Summer Rush

Pt 1

It was finally summertime. Fresh air, warm breezes, and new opportunities. I knew after I finished my last exam that I would need to work over the summer. I didn't have many friends, and the friends I did have only met up about once a month or so. My schedule was open. I would have been pretty bored otherwise. Plus I needed to start saving for next semester, of course.

Every couple years, a fair would pass through our town for about a month or so. As much as I hated interacting with people, especially in a customer service type environment, I knew it would be an easy job with decent pay. More enjoyable than working in a fast food restaurant, at least.

I had applied to work at a pretzel-and-candy-apple stand. A strange combination. I got a call that I received the job and was asked to come in next week for training. I had dressed nicely, pulled my hair back into a ponytail, and shuffled my sneakers on.

"Wow, you sure got up early," my mom approached me as I grabbed my keys.

"Yeah," I laughed, "that's how work works, Mom."

She hugged me quickly, "Try to have fun. You're working at a carnival, of all places! Maybe you can get discounted tickets!"

"Gotta go, Mom!" I jangled my keys. She released me and smiled. I turned to open the door and leave, "Love you!"

"Love you too, sweetheart," she called before I closed the door.

++

The name of the food-truck-style vendor was "Appzels." I spent a good few minutes trying to find it in the field of other uncreatively named shops and trucks. When I finally spotted it, I noticed someone else waiting outside, seemingly uninterested in anything but his phone. He was gnawing on a stick of gum.

"Hey," I said awkwardly as I approached him, "you here to work, too?"

"Hi," he looked up, eyes dark, "yeah, although I'm not sure where the boss is."

"Hmm," I looked around and noticed some outfits hanging inside the truck, "Oh my God."

"What?" he looked up.

"Do you think those are our uniforms?" I pointed.

He shuddered, "Oh."

++

After I put on the ridiculous poofy caramel apple dress, stockings, and hair clip, I wrote my name on a sticker name tag and stuck it on. I left the trailer and saw the boy fidgeting with his tight collar. His name tag read "Beomgyu." His uniform was pretty tame compared to mine, except for a large hat that had a foam and felt pretzel corn dog sticking out of the top.

"Oh my," I laughed. He turned and pouted at me. I continued teasing him, "you look like you should work at Weenie Hut Jr's!"

At that remark, Beomgyu's lips curled into a regrettable smile, "At least I don't look like Little Debbie."

++

We spent the whole day learning how to make pretzels, corn dogs, candy apples, and other fair treats from a couple of trainers. Our boss was pretty approachable and relaxed, excited to try and make more profits than previous years. Beomgyu and I got along really well, joking and laughing as we practiced. By the time I had left the truck, I was looking forward to coming back and working with him again. I couldn't hide that I was exhausted after the day of training. I almost tripped stepping down onto the grass. Across the dirt path was another truck, pastel blue in color. Holding my clothes and car keys, I started to make my way towards the front of the fair.

"Ow!" I heard a yelp from behind me. I turned to see an employee inside the blue truck. He had an irritated expression on his face: his mouth was gaping open, eyebrows pursed, looking at the ceiling. He reached his hand up and rubbed the top of his head. He pushed his bangs back. Then, suddenly, he looked at me. Almost instantly, his expression changed. His eyes opened wide and his lips were parted.

"What happened?" another employee approached, "Soobin, did you bump your head again?" he laughed, hands on his hips.

Soobin kept his eyes locked with mine. It was an interaction that lasted no more than a few seconds, but it felt longer. It was as if every breath, every sound, every thought froze in an instant. His eyes. Sparkles. I blinked and turned away before I could lose myself in them.

"Yeah," I heard him say quietly, "stupid ceiling."