MILKSHAKE 8,076 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 RATING: 14+mild langauge Basically Sohyun gets a harem. But seriously. Sohyun is just trying to make a living for herself and her family, she's the oldest of five siblings, and has to work twice as hard to prove herself worthy to work at Nail Paradise, the shop ran by Minhyuk the owner. She has a hard time fitting in with the other male staff who don't welcome any females into their territory unless they're a customer, but Sohyun is good at what she does and she also loves doing it. She has to get through the boys and their fangirl customers if she's to stay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MILKSHAKE 8,076 Posted July 23, 2015 Author Share Posted July 23, 2015 chapter oo1 "You're fired." She couldn't believe she was hearing those words. Again. Sohyun had been working at this salon for maybe four months now, roughly five, but overall just not enough. Her manager was discontent to let her go, but it had to be done. Sohyun took responsibility for all the trouble she caused. She understood why she was being relieved and if she was being honest with herself she probably would have fired herself long ago. Her brother, thirteen year old Sungmin, stood regretfully by her side as she bowed to the nail salon staff and thanked them for the opportunity to work with them. It was all his fault, everyone thought. Had he not gotten into another fight at school Sohyun wouldn't have left so urgently to beg the school's director to not expel him. He, out of all the other issues she had during work, was the biggest one. Sohyun forced her brother's head down to a bow as well and apologized for the umpteenth time on his behalf. They departed the shop Sohyun thought would have been her last and official place of work. She hit her brother on the arm as they waited for the public bus. "How could you? Why do you constantly have to make things so difficult for me?" He couldn't look up at her crying face, feeling bad enough that he got his sister fired and now she was going to have to explain it to their struggling parents as well. "Don't just stand there and look stupid. Say something! Both our lives are a wreck because of you, you need to be responsible for your actions!" "Noona..." The words came out stiffly, "Sorry." She hit him again, outraged that that was the best he could come up with. All she could do was cry and complain and blame everything on him at the time being. When they got home it was a different story. "Ah, you're here early." Their mother was peeling several pounds of garlic for a nearby restaurant. She didn't have a full-time job but she worked whenever she could to bring in some type of income. Sungmin avoided her and went straight to his room. Sohyun sighed and began to help her mother. "Don't!" Her mother was very persistent about Sohyun doing more work at home after being at the salon all day. "Don't worry, I'm full of energy today." A lie but necessary excuse. She decided to not tell her parents that she was let go from another salon for the sake of their stress and Sungmin's life. If her parents found out that he was being such a troublemaker at school again they would beat him and then send him across the country as they promised. "So what's for dinner?" ✮✮✮ Sohyun walked out another salon empty handed. None of them were hiring which made sense, it was spring and all the shops were getting their staff full and ready for all the customers to come. Sohyun would have been lucky enough if they had a opening for just cleaning duty. "Ah. I've already been fired from half these shops." The struggle was real. If there was a shop that she hadn't been fired from, they knew that she was likely to be fired, and if there was a shop that didn't know who she was, they would have questioned the number of times she changed work places so often. She stomped repeatedly on the sidewalk and wailed. "Damn that brother of mine!" "Yah, Paradise Nails is so great." "I know." "I'm going to go back, the boys there are total lookers." Sohyun listened as closely as she could to the conversation the two female students were having as they walked past her. Paradise Nails. That was a shop she never heard of and hadn't applied to. Yet. She thought to herself that it had to be new. Using her phone's search engine she found the location of the shop right away. It was located near a highschool, which would explain the female students talking about it. The building was different from most she had seen. It was a stand alone building, two stories tall and nicely designed. Through the massive windows on the front Sohyun could see females sitting at round tables and drinking coffee. It looked to be more of a cafe than a salon. She pressed her face against the glass, cupping her hands around her eyes to get a better look inside. It was packed. There were a lot a females that ranged from high school students, young women and a few ahjummas. "Can I help you?" She let out a yelp, realizing that she must have looked strange staring at customers from the outside. A male just slightly taller than her, older and extremely handsome was standing at the doorway. He didn't look like he worked there, he wore a dark long sleeved buttoned up shirt and white pants with expensive shoes, and yet he was looking at Sohyun, even opening the door wider for her. "Um, is this a nail salon?" She asked dumbly. The shop had a header that clearly said "Paradise Nails" but she couldn't know for sure. The male smiled at her, making her flush. "I'll show you." He said. Sohyun followed him inside where she was greeted by another handsome male at the cash register. He had a huge smile and he bowed enthusiastically, welcoming her to the shop. She shyly bowed back and looked to the first male that brought her in. "It's customary for our staff, especially Peniel, our cashier, to greet every customer that comes to Paradise Nails. Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm the owner and manager Lee Minhyuk." That would explain why he wasn't in uniform and the cashier, Peniel, was. Peniel was wearing a soft brown fabric both jacket and pants, his jacket was closed up by two small ropes locked in shiny golden buttons. Sohyun imagined herself wearing the uniform and fell in love right away. "So what do you want done today?" Minhyuk went on, Sohyun hadn't noticed he was waiting for her to respond. She flashed a daft smile. "Is this place hiring?" She asked. Minhyuk nodded. "Yes as a matter of fact we have a opening since business has been a bit hectic lately. Why? Do you know someone?" He looked just as excited as Sohyun, making it obvious that their search for another employee had been futile as he leaned in to hear her response. She nodded her head and grinned widely. "Yes. Me." The manager's face froze for a second, then he straightened it out and leaned back, clearing his throat. He exchanged looks with Peniel who quickly avoided his gaze nervously. "Miss..." "Sohyun. Kwon Sohyun." Sohyun's smile held perfectly still on her face. She hadn't noticed the manager's sudden change of mood. "Sohyun, sorry, but if you hadn't noticed this shop has a 100% male staff. We would like to hire you, we would, but you're a--" "I'll work really hard!" She interrupted him. "I know I might be lacking in looks, and like you said, you only hire males, but I'm incredibly good at what I--" He pressed his index finger up to her lips, closed his eyes and shook his head no. That's all he could say was no and in that very moment Sohyun got on her knees and begged. "Mr. Lee please! I'm begging you, just give me a chance! I won't let you down I swear! I need this job. I must have it. I must wear that uniform!" "Ms. Kwon!" His voice boomed and echoed in the foyer, seemingly causing everything in the shop to stop. It scared Sohyun shitless and she stood both terrified and embarrassed. She didn't dare look at his face, afraid of the mocking image he would be showing, but his next choice of words were the opposite, polite and gentle. "I'm sorry. Nail Paradise has a specific type of employee needed to be hired. Look around you. Our demographic is mainly young women who are lead here by our looks. However," Sohyun's eyebrows raised, a pinch of hope inching its way back to her... "I can offer you our best service package for free since you begged so sincerely." She slumped her shoulders and frowned. The best he could offer meant nothing and yet there was no sense in refusing it since it was free. Minhyuk lead her up the stairs to the second floor where more women lounged around and chatted with each other. They went to an open room with a staff member and portable massage chair waiting for the next customer. The male had his jacket uniform sleeves rolled up to show off his biceps. His eyes smiled just as he did and he kindly gestured for Sohyun to sit in his chair. "Hyunsik will take care of you and he'll take you to the next part of your special." Minhyuk left Sohyun to the male with the muscles and his chair. She sat idly in it, face first into the head rest and the front of her body leaning on the contraption. "My name is Lim Hyunsik and today I will be giving you your head, shoulders and back massage. Please tell me if you're uncomfortable at any time." Sohyun grunted, feeling odd now that this is where job searching has lead her, but it didn't seem like a complete waste of time. She couldn't remember the last time she even got a massage, and she knew it had been too long the moment Hyunsik pressed his fingers into her shoulders. She cried out. "Sorry." He apologize, his voice was soothing and deep. Sohyun didn't care that she was in pain. "You're really tense, but no worries. My hands are the best in the business. How is the pressure for you?" She scrunched her face through the head rest. "Meh. It's ok." She admitted truthfully. She was enjoying his voice more than the massage. "If you like," He lowered his voice, "I can be a bit rougher with you." "What?" Sohyun panicked and turned her head as far as she could. Hyunsik's thumbs pushed in her lower back prevented her from moving and she let out a whine. "Sorry, I'm told my words can be improper sometimes. My mind and intentions are pure. As long as my customers are on the same page then I can continue to