"I see your shop is empty again. Have you tried advertising? Might get you a customer. Or two." Alberu poked his head into the milkshake bar, a teasing smirk on his face. He walked in his uniform, freshly ironed and clean. His apron said 'Come on in, we have tea to serve and spill!' and looked brand new. His hair was styled professionally and he had a million dollar smile. It was 11, so he was probably on break, unfortunately for the singular employee stuck in his shitft.
"I...I don't even know how to spell that." Kim Rok Soo said deadpanned as he cleaned the blenders. His little cow-print hat was far too small for his head, and his uniform was shoddy and stained with ice-cream. His hair was pulled back in a man bun and his eyebags were dark enough to pass as smudged eye shadow.
"How do you not know how to spell advertising? Did you not go to school?"
"...No." Alberu flinched before clearing his throat. Kim Rok Soo felt unimportant under his gaze. He wasn't friends with Alberu, but he was his shop neighbour for three years. Of course he only thought of asking questions now...
"Okay, my shift's starting. Talk to you later!" Alberu shuffled out of the store, clumsily bumping into tables before attempting to correct them. He finger gunned awkwardly. 'Stupid. Why are you being so weird. That's your friend you hypocrite!!'
===
"What's that? Leftovers?" Choi Han asked as he looked over Kim Rok Soo's shoulder. He didn't usually take his lunch breaks outside, so he seized the opportunity to try and socialise. He was about to be the coolest guy for befriending Kim Rok Soo. "Why didn't you buy some?"
"...I couldn't afford groceries?...I mean... every week... the prices... its ludicrous." Kim Rok Soo replied as he spooned the wet rice into his mouth. "...Is that a surprise? I'm... broke? I eat rice... and water... sometimes I add milk...if it's a good day..."
"Uh. Ahaha. That's. So. Annoying." Choi Han could not have changed conversations faster and more awkwardly if he had tried. "Look, its uhm, kind of late! I'll be clocking out soon! Want to get a drink together?"
'Hmm. Another person who had not known about my situation...am I really that closed-off?'
"I'm not an alcohol person." Kim Rok Soo rejected bluntly. He turned his attention away, and Choi Han realised he had lost his chance.
===
"Are you stalking me? How come we've had the same shifts for three years? Y'know you could tell me if you're obsessesed lol." Rosalyn smiled as she stood in front of her cashier despite the embarassed expressions and worried warnings of her coworkers. Surely she can't mess up that bad. She's only being civil.
"...I take all the shifts...I'm the only employee..." Kim Rok Soo breathed out in annoyance. He was getting sick of all these social interactions. Were they trying to be casual or was this genuine concern? The obvious difference was slowly blurring within the years that he had spent alone. Was she just going to leave after this or force more out of him?
"Why? Why doesn't your manager get more employees? That's like... illegal!!"
"I am the manager...and the owner...and the custodian...I meant it when I said I was the only employee..." Would this be oversharing? Was this information she should have already noticed? Three years of half-smiles, small waves through windows and trading drinks when one - Rosalyn - was obviously sad. And never a connection.
"Oh... Ahah, don't worry! I won't be calling the cops on you."
"Why... would you?" Kim Rok Soo questioned as he finished bagging her drink and her donut. She smiled awkwardly and took the bag. "Cash or Card?"
YOU ARE READING
Trash of the Count's Family Anthology
Fanfictionjust a few stories about Cale mostly. requests are allowed, just i do have boundaries and can't do them all. all right thank you.
