▸　❛ café

@❛ jaemin n。 Jinah’s heart sinks slightly as the man dismisses her offer. It was clear that at this point he wanted little to do with her. She felt guilty about blowing up at him and despite her offer being declined she felt inclined to make it up to him. She quickly realized upon closer inspection of the man’s shirt that her grandmother had taught her how to make a pretty effective stain remover. The man’s shirt looked expensive and so perhaps if she could clean it he would not be without such a pricey piece.

“Look, I know you probably don’t want my help but I think I can fix your shirt. I know I said I couldn’t earlier but I just remembered the recipe for an old family stain remover. I have to run to work but I would be happy to pick up your shirt later and fix it up for you if you’d like...” She offers nervously, not wanting to further annoy the man.

@❛ jinah i。 As he continues to dab at the rapidly drying stain on the front of his shirt, Jaemin barely registers the voice of said stranger haphazardly offering to replace his drink. His patience has already been tested by the morning's events, and though the offer by the tall stranger intrigues him for the sake of replacing his rather expensive coffee, the last thing he wants is her pity.

So, he shakes his head rather brashly at her offer, leaning over to toss the brown stained napkins into the waste bin. "It's fine, forget about it," is all he offers in response, though his eyes gaze over the stranger before him.

She is tall, no doubt nearing his own height short of a couple inches, yet there is something about her appearance—and her emotional outbreak from only minutes ago that he had had the displeasure of both causing and witnessing—that leads Jaemin to believe that she is not as tense as her appearance would make it seem so. It seemed he would now have to settle for the instant coffee in the Casia lounge, much to his displeasure.

@❛ jaemin n。 Jinah is both stunned and mortified by the young man's response. Part of her feels enraged that he would speak to her with such an unfriendly tone, but another part of her feels ashamed for letting such a minor incident upset her to such a high degree. Jinah takes a deep breath and tries to settle herself before speaking again. She realizes that she is next in line to order and decides that she will repurchase the man's drink as a form of apology.

"Let me buy you another drink. I know it won't do much in the way of mending your shirt, but it's all I can do as of right now." Jinah says softly, trying to convey genuine kindness despite the anger lingering in her tone.

She makes eye contact with the man as she speaks, taking in his appearance as she subconsciously tries to figure out what kind of person he is. Jinah notes that the young man is quite stylish. He as an edge to his style that is in clear contrast to Jinah's own style which is quite prim, preppy, and conservative. She becomes a bit self-conscious as she makes these internal observations, afraid of what the young man in front of her must be thinking of her.

"What was your order?" She asks, her tone devoid of its previous anger.

@❛ jinah i。 To say that he's angry is an overstatement, perhaps just peeved is a better substitute, as Jaemin has more than enough time to return to his apartment in search of a change of clothes. The only thing would probably be the fact that he had yet to consume even a of coffee, and could not simply afford to stand in the line to order a replacement. Perhaps he would have to settle with the less-than-satisfying instant coffee that they offered in the apartment complex lounge.

Still, he had a tendency to let his emotions get the best of himself, and especially showing his disdain in his tone, the male doesn't realize the sharpness in his tone. This is, until he hears the choked response of his collider, who appears to be a woman older than him. She nearly falls apart at his words, which had left his mouth before he had a moment to consider them; this causes him to do a double take. Of course, being confronted this way so early in the morning only causes him to sigh. "Calm down," he says with a condescending tone, reaching for some napkins on the counter next to him to dab at the spots on his shirt which has begun to stick to his skin. "Your voice is too loud in the morning."

@❛ jaemin n。 As per usual Jinah's inbox was flooded with emails ranging from angry parents to anxious administrators. Jinah just started working at the local elementary school and was still adjusting to her new surroundings. She noticed that the school culture was quite a bit more conservative than the schools she taught at in the city. This had resulted in some upset about certain topics Jinah had introduced in class, thus providing her with a never-ending list of emails in which she seeks to justify her professional choices.

Just as Jinah was about to press send on her final email reply she found herself pushed up against another body, the impact strong enough to send her phone flying to the floor and the coffee of the man in front of her right down the front of his shirt. Jinah snapped her head up once she realized what had happened, quickly picking up her phone and taking a step back to fully assess the damage. Jinah was a bit taken back by the man's response. It was perfectly rational for him to be upset yet the tone of his voice present in his response was venomous enough to bring tears to Jinah's eyes. She felt incredibly embarrassed to be so visibly distraught by a seemingly minor inconvenience. Typically, Jinah would swallow her tears and react with as much kindness and care as she could muster, but today was not a typical day and so her reaction was nothing short of abnormal.

