Chapter Text
You take a deep breath in through your nose and let it out slowly through your mouth, before you tie the apron behind you. It's black with a little red cherry embroidered on it beside the words ‘Cherry on Top’, but you fold that part away, along with your name tag, because all of that clashes with your fit.
“You'll be hearing about it again, Y/N,” your coworker— the cashier guy— points at it but you just show him a middle finger and continue to fix your outfit. No one cares about how you're wearing an apron. This emo boy with hollow eyes should definitely not care about it either.
You've been working at this cafe, ‘Cherry on Top’ for about a year and a half now, and you're not sure why you’re still here. Two years ago, you left Xianle— ran away from your parents house— to find somewhere that you can really call home. This little corner of Xian Jing that you've been holed up in isn't exactly that, but you're putting up with it for now. At least until you find a place closer to the south side of the city…
It's so difficult to find your dream apartment in this system.
“Don’t mind him,” the other co-worker Yu says, sliding out from behind the counter to go flip the closed sign to open, “he's probably pissed because his panini was lousy.”
Yu is one of the plainest boys you've ever met. He has a very common face. So common that you'd find at least ten people that look just like him in any crowd. He's quiet and usually keeps to himself as well, so you wouldn't know he was there if you didn't see him moving about. What makes him stand out though, is his work ethic. You acknowledge that every time you see the boy work. Which is why you consider him your friend. This boy will definitely not drag you down.
The nice thing is, Yu is really funny when he's comfortable with someone, and he sure is comfortable with you.
You chuckle at that, and watch cashier guy grumble and kick the tile floor before he takes his seat behind the cash register. You give him another middle finger, just for good measure and turn towards the counter where you're stationed today. You're mostly stationed here, because— now this isn't just your words, all the customers say it too— you make the best coffee in all of Xian Jing.
If that really is true then why is all of Xian Jing having coffee somewhere else?
You don't let that show on your face. You just put your elbows on the counter and wait for the day to start.
As usual, the first three hours of your shift are hectic. This cafe that you work at is just near some office buildings, and most of your crowd stops here for a cup of coffee in the morning before they make their way to their workplaces. You smile at them with practiced ease, you hand out cup after cup, calling out names and making sure no one takes away the wrong coffee. Yu is fairly busy managing the few tables that you do have and the Cash guy thankfully doesn't have time to look up from the cash register. It's a busy little cafe for sure. That's why you're still here and still working. It's good money after all.
At around ten the crowd becomes thinner and thinner until it shrinks to none. It's just the three of you in the cafe again. The three of you and the soft music playing overhead.
Now, as always, people will only show up when break time rolls around and so you all can relax a little. Yu takes a much deserved break and you make him a cup of cappuccino with extra caffeine just the way he likes it. His eyes light up and he thanks you profusely before he retreats to the break room. Cash guy looks at you like you've betrayed him, but you don't care. He owes you so many already, and he definitely isn't paying any of those debts back anytime soon. No need to put him through more.
“Fuck off,” you tell him and he snarls at you. Snarls! The audacity of that guy.
You're just about to give him your piece of mind when the door bell jingles.
“Aaahhhh,” comes a gentle, extremely apologetic voice, “I am so sorry for intruding like this!”
You turn away from the cashier who didn't actually care for you anyways, to look at the person who has just entered. He's a short man. Almost a head shorter than you— but you guess you're not the best person to compare heights with because you're 6’3. The man has long light brown hair that is half pinned up and half brushing his shoulders when he moves his head. There's a white ribbon in his hair. You're sure it's silk.
The man looks very much panicked.
“Welcome to Cherry on Top, How can I help you?” You say in your most professional voice since Yu isn't here to do that.
The panicked man’s eyes find yours, and— you take a breath in through your teeth— you haven't ever seen eyes that colour in person before. They're a shimmery honey brown, the kind that people would melt for in instants. If you weren't clocked in—
“Ah, I'm so sorry,” the man nervously smiles at you, taking a step forward towards the counter, “I uh…” he looks behind him as if he's expecting someone to jump him any minute.
“Is someone following you?” You raise a brow, taking a quick glance out the window to see if you can spot any suspicious people.
“Yes,” the man nods immediately, “I am. I'm sorry, but can I—”
Before he can complete his sentence, you spot not just one, but a whole group of people coming right towards your cafe. They're holding cameras and microphones, and you realise that you don't have enough time.
