Chapter Text
Hyun had no idea how they ended up as a barista.
Well, that technically wasn’t the whole truth. Hyun had an inkling of an idea about how they became the lead barista at their best friend’s coffee shop.
The main theory? Nepotism.
Hyun wasn't really a fan of that one.
Hyun had known Wumuti for years before she even approached them with the idea. Her true passion was music, Hyun knew that - they had trained under the same company together for years in hopes of becoming idols. Muti did so much, trying desperately to get her big break, but eventually decided to take a step back, if only for a little while. Hyun hated seeing the passion Wumuti had for her craft be denied time and time again, going through a similar process themself in their own pursuit of joining the industry. As a result, the café pitch sort of came out of nowhere. For Hyun, anyway - it made perfect sense to Wumuti. She liked visiting coffee shops enough, and even had a little bit of experience working at them from random idol pop-ups over the years. Besides, if she started her own shop, Wumuti could choose the theme and have full creative control. Wumuti explained this, very enthusiastically, over ice cream to Hyun, barely even touching her scoops of strawberry.
“Ideally, it’d be a temporary gig. We’d have the shop as something to fall back on, but we could still look out for opportunities in the industry! This would just, y’know. Be a stable source of income? Plus,” she sat up excitedly, “you’d have such a fun role.”
Hyun, who hadn’t even considered what they’d be doing yet, tilted their head. “Which would be…?”
“Lead barista, of course!”
Wumuti squinted at Hyun’s baffled reaction. “What? You’d get to come up with drink ideas! I’d give you full control over what we serve and don’t serve.”
“Muti, I don’t know how good I’d be at that.” Hyun took a thoughtful bite of their ice cream. “I do food combinations sometimes, and those are mostly for fun, but drinks? Aren’t you the drink connoisseur?”
“Hyun, I’m good with alcohol. Not coffee.”
“Then why not open a bar?”
“I’m not built for running a bar. A café is a lot more manageable. Plus, when have you ever seen a future idol work at a bar? Doesn’t that seem a bit…risky?”
Hyun had to agree. “I guess…but still, me? On drink duty? Are you sure?”
Muti batted her eyelashes, looking a little put out. “Hyunnie…I believe in you. Seriously, this would suit you so well. If anything, just try it out with me? I kind of…” She trailed off a bit. “Um…already rented the space out for a few months anyways.”
“MUTI! With what money?”
Wumuti nervously tapped her nails on the table. “Don’t worry about it. Me doing that has to be enough proof that I really want to commit to this. And I'd love to have a friend by my side when I do.” She looked Hyun dead in the eye with an expression they could only describe as determined, scared, and questioning all at once. “So…can I count on you to be there with me? Please?”
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Hyun was a weak soul. Hyun was so weak that, after that single conversation, here they were, manning the bar just like Muti had asked. Although they were still a bit confused about how they got there - it all happened so fast - Hyun would give Wumuti this: she was surprisingly spot-on about their drinkmaking skills.
In the first few weeks, while Wumuti was going through the hiring process, Hyun would stand behind the bar and think. They’d consider flavor profiles, complimentary ingredients, and eventually begin to pull certain items from shelves to experiment with. The first time they made an amazing drink, Hyun could barely contain their excitement. They speed-walked over to Wumuti, who was only half-paying attention, and thrust the cup at her.
“Muti, try this.”
“Hyun, I’m kind of-”
“Please. You have to.”
Wumuti, looking a bit surprised, pulled the cup out of Hyun’s hands and took a sip of the mystery beverage. Her eyes widened. “Oh…wow. Hyun, what did you put in this? It’s good. Like, incredibly good.”
Hyun beamed. “Right? Okay, so I was behind the counter, and I got a little bored, so I started trying to come up with drinks based on people that I know.” They glanced at the cup, then back at Wumuti. “Guess whose drink that is?”
Wumuti blinked before pointing a finger at Hyun. “Yours?”
Hyun took the finger and maneuvered it back towards Wumuti. “Not quite…” Wumuti looked baffled, glancing at the cup like it would reveal its secrets if she stared hard enough. Hyun laughed.
“I know, it totally doesn’t seem like your vibe, right? You’re all spice and bite, and it’s kind of…sweet and mellow? Well, that’s the thing - I based it off of your energy, not your preferences.”
Wumuti cocked her head. “My energy?”
“Yeah! Right now, you’re focused on what you’re doing, but not in the “business business business numbers” way. More like a “I want to accomplish this to the best of my ability” way. So, when I was making the drink, I wanted it to reflect that.” Hyun gasped. “Oh my goodness, I haven’t even said what it is yet. Okay, it’s not cold outside, but I wanted to capture the fire in your energy today.” They chuckled a little at that before continuing. “So! It's a basic cold brew. Then, for sweetness, I made a foam for the top - cinnamon brown sugar. I dusted it with more cinnamon and a tiny bit of nutmeg after that. Finally, there’s a dash of sea salt on top to cut the sweetness of the foam, if necessary. So you get warmth from the spices and the sugar, but it still keeps you cool if you’re too hot from any stress.”
