Chapter Text
“Are you sure about taking today’s shift? I told you that you can take the week off for your midterms.” His boss and co-owner of Café Du Monde, Akaashi-san, was fussing over him the moment he clocked in at work.
“Bokuto-san is away, so you’re gonna be left alone at the counter until the afternoon person comes. You could use the help.” Tsukishima said dismissively. They have had this conversation for a week ever since the smaller man found out about his class schedule. He appreciates the kindness really, but he’s prepared for his midterms and brewing drinks at the café was therapeutic in a way and it calms his nerves.
Akaashi-san, still with a face etched with worry, just sighed and mumbled a small ‘thanks’ before turning around when he heard the bell chime as someone opened the door. While he was taking the order of the customer that just came in, Tsukishima proceeded to prepare the coffee machine when he saw it.
It being a red sticky note at the counter near where the coffee beans are stored. He read it and stifled a laugh.
‘Did you know that the Statue of Liberty has an 879 shoe size?
(I heard it from a customer trying to impress his date.)’
One day, out of nowhere, the person who takes the afternoon shift started writing random things on sticky notes and leaving it on the counter, at the same spot where he saw the newest one.
There was even one that mentioned how high cats jumped.
‘Did you know? An adult cat can jump about 4 to 5 feet.
If I stood around 150 cm I would be terrified of this fact.’
It was so random that he paid it no mind at first. They must be bored. There’s not many customers after lunch, afterall. Over time though, as much as he didn’t want to admit, he found himself looking forward to the notes. Being a barista, while cathartic, is still hectic with the morning rush.
The blond recently started replying too. After making the order Akaashi-san took, he grabbed his own yellow sticky note (yes, he bought one) and scribbled ‘you sure you’re not the one trying to impress someone?’
And so, the morning went by just like that. Customers ranging from sleepless students to people just stopping by from a run came in. Nothing new. His shift ends at 11 so he starts finishing up.
His boss wished him a quick good luck before he headed out for his university, is a 10-minute walk from there. One of the reasons why he chose to work there in the first place.
He planned on eating lunch at the cafeteria and peak at a few of his notes for his exams later. Yet, as soon as he stepped foot on his campus, he heard hurried footsteps accompanied by a familiar voice shouting his name.
“I told you to text me when you’re near.” Hinata, his classmate and bestfriend, said with a pout. Oops.
“I forgot,” was the blond’s simple answer, which was met with a huff.
“You always do. Anyways…” and just like that, they fell into an easy conversation. The orange-head had a knack for talking your ear off with his never ending stories. Something he didn’t mind seeing that he wasn't much of a talker and more of the opposite.
“Are you ordering your usual?” Hinata asked as they sat in their usual spot in the cafeteria. The smaller man started browsing his notebooks. “Oi, Stingyshima, let me borrow your notes. I want to see your ugly handwriting.”
Tsukishima rolled his eyes and pulled out his notebooks. “I didn’t practice calligraphy in high school just for you to call it ugly, shrimp.” But Hinata just waved his hand and uttered a few ‘shoo’s.
He went to get food when he bumped with someone who was hurriedly walking out of the cafeteria. Annoying, he thought. But the man had the decency to stop and say sorry, so he got the chance to see his face momentarily. But cute. Heh. He wouldn't mind being bumped into again if it's the same annoying but cute guy. He shuddered at his thoughts.
The blond got back on their table with food in hand. His friend seemed oblivious to the little scurry he had so he let it be. Poor guy is studying so intently as he really only gets to study hours before the exams. Life of a student-athlete and all.
He slid a tray of fries in the middle as a little encouragement for the other.
The following hour was spent eating and studying. When the clock struck 1, they went to their classroom to face the inevitable. The first day of exams.
It wasn't all that bad, if Tsukishima is being honest. He's a diligent student who listens intently in the classroom, and then studies whenever he can off-campus. It's the reason why he's also confident in still taking on his shift at the café.
Hours pass by and it’s time to go home with a pouting Hinata in tow.
“Hey,” after a few minutes of silence from the other, probably lamenting his inevitable exam scores, the man finally spoke. “I’m sleeping over.” Explains that big-ass bag.
“You didn't think of telling me your plans a week before? Heck, even a day before?” He didn't actually mind. It was their unspoken tradition since their 1st year in uni, so he was kind of expecting that. The taller man was just messing with him.
His best friend seemed to catch on to what he was trying to do so he made a show of eyeing him irritatingly, “I already got your permission 3 years ago, smartass.”
Tsukishima just rolled his eyes. “Whatever. But just so you know, I'm sleeping and waking up early since I need to go to the café.”
“Duly noted, Mr. Workaholic. I will not disturb your beauty rest.” The orange-head raised his right hand as if taking an oath.
