Work Text:
Naturally a happy person, you were whistling the song that was on your phone. Blasting through the headphones you had on, directly into your ear, carrying you all the ways to your workplace. You were a barista and a very good one at it, you loved coffee and the small coffee shop you worked for. “Fairy Tale Coffee” was a small and cozy place, in pastel colors and with a welcoming dreamy atmosphere. Which had to originate from the owner, who was oozing the dreamy-cozy aura, which you loved. She was so cute and adorable, most of the times you just wanted to hug and cuddle her. Shaking your own head at your thoughts, you entered the coffee shop, the small bell at the door jingling with your arrival. You had an afternoon shift, till end and were determined to make this day another beautiful one in a collection of beautiful days.
Your parents had been utter optimists, probably why you were such a big one. You always had had to have something amazing happen, otherwise the day would be wasted.Which also was the reason why your favorite movie was “Alice in Wonderland” not only was Tim Burton brilliant, the six impossible things, were a thing you practiced religiously each time you woke up. Keeping the whistling up, you waved at Ha-Ri who was the one of the five other baristas beside you, who worked at “Fairy Tale Coffee”. She chuckled at your good natured whistling and pointed for you to meet her at the back. As Jun-Seo took over the register, for Ha-Ri to have a little breather. You weaseled your way past a few tables, not stopping the whistling of the song, that was still in your ears, not noticing how a pair of eyes was following your movements.
Stepping through the door that separated the front from the back, you walked over to your locker. Work clothes placed inside, you changed into the barista outfit your manager had decided for all of you. With her dreaminess came also the wish for some princess-/prince feelings. Of course all of you looked like butlers, with the getup she had picked for all of you. The boys wore tight fitting black jeans, a white dress shirt, a tie and a waistcoat While you girls wore the exact same thing, aside from the tie and the pants. Instead the girls were to wear black pencil skirts and a bowtie. That little extra, the uniform that showed you were a barista, kind of gave you always a boost at work. It made you feel weirdly special somehow, like you had a place you fitted in without question. And the decorations you could paint into the foam, were without question exquisite.
Ha-Ri came in, while you were buttoning up your white dress shirt. “So how was the weekend?” she asked with a gleam in her eyes, she had set you up for a blind-date, as she thought you shouldn't be without the experience of going out once in a while. However the guy had been charming, but not really yours. Most of the time he was showing off his success and wealth. Which kind of made you feel inferior and out of place, especially with the choice of restaurant he had picked. At the end wanting to go for a kiss, because he thought it had been a perfect date. Of course he would have thought that, when you had kept quiet all night long. Not wanting to strain Ha-Ri's relationship with the man, as they were high-school friends, by being accidentally or on purpose rude. “It wasn't really mine....” you replied to her and fixed your bowtie.
”Ne!Ne! You can't just go around like that! You'll never find prince charming!” Ha-Ri twirled on her heels and leaned against the locked locker to your right. Sighing dramatically she lifted her hand to her chest, where her heart was. “You will be alone and watch everyone else be happy! We can't let that happen!” the blonde barista grinned at you before she added in an english accent and with the little english she knew “I'll be your fairy godmother!” you chuckled at her theatrics, already used to them. And simply leaned up, to press a soft kiss to her cheek. “Ah, I suppose I will have to take the help of my 'fairy godmother' then won't I?” you were a foreigner in Korea and your looks were saying so. But your Korean was fluent, which was also a big reason why the elderly people that visited “Fairy Tale Coffee” liked you as their barista.
Changed and checked with the mirror, you left the dressing room and made your way to the front. You were usually behind the bar and responsible for the drinks, while the others waited the tables. It was great fun to be in the team, as it was more of a big family, than just work. So from time to time, when the shop was empty you'd gather around the bar and you'd fix all of them a coffee while you talked. Right now the shop was a little crowded and you were already making coffee for an onslaught of customers. Focused on your work, you once again did not notice the chocolate brown eyes that were watching you work. He was a regular costumer. Always sat at the table by the window, usually had a notebook in front of him and was jotting down word after word. While ordering a coffee, sometimes a piece of cake as well.
He had usually been in Ha-Ri's shift and just recently had switched his time-table, always catching you enter the shop and start your work. He stayed a few hours and then left the shop again, to return the next day. Sometimes he did that for a couple of weeks, other times he was gone for several months. Ha-Ri had noticed him, but she wasn't sure what to make of someone like him. Someone who wore a fancy custom made particle mask, only lifting it a little for a bite of cake or a sip of coffee. You on the other hand went on about your work, whistling to yourself whenever you didn't have to talk to a customer. An elderly man around his fifties sat at the breakfast bar that was adjoined to the cash register. He liked to come by and talk to you for a few minutes, while sipping his Americano. He had once told you, that you reminded him of his granddaughter, who was studying abroad now.
