Archive of Our Own

When Beomgyu had found the available apartment above the art studio he applied to work in, he knew it was fate. He had to get it. Even if he didn’t end up getting the job, the art studio was part of a cute street of shops and cafés that Beomgyu couldn’t wait to explore. It seemed like a warm and vibrant community that Beomgyu could easily fit into, which was much better than his old apartment that was right near the highway, always loud and busy. The tranquility and peace of this street suited Beomgyu much better.

The first thing he did after waking up in his new bed was get ready to scope out the cafés. He still had a few boxes to unpack, and he definitely couldn’t do it without coffee. He put on a white shirt, tucked it into his light brown pants, then topped off the outfit with one of his plaid shirts. If he was going to meet people today, he needed to look presentable and give a good first impression.

As he walked along the street, he smiled and breathed in the different scents: coffee, pastries, pizza, charcoal chicken, candles, fresh flowers. He heard the sound of people chatting and of laughter, and definitely not as many cars or sirens as the highway. Yup, it was a good choice to move here.

After walking up the street, then down the other side, he concluded that there were three main coffee shops. One was on the corner, which had more outdoor space, consequently making it fairly busy with families and people enjoying their breakfast. The other two coffee shops however, were opposite each other and both equally busy with both eat-ins and people waiting for their takeaway. Beomgyu assumed they were rivals, but the bigger question in hand was: Which one was better? Naturally, he decided to try one and save the other for his inevitable second coffee in the afternoon.

Since he lived on MOA Street, one was called MOA Café, while the other was called MOA Coffee (Confusing, I know). He reasoned that MOA Coffee would have the better coffee, so he tried there first. When it was his turn, the other wait staff seemed to be busy, so the barista came to the register directly.

“Welcome to MOA Coffee!” The blue-haired barista (‘Yeonjun’, according to his nametag) smiled warmly at him. “What would you like to order?”

“Hi! I’m not sure if you’ll have this but…” Beomgyu chuckled. “Could I have a three-quarter full extra hot mocha with oat milk, extra froth, and a dash of caramel syrup?”

“Woah.” Yeonjun muttered. “Well, for starters, I don’t think we even have caramel syrup. We haven’t restocked that yet.”

“Oh. Sorry about that.” Beomgyu replied, deflated.

“Why are you apologising?” Yeonjun laughed. “I’m sorry for the inconvenience.”

“It’s fine. I guess I can do without it.” Beomgyu flashed a small smile. (Usually, the dash of caramel syrup is what makes his coffee just that little bit more special, so it’ll be weird to not have it.)

“Are you sure? I hate to say this but… you could go and visit MOA Café. They’d probably have what you need.” Yeonjun rubbed the back of his neck.

Beomgyu tilted his head in confusion and asked, “You’re not rival businesses?”

“I’d call it a friendly rivalry. Apparently the original owners were good friends or something.” Yeonjun chuckled. “In the end, we exist to make our customers happy.”

“That’s a very mature mindset.” Beomgyu smiled. “I guess I’ll check them out, then. I’ll come back here for my second coffee. You can do an oat milk chai latte with one sugar, right?”

“I’ll even do my special latte art.” Yeonjun winked (blinked).

Beomgyu laughed at his attempt and crossed the road to the other coffee shop, MOA Café. The first thing Beomgyu noticed was that it had a wider selection of pastries and a dessert special, even though it was 9 in the morning.

“Hello! Are you ready to order?” The boy (‘Taehyun’) smiled warmly.

“Sure! Oh, by the way, do you have caramel syrup?” Beomgyu asked, aware that it was a strange request.

“Yes, we do. Why do you ask?”

“Ahh… MOA Coffee hadn’t restocked it yet, so Yeonjun-ssi asked me to try here.”

“Yeonjun-hyung did? Hah! Another win for us.” Taehyun laughed, surprising Beomgyu at how he blatantly teased the other.

“Don’t be mean.” The barista chuckled. “They’ve just been busy.”

“Yeah? And so have we.” Taehyun said lightheartedly.

“We do more desserts than them, so of course restocking syrup wouldn’t be at the top of their list.”

“Still proves that we’re superior. They should be prepared at all times.”

“Umm…” Beomgyu spoke up. He wasn’t sure if the two were aware that they’d left him there awkwardly, and he couldn’t ignore the growing line behind him.

“Oh, sorry about that!” The barista apologised, then slapped Taehyun lightly. “Do your job!”

“Do yours.” Taehyun laughed, then turned back to Beomgyu. “What would you like to order? Something with caramel syrup?”

“Ah, yes. I’d like a three-quarter full extra hot mocha with oat milk, extra froth, and a dash of caramel syrup.”

Beomgyu felt guilty as soon as he’d seen the shock on the barista’s face, whereas Taehyun had somehow picked it all up correctly and even asked if he wanted anything else.

“I’m good, thank you.” Beomgyu nodded and then leaned in to whisper, “Umm… Will the barista be okay making my order?”

“You mean Kai? He’ll be fine.” Taehyun chuckled. “He’ll figure it out, but let him know if there’s anything terribly wrong and I’m sure he’d be happy to make another one.”

“Great, thank you. I don’t mind if you get it wrong anyway. I might be back tomorrow.” Beomgyu smiled at Kai.

“O-Okay!” Kai blushed and looked away before going to get the ingredients he needed.

"Take away or eating in?”

“Take away, please.”

“Could I get your name so we can call your order out?” Taehyun asked, marker ready on the cup after writing the long list of requirements.

“It’s Beomgyu.”

A few minutes later, there’s a “Beomgyu-ssi!” called out by the barista, Kai.

“I tried my best, but umm…” Kai chewed his lip nervously as he held out the coffee cup. “Please let me know how I can improve it!”

“I’m sure it’s great, Kai-ssi. But if you insist…” Beomgyu smiled and then removed the lid to take a sip.

It was pretty good for a first try, in Beomgyu’s opinion. Some people would add too much caramel syrup, others wouldn’t make it frothy enough, and others would forget to make it three-quarters full. (Yes, he’s aware he’s very picky. He has his reasons.) Kai’s was probably a bit too full for his liking, and had too little caramel, but it had the right amount of froth.

