Work Text:
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Yoongi stared at the painted window, feeling his normally restive face leaning more toward a disgusted curl of lip, easing into a scowl, seeing the minimalistic but posh graphics naming the cafe.
Haute Kopi.
It was just…
... so…
Haute… meaning ‘high’ in French, pronounced 'hote' by most westerners, and more like the English ‘hot’ by Koreans…
And ‘Kopi’ - okay, written in English, it /is/ how Koreans pronounce coffee, but the way westerners pronounced it, it sounded like ‘nosebleed’ in Hangul…
So why did it piss him off?
Because it seemed that only hot guys, like, /hot/ as in English ‘hot’, seemed to be employed there.
All the double-entendre-ing going on in multiple languages was really…
... he rolled his eyes...
... obviously the owner was a real… piece of work... likely some stuck up ahjumma getting off on her flair for French everything and fantasizing she was the queen of her own realm of hot young men...
And it was unfair.
... Yoongi needed a job… and they were hiring…
His friend Hoseok had told him about the job, the ideal hours… that he could work a variety of shifts, suited to his chaotic schedule of late nights... and mornings that were only the ends of the long nights, not necessarily the beginning of a new day...
... Hobie had really sold it... saying it would smell great, that there was limited contact with the general public for baristas, other than the most cursory interactions… and Yoongi would be free to work out lyrics, songs… inspired by the constant influx of people, snatches of conversation, music, etc… he'd be seeing people in a small, finite snippet of time in their lives… that it was all adding data to the musician's subconscious… helping him keep his music, his lyrics relevant,… getting him out of his head somewhat, out of the bubble of isolation he often found himself in, but not to the extent that he was uncomfortable with it, not giving him too much to process…
It would be ideal…
Except…
They only hired hot guys.
Yoongi didn’t think he was a disgusting human being… but… he didn’t have that standard of beauty that was so sought after right now… tall, along with /nosebleed/-high western-bridged noses, the plump cherry or still very full lips, tiny faces, round, double lidded eyes… all to be packaged with ripped bodies… massive arms and chests… but still idol-slim to look good in fitted /and/ over-sized clothing…
He wasn’t that.
Yoongi didn’t think he should wear a /bag/ over his face, but… he was thin… more whipcord than muscle…
His own eyes… he was Korean, so sue him… he had monolids... most of the time... but one liked to fold into a double at times... and they were canted, like a cat’s… his mother used to dote over them, saying how they were /better/ than the big rounded western eyes… or so she would console herself…
His hair was good… he like to change it a lot… but always did it himself… so at /some/ times it looked better than at others…
Maybe he should re-color it… maybe he should have done that /before/ coming in today…
He took a deep breath, reaching for the door.
Fuck it.
He sighed.
He needed this job, and if they wouldn’t hire him, well… he could point out that he could be their EOE employee…
He let the smell of the arabica beans, sugar, and vanilla… fried meats and sweet pastry… the aromas of hot foods and bakery and coffee wash over him, already soothing his soul…
Yoongi needed this job.
But fuck.
Looking at the man already waiting on customers, his confidence was leaving him in leaps and bounds.
For fuck’s sake.
He saw the beautiful man… and yeah, for fuck’s sake, the man was /beautiful/… like, he knew the grey eyes were obviously contacts… but the hair? The height? The bone structure?
He sighed, feeling a small resigned sullenness come over his features as he felt himself being checked out.. probably being sized up and stereotyped as an espresso order… and not much of a tipper…
… just wait til he found out Yoongi was here to apply for a job….
The shit they had here was probably too sweet for him anyway...
++++++++++++++++++++++
“Swear to god, Chim… like, I felt things /move/… he looked so… like, /quiet/ badass… and his eyes… it’s like he didn’t give a shit about /anything/… but he was /hot/… but like, swaggy in an understated way… like it was totally natural… and when he walked up… all I could think was that it must /hurt/ to walk with a dick that b-”
“Taehyung!”
The blond was furiously trying to get his roommate to stop talking so loudly, feeling eyes on them as Tae recounted meeting the newest employee of the coffee shop.
Jimin had been quietly studying in the library when Tae had stormed in, eyes alight and huge grin on his face, racing toward him with the carrier of two very sweet drinks.
Used to his roommate's exuberance, and part-time job delivery perks, Jimin had just slid his books to the side, making room for the other.
What he had /not/ been prepared for was Tae's glowing report of the new hire he'd be working with.
"... seriously, he looked /pissed/ to be there... I thought he was going to order an espresso as black as his eyes... he was so hot... like... he's /shorter/... but he just seemed... I don't know... like he had a /presence/... and then..." Tae took a dramatic pause, causing JImin to look back up when he'd just grinned and pulled his laptop to himself. "... he /spoke/..."
The amused chuckle slipped out as Jimin shook his head. "Um... your standards are really dropping, huh? I don't know if you're aware of this... but I'm pretty sure ninety-nine point nine nine percent of the students here /speak/..."
Tae swiped at the other's shoulder, his face settling into a disgruntled pout. "Shut it... that's not what I meant..." Tae ducked to whisper. "It was his /voice/... it was low and gravelly and like, hot-after-sex-bedroom-rumbly 'do you wanna go again' hot..."
Jimin shook his head at the other's theatrics, used to them by now.
He turned back to his work. "Go get him, tiger... sounds like a catch..."
Tae watched the smaller blonde, blinking slowly. "You know... he kinda looks more /your/ type..."
Jimin snorted. "Mine? Small cranky guys that walk like they have a load in their pants and speak like it's an effort and a new skill?" he summed up inelegantly, looking for his charger when he saw the low battery on his phone.
Watching the other sort through his bag, Tae looked thoughtful, thinking about Min Yoongi, the intelligence and passion in his eyes... his reined but respectful manner... how he looked sharp... but soft and pretty, too... and the overall aura of the upper class man he'd met today.
"Yeah."
Rolling his eyes, Jimin gestured toward Tae's own bag with his chin. "Better get started on your work... this project is due by the end of the week..."
Tae sighed... then switched gears to his study mode... Jimin was right... he could ruminate and get to know Min Yoongi better as the days wore on...
++++++++++++++++++++++
Yoongi still found it a little hard to believe... he landed the job.
He'd reluctantly approached the beautiful boy that had grinned at seeing him approach, and watched the perfect brows swoop upward when he'd quietly announced he was actually here to apply for a job... and couldn't help the somewhat defiant, challenging look he'd shot at the other.
But rather than the derisive guffaw or look of pitying skepticism, he'd been shocked when the other's eyes shone and the grin became /wider/, immediately telling him to stay right there as he ran for the back room, shouting "Hyung!"
And as Yoongi had nervously waited, relieved to have gotten in out of his mouth, he felt his initial spurt of confidence dissipate as /another/ impossibly handsome man walked out, trailed by the /other/ impossibly handsome man he'd already seen.
"Ah, hey... looking to apply?..." The perfect symmetry of the face speaking was mesmerizing. "Let's go over here..." and Yoongi had just resignedly followed the other, thinking it was nice of him to at least let Yoongi go through the whole routine.
As they sat, Yoongi internally thought of how his conversation would go with Hobie, and whether he should just ghost him for a while for this humiliation or beat the dance and sunshine out of him for making him go through this.
He answered the questions that were put to him, almost on autopilot, and was thinking of the online job he'd seen last night... how bad could it be to clean up saunas in off hours... when the other grinned. "You're hired."
Yoongi stared at the man, unsure if the words he heard matched what actually left the man's perfect cherry mouth.
"What."
The other grinned. "I said, you're hired! We'll get you on a training schedule as soon as you fill this out..." he slid a sheet to him, "... about your availability... oh, usually just black t shirts, short or long sleeved, is good... shows less stains in case of accidents..." Yoongi found himself staring into the warm eyes, watching the perfect mouth, and then realized the man had slid some paperwork toward him.
"Welcome to Haute Kopi, Min Yoongi ssi..."
Yoongi had dazedly nodded at the other, assuming he was older, and had taken the pen proffered to him, the man encouraging him to start filling out the forms immediately.
"I'm Kim SeokJin and this is my place..."
Yoongi had digested that rather shocking reveal and just kept his head down, hurriedly trying to fill out the forms and add his signature before the other could change his mind.
Which is why he found himself here, now manning the espresso machine, waiting for the next order to come in.
Training had gone well... Kim Taehyung, the first impossibly beautiful man, was an eager, enthusiastic, and thorough trainer... he'd excitedly explained every step, every trick of drink making, from tamping the grounds to shaking the almond milk /hard/...