“You better,” was Tsukishima’s reply. Jiggling keys can be heard as he tries to open his door.
They spent the night studying and ordering take outs. A custom they’re very much familiar with that they don’t need to spell it out for the other anymore. The whole week passed by like that. Tsukishima likes it. He likes the certainty routines provide. Hinata knows that he does.
What isn’t part of his routine, however, was the piling sticky notes in a corner of the counter.
Some time in the middle of his exams week, the afternoon person caught wind of his schedule—probably from a certain raven airing out his worries—and started leaving encouraging words along the stories he told on the sticky notes.
‘A student ordered "hot tea with 3 cubes of ice" yesterday.
I didn't know whether to laugh or take pity.
Hope you’re faring better than him.’
Tsukishima never thought that someone cheering for you in a roundabout way would feel nice. Even if that someone is a co-worker who is a total stranger but also not really.
He decided to be less snarky in his reply and thank the other. ‘I am, indeed, faring better than the poor guy. Thanks.’
He kind of wished to know what’s happening with the person so he can repay the well wishes. He thought about asking Akaashi-san but he didn't want to be too nosy.
So he settled on just replying. The afternoon person seemed to be just making a way to pass his boredom, anyway. The notes were, in a way, passing on his’ too. Not that he was bored, but there will always be quiet moments in the café.
Just like right now. There were less customers than usual, especially now that the nearest university’s midterms were finished. Most of their customers consisted of those zombies, and he assumes a lot of them are out and about now, feeling alive than ever.
He just sat there quietly when he heard his phone ping. The blond had to stop himself from grinning when he read the message. His mom wants to visit him this weekend because she has a business trip near his university.
It’s been so long since he saw his mom so he was pretty excited. Thankfully, Hinata’s practice match is scheduled for Friday.
Last week, seeing that their exams were finished, most sports teams in their uni continued their training. His best friend asked him to watch his practice match. Apparently, it was an important match that will determine whether he’ll get to be a starter on the soccer team or not, so he asked him to come. He’s probably nervous.
Looks like his weekend’s gonna be full. He glances at the newest sticky note while making a frappe.
‘It suddenly poured pretty hard so a lot of people took shelter in our café.
Naturally, because I'm such a good barista, they all ordered too.’
Hopefully it doesn’t rain anymore. He may not show it, but he was actually ecstatic.
He wrote in reply, ‘You’re like a businessman scheming.’
Friday came and it turned out the opposite of what he had originally planned.
First off, it rained all morning. The café was pretty busy with all the people taking shelter in, and deciding it’s the perfect weather for hot beverages.
It didn’t help that he was soaking when he got there. Everything, down to his bag containing his change of clothes, were drenched with the sudden onslaught of rain.
It’s a good thing that he has an extra set of work clothes in his locker. When he got to the counter, a line was already forming. He quickly got to work, and noticed most of the ingredients were already prepared. Tsukishima didn't dwell on it until later when things calmed down, and he was able to get a breather.
He almost missed the red note on the side. He picked it off and read.
‘News said there was a storm brewing,
so I prepared more beans to be brewed ;D
On another note, I hope you have an umbrella with you.
If not, then guess what? There’s one below the cash register!’
He made a mental note to write a big THANK YOU because that helped him a lot.
When he finished his shift, he received a text from his best friend saying the match was cancelled. The rain isn’t showing any signs of stopping soon, and even if by some miracle that it did stop, the field would be too muddy to play on.
He peaked below the cash register, and true to his co-worker’s words, there really was an umbrella. He asked Akaashi-san if someone owns it.
“It’s been there since forever. Nobody really knows who owns it. You can use it whenever, just make sure you return it.” The man replied.
Tsukishima grabbed the umbrella and decided to leave a note there. He didn’t know if his co-worker would see it or not but whatever. He went off to his university.
As usual, he and his best friend headed to the cafeteria first. He was consoling the other about the supposed practice match, and his missed chance for the starting lineup.
“Just think about it this way. You’ll have more time to practice until the next one.” He reassures the other.
When the bell rang, Hinata let him borrow his jacket—which, by the way, was very short on him—because he noticed the state the blond was in.
By the time his classes finished, he was already shivering. His clothes were still a bit damp from this morning’s unexpected shower, and it didn’t help that their classrooms were closed and air conditioned.
And to top it all off, his mother just called him saying her visit wouldn’t happen anytime soon, because the storm is near their place.
“We’re safe, sweetie. Don’t worry. We just have to reschedule our get together.” His mother tells him.
The blond went home sluggishly, every step heavy. Once he was in front of the apartment, he could feel his body burning up. It took him five tries until he was able to insert his key. He took a quick dinner and shower.
Noticing how lethargic he felt, he sent his boss a text before hitting the sack.