The Only

Chapter 11

They go to the mini grocery just outside of campus after breakfast. Or technically, past-noon lunch. Afternoon brunch?

Either way, they both took a quick shower - separately, of course, and then took a 15 minute walk to Wendy's Mini Grocery. The owner, Wendy Shon, was actually an alumna of their university with a degree in music. She'd been a senior when Rosie and Lisa were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed freshmen. She and her long time girlfriend, Seulgi Kang, were actually the ones that recruited both of them into the respective organizations they now headed.

Wendy was the president of the overall university student council and Seulgi was the leader of the university's official dance troupe. It was almost like Wendy and Seulgi passed on the batons to both of them.

They come into the mini grocery with the wind chimes tinkling to announce the arrival of new customers. Yeri looks up from the book she is not so secretly reading behind the counter and greets them both with a wave and a smile. She worked part-time as the cashier and sometimes the bookkeeper here since there was seemingly nothing she can't do. She is a sophomore taking up marketing in the university, younger than both Rosie and Lisa by two years but she finished high school in advance - with honors from the program for the academically gifted.

One would think that Yeri is an uptight honor student who cares about nothing but grades, but she actually has a knack for causing trouble and pulling pranks. And that's why Rosie and Lisa adore her.

"Lichaeng!" Yeri calls her pet name for both of them - a portmanteau of Lisa's name and Rosie's Korean name, Chaeyoung. "What's my favorite couple shopping for? Ran out of toilet paper?"

Rosie puts a hand on her hips and grins. Lisa laughs.

"Hey, Yeri." They greet in unison.

"Just here to pick up some stuff." Lisa says. She places a hand on Rosie's lower back. "Rosie here wants to cook a nice dinner for us tonight."

Yeri's eyes followed Lisa's hand and they shine with a knowing glint. She raises an eyebrow.

"Oh, I see. If only all of us had their own personal chef who would labor for free."

Lisa grins. Rosie glares at Yeri.

"I am not her personal chef. I am doing this out of the kindness and generosity in my heart." Rosie dramatically puts a hand against her chest, tone haughty. "And also to make sure Lisa doesn't burn the dorm building down." She adds.

"That's true," Lisa agrees. "Can't argue with that."

Yeri nods, too.

"Yeah, I can see Lisa doing that. She's certainly stupid enough."

"HEY!" Lisa calls her out. Rosie bursts in laughter.

"She's right," the blonde says.

Lisa turns to her best friend and actually looks offended. This time it's Yeri who bursts out in giggles.

"Okay, lovebirds, take the fighting outside. Or else get on your merry way and grab whatever you need so I can ring them and your money can pay for my salary here." Yeri jokingly shoos them with a dismissive wave.

Rosie and Lisa smile at her and wave. They go through the aisles quickly, having memorized where the certain items they need are found from frequenting the place. They grab spaghetti noodles, instant marinara sauce, frozen scallops and shrimp, calamari, olive oil, and parsley. They go back to Yeri at the counter, queue up behind a few customers who finished their shopping during the time they chatted with the lively part-timer. They pay for the items and walk out of the store, hand in hand, fingers threaded between each other.