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The first thing Sunghoon noticed upon entering was how small the area was. He greeted the baristas with a good morning , despite it being only a few minutes before noon. His friends recommended the place to him, hoping that Sunghoon would find the quaint and charming place worth visiting.
Masarap yung mga drinks nila actually! was what Sunoo said last time. Try mo minsan. Cheap lang 'yung price, pero 'yung quality? Yummers!
The cafe was definitely smaller than he expected, but he figured that the interior design of the place made up for it. May ilang mga customer na nakaupo at ini-enjoy ang mga inumin nila, habang may ilan naman na nakatutok sa laptop nila at kunot na kunot ang noo.
Sunghoon could relate. Katatapos lang din kasi ng exams week niya. He remembered going to a well-known coffee shop with a few of his blockmates to revise for the exam.
Aside from the wooden chairs and tables, fairy lights, and the abundance of plants, Sunghoon also noticed the polaroid pictures displayed on the wall — filled with happy faces of people who enjoyed their meals and promised to come back. Sunghoon also noticed the placards placed by the window, displaying cheesy lines such as: I like you a latte, and gusto kitang ma-KAPE-ling habang buhay.
"Corny," Sunghoon heard someone say, almost as if reading his mind.
Standing beside him was a boy taller than he is, wearing a white sweatshirt paired with gray sweatpants. He wore his duffle bag like a backpack — which was odd, but Sunghoon didn't judge. Err, he didn't want to.
The boy turned, jumping upon seeing Sunghoon beside him. Hindi niya napansin na may katabi siya.
"Ay! Sorry po," he apologized then turned and looked towards the direction of the door, almost smacking Sunghoon's face with his duffel bag. "Kuya Jungwon, dalian mo na! Ang init-init!"
Another person, who Sunghoon guessed was Jungwon, entered the cafe with an annoyed look on his face. "Bakit mo ako iniwan sa labas? Akala ko nawala na kita."
"Ay sus. Miss ako agad, hay."
"Mukha mo, miss. Baka pagalitan ako ni tita."
The two then walked towards the counter, leaving Sunghoon alone. The boys were probably freshmen in college, o hindi naman kaya ay senior high school palang. They looked young.
Meanwhile Sunghoon, instead of walking towards the counter and ordering like a normal customer would, walked closer to the polaroid wall and looked at the memories left by strangers in the area. There was something endearing about seeing multiple stranger's thoughts written out on paper. There was some sort of comfort and familiarity with the way they described the place. Maybe it was the ambiance, or maybe Sunghoon was just a little bit sentimental.
Patuloy niyang tiningnan ang mga polaroid picture na nakadikit sa dingding. He looked through the messages written on the bottom of the film, some of them a little hard to read. But Sunghoon tried his hardest to understand the handwriting, wanting to get a peek at other people’s thoughts.
Cute interior! Heard you can bring dogs here too! :D
Didn't know there was a second floor AND a garden. Definitely worth visiting! + A lot of insta-worthy corners!
The menu is *chef's kiss* !! Affordable, but the quality is superb!
Had my first date here. We went back just so we could celebrate our 2nd year anniversary! SKL kasi… sharing is caring. hahaha
"Wow." Sunghoon let out an exaggerated sigh. "Edi sana lahat. 'Yung mga ganito, hindi na dapat shine-share. Sharing is caring my ass, nai-inggit lang ako."
Sunghoon continued to look at the photos, smiling to himself upon spotting a familiar face among the sea of i-don't-know's. The writing on the bottom of Sunoo's polaroid was tiny, but Sunghoon managed to read what the quote said.
Sana sa next visit ko may discount na hehe.
P.s. half joke po ito iykwim *wink wink*
Beside Sunoo's picture was something— someone —that caught Sunghoon's eyes. He bent down a bit to look at another polaroid, eyes squinting due to the glare caused by the light. In the picture was a boy no older than him. Sunghoon guessed that they were close in age.
The boy was leaning towards one side as he sipped on his drink, posing so sweetly at the camera. The message on the bottom read: Will be working here soon!!!! I'm so excited!!!!!!!
