Chapter Text
Wonwoo knew he was the one when he locked eyes with the pretty redhead barista. It was just like those cheesy tropes would say, all the background bustle faded, only the two of them mattered.
It was like something from an old movie where the sailor sees the girl across the crowded dance floor and turns to his buddy and says, “See that girl? I’m gonna marry her someday.”
The white light of the cafe illuminated him like an angel, bouncing off his hair making it look like a halo. The barista’s bangs covered his eyes but you could still see his eyes. He had a couple of moles dotting his nose and cheeks and his juicy lips had a cupid’s bow.
Damn, Wonwoo could not take his eyes off him.
“Sir? Your order please?”
Wonwoo tries not to think about how he had messed up his first impression by being a staring weirdo.
“Right, sorry. One caramel macchiato please.” The barista’s purple name tag read Jun.
Jun? Seemed Japanese…
Wonwoo had originally been planning on studying at the cafe. Instead, he picks a table where he has a view of Jun. The table is tucked away into the corner so Wonwoo feels less like a stalker.
As Wonwoo sips his coffee, he notices how small flowers of pink and white bloom around his hands. The pattern starts from his pinkies and begins to grow even further, swirling around his forearms. The pattern changes from the tiny flowers, to lavenders to deep red roses as it goes from his hands up his arms. There’s some leaves and some thorns too. He hadn’t even introduced himself to his soulmate and their entire love story was already fleshed out.
The process was entrancing. It was not quick but it was not slow either. He could have watched his own arms for the two hours. It was magic. There was no real scientific explanation and saying it was magic made it more whimsical for everyone. Sometimes, the flowers could manifest and fall from your skin too--although the “tattoo” would remain.
He wonders if he should go up and introduce himself, “Hey, I just met you and this is crazy but here’s my number so call me maybe?”
He shakes his head.
First impressions mattered but he had bungled his, so it was all about the recovery.
His drink is now cold and his attention diverts to his soulmate again. He had not been completely focused on Jun. The barista hands are wrapped in bandages.
It seemed serious. Should he even be working?
Every once in a while, Wonwoo diverts his attention to his work. He can’t move past the paragraphs he has already written.
Instead, he stares at his coffee cup. Plain white with a simple blue cat drawn on it.
Jun is completely focused on work, which is understandable as the rush hour had just arrived. Jun greets each customer with a tiny smile. He wonders what his smiles actually look like. Jun seems to have a friendly relationship with the other barista.
He has reached the bottom of his cup. There seems to be a cat hidden at the bottom. Perhaps he should get another drink?
There are a few moments where Jun’s eyes seem to widen at whatever the other barista is saying yet his customer service grin does not leave his face.
Wonwoo takes a quick glance at his watch. He needs to head back soon to finish up his work but will Jun be here tomorrow? What if Wonwoo’s time at the cafe never matched Jun’s shift and he never saw Jun again?
Most of the time telling someone they were your soulmate worked out great. The universe doesn’t lie and people love to fall in love anyway.
It wouldn’t be so good to tell Jun that he was Wonwoo’s soulmate right now. Maybe after they knew each other a bit better and Wonwoo had charmed him?
Wonwoo orders a cake once the rush hour dies down. He asks for Jun’s recommendation of cakes.
Jun recommends their cake of the day, which is albeit on the pricey side. It’s for Jun, Wonwoo tells himself.
He steels his nerves to ask, “Hey, Jun, will you be here tomorrow?”
“I am here just about everyday Wonwoo, drop by anytime.” Wonwoo doesn’t know if he is imagining it but he can see the faintest smile dancing on Jun’s lips. Jun remembers his name from his earlier order!
If there are petals mixed in with the money he hands Jun, Jun says nothing.
Today’s cake of the day is a Strawberry Shortcake. The cake is incredibly soft and spongy, the strawberries are slightly sour but the sweetness of the syrup balances it well. The redness of the strawberries reminds him of Jun’s hair. He wonders what pretty shade of red dusts Jun’s cheeks when he is embarrassed.
To prevent himself from seeming like a creep, Wonwoo begins to review his notes.The essay could wait. Between bites of cake and glancing at Jun, studying flies.
There is a knock on his table. He looks up to see the other barista at his table. His name tag reads ‘Joshua’. He has big doe-like eyes and a single blue flower on his cheek. He removes an earpiece.
“Hi, I am sorry to disturb but we are closing soon. You may come back tomorrow.”
“Right, sorry. I’ll get going.” Wonwoo packs up and he realises that Jun isn’t anywhere to be seen. That’s alright, he will see Jun tomorrow.
The walk home is anything but dull. Wonwoo can’t stop thinking about Jun. Wonwoo has had crushes before but nothing felt as intense as this had. Nor had it been this instant. Did Jun feel the same? Jun had no visible flowers.
Perhaps, Jun fell for people slowly.
When he gets back to his apartment, Mingyu is laying on the sofa on his phone.
“Lazy ass.”
“Hello to-” Mingyu looks up from his phone.
“HOLY SHIT, you fell for your soulmate today? Who was it!” Mingyu continues with his incessant questions and Wonwoo decides to wait for him to calm down.
“You know that cafe you recommended? Well-”
“Carat Cafe? Yea, what about it!” Wonwoo swears Mingyu is more excited about it than Wonwoo himself is.
Wonwoo throws him a pointed glance.
“Right, sorry.”
“They had the prettiest barista. It was love at first sight. My flowers bloomed after I saw him. His name is Jun. He said he would be there everyday… I’m going back tomorrow,” Wonwoo can’t stop his smile. He fills Mingyu in on their very limited interactions.
“Jun! That’s crazy!”
Wonwoo raises an eyebrow. How did Mingyu know Jun?
“How have you two never met? He is in Hao’s dance troupe, you came for one of their gigs remember?”
He had enjoyed their performance but he hadn’t exactly paid attention to everyone on stage. Damn it, Wonwoo could have met his soulmate a lot earlier.
“Jun and Hao are best friends you know. He’s probably seen you around. Maybe that’s why he was so friendly, I actually thought he was the shy type. Ah… Did you know that Jun actually runs Carat Cafe?”
Wonwoo sits on Mingyu’s legs. Stubborn ass never actually sat upright on the sofa anyway.
“Ouch… Hyung! Your bones are digging into me,” Mingyu shifts his legs beneath Wonwoo, trying to get comfortable.
“What else do you know about him? Tell me!” Wonwoo snatches Mingyu’s phone trying to get him to pay more attention.
“I don’t know a lot about him. He’s just someone I see around. Besides, instead of being spoon-fed the information, wouldn’t it be nicer if you learned about them from Jun?”
Mingyu whines for his phone, Wonwoo gets some satisfaction from throwing it at him as he walks away.
Wonwoo imagines it. One where they take everything slow and he learns of Jun’s quirks and peeves as though he is studying. He could memorise every single mole Jun has and more. That certainly seems fun.
Wonwoo can’t wait for tomorrow. It’s a Saturday and the cafe opens at 9am.