Work Text:
Sunday, as far as Sunghoon can remember, is a day of rest. This is when people can laze around the comfort of their houses, or even get engulfed by their blankets on their beds for as long as they desire. This is when they let their muscles relax from all the tenses caused by a very long week they managed to endure.
In short, Sunday is a day for Sunghoon to relax.
So he can’t really understand why he is inside the cafe his mother owned, brows in frown as another complaint from their customers made its way to his ears. A sigh escaped his lips and he did, he really did, tried his very best to stop an exasperated expression from showing in his face but from the way their staff paled and began giving him a shaky answer the moment he asked him what happened, he knew that he failed from doing so.
“Is it really that hard to distinguish what is hot and not for you to mistake them?” he questions their staff whose one look definitely looks like it is on the brink of crying.
He can’t blame them for being too nervous whenever he’s around though. Sunghoon, in which he doesn’t know what to feel, is known for his strictness and being hot tempered. As much as possible, he’ll make things as perfect as they can and will exclude mistakes and flaws from every situation he was put into.
In his defense, he just wants their employees to become punctilious. He’s the manager after all and his mother did not train him personally on this for him to let the error of their employees taint the name of their lovely cafe.
For him, if you know that you can’t handle a job then better to not try it at all instead of causing problems to others. It doesn’t even have a complicated explanation, if it’s not for you, then go and look for something that will suit you more.
The woman in front of him muttered an apology before he decided to dismiss her to avoid further delay with their service.
It’s okay, Sunghoon.
He whispers to himself, once again, extending his apology to the customer who complained about receiving a wrong drink. Once he made sure that everything was back on its place and functioning properly again was when he decided to roam around, checking every detail and sides of the cafe that might need further improvements.
“Why are you so annoyed already when it's just nine in the morning,” a voice behind him snickered. Sunghoon immediately rolled his eyes and faced the owner of the voice. His eyes flew to the long line of people in their counter before answering his friend, Jay, one of their staff too.
“If I were you I'll go back to the counter now because I might lose my job,” he teased him and displayed his smirk in which he received a glare from his friend.
“Fuck you,” Jay curses as he stomps his way towards the counter to help Sunoo on accommodating every order. Then again, he was left alone so he proceeded with his duties.
The aftermath of the event a while ago just began subsiding from Sunghoon as he fixed the arrangements of the chairs he would pass by, taking a mental note to give Niki, the one who was assigned to it, a talk later, when a loud noise from their kitchen erupted in the place.
With his hasty steps, Sunghoon found himself inside the kitchen, furious as he scanned the surroundings, prepared to give a proper nagging to the one who caused another mess.
Sunghoon felt a scorching heat inside him, it was too hot and could burn him with just a snap and the only way to cease it was to release his anger. So he needs to find who's who and invite him in a not so peaceful talk that would probably leave the poor person crying and shaking.
It didn’t take Sunghoon a minute to find his suspect and the moment their eyes met, all the rage inside him melted down and an intense amount of worry and concern made its way to his heart.
“Jake,” he called him, watching how the guy flinched and bit his lower lip, as his one hand cupped the other. The next thing Sunghoon noticed was the splattered coffee on the floor and the unshed tears pooling around Jake’s eyes.
That’s when everything registers to him.
He immediately went to Jake’s side, scanned his hand properly and the redness that’s starting to bloom on Jake’s smooth skin leaves a bitter taste on Sunghoon’s tongue.
“I-i’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” the guy began explaining, the way he stopped the quiver was so obvious that Sunghoon took notice of it right away.
Sunghoon responded neither by the nag he plans to do so or an answer but by pulling him towards his office. But before they completely leave the corners of the kitchen, Sunghoon made sure to order some of their employees who were there to clean the area.
Here’s another thing about Sunghoon, no matter how hard he tries to halt himself, the special treatment that he showers to this adorable human being he’s with right now just comes out from him naturally. It’s just that Jake was so cute and pure that Sunghoon can never let him hear words that may paint those brightest eyes he had ever seen with sadness.
“Are you okay?” Sunghoon asked him as he let the water from the faucet run in Jake’s hand. Sunghoon almost failed to recognize his own voice because when did it even become this soft and calm?
Jake gave him a small nod before sniffing.
God, why is he so cute?
Sunghoon caress his hand, massaging it under the coldness of water before bringing him in front of one of the seats inside his office. “Am I going to get fired now?” Jake questions him with his small voice and Sunghoon immediately shakes his head as he applies some ointment in his hand.
“Why would I do that?” he asked out, eyes still focused on mending Jake’s hand, he can’t let such burns, no matter how small it is, ruin Jake’s precious hands.
For him, the guy was like a fragile glass, one wrong move and he might be broken so Sunghoon engraved it in his heart and mind already to protect him with all his might.
“I messed up again. It’s already my fifth time this week…” Jake answered and Sunghoon just gave his head a pat.
Just like a puppy, cute…
“It’s just your fifth time this week, Jakey.” Sunghoon’s smile tugged his lips upward. “And even if you do it six or seven more times, I wouldn’t dare to fire you,” he continued.
He felt the guy giving him a stare and questionable look, “Why?”
“You might miss me.”
Of course it was more than that. But for now, all of his answers will just stay in Pandora's box along with the other reasons that were masked up with his humor that only Jake had the privilege to see.
Why?
Because Jake was,
Someone he can never function once missing.
Someone that made his cold days filled with warmth.
Someone he would always seek the moment the sun rises.
Someone he can never live without.
Just like his favorite coffee.