He laughed, when you told him how once you had wanted to be a mermaid. “I swear, I thought it was totally legitimate to want to be a mermaid when you grow up” he chuckled, leaning a little forward. “I'm glad you did not become a mermaid, how else would I get such incredibly good coffee” you laughed. Secretly the grandfather, that came in every day of the week, reminded you of your own back home. Sure you had moved away and had decided for yourself that you would start over somewhere new, somewhere no one knew you. But it also had meant to leave everyone behind and be on your own. Skype and phone calls were not the same, as seeing and hugging a person. Still serving coffee, creating foamy art and keeping people like the Ahjussi in front of you company, made it worth it. Made every single moment you doubted your choice worth it.
You had to excuse yourself from the conversation as the man that had been seated near the window, came to the register. You smiled at him politely, when he stopped right in front of the register. The mask that covered half his face, made it hard for you to see wether he was smiling or not. Especially with his bangs covering his eyebrows and the sunglasses he wore in addition. You knew that some Idols and celebrities wanted to stay unnoticed and therefore covered themselves and obscured their appearance. But “Fairy Tale Coffee” never had any celebrities or idols come to, aside from that you didn't really care much. Kpop, Kdramas or whatever, it all kind of belonged to Korea, one got used to it somehow.
”Oi! (Y/N)-ya!” Ha-Ri yelled at you, before you could even ask the gentleman what he wanted, turning your head to see her hold up your mp3-player. “Our stereo doesn't work properly, is it okay to plug in your mp3?” she asked. You shrugged your shoulders, “There are only instrumentals on it... but sure” you replied, then bowed to the costumer in apology. “I'm sorry. What can I get for you?” you asked with a polite smile. He stayed quite for a few moments, before the song you had been listening to when you had come to work, was played throughout the coffee shop. It was just noise in the background and didn't disturb the customers peace, more like an addition to some happy notes – you would even dare say 'upbeat'.
”A latte....” he suddenly said and his melodic voice caught your attention, despite being obscured by the mask. “Of course,right away. We offer foam-art, so can I fulfill a special wish or should it be the regular leaf?” you asked. He took another few moments to think, before his voice sounded again, this time there was a note of mirth in it. “A dinosaur...” you were surprised, which was why probably the unprofessional startled chuckle passed your lips. But you complied to his wish and started to prepare his coffee. His bag was slunk over his shoulder and you threw him a quick glance over your shoulder. “To go, or do you want to drink it here?” you asked. “To go...” he replied and you nodded your head. “My friends say... I look like a dinosaur.....” the statement was blunt and you could hear the joke in his words. “That explains why you're wearing a particle mask... wouldn't want anyone know that you are part of Jurassic Park...” the words were out of your mouth before you could stop them.
Frozen in place, you turned around to apologize, but your customer was bent forward, a hand on his knee the other on his stomach, laughing heartily. Shocked a little your eyes met those of the ahjussi to your right, but he just shrugged his shoulders. Busy to finish his coffee and create a perfect dinosaur on the foam, you tried to not say anything more road or offensive, than you already had. “I would be a great dinosaur, I'll have you know” the man finally said, after catching himself and taking a few deep breaths. You didn't need to see his lips, to know they were formed into a smirk. You couldn't see his brown eyes behind the black sunglasses, but if you had been able you would have seen them sparkle with humor.
”Thanks for the coffee...” he handed you a bill and while you were ringing him up, he was already out of the shop. Making you run after him with his recite and the change. He turned around right before reaching the traffic light, you were taking in deep breaths to be able to say a word, as you had been running right after him. “You forgot your recite and the change...” he rummaged through his shoulder bag, which lead you to believe he was trying to get his wallet out. Didn't most guys have their wallet in their jeans-pocket? Instead he was pulling out a pen from his bag and asking you to hand him the recite. You were a little confused but complied, before he also asked you to be his desk for a few seconds. Leaning over, both hands on your knees you did as he asked you. Not seeing his quick once over of your beautiful backside. He was quickly jotting something down on the note. You were glad he was so quick, especially since you were slowly heating up with him so close to your back. It just felt utterly weird, having someone lean over your back like that.
Upright again he held the recite out to you and told you to keep the change, before he was gone wit the crowd across the street and untraceable for you with your eyes. Returning to the coffee shop, you stuffed the recite into your pocket, not bothering to read the note just then. You still had some hours to kill at work and people to serve coffee. Especially since you had ran off on Ha-Ri who should have been off work, a few minutes ago already. Asking her to forgive you, you agreed to buy her some dukbokki, as a compensation after work. She promised to stop by later the evening, pick you up with her car, go for some dukbokki and then drive you home. With kisses to the cheek, she said goodbye to you and Yoona who was replacing Ha-Ri in her shift to the end. Keeping you fabulous company as she told you, about her boyfriend and the present he had made her for their anniversary. Yoona was like a little princess, the youngest in the shop and the little sister to the rest of the staff, including you.
Jun-Seo, who was also in the same shift with you and Yoona, would from time to time stop at your bar and ask for a coffee. With the long hours you guys worked, it was only natural to sip a coffee, once all customers were out. The evening hours were slow and usually people only came by for a coffee to go. Those that stayed were either students of the university nearby working on their papers. Or office workers who were off of work and needed either a tea or a coffee for the night. Depending on what their plans for the rest of the evening were.
