To watch the last handful of costumes leave sent a wave of relief over me. Hopefully, I could get home by eleven o'clock. I hurried to the kitchen with trays of dirty dishes balanced in my hands, laying it down to be hand-washed later.
"Please tell me there's no one left?" Gongyoo, the chef and restaurant owner asked. I nodded, "Good. Get the front spotless then I'll walk you out."
"Yes sir," I spin on my heels, eyes landing on the second nightshift waitress making a b-line for the front door. "Minyoung," Before I could call the young waitress back, she was out the door. A weary sigh split from my lips.
"Don't worry, Sarang. Minyoung is a teenager. Remember she still has school." Gongyoo poked his head from the kitchen, "Plus, no one is going to come in ten minutes before-"
The chime of a bell rang through the restaurant which cut his sentence short. It was the bell hanging over the front door. Our eyes landed on the group flooding through the door, letting in warm bodies and cold winter air. I turn my attention back to my boss, "You just had to jinx it, didn't you?"
"Hush and get their orders!" He shooed me away, retreating his head into the kitchen like a turtle retreating into its shell. "I have to start the stove up again! Why?" I heard him complain. I shook my head before straightening my apron.
I approached their table, digging in my apron pocket for my check pad. My eyes scanned the group, noticing that they were all men between my age and twenty. All a little more stylish than the usual bunch of guys who come in with different shades of hair. From one with plum purple to another that looked like cotton candy to the more subtle dark brown and hazel shades. "What can I get for you guys?"
The guy sitting closest to me glances up with a smile, dimples appearing in seconds. He rests his elbow on the table before running his hand through his plum-colored hair. "Even though I know what I want, there's some here that won't be able to decide for a few minutes." His gaze lands on the dark-haired man sitting next to him. He leans forward, trying to catch a better view of his friend as he studied the menu. "You might want to give him a minute."
"Stop it, Namjoon-ah. I know what I want." The chestnut-haired guy says,
"I haven't found what I want, hyung." My eyes dart over to a guy with soft hazel brown hair tucked under a dark gray beanie. The guy sitting next to him had almost exactly the same shade of hair. He glances over at his friends' menu, pointing at something and mumbled to each other.
"I'll give you a minute." I step away from the table and head back to the kitchen to fetch cups and a pitcher of water.
"Have they ordered yet?" Gongyoo asked as I place the empty cups on a tray.
I shook my head, "No,"
"How many of them?"
"Seven," I answer shortly,
"And their all guys?"
"Yes,"
"Ugh, they're gonna want a lot!" He complains.
With a tray in one hand and a pitcher of water in the other, I slip out of the kitchen and return to their table, placing a cup at each spot before going around filling them. I place the last cup between the two hazel haired men. "Alright, do you all think we're ready to order?" I ask retrieving my check pad for the hundred time tonight. My eye scanned their faces, some still studied the menus, others stared at the person sitting across from them. Even though soft smiles were spread across them, their eyes betrayed their smiles. As a group, they were tired. My gaze settled on the dark-haired guy sitting next to plum crazy. He looked up at me and our gaze locked. "Seonbae-nim?" All eyes were on me now. Especially his.
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_____________ Just a quick note, this takes place around the time of "I Never Walk Alone" era. If you're anything like me, a picture of the era would be extremely helpful!