"Cute," Sunghoon murmured. Hindi naman siguro halata na excited 'yung binata base sa mga exclamation point na sinulat niya. With one last look at the wall, Sunghoon finally sat down on one of the rustic chairs, contemplating on what to order.
Sunghoon was having a hard time picking what to order when the door suddenly opened. The bell jingled, and a boy wearing a brown flannel entered the building. He was gasping for air, the straps of his black body bag almost falling off his shoulders.
"Late! I'm late!" Sunghoon heard the boy panic. He watched as the boy held onto his knees as he attempted to catch his breath. Sunghoon then realized that he was the guy from the picture earlier.
First day siguro, Sunghoon guessed. Or baka training.
The boy brushed his hair with his hands as an attempt to calm down the stubborn strands sticking out. He wiped his sweat with the sleeve of his flannel, fixed the wrinkles on his white t-shirt, and dusted off his pants.
The boy was muttering something to himself. Sunghoon wondered if he was trying to hype himself up.
And, just like the beginning of a cliché romcom movie, their eyes met. Despite being strangers, the boy smiled at him, grinning so cheesily that it made Sunghoon smile too. The rays of the sun outside reflected a warm highlight around him, making it look like he was bathing in the warmth of the midday star.
"Oh, Jake!" An older man, probably in his mid or late-twenties, waved Jake over. Jake hurriedly walked towards the counter, muttering a soft apology for being so late on his first day. The man just smiled, patting Jake's shoulders and said something to him. With the way he looked and smiled at the boy, Sunghoon knew that he was growing fond of the newcomer already.
Who wouldn't?
Sunghoon watched as the boy hurriedly wore his apron and name tag. His eyes were wide and focused as he was listening to the older man explain all the things he needed to do.
"Kapag may kailangan ka, tawagin mo lang ako sa likod. Or hindi naman kaya humingi ka ng tulong diyan kay Jay. He's been here the longest, alam na niya ang gagawin." The man pointed to the other guy busy making drinks. Jake nodded, his hair bouncing as he did so.
"Got it po. Thank you!"
His grin was so contagious that it subconsciously made Sunghoon smile too. Catching his own reflection on the mirror, Sunghoon was quick to cover his mouth with his hands, slumping back on the chair with cheeks flushed red from embarrassment.
"Ang bilis naman," Sunghoon placed a hand over his chest, feeling his heart beat faster. "Ano ba 'yan."
It took Sunghoon a good amount of courage to stand up and order his drink. Walking towards the counter with light and unhurried steps, he gave the new barista a small smile.
Jake returned it, grinning much bigger than Sunghoon's, obviously delighted about working at the small cafe. "Hi, welcome! What can I get you for today?"
Sunghoon licked his lips and scratched the back of his ear before answering. He didn't know why he was nervous, and Jake's wide puppy eyes clearly didn't help with his nerves.
Hindi pa nga siya umiinom ng kape, nagpapalpitate na 'yung puso niya.
"Anong recommendation mo?" Sunghoon asked. He spent so long admiring the new boy that he didn't bother looking over the menu.
"Oh! Ano pong drinks 'yung prefer niyo?" Jake asked, bewildered at Sunghoon's question.
They didn't train me what to do in this situation! Jake panicked. Anong sasabihin ko? Hindi ko pa saulo 'yung buong menu!
"Anything is fine."
"Ah ganon po ba." Jake licked his lips. That doesn't help! Kapag ba binigyan ko siya ng shot ng espresso okay lang?
Sunghoon noticed the panic in Jake's face. Bahagya siyang natawa. "If it helps, I'm not picky with anything."
"Latte!" Jake beamed. "Ay, I mean. You can try our latte po if you want. It's the safest option out there. Bago rin po kasi ako rito so I can't really tell you what I would recommend yet."
And 'yon kasi 'yung madaling gawin.
Sunghoon agreed. He was glad that it was nothing he was unfamiliar with. "Okay, latte nalang. Does it come with latte art too?"
Jake's eyes widened. Latte art?
Latte art?!
"Joke lang, baka umiyak ka pala," Sunghoon said upon noticing Jake's very visible mental breakdown. "I was just going to drink it anyway. Baka masayang lang."
