I Love You A Latte § v.3 § Open & Accepting!

[senna_]

── ❝ 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐘 𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐒 ──────────────────────────────────────

“winnie”_’_role. apple cider_’_location. the pancake palace_’_mentions. seojun, seon_’_tags. yeonmi

Winnie’s eyes widened dramatically, as if Yeonmi had just revealed something she never would have expected to hear. “Seojun’s out?” she gasped in a joking manner. “Impossible.” Winnie personally wasn’t super close with Seojun, but she was well aware of Yeonmi’s close friendship with him. She was constantly trying to coax the young man out of his shell – to the point that occasionally, Winnie would even jump in and tease about an exciting new date he had lined up for him. Truthfully, she knew mostly of Seojun from what Yeonmi had revealed, but she didn’t have to know him inside and out to understand that he was on the quieter side, not typically one to go out and interact for hours at a time. Yeonmi had always made that dramatically clear. So, it naturally made sense to joke about him not answering her friend’s text message, even if the case was that he was simply still sleeping and hadn’t yet checked his phone.

She gave a thoughtful nod as Yeonmi brought up her brother’s name, too. Seon was another person Winnie vaguely knew – knew of, more or less. Although she highly suspected she’d get along with him well, if he had a good relationship with Yeonmi. When her friend inquired about her mall outing, Winnie’s eyes shot back over to connect gazes. “I’m not sure yet!” she answered earnestly. “That’s the fun of it though, right? A dear friend of mine from back in the city has a birthday coming up so I wanted to send her a little something special. And this is the first time I’m actually not leaving it to the last minute – shocking, I know. That just also means I haven’t had time to think about it yet.” Sometimes going in blindly was more fun, though. It gave her the excuse to wander more freely. Winnie found herself nodding yet again, more eagerly this time, at the thought of getting together in a group to share a few hours out around a table stacked with deliciousness. “Oh, I know, everyone’s so busy these days. It’s so funny, too; I’d never have expected a town like this to feel busy. You get what I mean.” It wasn’t even posed as a question, because Winnie already knew the answer. ‘Busy’ in a city context was far different than a small town. If anything, sometimes it felt more overwhelming here; at least in a big city, busy was the norm, the lifestyle. If you fell from the loop there was no getting back into it.

She didn’t speak for the next few moments, clutching her bag with both hands with a quiet hum, as if that would get someone’s attention. The sound of clinking cutlery, the buzz of overlapping lazy chatter... it was like music to her ears. Sure enough, a hostess came by, seating them at a nearby booth. Winnie slid into the booth and handed Yeonmi one of the menus.

“Maybe it’s time to get you back out there,” she mused playfully, picking up from what Yeonmi last said before they entered the diner. “Come on, dating in a small town like this? It’s so Gilmore Girls. There are so many people our age here, between the cafes and freelancers you’d have no problem getting someone’s attention, I know it.”

[Corgi Fox <3]

Yeonmi Lee § The Pumpkin Spice Latte
Location: The Pancake Palace
Tags: Winsley, Seojun (briefly), Seon (briefly)

Yeonmi giggled at Winsley's dramatic and joking response. "Right?! I'd be shocked, at this point!" she laughed in response, "He's usually so antisocial, these days!" It was a shame to her, he used to be such a social butterfly, and a lot less uptight. Sure, a lot of her teasing and jesting was all in good fun - and he knew that - but she genuinely did wish he'd stop hiding behind those walls he'd found himself trapped behind, and put himself more, even if only a little bit.
She then nodded as Winnie explained the agenda for her shopping trip, a simple search for a birthday gift for a friend, though explaining that she wasn't looking for anything in specific. "I see. That sounds fun!" she added with a smile, "And very true. It seems like the best things are usually found when you don't know what exactly you're looking for. This mall seems to have a really nice selection of stores, too, so you're bound to find something!" After all, she agreed that it was usually more fun that way, anyway; and she usually found better things than what she had in mind when looking for gifts, so Winnie was certainly on to something, there. At the mention of her not leaving the hunt for a present until the last minute, Yeonmi then laughed. "The ability to keep from procrastinating is definitely a huge accomplishment!" Upon hearing Winnie's comments about meeting up with everyone, one of these days, she nodded in instant agreement. "Oh, right? It's crazy how difficult it starts to become to try to organize anything with friends, after a certain poing in time!" she said with a slight frown, missing the days where she and her friends could just go out on a karaoke night and have some fun after school. Of course, that said, she also obviously didn't know Winsley, at that point in time - though she sincerely wished that she had. She was certain that the girl would've fit right in with everyone, and would have added another layer of fun to their group hangouts, get-togethers, and other typical teenage antics and shenanigans. "Oh, yeah - I totally get what you mean!" she then responded when Winnie made the accurate observation about the town's interestingly busy atmosphere, "It's a different type of busy, for sure. Like...everyone's more involved, maybe? But I was definitely expecting a more slow-paced vibe from this town." It certainly wasn't like the hustle and bustle of somewhere like Seoul, or NYC, where it's packed with tourists, and everyone is just minding their own business, rushing from one place to the next. Sure, there was still a bit of an element of that in the more city-like area of town, and even downtown, from what she had observed, but...it wasn't quite the same. People seemed more hands-on and invested in one another's lives, here. Not that it was a bad thing, though. It some ways, it was definitely busier, but in others? It was certainly less intense, and people just overall seemed friendlier, usually, than they typically seemed to be in big cities. "But, anyway...regardless, I think it'd be fun to try to get everyone together, occasionally, even just for simple little things like breakfast or lunch!"
As the two girls waited on a server to seat them, Yeonmi's phone buzzed, a couple of times - she noticed that both, Seojun and Seon, had messaged her within just a few moments of one another. "Ah, speak of the devils," she mused with a smirk, clicking on Seojun's message, first. The message read: Ah, I just got some breakfast at Starbucks. But next time, sure. Just let me know. "Wow...actually, you were spot-on about Seojun, earlier, Winnie! I was thinking he might still have just been sleeping," she said with a laugh. "But he's already gone out and gotten breakfast...oh well," she added, shrugging. Then, a mischievous smile formed on her lips. Ooooh, on a date with somebody cute, I hope? (; she typed out, partially in jesting. And no, I'm not on a date. -.- he texted, before she even had the chance to press "send" on her massage to him, however. Her nose scrunched up as she made a quick "Sh," sound, resting her chin in her hand in slight annoyance, and simply texted back an emoji with its tongue sticking out. She sighed, "Aigoo (ooc: a common term used to express exasperation)...I swear, he's so cold, sometimes, though." She was mostly just thinking aloud, but then shrugged as she moved on to Seon's text: The dogs and I went out for a walk. We'll be at Barnes & Noble, if you want to join us, later! She quickly texted back, Ok! Winnie and I are at Pancake Palace getting some breakfast, so maybe in a bit!
She slid the phone back into her pocket, taking in the warm, comforting atmosphere, whilst the two continued waiting. Just then, a server finally got to them, and took them to their table. She took a seat across from her friend, thanking her as she handed her the menu. As she glanced through the it, she shrugged lightly, considering Winnie's words thoughtfully. "Hm...that's true," she said with a smile, looking back over at Winnie. "I'd honestly like to, now that I'll have a bit more free time, for a while," she admitted, then placed her finger over her lips in a shushing motion, "But my record label's always so restrictive about relationships, so...I'm planning on keeping that more hush-hush, for now, if I do find someone I'm interested in." A slight flush rushed to her cheeks as Winnie assured her that she'd have no trouble attracting someone's attention. "Well, I'd hope so," she smirked, then thought for a brief moment. "Ooh, speaking of...is there anyone currently on your radar?" she asked curiously, quickly adding, "If you don't mind me asking, of course."