"I'm sorry about your shirt but you don't have to be such a jerk about it! I'm sure you've made a mistake or two in your life no?!" Jinah chokes out, trying not to fall into a complete sob.

@❛ jinah i。 There had been wars waged over cotton, tobacco, and alcohol, yet Jaemin firmly believes that if there is anything worth fighting over, it is coffee. The blue haired male had been kept awake the previous night at a race (at which he had returned victorious, of course), thus coffee is his savior to bring him to light before he heads out to his classes for the day. Now, Jaemin himself already is not the most friendly person on the block, but a pre-coffee Jaemin is one that even his friends and his girlfriend try to avoid. It's as though coffee is his salvation, making him a much more likeable person to those around him, and he knows this himself.

Therefore, he waits almost impatiently, tapping his foot against the tile of the cafe as he awaits the calling of his name to receive his drink to-go. When his name is ultimately called, he saunters forward to the counter to pick up said drink, though his attention remains majorly misplaced in the direction of his phone, thumb tapping meticulously a text message as he makes his way out of the busy cafe. What he doesn't realize is how detrimental this can be, especially in the coming moments as he suddenly finds himself colliding into another person and his iced coffee no longer in his cup, but rather staining the front of his white t-shirt.

"What the hell?" is his immediate response, tearing his gaze away from his phone to gape at the destroyed shirt.

@❛ jaemin n。 If ever there was a time Jinah regretted moving into the apartment complex it was this morning. She woke up late and incredibly tired after a restless night’s sleep. There was a horrible sound coming from the pipes that went on until the early hours of the morning. If that wasn’t enough to set Jinah up for a miserable day, the hot water in her apartment was also out of service, leaving her with no choice but to take a freezing cold shower. As she struggled to find a decent outfit to wear she glanced up at the clock in her living room and was shocked to see that she was running much later than suspected. Jinah threw on her jacket and rushed out the door in a frenzy.

It was almost ritualistic the way Jinah consumed coffee. Even when running late she felt it necessary to grab a large cup of dark roast before starting her day. As Jinah walked into the quaint cafe not far from the complex, she realized that it was uncharacteristically busy. She sighed deeply at the sight of what looked like a never ending line. She quickly found her way to the back a pulled out her phone to check any emails she might have received since the evening before. She became glued to her screen, only moving forward when the customer behind her offered a gentle nudge.

@❛ jaehyun j。 "You could have told me." She shouldn't be pressing like this, but she can't help but imagine what life would be like if he had told her, if she had realized her feelings sooner, if they had synced with each other earlier in life. As he leans back in his chair she finds he misses his touch, and so she gently, carefully reaches out to take a hold of his hand, to clasp it between her own delicate ones in her lap before she tugs herself forward to sit closer. Maybe it's an unwelcome feeling for him, and maybe he needs the time to think. But she wants to be greedy in this moment, hold his hand again and feel his warmth on her skin. "You were never, and never will be an obstacle in my life, Jae." She frowns, holding his face in her palm. He's always been a bit too handsome for his own good, but in this light she thinks he looks absolutely stunning -- perfect. "Jae," She smiles his way, small, but hopefully reassuring. He's always been someone like her rock, her foundation for a lot of the times she had found trouble in her life. "You matter too. I love you too, and I always have."

@❛ chaeyoung p。 "Then what was I supposed to do? It's not like it was my choice or not". Removing his hand off her angelic visage, his hand falls onto the table with a deaf knock against the wooden surface. Somehow he felt guilty for his sentimental reveal, it for sure wasn't the right moment. What was he hoping for? he saw it coming since the beginning and her words resonated into his head, bringing him back to earth; here magic didn't happen and cruel was the right adjective to describe the reality. His heart slowly cracks into his ribcage, the noise filling his ears with this empty serene buzz. "Ah", broke out of his throat, leaning back into his chair. The gaze was getting heavy so his head spun towards the windows for a while, looking for the right words, calculating his next actions so he doesn't make her uncomfortable yet again. "Although I sometimes got hurt, it was my fault after all. I never told you, I never made my feelings obvious nor wanted you to know. I was afraid of myself that I might be just another obstacle in your life". Returning his attention to the girl, pearly whites buried into his lower succulent lip this time "You matter, Rosie". Free hand wrapped around the warm cup of tea, the temperature radiating against the lines of his ice palms; it seems like blood was long frozen in his veins from the emotional flood.