Cha EunWoo, another hoobae, had also helped with his training, his also nearly /perfect/ features almost /hard/ to look at making Yoongi feeling more than a little disgruntled when he found out not only were these men, even other workers almost as handsome as these two and the owner, ridiculously good looking, but /nice/ and affable... and thought about how life really could be unfair sometimes... until he realized they all /worked/ during uni because they, too, could use the money.
The only one that Yoongi would cheerfully be tempted to take out with a good smack or two was Yoo Kihyun, who was his same year and cheerfully irritating to the quieter, taking opportunities to try to ruffle the quiet stoicism of the music major.
Like now... when Yoongi was waiting for the next order, wiping down the steamer wand, and Kihyun kept taking the cloth from him.
"Ha! Faster than you, ajhussi!" He teased, even as Yoongi heard the door open and voices enter the cafe.
"Get me whatever you're having..." Yoongi heard as Kihyun quickly dropped his antics and hurried over to the register, his charming client smile in place.
Yoongi assumed they kept him behind the espresso maker to whip up drinks to partially hide his appearance... due to his slighter shorter stature compared to the others, he wasn't as visible behind the massive machine and line up grinders and beans... and that was fine.
Because everything Hobie had said about the job was true.
Minimal contact, great smells, and perks of discounts and free shift drinks...
And most of the patrons were as expected... pleasant, pretty easily content... and few real assholes came his way... so far...
Yoongi could hear Kihyun greeting the new patron, and heard a light-tenored voice place an order... and the timbre of it was unusual enough to make Yoongi wonder what his singing voice would sound like... likely much higher than expected for a male... and when the ticket was handed to him, he looked it over to make sure he knew exactly what the specs were for the order... and started the drinks...
+++++++++++++++++++
Jimin had found time to finally make his way to the cafe... Tae had been speaking of Min Yoongi in such glowing terms, he realized he had to meet this paragon of swagger himself.
Tae had had a semester-long crush on a freshman that he'd had in one intro class, so it wasn't like he was totally into this Min Yoongi for himself... but he'd repeatedly mentioned how if he hadn't /already/ lost his heart to the hoobae, he would be all about letting this Min Yoongi get his hands wherever he wanted on him...
Jimin had shoved at the other, thinking that Tae was trying a little too hard to help Jimin get over his most recent debacle... with Kim Moongyu.
With his charming personality and unusually endearing looks, Jimin was quite popular on campus with both boys and girls...
He liked to be liked, fell in and out of shallow love a lot, and dated like a fun hobby.
Tae was the one that often worried about him, saying yes to too many dates, and getting an undeserved reputation on campus.
He just like being around people, people that admired him... he just hadn't met anyone he felt serious about... and no pressure to.
He was young, in uni, and already had far too many things to do... school, dance, education, preparation... that was his full time job... acquiring the skills and taking advantage of all of the opportunities to work and build a better future for himself... to have a /career/ instead of just a job...
When he'd run into Wonsik, a friend of Moongyu's, he'd agreed to come out to catch a cafe drink with him.
Wonsik had always been nice to him, and had been very sweet to him after Moongyu's outburst at the clubs one night...
He and Moongyu had had a few dates, but when he saw Jimin dancing with another friend at a club, not caring it was Tae, and had caused a scene, screaming at him and saying they were 'over' when Jimin hadn't even realized that they'd been /on/...
Jimin had sworn to Tae he was not going to see any guy more than once after that if it wasn't a group thing... too many people were too ready to take things too seriously...
... he wasn't truly interested in anyone, though attracted to many... one in particular...
... Tae didn't even know, but Jimin had noticed far more than even he realized a certain student he would catch glimpses of... he thought he was older, with attractive features that weren't blatant at first... but Jimin found himself scanning crowds, pedestrians, the library study rooms... looking for that one person that always seemed to stand out to him...
He couldn't do it reliably... the man seemed to keep to himself, and to change his hair like someone else would change their minds... sometimes he was blond... sometimes naturally black... once he was red... and a lot of the times, a blond shock he seemed to revert to in between colors... right now, it was a minty sea foam green...
Anyway, there had just been something about him that drew Jimin in, made him wonder about the other... he always seemed to be working hard... going somewhere, headphones on, back hitched high... sometimes tired eyes behind black glasses... sometimes canted cat eyes looking off into the distance... Jimin like to look at his face, imagine what he would be like, what his voice would sound like... and not ready to be disappointed by his favorite star of his imagination, never took it beyond that...
So, resolute on not even going on dates for a while, he was here, ordering a couple of macchiatos with a friend, relieved that he still had a few people other than Tae and a few other dance majors that were happy enough to just be company and friends for one another.
Jimin paid for the drinks, and drifted down to where the pick up station was, wondering about the man Tae kept talking about. His eyes scanned the back bar, seeing the usual very good-looking guys, as expected, but all he'd seen before... and saw the mint head that was moving behind the beast of the espresso machine.
Jimin froze, seeing that splash of color.
No... it couldn't /possibly/ be-
"Hey... is it ready yet?"
Jimin was broken from his sudden stupor as Wonsik came up behind him. "Wow... what's taking so long? It's not like it's busy..."
Taken aback at the rudeness and obviously-meant-to-be-heard volume, Jimin looked up and over at the older boy, then back to the mint head, which hadn't moved.
Feeling a little uncomfortable, Jimin opened his mouth to reply that he'd just ordered a little bit ago when the person who'd made the drinks moved from behind the machine... and Jimin saw...
It was him...
... the boy...
... and froze...
++++++++++++++++++
"... not like it's busy-"
Yoongi just let it roll off his back... he knew exactly when the order had been placed and knew he was delivering them in a very timely fashion.
Hearing the voice, he also realized he knew the troll... the guy was in his production class and thought he was far and away better than he actually was... he moved to place the drinks on the platform.
"Wait... /you/ work here?" the trolling tone came again, laced with derisive disbelief. "Whoa... standards are dropping everywhere..."
Yoongi slid the drinks in place, not responding, just staring at the other... and trying not to notice the shorter boy next to him.
He looked young, with high cheeks and a refined, yet cheeky nose, sparkling eyes and a very lush mouth...
With his blond hair and good looks...
... fuck...
Even the /patrons/ that came here were hot...
He watched as... Kim Wonsik?... put an arm around the smaller, who seemed to be ignoring him.
Instead, those soft brown eyes were riveted on... him?...
Yoongi felt a little niggling feeling of discomfort...
It was one thing for someone like Kim Wonsik to scoff at him working here... the guy was a tool that should be kept in a bag... especially taking his music into account... but this lovely boy...
Yoongi felt his resting-bitch-face stay firmly in place as he moved to get to the next order.
"-sorry..."
The start of an apology only registered as Yoongi already had turned to walk away, and felt it would be too foolish to look back... so he went on with his work.
Jimin saw the retreating mint hair continue down the line to start on the next order, feeling his face begin to flame.
What the fuck had just happened?
He'd never known Wonsik to be rude... and to do so in front of /him/...
... Jimin's secret-daydream-crush...
He'd opened his mouth late to apologize... too late...
Though the other's expression hadn't changed a hair... Jimin knew... /something/ had been thought by the man... and he'd turned away right before Jimin could begin to apologize for the rudeness... to say he had nothing to do with it... that the derisive tone, whatever criticism had been implied...
"Let's go, Jimin..."
Jimin felt himself take the drink pushed into his hand... let himself be led, the arm still around his shoulders, until they'd almost made it to the door, where he suddenly roused himself and shrugged the arm off, turning to look back...
... and see the other, this time from the side, his mint hair a welcome splash of color, accenting the blue-white of the alabaster skin... the soft, pretty pink mouth in its cupids-bow pout... the expressionless but somehow swag expression on the unexpectedly sharp but pretty face... the long fingered hands reaching out...
"Let's go..."
And seeing the other not bothering to look up and note his departure, turn thoughtfully and go through the door the taller was holding open.
So,..
/That/ was Min Yoongi?
Fuck.
+++++++++++++++++
Yoongi watched without watching the poser leave with the unfairly attractive boy...
He didn't want to admit it, but it /did/ sting a little... that an asshat like /that/ could get with someone like /him/...
Yoongi sighed internally, shoving at Kihyun's face as he leered over his shoulder, his face so close he could feel the breath on his skin...
'Jimin' was obviously /not/ on his playing field.
+++++++++++++++++
Yoongi, hearing the door open, was quick to realize that Taehyung had picked /exactly/ the wrong time to decide to 'make room for more' when he'd caroled out he'd need some extra time in the restroom before finishing his tteokbukki he'd grabbed hours earlier, just when Yoongi was about to cut out and end his shift.
He sighed as he made his way to the register.
It was late enough that it wasn't actually busy... a few night-owl studiers, a few late night snackers...