Wiping the tables and whistling to the song that was now calmly playing in the background, you enjoyed the silence of the shop. Jun-Seo and Yoona had gone to do some grocery shopping, for the things the shop had run out of. And as it was approaching nine in the evening, the three of you had doubted that many customers would rush on. Mostly it would be coffee's to-go and office workers or students busy with their life. Stopping by for an energy fill, before they'd work the night with the things they had to do. You were done with cleaning the machine's surface, steaming water and milk could leave some not so pretty looking stains on the silver of the machines. In your thoughts it took you a little, to notice the group of young men, that entered the shop. They were varying in height and all of them were wearing particle masks of creative design.
You put away the towel you had used to dry your hands and watched as they took the longest table in the back, seating around it they looked for more chairs. A quick question thrown your way, wether they could grab some more chairs, to which you offered a smile and an “Of course”. They got seated and took off their coats, then the sunglasses which had been quite weird, seeing as it was night time. Before taking off the particle masks as well and stretching their limbs over their heads. Not all of them, some. Others were already looking at the menu and a few were throwing glances at you. Looking out the window to your right, that showed the busy streets of Seoul, you wondered for a second if Yoona and Jun-Seo would be back in time, to take the boys orders but it didn't seem that way. Pulling out a new notepad from beneath the bar and looking for a pencil, you made your way to their table once you had both items.
”Welcome to Fairy Tale Coffee, I'm your waitress and barista (Y/N). What can I get you?” you knew Jun-Seo's and Yoona's lines by heart, which was why it made it so easy to slip into their role. You never had been a waitress, but for now it was just twelve boys and you believed you could do it. It was simply taking their orders, making them and bringing them to their seats. Maybe by the time you were done with their order, Yoona would be back and could bring them. Or Jun-Seo, whoever made it first through the door of the coffee shop.
One by one they listed their order for you, while you separated the paper into 'drinks' and 'food'. The round went smoothly till it stopped at the second to last boy from the right. He was having soft brown curls that were shortened at the sides and styled to point forward and fall into his forehead. His brown eyes were looking from the menu to your face and then he said his oder. You recognized his voice instantly, which was a thing of yours. Once you had heard a voice, you could recognize it unmistakably. Most of the time that was how you recognized people, rather than their faces. You tended to forget those quite fast actually. “You're the customer from this afternoon!” you said and pushed your hand into the pocket of your pencil skirt. “I thought to leave the change with Ha-Ri so she could give it to you tomorrow. But I'm glad I was able to give it to you back personally. Thanks for the tip, but that is far too much...” you said and put the money in front of him on the table.
He was surprised, you could say so much, but didn't say a single word. Instead the boy to his right, who looked like a real life beagle, his lips formed into a box-like smile. He told you his order and having all twelve now, you excused yourself to prepare their order. If you hadn't been as focused on your work and into making coffee, you would have probably heard their conversation, as they were not-so-quiet. However you were too engrossed into your work, to actually notice anything. Not even how they pointed at your back and asked one another, how a girl of your age couldn't know them. After all their faces were all over Seoul and their music played in almost every radio station or shop.
The doorbell jingled once again, when Yoona and Jun-Seo returned. Yoona yelled a loud “Eonnie!” to catch your attention, as she knew nothing else would get your attention but getting yelled at, once you were into your work. Jun-Seo shoved Yoona a little, rubbing his ear, with the one free hand, that wasn't holding all the grocery bags. He had been raised the right way and hadn't let Yoona carry anything, but the paper towel roll she was holding in her arms. “We're back!” Yoona told you, once you lifted your head to see her and Jun-Seo walking past you and to the storage room, right behind the bar. “Hey you two... did you get everything?” you asked them. Jun-Seo nodded, while Yoona was suspiciously silent. Turning your head to look at her, you watched her look at the table in the far back, with a her mouth open.
She seemed to have more than just her voice back, when she yelled into your face, her finger pointing at the boys. “Is that EXO in our coffee shop!” the boys had turned around to look at Yoona, who was not as quiet as she had thought she was. “XOXO?” you furrowed your brows, you only knew the term from your country which was usually an ending for a text-message or the ending for Gossip Girl – meaning Hugs and Kisses. Not necessarily a group of twelve grown up boys. “Not XOXO....” Yoona sounded exasperated as if it was the most normal thing in the world, to know a hundred people. “E-X-O” she formed the three letters with her fingers and you couldn't help the same confused expression on your face.
While you were talking to her, you had gone back to prepare the next batch of coffee, you were a little bit of a multitask-er, being able to talk and do your work. Though you usually preferred to only do your job and focus solely on it. “The hottest boy band since ever? With songs like “Mama”, “Wolf”, “Growl”?” she tried to explain to you, but your face was still confused. Jun-Seo sighed heavily, as he let his fist bonk slightly against Yoona's head. “Noona doesn't listen to Kpop... in fact I think she only listens to instrumentals... right?” you nodded your head. “How can you not listen to this nations music! What a waste!” dramatically Yoona clutched her heart, after sending Jun-Seo a death glare, for having bonked the back of her head.