speak naturally around them." Sohyun could tell she was blushing. How did such a person exist, she thought. By the time he was finished Sohyun was more tensed and weak in the knees than she had started. Hyunsik lead her to another room where a male was finishing up waxing the eyebrows of a customer. Sohyun hated getting her eyebrows waxed and would have walked away if it weren't for Hyunsik gently pushing her in the room and then leaving. Eunkwang was the oldest looking so far but still fairly good looking. Sohyun thought that even if she were a male just the criteria to be stunning was impossible for her. She sat down on his waxing bed and asked if he had any other methods of cleaning her eyebrows. He simply said no, almost bothered by her presence already, and quickly waxed her brows. She hated that she had to go through that, even for free, but she went on curiously to her next feature. "Do her eyelashes." Is how Eunkwang introduced her to Changsub and then left quickly. Changsub wasn't like the others, even by Eunkwang's standards, he was less handsome and oddly shaped. He hadn't said a word to Sohyun as she sat in his chair and he began to carefully glue a lash at a time to her. She usually never wore fake lashes, but she made the exception to see if he was skillful at it. By the time he was finished twenty minutes had passed and he hadn't said a word to her but he meekly smiled as she thanked him. She was confused as to where she was to go next, but her instincts lead her back down the stairs where all the nail related stations were located. Minhyuk ran into her again. "Oh, Ms. Kwon. How is your deluxe going?" "It's going." "I see you're just waiting on you pedi and mani now. Come sit in the lounge and grab a cup of coffee until Sungjae is ready for you." Sohyun did as she was told, about used to being ordered around thinking she might as well be an employee at this juncture. She had two cups of coffee by the time Sungjae was ready to do her pedicure. He was the maknae but also the tallest. He held a conversation with Sohyun the whole time which worried her since it didn't seem like he was concentrating on the work too much. He gave her one hell of a foot massage that made up for his terrible paint job and it was over sooner than she had liked. It was already late in the day and business was slowing down. Sohyun found herself waiting for her manicure longer than the other stations. The cashier, Peniel, had came over to her several times, offering her another coffee or a cookie to snack on, saying that it will be any moment now before Ilhoon treats her. She didn't mind the waiting, she got to observe the others more. When they weren't giving massages, waxing eyebrows or putting on fake eyelashes, they, too, were doing pedicures and manicures. They seemed to be a flexible shop that balanced their work out pretty well. "He's ready for you now, Miss." Peniel escorted Sohyun over to the last feat where there were a long line of desks with filers, fingernail clippers, brushes and drills, all the tools Sohyun was most familiar with. She stared at the stations in awe, neatly placed and fully equipped-- it was her dream station; she didn't notice that she was already sitting at a seat having her hands observed by a manicure tech. He quietly introduced himself as Ilhoon, and he was both handsome and pretty in the face; Sohyun guessed that they were probably around the same age. "You have really pretty hands." He said suddenly, causing Sohyun to shift her attention away from a game of Candy Crush she was playing with her unoccupied hand. "I need you to put that away. Your hands are in my care now." She did what she was told, again. He carefully handled both her hands gently, gave her a relieving hand massage, and an exceptional coat on her nails. Her free and special package came to its conclusion and she realized she was the last customer in the shop. All the staff members were gathered in the lounging area, and Minhyuk approached Sohyun. "I hope you enjoyed your gift Ms. Kwon. Please, do come again." "No." His face did that arrangement where it froze and then turned him into a completely different person. This face was apparently habitual as the other male workers recognized that there was danger among them right away. Minhyuk fabricated a smile, "What do you mean no?" Sohyun sighed. She didn't want to have to do this, but she must, as both a nail tech and a customer, she had to keep it real. "The service is good. The service is so good I think it's one of the best I've witnessed in all of Korea. But that service can be mistaken as fanservice which can also be prioritized over skill. Take Hyunsik for example," The accused pointed at himself stunned and the other members looked at him with the same expression. "Hyunsik was so good at sweet talking me I felt like I was on the phone with a dating service. The massage itself wasn't that great; he missed most of the pressure points and I felt more disoriented afterwards." "Ah, about that,"He tried to explain himself but Sohyun wasn't finish. "When it comes to eyebrow shaping Eunkwang's technique is too outdated. Waxing is not only painful but can cause skin damage like irritation and rashes. Threading is healthier and simply a better method in taking care of people's eyebrows." "In your opinion." He threw in embarrassed. "Changsub is good at doing eyelashes, but he is a bit clumsy at times. Although they look nice I can tell that my lashes won't last three days. He also didn't say a word to me so I think that's bad work ethic on behalf of your shop's customer service." A few of them had dropped their jaws at that point, and Changsub stood, pointing a menacing finger at her. "Yah, who are you even? How can you just criticize our work like this when we pampered you all evening? Hyung, does this make sense?" "Quiet." Minhyuk ordered him, his serious face still posted. "Go on, Ms. Kwon." "Right," She did just that, "Sungjae's foot massage was nice but his paint job needs work. There wasn't enough coating and it was just downright sloppy. As for Ilhoon...Ilhoon..." He had been the only one not making desecrated or astounded faces at her, he'd just been watching, his face just as strict as Minhyuk's but softer, not minding Sohyun's scrutiny over their work. "Well there was no problems whatsoever with Ilhoon's manicure but I probably could have done just as good." "Wow." Changsub spoke again, his look of defeat and anger attacking Sohyun. "Good job. You got the most expensive and luxurious packet in the shop and you barely enjoyed it." He slow clapped his hands and Sohyun didn't know whether to be more surprised at how he was reacting to her remarks or that he wasn't as quiet as she thought. "It's a good thing you don't plan on coming back, I don't think I could stomach serving a customer like you." "Yah, Lee Changsub!" Minhyuk roared, his voice made everything go quiet again and Sohyun began to rethink all of what she just said. "Kwon Sohyun." "Yes?" She spoke louder than she intended, but she felt buried under all of the male adrenaline surrounding her all of a sudden. "You...really have a knack for this kind of thing don't you?" She slowly nodded, not sure what the purpose of him even addressing her was for. She wanted to quickly make her exit so she would never have to see those menacing gazes again. "Alright. I'll make you another deal." She looked up at him, feeling shorter than everyone in the room. All of their eyes were on her, she never felt the pressure so badly before. "You'll be able to work here for a day, and if you can prove to everyone, both staff and customers, that you're worthy of being hired, I'll let you stay." It took everything in her to not scream or cry or react like a normal human being in front of the other males who looked at their boss like he had clearly lost his mind. She bowed over and over and repeated, "Thank you, you won't be disappointed." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MILKSHAKE 8,076 Posted July 23, 2015 Author Share Posted July 23, 2015 chapter oo2 Out the corner of her eye Sohyun could spot Changsub flashing her a dirty look from his wall locker again. She had changed in the women's latrine but decided to use an available locker in the changing room for her personal belongings. The boys were unnerved around her; Eunkwang was caught pulling up his pants just as she walked in but she ignored him as if she saw nothing. "She doesn't even know how to apologize." Mainly it was Hyunsik, Eunkwang and Changsub (The Anti Trinity) who copped an attitude with her while the other three, Ilhoon, Peniel and Sungjae hadn't said much since Minhyuk made the deal with her. They weren't mean but they weren't kind either. She accepted that reality since she was a female. She threw off every dynamic they had going for them and not only that, she would have to get through to their female customers as well. "Kwon Sohyun, HWAITING!" She encouraged herself and lined up with the other males as they waited in the foyer for their first customers to arrive. Minhyuk went down the line and checked their uniforms, made Peniel wash his face and told Eunkwang that he needed to re-dye his roots. "They're begging for a touch up." Sohyun would have laughed had she not been the next one Minhyuk stood in front off, seemingly a lot taller than her compared to their first meet even though he only towered her by a few inches. He looked at her differently as well, meaner and somewhat annoyed. He was intimidating and a hard ass; there was no doubt in her mind that he was both her enemy and best friend on that day. "Your hair..." He started, trying to find his next choice of words although Sohyun thought it wasn't to be careful. "I don't like it." Changsub laughed out loud, blatantly agreeing with the statement and Sohyun sheepishly touched her bushy faded cotton candy colored hair which was down and on her shoulders. "What's wrong with it?" She asked. Minhyuk put it simply, "It looks like someone threw up on you." More of the males laughed, Sohyun couldn't tell who, she knew Ilhoon took no part in the mockery. She gathered that he was the most mature co-worker of the six and valued his opinion over the others. Still, it barely came as a surprise to her that she was getting gigged over her hair. She