Taehyung was always interesting to work with... he was almost hurtfully attractive, but his personality made him far more approachable, more real... he was at times funny, irreverent... insightful... and /always/ unanticipated... you literally never knew what was going to come out of the kid's mouth...
... so it would be the time Taehyung decided to camp out on a toilet seat when the relatively quiet lull would be broken...
He hadn't seen who walked in until he was before him.
Great.
It was the blond.
Jimin.
Who looked just as taken aback to see Yoongi.
The blond boy looked like a dream.
His slightly mussed hair was slightly parted over his forehead, but looking more like the result of activity than design... and though Yoongi couldn't see what he was wearing on the bottom, he /could/ see the huge hoodie which hung over the other's hands, making him look... weirdly really cute and endearing.
Yoongi didn't have to school his face to passivity... it was a habit by now, but he did have a small moment when he saw the rounded shock of the other's eyes suddenly gently curve over high cheeks as the other smiled at him.
Huh... really cute.
... the way that one tooth was a little noticeable...
Yoongi sternly told himself to calm the fuck down, but didn't realize he hadn't said a word... not of greeting, not to take the others order... nothing yet...
... and the other didn't notice at first.
Jimin stared at the mint-haired guy in some shock... he'd run in to grab something sweet... he hadn't eaten enough today and knew when the sugar craving hit, sometimes he just had to indulge,... especially since he'd had a trying day... and knew Tae would have started, so he was looking forward to grumbling about what had happened over something sweet...
... but seeing the daydream-crush-guy... out of the blue, kind of,... and here /he/ was... looking gross from his workout... hair likely ridiculous, in his workout gear... he hadn't bothered to shower, thinking he'd just make the one detour and head back to his place to get cleaned up...
... but now...
He blurted the first thing that came to mind, aside from how attractive the other looked.
"I can't believe you work here."
Yoongi felt as if those little sleeve-paws had just shoved a hot butter knife into his sternum...
Of course... of course this kid was hoping to be waited on by one of the well-known hot guys that worked here.
Yoongi's passive mouth tightened on one side, his already passive expression going more bland, making it almost glacial in its blankness...
Jimin blinked.
Was the guy offended by just being spoken to?
"Ah," Jimin assumed it was his manners. "I'm sorry... Min Yoongi ssi..." and at the slight uptick of one brow at his address, Jimin hurried to explain. "... oh, I know your name... I heard... um... it's just.... you know, you're not like the other guys that work here..." he rushed out, words falling out of his mouth without checking with his brain.
Yoongi felt the knife pull out only to be plunged back in and twisted.
Fuck this.
Yoongi stared at the other, waiting...
... trying not to feel anything at pretty much being called the odd one out... the one that /wasn't/ hot... the EOE employee... word must have gotten around...
... and Yoongi tried not to care... he knew he was okay,he told himself... sometimes he scored, sometimes he didn't... but who was /this./kid to call him out like this...
Yoongi sighed.
Whatever.
This kid was out of his league anyway... good to know he was a dick... made it easier to let go...
"What can I get you?" he asked in his low undertone, hoping it was fast and easy.
Jimin blinked.
He felt a sudden surge of tightness in his groin, staring at the blatantly give-no-fucks canted eyes, the lightly pursed cupids-bow mouth... and that voice... that fucking voice...
... it was low... it rumbled the sounds of his words... it was a /man's/ voice...
Jimin's mind hiccuped and his body suddenly felt taut...
He didn't realize he was staring, just panicking...
How could he ask this mint-haired god for a red bean and sweet cream cheese pastry now?
He would think Jimin was a pig... wearing huge hoodies to hide the effects of his obvious (in actuality false but how would /he/ know that) sweets addiction... that he, Park Jimin, ran around smelling gross with hair styled with his own sweat stuffing pastries in his mouth...
... what a mistake to come here... the guy was stuck staring at him like he was a fucking bug... likely disgusted by what he was seeing... or worse... not even thinking he was worth noticing... was that worse?...
...what was he even thinking-
The two were just standing there, staring at one another, jumping to all of the wrong conclusions on both side, when a voice called out, "Hey! Everything came out well! You can take off, hyung!"
Jimin, startled, broke the stare down the two were having and looked to see his friend, the familiar loved face a welcome interruption, which was apparent and highly visible in the sudden creased smile of relief that came over Jimin's face... which Yoongi noticed.
Right.
Of course the kid would be relieved to see one of the hot guys of Haute Kopi...
Without saying a word, Yoongi turned and left, causing JImin's eyes to suddenly turn back to him in panic... wait- he was just... /leaving/?!...
"Hey! Thought I'd see you here!"
Tae eagerly greeted the other, flashing a quick grin and nod to Yoongi as they passed one another, the blond's reply lost as Yoongi went through the double doors to the back prep area...
Whatever.
Of course they would know each other... beautiful people often did.
He grabbed the bag holding the filled bun he hadn't bothered to eat earlier, and slipped out the back door, not wanting to be eyed with confusion or confused disappointment again.
+++++++++++++++++++++
"Why didn't you tell me he was working tonight?" Jimin hissed, leaning over the counter, eyes on the double doors, waiting for the other to come back out for the exit.
Tae blinked at him slowly, putting a bun he knew Jimin liked in front of him.
"What?"
Jimin ignored the goal of his errand kept his side eye on the doors... waiting... wondering if it was worth the risk of reaching up to put hand through his indubitably gross hair.
Instead, he leaned, opting to try to catch his reflection in the pastry case class... fuck.
His hair was a mess...
Tae watched his friend, then shook his head. "Hyung probably left through the back... he's kind of an under the radar flyer like that,"
Jimin, who had been eyeing himself and the door, trying to regulate his breathing and figuring out what he was going to say, trying to figure out what kind of expression he should have on his face, suddenly met the almost amused eyes of his friend.
"What? The back?"
Taehyung nodded, walking over to the line to start making the dancer a tea.
"Yeah... the tteokbukki hit pretty hard all of a sudden... I only ate half, whew... but Yoongi hyung stayed so I could, you know..." Tae made a 'push' face that had JImin losing his perfect posture to slump, half in relief, half in disappointment.
"Oh..."
Tae eyed his smaller friend, seeing and recognizing dejection in the normally cheerful face.
"So... I was right... he /is/ your type, huh?" The taller boy teased as Jimin looked resignedly at the pastry he picked up, but at his friend's quip, shot him a sharp look before biting into the inviting flakey layers and luscious cream...
The two remained silent, both with their own thoughts, as Taehyung made the soothing herbal tea, grabbed his own fruit spritzer, and nodded his head toward the side bar, where tall bar stools were rowed down the line.
Waiting until Jimin had swallowed a few bites, taken at least two sips of his tea, and gotten over whatever had gotten him initially worked up, Tae put his drink down, having been looking over the cafe to see if Yoongi might have missed anything from his end of shift work.
Nope.
The guy might be quiet, and might even seem a little sleepy, but the dude somehow was incredibly industrious, accomplishing so much with so little fanfare.
He was incredibly responsible and... /reliable/...
Turning his eyes to his friends, he again pictured the two of them together... and liked what he saw.
Jimin, now relaxed from his hit of sugar and the soothing taste of chamomile and plum, let himself slouch into his seat and sighed, swallowing the mouthful he'd just been working on.
"I... I didn't know he'd be working... I thought /you/ were going to be behind the counter..." his tone almost injurious, he pouted a little, looking at his friend with accusing eyes. "You knew I'd drop by... you could have warned me... I mean... I would have /showered/ at least!"
Tae snorted. "But then you would have missed him... it was a totally natural meet up, right?"
Jimin sighed again, almost exasperated. "So you /did/ know? Tae..." he groaned. "He probably thinks I'm a gross, pastry-huffing grubby kid-"
Tae snorted again, looking at how adorably mussed his friend looked... and from the lean, strong muscled legs on display... it was /obvious/ he was in spectacular shape, even in the oversized hoodie... it was even in the way he carried himself.
"Well, did you at least say hi and introduce yourself?" Tae fixated on the other, and his face falling when Jimin shook his head, blinking in embarrassment as his hands came up to half over his face.
"I don't think so? I mean,.. it all happened so fast... I actually... oh my god, I actually can't remember what I said!" Jimin's look of realizing horror had Tae's expectations crashing in disbelief.
"Seriously? /You/? I mean... I've like... never /not/ seen you totally confident and in control... I mean... hyung barely says anything anyway... what happened?" The door opened just then, and Tae swung to his feet. "Hold that thought and let me take care of these guys..."