Jun-Seo though whistle the tune of the song you had been listening to when you entered the shop. “Oh that song I know!” you pointed out, he grinned at you. “It's their song, called 'Call me baby'” he explained, your lips formed an 'o' in recognition. “I guess Ha-Ri-noona suggested it to you?” you nodded your head and put the finishing touches on the lattes, as Jun-Seo was bringing the coffees over to the table of waiting men. Yoona had been too occupied in lecturing you about the music, to actually be able to bring the things over. Jun-Seo however didn't care much, as long as it wasn't Sistar's Hyorin that was entering the coffee shop, he was the definition of calm, personified.
”I apologize for my co-worker's impromptu exclamation of joy, she is a fan of yours.” he smiled his signature calm smile as he asked who had ordered what to place it in front of them. He told them, he'd be back with the last batch of hot chocolate, when one of the boys held him up. His hair was died a light blonde, the sides cropped and dark. “That barista... how old is she?” he rose an eyebrow, following the pointing finger. That was directed at your back, while you were preparing the hot chocolates. “I am sorry, Sir. But we can not disclose our personnel's information.” he was ever the professional, not only that but he also felt a little protective over you and the other girls. As one of the few boys in the shop and of course as your dongsaeng, he wouldn't just run his mouth to everyone. Not even international or national celebrities.
Yoona was still lecturing you on your taste of music, not noticing how she was pushing the glass with steaming hot cocoa to the side with her hip. You however had noticed and pushed her a little, calling out her name and to be careful. The hot steamy chocolate milk spilled from the glass and over your hand as the cup itself fell to the ground and burst. Making everyone look over to you and your younger colleague. “Eonnie!” Yoona's voice was high pitched with worry, but you simply waved her off, it stung a lot causing you to bite your lower lip, as your fingers wrapped around the wrist of the injured hand. Not only had the milk burned your skin, but the broken mug had splintered upwards and a few of them had cut past your hand. Jun-Seo excused himself from the boys and was on his way to you, gasping upon seeing the burnt hand. “I don't know any first-aid...” when Yoona yelled at him to do something.
The melodic voice from the young man, who had given you too much of a tip, cut in between of their hushed conversation. “I made an advanced course in first-aid. I could take a look...” he offered, you looked up from the mess on the floor and were ready to tell him not to bother. You'd run cold water over the burn and put some lotion on it. However Yoona was ready to burst into tears, not only from the guilt, but also from embarrassment. That you heaved a sigh, wanting to calm your co-worker. “I guess it can't be bad, if a professional looks at it?” your smile was forced, because your hand was burning with pain. But it helped in calming Yoona down a little. “I am very sorry for the inconvenience. The orders will be on the house...” more like on your paycheck. However you couldn't just let things slide like that. It could be a bad backlash on the coffee and seeing your manager in tears was the last thing you wanted.
The young man, who introduced himself as Jongdae, shrugged it off. “Happens to the best, don't worry about it...” he said, someone else butted in with a slightly higher voice. “It's more important to get your hand fixed!” you hadn't noticed how the boys were crowding the breakfast bar, as some of them were talking to Yoona and Jun-Seo, while some others were watching Jongdae lead you, by your wrist to the sink, to let cool water run over the burn. You hissed a little as it did hurt, but it soon felt relieving to have the water sooth the burn. First degree and no blistering, it would probably heal in the next three to six days.”Will she be okay?” the same young man who had asked for your age, was asking Jongdae now. Who smiled gently, you could see how the corners of his lips were naturally turning up in a smile, like he was meant to smile all the time. Without the mask, his cheekbones stood out more prominently and showed a sharp jawline.
”It's just a first degree burn, with no blistering. Three to six days and she should be fine... if we have some aloe vera gel or crème...” he explained to the maknae of the group. The boy nodded and was holding the cup with his hot chocolate to his lips, taking a sip and slapping the hand of one band member, who tried to sneak a bite of his cake. “Sehun-ya! You should share with your hyungs!” the boy protested, but Sehun simply rolled his eyes at him. “If the hyungs wouldn't inhale their food in a matter of seconds...” he gave back. You didn't know the band, but from what you were seeing as Jongdae was still rinsing your hand, they seemed like a group of brothers.
”Do you have a first aid kit?” Jongdae's voice brought you back from your thoughts and into the here and now. Nodding your head, you asked wether Yoona could go and fetch it for you, who jumped to her feet and hurried quickly. Although she was a huge fan of EXO and was able to talk to Luhan and Zitao casually like that, her eonnie had gotten hurt because of her carelessness and she'd probably be apologizing to you for the next weeks. Jun-Seo smiled at Yoona's reaction, he knew that the baristas and waiters were thick as thieves, always for one another. So he wasn't surprised by her rushing to the back room and back in seconds presenting the box to Jongdae. “Thank you...” both of you said at the same time, laughing when you noticed.