“Quick,” you hold your hand out for the person to take, “you can hide here”
The person doesn't waste a single moment. His soft hand clasps onto yours in a firm grip and you pull him around the counter, tucking him under it just as the door bell rings again and three people from the crowd find their way into the cafe.
“Uh…” they look around, clearly looking like they lost someone.
You feel a small tug at your apron, and you don't need to look down to know that the man is looking at you with pleading eyes. He doesn't want to be spotted. Well, what else can you do. You'll make sure it doesn't happen.
“Can I help you?” You drop the customer server voice and put your hands on the counter, challenging them.
Obviously, you're taller than these people, and your broad shoulders and dark black hair make you look even meaner when you want to be. Even the cashier doesn't say anything. He knows you're serious right now, and he knows not to interfere. You make sure your gaze doesn't move away from the intruders with cameras and mics.
“Have you seen…” one of the guys gulps, his eyes glancing around to try and catch a glimpse of someone hiding, “uh…”
“We don't allow media in here, Sir,” You turn your head a little to indicate that you can definitely see the camera and mic these people are holding, “I'm going to ask you to leave before we call authorities.”
These people are paparazzi. You can tell because there are so many of them. It's odd to find them here though, since this isn't the elite part of Xian Jing city. That makes you wonder what brought your little refugees to these parts.
You decided to put that off for now.
“Well?” You cross your arms now, appearing even taller. The paps look at each other before they mutually decide that it's not worth it being in here. The person they're after probably wouldn't hide like this anyways, would he? They'll just have to wait for him to appear somewhere again.
With that, they all leave. The crowd outside lingers for a little longer, apparently hoping that their celebrity might appear again if they wait long enough, but little do they know that you aren't going to hand over your refugee that easily.
Under the counter, the man looks up at you, waiting for your signal. Cash guy looks like he's going to give you hell for keeping his mouth shut about it. You'll deal with him later. Right now you're making sure it's clear outside before you even glance at the space under the counter by the shelves.
“Gege,” you crouch down as soon as the coast is clear. The person is small enough to easily fit under the counter, and that's probably a blessing because otherwise he would be aching in various places by now, “Are you okay?”
“Are they gone?” The man asks you in a whisper, glancing up at the counter like he'd be able to see over it from here.
“Yes,” you nod and hold out your hand to help him up, “you can come out now.”
The man glances at your hand. It's calloused from all the time you spend at the gym, but it's clean. You keep a clean workspace.
“Thank you so much,” he places his hand in yours again, and this time, you notice how small and gentle it is. You also noticed the callouses on his hand too, realising that this man is not as delicate as he seems to be at first glance.
You help him up and offer him a napkin to dust his clothes with. He's wearing white slacks with a cream sweater, and you feel bad for pushing him under the counter like that now. You look at the cashier out of the corner of your eye and he's looking at you with a frown. He probably thinks you're stupid. Too bad for him you don't care.
“I'm really sorry for the inconvenience,” the guy folds the napkin and then smiles at you, “you really didn't need to do that, but I'm grateful that you did.”
Honestly speaking, you haven't met many people as polite as this person. You stop yourself from thinking that you haven't met many as good-looking either. It's the eyes, perhaps. The way his smile makes them twinkle. Or perhaps is the lips—
You definitely are not thinking about his lips.
Okay maybe just a little… maybe…
“It was the least I could do, Gege,” you try to play it cool. Even look away to look a little nonchalant, “you looked like you needed help.”
“I did,” the Gege nods at you, “boy, did I need help. I forgot I can't just sneak past my guard like that anymore. I'm glad I could find refuge here.”
Ah… so he is one of those celebrities who don't like being shadowed all the time, but are not used to what happens when you're not with a guard. That crowd must've given him a bad fright then. You feel bad for him. People forget someone is human when they become a little famous.
You realise then that this person can't go out any time soon either. The crown may have disappeared from outside the cafe, but that doesn't mean they're actually gone. They must be lurking. You'll have to keep this Gege here until his guards come and find him.
“Gege, Do you need to make a phone call?” You point towards the landline phone you have by the cash counter. The cashier clears his throat to get your attention, but you refuse to look at him because you're doing something very important.
“Oh, no,” Gege shakes his head and pulls out his own cellphone. Of course, everyone has cellphones. Why did you forget that? “I can call my assistant here… if you don't mind, can I wait here until someone comes to pick me?”
“You have to buy to sit here,” Cash guy finally breaks, speaking up when he should have shoved his face into the floor. You glare at him but he ignores you just as you were before.
“Ah,” the Gege nods then, “in that case, can I have a cup of vanilla latte?”
You—