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Like almost every other day, Sejun starts his morning with a trip to his favorite cafe. When he walks through the door, he’s greeted by the lovely smell of all the freshly baked pastries.
“Good morning, Sejun,” a cheery voice calls as soon as he enters. “Should I get your usual for you?”
“Yeah, that would be great. Thanks, Seungsik-hyung,” Sejun replies, handing over a few bills along with his stamp card.
“Oh, it looks like you’ve filled your stamp card again! Would you like to claim your free pastry now?”
“What would you recommend me?”
“The brownies are fresh out of the oven and they’re extra fudgy today.”
“That sounds amazing.”
“Okay, then I’ll have your order ready for you in a second,” Seungsik says with a smile warm enough to rival the sun.
Every single time he’s come here, Sejun has always been met with Seungsik’s bright smile. Sejun knows he’s not special and that Seungsik probably greets every customer the same way, but he can’t help but wonder how a single man can exude so much happiness, especially this early in the morning. A small part of him, probably the part of him that’s still half asleep and delusional, hopes that he helps to contribute to that happiness.
It’s a sight he’s seen a thousand times before, but Sejun still watches intently as Seungsik turns away to start making his order, a simple black coffee. It’s almost the perfect scene.
There’s just one fatal flaw which, of course, is that Sejun doesn’t even like coffee, hates it even.
He’s always had a sweet tooth and is personally offended by any product that prides itself on being “sugar-free,” so it really doesn’t make any sense why his go-to order would be a black coffee.
Though it’s not one that he particularly enjoys telling, there is a story behind it.
The first time he had discovered the cute little coffee shop, he had walked up to the register, taken one look at Seungsik, and panicked.
Blinded by the other’s bright smile when he asked for his order, Sejun could only read the very first thing off the menu, too flustered to correct himself. Now, it’s become a routine for him. He orders the abomination of disgusting bitterness and then hands it off to one of his friends without taking a single sip.
The pastries he does keep for himself though. He takes a large bite of the brownie and the sheer happiness he gets from just the taste of sugar must be apparent on his face because Hanse scoffs at him.
“I still don’t get why you go through all the trouble of buying coffee and then giving it away when you could just buy a cookie or something.”
“I’ve already established a routine, I can’t just stop now!” Sejun defends. “What if he thinks it’s weird?”
“Weirder than wasting money on ordering something you hate all the time?” Hanse counters. “Not to mention that no one was forcing you to keep ordering the same thing, so didn’t you bring this upon yourself?”
“Hey, hey,” Chan interrupts. “We all know Sejun’s barista boy is just too cute and his brain doesn’t function properly when he’s around. Now, stop trying to deprive me of my source of free coffee.”
Sejun isn’t sure if he should be grateful or not for Chan’s support.
“Suit yourself,” Hanse says with a shrug. “I just think it’s kinda dumb.”
“That’s not very nice,” Sejun pouts. Still, even though he wouldn’t admit it out loud, he of all people knows best just how dumb it is.
He knows for Seungsik, he’s probably just another customer, but Sejun feels drawn to him nonetheless. Sejun knows he’s not special, but he can’t help himself from visiting time and time again just to see that bright smile. He likes momentarily being the cause of it, even if just out of courtesy on Seungsik’s part.
“If it makes you feel any better, I am fully supportive of you trying to win over barista boy’s heart one cup of coffee at a time,” Chan says.
“You wouldn’t still be saying that if I decided to give the coffee to someone else.”
“Hey! That’s not true! I’m only saying it because I’m a great friend who cares for your happiness.”
“And I’m making fun of you because I’m a great friend who cares for your financial stability,” Hanse adds.
Sejun hums in consideration. “Maybe I should go find Seungwoo-hyung. He wouldn’t do this to me.”
“I haven’t done anything!” Chan protests at the same time as a voice calls up from behind them, “What exactly wouldn’t I do?”
Sejun whips his head around to find Seungwoo standing right there, as if summoned by the mention of his name.