Ciela Bree Monet § The Hot Chocolate
Location: Home, then Victoria's Tea Palace
Tags: N/A

It had been a lovely morning for the brunette-haired girl - being the morning person she was, Ciela had woken up quite early. She just sat on her bed, a sketchbook on her lap - as per usual - and a pencil in the other. She drew a protrait of Cookie and Lapiz, whom were curled up in two overlapping little balls of fur - with Cookie resting slightly atop of Lapiz, respectively - asleep, next to her. She had decided, since she was up so early, that it wasn't such a bad idea to practice her artwork more. She decided to grab a mug of hot chocolate, whip up a quick serving of chocolate chip pancakes, and do just that, whilst listening to the rhythmic melody that the rain carefully orchestrated and danced to - accompanied by the rolling thunder's dramatic percussions, and the lightning's bright, animated flare - on that lovely day. After taking a final look at her finished creation, and seemingly satisfied with it, she nodded resolutely, a pleased smile on her face. Taking one last glance at the rain that was gently tapping against the window, she finally flipped her sketchbook shut. She placed it on her nightstand, then yawned and stretched before looking at the time: 7:05 AM. She needed to get ready for work. She groaned lightly as she finally got out of bed, taking one final glance at her sketchbook. Oh, how she wished she could stay in bed all day, snuggled up with the two pups whilst she drew and watched TV, listened to music, or even just sat back and could listen to the lovely rain. But, alas, her need for a paycheck was calling, and it reminded her that she, indeed, could not do that, today. Just the weekend, and then she'd have Monday through Wednesday off. Motivating herself further to just make it through those couple of days of work, she finished the last bite of her food, and the last couple of drinks of her cocoa, then reluctantly headed to her dresser. Hearing this, the little Corgi and Parti-Yorkie duo lifted their little heads, ears perked, and stared at the girl, simultaneously tilting their heads to the side out of curiosity. As she headed over to her closet, the little pups stood up, jumped off of the bed, and trotted after her, following like the little shadows they constantly loved to be. She smiled as she bent down to gently pat the puppies' heads, then proceeded to grab her work-appropriate clothes, choosing to go with an elegant-looking, yet warm and light, cream sweater dress, complete with caramel-colored tights, a pair of cream kitten heels, and some jewelry: a sterling silver and pearl earring and necklace set, complete with dainty, sparkling diamonds above the pearl pendant and earrings. They were a gift from her parents; so, despite the monetary value, the artistic girl valued and treasured these for the sentimental value, above all else. She then headed to the bathroom, where she took a somewhat long shower - about thirty-five minutes or so - then got dressed, dried and styled her hair into large, silky curls, and did her makeup. With that, she then went to her room, grabbed her purse and her phone, and went downstairs. She fed Cookie and Lapiz, and then headed out the door. She got into her car, and drove off to work. As soon as she arrived, several minutes early, she clocked in to work, greeted Michael and Aurelia - along with some of her coworkers that she had passed - and started getting the tea, watercress sandwiches, and various other little sandwiches, desserts, and finger foods together and ready for the day. It was 8:00 AM, and Victoria's Tea Palace was officially open for the day.

[Furrydogs12]

Caden Sweet
Age: 23| Occupation: Barista / Aspiring Entertainer| Location: Starbucks
Caden watched as Eli jumped, his eyes immediately flicking to the spilled latte. He could see the guilt on his friend's face, the way he fumbled to clean it up. Caden shook his head, reaching for a napkin himself. "Hey, no need to apologize. It’s just a little spill." He paused, a soft smile tugging at his lips. "Storms tend to get to you, huh?" He pushed the napkin toward Eli, his voice gentle.

"You know, I get it. The noise, the flashes—it's a lot. I actually don't like storms either, but... it’s weird, right? Being here, in the middle of all this warmth and noise, and still feeling unsettled. It’s like everything around you is calm but your brain’s still buzzing." He took a sip from his own drink, feeling the warmth spread through him, hoping it’d have the same effect on Eli.