“Hmm… It’s a little too full, but that’s okay. You can use less chocolate powder next time, since the caramel adds sweetness. Oh, and you can add more caramel! It’s a bit of a long dash, I guess? Sorry, I’m really picky, aren’t I?” Beomgyu laughed.

“N-Not at all! I’ll take those into consideration next time!” Kai nodded as he scribbled it down in his notepad.

“Don’t stress about it, Kai-ssi.” Beomgyu smiled. “I’ll be back tomorrow. And besides, I just moved into this street, so I’ll probably be a regular face now.”

“Already choosing us over MOA Coffee? Good choice.” Taehyun commented.

“Not true. Yeonjun-hyung said he’d make me a chai latte, art included.” Beomgyu teased. “But I think Kai-ssi can nail my order.”

To that, Kai blushed again and returned to the backlog of coffee orders he neglected in favour of making Beomgyu’s coffee. Beomgyu only giggled and waved goodbye.

The next morning, he was happily welcomed by Taehyun and a shy Kai who gave a small bow before returning to his coffee machine. Luckily for Beomgyu, there was an open table and it happened to be the one closest to the coffee machine. One of the waitresses (‘Chaeryeong’) gave him a menu, allowing him to fully browse their selection of food and drinks.

“Eating in today, Beomgyu-ssi?” Taehyun smiled.

“Yes, I’ve got time to kill this morning.” Beomgyu chuckled. “How’s the morning been?”

“Busy as always. Welcome to MOA Café! What could I get for you?” Taehyun turned back to greet another customer.

“How’s your morning been, Kai-ssi?” Beomgyu asked.

“Y-Yes?” Kai stuttered.

Beomgyu found it cute, the way that Kai appeared to have a natural pink blush on his cheeks and shy personality.

“I asked how your morning has been.”

“It’s been good, thank you! How about yours?”

“Might depend on how well you make my coffee.” Beomgyu joked, although Kai seemed to take it seriously.

“I-I’ll do my best!” He bowed once more.

“Relax, I’m just kidding.” Beomgyu laughed, which made Kai visibly ease. “To tell you the truth, no one’s ever really made the perfect coffee for me.”

“Really? How did it become your usual order then?” Kai asked, putting down his milk jug before frothing it.

“My friend made it for me before he left to move overseas. I told him to surprise me, and he really did.” Beomgyu chuckled. “No one’s ever been able to replicate it. There’s never a perfect balance.”

(Beomgyu didn’t notice the way Kai’s eyes were locked on him, taking in his every word.)

Chaeryeong came shortly after that to take his order. He quickly settled on trying out their Breakfast Plate, since he was too busy talking to Kai to even look through the menu properly. (He’d have plenty of chances anyway.)

“Kai-ssi, do you remember my order?” Beomgyu inquired before sending Chaeryeong away.

“Y-Yes! I’ll get it ready right away!”

“Yah, don’t forget the other orders.” Taehyun lightly scolded him.

“After those.” Kai corrected himself.

“Take your time.” Beomgyu chuckled at the way Kai was so eager to make his order. He must be really determined to get it right.

After Kai returned to his work, Beomgyu resorted to scrolling on his phone instead. He didn’t want to distract him further from his job. He also took a picture of the café to send to Soobin, gushing about how cute it was.

soobin-pabo

> coffee any good?

beomgyu-pabo

the barista is trying really hard to make my order perfect <

it’s cute <

soobin-pabo

> you’re whipped already??

beomgyu-pabo

AM NOT <

you’d think he’s cute too trust me <

soobin-pabo

> pics or it didn’t happen

beomgyu-pabo

no wtf that’s weird <

i just met them yesterday <

soobin-pabo

> boo you

beomgyu-pabo

love u too hyung <

visit me soon <

soobin-pabo

> in your dreams

Beomgyu laughed and put his phone down as Kai placed the cup of coffee on his table, turning it so he could see the latte art leaf he’d made.

“Let me know how this one is.” Kai, bowing before quickly returning to his place behind the coffee machine.

“Will do. Thank you for the cute latte art.” Beomgyu smiled. Kai almost tripped on air.

“So? How was it?” Kai asked when he’d finished his coffee.

“Better than yesterday! The fullness is just right this time. But maybe a bit too much caramel this time? Sorry, I don’t really know how to explain it…” Beomgyu rubbed the back of his neck. “But it was still delicious!”

“Noted! I’m glad you liked it.” Kai smiled, scribbling down diligently in his notebook behind the counter.

When Beomgyu finally got the news that he was hired at the art studio, he was over the moon. It’d been a few days since he moved in, and he was finally going to start work the next morning. Along with having time to create his own art, he was in charge of keeping the studio organised and clean, and he’d even get to teach a few classes once the manager had an idea of what he could do.

He immediately headed to the café to celebrate by treating himself to their strawberry pancake dessert special. He’d never found the occasion to try it until now. Taehyun and Kai immediately picked up on his excitement, beaming bright as he walked in.

“What happened to you? You’re looking happier than usual.” Taehyun smirked.

“I got the job at the art studio!” Beomgyu grinned wide.

“Really, hyung? That’s amazing! Congratulations!” Kai clapped. “We have to celebrate! Order whatever you want, on the house.”

“Wow, bold of you to think I’d allow that—”

“Relax, I’ll pay for it, Taehyunnie.” Kai giggled.

“Oh, I can’t accept that—” Beomgyu started.

“Nonsense! Of course you can! It’s the most I can do, since you keep putting up with my failed coffees.” Kai chuckled.

“I told you not to worry about those…” Beomgyu sighed and gave in, seeing as Kai’s determined face. “I’ll have the dessert special and my usual, then.”

“Coming right up!” Kai grinned and quickly moved to make his coffee.

“But Kai, it’s your—” Taehyun raised an eyebrow.

“I’ll take it after this, I promise.” Kai gave a thumbs up.

When Beomgyu received his coffee from Kai, the last thing he expected was for the barista to sit down across from him.

“U-Umm… Do you mind if I sit and try the coffee after you?” Kai blushed a furious red. “I-It’s just that… I’ve noted down what you’ve said but I’ve never actually tried it myself… Oh, but I understand if you don’t want me to, that’s kind of unhygienic, right?”