kept the same dye in and would only have more color put into it when she could afford it. Her color had lasted her a few months ago, the pink was nearly washed away, but still made her hair bright. Some of it had even bleached her hair blond which she was for certain, as well as in denial about, that it was damaged. There was nothing much she could do about it now, except take Minhyuk's insult and roll with the punch. By the time he gave out his dislikes towards everyone, which were excessive, the customers began to spill in right at the opening hour. The stations were prepped and ready to go, the routine taking place like clockwork. Sohyun was discombobulated and out of place; the customers seemed to know what to do and where to be better than she did.No one was willing to go to her desk, even when directed by Peniel. Eunkwang and Changsub were most amused. With a smug smile they gladly offered their services to every customer that rejected Sohyun. She was livid. A young woman came in asking to have her eyebrows done. Sohyun immediately swerved into the scene. "I can do them!" She knew right away that she came off too eager and explained herself, "I know the threading technique, and I'm really good at it." The customer looked reluctant but more over annoyed. Sohyun felt she may had have a chance. "Threading is actually really healthy! You can get a better and more natural look, let me show you." She grabbed the customer's forearm but soon after met with a smack on her hands. "Don't touch me." She warned and Sohyun bowed apologetically several times, confused at the reaction when she saw the other males doing it to customers so naturally. She could hear snickering and then Eunkwang's voice. "Miss, I'll take care of you as soon as I'm done here." Sohyun could picture his ugly face grinning at her for failing to get another customer. She literally had nothing to do so she went to the front desk and stood next to Peniel. "Are you trying to take my job too?" He joked but the playful banter went over her head and Sohyun apologized to him, feeling embarrassed and hopeless. "Relax. I was just kidding." Sohyun still felt apologetic and guilty. She imagined that working at Paradise Nails may have been hard, but not to this extent. Simply being female was her biggest disadvantage when she thought that her skills would be able to overrule that. "Do you know why I stand at the cash register everyday?" Sohyun shook her head. "I used to work at the massage station, the eyebrow station, the eyelash station and of course the pedi and mani station. I was terrible at all of it. I got yelled at by my customers and worse yet, the manager scolded me many times. I was useless and a burden. People told me I was too. Useless. Unreliable. Troublemaker. I heard all these things. But instead of getting fired Mr. Lee told me to stand at the front desk. I was actually good at talking to customers and remembering all the variations of prices. So this is the only thing that I do. I say hi and bye to the customers. I serve them coffee when they're waiting for a station to be open. I entertain them with silly stories they're not that interested in. I like being the cashier. I like being good at something, even when the rest of the world could do what I do, maybe even better." At the conclusion of his story Sohyun squinted her eyes and failed to see the point in all of it. "How does that help out my situation?" She pleaded, seeking for answers in now the most unreliable person in the shop. "It doesn't." He said confirming that his tale was indeed irrelevant. "But Ms. Kwon or...Sunbae, you're very talented. I've yet to see any of your work, but I know you are, so you have a better shot at proving yourselves to the customers, co-workers and Mr. Lee than I ever did. You're just not trying hard enough." Sohyun could barely believe the words coming out of his mouth but then another customer came into the shop asking for an acrylic set. "She can do them for you." Both females provided Peniel with an estranged look, and then the customer glances her eyes up and down at Sohyun, also making a face. "I only trust Ilhoon oppa to do my nails." She strictly stated. Peniel nudged Sohyun's side who seemingly forgotten her career was on the line. Not only did she want the job, she needed the job. "I really am good at what I do." She urged. "You won't have any complaints once you've seen the result of my work." Still refusing but now reluctant, the customer asked Sohyun what will she do if she doesn't like her result. "I'll personally see to it that it doesn't happen." Ilhoon's voice came from his work station where he had paused to interject. "If there are any discrepancies I'll immediately fix them for you." It was almost insulting but for the most part it allowed Sohyun to work on her first customer. She quickly sat at the empty desk next to Ilhoon's who didn't even look up to acknowledge her existence. She worked diligently and quickly, the acrylic set was neatly performed and Sohyun threw in a free design the customers gawked at. "Oppa could have done this just as good, if not better." The customer doesn't fail to mention as she and Ilhoon look on to Sohyun's handiwork impressed. Ilhoon smiled, the first time Sohyun ever saw him smile and confirming her first customer as a success. After closing the workers Toe the Line, as Minhyuk put, or as Peniel so frighteningly explained that it was the worse part of the day. They stood side by side, neatly and silently waiting for Minhyuk to finish staring at his notes for what seemed like an eternity to Sohyun. Her knees were wobbly, more or less so due to the Anti Trinity failing to hold back their satisfied smiles, but mainly due to the reason behind them. She had only served a total of five customers, which was less than their below average rate. The manager finally started. "Hyunsik, good work." Everyone knew by his brief pause that something was off. "I've told you to stop being so flirtatious to the women you're massaging. What's wrong with you? Are you a pervert?" Sohyun's heart sank. "It's inappropriate to sweet talk them while touching them. Don't do that, it only garners more sasaengs. Speaking of which, Changsub, I thought I told you to apologize to the ahjumma you rejected last month." Changsub had looked up at the manager as if uninterested or offended. "What do you want me to do? Actually marry that crazy bitch?" Sohyun's jaw had dropped. "If marrying her will stop her from updating her Paradise Nails anti-cafe then by all means." At the word anti-cafe Minhyuk had thrown his pen at Changsub, annoyed that he even had to bring it up in order for it to be addressed and dealt with. Eunkwang laughed. "You don't get to laugh. What's up with your hands lately? Why did every other customer who got her eyebrows done today look like Rock Lee from Naruto?" Changsub teased, "Yah, gorilla Hyung, you're supposed to make our customers look pretty." "That's hard to do when they look like you!" Eunkwang shot back throwing the hairpen in his hair at Changsub. "Is it throw our shit at Changsub day?" He roared. They shouted over each other and got into an habitual tiff that drew out laughs and interjects from the others. Sohyun said and did nothing. She stood stiffly waiting for her verdict. Minhyuk noticed and cleared his throat, settling the room down. "Ms. Kwon." "Yes?" Her voice cracked and she finally realized that her throat was dry and she couldn't manage to swallow a thing. "You did an excellent job on all of your customers today." "All five." Changsub mouthed out the words nastily and stretched his fingers out. "I'm afraid that despite the effort and hard work you put in today, the result was just as I expected. The customers weren't willing to work with you. It's a shame, but this is a business, and from a business standpoint you won't be needed." She let out a sigh. It was the lump inher throat that prevented her from swallowing, the weakness in her knees, the sickness in her stomach. It was all let out, and Sohyun nodded, already anticipating as much, but still defeated from the reality. She went on to bow and quietly thanked Minhyuk for the chance to prove herself. She went to go change into her clothes and then leave the shop. ✮✮✮ Minhyuk pulled his key from the shop's locked door. He stood outside in the dark, wondering why he kept sighing and feeling guilty. "You shouldn't have fired her." Ilhoon told him, seated on his bike while the rest of the males had already made their departure. "You know me well more than anyone." Minhyuk said defensively, "If I could I would have kept her. She would have only effected business and you know it." Ilhoon shook his head while pulling his helmet over it. "Nope. I don't." And he rode off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MILKSHAKE 8,076 Posted July 23, 2015 Author Share Posted July 23, 2015 chapter oo3 The smell of kimchi and old cleaning water soaked on her jeans sickened her. Sohyun tossed her gloves aside and massaged her thighs from the cramps she garnered while crouching to wash trays and other dishes. She never thought she would work at a restaurant, let alone get hired so quickly. When they immediately hired her she was almost depressed more than thankful. But she had been managing for a whole week now and the job wasn't as hard as it was annoying. The customers were more intolerable than she imagined and the staff were pretty nit-picky too. "Sohyun we need you out on the floor!" Someone else, who was barely in charge, ordered her around, which was starting to become the norm. Sohyun just did what she was told, whether it was a manager or floor cleaner, they had all been working there longer than her. The dining hall was packed, and more customers were spilling in at the entrance. Sohyun managed to catch a group of males that followed in who she feared were people she recognized. "It can't be..." She instinctively ducked and shifted some dishes on a already occupied table confusing the customers. She had no choice seeing that it was the Anti Trinity along with Sungjae and Peniel entering the restaurant. They sat at a table, composed and well mannered, quite the opposite of how Sohyun saw them during after hours at Paradise Nails. To Sohyun's dismay they were sitting at one of her