A couple of weeks passed and the shop was busy as always. Well, maybe even more, considering that they had extra hands. And probably because the word has spread that there were more additions to the eye candy of the shop.

Nari mostly lost her 'spot' because some people just always manage to get into her 'seat' faster than her. Hence, why she only comes by to take away coffee or to send Hyebin and Jinho.

"If I don't get a seat again today, I might just consider the library's fifth floor," Nari whispered to herself and entered the shop. But her prediction was right, there were no empty chairs. Without thinking much, she walked towards the very short queue. Letting out a sigh as she pushed her hands deeper into the pockets of her cardigan, she took a glance throughout the shop.

Glancing back to the person in front of her, they had already walked away from the cashier. Taking a few steps forward, she was welcomed with an empty cashier. Tiptoeing, she managed to see a clambering body on the floor.

"Quit being dramatic. You're already dirty and honestly, in no way legal to serve customers," Nari scoffs before letting out a smile. In which, made Johnny smile as well. "Now that's a look I rather see," he says as he gets up and went to wash his hands.

"Well, hurry up. Someone might just line up after me and I wouldn't want them to wait too long because the barista decided to be a big unnecessary tile," Nari said sarcastically and received a playful eye roll from Johnny.

Looking around, Nari noticed that the shop was missing a familiar head and whisperingly asked Johnny, "Is Taeyong at the back?"

"Yeah," Johnny answered simply as he pointed at the kitchen door before looking up to Nari, with a raised brow, "You want me to call him?"

Shaking her head, Nari smiles, "No. Don't worry. He has a lot to prepare, like look! Your pastries are close to being only crumbs."

"I'll just see him some other time..."

Johnny chuckles and Nari gives him a stare. "I just haven't seen him in a while. I usually see most of you whenever I stop by, the kids whenever I send Hyebin and Jinho to their playdates, Mark at university and Jungwoo is literally my cousin. I just haven't seen Taeyong considering that..."

"That what?" Johnny askes but Nari's forehead creases trying to properly put out her reasoning. "You know what? Just give me some warm tea today, my brain hasn't been functioning properly since I had a lot of uni stuff to do..." Nari sighs as her eyes lost her glimmer and her smile clearly shows off her tiredness.

"And you probably should do something about the growing about of people," Nari chuckles as she tapped her card on the machine.

"Like what? Expand the shop? We're only a few months old and our loans aren't even halfway covered," Johnny giggles as he answers. "Well, who knows," Nari shrugged her shoulders.

—

"Seeing that your shop has been a growing millennial attraction and after looking at your statistics and online presence, you have massive potential. So that is why our company is interested in collaborating and expanding your business, have another branch, a few blocks away, in the business district. Since a lot of the working class people would take their time to come here for lunch," a man in the fancy suit said.

The man sat opposite of Johnny and Taeyong, who were both in awe and was going through the pages of the contract.

"But are you sure you're only taking 10% of our profit? Surely, that can't be enough for you and why us? YES Dreams is a very big company, I'm afraid you won't gain much from doing this deal with us..." Johnny explained, still in shock of the enormous news that was given to them.

"Simply put, we're trying to delve more in what the millennials want so this is a great stepping stone for us and a flight up for you guys. You guys are young and dedicated to serving great coffee and atmosphere for others. We'll be happy for you join the NCT..." the man paused. His hands moving randomly before forming what looks like a sphere, "world... if we were to put a word to it."

"I have other matters to attend to," the man stood up. Swiftly he took his briefcase and coffee, "The coffee was amazing and the crumb-coated chicken croissant sandwich, a fan of it."

He bowed to the two, "You can think of it. Take all the time you need. Just give me a call when you have decided."

The man proceeded to walk down the stairs and headed towards the door. As he opens the door, a customer enters. Upon seeing the customer's face, the man chuckled and bowed. The customer timidly hushed the man before walking in, making the man shake his head as he laughed wholeheartedly.

"Hello Lucas," the customer greets the cashier of the day and Lucas returns the greeting.

"Hello Nari!" Lucas said with enthusiasm, making Nari giggle.

"You're exceptionally enthusiastic today... trying to be cuter huh?" Nari asks, controlling her facial expression.

"My crush just came in and she looked so cute today. She even told me I look good in this apron," Lucas sheepishly explained.

Sending him a shocked look, Nari raised her brow, "Who's the lucky girl? I hope you'll think a bit more before giving her a free piece of cake."

"Why...?" his expression changed in a matter of seconds as he stared at Nari, waiting for an explanation.

"Give it a few trips here. See what she orders, get to know her preferences. You wouldn't want to give her a strawberry cake when she likes custard-filled croissants and loose your coolness, would you?" Nari winked before walking towards Haechan, who was cleaning tables.