“Hyung!”
“Seungwoo-hyung, did you know that Sejun makes poor financial decisions multiple times on a weekly basis because of a stranger who doesn’t even know he exists?” Hanse asks as Seungwoo settles down at their table.
“Um, no, but that sounds mildly concerning,” Seungwoo says, eyebrows creased with worry. “Is everything okay, Sejun?”
“It’s not that serious, hyung,” Chan answers instead. “Sejun just has a crush on some barista boy and keeps buying coffee just to see him.”
“Except he buys black coffee. Which he hates,” Hanse adds.
“Guys, I can speak for myself!”
At that, Seungwoo turns to him expectantly. “So is that true?”
Sejun turns his gaze downward to avoid eye contact, suddenly embarrassed now that the attention is on him. “Well, I wouldn’t have worded it exactly like that, but yeah. I guess that’s technically not wrong.”
Seungwoo’s gaze lands on the coffee cup in Chan’s hand. “Is it the coffee shop one block down that way?”
“Yeah, how did you know?”
“I’ve been there a few times,” Seungwoo says, a strange glint in his eye. “So Sejun-ah, tell me more about your barista boy. What’s he like?”
“He’s so kind and is always smiling and exudes pure happiness and he’s clearly just a beautiful person inside and out.”
“You do realize it’s probably part of his job to smile at customers, right?” Hanse says with a roll of his eyes.
“It’s different! It’s nothing like a forced customer service smile, he always looks genuinely happy to be there and somehow it puts me in a better mood too.”
“I have a feeling I know who you’re talking about,” Seungwoo says.
“Really, hyung? You agree with me, right? He’s really cute, right?”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“You guess?! Seungwoo-hyung, he’s literally the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen.”
“Which is unfortunate considering you panic every time you talk to him,” Chan comments, earning him a glare from Sejun.
“I will confiscate your coffee,” he threatens, reaching over to grab the cup.
“No, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it!” Chan hugs the cup to his chest protectively in response.
Seungwoo laughs, “You know what? Next time you go to the café, invite me. I’ll treat you.”
“Not that I’d turn down an offer for free food, but what exactly brought this on?” Sejun asks suspiciously.
“I just think it’ll be fun,” Seungwoo says and Sejun knows he’s definitely hiding something behind that smile, but whatever it is, it can’t be more valuable than giving his wallet a slight break from all his recent coffee splurges.
“That’s why you’re my favorite hyung!”
Maybe if he knew exactly what Seungwoo was planning, he would’ve retracted that statement.
When Sejun walks into the coffee shop to meet Seungwoo at the agreed upon time, what he’s met with is a sight of betrayal.
Well, maybe betrayal is a bit dramatic, but he definitely thinks Seungwoo at the very least owes him an explanation because despite feigning ignorance, not only does he seem to know exactly who Sejun was talking about the other day, he also seems to know him personally if the way Seungwoo stands at the counter, casually talking to Seungsik is anything to go by.
“Ah, Sejun, you’re here,” Seungwoo calls, gesturing for him to come over.
“You guys know each other?” Seungsik asks, tilting his head to the side in question so cutely that it almost makes Sejun completely forget about his annoyance. Almost.
“I was wondering the same thing,” Sejun says, giving Seungwoo a pointed look.
The older just continues to play innocent, choosing to ignore him as he casually says, “yeah,” with no further explanation.
“I guess I’ll get you both your regulars then?”
Seungwoo gives Sejun a knowing look and the younger resents the teasing glint in his eye. Suddenly, he takes back every kind word he had said about Seungwoo because he’s worse than Chan and Hanse combined with the way he’s knowingly doing all of this right in front of his crush.
“Yeah, I’m paying today,” Seungwoo says, handing over his card.
When Seungsik turns to go prepare their orders, Seungwoo and Sejun go to find a table to sit at and after turning around to check that the coast is clear of Seungsik, Sejun no longer holds back. “Seungwoo-hyung! How could you trick me like that?!”