“Calm down, Kai-ssi.” Beomgyu laughed, endeared at how he spoke quickly when he was embarrassed. “That’s actually a good point. How can you perfect it if you don’t know what it tastes like itself, right?”

“Right? I can’t practise— I mean—! I can’t make it well without knowing what I should change and why!” Kai chuckled nervously.

Beomgyu simply laughed and took a long sip, then passed it to Kai to drink from the other side.

“I-Is this really okay?”

“Yes, Kai-ssi. It is.”

“Just call me Kai.” The boy blushed. “Besides, you’re probably older than me.”

“Really? How old are you?”

“22.”

“No way! I’m 24! You can call me hyung, then!”

“A-Are you sure?”

“Of course! We’re friends, aren’t we?” Beomgyu laughed, as if they’d known each other longer than five days.

“I guess we are.” Kai smiled fondly, then took a sip of the coffee.

“I don’t quite know what it is, but this one doesn’t have enough coffee flavour in it.” Beomgyu mused. “The one my friend made had a really nice balance of coffee and caramel. But like… more blended together, I guess?”

“Hmm… I see. Maybe the trick is to add the caramel to the shot before the milk…” Kai mumbled to himself, jerking his cheek to the side and pursing his lips. (Beomgyu thought it was adorable.)

“Do you like it?” Beomgyu suddenly inquired.

“Oh, me? It’s nice.” Kai blushed shyly, clearly unused to praising himself. “I do like my coffee sweet, although I prefer lattes.”

“What kind?”

“Vanilla lattes! They’re my favourite. And I like to add some cinnamon on top as well.”

“That sounds delicious.” Beomgyu gulped.

“I’ll be sure to make it for you next time, if you ever get sick of your usual.” Kai giggled.

“That reminds me… Shouldn’t you be working?” Beomgyu asked curiously.

“Oh, I’m on break. Otherwise I wouldn’t be sitting here, or else Taehyunnie would yell at me.” Kai laughed.

Beomgyu was in temporary shock. How long had they been sitting here for? He probably only had 30 minutes, maybe less, to eat lunch and he’d just wasted some of it talking to Beomgyu.

“Why would you waste your break on me?” Beomgyu asked incredulously.

“What are you talking about? It’s not a waste, hyung.” Kai reassured him.

Just then, Beomgyu’s dessert special arrived at the table. It was quite extravagant, and a lot bigger than he expected. Sure, he wanted to treat himself, but this was definitely a meal for two, or else he’d have to start hitting the gym regularly. As Kai stood up to excuse himself and leave, Beomgyu gripped his wrist, making Kai gasp.

“You have to eat this with me. You’re obliged to. Heck, you literally paid for this.”

“But I—”

“Trust me, you’re saving me a trip to the gym. Excuse me, could I have another cutlery set?” He asked Chaeryeong as she was passing by. She simply giggled and gave an enthusiastic, “Of course!”.

“Come on, Kai. You can’t look at this and tell me your stomach isn’t rumbling. I bet you’ve got a sweet tooth anyway.” Beomgyu grinned, pushing the plate to the middle of the table.

“You’re very observant, Beomgyu-hyung.” Kai sighed as he gave in and took the extra cutlery set that was handed to him with a knowing smile.

Beomgyu smiled to himself in victory, slicing into the large stacked dessert carefully. It was delicious, but it was even more so because he was eating it with Kai. In a way, it felt like it broke the ice between them, allowing them to become closer as friends and to get to know each other better. While it was endearing to see Kai stutter and sometimes be clumsy around him, he also liked the Kai that was comfortable, like a long-lost friend. Plus, he absolutely adored the way Kai smiled, the pink of the strawberry cream matching his cheeks.

He knew Kai enjoyed their time together as well, if his regular smiles and laughter were anything to go by. There never seemed to be a missed beat between them, and even when they would have moments in silence where they were both eating, they’d smile at each other regardless. Kai even had to be scolded by Taehyun when he accidentally stayed chatting with Beomgyu for 10 minutes too long.

When he started work, he quickly settled into a regular routine. He’d visit the café around 7:15am (when they’ve just opened) and sit down for his morning coffee while catching up with Taehyun and Kai (mostly Kai). Then, he’d head off to start work at 8am. When it was his lunch break, he’d either spend it in the studio, at the café, or at home. The first two weeks, he’d mostly spent it at the studio so he could get to know the other workers better and see their own artworks. The first day he’d eaten lunch at the café, he noticed that it didn’t line up with Kai’s lunch (much to his disappointment, although he didn’t realise it). However, by the third day, Kai had conveniently said, “H-Hyung! Let’s eat lunch together! It’s my break time too.”

Later, he would learn from Taehyun that Kai had purposely changed his break time, just for Beomgyu. He wouldn’t understand why Taehyun would share that with him, though.

On the weekend, he’d visit the café at around 8 and take his time to sit in and enjoy a pastry. He’d talk with Kai while he would make the drinks (when it was slow in the morning) and then read a book or scroll on his phone when it got busier.

These things quickly became commonplace. Seeing Kai’s warm smile every day. Watching him do his latte art up close, because he had ‘special permission’. Getting to know the other café workers, albeit briefly. Watching whatever Taehyun and Yeonjun had going on, because they’d often visit each other with some sort of teasing about the friendly rivalry between cafés, which ended in bright smiles and laughs anyway. (He and Kai always shared a knowing look after every interaction and laughed.) Meeting some of the other regulars (and their dogs, of course). Learning about what music Kai liked, because he caught him humming or dancing to the song. And of course, watching as Kai tried so diligently to perfect his complicated coffee order.

“Kai-yah,” He mused one day. “Do you always put this much effort into other coffee orders?”

“No, of course not.” Kai laughed, as if it was the most obvious fact.

“Well… maybe you’re putting too much thought into it, then. Maybe you’re just supposed to… I dunno, feel it.” Beomgyu wondered out loud.

Kai simply gave him a confused look. If Beomgyu had a specific taste in mind, surely there had to be a specific amount of ingredients and the perfect combination for it to work, or so Kai thought.

“Don’t stress about it, Kai. You’ll get it one day.” Beomgyu reassured him. “Should I order something different to give you a break?”

“N-No need!” Kai pouted. “I can do it. I will do it.”

