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Perhaps the most frustrating thing about seeing this handsome stranger every day was that he was just that: breathtakingly handsome and an absolute mystery in every other regard.
Thus far, your only interactions with him included standing behind him in line at your favorite coffee shop every morning, trying not to make it too obvious that you were staring at the back of his head. It was a nice head, to be sure, but as pretty a sight as it was, you were quickly growing dissatisfied with only standing there and wondering if his hair was as soft as it looked. So you came up with a plan. You would try your best to glean whatever meager information you could from your brief non-interactions, and maybe, if things went well, you’d be getting to know him over a cup of coffee soon.
Over the next week, you channeled your inner Sherlock Holmes and tried your best to catalogue as much as you could through subtle glances. Left ring finger? Bare. That was a point in your favor. Coffee order? Medium cappuccino. The same every day. His smile? Warm and sweet. It actually made you forget how to speak for a moment, which was a bit inconvenient seeing as though you’d been in the middle of trying to order your drink.
But perhaps the most important thing you’d learned through your observations was his name: Jongdae. Jongdae. It was satisfying, being able to put a name to the face that made your heart flutter every morning, even before you had any caffeine. And to be quite honest, learning his name was well worth the knowing look the barista gave you when you made a show of ‘casually’ examining the pastry case just so you could be close enough to hear Jongdae speak. Yeah, you had to pat yourself on the back for a job well done on that one, but you knew your reconnaissance was far from over.
That’s why you found yourself hustling down the sidewalk the next morning, easily breaking speed-walking records in your effort to make it to the coffee shop before Jongdae left. Perhaps if you hadn’t been so preoccupied with thoughts of Jongdae and his smile and his cappuccino, you wouldn’t have ended up running late for your morning sleuthing ritual. As it were, when you finally burst through the front door— startling a nearby patron so badly she almost dropped her latte— you couldn’t help but let out sigh borne of frustration just as much as exertion. Jongdae was already gone.
Your shoulders slumped in disappointment, and you spared a moment to sheepishly apologize to the woman you startled (and earned a haughty glare in return for your trouble). Yet before you could sullenly shuffle your way over to the pastry case, the barista flagged you down.
“Y/N, right?” she asked. When you nodded, she set a cup on the counter. It had your name on it. “Another customer ordered this for you. He seemed concerned when he didn’t see you here, thought you might be running late.”
You opened your mouth to ask, but the barista just gave you a knowing look— the same look she gave you when she caught you eavesdropping on Jongdae.
Feeling your cheeks grow warm, you murmured a bemused ‘thank you’ and grabbed the drink, taking a sip. It was your usual. You reeled from the realization that you’d spent so much time carefully watching Jongdae and somehow never noticed that he’d apparently been watching you, too. The thought warmed you even more than your drink, and as you left the coffee shop, grinning like a fool, you got an idea.
The next morning, you were already in the coffee shop, two cups in hand, by the time Jongdae arrived. You saw him step through the door and scan the morning crowd. The moment his gaze landed on you, he froze, and you smiled and raised one of the paper cups invitingly. Jongdae ducked his head and grinned, his cheeks dusting light pink, as he made his way over to you.
“Medium cappuccino?” you said, offering the cup to him. Jongdae chuckled and took it, and you’d be lying if you said the brush of his fingers against yours didn’t cause your stomach to flutter pleasantly.
“So I take it you got your drink yesterday?” he asked. It was your turn to chuckle.
“Oh, definitely. I was running a bit late, so suffice to say it was a pleasant surprise.” You raised your eyebrows a bit, and Jongdae nervously rubbed the back of his neck.
“Yeah, I didn’t mean to take any liberties, but it’s just— I couldn’t help but notice you, you know?” Your heart began to pound in the hollow of your throat, and you felt your grip tighten on your cup. You’d been hopeful, but this almost seemed too good to be true. Jongdae continued, “I mean, I saw you every day, but you were just this complete mystery to me. I guess I kind of hoped that maybe I’d be able to get to know you better?” He ended it like a question, and you jumped to respond.
“I noticed you, too!” you blurted. “I mean- the mystery, the wanting to get to know you. It’s the same for me, too.”
Jongdae grinned at you, then, bright and unabashed, and man, you were utterly unprepared for how breathless it left you feeling. “Yeah?” he asked.
You nodded, unable to resist smiling back. “Yeah.”
“Then what do you say we get some coffee together sometime? Properly, I mean. Let’s get to know each other.” The two of you were smiling so giddily at each other by now that you almost didn’t notice the barista rolling her eyes at you.
You conceded that maybe you weren’t a regular Sherlock Holmes, but as you exchanged numbers with Jongdae and made plans for your very first date together, you were happy to consider this case closed.