"You'll see her again soon, right? Your sister, I mean. Weddings are… well, you know how they are." Caden’s voice was steady, but there was a hint of understanding, something unspoken between them.

[Furrydogs12]

Mei Lin
Age: 22 | Occupation: Mentor/ Tutor
Mei Lin watched Seojun from the corner of her eye as he nodded, his attention shifting back toward the storm outside. It was strange, how the rain had this way of making everything feel a bit more intimate, like everyone’s thoughts just slowed down.

She caught Seojun’s soft voice, the words drifting past her as though he hadn’t meant for her to hear them. "Sometimes when you need it the most," he murmured, and Mei couldn’t help but wonder what was on his mind. She didn’t ask though, not because she didn’t care—quite the opposite. It was more that she respected the quietness in his words. He seemed like someone who didn’t speak much, but when he did, there was meaning in it.

The warmth of her own coffee was comforting in a way that felt grounding, and she nodded along as he spoke. "I feel the same," she said softly. "It’s like the world just slows down a little." She gazed at the raindrops as they traced the window, wondering how long they’d keep falling. "Like everything can be... clearer."

When he thanked her for the advice, Mei smiled a little. She hadn’t meant to come across as overly helpful, but something about Seojun's demeanor made her want to offer a bit of reassurance. "I’m glad it helped," she said, her tone light and sincere. She let out a quiet laugh when he mentioned the nervous wreck part, knowing that feeling all too well herself. "It’s easy to get caught up in the little things, especially when they feel so big in the moment." She gave him a soft smile as he tucked the keys away, still clearly a little on edge but maybe, just maybe, a little more at ease.

Her gaze flickered to his phone as he pulled it out and replied to a message from Yeonmi. Mei couldn’t help but feel a tiny twinge of curiosity about the text. "Yeonmi?" she asked, her voice casual but with a slight tilt of her head. "Breakfast plans, I assume?" She felt a small pang of longing for the simplicity of those kinds of catch-ups, the kind that always felt like they could go on forever with no rush.

[Corgi Fox <3]

Seojun Park § The Mocha
Location: Starbucks
Tags: Mei Lin, Yeonmi (briefly)

Seojun took another sip of his coffee as Mei spoke, and he nodded in agreement. "I concur," he responded, "It's interesting how something as simple as some rain can change one's mood or perspective so easily." Seeing as she didn't seem to acknowledge his quieter comment, whether she had truly heard him or not, he was a bit relieved that he didn't need to explain his inner musings that had accidentally slipped past his lips - and appreciative that she hadn't pried about it, if she had heard, by some chance. He didn't feel like it was a topic to generally be shared with someone he was just meeting, as it was quite a bit of a heavy topic for simple introductions to one another. It was difficult enough to discuss it with those he knew and was closest to, let alone someone that he didn't know well. He pulled himself away from his thoughts, however, as he took a bite of his sandwich. A soft smile appeared on his face as Mei then mentioned that she was glad her advice helped - so was he, admittedly. A light chuckle then escaped his lips as she then seemed to empathize with the ordeal. She was definitely right, it's so easy to make a mountain out of a molehill before things are put more into perspective. "Yeah, it really is. It's strange how easy it is to dwell on such minor things like that, sometimes," he mused, "Especially when they're things that can easily be resolved."
He thought a brief moment, then pulled his phone back out and quickly sent another text message Yeonmi's way: And no, I'm not on a date. -.- He knew his childhood friend far too well for that. The three dots disappearing for a moment, followed by an emoji with its tongue grouchily sticking out soon replacing whatever quick-witted quip the girl had thought of, only confirmed his suspicions of the girl's all-too-slow attempt to tease him about trying to find him a girlfriend. Perhaps she had just grown to be too predicable, at times, but he sometimes had the uncanny ability to predict what she was about to do, or roughly what she was about to say. He let out a soft chuckle at her clearly salty response, then allowed his gaze to wander over Mei as she spoke Yeonmi's name inqusitively. Did she somehow know Yeonmi - or of her, anyway? He was suddenly curious, himself. "Ah," he nodded, "A childhood friend of mine." He thought for a moment, adding, "Though, she's honestly more a like a sister to me than just simply a friend. She and her brother were some of the closest people I had to siblings." Upon hearing her ask about breakfast plans, he noticed that it seemed to pique her interest in a different way, like she had some form of desire or longing for something. Though, what that could be, he wasn't quite sure. "Somewhat. She sometimes tries to get everyone together for get-togethers or parties...I hadn't seen her messages until just now, though," he added with a light shrug, "But, knowing her, she'll likely try to get everyone together, again, sometime soon. That's just the type of person she is." Of course, he certainly didn't mean this in a negative way, he was glad to have such friendly people in his life, and was always more than happy to meet up with them. Sweet, vivid memories of all of them hanging out during their school days flooded his mind, and that blissful bout of nostalgia certainly left him longing for those times, again, back when everything was much simpler.