@❛ jaehyun j。 "You shouldn't have." It's probably too scandalous a phrase to say, to suggest. Was it completely out of line for her? Perhaps. She has no idea what he had been through emotionally, in regards to romantic relationships over the past few years, save for the little period of time he seemed to date. For her to suggest that he pine after her, she wasn't being fair. And yet there's something in her that wanted to say it so desperately, it leaped over her filter and was out there in the open now. She finds she doesn't regret it. It comes as a surprise when he professes his love for her, in a dainty cafe that she had thought was only going to be an outing to get some dessert, maybe talk about her breakup, to spill her jumbled emotions and somehow try and make sense of them. But she finds herself leaning into his warmth, the soft touch of his fingers, and as she hears the words ring in her ears, there's an incandescent wave of calm that rushes over her. It's like everything eases away, in an ebb and flow until she can't help but smile and hold his hand. "You still love me? Haven't I been cruel to you?" Of course she feels overwhelmed with love, with adoration. "I'm sorry I never noticed, but I know now. I know what really matters now."

@❛ chaeyoung p。 The prints of his fingertips absorbed the bits of cherry balsam left on her lips, brushing the cold skin slowly. "Nobody said I ever stopped liking you. You just always seemed like a distant star I could never touch, so i just gave up." Teeth sank into his inner cheeks nervously, bitting the flesh until the crimson blood expanded all over his tongue, feeling the metallic taste of his own bleeding. He's been thinking about this for ages, so there was no hesitation in his speech, nor did he have something to lose. It's not even the first time he's risking, although confessing his sacred feelings to her was more hazardous than his job. "I love you, Rosei". Leading the strands of her silky hair behind her ear, his focus fell on the petite jewelry piercing her ear. "I don't want to make us awkward, but as the time passes, it's getting harder to hold it back, and it hurts me when the smile on your face disappeared completely".

@❛ jaehyun j。 She supposes she never did give him a chance to portray how he felt about her, regardless of it being a childhood crush. Always caught up with something, her childhood felt much more like a fever dream than something she actually experienced. His touch is welcome, warmth radiating from his palm as she finds herself leaning into the comfort of it, inclined to do so even without giving it a thought. "How did you know? And, well .. We both know where that got me." There's a dull ache in her chest, and her voice softens significantly, too weak to be normal. Bringing her hand up, she locks their fingers together against her thigh, resting there as she looks to the rich chocolate of his eyes. "How long did you like me, then? I wish I could take you back to our childhood. Things were a lot simpler then, weren't they? For now, though, I think I'll work harder so life isn't so hard on you now."

@❛ chaeyoung p。 The smile on his face became wider, displaying his pearly whites; the dimples in his cheeks digging into his cheek when they rose towards his eyes. The raven irises ogled the flames in her cheeks, parting his brims to bring the sweet dough into his cavern. "How was I supposed to tell you?", extending his hand towards the angelic features of her's, the pad of his thumb ghosting over the roseate skin, completely capturing her face in the immense palm. "I knew you always had your eyes over that Jongin dude". Part of him felt guilty for bringing his name up, especially when the scars of their split were still hurting her. "I hung out with you because i had nothing to do, but that was before I started liking my sister's best friend. Ever since my personal life went downhill I never wanted anything more than going back to our childhood".

@❛ jaehyun j。 "Hey!" She protests, porcelain cheeks tainted pink at the memory of her horrid pigtails and the jail like braces that she had on her teeth. Now that she thinks about it, she probably was quite the horrendous looking little girl. But his next words work away the embarrassment and rather, she wonders how he managed to develop such feelings for her anyway. "You had a crush on me? And you never told me?" The cake is sweet as she brings it into , cream and strawberries meshing together for the perfect, most harmonious flavor profile. Bringing up her frosted cup, she takes a sip from the straw, eyes never leaving his captivating ones. Truth be told, she'd always had a bit of a childhood crush on him. Poking a fork into the cake, she allows a piece to break off with the little force she puts into it, holding it up to his full lips as she nudges his ankle with her own. "I always thought you just hung out with us cause you didn't have anything else to do."