Jimin watched the taller greet the coming patrons and head back to his station. He picked up the last of his pastry, looking at it contemplatively before popping the rest of it into his mouth, thinking that it hadn't gone /too/ badly... there had been so little said.
+++++++++++++++++++++++
"What do you /mean/ he said 'I can't believe you work here... you don't look like the other guys...'!"
Hobie had finally caught up with his friend after Yoongi had finished up his last shift of the week, and they were lounging on the floor of his apartment, Yoongi having played a few of the pieces he was currently working on, as well as going over some independent and underground music the two liked...
With Hoseok's ear on the underground dance scene and music and Yoongi with his in the rap scene, the two often had much to share and compare together, each boosting the other's game with their contributions and experiences.
Yoongi shrugged with a single shoulder, a barely discernible move. "It's fine..."
Hobie's normally expansive smile that lit up his entire face, which in turn could light up the lives of those around him for a solid city block, now looked mildly terrifying in it's forbidity.
"It's not fucking 'fine', hyung..." he said sarcastically, outraged for his friend.
Yoongi was one of the best people he knew... sure, he wasn't that outgoing, sure he kept to himself,... yeah, he /did/ have strong opinions on things... but he never /pushed/ them on any one, wasn't censorious /ever/... unless you came down on one of his friends or tried to get in the way of his goals and work...
... and though Yoongi could certainly stand up for himself, he often just let things slide, feeling that the cockroaches in life would always be there, no matter who and where you were...
... but Hobie also knew...
Yoongi was incredibly caring, and /was/ a little soft on the inside... he might not let harsh words affect him too much, certainly not his choices... but he was human...
Hoseok was the one that had gotten the lead on the job for him.
It was a favorite spot of his, a lot of his dance mates liked to go there to ogle the hot men and indulge in the incredible edible offerings... not to mention that his family knew Kim Seokjin's. which is how he knew Yoongi would find a place of refuge there and make the money he really did need without taxing his personality and soul too much.
Though Seokjin might come off loud and comically outgoing, the man was actually more of an introvert, but used his charms, understanding, and empathy to create a fun, efficient, and /delicious/ place to work... and being an introvert himself, would likely be able to recognize and handle Yoongi well, be able to identify the hard worker, the good person, in him even without all of the effusions and words of another...
... and Yoongi was hot.
Whomever the asshat was that said that to him was right in one sense... Yoongi /didn't/ look the other attractive men that were there...
Most of them had the same, commercially pleasing aesthetic... Korean features with a Western flair... high noses, round eyes...
Yoongi was... not those things... but so hot in his own way.
Hoseok knew Yoongi was only limited by his own perceptions.
Both girls /and/ guys found the canted eyes, the incongruity of his sharp angles contrasted with rounded features... the almost /pretty/ cast to his overall look that was indubitably masculine, almost /seethingly/ so...
Yoongi was hot.
But that didn't mean /Yoongi/ thought he was hot.
Now he was mad at whomever it was that apparently had tried to tell Yoongi he was right.
+++++++++++++++++
"Why are we /here/?" Jimin, realizing where they were headed, almost pulled up to a stop, seeing the cafe's window before them.
Taehyung, ignoring the resistance, just tugged the other harder by his arm, plowing forward.
"I have to get my schedule for next week and that one guy might show up, and I want to get a bun for later..." and towing his friend, pulled the door open, letting the delicious aromas from inside waft over the two of them as he pushed his friend in first. "Yoongi hyung should still be working."
Jimin, turning around with an outraged face, missed seeing when Yoongi had seen him enter.
Yoongi had heard the door open and had quickly gone to the counter, and when the door opened, only had a split second to register that the incoming patron was that 'Jimin' when he saw the boy's face morph into outrage and whip around to face whomever he was with.
He felt a small misgiving in his heart... fuck, this kid really knew how to take someone apart...
Yoongi watched with a wry twist to his lips as he saw the blond grab... oh... it was Taehyung... and push him back out the door.
Yoongi shook his head at himself. "Hey, Eun Woo?"
The younger handsome man popped immediately over, slightly intimidated by this small but handsome hyung.
"Can you man the front? I'll finish the stocking and inventory..."
At the younger's nod of alacrity, Eun Woo eager to do anything the older asked, Yoongi having helped him out a few times with difficult customers, Yoongi smiled fitfully and left, while the younger watched the elder go back through the double doors, and turned when he heard the front door open.
Seeing his friend and co-worker, Eun Woo gave a genuine smile, which only grew wider recognizing Jimin with Tae, knowing both and friends with both, though he knew Taehyung more informally.
"Hey Taehyungah! Ah, Jimin ssi!" He greeted them, knowing Taehyung always switched his drinks up too often to assume his order, and not familiar enough with Jimin to know what he was getting, and waited until the two approached. "what would you guys like?"
Tae's face fell a little and Jimin's eyes roamed the line anxiously. "Hey, where's hyung?" Tae asked... he'd seen the elder right before he'd opened the door and shoved Jimin through, excited for the two to formally meet.
Eun Woo looked in surprise at the other. "He's doing inventory? Are you ready to order?"
Tae made a small grimace, knowing it would be weird to ask for Yoongi to come out front now... and looked down at Jimin in some exasperation.
Jimin, hearing that Min Yoongi was existing just beyond those damnable double doors, sighed, wondering if the other had even seen him.
He'd done his about face and shoved the other so quickly, he doubted Min Yoongi had identified them before they were outside again, Jimin giving Tae a piece of his mind about putting him in situations where he looked his absolute worst, this time Tae rousing JImin from laying on his bed, having some free time to peruse some graphic novels he'd been meaning to catch up with.
He had been in comfy joggers and a huge tee, one of Tae's in fact, and had been showered, yes, but with un-styled, towel-dried hair... and a blemish on his face from the pastry he had consumed the other day.
With their lightening fast verbal repartee, Jimin had communicated his outrage while Tae defended his choices, scoring the win with the "he's probably watching us" and the two had gone back in, this time Jimin with a tentative smile on his face... only to be met with Cha Eun Woo's handsome visage.
Not knowing that Jimin was cursing his luck out front, Yoongi opened another box of aromatic bags of coffee beans, comparing the number of bags of flavors with those on the invoice, thinking with a small part of his mind that the poor kid seemed to have the most egregious luck and timing, always catching Yoongi, with obvious disappointment on his face, instead of one of the hot employees he doubtlessly expected... but did he really have to go so far as to whip around and actually /leave/?...
Yoongi tried to brush off the stinging insult and, instead, thought about the party at a club Hobie was dragging him to this weekend.
He washed his hands of the blond, and continued the inventory,
+++++++++++++++++
Drinking from the cup that had been thrust into his hand upon arrival, Yoongi had surreptitiously made his way to one of the unoccupied tables, off to the side, watching the many students drink and interact, drifting back and forth from the cordoned area they had been assigned as guests of the party and the open dance floor.
He loved the deep thrum of music, the canned lights, and the energy of the dancers and patrons... but it wore him out... unlike Hoseok, who was gleefully dancing and taking over the attention on the dance floor, occasionally shooting glances to make sure his quieter hyung was still present.
Yoongi had just about finished up the last version of the project, almost ready to submit... maybe after /one/ more listen, but Hoseok had shown up and dragged him out of his room, reminding him that he had promised to come to the club.
Yoongi knew the younger worried about him and liked to 'air him out' once in a while, and in actuality, Yoongi /had/ been looking a little forward to it.
It had been a little while since he'd had a hook up...
So he'd gone off on his own a little after being introduced to a few people, trying to get his bearings and figure out what he'd like to do next.
So he was just sitting, looking around, thinking about finishing up the last of the beer in his hand, feeling the effects of the shots he'd done with Hoseok earlier... when he saw him...
It was the blond, Jimin... walking in with Kim Taehyung.
Huh.
Maybe they were dating.
Yoongi thought the taller boy had had a thing for the freshman that would drop by occasionally, all big eyes and bunny smile on a pleasingly muscular frame... but he only saw Taehyung sputter and stare at the other... while... he seemed often to be meeting up with, walking in with this Jimin.
Yoongi watched the two greet everyone enthusiastically, downing the shots put into their hands, then, with cheers, let themselves be dragged to the dance floor...
And seeing the curled eye smiles, the way the coated jeans gripped the rounded curve of muscled ass... the top with the open collar that showed enticing clavicle... maybe Yoongi did have little regret that he wasn't up to the standards of that particular guy...
Dismissing him to get back to reality, Yoongi was just finishing up the last of his drink when someone came up to him.
"Yoongi, my Gi! Come on, don't be such an old man... come dance!"
Yoongi stared at Kihyun, wondering why the guy always had to be so loud.
