Chapter Text
He was whipped from the moment they met. Maybe not from the second his eyes landed on him, but when the boy started chatting with him, he was long gone.
It was unknown to him what was he so attracted to - his looks, manner of speech, laugh, voice, smell - maybe all of it at once. He had never fallen so fast for someone he knew so little at all. In general, Hyunjin wasn't the type to fall for someone, he wasn't even sure his understanding of all these emotions was right. Because how was he supposed to know if he had never before felt his heart speed up, stomach crumble up and his cheeks along with his ears and neck redden up just upon seeing someone.
But here he was, head slightly tilted down, his face burning up, listening to the boy from flower shop on the opposite of their café laugh loudly at something Hyunjin's co-worker said. His eyes had trouble focusing, jumping from Felix to Jeongin to his own paintings hanging on walls. Everything that was said didn't even make it to his ears as he was solemnly focused on slowing down his breathing for sake of saving himself from embarrassment.
Suddenly a hand flashed before his eyes, startling him into a little jump and forcing him to focus on the source of the disruption.
"You really get lost in thought quite often lately" Felix smiled at him, although his brows were furrowed a little.
"Yeah, sorry" he apologised, hand automatically flying to scratch at the back of his own neck. A short silence fell between them and only then did he notice the absence of his co-worker. "Where did Jeongin-ah go?"
"Minho-hyung needed his help with something. How's your new monstera holding up? Is it growing right? Did you read the article about feeding it that i sent you?" in typical Felix fashion he found himself under question shower.
"It's... good I think" his hand changed it's position from nape to his other arm, rubbing it soothingly. "Kkami isn't a big fan of it, but he'll get used to it pretty soon, I hope" he chuckled. "Seungmin-ah helps me take care of it, even though he's killed all his own plants."
"There is a reason why he's banned from our shop" Felix giggled along with him.
"Just how many plants can you kill in a month? All of them being cacti at that!"
"Yeah, and how can all of them die in different way? How possibly can you drown one, dry second and then snap the last" they were full on laughing now. Now, thanks to that, he could blame the redness of his cheeks on laughter.
"You've dyed your hair" Hyunjin pointed out when they calmed down. "I liked the blue, but the blonde's nice too. It suits you."
Felix only smiled at that, silence falling again between them. Hyunjin slowly nodded his head, looking around the café in attempt to find anything worth a conversation.
Luckily, or in some sense he could say unluckily for him, they heard the bell from the door ring upon a customer entering.
"Felix, Chan-hyung calls for you. A customer asks way too many questions that he doesn't know answers too" Changbin, their mutual friend, smirked to himself at his boss' inconvenience, although it changed into full on wide smile upon seeing the taller blonde. "Well if it isn't my favourite barista!"
"Hi, hyung" Changbin's favourite barista indeed chuckled, relieved he didn't need to stay in silence no more even if saddened that he won't see his... friend, for probably the rest of the day and even maybe some more after that.
Shorter boy nodded at his co-worker, turning to Hyunjin next to raise his hand in goodbye "I'll see you later, Hyunjin-ah. Please, yell if he's gonna be all weird again, I'm pretty sure Minho-hyung will be happy to beat him up" with that he exited the café, making his way to the flower shop on the opposite side of the street.
Blonde followed him with his eyes for a while, stopping before it got to obvious - which he failed due to Changbin's genius detective skills - and turning to his friend, offering him his warm smile.
"Your usual, hyung?"
"Oh, it's so nice to know you remember my order" Changbin smiled, proud as if it was straight up a love confession.
Hyunjin liked Changbin. He could be a little much, with his quite frequent proposals and love confessions in many forms(mostly love songs he wrote himself), but blonde knew it was all jokes. Sure, when it first started he was really startled about older's behaviour, but after seeing Chan, Han and Minho laugh at it and then Changbin claiming his love for Jeongin, he quickly caught up. Now he himself sometimes fed his friends new joke materials by playing along and it even started to be a distraction he looked towards to some days.
"How could I not with you coming here every day?" Especially since it was a relatively easy recipe - two shots of espresso, some milk and chocolate syrup, sometimes with whipped cream, most often not. He wouldn't be good at his job if he didn't remember that, and a bad friend along with that.
"I'll also take one for Chan-hyung and Han-ah. Did Felix order?" Hyunjin nodded, pointing to a slightly cooled drink sitting on countertop. He noticed that younger must have forgotten it after he already left. "Jisung-ah asked to change vanilla for hazelnut. And to add ice."
"For Chan-hyung just espresso?" Changbin hummed affirmingly.
In under 10 minutes all drinks were done, thanks to multitasking and Jeongin preparing ingredients for a frappuccino for himself - he can prepare it again, seeing as he must be busy now. Changbin paid quickly and, after demanding a kiss for probably a new record time, made his way back to his own shop.
Sighing after seeing him out the door Hyunjin glanced around to find the cat shaped clock. It was already 3 PM, which meant soon the café's rush hour will start. Right now there were no customers and everything was cleaned up which left the blonde with nothing else to do other than lean on the counter and scroll through different social media platforms.
Soon enough Jeongin returned from back room, complained about Hyunjin using his prepared ingredients while making coffee for both of them.
"There nothing to do in this place. I swear I'll quit soon" he jumped up to sit on the counter next to the blonde, pushing freezing americano into his arms.
"Sure, go on" before older of the two could say anything they heard their boss raise his voice. "And get off the countertop before I fire you! And wipe it down or I'll kick you."
