Bittersweet Memories (A Stray Kids Short Story Collection)

Scavenger Hunt I

     If running a coffee shop was an RPG, new customers were always the daily tasks.

     Seungmin chuckled to himself at that comparison. But hey, after all, he was just a kid. Granted, a kid who should be in his first year of university, but still a kid nevertheless. And, seeing the usual Monday morning rush at Park's Happiness, Seungmin couldn't help his mind wandering off to make his job just a tad more interesting.

     New customers were always at the back of the line. It was usually the regulars that came first, lining up to get their usual morning sugar rush before heading off to work. Seungmin didn't mind the crowd; it was a sign that his parent's coffee shop was successful. After all, why wouldn't it be? The shop offered several drink options all made in record time, had a kitchen in the back to make freshly baked goods and on top of that, had a crowd of beanbags and bookshelves at the shop's corner, making the place very attractive for the younger population as well.

     But Seungmin knew that the secret ingredient of Park's Happiness's crowd stemmed far beyond that. It wasn't just the drinks, the workstations, or the comfy lobby furniture that made up the majority of its success. No, it was something beyond the tangible world, something that cut beneath the surface.

     "Hello, Ms. Peters. Today's Kelly's birthday today, isn't it?" Seungmin cheerfully asked the next customer, taking out his notepad to mark the order.

     The kindly woman gave a huge smile. "Why yes, dear, that's awfully sweet of you to remember!"

     "Forget the special days of my favourite customers? Of course not!" Seungmin said with a wink. "So, is it the usual?"

     "You know me, Seungmin," Ms. Peters said with a laugh. "I'll tell Kelly you wish her a happy birthday!" Seungmin wrote down the usual order of lavender cappuccino with cinnamon and double sugar, even though he had it memorized by now.

     "I'll include those double chocolate brownies that Kelly likes," Seungmin said. "It's on the house!"

     "Oh no, Seungmin, I couldn't possibly-"

     "Please allow me. Think of it as her birthday present," Seungmin said, already writing down the treat. He opened the door to the kitchen. "Five squares of double chocolate brownies!" he called to the bakers.

     "You're an absolute angel. Have a fabulous day!" Ms. Peters gushed.

     Seungmin waved her off with a smile before going to the next regular. "Mr. Robbers, that's a heavy briefcase you have there. Is that a sign that I should add in three extra sugar packets to your coffee?"

     "You know me well, Seungmin," the elderly man chuckled. "I have a huge proposal I need to present to the marketing team. I'll definitely need something to get me through trying to squeeze even a single idea into their thick skulls!"

     "A little something coming right up!" Seungmin wrote down the usual order of coffee: two milk, five sugars. "Good luck with your presentation!"

     "I'll need it!"

     The next customer was a girl a year younger than Seungmin but still recognized him upon reaching the counter. "Seungmin, I'll take the usual!"

     "A medium hot chocolate with extra marshmallows and sprinkles coming right up, Samantha," Seungmin said, rolling his eyes playfully. "Anything else?"

     "Maybe..." Samantha clicked her tongue twice. "A side of Literature notes?"

     Seungmin shook his head in mock disappointment. "I told you Ms. Stevenson will not repeat what she says if you don't take notes fast enough, but did you listen?"