"No, I'll do it po," Jake said as he placed Sunghoon's order. "Anything else?"
"One brownie, pero 'yung walang nuts sana."
Jake nodded, repeating Sunghoon's order back to him. Sunghoon wasn't listening.
"Hello po?"
"Ay, sorry. Ano ulit?"
"Bayad mo po."
Bashful, that's what Sunghoon felt around Jake. Sunghoon gave the payment to Jake, while Jake gave the pager to Sunghoon and told him that he could fetch his drink by the counter kapag when it starts to buzz. Sunghoon nodded, paying for his order before walking back to his chair.
At the corner of the cafe, Sunghoon saw the kids from earlier — Jungwon and Ni-ki — talking animatedly about something. Their pager buzzed, kaya tumayo si Ni-ki papunta sa counter.
That prompted Sunghoon to look back at Jake who was busy making his drink. It was a simple drink, but Jake was so focused on trying to make a Latte art that his tongue was poking out.
Ang cute, Sunghoon thought. Sarap kurutin ng pisngi.
"Okay lang ba?" Sunghoon heard Jake ask his co-worker. The cafe was small, kaya naman naririnig ni Jake ang usapan nila.
Jay, the co-worker, looked over his shoulder and chuckled, shaking his head at Jake's attempt at latte art.
"Ano ba 'yan? Puso ba dapat 'yan o ano?"
"Puso 'yan, di mo ba kita?" Tanong pa ni Jake. "Abstract lang."
"I can make a better one," Jay said. Jake scrunched his nose. "Baka magalit customer sayo."
"Pero it doesn't look that bad naman? At saka okay lang naman daw na kahit wala nang latte art eh."
"Sinong may sabi?" Jay asked, wiping his hand with the cloth of his apron.
"Customer," Jake answered, placing the cup on the serving tray. "Huwag ka nang umimik. The customer is always right."
Jay contemplated on what to say. It doesn't look that bad, pero kung hindi naman pala picky ang customer then maybe it's good to serve.
"Okay na 'yan. Ano pa in-order?"
"Brownies, walang nuts. Isa lang."
After a while, Sunghoon's pager buzzed. Tumayo na siya at naglakad papunta sa counter. Jay noticed him, smiled briefly, before retrieving the pager from Sunghoon's hand.
"Enjoy your meal!" Jay said as he pushed the tray gently at Sunghoon's direction. Napatingin naman si Jake sa direksyon nila.
"Enjoy your meal!" Jake repeated, smiling at Sunghoon before going back to washing the dishes.
Sunghoon thanked them before walking back to his table. He chuckled at the cute attempt at the latte art. The shape was a little wonky, but it was fine.
Abstract naman daw. Pagbibigyan ko na.
He took a sip, the drink coating his mouth with a sweet and a hint of a bitter flavor. The milk was creamy, and the foam created a white mustache around his upper lip.
He felt someone staring, that's why he turned to his side and saw Jake looking at him with expectant eyes. The barista raised his thumbs up in question, asking whether he did a good job in making his drink. Sunghoon swooned, his cheeks flushing red. He returned the gesture, raising his thumbs to tell Jake that he did well.
Giddy . That's what the both of them felt that day. Giddy because Jake's first day at work went well, and giddy because Sunghoon knew that he'd be visiting the small cafe more often.
And he did just that.
Week one, monday — Sunoo was being dragged (literally) to the coffee shop by Sunghoon. Their classes just ended, both were still wearing their lanyards around their neck.
"Kapag ako natakid dito, isu-supalpal kita sa sahig," sambit ni Sunoo nang naabutan niya sa paglalakad si Sunghoon. The two stopped walking when they reached the cafe, and Sunoo noticed how expectant Sunghoon's face looked.
"Ay? May inaabangan?" Pambibiro ng kaibigan. "Sino? 'Yung nakausap mo sa Tinder?"
"Hindi ah, ghosted na ako noon," sagot ni Sunghoon. "Tinitingnan ko lang 'yung menu."
Sunoo didn't believe what his friend said, but he let the topic go. Sunghoon opened the door to the cafe, the bell jingling as he did so.