He asked you to sit down on a chair, which you had to move around the bar for and sit on one of the stools. While he stayed at the place, you usually occupied. Your hand was loosely held by his minding to not put any pressure on the burn. As his fingers of the other, applied the gel over your burn. It was soft and soothing, didn't even really hurt. While he was working on your hand, two of the boys had sat on each of your side. The one on your right had sticky-out-ears and an impish grin. The other was the beagle-look alike, both introducing themselves as Chanyeol on your right and Baekhyun on your left. “Have you never heard of our music noona?” he asked, using the formal addressing way for someone older. You weren't sure if Jun-Seo had told them your age, or wether they were just going on a hunch but you just went with it. After all they did look a lot younger than you did. Somehow Korean people always surprised you with their age, they definitely didn't look their age most of the time
”I don't really listen to vocals...” you were honest about it, it was something you couldn't do after what had happened in your home country, something you weren't ready to talk about yet. “I like instrumental music...” Baekhyun nodded his head a serious expression on his face, before his eyes lit up with a mischievous glint, that even as a stranger to them told you, trouble was coming your way. He met Chanyeol's eyes over the top of your head and the other seemed to get it from solely an exchange of glances before he casually said. “In our band, Jongdae is a singer...” he said, Baekhyun taking the words of his friend over and adding. “He can hit a really good high-note and even hold it for a very impressive amount of time”. Luhan wanted to butt in and say that he was the high-note king as he had held it for the longest time and even broken his own record. But a nudge from Minseok and a few whispers later, he just turned to engage into another conversation.
You were quite impressed to hear and turned your eyes to Jongdae. “How long can you hold it?” you asked him, his hands were wrapping a bandage over the gauze he had put on the burn. He stopped for a second, chocolate brown eyes looking right into your own (E/C) colored ones. “Around 20 seconds...” he said and looked back to your hand, to finish wrapping it up. You could see a faint blush on his cheeks, either embarrassment over his bandmates words, or for you asking? You couldn't quite tell, but were thankful when he used a piece of bandage-tape to stick the wrap to your bandaged hand. It had gotten late with the happenings and the commotion the incident had. But the boys seemed to be enjoying themselves. Yoona had cleaned up the spilt cacao and put away the broken shards of glass. While Jun-Seo was showing Minseok and Luhan how to make a latte macchiato, “can you make art into the foam?”, your colleague shook his head. He knew how to make the drinks on the menu, the art was your job and you were way to good for him to even attempt to try it. “Noona does all the foam-art...” he explained
You used your good hand to ruffle the young waiter's hair, he wasn't bad at it, just shaky and a little too hasty with the foam. “You're not that bad, you just need practice. One can basically learn everything with a lot of effort and hard work...” the young man with the dreamy look and gold blonde dyed hair nodded enthusiastically. His name was Yixing and he was Chinese. In fact sitting with the boys you learned quite a lot, while you showed them different things you could conjure up in the coffee's foam. They would always comment with sounds of “Ohhhh” or “Ahhhh”. While they told you and your co-workers some stuff. Like how the band consisted of four Chinese members. But their band was split into an even amount of six, calling those units EXO-M for Chinese promotions and EXO-K for Korean promotions and work.
Once it was time to close shop, you had to ask the band kindly to leave, so you could clean up. They refused but wanted to help, as they had occupied you and your colleagues far longer than necessary. You were going to protest, but the one that had been silent for a long time, you could remember his name to be Kyungsoo, spoke up. “Your hand is injured and your colleagues will need a hand...” he said with his soft timid voice, you looked at him and wanted to still protest, that you had another hand. When Jongdae put his hand on your arm and guided you to a chair. “It's fine, after all you gave us coffee on the house...” Junmyeon nodded to his bandmates words. “Besides with 12 more pair of hands, things will get done faster...” Baekhyun and Chanyeol were engaged in a broomstick fight, which Junmyeon had to get in between, making them stop but actually clean the floor. While Luhan and Yixing wiped the tables, followed by Yifan and Sehun who were putting up the chairs. So that Yoona could use the mop and wipe the floor, after Baekhyun and Chanyeol had swept the floor. Jun-Seo was cleaning the machines and telling Minseok and Kyungsoo how to clean the machine on his right. Junmyeon and Jongin haven taken over the machine on Jun-Seo's left, while Chen was washing up the coffee cups and plates, Zitao drying them and handing them to you. Who had the only task of putting them away.
As Junmyeon had said, it took only a few moments to clean up everything, a third of the time you would have taken if it had been just you three. The fifteen of you outside of the shop, after you locked it were blinded by two headlights. It was a cherry red sports car and someone honked twice, the tinted glass not showing who was driving. But you knew of course, who was right behind that impressive cars wheel, it was Ha-Ri picking you up for the promised dukbokki. You said your quick goodbyes and thanked EXO a few felt dozen times, while bowing to them to have helped. When you waved at everyone goodbye and got into the passenger's seat. You didn't notice how Jongdae looked at the car and you with a frown, how would he have known Ha-Ri was in the driver's seat, not some imaginary boyfriend he had made up in seconds.