Nathaniel Jaxon O'Hara § The Vanilla Frappé
Location: The Tiny Mug
Tags: Novalie, Iris

Upon hearing Nova's explanation, Nathan nodded in full understanding, then laughed when she shot a faux glare in her mischievous brother's direction. He then nodded in agreement as he chuckled, "Ah, that makes a lot more sense, now - family is definitely not to be trusted in such situations!" Sure, he didn't have any siblings, but he knew enough people that did have them to know that such a dynamic was full of love and fun, yes - but also full of rivalries. From what he understood, you had to watch your back like a hawk, never knowing when a sibling would inevitably strike next. It was always so amusing to him to see how different sets of siblings interacted amongst one another, perhaps because he couldn't relate.
He then shook his head, again, as Nova apologized for the mess. "Ah, it's nothing! It's not like you hurt anything - seriously, don't sweat it," he reassured her, his sunny attitude somehow heavily contrasting - and perhaps outshining - the dark, gloomy clouds that loomed beyond the coffee shop's doors. Of course, this all occurred slightly before his little tumble, and next thing he knew, he was cut off as he had continued to speak, and was suddenly on the ground, his eyes directed towards the ceiling in surprise by the initial interruption. "Oof," he grunted lightly, his gaze landing back at the girl as she frantically started apologizing. "It's all good, I'm fi-" he started with a laugh, only to be cut off when Nova managed to slip on the puddle of water, as well, just barely managing not to suddenly turn the instance into a cliché rom-com moment where the girl comedically and/or awkwardly falls on top of the guy. Instead, she fell to the ground, at his side, and still being a bit dazed from the fall, he unfortunately was unable to react fast enough to try to help prevent the fall. Immediately - as if on cue - Emery had erupted into a fit of laughter at the pair's goofy misfortune. "Whoa, are you alright?" he asked as he sat up, offering a hand to help her up.
Just then, another woman, who wore a pale purple sweater, walked through the cafe's door, and started speaking to him and Nova, a flush appearing on her cheeks from what he could only assume was nervousness...or coyness, perhaps? He wasn't totally sure. His lips parted slightly to speak, but just then, he heard Nova mumble something under her breath; he was just barely decipher what she had said, and his head tilted slightly, much like a confused puppy would. Seeing how she appeared to be rather embarrassed, at the moment, he offered a discreet, sympathetic smile, wanting to help her cheer up. Then, as though she had instantly flipped a switch, she was suddenly seemingly chipper and cheerful, again, as she greeted the girl. He, too, smiled at the girl, greeting her with a friendly, "Hello!" He then chuckled and nodded at Nova's remark, adding, "True, it's definitely slick, right now - I'll have it cleaned up in just a moment! What could we help you with, today?"

Seon Lee § The Chamomile Tea
Location: Home, then outside, heading to Barnes & Noble
Tags: N/A, Yeonmi (briefly)

Boom! Clap! A strong roll of thunder, which also lightly shook the home, followed by a brilliant strike of lightning, erupted. This resulted in Link's head shooting up, ears perked, his bright ice blue eyes scanning the area around him. Then, his eyes narrowed as he huffed out an annoyed sigh, yawned, and laid his head back on his paws as he tried to get back to sleep. Seon chuckled softly at the Husky's reaction; he was such an expressive dog, and his facial features sometimes made him appear almost humanlike. It was rather amusing to observe animals' traits and personalities, in his opinion - and it was always interesting to see how they'd behave and interact with each other, as well as with people.
Just then, three other flashes zipped into the room - one was Zelda, and the Golden Retriever/Chocolate Lab mix quickly retreated to Link, snuggling up beside him almost instinctively. She seemed to calm down almost instantly as Link lazily rested his head atop hers. Seon smiled warmly; the two had an inseparable bond from day one, and between that, and how their personalities oftentimes reminded him of the popular video game franchise's two most quintessential main characters, he thought their names to be rather fitting. The other two, Yeonmi's dogs, were Coco, a Chocolate Yorkie, and Chanel, a black Scottish Terrier. They immediately both jumped into Seon's lap, shaking lightly. That was somewhat strange to him, as they typically weren't afraid of thunder or lightning. Still, considering how it was strong enough to shake the house a bit, he figured it was likely more because of that than it was the noise. He gently started petting the two pups, and scratching behind their delicate little ears. "You're alright, it's just from the thunder storm," he said, speakinh softly and reassuringly as the two gave him big, frightened puppy dog eyes. He was honestly a little surprised, as Yeonmi hardly ever left her dogs at home. Though, he figured that perhaps she was going somewhere that didn't allow dogs. The two eventually started calming down as they gently nudged their heads into Seon's hands whilst he petted them.
He thought for a moment, then carefully picked the two dogs up, gently tucking them under his arm together. "Why don't we go out for a bit?" he asked, causing Yeonmi's two dogs to perk up and immediately start wagging their tails. Seon used his free hand to help push himself out of the chair, letting out a small groan as a slight twinge of pain shot through his knee. This caused Link and Zelda to both look up at him with concern, ears perked. Letting out a harsh breath, he set the two dogs on the ground, and then walked over to the entryway, where 4 leashes hung on the end of the coat rack. He grabbed them, and called the four dogs over, who instantly came to him with no questions asked. He clipped one leash onto each dog, grabbed an umbrella, and headed out the door. While he was cleared to drive, he didn't really want to, at the moment. A little fresh air never hurt anyone, and he was encouraged to do more walking by his physical therapist, anyway. True, he still walked with a limp, and there were still times when it hurt and ached, but he had made a lot of improvement, so it least wasn't as noticeable, now - nor is it as obvious to someone at first glance.
He finally decided on Barnes & Noble, as it was within a decent walking distance for him, and also allowed pets inside. With that, he nodded, and guided the dogs in that direction. When he came to a traffic light, a thought occurred to him. He looped all of the dogs' leash handles around his wrist, pulled his phone out of his pocket, and texted Yeonmi: The dogs and I went out for a walk. We'll be at Barnes & Noble, if you want to join us, later! She always worried about him, so he tried to make sure he kept her up-to-date about where he was, especially if he was alone or just with the dogs. And, with that, he continued on his way with the k9 companions as soon as it was safe to do so.
As he walked, he suddenly caught sight of a paper advertising the summer festival that would be taking place, in a couple of weeks. It donned several pictures, including several images of people enjoying various activities: a man, woman, boy, and girl - presumably a family - walking through Thistle Land with ice cream floats, two children mid-giggle as they looked at each others' face paint designs, a silhouette of a teenage boy sitting and watching the fireworks with a girl of about the same age sitting beside him and resting her head on his shoulder, crowds cheering as a few different musical acts played songs, and various artworks from the previous years, all in an eye-catching and rather appealing collage. It read: Join us for the 25th Anniversary of Thistlewood's Annual Summer Festival! Enjoy fun treats, activities, and much more at Thistle Land Theme Park! We'll be holding a 7-day event - Sunday, June 8th, 2025 through Saturday, June 14th, 2025 - packed with music, games, refreshments, and much more for the entire family. Tickets on sale now - purchase yours, today! "Huh," he mused, then noticed another line of text, smaller in size, near the bottom of the flyer: Interested in performing in our annual competitions? Contact Mr. Ashton Anderson at (555)123-4567 to learn more, or go to ww.thistleland.co/competitions to sign up. Limited spots available! Prizes will be awarded to all contest winners! His mind immediately returned to Yeonmi; she would likely want to partake in something like that, if for no other reason than to gain some publicity and popularity in the states. He decided to take a picture of the flyer, then continued on his way to the popular bookstore. He figured he'd show her, when he saw her, next time. He was honestly contemplating joining, as well. Sure, he couldn't dance much, anymore, but he could still sing, and he admittedly really missed performing.[/quote]