"Hi, good afternoon!" Masiglang bati ng lalaki sa counter. Sunghoon smiled, his face lighting up at the sight of Jake waving at him. This time, Sunghoon didn't bother walking up to the wall of polaroid pictures.
Week two, wednesday — It was almost 3 in the afternoon, and he wanted a little pick-me-up. May vacant siyang 2 hours, and he knew just where to spend it.
Walking down the familiar path to the cafe, Sunghoon followed the two figures walking in front of him.
"Sabihin mo nga kasi, ayusin niya 'yung RRL," the taller one said, hands hidden in his pocket as he walked. "Alam mo namang sayo lang makikinig 'yon. Ipapasa niya link ng article? Anong gagawin ko roon? Tititigan?"
"Nasabi ko na nga countless of times. Hindi naman ako sine-seen sa FB." The shorter one scratched his head and sighed heavily. "Tatanggalin ko na pangalan niya sa papel I swear. Pabigat… parang bag ko."
"Ay sus, mabigat ba?" The taller one asked, placing his hand on the grab handle of the shorter one's backpack and gently lifting it up. "Parang hindi naman."
"Ewan ko sayo, Ni-ki." The shorter one swatted Ni-ki's hand away. "I-chat mo nga mamaya, tanong mo kung paano siya nakapasa ng Research 1 nung Grade 11 kung ganyan ginagawa niya. Pambihira."
"Nakakatakot ka naman bossing." Umakbay si Ni-ki sa kasama at tumawa nang bahagya. "Palamig muna tayo. Baka sumabog ka na eh."
Sunghoon smiled at the exchange between the two friends. Parang kailan lang ay ganyan din ang pino-problema niya. The kids were probably in Grade 12. Sunghoon remembered taking the nightmarish subject named Research during his senior high school years. Definitely not fun.
The two entered the cafe, Sunghoon following behind. Mainit sa labas, kaya ikinatuwa niya noong salubungin siya ng malamig na air conditioning ng cafe.
And there, taking Ni-ki's order, was Jake. The first thing Sunghoon noticed was that Jake's hair was longer now, and a little bit wavy. Jake tucked his hair behind his ear as he was encoding Ni-ki's order. Sunghoon almost gushed at how adorable he looked.
Simp, he thought. Simp! SIMP!
Ni hindi niya napansin na tapos na palang um-order si Ni-ki. He was only brought back to reality when he heard Jake's voice calling for him.
"Oh! Ikaw ulit!"
Week three, friday — Sunghoon almost didn't recognize the guy on the counter. Which was unlikely considering that he's the reason he frequents the place. Jake's hair was now cut shorter, and most importantly, his dark brown hair was replaced with light blond streaks, which reminded Sunghoon of the beach he went to last summer with his family. In some way, Jake's aura felt warmer, and lighter, and comforting.
And Sunghoon wouldn't even try to deny the fact that the barista looked good. Finally noticing the customer, Jake waived at him, his usual grin displayed on his face. Sunghoon returned it.
"New hairstyle mo ah?" Sunghoon pointed out and Jake nodded, bashfully patting his hair.
"Yes. Sinubukan ko lang. Good thing my school allows artificial hair colors," the barista answered. Sunghoon noticed how shy Jake became, now that the attention was on him.
"I think you look good," Sunghoon said. Totoo naman kasi. "It suits you."
Sunghoon swore he just saw Jake's eyes twinkle. The corners of Jake's lips twitched upwards, though he tried his hardest to hide it. Heat rose to his cheeks, but he swore it was just because of the blazing heat outside.
Right. The blazing heat outside.
"May bayad pa rin 'yung order mo ha?" Jake said, prompting Sunghoon to laugh. "Binobola mo ako eh."
"Huy hindi ah!" Tanggi pa ni Sunghoon. "Bagay nga sayo."
Pero mas bagay tayo.
Week four, sunday — Sunghoon was confused. Jay was washing the dishes, and Jake wasn't with him. Instead, another guy named Heeseung (the nametag gave it away), was manning the counter.
Heeseung greeted him, and Sunghoon smiled in return. "Iced Americano nalang," he said. "Tsaka brownie, walang nuts."