Yoona rolled her eyes at the car and muttered, “So flashy...”, catching a few of EXO's reaction. “Does that happen often?”, “Noona often invites her for dukbokki, cause she feels bad if she leaves Ha-Ri after her shift in the shop. Like today, where she ran after Jongdae-hyung to give him back his change and the recite. So she promised her to take her for dukbokki, Ha-Ri really loves that stupid car...” he was secretly envious of that beautiful car, but Jun-Seo would never be caught admitting that out loud. Especially not to Ha-Ri. “So it's not her boyfriend” the words were faster out of Jongdae's mouth, than he would have wished for it, not even able to slap his hands over his mouth, because out was out. “Of course not....” Jun-Seo looked a little worried, as he ran a hand through his hair. “Noona.... is a difficult person...” he shrugged his shoulders and sighed, before his eyes fell to his watch. “Oh shit, mom will kill me...” he hurried to say goodbye and offered Yoona a ride, who thanked him but declined. As her boyfriend was walking over and taking her.
The boys stood a bit longer in front of the coffee shop, after the three of you had left. Looking at Jongdae, some of them wore sly grins, while others a look of concern. “You like her, don't you?” Luhan had an arm thrown over Jongdae's shoulders. “But if she's our noona, that makes her older than you, right?” Baekhyun threw in, his smirk growing into the box smile, everyone knew. “You sly dog...” he nudged Chen's shoulder, right below Luhan's hand. “Well it's refreshing that she doesn't know us....” Junmyeon threw in, to which Yifan agreed. “I don't think it's refreshing, it's kind of depressing. You could have shown off, but she doesn't like vocals...” Zitao commented, which made Chanyeol hit him with his elbow. Way to go, to destroy hopes of a man, who didn't know what to do already. “Well then hyung will have to make her fall in love with vocals. Easy as that” Sehun the maknae of course, would come up with something like that. Jongdae wondered what he'd do, if he fell in love one day.
”So the customer is part of EXO...” You were sitting next to Ha-Ri on a platform that was overlooking Seoul, behind you were trees and a park. Her car was directly parked onto the platform and you wondered if that was even legal. But both of you were sitting on the ground cross legged, eating dukbokki and looking over Seoul's night lights. “I guess...” you said and pushed a piece into your mouth. “Never saw them that up close, they're quite good looking.” Ha-Ri nudged your shoulder, which made you giggle. “They are really handsome...” your mind wandered of to Jongdae and his soft brown eyes, the hair that fell in his face and the naturally curled up corners of his lips. “They introduced themselves with their birth names...” your best friend and colleague seemed surprised, which made you tilt your head. “Real names?” you asked. “Yeah, well you know how stars have stage names?” you shrugged your shoulders. You didn't know much about celebrities or idols these days, rather unattached to the music world as it was. She proceeded to tell you their stage names, but you were horrible in remembering those, as you had an already tough time to remember their birth names. Only because you had heard their voices were you able to put face, to name. “Chen...” you repeated the name of Jongdae, that he used as a member of EXO and EXO M. “I don't like it...”
”You are probably the only girl on this planet, who either doesn't know EXO or doesn't like their stage names... You never heard them sing either, right?” you shook your head, you had gotten songs recommended and through Jun-Seo did you know, that a few of your songs you had as instrumentals on your mp3-player were actually from EXO. “Maybe you should give it a listen... see if you recognize lover-boys voice...” Ha-Ri was teasing you, you could tell. Because as good of friends you were, Ha-Ri had this ability to see right through people. She knew long before you knew at that time, that you were falling for the melodic voice of the fancy particle mask wearing customer, called Jongdae.
The evening with Ha-Ri was spent later in your apartment, with Ha-Ri sleeping off her Sujo caused drunk state, while you were skyping with your mother. “I just want to know if you're happy” she said soft and gentle voice. Behind her you could see your father, putting down his newspaper to give you a look. You knew that look, he wanted to know as well. Smiling at your parents, you nodded your head. “I think I am getting there...” you replied and said your goodbyes once you told them about your day and they told you about theirs in return. Promising to come visiting you around Christmas, it would be their first time in Korea and your first family Christmas, ever since four years ago.
Ha-Ri was already off to work, when you woke up to a sticky note on your pillow. Telling you to get breakfast and then not be late for work, a smile drawn at the edge of the note. You chuckled, plucked it from the pillow and carried it over to your vanity, where you placed it in the first drawer. Over a bunch of already not sticking, sticky notes. All of these were notes from your manager, some from Yoona, Jun-Seo, Ha-Ri and the other members of your coffee shop family. Positivity, concern, happiness and worry were conveyed in those notes and you kept every single one of them, reminding you that you never were truly alone.