Beomgyu smiled, fully trusting Kai would keep his word. But either way, he was content. He loved to watch Kai, crafting his art quietly, eyes concentrated and hands steady. It was mesmerising. Beomgyu came to learn that coffee-making, too, was an art of its own. He saw it in the way Kai memorised so many orders and knew exactly how to make all the different types of coffee and other drinks. He saw it in the latte art that had apparently taken Kai half a year to get right. He saw it in the way that Kai’s eyes lit up when he learnt that they’d gotten expensive coffee beans especially imported from Brazil, excited to experiment with its unique taste.

And maybe, just maybe… Beomgyu stopped coming for the coffee.

Unfortunately, there was something that stopped him from visiting the café. Literally.

Beomgyu caught the flu for the first time in his life. And boy, did it hit him hard. He was bedridden with a fever, aches, a bad cough, a sniffly nose, chills—the whole package. Living alone didn’t make it any easier for him. He hardly had an appetite, but made himself eat small meals when he could. He researched online and concluded that he just needed lots of rest and fluids, which he could manage. As long as he didn’t have to drag himself out of his apartment to see a doctor and get medicine. If it got that bad, he’d probably have to call someone to take him.

Living alone also meant that it was incredibly boring. He didn’t have energy to do anything, so he spent most of his time in his bed, sleeping or scrolling on his phone when he didn’t have to eat or shower or go to the bathroom. He wanted to do more, like play games on his Switch, but his headache wouldn’t allow it.

By the second day, he was irritated for whatever reason. He felt like something was missing, but he didn’t know what. It was like something was off, but it wasn’t related to his flu. Something felt out of place.

He finally realised it when he’d mustered the strength to get up and make himself a coffee. However, as he opened his cupboard, it dawned upon him that he didn’t own any instant coffee. It clicked like a lightbulb in his brain. The thing he was missing. He called on the only person he knew would put up with him, time and time again.

“Hyung?”

“Beomgyu? Is that you? You sound like shit.”

“Thanks.” Beomgyu coughed. “Glad to know my one saving hope is well enough to insult me.”

“Wait, what happened? Are you sick?” Soobin asked with a slight laugh. (It was because Beomgyu rarely ever got sick, not because he was mocking him.)

“Down with the flu, I think.” Beomgyu sniffled and shuffled back to the comfort of his warm bed. “Anyway, I gotta ask you a huge favour.”

“What do you need? Medicine? Ice packs? Cough syrup?” It sounded like Soobin was already heading towards his own medicine cabinet.

“No, no, I don’t need any of that shit.” Beomgyu took a moment to blow his nose. “I need you to get me coffee.”

“Coffee? Really, Beomgyu?” Soobin sighed.

“Seriously, I need Kai’s coffee or I’ll die. I’ll die, hyung! Do you want your ignorance to be the cause of my death?” Beomgyu threw his hands up, even though Soobin couldn’t see it. (He could imagine it, though.)

“You’re so dramatic.” Soobin laughed. “How good is this coffee for you to have withdrawals, huh?”

“The best. The only one for me.” Beomgyu said firmly. “Now listen up, because there are two cafés on my street, and you have to get the right one. You have to go to MOA Café, not MOA Coffee. That’s the wrong one.”

“What? That’s so—”

“Confusing, I know. Anyway, only one of them has Kai, and that’s MOA Café.”

“Holy shit, I finally get to meet your angel barista.” Soobin gasped excitedly.

“Soobin, I swear to god, if you tell him—” Beomgyu felt a headache coming on. “I’ll come for you. You’ll regret it.”

“I’m just teasing. Besides, how am I even supposed to know what he looks like?”

“You’ll know! He’s the cutest one there!” Beomgyu grinned. “Anyway, I’ll send you my order and you can tell it to Taehyun, okay?”

“Taehyun?”

“He’s just the guy who manages the register.” Beomgyu replied. “You got all that down?”

“Yeah, yeah. MOA Coffee—”

“It’s MOA Café! Get it right!”

“MOA Café. Angel barista Kai. Your order. Taehyun. Is that it?”

“Thanks, hyung. You’re a lifesaver.” Beomgyu coughed again.

“I’ll probably be around 30 minutes. See you soon.”

“Bye.” Beomgyu hung up and snuggled back under the sheets. 30 minutes was enough time for a short nap.

When Beomgyu sent through his order, Soobin was reminded of how ridiculous it was, with the way there were five requirements on top of the normal order. He himself could never remember it, despite having had coffee with Beomgyu many times in the past. He wondered if Kai had managed to get it right, but he assumed Beomgyu would have told him. It was the kind of thing that would be a revelation for Beomgyu, if someone managed to replicate Yoongi’s coffee.

He parked his car on a side street, since the main street was busy, and made his way to MOA Café. It really was confusing, seeing as the two places were opposite each other and had similar exteriors. He silently wondered why he hadn’t visited Beomgyu earlier, but then remembered said boy was too busy settling in (read: getting to know the cute barista) to remember to invite him over.

“Welcome to MOA Café! How may I help you?”

‘Oh god.’

Soobin stopped in his tracks, blinded by the boy’s dazzling smile and… was that a dimple? Holy shit. He was beautiful. Gorgeous. Had a face crafted by gods.

“Umm… Are you okay, sir?” The boy asked.

“Y-Yes! Sorry!” Soobin snapped back to reality. “I-I’d like to order!”

“Sure. What would you like?” Taehyun asked.

“Oh. Give me a moment.” Soobin blushed, embarrassed as he pulled up Beomgyu’s message on his phone. “Could I get a three-quarter full extra hot mocha with oat milk, extra froth, and…”

“A dash of caramel syrup?”

“A dash of— Wait. How did you know?” Soobin gaped.

“There’s only one customer who orders that.” Taehyun laughed. (God, Soobin wanted to bottle it up and keep it forever.) “Kai-yah!”

In no time, Kai emerged from the back hurriedly, carrying a stack of paper cups with him.

“Yeah?”

“Make Beomgyu-hyung’s usual.”

“Wait, he’s here?! Beomgyu-hyung?!”

Soobin had to hold in his endeared laugh at the way Kai shot up, looking over the coffee machine to search the café.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry. Beomgyu-hyung goes missing for one day, and suddenly he’s like this.” Taehyun muttered.

