Chapter Text
The smell of fresh coffee is grounding, because it’s routine – something Ki-yong has deeply latched onto. As he walks inside the café, greeted by the same few faces and the same familiar smell, he feels more at home than he ever has.
‘Ground 001’ is the corniest name for a coffee shop, but their stuff is good, and the place is cozy. It’s just next to a bus station, so it never runs out of customers, although it’s not the busiest, either – just right for none of the staff to complain about being overworked.
The café has plenty of small booths, and multiple light oak tables. Two sets of speakers, one on each side of the place, decorate it and bless it with whatever music the staff desires that day. Overhead hang many plants, which are watered once per day. The windows are all adorned with yellow curtains, and the two counters are plastered in stickers, some worn from over the years, others fresh – courtesy of the younger staff.
While the place is nice, the owner is pretty considerate, too – definitely the best employer Ki-yong has ever had. Hwang In-ho is pushing his 50s, and he’s got a calmness to him, a soft gentleness to his being. Although Ki-yong is only younger than him by a few years, he feels comfortable in his presence in a way he doesn’t usually with men older than him, or just people in general. (He has his father to thank for his never-ending sources of trauma.)
Besides In-ho, there are only a few others workers. No-eul is the one Ki-yong matches shifts with the most, and she does more counter work. She appears much sweeter in contrast to him, who has scared customers off more than a few times, but that’s just a façade. He’s learned the hard way not to anger her. (He can’t count on his hands the bruises he has from her when he’s crossed some sort of line. He admits, though, that he deserved it each time.)
The other counter is worked by Kim. Ki-yong doesn’t like Kim, and Kim doesn’t like Ki-yong. It’s a mutual dislike that doesn’t quite have a reason, it just is. Sometimes, No-eul switches with Kim and forces him and Ki-yong to work together, just to have some fun – days like those are when Ki-yong threatens to actually end his own life, not just joke about it like he usually does. No-eul, of course, never budges. (He thinks she hates him.)
Sang-woo, Sae-byeok and Gyeong-su complete their rather colorful cast. Sang-woo is a rather strict man, meticulous, just a year older than In-ho. He’s the manager, although he doesn’t work on his own much, instead co-captaining the shop alongside In-ho. He rarely joins them on duty, sometimes making a drink or two; mostly, he stays in the back with In-ho and pretends to work. Ki-yong suspects the two may have something going on, whatever the hell it is, and it involves one regular – some high school teacher, Seong Gi-hun – too. Good for them; terrible for their productivity, though.
As for Sae-byeok and Gyeong-su, both are still in college, as is No-eul. The girls are actually roommates, both studying Psychology – with the way they read the people around them, freakishly accurate with each observation, Ki-yong can unfortunately tell. One victim of theirs is Gyeong-su, who is infatuated with this regular customer, ‘Thanos’, allegedly a very famous rapper. Ki-yong had never heard of him until Gyeong-su talked his ears off when he came in one day; Thanos seemed charmed by his adoring fan, otherwise, Ki-yong can’t reason why he would come in as often as he does, especially when he’s amassed quite the wealth.
Even Sae-byeok and No-eul have their favorite customers, as unbelievable it may be at first, due to their cold exteriors. Sae-byeok often calls in early to hang out with this Ji-yeong, and No-eul has skipped one too many shifts for a girl named Jun-hee. Ki-yong just shakes his head and carries on with his work, letting the kids be kids.
To be fair to his colleagues, though, he’s grown quite fond of a regular, too. How could he not, when he’s so… well, him? (Ki-yong was never the guy with words. Although he loves the arts, he finds himself being shit at them.)
His affection does have one downside: this regular is In-ho’s younger brother. And the man is quite protective about his brother.
While Jun-ho studied Criminology, he is now a ‘self-employed freelance writer’, and he spends almost his entire day inside the café on his laptop. His order is always on the house, courtesy of In-ho, no matter how many times Jun-ho tries to pay. (At least he tips handsomely to compensate; half of Ki-yong salary comes out of one Hwang’s pocket, the other, out of the younger’s.)