stations so she prolonged attending to them as long as she could. "Ahjumma!" She turned her head at Changsub's voice, and he was looking at her, smiling his ugly up-to-no-good smile. She grimaced and walked over. "I thought that was you." He was way too excited for her liking. The other boys seemed overjoyed as well, the Anti Trinity more than the others, the latter just happy to see Sohyun. "It's good to see you found work." Peniel pointed out sincerely. Sohyun could only force a smile. "Well it's a job." She noted. "Good for you!" Changsub teased and then yelped out in pain. He looked at Peniel menacingly who pretending like he didn't just stab his foot into his senior's shin. Sohyun smiled for real and got ready to take down their orders. They proceeded to be simple about it, all but one of course. "I don't really know what's good here." Changsub acted like he'd never eaten at a Korean restaurant before and that caused the whole table to be annoyed. Even Eunkwang complained, "Don't take all day." "Ahjumma," Changsub addressed Sohyun again, "What are you specials?" "Don't call me that." She fiercely demanded but couldn't get a chance to wipe that stupid expression off of Changsub's face in time. A staff member suggested that Sohyun go back to washing dishes because she was taking too long with the orders. "Have fun with the dishes." Changsub got his last laugh in and then let out another yelp right before Sohyun departed back to her little red tub of dirty water and dishes. She didn't notice she was crying for the same reason that she was too angry over the fact that her job sucked, her life sucked, and those boys sucked. ✮✮✮ "I'm sorry, but unfortunately Ms. Kwon doesn't work here anymore." Peniel apologized to another customer who requested Sohyun. The female pouted. "Really? I wanted to see if she could do my re-fill. She did a decent job the last time I was here." Peniel apologized again and did everything to convince her to stay even though the shop was packed and the wait was around 20 minutes but the customer shook her head and stated she'll just go somewhere else. Minhyuk, who was even at a station working, exchanged looks with Ilhoon. As if having a silent conversation they agreed upon what would happen next. "That was her fifth customer. That means all of her customers have returned and requested her." "What?" Minhyuk's customer asked. He couldn't stop smiling to himself and quickly finished his design on the customer. He threw off his working blouse and asked Peniel where Sohyun was currently working at. "I can't remember the name really...Korean something..." "Really? That's the best you can come up with?" Minhyuk threatened to fire him but he knew the general area of where to look. "I'll be back." "Hyung! Where are you going?" Changsub called after his senior, outraged that they were being abandoned at rush hour. Minhyuk yelled back while running out the door "I'll be back!" It took him two hours. He was going to murder Peniel for not giving him enough information to go off of because there were literally a hundred restaurants in the area Sohyun was spotted to work at. Eventually he found her by chance while she was throwing trash into a dumpster. Minhyuk approached her in time to assist her throwing the rest away. "Mr. Lee." Sohyun greeted him with a bow, shocked to see his presence and almost embarrassed that she smelled like rotten take out. "What are you doing here?" "We need your help. The shop is in chaos. Your customers are coming back." "Does that mean I'm hired?" Sohyun interrupted with the most serious expression she could come up with. Still out of breath Minhyuk heavily nodded. Sohyun didn't say another word, she snatched off her apron and ran away with Minhyuk. ✮✮✮ Paradise Nails was mahem. Customers swarmed every available station there was, most just waiting and complaining. Peniel was rushing back forth, refilling their coffees and offering free treats to keep them remaining. The boys worked diligently under stress and pressure. Minhyuk's abrupt disappearance left them almost disarrayed but Ilhoon always began managing in his absence, calmly and cool headed. He finished his sixth acrylic set in the two hour time spam Minhyuk was away. "Attention please!" Minhyuk's voice came from the middle of the room. Beside him Sohyun stood nervously completely dressed in the shop's uniform. Changsub muttered under his breath asking what that was all about. When the room fell completely silent and had the eyes of every customer and staff member Minhyuk continued, "I would like to introduce our newest staff member, Ms. Kwon. Now I know she's a female, making her the first female staff member at Paradise Nails. Due to her exceptional skill and performance she is an official hire. Please welcome her." Peniel was the only one who applauded while everyone else went back to work. Sohyun bowed to her co-workers who looked displeased, and when she got to her station beside Ilhoon, she swore she may have caught a glimpse of a smile on his face. She worked diligently and efficiently, getting through more customers since they had been waiting for a while. By the end of the day they Toed the Line, waiting for Minhyuk's judgement call. He thanked everyone for their hard work and noted that it was one of their busiest but most successful days. "Sohyun averaged the same amount of customers as the rest of you. For that, and her willingness to come back and help us in such time of need, she is officially hired." "Hyung, does that even make sense?" Changsub spoke out. Sohyun knew he would be the first to voice out his improper opinion on the matter. "How can you hire a female when we're strictly 100% male staff? What about all the other female nail techs that applied for the job?" "This really is unfair." Sungjae piggybacked on the rejection. "With all the unnies you've discriminated until now, why do you decide to hire a female?" "And a ugly one at that." "Yah!" Minhyuk raised his fist and readied to swing but Sohyun finally stepped in. "That's right. I'm a female, I'm probably the first female to ever be hired here and I'm probably going to throw off the demographic of who we might serve since a lot of the females come here for ulterior reasons; however...who are you to say I shouldn't be here? Do you own the shop? You're just my co-worker that I respectfully call sunbae-- no, you're not even my sunbae. I've clearly been doing this longer than any of you-- if this was a regular nail salon half of you would have been let go because even if you have the skill or the charm you're too incompetent." Mihyuk called out her name, the mood tense and things clearly getting a bit out of hand as Sohyun's word crossed the line just a bit but she had the room's attention and would take every opportunity to defend her stay. "I work...I work just as hard as any of you. For some of you it's just gaining popularity or you have nothing to do, but for me it's more than that. It's what helps put food on the table. It's what makes me happy because I'm actually good at it and I'd rather paint nails than bus tables." Changsub avoided her gaze. "I want to work here...so I'm going to work here." She left the room quickly to change and leave. Minhyuk violently cracked his clipboard over Changsub and Sungjae's heads. "Idiots." "Aish really!" Changsub yelled. "Who does she think she is? She clearly just said she was better than all of us. What load of BS!" "But she's right." Ilhoon said, making the males direct their attention towards him since he usually never had anything to say if it didn't concern him. "Her first day here I watched her. Her station was right next to mine and she did such an exceptional job on the customer...the customer said I could have done just as good or better. I didn't say anything back then, but Sohyun is definitely better at this than any of us." Changsub rubbed the knot forming on the top of his head and sucked his teeth. He and the others didn't say anything else as they went to go change. "Sohyun." Ilhoon's voice came from the parking lot. Sohyun had just made her way out of the shop, closing the door behind her after telling Minhyuk goodnight. Ilhoon sat coolly on his bike, his helmet rested on the crown of his head before he would completely pull it down to ride off. Sohyun bowed and waved nervously. He was smiling, but more than usual. "Don't worry about the staff or the customers." He told her. "Just work hard, and you'll win them all with your heart. Goodnight." "Good...night." Sohyun said over the roar of the engine. Ilhoon tapped the top of his helmet to drop on his face, and he rode off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MILKSHAKE 8,076 Posted July 23, 2015 Author Share Posted July 23, 2015 chapter oo4 Sohyun pulled the shop door open and to her surprise she found Changsub sitting at his station, looking as though he was practicing putting eyelashes on a mannequin head. He didn't hear her come in. He was concentrating so hard on his work that for a moment Sohyun thought he was a decent worker. She had the same intentions to come into the shop early and prep her station. She cleared her throat. "Good morning." She announced. Changsub looked up, unmoved, and then went back to his practice. Sohyun frowned. "You could at least say it back." She quietly went over toward her station next to his. She sat in between him and Ilhoon but they never bothered speaking due to how busy they usually were during work hours. "Wow, you're getting better at putting on eyelashes." She complimented. He continued to ignore her which pissed her off more but before she could yell at him more of the staff began to enter the shop. They, too, began to prep their stations and practice, showing Sohyun that this was part of the routine for everyone. Even Peniel was practicing. The only people who weren't present were Minhyuk and Ilhoon, which Sohyun could see why. Minhyuk was the owner and barely did work outside of managing unless things got too chaotic. Ilhoon, well Ilhoon was perfect at everything he did. Slowly Sohyun asked, "Why...did you guys decide to get into the nail salon business?" Hyunsik answered first. "It's just as you put it last night: I'm growing my fanbase." Although he said it with a smile Sohyun could feel that her words were a