‘Interesting.’ Soobin chuckled, storing the information away for himself.

“Sorry to disappoint you. Beomgyu got the flu, so he asked me to get his coffee.” Soobin chuckled. “He probably won’t be here for another few days.”

“Oh.” Kai’s disappointment was plain as day. “I hope he gets better, then! I’ll get right to it!”

“Thank you. I’m sure he’ll feel better after drinking your coffee. He gave it high praise.”

Soobin didn’t miss the way Kai instantly blushed. Interesting, indeed.

“And anything for you?” Taehyun asked, tapping Beomgyu’s order into the register flawlessly.

“O-Oh, right! Just an iced chocolate for me.”

“Not a fan of coffee?”

“Not all the time.” Soobin said sheepishly.

Taehyun hummed with a smile on his face.

“Here you go! One iced chocolate and one usual for Beomgyu-hyung! Thank you for delivering it to him…”

“Soobin. Thanks for making it. I’ll let him know you said hi.” Soobin smiled. Kai gave a shy bow.

“See you soon, Soobin-ssi!” Taehyun called cheerfully.

Soobin almost tripped and dropped both drinks. Almost.

Beomgyu woke up from his nap to the sound of his phone ringing. On the other side of the call, Soobin was waiting to be let in, so Beomgyu reluctantly got up to slip on some shoes, put a mask on, and open the gate.

“How are you feeling?” Soobin asked as Beomgyu let him in.

He took a moment to sip his coffee, then let out a satisfied hum.

“That’s the stuff. Kai never fails to make a good cup of coffee.” Beomgyu nodded, wrapping himself in a blanket on the couch, both hands around his warm cup.

“Did you take any medicine?” Soobin asked as he felt Beomgyu’s warm forehead.

“Yeah, I took some this morning.” Beomgyu said hoarsely. “I bet Kai was surprised to see you instead of me.”

“You should’ve seen the way he looked for you straightaway.” Soobin chuckled. “Also! You traitor! You didn’t tell me the ‘guy at the register’ was cute!”

“Who, Taehyunnie? Kai’s way cuter!” Beomgyu pouted.

“Are you kidding me? Have you seen his smile? He’s the literal sun!” Soobin argued back.

“Wow, you’re whipped, hyung.” Beomgyu laughed, pleasantly surprised at Soobin’s sudden interest in his friend. He wouldn’t have picked Taehyun to be his type.

“Says the one.” Soobin hits him lightly. “So… guess I’m gonna be getting your coffee every day until you get better, right?”

“Oh, please, hyung.” Beomgyu teased. “You say that as if you wouldn’t go back just to see Taehyun.”

Beomgyu laughed at Soobin’s mad blush, and then remembered that he still didn’t know if there was something between Taehyun and Yeonjun. He decided to tell Soobin about it, at least to make him aware. He hated to ruin Soobin’s excitement, but he didn’t want his friend to get his heart broken.

“Anyway, I should let you get your rest.” Soobin stood up.

“Thanks, hyung. I really do appreciate you, y’know?”

“Stop being a sap. It’s weird.” Soobin joked.

After Soobin left, Beomgyu went to rinse his coffee cup out in the sink. As he was doing so, there was something that caught his eye. In black marker, there was a message:

Get well soon, Beomgyu-hyung! Don’t forget to take care of yourself! We’ll miss you, but hyung’s health comes first! Hurry and fight the evil flu! ✺◟( ˃ᴗ˂ )◞✺

Beomgyu couldn’t help but smile at the cute and heartfelt message. He giggled at the cute little drawing, immediately endeared. It gave him strength and he felt better, knowing that Kai was thinking of him. He decided to keep the cup on his bedside table so that it could encourage him throughout the days and nights.

The next day, he texted Soobin to say: “Make sure to thank Kai for the cute message and drawing! Tell him I’ll do my best to win! ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و”

When Soobin turned up, Kai and Taehyun greeted him warmly, quick to recognise him. The first thing Kai did was ask how Beomgyu was, before he even had the courtesy to ask Soobin. He let it go though, understanding Kai’s concern.

“He’ll be fine. Just needs lots of rest and fluids.” Soobin replied. “He also asked me to pass a message onto you.”

Soobin showed Kai the message on his phone, making the barista smile wide. Kai’s smile was permanently plastered from then on, never fading as he hummed and made Beomgyu’s coffee. Truthfully, Soobin would understand if Kai had forgotten his order in favour of doing Beomgyu’s. In the meantime, Soobin chatted to Taehyun, albeit with pink cheeks and a slight stutter. While he knew he might not have a chance, he still found himself helplessly attracted to Taehyun.

He left shortly after receiving their coffees with the excuse of “Beomgyu will get upset if his coffee gets cold”. As he was leaving, a blue-haired boy in an apron opened the door for him.

“Ah, thank you very much!” Soobin gave a small bow.

“My pleasure.” The boy smiled.

Beomgyu drank his coffee in bed, feeling worse than yesterday despite his hours of sleeping. He had a fever that was yet to break, but he’d already taken medicine for it. Soobin was told to leave promptly, for fear that he’d catch the flu.

“Aww, are you concerned for my health, my dear Beomgyu?” Soobin cooed.

“Pfft, no.” Beomgyu laughed. “If you get sick, who’s going to bring me coffee?”

It’s fair to say he deserved Soobin’s forehead flick.

Kai’s message on the coffee cup had gotten longer, much to Beomgyu’s delight. On one side, it was filled from top to bottom with Kai’s neat handwriting.

Beomgyu-hyung,

I’m glad you liked the message!╰(*´︶`*)╯ I hope you’re feeling better today! Even if you’re not, make sure you rest and look after yourself! Yesterday on my journey home, I saw a bunch of dandelions and they reminded me of you. I’ll have to show you the photo when you get back! By the way, how’s the coffee? I’ve been trying to make it right, but I guess you might be too sick to tell. (≧ڡ≦*)

Get well soon, hyung!

Beomgyu smiled fondly, endeared and his heart full of warmth despite his killer headache. He couldn’t wait to send a message back to Kai. As he drank his coffee, he wished he could see him and his bright smile that never failed to make his day. When he closed his eyes to nap again, he secretly hoped he’d see him in his dreams.

