Dreamcatcher Imagines

𝗷𝗶𝘂 | something sweet

Reader Is: Neutral Age (Non-DC AU)
Categories: Fluff
Summary: Minji walks into the reader's shave ice shop for the first time.

♡

You propped your legs up on the wooden counter in front of you with a sigh as you leaned back in your rickety chair. It was a rather risky move, you knew, but the length of the work day was killing you, and you would do anything at this point to relax.

Normally, you would be exhausted due to your busyness at this time of day, but instead, you found yourself being driven insane with boredom. No one had entered the shave ice shop that your family owned for the past hour, so you had consequently split that time between being on your phone and reading a three-year-old magazine that was collecting dust on a shelf below the register.

Just as you started to cross your ankles and lean back further in your barstool, which offered several groans of protest in return, a flash of movement by the door caught your eye. Even the street and foot traffic had been quiet today, so the simple motion was enough to garner your attention.

A beautiful young woman with long black hair that rested against her oversized t-shirt in loose curls appeared in your line of sight, and both your mind and body froze as you watched her walk closer and closer to the shop. You didn't know whether to pray that she did walk through the door or didn't, not that you had much time to begin thinking properly in order to do either.

"It's too hot to be walking around out there today!" Her voice was high and clear, and a giggle punctuated her sentence, making your heart rate all but double. The girl was now standing less than a handful of feet in front of you, and you were still frozen in place, open-mouthed. She was even more beautiful without a window between you.

"Oh! Sorry. Yes, it's – it's, um, hot. Very hot. Outside, I mean. Not in here," you quickly spit out as you gained enough range of motion to swing your feet off of the counter, nearly wiping out the cash register on it in the process and bearing down so hard on your stool that you were now sure that it would be due for a replacement by the end of the day.

To be perfectly honest, you forgot what you had said immediately after the words had left your mouth, but they must have impressed the stunning girl, because she giggled again. You felt a blush spread over your cheeks as you stared at her perfect smile. "What do you recommend?" she asked.

"Recommend?" you echoed mindlessly, continuing to stare at the raven-haired woman as though she were a painting in a museum (which she very well looked as though she could have been). It was only when her eyes met yours in confusion that you suddenly realized what she meant.

"Right, sorry!" you apologized again, feeling your blush deepen. "Um, I like strawberry," you continued after a quick glance at the menu behind you, which though you had spent the morning thoroughly memorizing, seemed to have completely slipped your mind.

"I'll have that, then. A regular size, please," the young woman beamed, and you scurried out of your chair to begin making her dessert.

Having grown up going to Summer Holiday Shave Ice Shack every day, you could practically make a typical order with your eyes closed at this point, so it wasn't long before you were presenting the beautiful girl with a rather generous serving of the cold treat. You opened your mouth to tell her what she owed for it when you suddenly stopped yourself. "It's on the house today."

"Really? Why?" the girl asked, not impolitely, with eyes that suddenly seemed to be as wide as saucers.

"It's scorching outside," you smiled slightly. "Everyone needs a little something to cool them down. Don't worry about paying for it. Just enjoy."

"I – oh, thank you so much," the young woman stammered, slowly returning your smile. It brought you more confidence to see her being flustered rather than yourself.

"What's your name?" It took every ounce of the confidence that you had just gained to ask the question, but it was worth it. You only hoped that you would be able to remember how to introduce yourself properly after she responded.

"I'm Minji, Kim Minji. And you?"

Minji smiled when you stammered your way through an introduction of your own. "That's a pretty name," she complimented sweetly. She glanced around the shop quickly before she continued, "Would – would you be able to...keep me company? While I eat this, I mean? It's just...I don't like to eat alone."

"Certainly," you replied, hardly letting Minji finish her last sentence before you spoke. You followed Minji to one of the small tables in the middle of the room, where she selected a chair opposite you and plunked down her shaved ice with a huge grin on her face. You were trying your hardest not to giggle at how excited she looked to eat the sweet treat, and you almost lost it when she began snapping several photos.

"Do you always take photos of your food?" you questioned curiously.

"Usually," Minji admitted with a lopsided smile, sounding a bit sheepish. "I go back and look at them, too."

You finally let yourself giggle as she did the same. "But," Minji continued, "I would just have to take a photo here no matter what, because this shop is so cool." She glanced around over your shoulder with admiring eyes, but your face burned bright red at her words.

The shack had been around long before you – it was your parents' dream, which they now regularly entrusted to you as they kept themselves busy with other things. Because of its age, as of late, you had started noticing how desperately it needed an update. You opened your mouth to explain this, but Minji continued talking.

"It looks so vintage-y and cool, like I can't find a place like this anymore. It feels really homey and welcoming."

A small smile spread over your lips as you looked down, brushing some imaginary dirt off of the table in front of you. "Thanks," you practically whispered. "I guess it is kinda cool."

"Do you own it?" Minji asked curiously.

"Me and my family," you nodded, looking up to meet her eyes again as you responded.

"How nice," Minji hummed. "I always wanted to have a family business. Working with my parents sounds like so much fun."

"I don't know about that," you laughed. "Most of the time it's good, I suppose. But sometimes I just feel like I can't get away from them, since we live and work together."

Minji giggled. "Makes sense." Even though she had been talking, you looked down in surprise as you realized that she had already almost finished her shave ice.

Minji noticed your gaze and blushed. "It was really good," she said, gesturing to the dish in front of her.

"I'm glad," you chuckled. Your smile wavered a bit as you realized that the finished dessert meant that Minji would soon be leaving.

"I'll be back," Minji said quickly, almost as if to reassure you. "I-I just moved here, so that's why I haven't been in before." She seemed to be answering your unspoken questions in a rapid-fire speed. "And..." she paused, and you held your breath as you waited with silent hope that she would answer the only one remaining. "I'd really like to see you again."