Wumuti stared at Hyun for a second, then laughed. “Hyun…you got all that from my energy?” She cocked an eyebrow. “And here you were, swearing that you weren't built for being my barista.”
Hyun flushed a bit. “It wasn’t even that hard. It’s like…the drink came to me.”
“I’m sure it did,” Muti said through her giggling. “This is great, though. We’re putting it on the menu for sure, so I hope you can remember how to make it a few weeks from now.”
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Eventually, the Red Rabbit Café officially opened for business. The drink Hyun had made for Wumuti became the shop’s namesake drink, to their absolute delight. Hyun had conceptualized a full menu by then too, with both classic café offerings and a couple of house specials to spice things up. Hyun’s favorite was yet to be determined - every drink they made was their baby. Wumuti had a fondness for the Red Rabbit, of course.
It had been a few weeks since opening when Hyun and Wumuti were scheduled for a Saturday morning together. Hyun, who had so kindly been given the aux by Wumuti, was scrolling through their phone in search of a good playlist. Wumuti was brewing a cup of coffee for herself - Hyun technically manned the bar, but they were preoccupied, and Wumuti needed something. The two settled in, and The Red Rabbit had been open for about two hours when someone called:
“Muti?”
The front door was closing behind whoever had just spoken, bell ringing lightly as they stepped inside. Wumuti made a cursory glance in the direction of the voice, distracted by her work at the register. Something clicked in her mind, however, and soon her eyes widened in shock as she fully turned to face the stranger. Hyun, who was not addressed but nosy regardless, noticed Muti’s reaction and followed suit. Wumuti’s face promptly broke into a grin.
“Haru! Oh my goodness, how are you?”
As if she never worked there, Wumuti quickly made her way around the counter, ignoring the line of waiting customers to envelop Haru in a tight hug. Hyun quickly shuffled over to the register as a temporary replacement for Muti’s desertion, but struggled to keep their eyes - and ears - focused on any orders.
Wumuti was now holding the shoulders of who Hyun knew to be Haru, talking enthusiastically as he nodded and responded with similar vigor. Side by side, the two almost looked as if they could be related, all toothy smiles and soft eyes. Wumuti reached over and mussed up Haru’s hair a bit, which was not a very difficult task to accomplish - Haru was a solid three inches shorter than her. Still beaming, she took his shoulders and steered him in the direction of Hyun, who was now failing to remember what exactly the customer in front of them had just asked for.
“Hyun, sweetheart? This is Haru!”
Not wanting to be impolite, Hyun briefly waved at the boy, offering a small smile. Haru quickly waved back, albeit a bit shyly. Hyun was then startled by the sharp sound of skin on metal - the customer in front of them had become impatient.
“Hello? Earth to cashier? I’ve told you my order three times now. Are you even listening to me?”
Hyun panicked as they quickly swiveled around to face the displeased man, folding over in an apologetic bow. “I am so sorry, sir, my mistake. But, um…forgive me…what was it that you ordered again?”
As the man in front of Hyun scoffed, Wumuti finally noticed Hyun’s situation and realized where she was supposed to be. In a panic, she quickly promised to speak more with Haru “in a minute” before dashing behind the counter and lightly moving Hyun to the side, back towards their typical drinkmaking station. Wumuti then folded her hands in front of her and rested them atop the counter, batting her eyes in an attempt to garner sympathy.
“I am so sorry about that delay, sir. You see, our Hyun is typically the one who makes the drinks, and, as a result, not necessarily proficient in the art of cash handling. That role would usually be mine, but I was easily distracted by the sudden appearance of an old friend. Please understand that I take full responsibility for this misstep. My sincerest apologies, it won't happen again.” The smile Wumuti proceeded to shine was not the authentic one allotted to Haru just moments earlier, but had years of work in the service industry behind it. “Now…what can I help you with?”
In reality, Hyun did know how to run a register, and Muti knew damn well that they did. It was literally part of the training, given by Muti, that they did to become an official employee. This meant that Muti had just thrown herself under the bus for something that was absolutely, entirely Hyun's fault. Sometimes Hyun thought that she had to be an angel on Earth.
Grateful for having been returned to normalcy, Hyun made an effort to tidy their station up a bit before the incoming rush of customers. They couldn’t help but glance nervously at how long the line had gotten, and it truly was not as egregious as they expected after their time-wasting blunder. A new face had joined the queue, however - Haru, who could barely be seen behind the two heeled women in front of him. It was sort of funny, the way he kept leaning to the side, as if surveying his line progress but from the back of it. Hyun laughed a little to themself.
Eventually, the brown-haired boy had finally made his way to the front of the line. Wumuti greeted him cheerily.