The youngest, in his typical brat fashion, rolled his eyes before jumping down and making exaggerated performance of picking a rag up and wiping the surface down - Hyunjin had to quickly rescue his coffee before it got knocked down. Minho-hyung glared with his typical death stare at his youngest worker before snapping to get blonde's attention on himself instead of his phone.
"Hyunjin-ah, Hannie asked if we wanted to come over to Chan-hyung's after work. I know Felix will be there, Changbin-ah doesn't know yet although he'll probably come if you do. You can ask Seungmin-ah."
Younger hummed, turning his attention back at his phone and clicking on conversation with his roommate. Quickly typing and sending a message he put his cell phone away, hearing the bell come to life again.
𓇗
"Goodbye!" Jeongin waved them off, opening the door with his shoulder not raising his gaze from the screen to even give them a glance, door closing after him slowly. Seungmin, the fourth worker who just happened to have a day off, was sitting at the bar and sipping his earl grey tea, using his off-work card to watch Hyunjin wipe tables down all by himself.
"What's the plan exactly? All I know is that we're going to Aussies" he asked his boss who was busy putting all the machines and ingredients away.
"I'm gonna drive us, Changbin-ah and Han-ah, Chan-hyung and Felix are going to pick up some beer on their way, we're gonna get some food delivered and then we'll see" he blurted, fighting with a bottle of syrup. These could really be a pain sometimes.
As if they were summoned the flower shop band came in, Jisung immediately running up to his boyfriend (he almost tripped over the threshold but luckily Chan caught him in time).
"Honey, honey, honey!" Han jumped around Minho, squeezing some flower in his hand, not letting Minho focus by constantly changing his place.
"Han-ah, Han-ah, Han-ah" he mocked the younger, grabbing him by his shoulders to still him. Jisung, all happy and giddy, pushed a floppy tulip into his chest. Blonde turned his attention away from them, raising himself up to greet his other colleagues. Chan was standing in front of him, already reaching for the rag in his hand.
"Nuh-uh" Hyunjin shook his head, pulling his hand away and twirling around the older in his own typical fashion. "You just finished your shift, I'm not letting you finish mine."
Besides that, he had just one table left - which was relatively clean already.
Chan sighed, stuffing his hand back in his puffer jacket's pockets and making his way to the only left free worker.
Hyunjin didn't try to find Felix with his gaze - his laugh at Jisung's antics was enough of a sign of his presence, and taller blonde had a job to finish. After wiping the surface down and propping up the fallen menu, he untied his apron, sending everyone a smile before disappearing in the back room to change.
In a long time he hadn't been so thankful to his past self for picking up an appropriate outfit - a jean jacket with ripped jeans and average white T-shirt wasn't the fanciest of outfits, but it was classy enough. And with extra accessories some could even argue it would find some place in some magazine.
When he came back out, his small black backpack propped up on his shoulder, everyone looked ready to leave - chatting and laughing quietly. Finally meeting his eyes with Felix he felt his neck heat up yet again, a dorky smile forming on his lips just like every time he was even slightly embarrassed. Minho reached out his hand for keys, pushing out everyone next and locking the doors.
"Can you get me Asahi?" Seungmin was the first one he heard after tuning into conversation. He noticed Changbin's presence, which meant he must have gone for a smoke earlier.
"Hold up a second" Hyunjin spoke up after they made it to Minho's car where they were supposed to split up. "How are we going to get in if both Chan-hyung and Felix are going to buy beer?"
Everyone hummed at his comment, looking around.
"Neither me or Chan can go by ourselves, we couldn't bring all of it back" Felix noticed "And it would be much nicer to go with someone" his eyes met Hyunjin's, quickly moving to Seungmin who was standing next to him.
"Then you and Hyunjin-ah go" Chan said immediately and before any of them could say anything he was already opening the back door of Minho's car. "We drove today by Felix's car anyway."
"We'll pay you back later" Han got their attention next, slapping both their shoulders and smiling at them. "Felix knows what we want."
And just like that, they were left to watch their friends drive off.
"So..." he heard younger speak up on his left after yet another silence fell between them. "There is a pretty cheap convenience store that way" he pointed with his thumb "And it should have all we need."
"Yeah, okay" hands in older's jeans pockets fondled with anything they could grasp on. He hadn't felt so tense in some time now.
"So... What kind of beer do you like?" shorter of the two tried to start a conversation again.
Somehow he managed to keep the conversation going until they reached the store - which wasn't a lot of time, but he still gave himself a mental head pat. Looking at the amount of beer they picked up, it was understandable why they didn't send one person to pick it all up.
"What would you like to order?" Felix changed the topic once they exited the store, each with a plastic bag in hand.
"I could settle for anything" he shrugged "And I'm pretty sure that I'll have what to choose from, seeing Changbin-ah's coming"
"Yeah, he'll probably order way too much. By the way, he said he didn't want to come at first, but he was really easily convinced when he found out you were coming."
They both chuckled, the tension around them disappearing as quickly as it appeared.
"Sometimes I wonder if I really should confess to him" Hyunjin added "I really would like to see his reaction."
"Yeah, he would either be flabbergasted or the happiest man in the world."
"Oh, Changbin-hyung!" taller blonde switched his face to one full of emotion, reaching hand out for something invisible in front of himself and fixing his eyes at the same spot. "I can't believe I didn't notice it before... I love you, with all my heart and might, you're the one I dream about at night!"
Felix was full on laughing next to him at his improvisation, his hands raising to clap.
"I would totally fall for you after a confession like that!"
Hyunjin could feel his ears redden, quickly reaching his hands up to cover them with his hair.
"Haha... Yeah."