Chapter Text
now, imagine that you’re in italy where the sun’s shining right at you, roman-built houses are the streets’ decor and your apartment’s view. it’s beautiful, isn’t it? grape plantations are seen somewhere on the heels and every city street is full of pastry fragrance. when renjun was chosen for a student exchange programme in italy, he never expected such beauty. he was used to seeing china’s skyscrapers with clouds hiding the sun all the time. constant studying doesn’t allow going out but his room in italy is so sunny, he might get a sunstroke. sure, lack of italian is a problem sometimes but it’s okay. living in rome is a real challenge. the sun and sicheng are helping though. sicheng is two years older and jun’s mentor. he is something else with his all-life dream to live in france even though he’s been in italy for a long time. he never takes off his pink beret and always has a postcard from paris (where he’s been once). sicheng is a little drama queen but he’s been a great help and a good companion. he’s also the only friend that renjun has (still, it is the beginning of the year). the beginning is the hardest…especially in a foreign country. but there is nothing else to do. renjun doesn’t have a choice so now he’s studying geology with chinese subtitles. the weather is great and the sun is making him to pull the blinds. his neighbour’s name is…kun? renjun isn’t sure about this one. the guy’s always humming something and constantly invites xiao, a guitarist across the hall, to their dorm. renjun thinks his stay here isn’t going to last.
sicheng introduces him to a cafe located near their campus. the place has amazing pastries and food. renjun falls in love at the first bite with this place (but the coffee is awful). honestly, the coffee tastes like dirt but their barista is super attractive (and speaks fluent korean!)
“i wonder if he knows that his coffee is bad”, thinks renjun while ordering tea to get rid of coffee taste. he doesn’t even like it! sicheng made him order that stuff.
the older wears his beret which explains his cup of coffee with a croissant. well, he’s an inner parisian (he only needs to start speaking french at this point). sicheng doesn’t eat fast and speaks only after renjun got his tea.
“hmm, do you know why this cafe is popular?” he asks with his mouth full.
“i hope not with this coffee. the stuff is terrible. how do you drink that?”
“the coffee is fine! i’m not talking about it though…” he says with suspicion. “there is one waiter…i don’t recall his name, he doesn’t wear a tag. but he is always wearing a black leather jacket.”
“but it’s SO hot here…” renjun wonders.
“that’s his thing! he’s also famous for his cat-looking smile,” sicheng smirks.
renjun has no idea why he’s telling him this. “what do you want from me?” he asks finally. “do you want to set me up with or something?”
“no way! i do not! still, turn around.”
renjun turns around and sees a guy. well, he does wear a black leather jacket with no tag. so that explains why no one knows his name. now he’s tying his apron (around the slimmest waist in the world) and starts working as there are a lot of people during lunch time. the cafe is small itself so the place has only two waiters. the without-a-name guy is doing a great job taking orders and delivering food with a big smile.
“that must be hard,” renjun thinks noticing flying lightning bolts from the look that barista gives to the waiter. when the no-name guy comes to him he gets a real slap on the back of his head. there is no way renjun wouldn’t giggle at that.
“soooo, do you like him?” sicheng winks at jun.
“the guy is wearing a leather jacket. why the hell does he need it at this temperature? to give to girls in the evenings? he thinks he’s such a gentleman? but his relationship with barista is hilarious. they look like brothers.” renjun answers.
“ah well. let’s go then. i finished my lunch for now.” sicheng says with a sigh.
right after the waiter to the bar comes a manager, sicheng says he’s also an owner, and the barista suffers from a slap on the back of his head. “they must be dating,” thinks renjun now. the manager’s tag reads “taeyoung” in stunning handwriting. when renjun and sicheng walk past them they hear a little of their talk.
“jeno has forgotten the tag. AGAIN! can you imagine that? our fridge is already full of post-its with reminders,” the barista nearly yells.
“doyoung, you’re still making the worst coffee ever. so what? am i complaining? therefore, don’t give slaps to my son anymore.”
“taeyoung, i’m sorry but since when my little brother is your son?” the brows went high.
“since you moved here and you started treating him like your son. that’s why you always deal with his problems. he ditched the university so i hired him. sure, with your help. still, counts though,” the manager says.
“well, you’ll never stop mentioning it, will you?”
the manager-owner is red-haired which is truly eye-catching. and his boyfriend (?), fiancé (?), well, barista is black-haired with blue ends. “they look really nice together,” renjun thinks standing near the exit and staring at them. “the stuff is from some family drama genre.” and as it always happens in other genres (romcoms in particular) one curious waiter doesn’t notice him. what it was? jeno? the tray falls on the floor and the pasta…is on renjun who is stunned because he has a lesson in 15 minutes. sicheng is laughing and it seems like the time has stopped.
“oh my god, i’m so sorry, ” the waiter says.
“not the best introduction, a cute smile waiter,” renjun says.
“what again?” jeno smirks.
“you better show me where the restroom is. i have a period in 15,” renjun looks at sicheng. “you should go, mentor.”
“is the french dude your friend?” the waiter wonders.
“he is chinese actually. i guess, you’re nothing more than a smile and a leather jacket.”
jeno leads the way to the restroom without excitement. “you were just standing there. i’m not the one who needs to be criticized,” jeno notes.
“i was looking at your brother with his…fiancé, i suppose?”
“doyoung and taeyoung? ha, those are in “open” relationship. no strings attached,” jeno says with clear annoyance.
“no way. they look like they have been married at least 10 years.”
“you should tell them that. you won’t be the first to do that. now, go freshen up.”
“you have to help me. it’s your fault,” renjun mentions.
“not my job,” shudders. “by the way, i have to work. bye, student.”
he shuts the door leaving renjun alone covered in pasta.
“what an idiot,” he says.