The young man is very quiet, and doesn’t take up much space. He sits in a corner, close to a set of speakers, but always is deeply in thought no matter what music is on. (Ki-yong wishes he had his concentration, because Gyeong-su is the one that steals the aux most often, and hearing Thanos’ songs on repeat all day, every day has killed his patience.) He comes in around 8 am, stays for a few hours, and leaves.
While their interactions are minimal, there are many of them. The first time Jun-ho came in, Ki-yong was working the counter, and he was so taken aback by his appearance that he had to ask him to repeat his order. It wasn’t that he looked bad – the problem was that he’d looked incredibly good.
Since then, he’s memorized his order. It’s rather boring, actually – just a medium americano – but it’s gained a new beauty in Ki-yong’s mind, knowing it was what Jun-ho enjoyed.
Since then, it’s become the highlight of Ki-yong’s day to take Jun-ho’s order, assure him his usual booth is empty and ready for him, and then bring him said order. Additionally, since the café also serves food, Jun-ho will come by the counter again and order once more – Ki-yong has memorized his lunch, too.
He may be a little obsessed with him. Okay, maybe a little more – but just a normal amount. The good kind of obsessed.
He’s not a psychopath. He has standards.
And, unsurprisingly, his standards are Jun-ho. The man is just… different. He doesn’t have to talk to him 24/7 to figure out there is something more to him; even though he comes in with the minimal amount of words societally accepted, and slumps over in his booth for hours at a time, ignoring the world around him, Ki-yong still likes him. He likes him an unbearable amount. He wants nothing more than to get to know him, to get closer to him, to…
To have him. He just wants Jun-ho, in his entirety; for Jun-ho to be his, and for himself to be Jun-ho’s.
There is no doubt in Ki-yong’s mind that he’s fallen for him – hard. Despite the fact that he barely talks to him, seeing him every day is more than enough to make this impossibly big crush of his grow daily.
And things seem to be looking up for him – because, one day, they have an actual dialogue.
One morning, Jun-ho comes in looking more tired than usual; he comes in later, too, by almost an hour. He made Ki-yong feel like some dog waiting for its owner, rather than a grown man simply awaiting a customer.
Jun-ho approaches Ki-yong’s counter, because the other one is closed at this hour – Kim needs his beauty sleep, apparently, the bastard only clocking in around noon.
“Good morning,” Ki-yong greets with a nod.
Jun-ho returns the nod, but only half the greeting. “Morning…”
Ki-yong tilts his head as he waits for him to speak. Jun-ho wipes at his eyes.
“Er, can I have…”
He snaps his fingers searching for the wording.
“I’m drawing a blank. What’s the…?”
“A medium Americano?”
Jun-ho’s eyes suddenly open wider, and he looks at Ki-yong in surprise. Ki-yong, in turn, falters slightly; is he not supposed to know this? With Jun-ho’s gaze on him like this, he feels rather embarrassed…
“You remember my order?”
“Well,” Ki-yong stutters, “I’m the one that usually takes it, and you’ve been coming in here for a few months now…”
“I order other drinks, too,” Jun-ho raises an eyebrow, as if testing him. “I can’t be that predictable.”
“Of course,” agrees Ki-yong, “around lunch hour, when you don’t have any need for coffee anymore. Then, you get a peach oolong tea or a blueberry soju, depending on your mood that day. Plus your usual bibimbap.”
Jun-ho stares at him. Ki-yong stares back; to hide his nervousness, he offers him one of his – as No-eul puts it – ‘shit-eating’ grins.
“Something the matter?”
“Ah, no…”
So, Jun-ho is thrown off his feet, too. He searches for his words as his cheeks redden, for whatever reason – embarrassment, or maybe a small pleasure in being perceived and remembered.
“I just… didn’t expect you to know all of this.”
“You’re a regular here.” Ki-yong offers him a small smile, way truer than his last. “I like to know my customers.”
Jun-ho smiles back.
“You’re a good man, Ki-yong.”