lot harsher than she remembered. She apologized and didn't want Hyunsik to feel targeted or that her statement was directed at him. "It's ok. I can't be mad at the truth." Sohyun sheepishly nodded and asked the others. Sungjae put it simply: "It's a job." Changsub abruptly stood, quieting the room. Without looking at her he said, "You're not the only person who needs to make a living." He went to the back to change into his working clothes while Sohyun exchanged a confused look with everyone. Eunkwang informed her that out of everyone, Changsub's ego was bruised the most from her words. ✮✮✮ At the entrance of the first customer the staff bowed in their full uniform set and warm smiles. Later in the day, as the day was going by normally, Hyunsik was performing the usual: a dirty massage on the back of a thirsty and lonesome woman who considered herself a fan but happened to be waiting on an acrylic set. "Where is he?" An upset voice sounded from the bottom floor. A woman stormed in, Peniel recognized her as a returning customer. "Welcome back." "I said where is he?" She shouted causing Peniel to flinch. Sohyun asked Ilhoon who the woman was looking for but Ilhoon sighed and slowly retreated to the back. Meanwhile the furious woman stormed up to the second floor and found Hyunsik in his massage room. She hissed though clenched teeth, "You jerk. Is this how you treat all of your customers? Is this how you treat the ones that take care of you?" Hyunsik immediately stopped and bowed but that didn't stop the woman's purse from hitting the side of his face. "Look at me when I'm talking to you, you piece of filth. Do you not know how to use a phone after someone has bought so many things for you? Huh?" "Lady, are you crazy?" The customer that had been receiving the back rub stood to her feet and wedged herself in front of Hyunsik to protect him from the woman's purse. "Yah, you can't just hit people, especially Hyunsik oppa." She pushed the woman's shoulder who scoffed and began hitting the girl with her purse too. Soon they were both rolling on the floor, tangling their bodies and their hairs while Hyunsik failed to break them apart. The whole shop could hear the commotion and worse yet, Minhyuk's booming voice as he yelled: "ENOUGH!" The women stopped and stood stiffly, as if Minhyuk was their boss. His eyes never left Hyunsik as he told the women to leave before the authorities would be contacted. The two males escorted them to the first floor and bowed as they departed. Customer and staff alike shared an astounded expression. "I apologize for the incident just now." Minhyu announced cooly. "You were all probably afraid. To make up for the inconvenience I won't charge any customer that remains for the rest of the day. Once again, I deeply apologize." He did a 90 degree bow to the whole shop and departed to his back office. Hyunsik gulped, knowing that he would soon meet his end after work hours. Sohyun's jaw was still practically unhinged. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed moments prior. Worse yet was that Hyunsik was so shameless to put his customers in that type of situation. Albeit his disgraceful performance, Sohyun did feel bad for Hyunsik knowing Minhyuk would tear him a new one. Which he did. "Do you have any idea what type of jeopardy you're putting this business in? The news that will go around town that one of our staff members messes around with the female customers and takes them for granted. It's so careless, so thoughtless- so inhumane!" Hyunsik flinched at every word Minhyuk spat. His voice was loud and frightening but the look on his face, the veins popping from his neck and forehead scared Hyunsik shitless. "I have the mind to fire you right here and now!" Minhyuk continued. The rest of the staff held their breath. They toed the line at a distance where Hyunsik could get his special judgment. Although disappointed they certainly didn't want to lose a staff member. Minhyuk let out a loud sigh and finally lowered his voice. "The loss of business today will be deducted from your pay. Everyone is dismissed." He threw his clipboard down and exited the room; not bothering to give anyone else their reviews. Everyone finally exhaled and breathed comfortably. "I can't believe this happened." Eunkwang said in awe quietly. "Actually I knew this would happen sooner or later." Sungjae said in confidence. Changsub and Eunkwang scolded him for being inconsiderate and raised their fists but Hyunsik stopped them. "He's right. I'm such a womanizer that I knew it would catch up to me one day. I was just too foolish to stop myself." He had been smiling but Sohyun knew he felt awful on the inside. Sohyun watched him closely as he approached Ilhoon. "For now on I'll direct all my attention towards Ilhoonie." He went in for a hug but Ilhoon brushed him off and went to the back to change. Hyunsik scoffed and caught Sohyun staring. "You think I'm disgusting right?" She shook her head. "What you did wasn't nice, but that doesn't make you a disgusting person. You consider yourself an idol in the eyes of your customers, and they consider themselves as fans. It's ok to love and be loved by them but...don't take advantage of their love." Hyunsik smiled, and when he did so did his eyes, making Sohyun know for sure it was sincere. "You're right. I'll do better from now on." And he bowed to her for the first time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MILKSHAKE 8,076 Posted July 23, 2015 Author Share Posted July 23, 2015 chapter oo5 "Sunbae, let's get drinks." Peniel opened the store's main door for Sohyun just as she was heading out. She looked at her co-worker confused as she had never been invited or done anything additional after work with the boys."Drinks? Drinks where?" The idea didn't sound all that bad. She'd been working at Paradise Nails for a whole month now and things were going decently. Albeit her relationship with the boys was stagnant, no one made the effort to progress or build on top on what little to no bond they had with Sohyun as she was a female-- their only female co-worker afterall. This would be the first time that she got to do something fun off duty, and she happened to have money from the most recent payment too."I was thinking of just a nearby pub down the street." Peniel stated. They stood in front of the almost empty parking lot. Minhyuk's car was still parked, Hyunsik had left moments ago. They were the only two that owned vehicles. Ilhoon had his motorcycle, Sohyun rode an actual bicycle and the rest took public transportation. "I'll pay.""Great!" Sohyun was sold. It didn't take much to get her to go along for a few drinks. She threw her thumb up at Peniel who returned the gesture and then Sungjae's arms flew over the duo's shoulders, popping his head betwixt them."Where are we going?" He asked bluntly inviting himself. Peniel rolled his eyes. "You can't even drink, you're a minor.""Ah, it'll still be fun!" He protested taking his arm from around Peniel's shoulder seemingly getting closer to Sohyun. "Right, Noona?""The more the merrier!" She agreed. Peniel had no choice as the three walked together to the nearby bar. Peniel was only invested in a bottle of beer while Sohyun ordered two bottles of soju."Ya know," She said after her fourth shot. "I've been thinkin. Those Anti Trinity bastards really have it out for me. They don’t even try to help me when things get too hectic in the shop. What kind of teamwork is that?!â€â€œAnti Trinity…?†Sungjae mouthed the words he never heard and looked to Peniel for answers. The older male sighed.“She’s talking about Eunkwang, Changsub and Hyunsik. I’ll admit, those hyungs aren’t that helpful when it comes to teamwork. At the end of the day they’re just looking out for their own skin.â€â€œAren’t we all?†Sungjae interjected surprised at the opposing mindset. “They do it all. Manis, pedis, massages, eyelashes, eyebrows, they’re constantly busy. With the shop getting more popular none of us have time to even take breaks. That leaves more room for mistakes. That means more of Minhyuk’s fury.â€The three shuddered. It was true, the shop was gaining more customers daily and it was hard keeping up. Minhyuk wasn't contempt with customer satisfaction and has been considering hiring more employees. Some began worrying that they will be replaced.Sungjae continued bitterly, “People that have guaranteed their stay are Noona and Ilhoon. Small fry like us are easily replaceable.â€â€œAissh, don’t say it like that.†Sohyun snapped, completely drunk. “That punk Ilhoon…how is he even better?†The boys exchanged looks, shocked that there was a female dissatisfied with Ilhoon. “Always quiet. Doesn’t know how to hold a conversation. What? “You’ll win them with your heartâ€? I’m still not given the respect I deserve.â€Sohyun’s head hung loosely as she hovered over her last bottle of soju. She stopped drinking out of the shot glasses. Peniel hesitantly touched her shoulder sadly.“Sunbae. That isn’t true.†He then looked at Sungjae who was at loss for words. He spoke with his eyes instead, gesturing for them to leave. Peniel shook his head furiously. Sohyun needed to sober up before they could take her home. Sungjae’s eyes widened, wondering if they even knew where Sohyun lived. Peniel shook his head again. Sungjae pointed at him, and mouthed the words “houseâ€. Peniel’s eyes furrowed and made a cross sign over his chest in disagreement. Sungjae nodded his head while Peniel continue to refuse the idea and then Sohyun snapped her bottle on the table.“Yah, yah, yah, you two clowns are boring. Let’s go karaoke.â€â€œOh.†They scrambled for their things and to pay for the drinks while Sohyun left the bar. The night out for drinks quickly turned into looking out for Sohyun’s wellbeing. They found a nearby karaoke spot where Peniel told the staff to not sell any drinks to them no matter how many times Sohyun asked for them. And it didn’t stop her from complaining after every two songs.“What are those useless servers doing? I asked for rice wine nearly half an hours ago, eh? What kind of service is this?â€â€œSunbae,†Peniel sounded sheepish as he tried to explain his lie in the middle of singing, “They can’t sell us alcohol with Sungjae present. He’s a minor.