"Don't give me that look..." Kihyun grinned at the other, attracted to the unflappable stoicism, so unlike so many other guys, and grabbed him by the wrist to pull him to his feet. "Come on... I'll buy you a beer."
"It's open bar-"
"I'll open the bottle for you..."
"It's draft-"
"Just come /on/-" Kihyun laughed, dragging the semi-unwilling body along with him.
Less than an hour later, the two were still at the bar, Kihyun teasing the other about all of the new customers that were coming in to the cafe, to ask him about Yoongi, and Yoongi was peremptorily dismissing him for the blatant imaginary fantasy, catching glimpses of the bodies on the dance floor, spotting Hoseok dancing with the girl he'd been hearing about... and seeing the blond doing body rolls on Kim Taehyung.
Ah.
He saw Tae sling an arm around the smaller's waist, the two dancing tightly with one another... and let his attention once more be taken by his coworker.
As Yoongi tried to make sense of the inordinate physical close proximity of Kihyun as he tried to fill Yoongi's glass with beer from his own while the bartender was just getting their next round ready, Yoongi felt a hand at his shoulder.
"Hey! Hey!"
Yoongi turned, startled, to see... ah... the blond.
Jimin looked a little worse for wear... his hair was now matted to his forehead with sweat... and it looked as if he'd had a little eye make up on that was now blurred and smudged a little at the corners... but it all served to make him look even hotter, more sultry... like, mussed and sweaty after a good spanking session of-
"What... what are you doing here? Why are /you/ here?"
It wasn't the words that bothered him... not even the /tone/... which sounded shocked and questioning...
It was the disproving way in which he was being looked /at/... as if he was doing something wrong, was wrong for just being at the party...
Yoongi stared at the other, not saying a word.
It wasn't worth it.
If this kid was intent on being offended and aggrieved by his mere existence and presence... nothing he could do about it, nothing he was responsible for.
Kihyun had gone quiet at Jimin's words, then asked, "Wait... do you guys know each other?"
Jimin's mouth had begun to pull into a pout, opening to answer when Yoongi did, instead.
"No."
Yoongi looked at the blond once more, his eyes giving nothing away, and then turned to Kihyun. "Grab those drinks and let's go..."
Kihyun stared between the two, brows drawing together in question, then shrugged and grabbed the two glasses, following his yearmate as Yoongi walked right past Jimin, who was staring at the elder pass by with an open mouth.
"What'd you do?" murmured Kihyun to the other as he also brushed past, shaking his head.
He knew Min Yoongi could seem cold, but he was never /rude/... and hadn't seen the other just ghost someone so hard before...
Meanwhile, Jimin stood there, stunned, trying to process what had just happened.
He had been having fun, dancing with Tae and some of the others in the dance program, and then he'd caught sight of a suspiciously colored head at the party bar...
Jimin had suddenly stopped dancing, stopped feeling the drinks coursing through him...
That looked like Min Yoongi from behind.
But it couldn't be... this was a department party.
He'd left Tae, who objected to losing his dance partner, and was slowly making his way over,... scoffing at his own imagination... he was so obsessed, he was now seeing Min Yoongi where he couldn't possibly -
The head turned to look at the person next to him... and Jimin found himself frozen for a moment before hurriedly and eagerly making his way over.
It was him.
It was Min Yoongi...
And the guy next to him was weirdly /close/... like, close-talking, /leaning/... getting in /Min Yoongi's/ space... and Jimin was just standing here watching,..
He stiffened and made his way to them, his alcohol-steeped mind wondering if these two were in a relationship... or if this guy was homing in on /his/ crush... looking to pick up hot Min Yoongi while he was under the influence of alcohol...
... well...
Not on his watch.
No, /sir/, not on /his/ watch!
So he'd practically stormed over, glaring daggers at the other, when he caught the older's attention,...
... and unaware of the accusatory tone in his voice, which, in /his/ mind was warning this strange man away from /his/ daydream crush, he had asked how Yoongi came to be here...
... but it must have come out wrong...
... or Min Yoongi truly couldn't stand him...
Jimin stood in shock as Min Yoongi denied knowing him and ghosted right past him...
What the fuck...
++++++++++++++++++++++
"Wait... it was the same guy?"
Hobie was furious.
He'd been getting another drink when he realized he didn't see Yoongi... so he'd asked around and found him pushing Yoo Kihyun's face away with one finger on his forehead, the other looking sloppy and chagrined.
"Yo... what's up?"
Kihyun looked blearily at the dancer. "Hey!... talk, some sense into him... he said he's going to leave... to get work done?" Kihyun's every tone was all disbelief and cajole. "He /can't/ go... just wanna go dance with him..."
Hobie looked at Yoongi, and reading the stoic face accurately, looked skeptically at the other. "Um, sorry Kihyun ssi... but I think hyung's had enough..."
"Oh...okay... well, I could go with you and-"
The hopeful tone died at seeing the other's adamant, slow head shake.
Hobie, being the best anti-wingman he knew to be, began to bustle the older one away. "Ah, thanks, really, but I brought hyung and I can make sure he gets home..." Hobie gently steered the inebriated man back toward the dance floor. "Hey, look... I thing that guy's looking for you..." and as Kihyun tried to identify the other man, Hoseok had quickly snatched at his friend. "Ok, let's go!" and the two practically took off double-time.
By the time Kihyun had realized the person was no longer waving him down, if there had been such a person, and turned to plead again for Yoongi to stay... they were gone.
Kihyun was mildly disgruntled... he hadn't realized that the two were together... and decided to call it a night, hoping that he hadn't really tried to make his move /finally/ on Min Yoongi when he was super drunk just to fail miserably...
Yoongi and Hobie, oblivious of the mistaken relationship assigned to them by the other student producer, were walking quickly from the club.
"You didn't have to leave... I work with the guy... it really wasn't a problem..." Yoongi felt a little bad that his friend was leaving the party as he wiped out his ear.
"eh... I had enough... they have these a lot... wanna get something to eat?"
They stopped at a pocha and had been slurping up their dak when Yoongi had offered the slight scene he'd been a part of.
"Do you know his name?" Hoseok demanded, pissed all over again, and wondering if it could possibly be another dancer. "He asked /why/ you were there?"
Yoongi shook his head at his friend and gently kicked him under the table. "It's fine... it's not like a really see the guy a lot..."
... and if he did again, Yoongi would be sure to give him the same attention he gave to most people... none.
++++++++++++++++++
"But did he go /home/ with that guy?"
Jimin was chugging water, trying to make sense of the night before.
After Yoongi had blown by him, he had stood, stunned, then, not quite sure of what to do, had ordered another drink, shot it down, trying to make sense of what had happened, and then tried to nonchalantly make his way back to Tae on the dance floor, trying not to be obvious scanning the crowd, trying to figure out where Min Yoongi had gone...
... and spotted him standing off to the side of the dance floor, close to the dj platform, and decided he'd give him a show to see what he was missing.
He approached Tae and began a few sinuous moves, letting Tae grab him by the hips and they did their usual thing when they played off of one another to garner a little attention from someone or just wanted to burn off energy with a safe dance partner...
He let his eyes go sultry and sloe, letting his lush mouth pout as his body moved to the music, knowing he /did/ look incredibly sexy like this... and shot glances over...
Aha!
Caught him!
Jimin smirked, catching the mint blond staring at him, face inscrutable...
But at least he was looking...
And threw himself into the music with abandon, knowing he now had the audience he wanted...
... but when he looked up again, hopeful to lock eyes with the elder this time...
He was gone.
Jimin had urgently scanned the crowd but saw no sign of the other.
"What's wrong?" Tae half-shouted into his ear, seeing him freeze, then urgently spinning around, as if looking for something or someone...
Jimin looked and looked... and didn't see his crush...
... nor the guy who'd been talking to his crush...
"Nothing..." Jimin said with his mouth, but in his mind, he thought,...
.../everything/...
Not knowing what else to do, and to cover his disappointment... and... it was more than disappointment... but how could it be?... Jimin had agreed to another round of shots... which led to more shots... until he and Tae were poured into a taxi and a sunbae made sure the two of them had crawled into their home.
This morning, feeling as if he was going to die, Jimin had reviewed what he remembered of the night... and could only fixate on the fact that Min Yoongi had been at the department party...
... and then he and the guy he had been talking with had apparently left together...
+++++++++++++++++
"No, seriously, I owe you... sorry... it was that last round of shots..."
Yoongi tried to ignore Kihyun's repeated apologies as he wiped down the line.
This was why he avoided socializing sometimes... it led to more socializing...
"... so yeah... I owe you dinner... how's tomorrow-"
Yoongi thought about how remembering the slick wet of the other sticking his tongue in Yoongi's ear was still making him inwardly shudder. "Listen... we're good... it's... ah... I'm busy..."