“What did I do?”
“Stop acting like you don’t know. You lied to me when you said you pretended not to know who I was talking about!”
“I never said that I didn’t. In fact, I told you I thought I knew who it was. It’s true that I wasn’t entirely sure up until now.”
“But you made it seem like you’d just visited a few times, not that you’re best friends with someone who works here! That someone being him.”
“You’re so dramatic. Is it really that big of a deal that I didn’t tell you?”
“Yes!”
“Okay, okay. I’m sorry.”
“What did Seungwoo-hyung do wrong this time?” a voice chuckles and Sejun turns around to see Seungsik approaching their table with their drinks and a slice of cake.
“Why do you assume I did something wrong?”
“You were the one apologizing, so clearly you recognized some sort of fault.”
“I’ll have you know that Sejun was just being a drama queen, but I chose to be the bigger person and apologize anyway.”
“Hey!” Sejun protests, punching Seungwoo’s arm in retaliation as he glances up at Seungsik shyly. “I’m not like that.”
“It’s okay, I believe you,” Seungsik says, smiling warmly at him. If Sejun had had any doubts about Seungsik being an angel (which he didn’t), this would’ve settled them in an instant. He’s literally the kindest soul to ever walk the planet and Sejun is sure that statement is not one bit of an exaggeration.
“But Seungsik-ah, we didn’t order cake?” Seungwoo says, confused as Seungsik sets the plate on the table.
“It’s on the house, hyung. I can’t treat my friends to a complimentary slice of cake?”
“I mean you’ve never given me any type of special treatment before,” Seungwoo says, eyeing him suspiciously. “Unless…”
“Sorry! I should get back to work!” Seungsik suddenly exclaims, startling Sejun as he runs off back behind the counter.
Seungwoo chuckles to himself, but Sejun is stuck on the fact that Seungsik had referred to them as his friends. Friends, plural.
Seungwoo and Seungsik are obviously friends, but Sejun? He should just be a random customer and yet Seungsik had included him in the title of “friends.” Maybe it was just a slip of the tongue and maybe Sejun shouldn’t be so excited over just the word “friend,” but it’s definitely leagues above “stranger” or even worse, “the creepy customer who always stares at me,” so he can’t help but be happy.
“What are you all smiley for?” Seungwoo asks. “That happy just to see your crush?”
“Seungwoo-hyung!” Sejun quickly whips his head around to make sure Seungsik isn’t still nearby.
“Relax, he’s gone. You two both need to calm down.”
Sejun tilts his head in question. “Both?”
“I wasn’t supposed to tell you, but let’s just say your crush isn’t exactly one-sided.”
“You’re lying.”
“I’m not! Seungsik has been telling me about a cute customer who keeps coming in.”
“I bet hundreds of people come in here every day. That doesn’t mean anything.”
“Well, you’re right that up until today I couldn’t be sure that it was you, but now I am.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Just trust me.”
Sejun huffs in annoyance. “That’s not very reassuring coming from you right now.”
“Well, you don’t have to listen to me if you don’t want to, but my opinion is that you should ask for his number.”
“You’re friends with him. Why don’t you just give it to me?”
“Now, where’s the fun in that?”
The smile on Seungwoo’s face tells Sejun that he’s getting far too much enjoyment out of this, but he entertains the thought nonetheless. As much as Seungwoo teases him, Sejun knows he would never actually trick him. Maybe this is actually worth a shot.
Sejun makes up his mind that the next time he visits the shop, he’ll ask for Seungsik’s number.
So it turns out that the next time Sejun goes to the café, he chickens out.
He tells himself it’s because it’s too busy and he doesn’t want to hold up the line or draw too much attention, but really it’s just because he’s scared. Even with Seungwoo’s reassurances, he can’t help but question if it’s actually possible for Seungsik to think of him as anything more than just a customer, or at most a friend of a friend.
