Salmon Bagel and a Hot Chocolate

22 - It's Easy to Ruin Things

Yizhuo sat a little impatiently in Vivid as she waited for Giselle to finish tending to another customer. She figured if she just continuously stared at Giselle, the woman would finish faster, but her plan was not successful.

"Do you want me to call her here?" Karina asked as she slowly placed a cup of coffee in front of Yizhuo.

"She's busy." Yizhuo pouted, Karina let out a small laugh.

"She'll drop everything for you," Karina told. "It's a big order, that's why it's taking longer."

"Shouldn't you be behind the counter?" Yizhuo furrowed her eyebrows, eyeing Karina's bandaged arm. "Considering carrying cups and plates is a little on the difficult side for you right now?"

"We're taking turns," Karina shrugged. "Plus, we're short staffed this week."

Karina had come into work with a bandage around her arm the day after the club, but begged Yizhuo not to tell Minjeong about it, stating that she didn't want the younger one to worry. Yizhuo kept that promise, but not without a lot of struggle.

"Remind me again how you got hurt?" Yizhuo asked.

"Just a sprain," Karina shrugged. "Not a big deal."

"Take care of yourself, girl," Yizhuo said. "Minjeong would lose her mind if you aren't here."

Yizhuo took note of Karina biting back a smile. Karina cleared her throat, her expression changing to one that was almost neutral.

"Well, seems like she's doing fine without her daily hot chocolates," Karina forced a smile out. "I should head back. These dishes won't clean themselves."

"Go ahead," Yizhuo smiled. "If you need anything, I'm here."

Karina gave Yizhuo and appreciative smile before walking off, picking up a few plates on her way with a lot of struggle. Karina didn't seem like the type to ask for help.

The past few days without Minjeong around had been interesting, to say the least. Yizhuo had never really seen Karina so focused on working since there was no one else she had to talk to during her work hours.

She spent her time observing the older one for her own information. She didn't plan on telling Minjeong anything since most of what she said to her went in one ear and out the other.

Yizhuo wanted to bring up the events of the night at the club with Karina, but when consulting Giselle about it, she was met with a lot of resistance. Giselle strictly said to leave it be and let Minjeong and Karina do the talking.

While the normal response to that would be for Yizhuo to realise that Giselle was right and it wasn't her place to say anything, Yizhuo's response to that was to assume that Karina was hiding something.

Other than that, Yizhuo had pretty much given up with telling Minjeong anything straight to her face, now settling on subtle hints and pushes and letting Minjeong be the one to piece things together.

With the almost radio silence she'd been getting from the older one the past few days, Yizhuo hoped it meant she was doing some thinking.

However, what Yizhuo was not expecting was Minjeong to come back a completely different person. On the surface, at least.

The door to the café opened and in walked Isa, giving Yizhuo a smile and a wave as she walked over to her.

"I didn't know you guys would be back this early." Yizhuo chuckled, giving the woman a hug.

"She drove pretty fast," Isa shrugged lightly. "But we didn't have anything else to do, so we left a little earlier."

"Ah, makes sense." Yizhuo hummed, eyes landing on the door and widening as she saw Minjeong walk in... with what she immediately assumed was a wig.