Kihyun looked at him with a crestfallen expression. "Um... maybe lunch then?..,."
Yoongi pretended he didn't hear him as he bent to open and wipe out the cooler.
He'd be good with not hanging out with that guy for a long time...
"What happened?"
Yoongi hit his head hearing the voice behind him.
He hadn't realized Taehyung had arrived and had apparently ninja'd his entrance in time to catch Kihyun's words.
Yoongi stood, rubbing his head, casting mildly baleful eyes on the younger, whose eyes were round with speculation.
"Oh my god! Did you guys hook up? Did you get in a fight? Did Kihyun hyung throw up on you? He looks like a projectile vomiter..." Tae was staring at the other, who looked outraged even in his denial, wondering what the other had done that he needed to apologize and make it up to the other for...
Yoongi just shook his head and continued his cleaning, as Kihyun tried to deflect the other, too embarrassed to admit his mistake...
... and at Tae's continued badgering, Kihyun mouthed that he would tell him later, scowling darkly, pointing to Yoongi, who was ignoring them, thinking about the new project just assigned... he needed to go over some of the beats he'd already payed down... nothing had jumped at him the first time, but maybe-
"-Jimin..."
Yoongi, ears catching the name, casually looked up.
The two had moved on in their conversation.
"... dances like that, huh? It's pretty hot..."
Tae, whose back was to Yoongi, was nodding as he opened the register and began to crack open the rolls of coins...
"Yeah... he is... that's how he gets most of his hookups..."
Kihyun was staring glumly back. "yeah... I hooked up with him once... but I didn't see him dance... it was at a party last year... he really doesn't do relationships, huh?"
"No... he's super focused and dedicated to dance and his future... he's really a hard worker... he knows when to play, and that's how he likes to keep it... but people are always catching feelings and making things awkward for him... he likes to just keep things casual... but that doesn't mean everyone else does..." he shrugged, and suddenly, as if recalling something, stiffened, then turned to smile at...
No one.
Yoongi had apparently gone into the back.
"But I think there /is/ someone that might change his mind..." Tae murmured, looking at the closed double doors...
++++++++++++++++++
"He stuck his tongue in his /ear/?!" Jimin repeated, outraged.
Tae had met up with him for a quick lunch saying he had some juicy gossip he needed to share.
Stuffing another skewer of the eumuk into his mouth, Tae sucked in air to cool it. "Yeah... huh... just... I guess he likes him?... I mean, I always saw him buzzing around, but, like, the guy's so awkward... and annoying... it's kind of hard to tell when he's being annoying and when he's flirting, I guess?"
Jimin, ignoring his own bun, stared worriedly at his friend. "But, like, did Min Yoongi ssi /want/him to? Like, does he flirt back? Does he ever watch him?" Jimin stared at his food, his face drawn tight. "I mean... Yoo Kihyun ssi can be...-"
Tae looked over at him sardonically. "Really? You hook up with a guy and you still call him formally?"
Jimin looked mildly uncomfortable. "It was just that one time... and he was talking about going away for a weekend together!" Jimin shook his head. "I mean, it was way too fast... it's like he thinks just a hook-up means you're /dating/ or something... like, it's a /confession/..." he broke off.
"Was he acting like he and Yoongi were /dating/?" He demanded, the thought flooring him.
Tae shook his head as he drank from his water up. "No... nope... no way..."
JImin found himself slumping back in his seat in relief.
"Kihyun was pissed because I guess Yoongi hyung left with some other guy..."
JImin bolted upright, slapping his bun wrapping on the table, his face a mixture of horror and shock. "/What/?!"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jimin chewed worriedly at his lip, staring at the mint blond behind the counter.
He'd found out Min Yoongi's next shift, with Taehyung's schedule access, and brought along enough work to make it appear he could be busy for an unidentified span of time.
He made sure to be already there, firmly entrenched at a table, with a seat that gave him optimum view of the line, and pretended to do work as he watched... waited... feeling a /little/ like a stalker as he waited...
... and felt the jump in his chest and a strange drop in his stomach as he saw the music major suddenly casually enter the cafe... his hair slightly mussed as if he'd run his hands through it carelessly... in a large hoodie and a bag slung over his shoulder... his booted feet carrying him through the cafe...
... and Jimin could have sworn the other noticed him, but even as Jimin tried a tentative smile and softening of his eyes, the other had already walked past... gone into the side where the employees could enter behind the line... and disappeared into the back.
And thus began his vigil.
He'd surreptitiously watched Yoongi come back out, wearing the barista apron, name tag prominent... saw him making drinks, speaking occasionally to some of the other employees... he seemed to prefer making drinks, head down, to speaking with customers...
... and saw Yoo Kihyun repeatedly try to catch the other's attention.
The effrontery of the man!
Did he not know how to read the room?!
He could see Min Yoongi make brief replies, slip away from a potential touch...
Jimin didn't realize the seething he felt within was showing on his very transparent facial expressions.
Yoongi caught the other once... despite his intention to pay /no/ attention to the blond... and wondered at the growing resentment on the other's face.
The kid was weird.
Dismissing him from his mind, he continued to fulfill drink orders, minding his own business... despite the constant cry for attention from Kihyun...
Jimin, needing to do /something/... not having been able to catch Min Yoongi's eyes /once/, to give him an encouraging smile or opportunity for some other bright interaction, finally got up to get one of the coveted pastries he loved and /another/ tea... god, he was going to need the restroom soon... and was met by Kihyun.
"Hey Jimin!... thought I saw you over there... how's it going? Saw you at the party last weekend..."
Jimin listened to the pleasant greeting from the elder, but his eyes were focused on Yoongi, who was quietly still making drinks.
"Ah, yeah... it was a department party so I was there..." Jimin distractedly placed his order. "Um... you always work the register, huh?" He asked, wishing Yoongi would man it once in a while...
Kihyun smiled, teasingly ingratiatingly. "Of course... well.. more talkative, social guys like me like to be here for the interaction... keep us busy..." and Kihyun smirked, "/and/ SeokJin hyung puts the hottest guys on the register..." and gave Jimin a saucy wink...
... just as Min Yoongi came over to hand over Jimin's tea.
Ignoring the wink, Jimin stared at Min Yoongi, trying to will the other to meet his eyes.
"Well, I guess it's a good thing Min Yoongi ssi makes the drinks then," he said, trying to convey his tone of understanding that the other wasn't that social and would likely not welcome the social interactions at the register.
Yoongi, a sudden check in his placing the cup of tea before the dancer, looked up and met Jimin's eyes... and Jimin was taken aback at the flat coolness he was met with.
Trying a smile, not understanding the other's ambivalence, Jimin opened his mouth to follow up when Yoongi deliberately turned to walk away, going back to the massive espresso machines... and just stared at him.
Kihyun, looking back and forth between them, his face confused, shook his head and pulled the pastry Jimin had asked for, sliding the envelope to him.
Jimin, slightly taken aback by the passive aggression he was getting from the mint haired boy, looked a little bewildered as he paid for his order, then, when he opened his mouth to try once again to speak to Min Yoongi, felt a fist squeeze inside his chest as the other turned away, ignoring him.
Jimin returned to his seat, unable to look up again... and after choking his pastry down, packed his things and left, not daring to look back.
He felt humiliated.
Min Yoongi obviously couldn't stand him.
+++++++++++++++++
"What's up with you and Park Jimin? Bad blood?" Kihyun asked when he saw the other leave.
This was two times he'd seen his yearmate ghost the attractive dancer blatantly... something that was unusual for the quieter man.
Yoongi shook his head minutely. "I... I don't even really know him..."
... and leaving it at that, resumed restocking the array of milks...
Kihyun shook his head.
++++++++++++++++
Jimin was going through his practice once more, when his sunbae blew into the practice room, throwing his bag down with a huff.
Eyes widening, never having seen the sunshine-y man so put out, not even when someone fucked up easy choreo, Jimin carefully walked over to the other, the other dancers nervously eyeing the obviously upset man.
"Everything okay, hyung?" he asked tentatively, hoping it wasn't something to do with class.
Hoseok looked disgusted as he pulled off his own heavy hoodie.
"No... I mean... /I'm/ fine..." the normally heart-shaped smile twisted, the dancer put his hands on his hips after throwing down his hoodie. "It's my friend..." He shook his head in disgust. "some people... are just... fucking assholes..."
Jimin, completely taken aback, having never seen the dancer this angry, was at a loss. "Your friend?"
Hoseok shook his head. "Never mind... let's just do this..."