The following day, he received a bag of his favourite snacks and some instant dinner meals, along with a paper note. Soobin said he would’ve pretended it was him, but only one person would go out of their way to prepare so much for Beomgyu as he was sick. Kai had handed it to Soobin with bright red cheeks and a “Please give these to Beomgyu-hyung!”. As Beomgyu sat up in bed drinking his coffee, he took the time to read Kai’s note, laughing to himself as the barista recounted funny incidents or things that reminded him of Beomgyu or gossip about Taehyun and Yeonjun and Soobin. Kai had the same inkling as Beomgyu, seeing first-hand how shy Soobin would get around Taehyun. As Beomgyu read the last paragraph, he felt his heart squeeze.

I hope you get well soon, hyung! It’s getting very lonely without you. I look forward to the day you walk through our doors again soon, but please know you should take all the time you need to rest! I will We will always be waiting for you. Don’t forget to eat well!

Beomgyu knew. When he would finally get better, he needed to tell Kai what he’d been feeling for the past few days, no… past month.

When Soobin arrived at Beomgyu’s place first (upon his request), the last thing he expected was to receive a whole-ass envelope for Kai.

“Oh no. Hell no.” Soobin groaned. “Choi Beomgyu, can you please please ask for his number? I am not being some stupid messenger bird.”

“I already sealed the letter, hyung.” Beomgyu coughed (genuinely). “You have to ask him for it.”

“What? No way! What if he gets the wrong idea?!” Soobin panicked. (He definitely did not want another certain person getting the wrong idea.)

“Hyung, you’re not the one who needs it.” Beomgyu rolled his eyes. “Just say I asked for it. Easy.”

Soobin sighed, knowing he didn’t have a choice. If he wanted this letter exchange to stop, he’d have to get Kai’s number for Beomgyu.

Giving the envelope to Kai should have been easy enough (“This is from Beomgyu.” “Oh, wow! Thanks, hyung!”). Asking for his number should have been a natural progression (“Oh, and could I get your number? Beomgyu asked for it.” “Sure, hyung! Let me write it down for you!”). Spoiler alert, it wasn’t. Soobin’s nervous wreck of a brain would not let him off that easily. Instead, he was too caught up in thinking of the hypothetical situation, that he said the wrong thing when he was meant to be ordering their coffee from Taehyun.

“Could I ask for your number?!” Soobin blurted quickly, looking down.

“Sorry?” Taehyun asked.

Uh oh. That wasn’t what he was meant to say. And that wasn’t Kai’s voice, either.

“I mean! Could I ask for Kai’s number? I mean—” Soobin panicked, turning to Kai, who was equally shocked. “It’s not what you think!”

“Calm down, Soobin-hyung.” Taehyun said calmly, chuckling. “Would you like to try that again?”

Soobin nodded, taking a deep breath and wiping his hands on his jeans.

“Beomgyu asked me to get Kai’s number.” Soobin explained.

“Oh.” Taehyun said, his expression dropping in disappointment. “Sure. Kai can write it down for you. Just the usual, right? Your total is—”

“And could I have yours, please?” Soobin asked boldly.

Taehyun’s eyes lit up with hope.

“I-I just thought… we could stay in contact as friends, since I won’t be here every day.” Soobin quickly explained himself, afraid of Taehyun getting the wrong idea (especially if he really was dating Yeonjun).

“Of course you can.” Taehyun smiled, scribbling down his number on a post-it note and giving it to Soobin. “You’re always welcome here. And you’re always welcome to ask me to hang out on the weekends, or even weeknights.”

“Oh. T-Thank you.” Soobin humbly took the note.

“Making a move already, Tyun?”

Soobin turned around and was faced with the blue-haired boy once again. As his gaze wandered down, he realised.

‘Oh. This is Yeonjun.’

“Jun-hyung.” Taehyun chuckled. “Meet Soobin-hyung.”

“Hi, pretty.” Yeonjun smiled, leaning in closer and causing Soobin to accidentally back against the counter.

“H-Hi.” Soobin blushed.

“Wanna sit and have a coffee with me?” Yeonjun asked with a light smirk.

“I’ve got to deliver a coffee to my friend.” Soobin gulped.

“Hmm… What about tomorrow, then?”

“Umm…”

“Don’t scare him, Jun-hyung.” Taehyun sighed, then smiled warmly. “Soobin-hyung, you can join us, right?”

Soobin couldn’t say no to Taehyun. Besides, no one could blame him for wanting to grow closer to Taehyun and to spend more time getting to know Yeonjun. (It’s all for research, he told himself.)

Kai’s voice cut through as he placed their orders on the counter. He’d written his number on Beomgyu’s coffee cup, with another personal message on the back. Soobin gratefully took the coffees, gave a quick thanks to Kai, and left the café still a blushing mess as Yeonjun and Taehyun waved him goodbye. Suddenly, he was glad Beomgyu wasn’t there to see it.

“Thanks, Soobin-hyung. You’re a lifesaver.” Beomgyu grinned, taking the coffee eagerly to read Kai’s message. “Holy shit, you actually got his number!”

“Of course I did.” Soobin coughed, putting on a smug look. “Who do you think I am?”

“Bet you embarrassed yourself silly, though.”

“Hey!”

“Relax, hyung. I’m sure if I ask Taehyunnie, he’ll sugarcoat the whole thing because he’s so in love with you.” Beomgyu smiled.

“It’s been three days?” Soobin raised an eyebrow.

“You’re saying that as if you didn’t fall in love at first sight for him too.” Beomgyu laughed, then returned to his phone as he sat down.

“Whatever… If you don’t need anything else, I’m leaving.” Soobin turned to the door to hide his blush.

“You met Yeonjun-hyung?! And he asked you out for coffee?!”

“Who the hell– Are you already texting Kai?!” Soobin shouted.

“Choi Soobin! I can’t believe you wouldn’t tell me first!” Beomgyu scoffed dramatically.

“I-I’ll tell you later! Bye!” Soobin rushed to get out the door.

“Hyung!” Beomgyu pouted loudly as the door closed.

