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The tiny bell on the wall tings happily when Jimin pushes the café door open, and he’s immediately welcomed by the warm smell of coffee. It’s a chill day today. Most of the cats are taking a nap, and there are only a few customers.
Jimin spots Junhui behind the counter and sends him a smile before disappearing into the dressing room to get into his uniform. Poppy, one of their Balinese cats, is napping right on top of the barstool they put in the small room. Jimin takes a quick moment to softly pet her head before heading back, fully dressed and ready.
Yoongi has joined Junhui by the time Jimin returns. They’re both busy hugging and cooing at Hazel, a black Persian and probably the oldest cat that lives in the café. Hazel’s purrs can be heard all over the cafe, accompanied by similar purrs coming from the cats that are being pampered by the customers.
“Busy day?” Jimin jokes when he joins Yoongi and Junhui behind the counter. Both men look up from Hazel to give him a smile.
“We can barely handle it,” Junhui says, motioning to the four people that are in the cafe. Jimin giggles and moves next to Yoongi to bury his face into Hazel’s fur.
“She finally came back from the vet this morning,” Yoongi says, “they told us she only needs to take her medicine for a few more weeks and then she should be able to go back to her old ways.”
Jimin buries his face a little deeper into the thick fur, and he’s met with even louder purrs from the cat herself. It makes him happy to know that she’s doing okay again.
“Do you think you two can handle it on your own for the remaining time?” Junhui asks, “Tae will probably be here in two hours.”
Both Jimin and Yoongi respond with a soft hum, and Junhui lets out a relieved sigh. Jimin laughs at how quickly the boy gets changed, and he can’t help but tease him a bit when he leaves.
“Have fun on your date!” He screams, and Yoongi follows it up with a cheeky “Give Minghao a hug from us!”
They’re both met with a middle finger as the Chinese man hurries out of the cafe, and they both laugh once he’s gone.
Just as the door falls shut behind Junhui, the bell announces a new customer. Jimin shifts his attention from the cat in his lap to the person who’s walking up to the counter.
“Hello and welcome to Sunday Morning Cat Cafe, what can I do-,” He starts, but the words get stuck in his throat as soon as he and the customer lock eyes.
The man is beautiful. He’s tall in the way that would normally make Jimin feel like the tiniest human on the planet, but he doesn’t mind it one bit. His face features are sharp, yet the look in the man’s eyes is soft and warm. His lips are full, plump and Jimin is already a little bit in love until the man smiles down at him.
Dimples.
Jimin can’t help the little sigh he lets out at the sight of the two perfect little holes that decorate the man’s cheeks. It shouldn’t fit, such a buff, tall, handsome man with the most adorable facial feature in the world, yet it feels perfect.
“Good evening,” The man says, and Jimin’s knees almost give out at the sound of the deep voice.
“Hi,” Jimin says, his voice a pitch too high which earns him a playful grin from Yoongi, who is still standing beside him.
“Can I order one black coffee?”
The man’s voice sounds melodic, almost like he’s singing the song. It somehow suits him perfectly, and Jimin thinks he’s in love.
“Yes, yes, of course, yes,” Jimin stumbles over his words, earning him both a snicker from Yoongi and a chuckle from the man, “we’ll get it ready for you. Just pick out a table and I’ll bring it to you!”
The man does a quick scan through the café before he turns back to Jimin. “Is there anywhere you’d recommend? I reckon there’s a spot which is the most comfortable?”
The man winks, winks, and Jimin has to suppress a whimper.
“I,” He swallows, blinks, stares, unable to find the words when the man is still looking at him. His gaze is fierce, piercing, but somehow also soft and warm.
“I’d recommend the right corner over there. It’s where most of the cats like to be during the day,” Yoongi pipes up before Jimin can utter even more useless words.
The man smiles widely at that. “Great, then I’ll be sitting over there!”
Yoongi nuges Jimin’s side in a way to make him speak again and Jimin coughs. “Uh, yeah, good! We’ll make sure to bring your drink!”
His voice is high and cracks at the end of his sentence, but the man doesn’t seem to notice. He just nods, smiles, and walks away.
Yoongi slaps his shoulder as soon as the man has his back turned on them. “You idiot!” He laughs, “What happened to our all high and mighty king of flirting?”
Jimin groans. “Yoongi, is it possible to fall in love at first sight?” He murmurs, his eyes fixated on the tall figure who is currently petting Pip’s head. The Siamese purrs in contentment before going to lay down on the man’s lap.
Yoongi chuckles. “Considering he even got Pip to love him, I’d say your feelings are justified. Now go make your dream man that coffee.”
Jimin salutes and Yoongi playfully smacks him again. Jimin giggles and gets ready to pour the man his coffee.
“I’m gonna go to Hoseok real quick, do you need anything?”
Jimin wiggles his eyebrows to Yoongi. “Do you even need anything? Or are you just looking for an excuse to see Seokie?”
Yoongi’s cheeks turn a dusty pink as he looks anywhere but at Jimin. “I need to buy some snacks for the cat- stop looking at me like that Park,” Yoongi scowls, making Jimin laugh again.
“It’s okay, I don’t need anything. Make it a quick visit though, most of the cats are waking up.”
Yoongi murmurs a soft Yes before throwing on his jacket and rushing out of the café. Jimin chuckles as he watches him go. Whipped.