â€â€œWhat is this bullshit you’re spouting? You don’t think I know how a karaoke works? I’m entitled to what I pay for in this country.†She walked out as belligerent as she sounded. “I’ll be back with two bottles of soju, just you wait.â€Sungjae didn’t know if he should go after her but Peniel told him not to. “She’s going to do what she’s going to do. Rash girl.†“As expected from a girl just my style.†Peniel darted his eyes at Sungjae, surprised by his sudden choice of words.“What?†He asked, “You like Sohyun?†Sungjae casually nodded as if it was common knowledge. “What to do? I like her too…but I think I have an advantage since I’ve liked her longer than you.â€â€œOh really?†Sungjae continued nonchalantly, “I’ve liked her since the first time I saw her.â€â€œWhat? The first time?†Peniel asked in shock. Even he couldn’t go up against that.“Yeah.â€â€œWhy?†He asked in defeat.Sungjae suddenly smiled, remembering his first time seeing her. “I liked her hair.†Sohyun’s voice sounded from the hallway, this time a lot louder and agitated than how she talked toward the boys. They both peeked their heads out of their room; Sohyun was at the end of the hallway rubbing her head angrily. There were a group of older looking men around her.“I already told you I don’t want to sing with you!†She snapped. “Geez I can’t even drink in peace.â€â€œYou can have all the drinks in our room, miss.†One of the men persisted. He grabbed her by the elbow and she failed to snatch away from him being too drunk. Without a moment’s notice Sungjae’s foot was suddenly attached to Sohyun’s assailant. Peniel followed by grabbing Sohyun’s hand as they fled the scene. The chase didn’t end as they departed the karaoke without paying the final bill. The trio ended up escaping to a subway station using the public transport as their getaway. The boys were out of breath, sweating for their lives while Sohyun who sat in between them began laughing. The males thought she had gone insane, but they found themselves laughing at the situation as well.“Does anyone even know where this train is going?†Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MILKSHAKE 8,076 Posted July 25, 2015 Author Share Posted July 25, 2015 chapter oo6 The wind caught and stretched her hair behind her ears. The strands trailed behind like streaks of sand as Sohyun rode her bike to work. The block that lead towards the shop is where she met Changsub walking from the other direction. He wore his backpack across his front as he played games and listened to music from his phone, not paying attention to his surroundings. Sohyun shook her head and sucked her teeth. "Yo Changsub." He stopped dead in his tracks, pulling the ear buds spilling music from his ears. He looked behind him to see if Sohyun had been calling for anyone else. "What are you doing, you're the only person on this street." "Yah, why are you so informal?" He asked sternly, "I'm still your senior." Sohyun pouted but gave in. She knew she was in the wrong for the way she addressed him but it got his attention no less. "Get on." She said informally at first but added the please once Changsub shot her a look. "Just get on, it can save you five minutes." "No thanks. I wouldn't be caught dead riding on that." Sohyun looked at him pitifully. "First of all, it's a mountain bike, secondly, you take public transportation, thirdly, you should be grateful!" "Who would be grateful being seen with you?" "Yah!" "Yah?" The two exchanged resentful looks and then turned away from each other, arms crossed in front of their chests. A van slowed and stopped beside them. A masked figure came out from the driver side and suddenly tased Changsub. He let out a loud yelp as he collapsed on the ground and Sohyun asked the person what they were doing. She didn't react fast enough when she realized Changsub was being taken against his will. The assailant locked the vehicle doors when Sohyun attempted to get Changsub out. She could hear Changsub struggling as he was being tied down and then gagged. Sohyun kicked the van door to the point of putting in a dent but that was all she could do. The van drove off and Changsub pressed his face agaist the window pleading with his eyes at Sohyun to do something. "Kidnapping..." Sohyun stuttered quietly, trying to process the situation, "Kid-kidnapping! Changsub is being kidnapped!" She announced the news to no one, as there was still no one else on the block, and she hopped on her bike pedaling after the van. The driver sped like no other to the point where even on her mountain bike it was impossible to keep up. Sohyun trailed behind on the freeway, getting further and further away from the vehicle but keeping her eyes glued to whatever direction it went. She saw the exit it took, and knew exactly where they were going. Changsub squirmed like a fish on dry land in the back of the van. The vehicle came to a stop and all he had managed to do was remove the gag from his mouth. The van door open and his kidnapper stretched his arm out to grab him. He backed away like a scared animal. "Who are you?" He cried out, "Is this some kind of joke?" "A joke?" A woman's voice came from behind the mask. She snatched it off, revealing herself and Changsub went from scared to angry. "Ahju...ahjumma?" It was one of his old customers turned anti that started writing negative reviews and spreading rumors about their shop. The woman was obsessed with Changsub and when he told her not to see him anymore because he didn't share the same feelings the woman went downright insane. Changsub's hands and feet were tied with scarves, he hopped on his heels and bounced toward the woman. He screamed at her. "Are you crazy?" "What do you think? Who do you think made me like this?" She asked pitifully. "Do you know how hard I've tried to forget you?" Changsub cringed and rolled his head. "Stalking me isn't forgetting me. It just makes me like you less!" The woman flinched at his words and looked as though she regretted her action. Changsub sucked his teeth. "Untie me." "No." Her voice suddenly changed and she didn't look so sad anymore. In fact the crazy that Changsub came to know returned and that made him worry. "You see, there's a reason why I brought you here Changsubie." He looked around, forgetting to check out his surroundings yet again. Had he been paying attention earlier as well he more than likely wouldn't be tied up in some crazy old woman's van. He choked on his own words when he realized his situation. "Why...why are we at the Han River?" The woman caressed his face and smiled. She yanked him out of the van and dragged him over to the river bank. "Changsubie...you're too mean." Without warning she pushed him in. With his hands behind his back and feet tied together he didn't manage to stay afloat well. He pleaded to be saved and she watched him struggle. A buzzing sound came from a distance and got louder at passing. The woman turned her head and found herself being ran over by Sohyun's bike. Sohyun quickly got off while the woman was taken aback and scrambling on the ground. The younger girl kicked the older woman and then looked around for Changsub. "Soh..." The water overlapped his speech. Sohyun peered down and saw Changsub drowning. "What do I do? I don't know how to swim!" She yelled but didn't hesitate after. She jumped right in and linked onto Changsub as she began to sink. She worked on the tie knot around his wrists. He squirmed just as much that told her he was still conscious. At the same time she was slowly beginning to lose hers. She didn't know if she even got the knot undone, but her vision went cloudy and her body felt numb. She figured she probably took too long to get the ties off and Changsub would just end up sinking with her. She felt bad that he had to die because she couldn't save him properly. She wish she would have taken swimming lessons. "Sohyun...Sohyun wake up!" Someone was shaking her. Her body felt heavy and sluggish, so she couldn't move. She didn't open her eyes quick enough. Something wet wrapped around her mouth and blew hot air. Her eyes suddenly went wide and pushed Changsub's shoulders away. She was outraged. "What-what-what do you think you're doing?" She still kept him at a distance with her hands on his shoulders. Changsub blinked several times just as shocked as she was. "You were unconscious so I started to do CPR..." "CPR? YAH! I was holding my breath like crazy I was just a little lightheaded!" "Still! Is this any type of way to react to someone who just saved you?" "Just saved me? I'm pretty sure I was the one who did the rescuing." "Barely." He scoffed. "I had to finish untying myself while you began to sink like a rock!" She fell silent at the though that she could have gotten them both killed with her clumsiness. She'd almost forgotten, even though she had good intentions, she always fell short. That's why she had a hard time keeping a job. That's why she couldn't even get along with her coworkers. "Whatever." She stood herself up and brushed past him. The older woman sat on the pavement with a bloody nose looking more annoyed than worried over her plans of kidnapping and murder failing. "You know it too." She blurted when Sohyun tried to ignore her and reclaim her bike. She was smiling as crazy as she was. "He's too mean. You can't get through guys like that." "Ahjumma, you have bad taste. Who would want a guy like that?" She took her bike and pushed it until she reached the main road off the exit. Changsub trailed slowly behind, looking somewhat regretful that maybe he'd been too harsh earlier, or ever. "Wait up." He fell in step with Sohyun when they met the main road with morning traffic. They weren't going to get to work on time, not by walking anyway. "I'll pedal, you ride." He suggested. He avoided Sohyun's gaze when she looked at him to respond. "I thought you said you wouldn't be caught dead riding something like this?" He forced out a stiff laugh. "That was before I got kidnapped. Now I have no choice..." She was still looking at him making Changsub feel more awkward than his fake laugh. She finally agreed. "I'll pedal." She said hopping onto the seat. Changsub didn't argue. He climbed on the bars of the back wheel and held on to Sohyun's shoulders. She gave him one last look before she rode off. "Your legs...are really strong." Sohyun didn't know whether