After getting Kai’s number and texting him for hours after his shift finished, Beomgyu didn’t know why he hadn’t done this ages ago. In fairness, he’d thought about it many times, but chickened out. Besides, he and Kai saw each other regularly enough, so they didn’t necessarily need each other’s contact details. But now, he can keep in touch with Kai and talk to him even from the comfort of his warm bed.

Beomgyu told Kai about how bored he was, and how he’d mostly been catching up on watching dramas or reading books, while Kai told Beomgyu about his day at work or how he wished Beomgyu would come back soon. In a way, texting Kai felt different to talking to him. Personally, he could express himself better through texting sometimes, having the time to actually think about what to say, and appreciating Kai’s heartfelt words. His favourite thing about texting was that he’d be able to keep these words forever.

There were moments where he thought of what to say, but decided not to, because the words were better said in person. And to be fair, he was almost completely healed, so it wouldn’t be long until he could confess his honest feelings. A part of him didn’t know if Kai felt the same way, but the better part of him trusted that he did. Since the very first day they met and Kai had stuttered with those cute pink cheeks, Beomgyu had a feeling. A very good feeling.

The next morning, Beomgyu felt significantly better than his first day of having the flu. He still had a lingering cough and he felt tired (definitely from staying up late texting Kai), but he could probably go out with a mask at least. He decided to play it safe and asked Soobin to get his coffee for the last time. Later, he received a text from Soobin.

soobin

> sorry i had to leave your coffee at the gate

> yeonjun-hyung and taehyun want to have lunch together at MOA Coffee

beomgyu

HOLY SHIT <

YOU’VE GOTTA TELL ME ALL THE DEETS LATER <

PROMISE ME QUICK <

soobin

> AS LONG AS YOU PRAY FOR ME

> I THINK I MIGHT FLIP

beomgyu

YOU’LL BE FINE JUST BE YOURSELF <

Beomgyu walked to his gate, reaching through and carefully grabbing his coffee. He took it up to his apartment before he sat down to read Kai’s message.

I know we just texted this morning but I hope today’s coffee heals you and gives you strength!

I can’t wait to see you again. (｡・//ε//・｡)

Beomgyu blushed bright red. It’d be embarrassing if he read it the wrong way, but he knew Kai, and the little blushing face gave him hope. It must have taken a lot of courage for Kai to admit those words, because Beomgyu could tell they were laced with love. Pure love. The idea of Kai waiting patiently every morning to see him made Beomgyu melt inside. He desperately wanted to see Kai as well. He opened the lid to taste some of the foam (unfortunately the latte art did not survive) and then took a long sip.

Beomgyu’s eyes widened as he swallowed. Then, he took another sip. And another, to be sure. There was no doubt about it.

Beomgyu abandoned the coffee and rushed to put his shoes on, almost forgetting to grab his keys and a mask before he left. Opening his gate and locking it again had never felt like such a long task.

He hastily put on the mask as he ran to MOA Café, not even thinking about whether he could spy on Soobin and the other two or not. As he walked in, he was welcomed by the familiar smell of pastries, the light pop music, and most importantly, the smell of beautiful coffee being made.

“Beomgyu-hyung?”

Beomgyu looked up from where he was catching his breath, and he was met with the love of his life. His angel, his sunshine, the only person he wanted to see.

“Kai-yah.” Beomgyu grinned under the mask, relieved to see him after so long.

“Hyung, did you run here? Do you need some water?” Kai fussed, going to grab a bottle.

“I’ll be… fine…” Beomgyu reassured him and walked towards him. “More importantly… You did it.”

“Did what?” Kai frowned.

“You made it.” Beomgyu smiled. “You made the perfect order.”

“Wait… I did?!” Kai gasped.

“You did it!” Beomgyu cheered, then opened his arms wide to hug Kai as they jumped up and down in celebration.

“Wow, I didn’t even realise it!” Kai smiled. “I just did what you said. I didn’t follow a recipe this time. I just went with my feelings.”

“Well, whatever you did, I’m sure you can do it again.” Beomgyu chuckled.

After an awkward pause, the two realised they were still holding onto each other and shyly let go. Beomgyu waited, seemingly deep in contemplation.

“Hyung, I–”

“I missed you,” Beomgyu confessed boldly. “I missed you so much, I thought I’d go crazy if I had to go another day without seeing you. I didn’t realise how much not seeing you would affect me, until it actually happened.

“Kai-yah,” Beomgyu gulped. “Your coffee always gave me strength. Your little messages? I read them over and over to make myself feel better. But even as I drank your delicious coffee, I realised…

“I didn’t just miss your coffee. I missed you. I missed seeing you every morning and having lunch with you and hearing about your day and watching you make coffee. I missed your smile and your laugh and I missed everything that I love about you.” Beomgyu smiled fondly. “I couldn’t wait to see you too, Kai-yah. I never got to tell you that, but at least now I did, right?

“And before you say anything or think I’m weird or potentially reject me,” Beomgyu put a finger to Kai’s lips. “Let me properly confess first. I’m in love with you. I’ve known it for a while, but I didn’t want to rush into things, especially if you don’t even feel the same way. Ever since we grew closer after the first week, I was sure. Kai, even if we just stay as friends, I want to see your smile, and I want to talk to you, and I want to listen to you… every day of my life. But if my gut feeling is correct… I hope you feel the same way too.”

Beomgyu finally stopped, allowing Kai to process what he’d just heard and also attempting to give his own heart a break. He swore it could probably beat out of his chest.

“Beomgyu-hyung… Why’d you have to confess in the coolest way possible?! Now I feel like a blushing idiot!” Kai whined, covering his face, despite his obviously red ears.

“Oh my god.” Beomgyu chuckled. “Why are you the cutest baby in the world?”

“Hyung!” Kai crouched on the ground, hiding away from the other staring customers as well.

“Aigo, you cutie.” Beomgyu cooed, crouching down with Kai and gently prying his hands away. “Can I take that as a yes, then?”

Kai shyly matched Beomgyu’s gaze and nodded.

“I don’t have any words right now… literally. But…” Kai took a deep breath. “I missed you too, hyung. More than I thought I would. I kept waiting to see your bright smile, but when you weren’t here, it didn’t feel right. Taehyunnie kept teasing me, but I was really worried something had happened.