The coffee shop was silent that day, aside from a handful of customers there was no one. Not even the regular, you knew the name of now. Working your shift after Ha-Ri had left and the others were sent home by your manager, as there was nothing to do and it was just a waste of day and energy for them. You stayed of course, because you were one of the few who knew how to make the coffee and the famous foam art. Your manager would stick in her head from time to time to check on you. While she had been away the day before, she was in and out today and it made you smile. Each time she'd bring you something small to eat, or some candy to store for whenever you needed a sugar rush.
Night time approached and Tae-Oh came to aid you in the rest of the shift, till closing hours. This time the door bell was jingling once again and you already knew who was filtering in. It was not the complete band, but five of them, you were able to recognize them as Minseok, Sehun, Luhan, Yixing and Jongdae, the latter making your heart take a small leap. You lifted your hand to your chest unknowingly to yourself, as they seated themselves in front of the breakfast bar. Sehun was the first to greet you as he seated himself on a stool, ignoring completely how Tae-Oh wanted to ask for his order, to talk directly to you. “Noona I want the same chocolate as yesterday” you chuckled and motioned for Tae-Oh that it was fine and you'd take care of the order. He could prepare the back of the coffee shop for clean up. Minseok felt the need to apologize for their sometimes rude youngest, and bowed his head a little at Tae-Oh who didn't mind much. There were a lot of people who came because of you, some because of the foam art, others because they were crushing on you. He didn't care much for boybands and therefore didn't recognize them, chalking the boys eagerness to talk to you up, to having a crush on you.
”Alright, a hot chocolate, what else?” you asked and jotted down his order, “I'll take a latte macchiato...” Luhan said, Yixing asking for the same as Sehun had and Minseok asking for an Americano. Jongdae was last and thought for a little before he asked for café au lait. You asked them whether it was to go, or to drink at the shop, to which they apologetically said they had to take it to go. They were on their way to late night filming, but needed coffee in their system, which reminded them to get coffee for the rest of the band, giving you a few more orders to prepare. You smiled at them, like they wanted to spend time at the coffee and keep you company but couldn't. Preparing the coffees and creating some uplifting messages on the coffee, to have them get through the night of late night shooting. Especially since winter was settling and it was getting freezing-ly cold outside.
You put the cups of coffee in the cupholders, you had for the to-go guests and rang the boys up. Luhan and Minseok grabbing the coffee's to leave the shop while Yixing held the door open for them. Telling Jongdae they'd wait for him outside, while he paid for the coffees. “I need to ask you something” he blurted out, while you were taking the bill out of his hand, which he was still holding. So it was you on the one side of the bill and him on the other. “Alright...” your words were slow and curious. “I... would like to take you out for a coffee...” the words were rushed and mumbled, you barely made out what he wanted to say. Not even knowing how your own lips moved into a soft smile. “But.... We're in a coffee shop...” he was quick to let go of the bill and rubbed the back of his neck, “Yeah... uhm I guess you're right...” his cheeks were flushed with heat. It was a very first for someone, to not scream his name as soon as they saw him, but look at him. He was Jongdae and not Chen and he wondered for a brief moment, if he was maybe not what you were looking for.
”But there is this cake... in that bakery down the street, that I like...” you didn't even know why you were saying it, why you were hoping for him to catch the intention of your words. But when you saw his eyes light up, his smile illuminating his face and his eyes forming into crescents. You wanted to give this a shot, wanted to see the smile again and find out, if it meant the happiness you had come to look for. He rummaged through his bag, pulling out an I-pod he held it out for you. “I... Just to make sure, that this is real” he said, which made you raise your eyebrow. “I saw you a dozen times working and.... you seemed so content and happy with this. I wanted to ask you out for a long time now, but when I saw the sports car yesterday... I thought you maybe had a boyfriend already..” he didn't let you explain that it was Ha-Ri's car, when he continued. “Jun-Seo said it was your colleagues car and I felt relive... but I also thought, that if I didn't give it a shot at asking you out. Maybe one day it would be really your boyfriend picking you up” he was rushing to get it all out, before bravery was going to leave his body.
”I know that you never work on Sundays... so Sunday afternoon... that bakery down the street.... you can give it back to me then. Maybe you'll listen to a song, but it's okay if you don't...” and then he was gone, so fast you weren't able to process anything, but what he'd said to you. Not even that he once again has left, a too big of a tip. Tae-Oh wasn't much of a talker and usually he didn't say anything to things that happened in the coffee, but for today he'd make an exception. “You should go and meet him there... Listen to the song too... I know why you don't like vocals... but some things we have to put behind us, you know” your eyes caught his over the sideboard that held a few books and was positioned next to the door. “Can't keep holding on to the past, that's not living, that's simply existing... or so my grandpa always says...” he returned to his work letting you mull over the choices you had to make.
The reason behind you not liking vocals, wasn't because you didn't enjoy music Heck you loved and adored Michael Jackson, if you could have, if your heart hadn't been hurting every second after the incident back then, you would instantly blast “Billy Jean” as load as possible. However it wasn't as easy as that. The I-pod was heavy in your pocket, when you arrived at your apartment and sat on the sofa, the TV a black screen staring right back at you. You had never told anyone the reason for you moving to Korea, if anyone asked you simply said “A change of perspective” but it was far more than that. You had been in love, you had had happiness and a live, back in your home country. However that happiness had been short lived. The reason you were working as a barista wasn't just because you were great at coffee and loved the shop. It was also because it was as far away from your profession as possible.