it was a compliment or underhanded insult but it was the truth. She managed to pedal without stopping nearly the whole route towards the shop. She slowed down when they returned to the familiar street near their workplace. Sohyun stretched her body, extending her back and lifting herself off the seat. Changsub caught wind of her hair in his face as it flew back. She apologized and sat back down. "Did you dye your hair for work?" He asked, acknowledging her new natural style. It was way better than her pink hair. "Yeah. Mr. Lee said I should do something about it. So I dyed it a light brown. Now it looks like sand. Depressing." "It looks nice." She looked back at him. "Really?" "Pay attention to the road!" He scolded. Sohyun faced forward and caught herself smiling. "Mr. Lee also said I should tape my ears back...because they're too big." "Well he's right." She stomped on the breaks and Changsub fell forward, landing on Sohyun's back but she quickly nudged him off to where he fell sideways. He scrambled to his feel and brushed his hair back while Sohyun laughed. "What was that for?" "That ahjumma was right, you really are too mean." He mumbled under his breath and decided to walk the rest of the way. Sohyun pushed her bike beside him, not riding ahead. "About before," She started quietly, "When you got me out of the water, and attempted CPR, I'll say thanks. I would still be with the fishes if it weren't for you." His expression hardened, and Sohyun couldn't tell if he was angry or confused. "Well...same. Had you not been there at all to untie my knots, I'd be done for, for sure. Thanks. Also thanks for giving that scary woman a bloody nose." "That's what co-workers are for." She smiled and pushed her bike into the parking rack. They managed to make it to work shortly after opening and didn't realizing they'd gotten there so soon. Sohyun finished securing her bike and saw that Changsub still hadn't gone in and was just watching her. "What? Are you afraid of what Mr. Lee is going to say." He immediately looked away and scratched his head, "That isn't it is...wait, no...yes it is." "Weird." Sohyun walked up to him and brushed the dried mud from his shirt. "We'll both just bare the punishment today. Let's leave out the bit where we were almost killed, yeah?" She left towards the back entrance of the shop and Changsub still stood in place, but not because he was afraid of Mr. Lee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MILKSHAKE 8,076 Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 chapter oo7 “This makes it the fifth day.†Ilhoon spoke quietly after closing hours in the shop. The staff members stood in the ominous lobby waiting for no one. Their boss hadn’t arrived that morning for work, nor the whole week. He’d been absent without notice and everyone was starting to get worried. Ilhoon threw down the pen and clipboard, having taking up Minhyuk’s spot of critiquing the members, he couldn’t handle the tactless job any longer. “What is that bastard doing?â€Sohyun didn’t feel right in the absence of her boss. It didn’t sit well with her even at the beginning of the week when there was no one to toe the line to. The shop was not being properly managed and payday was coming up.“Ilhoon, do you know where he lives?†Sohyun asked him abruptly. The others eyed Ilhoon for his response who only nodded afterward. Sohyun suggested that the two of them go check up on their boss together and figure out the issue. When it looked like the duo would leave together Changsub intervened.“I’m coming too.†He said. Ilhoon glanced him over.“Why?â€â€œWhy not? I care about Minhyuk just as much as you.†A tactless lie seen by Ilhoon but he didn’t dispute it. Ilhoon switched vehicles with Hyunsik so that the trio could arrive at Minhyuk’s together.“This is it.†Ilhoon announced parking the car outside of Minhyuk’s gate. Behind it resided a two story house that caused the jaws of Changsub and Sohyun to unhinge.“Mr. Lee…lives here?†Taken back by not only the size of the house but over the fact that Minhyuk never relayed this information to anyone else; Sohyun stumbled out of the car as Ilhoon rang the doorbell. A few beats passed before a low tired voice came over the speaker.“Who is it?†Minhyuk asked. Ilhoon responded and the gate buzzed, unlocking briefly for the trio to enter. Minhyuk met them at his front door, shirtless, wrinkled jeans, untidy hair and a muddled expression to match the disoriented combination. He was surprised to see that Ilhoon wasn’t alone. Changsub stepped in front of Sohyun to block Minhyuk from her view.“Hyung!†He complained, “Put a shirt on!â€â€œAh, I thought it was just Ilhoon.†He said unapologetically returning into his house. His employees followed suit and shut the door behind them, realizing that none of the lights were on and it looked as though it were night time. Ilhoon was the first to cut on the living room light where Minhyuk sat himself on his sofa surrounded by trash and over kept food.“Christ…†Was all Ilhoon could mutter.Sohyun blurted, “We came to check up on you. We were worried.â€â€œReally?†Minhyuk asked, more focused on trying to light the cigarette between his lips than properly greeting his guests. “Oh then why is Changsub here? He doesn’t care about me.â€Changsub forced a worried laugh. “What are you saying, Hyung? Of course I care about you…and my check. Whatever, payday is coming up and we need you at the shop.â€Ilhoon had begun pushing trash into a plastic waste bag, trying to clear the cluttered mess as best as he could.“You’ve probably guessed it by now,†Minhyuk told him almost sadly, he gave up trying to light his cigarette and tossed it onto his carpet where Ilhoon ended up trashing that as well. “She left me. For good.â€Ilhoon had stopped for a second, quieting the whole room, but then he continued to clean up. “Good.†He responded. “It’s about time you ended it with that woman.â€â€œThat woman?†Changsub asked in shock. Neither he nor Sohyun knew that Minhyuk had been dating.“That woman, that evil woman,†Minhyuk roughly rubbed his eyes, they welled with tears albeit him trying to stop them. “It’s been two years and she just throws me away like this?â€â€œCome to your senses already, Hyung!†Ilhoon thrashed out, tossing the trash bag aside. Sohyun flinched at his fuming tone and backed into a corner where Changsub stood in front of her again. “That woman was married and bored. It was only a matter of time before she decided to go back to reality. Only you were left behind in the world she created for you.â€Minhyuk nodded his head regretfully. No matter how hard he tried he couldn’t stop himself from tearing. “I’m a fool. I’ve literally wasted two years of my life over her. This house…the shop…she bought it all for me because it was easy. I was easy. I’m so stupid.†His crying turned into sobbing and Ilhoon couldn’t take it anymore. He left the living room area only to go into the kitchen. Changsub followed him in and watched as Ilhoon raided the refrigerator and whip up a quick meal for Minhyuk.Changsub asked, “You’ve known all along that Minhyuk was in a relationship?†Ilhoon said nothing and continued to cook quietly. “Of course. You and Minhyuk are closer than the rest of us.â€â€œI…†He started but then paused, almost equally upset as Minhyuk. “I used to live here. Before the shop was opened, I stayed with Minhyuk for a while. But as his relationship with that woman kept going further, they became more toxic. I couldn’t indulge myself in their poison anymore.â€â€œMakes sense. You get out while you can.â€Sohyun left her corner not wanting to feel anymore useless than she already had been. Minhyuk’s crying quieted, but he had his head buried in his hands, finding himself in a darker place as each moment passed. Sohyun sat next to him and rubbed his bare back, in an attempt to soothe him. They said nothing for a long while, but Sohyun could feel Minhyuk’s body shaking and his breathing was heavy.“Mr. Lee…you must have really loved her.†She spoke softly, “Even then, life goes on. You still have a shop, you still have employees. There’s still a lot of other women out there.†She felt his body relax and his sniffling stop. Minhyuk was one to give out a lot of prep talk so she figured he needed one himself. “It’ll take time, and it’ll be hard, but we’ll support you as much as we can.â€â€œMs. Kwon,†His voice was smooth and full, as though he had never been crying in the first place. Sohyun had been caressing him in a matter as she would a child. She felt relieved by his energy.“Yes, Mr. Lee.â€â€œAre you dating?†She threw her hands back and questioned his intentions in her own head. Wasn’t he just depressed not even five seconds prior? Why was he changing subjects and why such a personal question? She was too stunned to respond to him verbally so she shook her head. He’d been looking at her unlike any way he looked at her before or anyone else. At that moment he didn’t seem like her unkind boss that would hit her on the head with a clipping board if she said something silly, he seemed like the man she first met that opened the shop doors for her with a warm smile. “Then…is it ok if I hug you?â€He didn’t allow her to respond, let alone express herself dramatically at the proposal. Minhyuk pulled Sohyun’s body to his and embraced her with bare arms. She’s was too in shock to say anything but she didn’t push him away either.Changsub entered the room with a bowl of chips and immediately tossed the snack food aside. “HYUNG!†He hopped over to Minhyuk only to tear Sohyun away from him and then position himself once again between the two. “What is this? Are you resorting to sexual harassment now?â€Minhyuk stood broadly with a cynical expression. Changsub gulped meekly in front of his superior. “Yah, Changsub, did you lose brain cells while I was gone?†He smacked Changsub’s head and pushed him aside. Sohyun’s eyes drifted over to her boss’s without a choice. He leaned in closer and Sohyun expected another embrace but, “Ms. Kwon, that’s the first and last time I’ll ever do something like that to you. Don’t take it the wrong way.â€â€œOh.†She nodded slowly, almost disappointed, “It’s ok.†Changsub caught the flushed expression on her face and gave her a look. Before he could inaudibly scold her Ilhoon brought a tray of hot food demanding everyone, especially Minhyuk to eat. They began enclosing the coffee table to indulge on the food when Ilhoon threw a fit.