“Hellooooo, welcome to the Red Rabbit Café! How may I help you?”
Haru giggled. “So professional. Let me get…ah.” He stopped abruptly, putting a finger to his lips. “Um. Can I have a…well…”
Wumuti cocked her head to the side. “Having trouble deciding?”
“Yes, but also not really?” Haru looked sheepish. “I just wanted to talk to you again as soon as possible, so I hopped in line and spent my whole wait thinking about that. I sorta forgot to…you know…check the menu. So I kinda have no idea what you guys have.”
“Ha-ruuuuu.” Muti dragged out the name before shaking her head, sighing dramatically. “Look at you, holding up the line.” There was really no one behind Haru, but he panicked and checked regardless. Wumuti pretended to ponder for a second before snapping her fingers and turning to her right.
“Hyunnie? What would you recommend for our lovely customer?”
Hyun began to think on the question as Muti leaned over to fill Haru in. “Our Hyunnie runs the bar, so they know what everything on our menu tastes like from order mishaps and slow shifts. They actually came up with the whole thing themself.” She looked around conspiratorily, then began whispering loud enough for only Haru (and, just barely, Hyun) to hear. “Plus…they have this talent? Hyun can recommend the perfect drink solely based on customer personality. Not even taste preferences or anything. It’s like magic!”
Hyun, ears a bit flushed from Muti’s bragging, had indeed come up with a drink for Haru already. They leaned to the side and braced their weight with a hand on the countertop, an air of practiced ease surrounding them.
“How about something strawberry? I’m thinking…an iced black tea with our fresh puree. And maybe a splash of lemonade for sweetness.”
Haru perked up. “Fresh strawberry? That sounds so good.” He tilted his head in awe, attention now firmly directed towards Hyun. “Wow, you really are magical!”
Hyun waved a hand in dismissal, but internally shone from the praise. “Please,” they responded, “hardly.” In reality, this was actually one of Hyun’s easier decisions. The cheerful energy of the boy, his radiant smile, and the youthful spirit emanating from his every move screamed “sweet.” The choice of strawberry was simply complimentary to Haru’s “fresh” personality. Hyun enjoyed making little connections like that - characteristics of customers with the characteristics of different ingredients. They were about 99% sure that their abstract way of choosing drinks was exactly why it worked so well every time - it spoke directly to their clients in ways they wouldn’t expect.
Hyun returned to their task at hand, mixing up the various drinks that had been ordered before finally reaching Haru’s. It was a simple one, and as a result, a simple process, but Hyun took it upon themself to add a little dash of mint at the end. They thought that might bring it all together. Placing the lid on the cup, Hyun walked over to the pick-up area of the counter.
“For Haru?”
The boy, who may or may not have been spacing out in the corner, jumped up to retrieve his order. His energy was endearing as he reached Hyun, bowing quickly and rushing out a “Thank you!” before grabbing the beverage and taking a sip. Haru’s brows furrowed, and for a second, Hyun thought he might hate it. He quickly looked up, however, and Hyun realized that his expression was one of disbelief, not disappointment. To accent his point, Haru threw Hyun a thumbs-up before walking away and finding a table to sit at.
Cute.
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Hyun’s shift ended before Wumuti’s on that day, so they had to hear everything on the next. Muti smiled as she began prepping some of the green tea.
“Haru and I worked on a project together a little while back. I was producing a track that he was a backup dancer for, so we ended up crossing paths. He was even younger then, and a little lost - Haru’s from Japan, so when he came to Korea he didn’t speak very fluently. He’s great now, I’m sure you heard, but back then…ah, I don’t know, I just felt like I needed to help him out a little. He ended up appreciating that quite a bit, honestly. More than I expected, anyway. He even kind of sees me as a second mom now? Which seems crazy, but sometimes it feels like he’s my biological son. So, hey.”
Hyun nodded. “You definitely have that motherly energy around him. I don’t think seeing me on a day off has ever made you drop everything to crush me in a hug.”
Muti scoffed in mock offense. “Hyunnie, you don’t even like physical affection. And you’re not my son…you’re my friend.” She stared Hyun down for a moment, then pouted pathetically. “Wait...aww, I’m sorry. Do you feel left out? You want mama Muti to dote on you, too? C'mere.” Wumuti held her arms out, making obnoxious kissing noises and grabbing motions with her hands as she walked towards Hyun. Hyun physically recoiled from her.
“AGH! Muti! Quit it!”
Wumuti cackled. “Don’t start something you can’t finish, Hyunnie…my sweet, poor baby…”
Desperately seeking refuge from the targeted attack, Hyun ran to the register as an excuse to ditch Muti. They were incredibly lucky that a customer happened to walk in right at that moment.
“You can’t hide forever, Hyunnie,” a sickeningly sweet voice called from afar. Hyun shuddered.