Jimin quickly finishes the coffee and does a quick scan over the café to see if anyone else needs his help. Nobody does, and Jimin gathers his courage to walk over to the man.
The man in question is still cuddling with Pip, who is receiving the belly rubs happily. Jimin smiles at the sight of them together. Pip is usually quite reserved, and seeing him this way really melts Jimin’s heart.
He takes a deep breath and then finally approaches the man.
“Here’s your coffee! If you need anything else, just let me know!”
His voice is surprisingly steady, though it still doesn’t sound like his usual, confident voice. He mentally slaps himself, but then the man looks up at him again.
And smiles.
“Thank you,” He says, his voice deep and smooth as honey, “I’ll know where to find you.”
He winks again, and Jimin feels a blush creeping up his face. What’s wrong with him today?
He nods, smiles, and scurries away to his place behind the counter again. Hazel is still napping there, this time on top of the coffee machine. Jimin sighs deeply and buries his face into her fur again.
“I’m stupid, aren’t I, Hazel?”
The cat purrs drowsily and Jimin nods. “I know baby, I know.”
The rest of the day passes slowly. The man stays seated in the corner of the café, cuddling Pip but not ordering again. Jimin can’t help but feel disappointment. He wants to talk to him more, yet doesn’t feel the courage to walk up to the man himself.
Yoongi returned some time during the day as well, his hair a mess and his eyes twinkling. Jimin giggled when he first saw him, and gave Yoongi a cheeky wink when he passed him, leaving the older man a blushing mess again.
It’s nearly the end of his shift when the man comes up to the counter again. Jimin quickly stops cleaning and gives the man a smile.
“You came to pay?”
The man laughs. “Actually, I came to ask a cute employee what his name was,” He says, his eyes twinkling with joy.
Jimin feels his heart drop. Of course the man would be more interested in Yoongi.
He tries to keep the disappointment out of his voice when he asks “The blonde one?”
The man laughs loudly at that, and Jimin feels his cheeks warm.
“Not exactly, no,” The man says as he places his elbows on the counter and leans his head on his hands. There’s humour in his voice, and Jimin isn’t sure if he’s being played with.
“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid none of my other coworkers were in today?” Jimin says. He feels embarrassed by the whole ordeal, but he also knows that he has to stay professional.
Get over yourself, idiot.
The man leans his head to the side as he gnaws on his lower lip, seemingly deep in thought. Jimin knows he shouldn’t find it as attractive as he does, but he can’t help but stare at the plump flesh between the other’s teeth.
“I suppose not. Can I have your name then, as a substitute?” The man says, his voice playful and his eyes still full with joy.
Jimin’s jaw drops.
All this time he thought the man was playing with him, but could it be that he…
“Are you flirting with me?” Jimin says. His confidence finally came back to him in some force, though he still feels a tad bit uneasy around the man.
The man laughs again. “You are a bit dense, aren’t you?” He smiles widely at Jimin and Jimin’s heart skips a beat.
“Well, it wasn’t completely my fault,” Jimin murmurs, but he still smiles up at the man. “My name’s Jimin.”
“Jimin,” The man says, and Jimin already loves the way his name sounds coming from him, “a pretty name for a pretty person.”
Jimin chokes, and his cheeks colour a deep red. The man laughs again.
“I’m Namjoon, by the way.”
Namjoon.
It suits him.
Namjoon smiles at him again, and Jimin can’t help but smile back at him. There’s something about Namjoon that is mesmerising to him.
Their moment is cut off when Yoongi sneaks up behind Jimin and coughs loudly, scaring both Jimin and Namjoon.
Jimin has to hold himself back from glowering at Yoongi, but he’s distracted when Namjoon chuckles.
“You wanted to pay?” Yoongi asks Namjoon, and the latter nods. Yoongi makes quick work of the payment, and before Jimin can process what is happening, Namjoon is ready to leave.
“So, I guess I’ll see you around?” Namjoon says, turning to Jimin again.
“I- Well, I’ll be here, yeah,” Jimin stammers, unsure how to answer Namjoon.
Namjoon winks, again, and Jimin blushes, again , before Namjoon smiles one last time and then moves to leave the café.
Jimin is about to let out a big sigh as he watches Namjoon leave, but then Namjoon turns around one last time.
“Oh, before I forgetting ,” He says, all smiles, “Say hi to your mom from me, Yoongi!”
He then walks out, leaving behind a cackling Yoongi and a flabbergasted Jimin.
Jimin smacks Yoongi hard as soon as Namjoon is out of their sight. “You two know each other?!”
Yoongi starts patting Hazel again as he nods. “Yup, he’s one of my oldest friends. It was funny seeing you stammer around him though!”
Jimin glares at him, suppressing the urge to punch the elder when Yoongi pats a little napkin on the counter.
“Make sure I’m a flower girl at your wedding,” He says, a laugh still in his voice. Jimin’s eyebrows raise in confusion, but Yoongi just laughs at him and points at the napkin as he walks away to help out one of their customers.
Jimin picks up the napkin as soon as Yoongi’s gone, and his heart skips a few beats when he sees something is written on it.
I had a good time today, I hope I can see you again soon. If you want, leave me a call ;)
**********
- Namjoon