“When I heard you were sick, I was kind of glad, because it wasn’t that you were ignoring us or anything.” Kai huffed a laugh. “And then it was just a matter of waiting for you to come back every day… which sucked. All I wanted was to see you again.”

“Kai-yah.” Beomgyu smiled, pleased to hear those words from Kai.

“And now, all I want to do is kiss you.” Kai blushed. “So… would you let me?”

Beomgyu’s heart melted.

“Please.”

Kai gently tugged Beomgyu’s mask down, then cupped his cheek before he tilted his head and leaned in. Their kiss was warm like the sun, tasting like coffee and the sweet caramel remnants from Beomgyu’s mocha. To both of them, it felt like the fulfilment of many weeks of longing for more, craving to know and love each other deeper and deeper. It was hasty, yet tender and gentle in a way that quickly addicted them and took their breath away. It was perfect to Beomgyu, just like how Kai had mastered the balance of sweetness, caffeine, and beautiful warmth. As Kai pulled away first, Beomgyu chased after his lips, both breathy with giggles and wide smiles.

“Hyung,” Kai giggled, putting his hand on Beomgyu’s shoulder and gently pushing away. “I’m still working.”

“Surely you could take the rest of the day off.” Beomgyu pouted and looked at Kai.

“Oh god, I can’t do this.” Kai looked away quickly. “You never told me you have literal puppy eyes!”

“Come on, Kai-yah. You need to look after your…” Beomgyu coughed (for emphasis, this time). “Sick boyfriend.”

“Wait, we’re really…?”

“Did you kiss me and think we wouldn’t end up dating?” Beomgyu raised an eyebrow.

“No, oh god, no.” Kai laughed. “I just…”

Kai looked down shyly and put his head in his hands, mumbling incoherently.

“I can’t hear you, baby.” Beomgyu leaned in closer.

“You’re like a dream come true.” Kai blushed.

“Kai…” Beomgyu melted once more. “I swear if you don’t kiss me again–”

“Kai, please just take the day off and put us all out of misery.” Chaeryeong half-groaned from in front of the counter. “Someone else can fill in for you, so please just get a room.”

“Congrats, by the way. And thanks for the money!” Yeji laughed.

“Money? Oh my– Don’t tell me you had a betting pool–” Kai groaned.

“Of course we did. We couldn’t hear about your whipped ass and do nothing about it.”

“His what–” Beomgyu started, although Kai quickly pushed him out the back and bid everyone goodbye.

“Sorry about them. They can be a handful.” Kai sighed, then took Beomgyu’s hand in his, squeezing lightly. “Can I finally visit your apartment?”

“I can’t believe it took us this long.” Beomgyu laughed, then led the way, happily swinging their hands together.

The rest of the day was filled with sweet kisses, warm cuddles, bright smiles, and beautiful laughter. From then on, it would be like that every day.

Kai’s life could be seen as quite mundane, making coffees all day and seeing the same faces, but Kai would disagree. He took great joy in getting to know his customers and working with his friends, alongside catching up with regulars and helping to make everyone’s day that little bit better.

One of his favourite things to do was to watch all the different types of people come in, and to hear about how they were doing. Everyone had a unique story, and Kai was more than happy to listen to them. Becoming a barista helped him to understand people better, rather than judge people from their appearance.

The day Choi Beomgyu came in, it was love at first sight. Cheesy, yet Kai would argue it was true. There was something around Beomgyu, like a breath of fresh air and warm sunshine. He somehow managed to look both gorgeously handsome and cute at the same time. When the boy recited his order to Taehyun, he was fascinated and endeared, and all he wanted to do was to find out more. Hearing that Beomgyu would become a regular was the best news Kai had gotten in a long time.

There was something about Beomgyu trusting him to perfect his order that made his heart warm. That “I believe you can make it”, and the fact that he’d kept coming to Kai afterwards, rather than Yeonjun. Honestly, Yeonjun was the better barista in Kai’s opinion, yet Beomgyu showed up to MOA Café every day from then on. Kai felt like he had a challenge to do, but it wasn’t hard or stressful because Beomgyu would wait, no matter what.

And with time, they did grow closer, far quicker than Kai anticipated. He chalked it up to the fact that he and Beomgyu had a lot in common. It was easy to be with him and Kai always felt at peace. Pure, abundant, whole-hearted joy. Like he knew everything would be all right if he had Beomgyu in his life.

The day Choi Beomgyu disappeared, Kai freaked out. It was unlike Beomgyu to skip a day, especially when he was visiting the café almost twice a day. He doubted it would be that he moved away (or else he would have told Kai), yet he hadn’t heard anything about going on a trip or holiday. When they told each other almost everything, it was hard for Kai not to worry. Despite Taehyun’s reassurances, he found it hard to focus when all he could think about was Choi Beomgyu.

The appearance of Soobin eased his mind, finally getting confirmation that Beomgyu was just sick. It didn’t make Kai miss him any less. It didn’t stop Kai from waiting, every time the door opened, to see if Beomgyu would finally return with his bright smile and warm greetings. Somehow, Beomgyu had become so intertwined into his routine and life that it felt like he’d left a gaping hole behind, and Kai knew there was nothing that could fix it, aside from the man himself.

Exchanging little messages with Beomgyu made his days significantly better, knowing that Beomgyu was still there and still happy to talk to him. Kai’s greatest fear would be that Beomgyu had found out about his blatantly obvious feelings for him and was distancing himself. Kai never expected to fall so hard for Beomgyu, but confessing his feelings wasn’t worth losing Beomgyu’s warm presence in his life. Kai was content to stay as friends, if it meant Beomgyu would stay too.

The day Choi Beomgyu returned, Kai couldn’t believe it. When Beomgyu had explained that he’d finally perfected his coffee, he couldn’t believe that either. But the relief that flooded Kai’s heart was nothing small. He was overjoyed to see his hyung again, even if they were only going to be apart for one more day.

When Beomgyu kissed him, it was the most amazing thing Kai had ever experienced. He couldn’t stop smiling, to the point where his cheeks hurt and he didn’t know if he could put all of the fondness in his heart into one gaze. He understood, that day, that he would not love anyone as much as he loved Beomgyu.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. Kai learnt that it was real. The only thing was, he knew his heart would only grow fonder and fonder, absence or not.

This was only the beginning.