“Yah, why are there chips all over the floor?†He screamed. Minhyuk chuckled and asked Ilhoon if he wanted to move back in with him. He responded almost insulted, “No thanks.†Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MILKSHAKE 8,076 Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 chapter oo8 Sohyun pressed the end call button and slowly placed her phone in the pocket of her work blazer. Stunned by the discussion she just had, she slowly approached Minhyuk at the register. She didn’t know how to relay the issue to him although he was in a good mood casually speaking with Peniel and a returning customer.“Mr. Lee.†She excused him from the conversation and they spoke to the side. Her face was pale and she felt sick from anxiety. “Is it ok if I take my break early?â€He frowned at her. The request was way too sudden and the shop was starting to get busy due to Eunkwang calling in sick. He denied it.“It’s extremely urgent.†She pleaded but didn’t want to go into details when Minhyuk asked her the severity of it. “It’s a family emergency. I just need to do something really quick. It shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes, I promise.†She was doing that thing where she was so desperate that she tugged on Minhyuk’s sleeves and crouched down almost to the point of kneeling.“Ok, ok,†He gave in, “Your begging always gets to me. Twenty minutes and not a second longer. Go.â€She bowed and thanked him a few times before scurrying off to Sungmin’s school. There he had already been escorted off the premises with his homeroom teacher waiting for Sohyun’s arrival outside the school gate. This time it was fighting, and he’d be lucky enough if the other student’s parents didn’t sue.“He’s suspended for a whole week.†The teacher informed Sohyun almost in a scolding manner. This wasn’t the first time and there seemed to be no end to Sungmin’s troubling antics. Sohyun bowed to the older adult, apologized and dragged her brother away from the location. She didn’t realize she was crying until her throat hurt from trying to talk. They stopped in front of a convenience store where she could gather her thoughts and then proceed to beat him senselessly in public. Sungmin let her get a few hits in but when he had enough he restrained her arms. Sohyun didn’t know when her brother had gotten so strong, it was usually easy to punish him but Sohyun found it both difficult and futile that day.“When are you going to learn?†She cried, her wrists still in her brother’s possessions. He loosened his grip and let go altogether when he saw how tightly he was holding his sister. Angry and unremorseful, he apologized. Sohyun snuck in one last shove and turned away where she noticed a figure outside the convenience store looking at her. He turned away when their eyes met, but Sohyun did a double take, and she wasn’t seeing things.“Sunbae!†Sohyun called out for Eunkwang who tried to leave as fast as he could, but he slowed and gave in, turning around to face his co-worker’s crying face. She was smiling when she greeted him but he had witnessed her whole tantrum with her sibling, unfortunately. “I thought that was you.â€Eunkwang nodded, trying to show common curtesy in front of the siblings but he wanted to leave already. Sohyun noticed the cheap medicine he bought from the store.“So you really are sick.†She said as a matter of fact. Eunkwang’s expression turned sour.“What’s that’s supposed to mean?†He was legitimately offended but Sohyun cutely laughed it off.“Nevermind. Sunbae, I have a huge favor to ask of you.â€â€œForget it.†He said pissed off. He already knew he wasn’t going to like what she had to offer and started to walk off but Sohyun jumped in front of him. “Aiissh.â€â€œSunbae, please, I just need you to watch my little brother until closing. You can just put him in the corner of your room pretending he doesn’t exist.â€â€œAh, Noona, I don’t want to.†Sungmin protested as well. Sohyun snapped at him and went back to pleading with Eunkwang.“I’ll give you half of my next paycheck.â€â€œOk.†Eunkwang responded quickly and wrapped his arm around Sohyun’s brother as though they just became new best friends. “Closing hours. Until then.â€Sohyun bowed, almost in tears again, but she wasted no time and ran off to get back to work. Eunkwang had no choice but to stick to the deal, he realized, and sulked his way back home with Sungmin following. His apartment, if one could even call it that, was one room. There was no bathroom.“There’s a public sauna right across the street.â€There was no kitchen.“Didn’t your sister feed you before you came over?â€Not even an AC unit. Eunkwang didn’t complain about the heat, either he was already used to his living conditions or he was too sick to care.“I just want to sleep.†He moaned, swallowing his medicine and then retreating to his bare floor covering a wet rag over his face. Sungmin sat in a corner just as his sister suggested but then he stood and wandered around the small room. There was nothing to entertain him except for a window and the sickly body that sprawled across the floor.“You should just put the rag over your forehead. Having your pores being soaked will only get you sicker.â€â€œI’m congested.†Eunkwang’s voice trailed, obviously sounding like he was forcing himself to speak at that point.“That’s why you shouldn’t buy cheap medicine.â€â€œCan’t you be quiet?†Eunkwang sat up and threw his rag at Sungmin. The younger male didn’t know how to react and just gave the cloth back to his senior.“That’s just what my sister does for my family…†He pointed out.Eunkwang wasn’t impressed. He laid back down and stubbornly slapped the wet rag on his forehead. The two sat in silence for a while and Eunkwang realized he wasn’t going to get his nap.“How many siblings does Sohyun have anyway? Is it just you?â€â€œNo. She’s the oldest of five.†Eunkwang sat up again, his body was sore but Sungmin was right about that medicine being cheap. It didn’t help him any. Talking was the only remedy to take Eunkwang’s mind off the pain. “She, my mom, my dad, they all work, but their incomes combined can still barely feed the whole family. It’s ridiculous.â€â€œThen knowing all that, why are you being a little shit?†Sungmin had a demeanor about him that was easy to point out. His face read like a book about uncaringness and full of conceit, a dangerous combination that could be found in his body language as well. He simply shrugged and Eunkwang almost laughed. “Do you know why I tried to walk away from your sister when she happened to see me today?†Sungmin shook his head naively. The boy had no clue. “I…dislike your sister. She’s been nothing but an eyesore since the moment I’ve met her.†Sungmin’s expression didn’t change, but his body went stiff. He looked like a frozen statue standing by the window trying to seem stronger than he was. “I dislike your sister to the point of wanting her to either quit or get fired. Did you know that?â€Sungmin shook his head slowly. The aura Eunkwang gave off was different from the encounter he had with Sungmin’s older sister. Eunwang wasn’t just funny looking, he just looked that way, however he was actually from an extremely dark place, one darker than Sungmin ever ventured to. With an unwavering gaze, Eunwang continued to speak down to Sohyun’s little brother.“You young bastard.†He said quietly at first, but patience wasn’t one of Eunkwang’s many talents. “Why does your sister have to suffer at the hands of a jerk like me, then turn around and deal with a jerk like you? Huh? Every day I pick on her and tell her to quit and it pisses me off when she doesn’t. I give her shit everyday not caring if I’m ruining her life and the people around her essentially meaning yours. So why does she have to get her life ruined by her own brother too? You little shit who’s not even older than the food in my refrigerator, who the hell do you think you are?†His voice raised louder with each damning statement. He kicked his foot at Sungmin but his body ached too much to make actual contact and he stopped raging for a moment to work out the Charlie horse in his calf. “Yah, just run away. If you’re going to continue being an inconvenience, don’t show up in front of her, or your family. Ever.â€Sungmin pressed himself against the wall and curled his body. He was sniveling like the child he was and should have been acting. Eunkwang didn’t feel sorry for him.“Why are you crying you bastard; I’m just telling you the reality. You’re going to keep disappointing your family until they cut ties with you. And then you’ll end up just like me.†The presumption that Eukwang was once a problem child came to light. The younger male apologized but Eunkwang told him to be quiet, returning his head to the bare sticky floor and closing his eyes. “Save those words for your sister. You’ll do best by showing it through your actions.†✮✮✮ The apartment complex was a lot smaller than Sohyun imagined, but she was at the right place according to the address Eunkwang text her. She stood outside his unit and knocked on the door, waiting for a response. There was brief movement and the door was opened by Sungmin himself. He looked tired and older.“Noona.†He almost choked on his own words when he hugged her. Sohyun couldn’t remember the last time her brother embraced her. The gesture was sudden and almost incomprehensible, but Sohyun hugged him back, patting him on the head as well.“You must have been bored out of your mind.†Sohyun said. Eunkwang greeted her at the door without a shirt, Sohyun wasn’t even surprised. She handed him a small white paper bag. “It’s ginger for your cold. It doesn’t look like anyone else is taking care of you so you should look after yourself properly.â€Eunkwang stared at the bag of medicine straight faced. Ginger was expensive. He finally looked at her when they bowed to say their goodbye. He slowly raised his fist and gave a soft knock on Sohyun’s forehead who still flinched. “Don’t…give up on your brother. Ever.†He closed the door and then opened it back up, waving the ginger. “This will be enough for payment.†He closed it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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