[Furrydogs12]

Isabella "Izzy" Moretti
Age: 24| Occupation: Founder & CEO of *Moretti Couture* /Barista & Freelance Photographer | Tags: Seon

The rain had softened, but the city still felt heavy, like it was holding its breath. Isabella stood beneath the small awning, watching the droplets slide down the edges of the roof. The quiet rhythm of the rain was the only thing cutting through the stillness, and for a moment, it felt like the whole world had paused.

She wasn’t expecting anyone to approach, but then she heard footsteps—light but purposeful. A figure emerged from the mist, their silhouette blurred by the haze. Isabella glanced up, thinking it was just another passerby, but as the person stopped just a few feet away from her, she saw that it was a man.

He had a quiet, composed presence, the kind that didn’t demand attention but still seemed to draw it. His eyes scanned the street, and he didn’t immediately acknowledge her. For a brief moment, they stood in silence, two strangers in the rain.

“Didn’t expect to find someone else out here,” she said, her voice calm but warm, as though she were sharing a quiet observation.

[Unravel the Dreams]

Lily Navarro § The Soymilk Latte
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§ Bio | Outside, heading towards downtown | Tags: Rori, Mentions: None §

Lily felt herself relax a little as Rori spoke with jokes littered throughout. His lightheartedness and relaxed manner helped put her more at ease. And, at least, he could laugh and find amusement in her little fumble rather than make fun of her or be mean-hearted. She hoped though she hadn't made him uncomfortable because of her comment about her grandmother appreciating his work. She meant it, and it was deserved, but she also knew she didn't like the attention on her compliments often brought.

"Noisy neighbors, huh?" She hadn't been entirely certain whether or not he'd been joking about his upstairs neighbors moving around their furniture at midnight. She assumed there was some truth to him having noisy neighbors, but she sure hoped he was either joking about the whole furniture arranging thing or the time it happened. That sounded pretty awful. She got annoyed by the noise her brother made sometimes at night, and he was pretty good about not being noisy after 11pm. "It reminds me of a story my grandma told me about her upstairs neighbors when she lived in an apartment. Whenever they were being overly rowdy, she'd grab her broom and hit the ceiling with it. It didn't work for her, but..." She shrugged. "Maybe it's worth a shot?" She kept her face straight for a few moments after until she allowed another small smile to show through just so he knew she wasn't being serious. And now she hoped he had been more lighthearted about his neighbors too.

She frowned upon hearing his actual answer to her question about how he was doing. "That doesn't sound great," she said, before she could stop herself. "I mean! It doesn't sound bad or anything. Definitely better than rock bottom." She paused, listening to the patter of the rain hitting her umbrella. She wasn't entirely sure where to go from here, but it wasn't like she could take back her words. She also didn't feel like she could ask for further explanation. They weren't close enough for that. "Well, it just sounds like you think it could be better. And, if that's the case, I hope it does." She definitely ended that on an almost uncomfortable note, but she decided not to dwell on it. Time to move on.

At the mention of the rain, her gaze scanned their surroundings, as she remembered her mission to get somewhere safe from the lightning. "I was..." Her smile turned a bit awkward, though, at the same time, she felt amused. "I was actually standing out in the rain for fun. Well, wandering, but same difference. I wasn't heading anywhere in particular, but I was planning on going indoors somewhere nearby to wait out the worst of it." She was starting to feel chilled from the beads of rain that had managed to hit her despite her umbrella, though she wouldn't have minded wandering longer if not for the lightning. "Maybe the bookstore or somewhere to get something to eat. How about you? Where were you headed?"

Milo Hirota § The Dark Roast
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§ Bio | Outside | Tags: Open, Mentions: None §

Miles unlocked and shoved open the door to his new home. This was his first time stepping inside, but he'd already known what to expect. An empty, lifeless, and quiet home, but he'd make it work. Quiet was part of the reason he'd packed up his bags from the only home he'd known with his family to come here.

Unfortunately, quiet didn't last. As he set down his cat's crate, and her box of supplies, she started meowing like someone was murdering her. He let her out of the crate, but she didn't stop, rubbing against his legs. Her meows echoed in the empty apartment. "Wait," he told her. He quickly set up her litterbox, and then, knowing what the real problem was, he went to the box to unbury her bag of food. With one hand, he dug through, while, with the other, he grabbed his phone and dialed in a number before balancing it in between his shoulder and his ear.

He waited while it rang, held his breath, hoping--

"Hmm?"