Oh, God, he knows his name. Ki-yong may faint.
“I think you are, too, Jun-ho.”
Jun-ho’s smile widens more at that, and Ki-yong’s heart runs faster.
“Right,” he says, “my usual medium Americano, then.”
“I’ll have it out for you immediately,” Ki-yong replies.
For whatever reason, he also winks. To that, he sees the blush in Jun-ho’s face reappear, just as it was starting to fade away. (It’s a good look on him – he’s even cuter than usual.)
Ki-yong can’t take his eyes off Jun-ho as he walks to his usual booth. He watches as the writer puts down his things, organizing them on the table before himself; he settles his backpack next to him, on the couch, then takes his laptop out and—
“Get to work.”
“JESUS—”
Ki-yong slams his hands against the counter in surprise as In-ho’s voice reaches his ears. He turns around in offense to see his manager standing before him, hands crossed over his chest, a vaguely sour expression on his face.
“Christ, In-ho, a little bit of a warning next time…”
“What’s the deal with you and Jun-ho?”
“With me and—oh my God,” Ki-yong whines, “seriously? Can a man not take another man’s order?”
In-ho doesn’t falter. “Whatever you think of him, don’t. Get him out of your head.”
“Why?” Ki-yong grins. “You’re not the boss of me.”
“You will find, I actually am.”
In-ho nods towards the brewing station.
“Go make his drink, and you better return straight after you give it to him.”
Ki-yong bows dramatically. “Oh Captain, my Captain.”
His manager rolls his eyes as he leaves. Seemingly out of nowhere appears, instead, No-eul – and she’s smiling ear to ear.
“Has he finally caught on?”
“Caught on to what?” asks Ki-yong, going to make Jun-ho’s drink.
“Your embarrassing little crush.”
“What? I don’t have a crush on Jun-ho.”
No-eul quirks an eyebrow. Ki-yong stares back.
“What?”
“I didn’t say on who…”
“Fuck off, you can tell from the context.” Ki-yong waves her off as he makes the Americano. “And anyways, even if I did, it’s none of your concern.”
“Actually, it is.” Cue Sae-byeok, leaning against the counter with her back, facing Ki-yong as he works. “Because you can slow down our productivity.”
“You don’t tell yourself that when Ji-yeong comes in,” Ki-yong bites back.
“That’s different,” Sae-byeok protests, blushing.
“How?”
“Ji-yeong and I are actually together.”
Flipping her off, Ki-yong takes Jun-ho’s drink.
“Hey, we can cover for you if you just admit to it,” offers No-eul.
“No, thanks,” says Ki-yong, leaving the counter. “I’m good.”
“Your loss.”
“I find it a gain…”
When he approaches Jun-ho’s table and places his Americano on his table, instead of the usual absent ‘thanks’, the man stares up at him with what can only be amusement.
“What are you colleagues belittling you about?”
Here’s how he could tell he is a writer, even if he wasn’t told: nobody uses the word ‘belittle’ in casual conversation, not even Ki-yong’s pretentious self.
“The usual.” Ki-yong shrugs it off. “Just jealous.”
“Oh?” A smirk plays on Jun-ho’s lips. “Jealous of what?”
Ki-yong straightens, playing right back. “Of my skills with the customers.”
Jun-ho laughs. Whatever tiredness Ki-yong saw in him earlier is gone; he now glows in the soft light of the early morning…
“Well,” he says, “I would be, too.”
Then, smiling up at him:
“Thank you, by the way.”
Ki-yong is taken aback. He blinks.
“Ah? What for?”
Jun-ho points at the cup. “My drink.”
“Oh—y-yeah, of course.” Ki-yong hurriedly finds his words. “You’re welcome.”
With Jun-ho’s smile replaying in his head, Ki-yong walks off before he can further embarrass himself – but, if not for that disastrous last reply, he thinks the interaction went quite well.
He just wishes he’d had the courage to ask Jun-ho what he was working on. Perhaps that would have given him an excuse to stick around, if he’d let him.
Well – Ki-yong perks up – that gives him an idea…