away.

No.

Minji's dating life is none of her business.

But it still hurts.

"You could say that."

If only you knew.

Minji hums, and Bora debates on asking her about the blind date -- but she doesn't. She's not entitled to know, even if she is in love with her.

She takes a deep breathe, inhaling in the salty ocean. She tries to act normal. "How are you feeling, birthday girl?"

"Me?" Minji looks surprised for a moment. "I feel...I don't know, overwhelmed maybe? I don't feel quite like myself. But I think it's been like that for a while, even before today. And yourself? How are you?"

Minji looks at her with such honest eyes, Bora feels like she should be honest with everything too.

Besides feeling like my heart has been ripped out. "I feel behind in life, school and all, I should have graduated by now, but I'm still stuck," Bora looks up to the stars. "When I see Yubin and Siyeon, a pair that makes music together, I feel so proud of them but--I cant help but feel envious of them sometimes," Bora sighs, and spares a glance at Minji, before looking back up to the stars again. "I'm not sure if you'd get it."

After a beat, Minji softly replies. "I do."

Bora looks at her, and Minji smiles, a little wistful and not at all like her. "I dropped out of college once I realised how unhappy I was with studying medicine." she laughs. "I mean, can you really see me being a doctor?"

Bora's lips twitch, and she nudges Minji's shoulder. "Doctor Kim does feel a little gritty on the tongue."

Minji rolls her eyes, a faint smile on her face. She doesn't move away when Bora shuffles a little closer.
"Being the oldest, I followed what my family expected me to do. I rushed into college, my responsibility to set an example for my younger brother and my family that I was going to be successful. It was only until my third year, that I realised that from the moment I was born, I had been living only to please my family and their expectations."

Minji looks down. "I've always felt empty. I still do, now. But when I'm at the coffee shop, the emptiness fades for a while. When I serve people coffee and see the happiness on their face, I realise that I'm not completely numb. Knowing that I'm making other people happy through what I do, even if it's through coffee, keeps me going for another day."

Watching her like this, there's an urge in Bora's belly to crack through Minji's facade. To see what she buries beneath her skin--to crawl into the depths of her soul and cradle the warm light into her palms. To be her solace, to comfort her just as much as Minji comforts her.

"Listen, Minji, I--" Bora takes a deep breath. She needs to tell her, because now it's hard to even breathe looking at her -- she needs to, even if Minji might be in love with someone else. "I...I need to tell you something."

Minji turns to her, and Bora takes in her serene face. She palms her shorts, and takes out the small box she's been carrying with her all day.

"Here," she smiles. "My present for you, birthday girl. Happy birthday."

Minji gasps, delicately taking the box from her. "Oh, Bora," she breathes out. "Thank you. I...I don't even know what to say."

She takes a deep breath.

It's now or never.

"I wanted to give this to you after I confessed but -- after hearing about your blind date and how you're probably with someone else, I thought about it again, and even though I'm in love with you and you're not, I still want to gift this to you anyways because I care about you, and I want you to be happy, even if it's not with me. And I--"

She averts her eyes to Minji, and she slaps a hand to her mouth in horror.

Minji steps closer, and Bora takes one step back.

"But...I am in love with you."

Bora's heart drops. She fumbles.

What? 

She stares at her, and Minji looks so honest and tender that Bora realises she isn't joking this time.

"But then all the flirting... the blind date--"

A look of realisation passes over Minji's face, and she sighs, slapping her forehead. "Gahyeon set me up on a blind date because I kept complaining to her about my unrequited feelings. Even when I was on the date, all I could think about was you."

Bora blinks again, heart thundering in her ears. "And all the flirting? You...meant all of it?"

Minji suddenly looks flustered, voice quiet. "I did. Some days I would slip up, and I'd panic and joke it off, because I always thought you'd only see me just as a friend but...I meant each one. Every single time."

Silence passes over them. Only the sound of the waves rolling against each other, and the salty breeze of the wind on their tongues.

