come back home || k.sj

[back] vii.

[back] vii.

Solar was never supposed to be this big of a hit.

 You and Yongsun opened it up two years in hopes to help out neighborhood mothers by selling their kids school snacks and college students oatmeal cookies that tasted like home. It was never meant to have strings of customers lined up outside the glass display windows and four bulletin boards peppered with various orders. And the whole team of staff, which originally consisted of you and Yongsun, but then grew to include college freshman Cheng Xiao, juniors Lee Minhyuk and Park Jihyo, and a senior named Im Nayeon.

Being the oldest with everyone else tucked under your wing, you felt the need to coach and protect them like baby chicks. Your mom radar clicked whenever Minhyuk and Jihyo bickered or if Cheng burned a finger or if Nayeon slipped on a banana peel that no one but Yongsun would leave. She looked after them too, but she preferred staying in the kitchen where she'd make concoctions of batter and bake them and present them to the world.

Speaking of which, Solar was never meant to go big until the day you and Yongsun released a collection of tres leches, including mini cupcakes with sweetened milk filling. At first, it was just the word on the street, and soon enough people from places like Anyang would come to taste that one baker's tres leches cake pops.

"I can't wait to relocate this baby," Yongsun says excitedly as she buzzes by to smack another order on the register you're handling. A post-it flies into the air and hovers over your head where you glance up and blow it away.

"Relocate? Yeah. Right." A snort.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she whips her head back to your station. "Just look at this place. We can barely breathe in here! Besides, customers won't show up if there' isn't any space to stand, much less order."

"Okay, but where in Seoul would we relocate? Everything's packed," you retort. "Last time I checked, all retail spaces were either rented or sold off."

"Minhyuk promised he'd take care of it."

Jihyo joins in just in time to guffaw. "When was the last time Lee Minhyuk ever lived up to his words?"

"Hey!" A voice floats from the confectionary cupboards near the storage room. "I heard that!"

"The only time he does live up to his words is when it's his turn to get rid of all the leftovers in the display cases," you say.

"That too, by eating them," Cheng adds.

A rustle of pans dropping like dominos interrupt you four till a figure all dusted in flour and sprinkles emerges from the back door. The confectioner's sugar graces Minhyuk's bleached hair like a powdered donut. It flutters off of him as he protests, "I do keep my promises! When did I ever break them?"

 "That time where you promised to pick up our whole milk orders but went so late we had to make shit out of Nido instead for three weeks," Yongsun frowns.

 "Not as bad as the time he claimed he was a dog whisperer and ended up getting Oreo's stomach pumped," Jihyo mutters.

 "Oh, you wouldn't believe when he slapped a customer's ass--"

 "That was irrelevant. And also a year ago. I was stupid back then," Minhyuk interrupts.

 "I mean, you haven't changed a bit. You're still stupid," Naeyeon remarks.

  Minhyuk wisely chooses to ignore her. "I do know a place where we can relocate. It's my aunt's, and she's giving it away for lease at a reasonable price. It's contemporary-styled, renovated just last year, with a stainless steel kitchen and hardwood floors. There's even a room for lodging if you're interested, but you're paying your own bills."