@❛ chaeyoung p。 Tapping the pads of his fingertips on the table in rhythmical motions, they soon captured the iron fork that seamlessly sank into the cake cream. Usually, he wasn't a cake-cream enthusiast, yet he somehow enjoyed the texture of this one. Taking a small piece of dessert on the edge of the utensil, directing it towards the luscious lips of the girl. He continued to wear the same ludicrous grin on his face the whole time she spoke, occasionally escaping chuckles as the puzzles of memory put up together in his mind. "You were never gross. I mean you had those ugly ponytails and dental braces. You looked like a nerd yet I hang out around girls because I had the biggest crush on you. Lisa often told me to leave because you girls made your Ken and her Barbie kiss, but... I still protested". He waited for her lips to part widely so he can slide the gateau in her cavern.

@❛ jaehyun j。 It's always been a bit of a mystery how her best friend and the man in front of her were related, but even without having known them through their childhood and adolescent years, one could see their unbreakable bond. They'd always been an affectionate pair, and although she will admit it felt oddly like having a babysitter watch over her and her best friend while they played together, she never disliked Jaehyun's presence. In fact, now that she thinks of it, she'd rather enjoyed it. It felt like things had changed overnight. The little boy with too much hair for his head, had grown into a handsome young man who willed her heart to beat wildly in her chest. Of course she tries not to think too much of it, how her body feels jittery and there's a kind of nervousness that she hasn't felt in quite a long while, a foreign but welcome feeling. She links their legs together loosely beneath the table, biting back a grin that would be far too expository of the schoolgirl giddiness she feels clouding her mind. "I thought you thought I was gross when we were kids."

@❛ chaeyoung p。 With the corner of his foxy eyes, the male noticed the cherry shades burgeoning in the apple of cheeks. Another minor detail he stealthily worshipped about this young lady. Placing the tray on the wooden surface, he placed the amber drink in front of her, right after the plate with the dessert. In counted seconds, his weight landed on the chair that was placed at the other end of the table, fully facing the dearest girl. Every smile she had to offer had the same alarming consequence: heart resonating in his thoracic cage, just like a butterfly captive in a glass jar. Head slightly tilted to the side, almost resting against his own shoulder, as his bones slightly lifted when his arms naturally rested on the table. "I only call two people like that. Lisa, who is my sister, and you". Amusing was the fact that he didn't usually give nicknames to people, unless he was comfortable, alas she made him feel jubilant. Staring boldly at her thought the long lashes, he reached out to scarcely rub his leg against her own underneath the table. "God, you're so beautiful".

@❛ baekhyun b。 "one mango smoothie..." she let her sentence trail off when his attention shifted towards the pastry case, her own gaze venturing that way. "i love our matcha croissants! i'll throw on in on the house, since this is the first time i've been able to speak to you." she said shyly, ducking her eyes to avoid his as she felt a blush make its way onto her cheeks. "i always see you come into the shop to get your coffee but i've always wanted to at least have a conversation with you, since you're one of our regulars."

[] im so sorry for the late response, but tysm for being patient !!

@❛ chungha k。 [] Before the event

After a long day at the bar, Bright wasn't particularly happy about the outcome at all since he was unable to gravel any new clues as to why they were hiding drugs at that specific bar, he sat himself near the window waiting for the lady who he had invited for a coffee date. She wasn't just any ordinary person though, throughtout his shifts, he couldn't help but linger odd thoughts through his mind about her but overall he had to get some information. "Just a Caramel latte please mate." He said to the younger lad who took his order while gazing out the window seeing if he coukd spot her.

@❛ jaehyun j。 The nickname catches her by surprise but she does little to let him know, instead trying to will down the slightest pink blush that paints her cheeks. The desserts are already stealing her attention, but as she's led to the table, she settles down into the seat with her hands clasped together, now focusing on him. The sunlight seems to stream in in a way that brightens his already luminescent complexion, and as she observes his features, she wonders why she let time and distance cause a rift between them in the first place. Comfortingly, she reaches for his hand and gives it a squeeze, offering him a smile that admittedly, is a bit shy. "I never thought anyone thought I was elegant. Do you call everyone princess, by the way?"

