:　grill restaurant

@yu bora. Laon's morning had been a whirlwind of flour clouds and the comforting scent of freshly baked bread. It had begun well before dawn as he meticulously weighed and mixed ingredients to create the perfect dough for his signature croissants. The dough had to be carefully folded and left to rest, and in between, he had overseen the preparations for the daily bread varieties that the townsfolk so loved.

As the sun continued its ascent in the sky, the morning rush gradually waned. The last batch of pastries was removed from the ovens, and the display cases were meticulously arranged with a colourful array of baked goods. The bakery was ready to greet the bustling afternoon crowd, and Laon could finally take a short break.

With a flour-dusted apron and a quick glance around to ensure everything was in order, Laon stepped away from the bustling kitchen, leaving the capable hands of his staff in charge. His employees knew the recipes and routines well, and he trusted them to keep the bakery running smoothly in his absence.

The incoming text notification was predictable at this point of their friend-situation-ship. After a few amusing incidents where they had found themselves sharing the same table at their favourite lunch spot due to a lack of available seating, they had reached a mutual agreement: they would be dining partners, no matter what.

He chuckled to himself as he read Bora's message, which had become a standard ritual before their meet-ups. He tapped away at the phone on his screen before he put the phone away in the back pocket of his pants.

It didn’t take long for him to arrive at their rendezvous point. His long legs trudged down the connecting hills between his family bakery and the restaurant they were supposed to dine at. Laon stepped into the building, the same place that kick-started their dining agreement. The cozy ambiance, warm lighting, and the familiar scent of delicious food greeted him like an old friend. The lunchtime rush was in full swing, with patrons engaged in lively conversations and the clinking of cutlery against plates filling the air.

He spotted their favourite table, the one they had come to refer to as "their spot" affectionately. It was tucked away in a quiet corner, affording them a modicum of privacy while allowing them to savour the restaurant's vibrant atmosphere.

As he settled into his seat, Laon ordered for the both of them, spicy kimchi stew and all.

@jeong laon. The whirring of the dental machines at her sides always caused Bora a bit of a headache throughout the day, but it was usually manageable with a bit of water and rest between clients. When in Seoul, the machines were smoother and more expensive… But here, in this small town, just like everything else, it was old and choppy and gave Bora migraines. Today was the worst of all; her primary clientele, elders who desperately needed her help and didn’t have the means to make it to the next town to get their teeth or dentures checked, were all in pretty bad shape. Cavities, misalignments, other kinds of fillings and miscellaneous care she had to do for them… And it was only 1pm.

She pinched the bridge of her nose. The staleness of her office was doing nothing to ward off this headache. The fluorescent lights only proved to be a nuisance rather than the light source they claimed to be. Bora removed her mask and hat, discarding her gloves and walked outside her office. The mint scrubs she wore would have to just do as she got her things together and escaped out of the stifling office with a short goodbye to her coworkers.

Despite Bora’s inner… distaste, so to say, for Hanbit, she couldn’t deny the beauty of it. She had gotten the best sleep in her life here in Hanbit, with no noise or light pollution to even think about. Just the soft /swoosh/ of each wave crashing against the golden shore, the gentle pattering of the rare person still awake in the middle of the night. She didn’t want to admit it, especially to her father, but Bora loved Hanbit’s simplicity. The smell of salt cleared out her sinuses, the wind from the ocean took the stress of her day with it, and Bora was left feeling refreshed every time she went outside.

> from: bora :P
hey
if you’re early, get me some spicy kimchi stew for me ?

> from: laon :/
for lunch?
you’re gonna stink, but okay

Bora knew that she was going to have to give it to Laon the moment she saw him, but for now, she made her way to their meeting spot, a quaint restaurant Bora had given a lot of her paycheck to already, opening the front door to inhale the scent deep into her soul.

@baek yeongsu. it was just another late night again and being the last one to check up on her precious mammals and fishes, especially one that needed the most attention to its well-being after spotting certain symptoms that set it on its warpath to possibly the end of its run on earth. with another worried look thrown over her shoulder, her hand rested on the main switch to turn the majority of the lights off(and leave very little on) and haeun can't helped but to think if she should be staying overnight in case. however the management would not allow this kind of accommodation unless absolutely needed. with another worried sigh escaping past her lips, she flipped the switch and locked the place up, her every step laced with heaviness and concern. just at the right time, her stomach rumbled to remind her she had not eaten anything at all since her breakfast fourteen hours ago with some dry crackers in between.

"what is even open at this hour?"

luckily for haeun, it was a small town and everything was right there within a walking distance. not too soon, she chanced upon a grill restaurant and taking in one big sniff a few feet away bought her in. her feet carried her all the way to the entrance and she paused to read the opening hours on the signage outside the entrance, checking the time on the phone and back at the written time again. her eyes widened in realisation and she hurried into the restaurant, her being on tiptoe and her neck craned to see if she could catch any of the staff's attention.

"hi! hello!"

she waved in big motions to at least catch one of them, seeing the old couple busily serving up side dishes and wrapping delivery food containers and the younger ones running around the tables to help cook the meat on the grill pans.