Chapter Text
Kazehaya Aoi had built an entire career on being impossible to ignore.
He was a singer first and foremost, but somewhere between his third platinum album and his sold-out dome tour, the media had stopped calling him merely a musician.
He became an icon.
The face on advertisements.
The man plastered across billboards.
The celebrity who topped "Most Attractive Men in Japan" rankings often enough that magazines eventually stopped acting surprised.
Fans screamed when he appeared.
Airport terminals shut down because crowds became unmanageable.
Concert tickets disappeared within seconds.
His management company had an official protocol dedicated solely to dealing with spontaneous marriage proposals.
He had politely declined more confessions than he could count.
Never once had anyone looked at him and simply... moved on.
Which was exactly what happened on an otherwise unremarkable Wednesday afternoon.
His rehearsal had ended early.
The weather had turned unpleasant. Rain poured steadily over the shopping district, forcing pedestrians beneath awnings.
His manager suggested returning to the studio.
Aoi ignored him. He wanted coffee.
The little café tucked between a bookstore and a florist looked quiet enough.
The bell above the entrance chimed. Warm light spilled across polished wooden floors. A handful of students occupied tables near the windows. And behind the counter...
Aoi forgot how to breathe.
The barista looked up.
Green curls.
Bright eyes.
Freckles scattered across soft cheeks.
Their eyes met.
A smile.
A dazzling, radiant smile.
The sort of smile that could convince exhausted students to survive finals week and overworked office workers to keep trying.
"Welcome! What can I get for you today?"
His voice flowed like music.
"One Caramel Latte. Medium."
For a brief, embarrassing moment, Aoi wondered whether the young man was a fan. The possibility wasn't exactly unlikely.
The barista picked up a marker.
"What name would you like on the cup?"
Aoi blinked.
"You... don't recognize me?"
The barista nodded politely.
"I do. You're Kazehaya Aoi."
There it was...
Recognition.
The singer waited for the inevitable follow-up.
An autograph request.
A compliment.
Perhaps an awkward comment about his newest single.
Instead, he got a polite-
"What name would you like on your cup?"
Aoi stared.
The young man waited patiently.
"Aoi..."
"Thank you."
The marker scratched neatly across the paper cup.
"I'll have your order ready shortly."
That was all there was to their interaction.
No excitement, no starstruck expression, no nervous laughter...
Nothing!
By the time his latte arrived, the barista had already forgotten about him. Or at least appeared to have.
Aoi spent the next twenty minutes sitting near the window trying to convince himself he wasn't bothered.
Unfortunately...
He was very bothered.
Because for the first time in years, somebody genuinely did not care.
definitely not a stalker @Kazehayawatch
[Video attached: Kazehaya getting humbled by barista]
Kazehaya Aoi receives standard customer treatment
jonathan @aoistan_97
Barista literally said "I know you. Anyway what do you want"
error404 @bluescreened
no because imagine being in the top 10 hottest men and getting treated like a loyalty card holder
not steven he @emotionaldamage
this barista has zero aura susceptibility
nejire-chan!!!! @fangirlarchives
he didn't even FLINCH I respect it??
max slacker @cafecore
that barista is emotionally bulletproof
wtf is this username @fanfictionislife
he seems so nice though
Aoi found himself thinking about the encounter halfway through rehearsal the next morning.
Then during a radio interview.
Then while signing merchandise.
Three days later he returned.
Strictly for coffee.
Obviously.
The same green-haired employee stood behind the counter.
The same bright smile appeared, the same professional greeting, and the same complete lack of interest.
No mention of his music, no comment about his latest television performance, no indication whatsoever that Japan's biggest singer had just walked through the door.
Aoi visited again...
Then again...
And again...
By the fifth visit he had learned the barista's name.
"Midoriya Izuku" printed neatly on a nametag.
The name lingered in his mind long after he left.
An odd routine formed.
He would arrive.
Midoriya would smile, prepare coffee, call out his order and wish him a pleasant afternoon.
Nothing changed.
Nothing escalated.
Midoriya remained impossible to read.
He smiled at everyone, remembered regular orders, helped elderly customers carry trays, recommended drinks, answered questions, yet never once treated Aoi differently.
Not even slightly.
And it was driving him completely insane.
Japan Hero Broadcasting @DailyHeroSightings
"Idol returns to same café 5 times in a week"
needa jobsoon @delulu_supporter
HE'S DOWN BAD
shorton kreditz @CafeRegular
or he just likes coffee??
politics sucks @justalawyer
that barista is just doing his job pls calm down
One evening he found himself complaining about it to his producer.
"So let me get this straight."
The older man pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Your problem is that someone is treating you normally."
"Yes..."
"And this bothers you."
"A little."
The producer cast a long, tired look at the ceiling.
"I need a vacation."
Weeks passed.
Aoi became increasingly obsessed.
