Working has never felt this dreadful, Taemin thinks as he cleans off the same table for the third time in the same hour. Not because it isn’t clean but because he needs an excuse to avoid his regular post at the counter. Jonghyun complies with his wishes at first, most likely out of pity for his slim hope of romance being shattered, but it only lasts so long. 

“Taemin, you’ve polished just about every inch of the café, now go and take orders, all right? You are going to have to face Mr. handsome sooner or later anyway, so it might as well be sooner.”

In the end, Jonghyun snatches the cloth out of Taemin’s hand and nudges him toward the counter. Taemin obeys while emitting a sigh. He hates that Jonghyun is right and within the hour, the man he’s been avoiding so meticulously for the past week enters through the clear glass doors. By the time he reaches the counter, Taemin feels his cheeks burn as he attempts to act civil. 

“I-iced americano?” 

“Yes. To go, please.”

Taemin nods and instantly gets started on making the coffee in a hurry. When he returns to hand it over, he realizes the man’s eyes are stuck on something. 

“Is that yours?”

He’s referring to the novel that is resting face-up on the edge of the counter. The one Taemin hasn’t even thought of moving out of sight while being too busy keeping himself out of sight.

“Oh, that— Uhm… y-yes.” He utters while he cringes on the inside at how stupid he must look.

“That’s cool. I just finished reading it the other day. It was a lot better than I expected. How far have you gotten?”

“I’m almost finished.”

Truth is, he only just started. But it’s too late to change his answer when he’s met with the other’s warm smile. 

“Well, then I suppose you can tell me what you think of it next time.” 

Next time?

While he leaves with his coffee, Taemin is frozen in place and having an internal breakdown because he realizes he now has to finish the book before the man’s next visit if he doesn’t want to look like a complete fool. 

“Everything alright, Taemin?”  Jonghyun asks in the afternoon when there is no flow of customers and Taemin is desperately flipping through the pages of the novel in an attempt to take in as much of the plot as possible. 

“No, everything’s not alright. I’m an idiot!” 

Jonghyun doesn’t need to ask what he’s referring to either. It’s a small coffee shop after all. He had eavesdropped on most of Taemin’s conversation with the handsome man earlier in the day. “I’m sure you’ll figure something out.” He says, smiling amusingly. The glare Taemin sends him is his cue to leave him be. 

With no time to finish the book, Taemin takes the short route and reads through different analyses posted online as a base for his own opinion, which he then practices inside his head relentlessly. When he comes face to face with his crush again, he wants to make sure he has a solid answer and won’t blow a chance to have a long-awaited conversation with him. 

The wait for him to visit the coffee shop again is anxious-filled. Taemin can’t seem to focus on anything. In his mind, he only sees the other’s charismatic eyes and warm smile. 

He thinks about his already crafted thoughts on the novel. How he’s going to formulate himself when he delivers them. How he’s going to ask the man what his thoughts are. And finally, how he’s going to suggest they’d discuss it over coffee sometime when they are both free. 

It seems so simple when it’s just a plan in his head. But all turns to dust when the other finally visits the coffee shop, and he isn’t alone. Another man is with him. A man with a boisterous laugh. 

Taemin watches from behind the counter as the two choose a place to sit. Suddenly his throat is dry and his hands are wet from sweat. He has to wipe them off on his black apron before he tends to the next customer. It’s a short-lived distraction. Even as he’s making the iced latte ordered, his head is fuzzy from the turn of events. But then, he thinks it shouldn’t come as a large surprise and feels foolish. 

After handing the finished drink to the customer, Taemin contemplates stepping away to calm himself when another person approaches the counter. 

“Hi. What can I get you—“

Taemin’s voice gets stuck in his throat. Before him is the man who he only knows by his laugh. At a close distance, he realizes he’s also handsome. His skin is spotless, eyes small but striking, nostrils biggish, and mouth curved ever so slightly. His dark brown hair is styled neatly and the clothes on his body appeared sleek and of an expensive brand. Envy instantly burns beneath Taemin’s skin, but he still manages to form a customer-friendly smile. 

“Is it possible that you bring my order to the table I’m seated at?”

“Of course,” Taemin mutters with as much politeness he can muster. “What would you like to order?” 

“One camomille tea and one iced-americano.”

So, he’s ordering for him too

“Anything else?”

”There is one more thing,” The man continues, hesitating briefly. “This may seem a bit out of the blue but are you seeing anyone?”

Out of all possible requests or sentences that could’ve been spoken, it’s not even remotely close to what Taemin’s expecting. Yet as quickly as surprise hits him, so does a sudden pit of fury, flaring up in his gut, and before he knows it, his usually soft and doe-like eyes are now peering at the other man in evident despise. 

“Are you flirting with me?”

“What? No, I was just—“

“It could be considered harassment.”

“I wasn’t—“ 

“Besides— why are you flirting with someone else behind your date’s back? Don’t you have any respect or morals!?”

There was little time for Taemin to comprehend the situation and examine the man’s bewildered expression for as soon as he had raised his voice and caught the attention of everyone in the room, Jonghyun had been quick to rush over and apologize on his behalf. 

“Taemin, kitchen, now .” 

Three words were uttered sternly, but it was more than enough. Angrily and yet quietly he rushed off to a seperate room to simmer down as Jonghyun tender to the confused customers.