"You know, Jinho keeps on talking about you," Nari's voice and statement gave the kid a scare. A pout and creased forehead made Haechan looks so cute in Nari's eyes and she gave his hair a little ruffle.

"Sorry," she chuckled. "I'll go do my work and you continue yours." But just steps after that, she turned back to Haechan, "The normal would be fine, tea would be fine as well. I just need a quick recharge. Thank you, SON."

Haechan gave her an unamused look before heading to the kitchen and Nari smiles as she finds a seat. The moment she sat and arranged her items, Taeyong and Johnny came down. The two were still busy discussing the offer they got that they continued to chatter about it until they go to the counter.

"YES Dream is a big BIG company. From what I skimmed, it doesn't look like they're trying to trick us or something," Johnny said.

"But it's so random..." Taeyong and Johnny said as they stared at the contract and the logo of the company. Stretching his neck, Taeyong's tired eyes wanders around in a blur but widen the moment he saw something familiar.

The logo he just saw was on Nari's laptop. Taeyong hummed to himself before talking under his breath, "I didn't realize she had that sticker on her laptop..."

Johnny somehow managed to hear what Taeyong as saying and looked in the direction Taeyong as staring at. Taeyong let out a deep breath, "I think I saw that logo in her car as well back then..."

—

The boys contemplated and discussed the offer over and over again for the next two weeks. They eventually came to the conclusion that it's worth a try and after analysing the contract, they don't have anything to lose by going for it.

"Are you going to the company later today?" Doyoung asks as he looks at the very busy Taeyong.

"Yeah, they told me to come in the evening so I have time to help you guys first," Taeyong replied and got a sneer from Doyoung. "You're just too worried of letting us being alone when we can do well," Doyoung threw a sarcastic remark to Taeyong.

But Taeyong let it brush over him as he continues to focus on the cookie dough he was mixing.

And he continues to occupy himself until evening came.

Having changed his clothes and saying goodbye to the boys, he exited the shop and almost bumped into Nari.

"Taeyong! Sorry!" Nari shakes her head in disbelief. "I really didn't look where I was going. All I could think about it getting back to my car."

Taeyong giggles at her antics, feeling like he hasn't talked to her in so long. He was too focused on thinking about the last time he had talked to her, he forgot to react to her apology. She looked at him with worry and softly called out his name, "Taeyong...?"

"Nari... Sorry... I kind of had a lot of things going through my mind," he says, building up a smile on his face.

"It's fine," she smiles back. She then notices that Taeyong had a change of clothes and looked a bit 'cleaner' than usual. "Are you going anywhere...?"

"I'm sure Mark told you about the offer we got right? Or that was what told us. That he told you," Taeyong tried to explain but was cut when Nari spoke, "The YES Dream one right?"

Nari giggles and couldn't control her laughter as she looked at Taeyong. Before Taeyong could ask her, she inquired him first, "How about we go together? I have work to do there as well."

Without waiting for his answer, she took his hand and tugged him to follow her to her car.

"Did you get a new car?" he asked, seeing that her car was different from the car he had ridden before. She shakes her head with a snicker, "Nope, my parents told me to use this one since they wanted to get the other car repainted."

The first few minutes of the car ride was silent and without fail, Taeyong managed to see the company's sticker on her windscreen.

After anxiously being in a debate with himself, he asked her, "Do you by any chance somewhat related to the company?"

"I just intern there," Nari replies, eyes focused on the road. "Well, not really interning there. I just work there from time to time. Whenever they need me, I'm there... Like contract kinda stuff..." she explains and Taeyong only nods at her answer. However, his gut feeling tells him that she wasn't giving him the full answer.

—

"You really..." Taeyong was flustered after he exited the building and seeing Nari waiting for him.

"Please don't think of it as she's being the one wanting us to help you, we had this idea planned for a long while now. She just entered NCT as one of the candidates. She didn't make any of the final decisions. She just works every now and then. Don't feel like you owe her or anything. The timing was planned just right by the universe."

"What...?" Nari asks, still leaning against her car with arms crossed and questioning expression.

Taeyong was so flustered he laughed, remembering the conversation he had with the head of the company.

"What's so funny?" Nari asks with a small pout.

Taeyong walks closer to her and just smiles at her. Ruffling her hair gently, "You have a pretty kind heart."

With his pounding heart, he was glad he managed to not express himself properly or else, well... Let Taeyong and his actual words be a secret. For now.

—

Meanwhile

"So, you want to work with NCT?" Ten asks.

"I guess you can. Since we're having another shop and I like what you guys do with the mop. My style!" Ten tells to the new members of Neo Coffee and Tea.

"Yay! We're hired!"

The three shouted together as they huddled around Lucas, their friend who brought the three to NCT.