Chapter Text
It had been one of those days—where it seemed like everything and everyone wanted to see Namgyu working his head off. Don’t get him wrong, he loved his job. In fact, he was even doing extra hours almost every day—not necessarily because he wanted to, but because he needed to. Obviously, the rent doesn’t pay itself. But what really kept him overworking himself were his dreams—his dreams of opening his very own café someday. Again, he loved being a barista. However, that didn’t mean it wasn’t draining by the end of the day.
He craved something he could call his own. Or maybe even someone.
But let’s not worry about a “someone” right now. He needed to focus on his dreams—and his dreams only. Right?
It was currently 6:50 PM. Just ten more minutes before Namgyu’s shift ended and he could finally close the café and go home… or so he thought.
He was just about to grab his things from the back when the front door opened, and a tall guy in way-too-colorful clothes and way-too-bright purple hair walked in.
“Oh my… seriously? Just ten minutes before closing?” Namgyu muttered under his breath, clearly annoyed.
“What’s up, my friend?” said the guy, a bit too cheerful for almost 7 PM.
“Oh hi,” Namgyu replied in a sarcastic tone. “You know we’re like seven minutes from closing, right? And I’ve been here since 7 AM? So quit being so damn enthusiastic for no reason and just order.”
He was almost yelling by that point. Maybe he felt a little bad for snapping at the guy, but oh well—too late now.
“Whoa. Someone clearly had a bad day… Anyway, what do you recommend? I’ve never been here, actually.”
Great. This guy’s fucking clueless, Namgyu thought. Let’s just get this over with.
He blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “Well, I don’t know? Maybe an iced Americano with a single pump of vanilla?”
“That sounds good.”
“Okay, then—”
“I want a half-decaf flat white. With perfectly leveled foam,” the guy said with a smile.
Is he being serious? Namgyu was about to explode. He asks me for a recommendation and then ignor—
“—and I’ll also have whatever you just said.”
Namgyu stayed silent for a moment before sighing. “Okay, then… that’ll be $8.90.”
“Alright,” the guy said, pulling out the most wrinkled $10 bill Namgyu had ever seen from his jeans pocket.
Namgyu eyed it for a second before taking it. “Your order will be ready in a few minutes. You can go sit over there if you want,” he said almost on autopilot, hoping the guy would leave him alone while he made the drinks.
Apparently, the guy didn’t pick up on Namgyu’s tired expression, because he stayed right there—standing, watching Namgyu make the coffees.
After a couple of painfully uncomfortable minutes, Namgyu finally finished the order and was about to hand the drinks over when the guy dared to open his mouth again.
“Aren’t you going to ask for my name?”
Namgyu was ready to commit murder.
“For what? Do I look like I care who you are?”
“Well, you know… to write it on the cup?”
“I really couldn’t care less about that right now,” Namgyu said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “So just take it and go. We’re closed.”
The guy looked at him for a moment, then handed one of the coffees back to Namgyu.
How can he know the coffee’s bad if he hasn’t even tasted it? Namgyu thought.
“What? If something’s wrong with it, I’m not fixing it right now. I’ll give you a refund or something, but—”
“It’s for you.”
“Huh?”
“The iced Americano or whatever—I bought it for you.”
“But why?”
“Well, you seemed tired. And I just assumed you recommended it because you like it. Maybe it’ll make you feel better.”
Namgyu looked at the cup the guy was still holding in front of him—then at his eyes.
Oh. His eyes.
How hadn’t he noticed them before? They looked dark enough to swallow him if he stared too long—but soft, and sweet, at the same time. He seemed like he genuinely cared about Namgyu for a second, even though they’d just met a few minutes ago.
Namgyu looked back at the cup, this time reaching for it and taking it in his hand.
“I hope you feel better, my bro. And sorry for disturbing you—I just wasn’t feeling great myself, you know? Even legends feel down sometimes. I thought this might help, at least for a moment,” the guy said.
Namgyu was already regretting how he’d acted earlier.
“Well, see yo—”
“Wait!” Namgyu blurted, before he could stop himself.
“Umm… would you like to take a seat with me? And we can talk? You know… it’s kinda lonely here sometimes.”
“Oh, if you insist,” the guy said with a smirk and a slightly sarcastic tone. “I knew you couldn’t resist me.”
Namgyu just rolled his eyes, following him to a small table in the corner of the café.