Dreamcatcher Imagines

𝗷𝗶𝘂 | cherry & co.

Reader Is: Neutral Age (Non-DC AU)
Categories: Fluff
Summary: The reader begrudgingly lets her friend Bora bring her to Minji's café – where Dong, Yoohyeon, Yubin, and Gahyeon work – one day.

♡

Cherry & Co. Café was hard to miss.

It was annoyingly red, the kind of shade that hurt your eyes if you looked at it for too long. The front door was a shockingly soft contrast, ballet pink with the image of a little white cartoon dog plastered on the glass. To top it all off, a cherry-shaped sign dangled just to the left of the entrance, swaying in the breeze as it cheerily welcomed customers.

You hated it.

Because damn, the little bistro that had previously resided in the same spot for years and years could never be topped. They had the best soups, always served with fresh-baked bread, and you had a real penchant for their grilled sandwiches. You and your best friend Kim Bora were regulars there, right up until the day they closed. The owner had moved to get away from high rent costs, instead setting up shop on the opposite side of town.

So, instead of your favorite restaurant two doors down from your apartment building, there was a freshly painted, perfectly manicured, rather prissy- and expensive-looking café. Lovely.

You had no idea why Bora was so interested in the thing. For crying out loud, the place looked like it would charge more for their lattes than the most overpriced of chain coffee shops – and you knew it would taste the same.

But Bora was, for some crazy reason, actually intrigued. Intrigued! You thought of the café like a traitor.

"Let's just see what they have."

You pointed ten feet in front of you, giving Bora an unamused glare. "I can see the menu right there, on the sidewalk."

"Okay, so let's go check it out!"

Bora skipped ahead of you as you sighed, trudging along behind her. "I miss La Maison."

"Do me a favor and put a sock in it," Bora replied, looking back in annoyance.

Begrudgingly, you obliged, if only because some patrons were exiting the shop and you didn't want to look a fool.

"Look, they have macarons!"

That perked your ears, though you didn't let on. Your silence spoke volumes for Bora, however – one of the disadvantages of having been friends for so long. You couldn't hide anything from her if you tried.

"I know you love macarons." Bora's eyes were drilling into you, seemingly seeking the level of your weakened reserve. "I'll treat you. Come on. Let's just give it a try."

"Well, only if you're buying," you grumbled. You'd hesitated a second before replying, which Bora had taken as both a yes and a cue to drag you inside by the arm. "If this shit is overpr—"

"Shh, I told you to shut up," Bora hissed. You shook free of her grasp and primly returned your arm to your side in the most dramatic fashion you could muster. She was headed towards the counter, and you followed her with what you hoped to be invisible trepidation.

"Hello, welcome to Cherry and Company Café!" a bright voice called. You quickly identified its owner – Yoohyeon, her nametag read – as the woman standing behind the counter with her head tilted and an ear-to-ear smile on her face. She was cute, but you had the feeling that she could get a little too positive at times.

It seemed that the café already had a real system set up, though you caught a glimpse of a waitress – her nametag read Gahyeon – looking a bit harried running from table to table. From the swinging door to the kitchen, a chef appeared with some delicious-looking sugar cookies and a smile. She placed her tray on the back counter, which a brunette woman was bent over as she diligently iced what was presumably the previous batch the chef had given her.