24 Days | ✔️

♡December 11th♡

I wrap my scarf around my neck, still not able to feel my fingers. I pull on a pair of gloves and try to open the door. My fingers slip off the doorknob, and I try again and again before letting out a irritated groan and taking off one glove to open the door.

When I get to the bakery, I throw all my clothes in the backroom. I smooth my blouse out and flick a piece of dust off my skirt before walking to the front.

"Unnie, I'll take cash register!" I call out, Jeonha looking over her shoulder.

"Fine, but this is only because you've been sick for the past two days, alright?" she groans, slipping on a pair of gloves and grabbing the metal tongs.

"Hello, and welcome to Sweet-tarts Bakery; how can I help you today?" I ask sweetly, silently praying my voice won't crack miserably.

"Could I have a chocolate cupcake and a vanilla cupcake? I don't need any packaging; my girlfriend's right over there," the teen says, waving to his girlfriend who smiles and waves back.

"Jeonha, chocolate and vanilla cupcake," I tell her, taking the boy's money and giving him his change. "By the way, you two are cute together. Have a nice day!" I compliment, handing him his cupcakes.

His face lights up with glee and he hands one to his girlfriend, walking out. I sigh, blowing a strand of hair out of my face.

"Hello, welcome to Sweet-tarts Bakery; what would you like?" I say, inspecting my chipped blue nail polish carefully.

"I'll have a piece of cake," the customer leans over the counter. "And a piece of you."

I recoil, nearly knocking Jeonha over. She gives me a disapproving look, then takes one look at the guy on the other side of the counter and instantly gives a death glare to him.

"What's wrong? Am I not attractive enough for someone like you?" he teases, putting his hand on my cheek.

I flinch, trying to step away, but he has a firm grip on my shoulder.

"I—" I stutter. "Please, sir, could you stop touching me?"

"Until you go on a date with you, no. C'mon, you can skip work just this one time, huh?" he whispers, lifting my chin with his finger.

Already Jeonha is bristling with anger behind me, ready to smack the guy straight over the head with her metal tongs, when suddenly someone cuts the line and literally tackles the guy to the floor. His nail scratches my neck, probably leaving an angry red mark.

"Oh, uh, hey, Aeri! Fancy seeing you here."

Hoseok pops up from the floor, making me let out a stifled scream.

"Uhm, is he like unconscious?" I query, pointing my middle finger to the person lying on the floor.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe he's unconscious; I don't exactly know. What a byuntae, huh?" he says cheerfully, discreetly kicking the man's body to the wall.

"Excuse me, if you want to order then you should go to the back of the line," Jeonha says politely, her head peeking out from behind me.

"I'm not ordering. I just wanted to get this creep out of the way. Thanks anyway." His voice goes crazy threatening for a second before returning to his normal happy hyper voice. "Aeri, after work you can text me, right? I'll come pick you up."

He leaves the shop, the bell hung on the door chiming softly.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Jeonha asks curtly, putting down her tongs.

"Ha, I wish," I sigh. "He's not into me at all."

"As if. I can see the tension between you two," Jeonha scoffs, pulling off her gloves. "Seomin! Give Aeri a break and get out of the backroom."

Seomin peeks her head out of the door, instantly seeing the red mark on my neck.

"Wow, Aeri, what happened? Did you scratch yourself with the tongs again?" she jokes, fully coming out into the front.

"Byuntae again. I swear, why do they always target me?" I complain, opening the door to the storage room.

"Maybe because you're obviously, painfully single, and Jeonha and I are obviously not single?" she ventures, taking a pair of gloves out of the dispenser. "Or maybe it's just because you're pretty."

"I'm not pretty."

"I think all the attention you get suggests the opposite."