Jimin, in awe of the other's professionalism in transforming his face into one of excitement as he clapped his hands to get everyone's attention, took his place, thinking that maybe Hoseok would want to talk later,
Not that the two were really close, but they'd had lunch a few times and were big fans of one another, always willing to work together and lend an eye and opinion even outside of their class or choreo.
Never once letting whatever was bothering him show, Hoseok led the class through practice, getting ready for their showcase coming up. The choreo had been a joint effort of two of their instructors and Hoseok, so it was a near and dear thing for him.
Crouched on the floor, taking heaving breaths, Jimin smiled goodbye to the other dancers as he lagged, waiting to see if Hoseok needed to talk.
The older dancers pulled his sweatshirt on distractedly, then noticed Jimin slowly standing, apparently waiting for him.
Looking slightly chagrined, Hoseok smiled tentatively at the other. "I wasn't too much of a dramatic bitch, was I?"
Jimin shook his head as he grabbed at his own bag, ruffling his hair to flick out some sweat. "No... but you seemed upset... did your friend... are you fighting with a friend?" Jimin asked tentatively.
Hoseok jerked, looking startled. "What? Oh, No!... No I'm not... I'm not pissed at my friend... I guess I'm pissed /for/ him...
Jimin, feeling relieved that the dancer himself wasn't having trouble, nodded understandingly. "Oh?"
Releasing a deep sigh, Hoseok began to slowly make his way out of the practice room, allowing Jimin to catch up to him.
"So, my good friend... I've known him since my freshman year... he's a really good guy... like, /really/ good... super nice... but he's... quiet?... kind of keeps to himself?... anyway, he really doesn't give himself enough credit in a lot of ways... and you know... he's just... a really good guy,... totally talented, totally driven... and just... really conscientious... and /kind/..."
Jimin smiled teasingly. "Wow, he sounds like a total catch!...what's the problem?"
Heaving a disgusted huff, Hoseok dove in. "Right? /And/... he's hot... like, really hot in his own way... right? Well, anyway, he recently started a job and there's someone that keeps showing up there that keeps trying to make him feel like shit... like he's not hot enough, and just keeps trolling him... and the weird thing is, hyung says he doesn't really know him..."
Jimin's face was creased with concern. "Wow... what a dick move... is he okay? Your friend? Does he ever say anything to the asshole?"
Hoseok shook his head, exasperated. "No... hyung would totally take someone down... but it's at work... and he doesn't want to be a problem... he says it doesn't bother him, but it /has/ to, right?"
Jimin mulled overt the problem. "Why... why does he think the guy keeps talking about his looks?" that was confusing.
Hoseok took in a deep breath as he looked to his phone. "Well... it kind of has to do with where he works... he's a barista at Haute Kopi..."
"Oh..." Jimin knew, all the guys that worked there were hot... particularly one man... but... wait...
"Hey, I go there... /every/ guy I've ever seen working there is hot... I mean, hands down... there's not one guy that's /not/ hot... and with Tae a lot, I’ve seen a lot of the staff..."
Nodding his head in vigorous agreement, Hoseok's eyes were bright and large. "Right? I mean, he got the job... and I've even heard about him from other people..." His face darkened. "But I guess there's one troll that keeps asking him /why/ he works there or says some other shitty thing,.. like, Yoongi thought it was funny, but I guess the asshole was walking in one day, saw Yoongi at the register, and turned right around and walked out..."
Jimin blinked.
"... and then I took him to our party at the club... and the troll was there... and he said the guy asked him why was even there?... it better not be someone in our department..." Hoseok's menacing tone wasn't the only thing making Jimin nervous with unidentified qualms. "And hyung didn't say anything... like, just ghosted him guess, saying you can't help who likes you and who doesn't'..."
"Umm..."
"Here's the cherry... this guy Kihyun was telling him, and he was teasing, right?... cause if you know him, you know he's kind of a jackass but really harmless... anyway, he was saying how the owner puts the hot guys on the register - and like you said, they're /all/ hot - when the troll told Yoongi hyung it's a good thing he's always making drinks instead..."
It took a moment for the words to permeate Jimin's mind... and when they did... and the incidents mentioned, the situations, Hoseok's words... and the name... /Yoongi/... Jimin's face morphed into horror as he froze, staring at his hoobae.
++++++++++++++++++
"You seriously said that shit to him?" Tae asked, concerned but also scandalized. "Jimin... he's... he's like, /seriously/ hot... and nice... like... how could you... I thought you..." Tae shook his head in disappointment.
Jimin, numb yet feeling as if he wanted to fly apart at the seams, just stared at his friend. "I... I didn't... I mean... I never meant..." Jimin tried to wet his dry lips.
The two friends had met up at a different coffee shop, Jimin apologizing hurriedly to Hoseok, needing to get away from the other to gather his thoughts.
Jimin had been torturing himself with going over every interaction he could remember with the object of his crush, not understanding how his words and actions could be so misconstrued.
"Listen... hyung wouldn't intentionally decide to not like someone or read too much into shit..." Tae tried to think... and realized, he'd never actually been /witness/ to any of the verbal exchanges of the two...
"Jimin... think carefully... can anything you have said offended him in /any/ way?..." Tae looked to the blond, trying to understand how this situation came to be.
Jimin was shaking his head, at a loss of how he could be the troll Hoseok had been fuming about... and then... "Oh, god..."
"What?" Tae sat up.
Jimin stared, eyes getting large. "Oh, god, Tae,... it /is/ me... I /am/ a troll..." He looked fearfully at his friend. "I told you... he... I was so flustered... every time i saw him... I hardly knew what i was saying... but yeah, i think I started a lot of our almost conversations with kind of... like, 'wow, you work here' or 'wow, glad to see you here'... but it might have come out like 'why are you here'..." Jimin looked worriedly at his friend. "... then at the club,... it was a department party... I mean... I was drunk... I was like 'whoa, why are you here' like, I'm so happy to see you here where I didn't expect you... but the why part might have been the only thing to make it out of my mouth... and then..."
Jimin whispered in agony, "... when Yoo Kihyun ssi said the outgoing guys were put at the register... I didn't really hear him say anything more because Min Yoongi was giving me my tea and I said that was really good for him that he didn't have to work the register... I didn't hear Kihyun ssi say only the /hot/ guys were put there... I mean..." Jimin looked beseechingly at his friend. "They're /all/ hot? Especially Min Yoongi?"
Tae looked at him pityingly and with helplessness. "Wow.., you really put your foot in it, huh?"
Jimin, his face wan, stared at nothing, his mind churning.
"What do I do?... How can I fix this?"
++++++++++++++++++
"Hi! Um, if Min Yoongi ssi is working, can he take my order?"
Yoongi was pulled from his thoughts, checking on how much ground beans they had, when he heard the high, cheery voice.
Looking over, he saw... Park Jimin /beaming/ at him. "Hey, hi!" The blond waved at him, eyes sparkling, with a smile so wide it looked like it was soon going to hurt.
Yoongi, wary, walked over to the register, seeing Eunwoo's confusion as well.
"Hi Min Yoongi ssi! How are you?" Jimin's voice practically vibrated from his eagerness. "I just wanted to place an order with the /hottest/ guy here! Right? Because they /only/ hire the best looking guys so I want to order from the absolute /bestest/ guy here-"
As he began speaking, Yoongi had been watching the younger with curiosity... but as he continued to speak, Yoongi's face shuttered.
What the fuck.
Yoongi abruptly turned away and went into the back room, leaving Jimin halfway through whatever game he was playing... EunWoo could take care of him.
Unbelievable.
Park Jimin was now /actively/ trolling him.
++++++++++++++++++++
Yoongi was walking out of the library, thinking about cutting out of work tonight...
It seemed lately that every time he turned around there... there was Park Jimin actively trying to get his attention, saying ridiculous, things to him... apparently trying to get a rise out of him by his blatantly false praise and exaggerated compliments.
To say he was disappointed by the younger was an understatement... while it was hard to dismiss the younger's apparent dislike of him, his looks... hey, everyone was entitled to an opinion... but to have the active... persecution?... from the beautiful boy... it was too bad the kid was such a dick...
He was actually wondering if he should say something...
"Min Yoongi ssi! Hey, Min Yoongi ssi?"
Yoongi stopped for a moment... until it registered whose voice that was... and began walking faster.
Great.
Now he was stalking him on campus...
Yoongi walked more quickly, mixing in with the pedestrians,... and then hit the crosswalk, being sure to walk quickly enough the other had lost him...
+++++++++++++++++
"Just stop... you're making it worse."
Tae finally had to talk to Jimin, having to break it to him that when he'd tried to speak to Yoongi on his behalf, Yoongi's had held up a hand saying he didn't want to discuss it...