@❛ chaeyoung p。 "Yes. Everything about you is elegant, even the way you walk". He remembers her graceful steps on the ground, which reminded him of feathers in the wind currents. Shoving the plastic card back into his pocket, his head moved up and down in agreement, chasing the table near the window with his sight. "Anywhere you want, princess", not sure if it was a good idea to offer her a nickname yet, it just slipped past his lips by pure accident on purpose. As the order was ready, the young man slid his hand underneath the tray with the versatile desserts. "Let's go there", without detaching from the lady, he voyaged over the empty table along with her.

@❛ matthew k。 ''Well you see. I don't sell my own recipes to anyone. I give it for free! Well not just to anyone. Maybe whenever I feel like it?'' Grinning cheekily, I tapped my chin and asked myself if maybe I'd give him a birthday cake or a batch of cookies. ''Birthday Cake huh? Tell you what. Since you've made me smile and laugh even though we just met. How about a free birthday cake? My own recipe! You could probably share it with some of your co-workers later.'' Glancing at the clock and much to my dismay I don't think I won't have enough time. ''Perhaps I could just deliver it at your workplace later? I mean if you did wait for it now it might make you late for work. Also the cookies I can whip it up right now!'' Just the thought of someone tasting my own recipe makes me smile so bright!

@❛ seulgi k。 "It's funny you saying this when we are at your work, you're going to steal a client from your workplace, you should feel bad!" Uses the back of his hand to cover his mouth as he laughs loudly but stops suddenly not wanting to draw attention to their table. "Alright, I accept but what's your favorite thing to bake? I personally love birthday cakes! Too bad I can only eat like once a year" Takes another sip of his latte.

@❛ jaehyun j。 "You think I'm elegant?" This is news to her. She watches with usually upturned roseate lips pulled downwards, watching the transaction happen as if time has slowed down. The card is swiped and she huffs, petulantly rubbing her cheek into his chest without a real word of protest. How could she, when he had practically insisted on doing so? She looks past the artfully placed tables, the decorations on the walls, and as she gazes over the entirety of the dreamlike scene, her eyes fall upon the table he mentioned meant for two by the window. "Can we sit there?" With a tilt of her head, she points a dainty figure towards the table where the light shines gracefully and not intrusively.

@❛ matthew k。 I'm guessing he has a sweet tooth. Seeing how he perks up whenever we touch the topic about baking or even just talking about some sweets. "I don't have one yet. I'm you know how wide the variations of pastries. Although I tried creating my own recipes" Sighing heavily. "It's just that I don't know if it tastes good or not since I've been baking for years now and I can't differentiate which is better with all the pastries I baked. I could whip up some fresh cookies for you to go? For stress relieving? It's my own recipe by the way. I would love to hear some reviews from someone who likes to eat cookies! Free of charge don't worry!"

@❛ seulgi k。 "Oh? last week? that makes sense to why I never saw you before!" Matt nodded a few times, convicted now of the reason of their first meeting ever but his ears perk up "Baker? Is there any special cake or cookies you make?" his interest rose at the conversation, placing his elbow on the table with his chin rested on the palm of my hand.

@❛ matthew k。 Tucking a lose strand behind my ear I glanced up at him. "I just actually moved here last weekend. And I was lucky enough that this cafe was urgently in need of a barista. Me being a baker was a cherry on top for them. I haven't really explored the town, but the people here are so warm and welcoming." Thoughts suddenly filled my mind on what has happened the past few days. It was pretty fun moving suddenly to a new and small town.

@❛ seulgi k。 Matt cracked a smile, feeling warm inside after her words, happy to make a new coffee friend “thanks, I understand, I will still peek inside and enter if it’s as empty as today so you can join me” taking a soft bite at the cookie he leaned back puffing his cheeks “yeah... it can be tiring but I actually enjoy it, I’m a er for justice, you can say that. And you? For how long you’ve been working here?”

@❛ matthew k。 Smiling warmly at him from his suggestion. ''I'd be happy to accompany you, but no promises since today was just one these days that the cafe is like a ghost town for some reason'' She laughed at her own joke. ''A law intern huh? That's a bit tiring isn't it?'' Glancing at his appearance for the second time I know realized he do looks like someone who goes to a law firm.

@❛ seulgi k。 Matt chuckled being able to convince the friendly female, taking a sip of his latte. “I won’t, don’t worry. I might be coming over more often if you accompany me” he lets out a deep sigh after answering “I’m a law intern... intern’s life ain’t easy...”