"Ako na gagawa ng order niya," Jay spoke, tapping Heeseung's shoulder. "Tawag ka ni kuya sa likod."
When Heeseung left, Jay spoke, printing out Sunghoon's receipt as he did so. "Jake's not here."
"Hmm?" Sunghoon grabbed the receipt from Jay before placing it inside his wallet.
"Wala si Jake."
"Hindi naman si Jake ang punta ko rito."
"Ay sus, tatanggi pa siya eh," Jay teased. Inabot niya ang pager kay Sunghoon before turning around and making his drink. "He'll be back on friday. May pinaghahandaan lang sa school."
Friday. Sunghoon made a mental note of that.
Week five, friday — Sunghoon was late. His professor dismissed them 30 minutes late because of the conflict in schedule. Their professor crammed a whole week's worth of lectures in one and a half hours dahil may long exam daw sila next meeting.
Hindi naman natin kasalanan na hindi siya na-attend ng klase, one of his classmates reasoned out. Tapos tayo yung hahapitin niya.
Sunghoon left the class bago pa man magkagulo 'yung blockmates niya. He was already annoyed because of his bad recit earlier, tapos nag-overtime pa 'yung professor nila.
It was nearing 8 pm. He arrived at the cafe, expecting to see Jake by the counter.
But the cafe was already closed.
Sunghoon licked his lips as he ran his hand through his hair, frustrated with how things were going. He sat on the bench at the front of the cafe, watching cars and people pass by.
"Awit pare," Sunghoon muttered, chuckling to himself. "Gagi, next time na lang."
"What next time?"
Sunghoon flinched at the sound of the voice. There was Jake, leaning on the doorway of the cafe. He looked very comfortable — sporting a cream colored hoodie and a pair of sweatpants, his black shoulder bag slung loosely on his shoulder.
"Uy." Sunghoon stood up, profusely dusting off his pants. "Andito ka pa pala."
"Yeah, kasasara lang ng cafe," said Jake. "Sa likod na dapat ako dadaan pero sabi ni Jay may naghihintay daw sakin sa labas… I'm guessing that's you?"
Sunghoon opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. He then heard footsteps kaya naman tumingin siya sa may likuran niya. Jay had his hands in his pockets, bidding goodbye to the both of them as he walked past them Sunghoon almost missed the cheeky wink Jay gave him before disappearing down the busy street of people.
"Hinihintay mo ako?" Jake asked, his tone a little hopeful.
"Oo," Sunghood said, finally. He can feel his heart pounding. This time, he was sure that it wasn't because of the coffee.
"Why?" Jake grinned, walking towards Sunghoon. The latter took a step back, nervous because of the short distance between the two of them.
"B-bakit hindi?"
Jake laughed, founding Sunghoon's stuttering cute. Giddy . That's what he felt at that moment.
"Akala ko kasi bukas pa kayo." Sunghoon cleared his throat, not meeting Jake's eyes. "Gusto ko sanang um-order ng latte."
"Ohh. 'Yon lang ba?"
"Oo."
"Eh bakit hindi ka nalang pumunta sa ibang cafe?" Tanong ni Jake.
Sunghoon brushed his hair back with his hands once again, a sudden urge of confidence rushing through his veins.
"Kapag ba pumunta ako sa ibang cafe, makikita kita?"
Jake giggled, lightly hitting Sunghoon's bicep. This got Sunghoon to loosen up, finally grinning from ear to ear.
"Bolero." Jake playfully rolled his eyes. He then grabbed Sunghoon's hand, pulling him along. "Tara."
"Saan tayo pupunta?"
"You want a latte right? May bukas pang coffee shop! I'll take you with me."
"Baka kidnapping 'to ha?"
Jake laughed. It was like music to Sunghoon's ears.
"Hindi. Magtiwala ka lang sakin." Jake squeezed Sunghoon's hand. "You'll love the place!"
Sunghoon allowed Jake to drag him to whatever place he had in mind. Because he's certain that he'll love whatever place it'll be, as long as it's with Jake.
Sunghoon could only sigh in contentment, heart fluttering as Jake dragged him along the busy streets of Manila. Who knew that the boy from a local cafe would make his heart race this way?