Not romantically.
Probably.
Maybe.
He wasn't entirely sure anymore.
Eventually, denial became impossible.
There was only one explanation left.
Midoriya simply wasn't interested.
No.
That can't be right!
Perhaps he hadn't realized Aoi was trying to become closer, after all, asking someone how their day was going could be interpreted platonically.
Maybe friendliness alone wasn't enough.
Maybe he needed to be clearer.
Much clearer.
The next Saturday afternoon the café was packed.
Students typed on laptops. Office workers chatted quietly.
Midoriya prepared drinks behind the counter.
Several customers recognized Aoi immediately.
Whispers spread through the room.
Midoriya looked up. His expression remained exactly the same.
"What can I get started for you today, Kazehaya-san?"
Aoi inhaled.
Then decided subtlety was dead.
"Can I have your number?"
Silence...
Utter silence...
The entire café froze.
A dropped spoon clattered somewhere in the distance. Nobody bent down to pick it up.
The espresso machine hissed loudly in the background.
Every eye turned toward the counter.
Midoriya blinked.
Then smiled.
Professional.
Friendly.
Catastrophically polite.
He reached beneath the register.
Produced a small card.
And held it out with both hands.
Aoi accepted it automatically.
It contained the café's phone number. Its address. Opening hours. The official website. Customer service contact information.
"If you have any questions about reservations or feedback," Midoriya explained pleasantly. "please feel free to contact us."
Aoi looked at the card.
Then at Midoriya.
Then back at the card.
Several nearby students were visibly shaking from suppressed laughter.
Midoriya maintained his professional smile.
"Will there be anything else today?"
For perhaps the first time since debuting as an idol...
Kazehaya Aoi found himself completely and utterly speechless.
too tired to exist @CoffeeWitness92
I AM CRYING
THE KAZEHAYA AOI GOT REJECTED AT MY LOCAL CAFÉ
I HAVE THE VIDEO
(1/4)
too tired to exist @CoffeeWitness92
He literally stood up like he was in a romance movie
(2/4)
too tired to exist @CoffeeWitness92
Then asked the cute barista for his number
(3/4)
too tired to exist @CoffeeWitness92
THE BARISTA HANDED HIM THE STORE CONTACT CARD
(4/4)
unemployed simp @KazehayaNation
Fake.
There's no way.
No one rejects THE Kazehaya Aoi.
coffe is lyf @LatteLover
It's real
I was there
I've never seen a human being look so confused
too tired to exist @CoffeeWitness92
uploading video now
too tired to exist @CoffeeWitness92
[video attached: Kazehaya Aoi speechless as Barista hands him store business card]
fight me you damn extra @chaoticgodofwar
HE GOT FUCKING BROCHURED!!!
notice me senpai @romance_engineer
this is the most professional rejection I've ever seen
definitely dating suneater @lemillionfan
HE SAID NO BUT POLITELY
THAT'S WORSE
i'm running out of usernames hepl- @idkwhattonameit
HE DIDN'T EVEN HESITATE
definitely not tomura @npc_energy
"please take our café's number instead"
sasunaru is canon @animeplotreal
this is a slow-burn romcom or psychological horror I can't tell
sandwich theorem makes life easier @bananas
top 10 hottest man vs employee handbook
Adrahma Queen @PaintingPrincess
I'm sorry but the funniest part is the smile.
The barista looked genuinely happy while destroying him.
denial is the bane of my existence @KazehayaDefenseSquad
Maybe he thought Aoi wanted the café's number.
the only sane one left @ReplyGuy
@KazehayaDefenseSquad Brother. Be serious.
needa jobsoon @delulu_supporter
he's definitely shy!!! he definitely likes him!!!
physics is depressing @realitycheckpls
@delulu_supporter or he's just at work??
marry me kazehaya @AoiNation
Don't worry everyone.
This is clearly a misunderstanding.
the only sane one left @ReplyGuy
@AoiNation Famous last words.
shorton kreditz @CafeRegular
You guys don't understand.
That guy treats EVERYONE like that.
I've been going there for months.
CityWatch Hero Official @HeroSightingsJP
"Celebrity receives café brochure instead of number"
notice me senpai @romance_engineer
this is professionally devastating
HeroNet News @HeroNewsDailyUnofficial
Internet currently divided between:
1. Laughing at Kazehaya Aoi
2. Demanding justice for Kazehaya Aoi
3. Asking who the green-haired barista is
Trending Now @TrendingNow
"Kazehaya Aoi Rejected"
is currently the #1 tag in Japan
too tired to exist @CoffeeWitness92
Update:
The barista apparently has no social media
Nobody knows anything about him
marry me kazehaya @AoiNation
We must investigate
Stop Tea-sing Me @GreenTeaLatte
@AoiNation Leave him alone
marry me kazehaya @AoiNation
@GreenTeaLatte Never.