Memory lane was something you couldn't just turn your back onto, not when there was unresolved things hanging over every move you made. You found yourself thinking back to the hospital, your colleagues there and how life had been easy. You had been a great doctor, took care of your patients and helped them in every way you could. Losing a life never had been easy, but you had learned to somehow cope with it. That was until you had met the man, you fell in love with hopelessly. A man who had come in with symptoms that were incurable and yet he never lost the smile. He had been an unknown bar singer and had his guitar always a few strides away from him. You had fell in love with him singing “Lost stars” and from then, it was a simple walk of destiny. Life was cruel and you got a first hand taste of it.
Telling yourself it would be alright, you just wanted to be there for him, not noticing how it was more of him supporting you through tough decisions and endless nights in which you'd rather curl up and cry. No optimism of your parents could ever, help over life's cruel end. And then? One day, just like that you had entered his room to take his vitals, had wanted to talk to him and laugh. Your footsteps had been quick and fear had your heart in it's claws, when the deafening sound of the heart monitors line, had reached your ears. Nurses had rushed by you, but you had assumed it was another patient, after all it was a hospital. However, when the doctor who had been quicker than you, stood there telling the nurses to write down the time of death, your world had been pulled right from beneath your feet. Unbearable it was to stay in the hospital, to be the doctor everyone needed you to be, furthermore it had been too difficult for you to listen to any music anymore. Because every song would sound wrong, wouldn't sound like his voice and how you would never hear it again.
There were no recordings, no CD's or DVD's to remind you of his voice, not even a mailbox, as he never had had a phone around on him. You quit your job right after and left the country not a few days past the funeral. You knew most people couldn't understand your reasoning or would never understand it, however you didn't care. You never had loved before, he had been your first love and at that time you thought your last. Without noticing how your finger had been pressing on the middle button of the I-pod it illuminated and music started to play, it startled you to look down at your hands. It lay there innocently waiting for you to listen to the heartbreaking voice at the other end. Shaky fingers picked up the earbuds to push them into your ears and listen to the desperation that was swinging in the person's voice. You recognized it to be Jongdae's voice. Melodic and filled with so many emotions, that it made your own well up and pour right out of your eyes, in form of tears.
Spending the night curled in your bed, with the playlist that had been created for you, his voice singing for you. Tears were spilling, but you had long given up on wiping them away. Focused on his voice, you eventually fell asleep. It had been kind of freeing to listen to Jongdae's voice, something inside you, that you had thought had died long ago, had been touched by his voice and you couldn't stop listening to it. None of your colleagues mentioned anything, when you came into work, not your Mp3-player, but an unknown I-pod in your hands, how concentrated you were on the music, instead of whistling to the songs you were hearing. Tae-Oh had probably said something, but you couldn't care much. You had made a decision and hoped inwardly that it would be the right one.
”You came....” he was standing next to the chalkboard that was leaned against the bakery's brick wall, curvy writing showing the speciality for the day. He was wearing a particle mask, this time less flashy. You smiled at him and held out the I-pod, “I was told to give it back to you, wasn't I....” he was nervous, you could tell with the how his teeth worried at his lower lip. “I liked Baby Don't cry... but.... I liked your cover of “Let me love you”.... more” it was true, because it was just his voice. “Baby Don't cry” had been a song of his band, but “Let me love you” had been just his voice, no distraction but his pure melodic voice. “You listened to my songs...” his eyes were slightly widened as he watched you. “I don't hate vocals... I... couldn't listen to them, because it hurt to do so...” you were honest, maybe pouring out your feelings right in front of a bakery wasn't right. But it also wasn't fair, to let Jongdae go into this unknowingly of the damage you had to your person.
”I loved someone once... he was a bar singer... and he died...” it was slowly downing on him, why you didn't listen to vocals, why you preferred instrumentals. You could clearly see how his expression softened and defeat was settling in, as if he was wondering if he even had the slight of a chance,to such a love. “But... I accidentally turned the I-pod on and I heard your voice...” he looked from his feet, where his eyes had fell to look at, to you.Because he couldn't bear, you sending him off, without even a chance to win you over. “And.... all I could think of... Was how stupid I would be, if I didn't try.... If I wasted this chance, of meeting someone who could make such beautiful music with his voice.....” His hand was reaching out to hold yours. “I came to take you out for cake...” he didn't let go of your hand, as he lead you to the door of the bakery, confusion was prominent on your face. “No one is perfect... some people are a little more damaged than others, still...” he smiled over his shoulder at you, the smile you were starting to like more and more. “I think.... It's up to us to try and see.... what we can do and what we can't do... For now I think we can eat a slice of cake” his impish grin was back on his face and made you chuckle. “I love cake...”, “There is no one who doesn't love cake” he shot back and lead you to a seat.