"You have no idea how much you frustrated me with those flirty puns of yours," Bora murmurs, closing the distance between them slowly. "One second, you would look at me the way Siyeon and Yubin would look to each other, and then the next, you'd brush it off with a laugh. I was so confused. So frustrated."

"I'm sorry," Minji's palm tenderly rests on her cheek, and Bora leans into her warm touch. She gazes at her, and something shifts between them when Minji's lips part ever so slightly. Her voice comes out as a murmur.

"May I kiss you to make up for it?"

And Bora answers by gently pressing her lips against hers, because she's waited for this moment for too long that she doesn't ever want to go back. She pulls Minji in by the waist, clinging onto her as Minji deepens the kiss -- her soft, trembling lips, tasting sweet and a little salty from the ocean.

When she pulls away, she smiles against her lips as she whispers, "It'll take more than one kiss to make up for it."

"Well, I should get started then, shouldn't I?" Minji says against her lips, before kissing her again, pressing their fronts together. Bora smiles into the kiss, wrapping her arms around Minji's neck, pulling her closer, never wanting to let go of this moment again.

"Birthday girl."

"Mm?"

"Happy Birthday."

Minji snorts against her lips, and Bora leans back, breaking the kiss, sighing.

"Well now you've just ruined the moment."

Minji gasps, offended. "I ruined the moment?"

"Yup."

"You're unbelievable!"

Bora rolls her eyes, and pulls in a pouting Minji close to her again. "Get used to it," she grins, and kisses her again.

(They spend the rest of the night together with Siyeon and Yubin and the others. During the cake cutting, Bora smears some cake on Minji's cheek as intended, laughing in her face, before helping her clean it up. When  it's time to go to sleep, they separate ways into their own guest rooms, not before Bora giddily steals another kiss from Minji by cornering her near the wall in the dark.)

-

In the early morning, all four of them sleepily wait for the bus to come and take them back home. Even though last night's events weren't that long ago, Minji is already clinging onto her and back hugging her because of the cold.

Even though this is new and scary, Minji's front pressed to her back is warm and comforting, and Bora feels the most content she's felt in the long time.

When they get inside the bus, Bora takes the window seat as promised by Minji, and Minji immediately yawning.

"I'm so tired," Minji murmurs, doe eyes sleepy, and Bora watches her with fondness.

She threads Minji's hand loose on her lap, putting her fingers between hers. Minji watches for a moment, before stretching her hand so Bora's palm now lays against Minji's bigger one, and they share a knowing smile--their size difference that never seems to grow old, and she thinks it probably never will.

Minji closes her eyes, lays her head against her shoulder, and Bora interlaces their hands together once more. She rests her cheek against Minji's head and closes her sleepy eyes.

Minji squeezes her hand, and Bora doesn't need to hear her voice to know what she means.

I love you.  

She's sure Minji doesn't need to hear her either to know she loves her too.

-

Life inside the Paradise Ice Cafe is back to normal, if one ignores the constant puns being thrown around, or the far more chaotic things that happen daily such as Siyeon and Yubin losing it and flipping a table because of Minji and Bora's constant flirting.

"What does a coffee lover say when they're hitting on you?"

"I've been thinking about you a latte."

"God, make it stop."

Bora pokes her tongue out at Yubin, who sighs as she calls an order, "I have a latte for Yoo Jimin and Minjeong!"

"You're just jealous because Siyeon doesn't give you attention anymore."

As if on cue, Siyeon bursts into the cafe, squealing. "T-Rex have a baby nest now, Yubin! We're officially their grandparents now!"

Yubin sighs in endearment. "That's lovely, Sing."

Bora snorts, and feels a familiar hand on her shoulder, and looks to see the love of her life, winking at her.

"Yubin, have I ever told you how much you bean to me?" Minji asks innocently, and Yubin groans as Bora high fives Minji.

"Gross! All of you!"

(As much as Bora hates coffee, as chaotic as it gets inside Paradise Ice, Bora found a family here.

She knows she'll do anything to protect something so precious to her.)