Drat. His brother's tired voice came to him through the speaker. It was his day off, and he liked to sleep in until Elodie couldn't be contained anymore, but he'd probably had his phone next to his ear on the pillow the last few days.

"Hey," Miles said. His brother didn't say a word, but Miles could just picture the sleep get banished from his eyes as he jerked up in bed. "I made it to the apartment."

"Already?"

"Drove through the night," Miles grunted, as he lifted the bag of cat food onto his kitchen counter. Before his brother could respond and show disproval, he hurried on, "I just wanted to get here instead of another day of driving and traffic, but I only called to let you know I'd made it safely."

Matias was silent on the other line, but, again, Miles felt like he had a pretty good idea of what his brother looked like on the other line. His eyes closed from exasperation, and his hand rubbing his forehead or the side of his face as he hunched over slightly in bed, like a parent disappointed with their child. He didn't expect the raw concern in his brother's voice when he finally spoke, though he should have, "are you going to be alright?"

Matias' hand froze as he started to tip over a cup of cat food into his cat's bowl. His brother was worried. He'd voiced it so many times. How he didn't like that Miles was out in the middle of nowhere living all by himself. Here was where Miles should reassure him, or at least say "yeah," but that's not what came out of his mouth at all. "I'm not a child." And, of course, now he sounded like a child, spouting out the worst possible thing he could have.

"Miles, that's not-- I know, but I'm..." Matias' sigh came in a rush through the phone speakers. "Alright, thanks for letting me know you made it safely. You want to facetime later tonight? Elodie's already missing you."

"Sure." Matias dumped the food into the bowl and set it on the ground. His cat finally quieted.

"I love you, okay?"

And there it was again, the concern, the worry. And the reminder it brought. "Yeah, love you too." And then he hung up, tossing his phone on the hard counter. He tapped his fingers against the counter, feeling a restless, uncomfortable energy rising after the call. He had a bunch of boxes in his car that needed to come in, but moving all those boxes in the pouring rain wasn't a good idea. He was exhausted after his full night driving, but he was also hungry. He needed to pick up something for breakfast and grab some groceries.

He retrieved his phone from the counter and reached for his keys but stopped as he remembered all the driving he'd already done. He was thoroughly sick of driving, and he knew a lot of places were within walking distance. Walking in the rain might not sound appealing but driving in the rain while running on the coffee he'd had a few hours ago sounded worse.

But he didn't have an umbrella. He'd need to get one of those from the store...

Probably because of how tired he was, but Miles decided, what the heck, he didn't need an umbrella. He grabbed his jacket and held it up over his head like a makeshift umbrella. It was waterproof enough, maybe. Water didn't kill anyone. Downtown wasn't too far of a walk away. And was it actually raining that hard?

...

It was in fact raining that hard, Miles saw, as soon as he stepped outside, but he just ducked his head and hurried down the street towards the direction he thought he remembered downtown being from one of his visits.

Novalie Hayes § The Strawberry Lemonade
―――――――――――――――――
§ Bio | The Tiny Mug | Tags: Iris & Nathaniel, Mentions: None §

Was she alright? Nova had to considered Nathan's question for a few seconds. She kind of wanted to sink into the floor or vanish. Invisibility or teleportation powers seemed pretty awesome in that moment. But she had enough sense to know the embarrassment over causing her friend to fall and herself to fall right after him would fade away soon. She'd be cracking up over it like her brother soon. So, was she alright? Physically, that is. Well, her back was hurting a bit from the impact, but the pain was already fading away. As far as tumbles go, this one was very mild. She'd had plenty worse from days as a clumsy dancer.

"Yeah, I'm alright," Nova replied. "I'm not hurt, anyway. My pride, though... Now that's a different story." She reached for Nathaniel's hand about the same time as the new girl offered her hand. Nova's brain just decided to freeze as she glanced between the two hands, wondering which one she should take and if it would be rude to ignore one of their overs. Then she decided that was stupid, and she grabbed both their hands and pulled herself off the ground. Which might have made the situation even more awkward, but she couldn't care about everything. Sitting on the ground in the middle of the cafe was worse than anything.

"Thank you," she quickly told both the girl and Nathaniel, releasing both their hands. "You're alright, right?" she then asked Nathan before turning back to the new girl as she continued to speak.

Nova's gaze shot over to Emery the instant this girl called him a little. Her brother's laughter broke off, as she expected, and he stared with his wide, slightly offended and surprised. She held back her laughter, but not her smirk. She'd always told her brother 13 was still a baby. He's always shot back with her being too old, which... Yeah, sometimes she didn't feel like she could disagree with him.

"Yeah, that's exactly what happened. My baby brother over there stole the umbrella," Nova said, emphasizing the baby part to further put salt in the wound. He huffed and crossed his arms, but she knew he wasn't too hurt. He'd survive anyway, just like she had to survive crashing to the ground because of her own water mess. "Granted, we were playing a game, but still."

[Spiritstar3]

§ Giselle Avery §- Chai Latte- f- 22- July 20- therapy dog handler- pan; Seon, Izzy, Lucas, Milo- Geri x Liza: Bethann, Natt, John, Sara- Christian- Zoro (ferret), Maisey (cat), Marseille (gray and white poodle mix, therapy dog), her personal bunny Cookie- Tags

The creamy peachy skinned ginger haired girl hummed quietly a bit. She brushed at wavy ended long hair, then shook her head. The slender and beautiful one looked around her room a moment. She then brushed her hair with an actual brush. She decided to braid her hair, and so she set to doing that. Once she was done braiding it, she secured the end with a pretty ribbon. She then changed clothes, from her night clothes. She now wore a lighter pink and darker pink top, one of those ones that was like two tops stuck together.