He’s visited about four more times, but always finds some sort of excuse to push it back further.
“You’ve been coming a lot recently, huh?” Seungsik asks with his characteristic smile.
“Lots of exams and papers. Need that caffeine, you know?” Sejun chuckles nervously, hoping to pass as a simple coffee addict instead of someone with a stupidly large crush on someone he barely knows.
“Of course,” Seungsik laughs, taking the crumpled dollar bill and stamp card from Sejun’s hand. “Oh, it looks like you’ve earned yourself another free pastry! What can I get for you this time?”
In his head, Sejun wishes he could just say “your number” and be done with this entire charade, but he’s not bold enough to do that.
Except suddenly Seungsik’s eyes are widening in surprise as he stares back at Sejun, speechless. Sejun realizes that maybe he hadn’t just been thinking to himself after all.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to say that out loud!” Sejun stammers.
Seungsik’s eyes soften from their initial shock, returning to their normal crescents as he chuckles. “If you just didn’t mean to say it aloud, then you didn’t not mean it at all though, right?”
“What?”
Seungsik takes the pen from next to the register and quickly scribbles something on the back of the filled stamp card. “Technically, I’m still required to offer you a pastry though.”
“Oh. Um,” Sejun says, still unable to process what just happened.
“How about I surprise you? Go sit down and I’ll bring it over in a second.”
Sejun nods dumbly, not trusting himself to speak and does as he’s told, finding his favorite seat next to the window.
It’s not long after when Seungsik comes over carrying a tray with a cinnamon roll flooded with icing and a drink topped with what looks like a heaping dollop of whipped cream.
“That doesn’t look like my usual?”
“I thought you might enjoy trying something new,” Seungsik replies, watching him expectantly.
Sejun is hesitant because even hiding under a mountain of whipped cream, coffee is still coffee, but he raises the cup to his lips nonetheless because he doesn’t want to disappoint Seungsik. Much to his surprise, the taste that hits his tongue is not at all the bitterness that he’s come to associate with the drink, but rather a creamy sweetness with a hint of cinnamon.
“Oh my god, this is so good.”
“So now will you start buying drinks that you don’t actually hate?”
Sejun’s eyes widen in horror. “You knew?!”
“At first, it was just a suspicion,” Seungsik explains. “You never actually drank any coffee and you always liked the extra sweet pastries best. Also, Seungwoo-hyung might’ve let it slip.”
“I’m gonna kill him,” Sejun mutters.
“Hey, I’m pretty sure he told you stuff about me too, so aren’t we even?”
“It’s not the same.” All Seungwoo had told him was that Seungsik called a customer cute and that it was probably him, which pales in comparison to the information that Sejun has been buying drinks he doesn’t even drink just so he can see Seungsik. It’s completely different.
“If you want, I can offer you a cookie as an extra peace offering?”
“Aren’t you gonna get in trouble if you keep giving me free food?”
“Yeah, I’m risking getting in trouble with my manager for you, so you should make it up to me.”
“And how should I do that?”
“Go on a date with me.”
“Well, if you’re risking your job for me, then I guess I have to.”
“Speaking of my job, I should probably get back to it,” Seungsik sighs, glancing guiltily at his coworker behind the counter. “But text me?”
“Definitely!”
As Seungsik walks away, Sejun thinks that maybe he owes Seungwoo one.
A few days later, Sejun finds himself on a date with Seungsik, a date which they had both agreed should take place anywhere except a coffee shop. Still, Sejun finds that it’s hard to be completely free of the beverage when on a date with a barista.
When Seungsik insists on walking him all the way to his doorstep like the perfect gentleman he is, they find themselves lingering on the steps, neither wanting to say goodbye. Instead, Sejun offers Seungsik a chaste kiss that leaves him wanting more and a coy smile to say “next time.”
Sejun discovers that Seungsik tastes like coffee, but he doesn’t find it unpleasant at all. On the contrary, Sejun thinks that he can definitely get used to this.