The top part was like a tank top or such, the bottom part was like a t shirt. The tank top like part also sported a dark red heart on the center. The lighter brown eyed girl hurried from her room. She put her shoes on, already having put her socks on. She smiled as she looked at her cat and ferret. She then focused on her therapy dog, a gray and white poodle mix named Marseille. He barked and wagged his tail. She giggled a bit, eating a breakfast bar then setting out with the dog to find something to do.

§ Jessika Rob §- Green Tea- f- 26- July 22- dog trainee, rescue volunteer- demi pan- Seojun, Mei- Gary x Lisa: Bethany, Abbi, Jonathan, Sarrah- Christian- Elnor (her poodle shepherd service dog)- Stormcloud (cat)- Tags: Mei, Seojun

The very oretty, paler creamy peachy skinned one hummed quietly a bit. She opened her eyes, and looked around for a moment. She sighed as she got up, not feeling ready for the day…Ever since she’d finished college, she’d never really liked getting up in the morning. She’d had to for school, but now she didn’t. Thus, she didn’t really get up before like noon, or two pm at the latest. The curly ginger haired one let out another sigh. She looked down at her freckled arms and legs for a moment.

She got up, changed clothes to a purple and blue tye dye top and jeans or jean shorts, and yawned. She shook her head a second time. Deep brown eyes glanced around her room a moment. She still lived at home with her family…because of her problems. She got sick if she was away from home. She wasn’t sure if it was being away from the place she knew, or being away from her family. Luckily, they’d chosen to move to this town. She hadn’t had to come here alone, and this was good for her.

She sat and brushed her hair, then pulled part of it back. Basically, there was a layer of hair, then a second layer, the top part, was pulled back. She secured her hair with a purple band. She then smiled as she looked to her service dog, a mixed breed black and white male named Elnor. He flicked his tail back and forth, and came over to her. She stood, patted herself off, grabbed his vest (it said Service Animal) and leash. She put the vest on him, attached the leash and went to eat. She brushed her teeth and did other such, once finished with food.

She’d put moccasins or house slippers on, and now she went to put them on the shoe rack. Switching to her white and minimal light blue tennis shoes. Once she’d gotten her shoes changed, she headed to the garage door. She headed out of the house. She headed to the town with her handsome dog. She hummed quietly a bit as she soon reached a coffee shop or cafe. She headed inside, and froze as she saw a boy, and beautiful girl…Her dog nudged her hand, so she called out “Hello,” but then covered her mouth.

What if she was interrupting them?

She was definitely interrupting them!

§ Samuel Harris §- Cafe Mocha- m- 27- April 10- Model- Bi; Winsley, Eli- Dane x Una: Elizabeth (gf Jessie), Fiona, Torinn (has bf)- Christian- Katia (dark brown cat), Doom (fixed black semi fluffy mixed breed dog)- Tags: Winsley, Yeonmi

The six foot and probably average weight male sighed and shook his head. He smiled as he looked at his cat, Katia, then his dog, Doom. The tanned, handsome man then went to get an umbrella. It was storming, so he’d definitely need an umbrella if he was going to walk. He knew he could always drive. For some reason, he didn’t want to use his car today. He smiled as the cat and dog followed him or the umbrella stand. He grabbed his umbrella, picked up the cat, kissed her nose, then set her back on the ground.

He combed at his shorter curly dark brown hair, and blinked hazel eyes. He looked down at the arm bearing a scar from a dog…He shook his head, and smoothed his pants or shorts then. One of his legs also bore a scar, from when one of the family cats had freaked out and run across his leg. He was wearing camo shorts or jeans. His shirt was also a camo color and pattern. He headed out of the house, deciding to go the pan Ale palace. He soon enough got there, and saw two girls were there and were talking.

The one was really pretty, with somewhat shorter blonde hair. It seemed like it reached her shoulders, or almost did.

He found himself staring, so he blinked and shook his head. They’d probably noticed him by now, so he called “Hey.”

§ Eakphol ‘Earth’ Suwannathat §- the White Chocolate Mocha- m- 24- May 14- Performing arts- bi; Caden, Eli, Iris, Yeonmi- Enno x Tera: Echo (twin, has a boyfriend), Tina and Temm (the younger siblings)- Christian- Jana (Burmese), Santa (Thai Ridgeback mix)- Tags

The six two and probably average weight make shivered a bit…He cuddled under one of his blankets, a blanket with cute kitties on it. The handsome, golden tanned male did not like storms…He did not like storms at all, and that’s why he was being like this. Deeply brown eyes opened to look at his cat. Jana purred as she walked over him and laid down on the blanket. Now, he wouldn’t/couldn’t move, even if he’d wanted to. He found himself smiling as he looked down at the sweet, beautiful she cat.

He moved an arm from under the blanket, to comb at his shorter and straight dark brown hair. He then looked at his dog. The mixed breed pup looked over at him, and thumped his tail. Said dog then stood up and stretched, doing the downward dog as people might call it. The dog then trotted closer to the bed. He put his paws up, then hopped on the bed. He licked at the scar on his human’s eyebrow. He then laid down at his side, and curled up into as small a ball as he could, which wasn’t very small but still.

[Furrydogs12]

Mei Lin
Age: 22 | Occupation: Mentor/ Tutor | Tags: Seojun, Jessika
Mei listened intently, nodding as Seojun spoke about his childhood friend, Yeonmi. There was a certain warmth in his voice when he described her, and it made her smile a little, though she couldn’t quite place why. She appreciated how genuine he seemed when talking about the people who mattered most to him. It made her wonder if she had anyone in her life she could call a “sibling” in the same way.

“It’s nice to have someone like that in your life,” she said softly, a bit of nostalgia creeping into her own words as she thought about her close friends, even though they weren’t as closely tied to her like Yeonmi seemed to be with him. She couldn’t help but wonder if she was missing out on those types of connections in her life, where things felt simpler, like he’d mentioned.

“I can see why she’d want to gather everyone together,” Mei continued, her tone thoughtful. “Those moments can be really special, even if they’re spontaneous.”

She paused briefly, her gaze falling to her coffee cup. “I think we all get caught up in the hustle of life and forget to enjoy those smaller moments with the people who matter.” She glanced back at Seojun with a slight smile. “Maybe she’s onto something, bringing everyone together like that.”

Her words came from a place of curiosity, but also a subtle longing. There was something about the way Seojun spoke of his past and his connection to Yeonmi that made her wish for a similar sense of belonging.

Mei glanced up at the sound of the greeting and caught sight of the girl standing by the door, with a dog at her side. For a brief moment, she wondered if the girl was addressing them or someone else in the café. The awkwardness of the situation hit her as the girl quickly covered her mouth, clearly unsure if she had interrupted. Mei could sense the uncertainty in her movement and smiled warmly, trying to ease her discomfort.

"No need to worry," Mei said softly, making sure her tone was inviting. "You’re not interrupting us at all."

Her gaze flickered to Seojun briefly, then back to the girl, feeling a slight curiosity stir inside her. She hadn’t expected anyone to come into the café so suddenly, and especially not someone with such an air of quiet hesitation.

"Your dog’s adorable," Mei added, giving a small nod to the dog with the service vest. She had always liked dogs—there was something calming about them, and the way they often seemed to understand unspoken things. Mei briefly wondered if the girl was new to the area, or just passing through, but she held back from asking right away, not wanting to crowd her with questions.

"Is this your first time here?" Mei asked, keeping her voice light and friendly, hoping to ease the girl’s nerves.

[senna_]

── ❝ 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐘 𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐒 ──────────────────────────────────────

“winnie”_’_role. apple cider_’_location. the pancake palace_’_mentions. seojun, seon_’_tags. yeonmi, samuel

Winnie laughed wholeheartedly. It was and always had been so easy to keep a conversation flowing with Yeonmi, in-person or otherwise. She was honestly relieved when they first met in person and realized Yeonmi carried the same sort of energy that was portrayed through text. Winnie hadn’t necessarily doubted her, but some people could be strange with that sort of change in interaction. “Seojun’s out spending more time with people than the two of us combined,” she joshed. Despite her teasing, Winnie couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit of envy. She enjoyed her life as an only child, and she had gotten close enough to her one cousin to consider her a sister, but she often felt like she was missing out. There was something about having biological siblings that stood out from close friendships or romantic relationships.

She flipped open the menu, gently tracing her pinkie finger over the laminated surface. “What are you up to after this?” she inquired, lifting her gaze up from the menu to meet Yeonmi’s eye. “I could always use a shopping partner. Honestly, at the mall or otherwise.” Gift-giving was one thing Winnie took great pride in. Pinterest had become her best friend, and she always found what she considered to be the cutest inspiration photos to base her own gifts on. Winnie always aimed for aesthetics: particularly themes, including both colour and relevance to each item purchased. If there was a gift in some sort of gift basket (usually a cute wicker basket!), it was safe to assume it was from Winnie.

Even though the chatter was a bit louder than what one would typically want to spend time in when having a good conversation with someone else, Winsley still somehow managed to hear the slight buzz of Yeonmi’s phone, suggesting she had received a text message. The devils, evidently meaning Seojun and Seon. “Busy?” she queried, nodding her head in the direction of Yeonmi’s phone. Winnie wasn’t super close with either of the young men, but anyone who got along with Yeonmi was someone Winnie viewed highly. Based on Yeonmi’s reaction, she took that they were either both involved in something else and made that very clear, or replied with some sort of quip. Curiosity flashed in her eyes, and she mirrored Yeonmi’s posture, propping her elbows up so that her chin could rest comfortably against the palms of her hands. “Everything okay?” she asked. Yeonmi didn’t appear to be outwardly upset, but it was evident in her sigh that she wasn’t satisfied with his response, or perhaps something more general to do with him. She didn’t even know who ‘him’ was ─ it was a fifty-fifty chance of it being Seojun or Seon.

Shortly after she had questioned her friend’s reaction, an older woman came over, shooting them a bright smile. She greeted them with a thicker accent, something that resembled a bit of a country drawl, asking if she could start them off with anything to drink.

“Oh! I’ll take an English breakfast tea, please,” she responded, then glanced over at Yeonmi with a soft smile on her face as her friend answered. As soon as the woman left, Winnie giggled slightly. “I guess we should actually take a look at this,” she said, tapping her finger on the menu. “We’ll be here all day otherwise.”

And yet, as soon as she finished saying that, Winnie was right back to chatting. “Oh, hush-hush in a town like this should be easy, right? I mean, people may talk, but how far would it really go?” She spoke a bit more mischievously, almost semi-tauntingly. Of course, that tone dropped the moment Yeonmi swung the question back over to her, and Winnie tucked her hair back with a small sigh, as if she was really thinking about it. “Honestly, I don’t know,” she admitted. “I mean, there are people here I can definitely call attractive, don’t get me wrong. But I haven’t been in a relationship in so long, I feel like I don’t even know where to start, you know?”

She then wiggled her posture so that she sat up straighter, a smug look on her face. “This is my new challenge. We’re going to find you someone.” As if timing couldn’t be any more perfect, a masculine voice cut in, and Winnie tilted her head to glance at whomever it was who had just addressed them. Standing before them was a tall man with prominent curls atop his head, gazing at them with what could almost be described as a sheepish look. She shot Yeonmi a quick glance that seemed to silently joke, What did I just tell you? Turning back towards the unfamiliar face, she flashed him a bright. charming smile. “Hi,” she chirped, questioning whether Yeonmi knew him or if he was just bold enough to introduce himself right there. She appreciated the confidence either way.