... and having witnessed some of Jimin's efforts to set things right, Tae finally had to put a stop to the too-blatantly-overt compensation Jimin was trying to make to show Yoongi how much he actually /did/ like the elder.
Jimin looked in despair at his friend. "But... how... what... what am I going to do, Tae? He won't... he won't give me the time of day..."
Taehyung snorted. "Actually, I'm surprised he doesn't;t have a restraining order out on you..."
Jimin blinked, then felt a blockage in his throat. "I... I don't know... I don't know what to do..." He swallowed hard. "I feel... I feel awful..."
Taehyung looked at him in all seriousness. "Well... maybe you need to think about how /he/ feels... how he's felt this whole time..."
Jimin looked up at him.
"He thinks you're making fun of him... like, you went from not liking him outwardly... to pretty much trolling him, stalking him to troll him... because there was no in-between... you went from saying mean things to his face, in his mind," Taehyung added quickly seeing the objection, "-to just pretty much declaring your love and attraction to him... it sounds like you're totally calling him out and making fun of him to his face..."
Jimin felt himself crumple within.
He didn't know what to do.
He'd never had anyone so misconstrue him before, his actions, his words...
He'd never /cared/ for someone so much before...
... and the quiet, dignified stoicism of the other, it only made him more desperate to be understood... to have a chance to fix this... to get Min Yoongi to give /him/ a chance.,..
"Jimin... I'm not sure he's going to believe /anything/ you say to him is meant to be anything other than dogging him..."
Jimin stared... nothing he could say...
... there was nothing he could say...
+++++++++++++++++++++
Yoongi put in the new roll of paper for the mobile order printer and thought about the paper that was due.
He'd finish up this shift and head over to Hoseok's... his place was bigger, and sometimes it was easier to finish work up that wasn't related to actually producing music around the other... his natural buoyancy was like an extra battery for him, recharging his energy and intentions.
He moved quickly... the cafe was slammed... they had mobile orders and patrons streaming in...
"Hyung! Can you get the register?" Eunwoo called out, almost panicked... he'd dropped an order he'd been working on, and hearing the disappointed, frustrated groans, ran to quickly clean up and remake the order.
Yoongi just motored over, efficient with his motions as always, and began to take orders, greeting the girls politely but without effusion.
As he continued taking orders, throwing pastries into the warmers, and grinning encouragingly at other staff members as they called out to one another, teasing about asking for hazard pay as they worked their way through the unanticipated rush, Yoongi rolled his shoulders, thinking that maybe he could risk a minute or two for a quick bite of something soon, when he heard the door swing open once more, and turned, a greeting smile on his face...
... to suddenly straighten out as he saw the blond...
Park Jimin...
... looking... determined...
... with a bouquet of flowers in his hand...
... who was being trailed by a giggling gaggle of people... girls cooing and guys grinning with speculation in their eyes...
... phones out... recording...
Yoongi's heart sank.
What the fuck.
It hadn't been enough the kid had been rude to him repeatedly to his face...
It hadn't been enough that he had called him out at a /club/...
It hadn't been enough that he had tried to humiliate him again and again at work... even on campus...
But now...
Whatever he was up to...
Park Jimin had a small crowd of people in on apparently whatever he was up to, to witness and record... what? His humiliation?
This was beyond trolling...
,.. this was criminal harrassment...
Yoongi's face went formidably blank, at last pushed to deal with the blond... unable to believe he was doing this like this...
He couldn't avoid it any longer...
"Min Yoongi ssi..."
The cafe had gone silent, aside from the giggled whispers of the crowd that had followed Park Jimin...
Yoongi squared up, not knowing how intensely attractive he looked, his canted eyes sharp, his lips pulled together, ready to deliver a venomously cold-
"I... I like you... I like you so much-"
Yoongi blinked, staring at Park Jimin, who was staring back at him...
... wait... was his chin wobbling?...
"... but I know you don't believe me... I know you think I'm harassing you... trolling you..." Jimin looked pale, eyes large, and his face... somehow earnest.
Yoongi heard his phone go off.
"But I'm not..." Jimin took a deep breath and held out the flowers.
"I like you so much but because I was an idiot, I know you're not going to believe anything I say,... so here..." and with a desperate, tentative hope on his face, Jimin put the flowers down on the counter when Yoongi just continued to stare at him, and stepped back, holding out the front of his printed shirt wide, so all of the words could be seen and read...
/Nothing Says I Like Min Yoongi/
... giving Yoongi and everyone else behind the line of the cafe plenty of chance to read the custom made shirt, Jimin smiled shyly and turned around, holding out the bottom ends of the back...
/Like a Shirt That Says: Min Yoongi Will You Go Out With Me?/
Yoongi stared...
Nothing says I like Min Yoongi like a shirt that says Min Yoongi will you go out with me...
Yoongi stood stock-still, his mind whirling, stunned at the scope of this prank but trying to figure out why this seemed to not be the extravagant prank it had to be...
Jimin looked over his shoulder, looking at the elder, whose face was blank, not giving anything away... and seemed to be unswayed...
...and Jimin bit his lip... turning back around...
... and with large eyes, reached to pull the large shirt off, revealing...
/I REALLY REALLY LIKE YOU/
and then turned around again, once again holding out the bottom of the new shirt so Yoongi could clearly see-
/I"M SORRY - PLEASE GIVE ME A CHANCE/
Yoongi stared at the back of the second t shirt... and somehow couldn't reconcile this as a joke...
... and continued to stare...
... until he heard the susurrations of whispers and giggles, call outs and clapping... and people beginning to chant,..
/what's your answer - what's your answer - what's your answer/
... and Jimin turned back around to face him, eyes large and nervous and hopeful...
"I... I really like you... for a long time... but... you never... I just.., I only ever wanted to talk to you.... but it always came out wrong... I was... so flustered... whenever I saw you... I couldn't... words didn't come out right... I'm so sorry... I just...I like you..."
Jimin's half-whispered confession was full of a quiet agony and self recrimination, hitting Yoongi with the force of a blow...
"... I like you so much... it made me... not normal..."
... and he couldn't help it... a chuckle came out of Yoongi...
Jimin raised his eyes, staring at the canted ones, not understanding at first...
... but seeing the face crease into a smile, the first one aimed at him that he'd ever seen, he felt his breath whoosh out as the smile turned into a gummy grin, making the other's eyes disappear as his own often did...
It was so infectious, Jimin couldn't help his own smile begin to take root again, hoping... still hoping...
Their eyes locked on one another... Jimin, feeling the thick buds of hope and joy begin to sprout in his chest as Yoongi opened his mouth-
"No... no way..."
... and Jimin felt like someone punched him in the solar plexus, all of the air leaving him again, this time with a stunned nausea as he stared at the once-again blank face...
The shocked crowd had gasped as one initially at hearing the refusal, unable to believe that was how this delightful drama was going to end... but then began the cheering and laughter as Min Yoongi continued to speak...
"Unless you find something else to wear..."
... and staring into the canted eyes that sparked with mischief and his own matched delight, though quieter, Jimin nodded uncontrollably, his face hurting from the grin cutting into his cheeks, eyes curved crescents from the hard, high mounds of his smiling cheeks.
"Then okay... I get off in an hour..." Yoongi looked lazily at the other, sure that they would have time to figure out how things had gone so wrong... and see how they could make things right...
Jimin stood, grinning like an idiot, at Min Yoongi, who was again grinning back... basking in this moment of mutual excitement, dizzying possibility, and anticipation,...
... and then mutual flush of requited attraction and interest...
"Okay, okay,... show's over... Jimin... go home and change... Yoongi hyung... I think Jin hyung is on his way in..."
Tae, who had followed Jimin in, began to try to disperse the crowd and get his friends moving.
He hadn't been sure the idea would work, but Jimin had been desperate and determined... and honest... and Yoongi must have recognized those things... as well as liking him in turn, which Tae had suspected.
As the crowd began to shout catcalls and congratulatory words, Yoongi had grabbed a strip of receipt paper and wrote something down, then held it out to Jimin, who was still standing there, looking at his daydream crush that he had just confessed to /and/ asked out.
"Here... text me first and I'll let you know when I get off..."
Jimin eagerly reached out for the paper, and Yoongi noticed for the first time how little those fingers were...
Snatching the scrap, Jimin pulled his own phone out and took a quick pic of it, "I don't want to lose it..." and immediately began to enter the number as Yoongi looked on, still in a slight daze over his reversal concerning his '/troll/' that apparently never was,...
... and when Jimin was done, just standing there, smiling at Yoongi, flush with his heroic deed, admiring the mint of the hair, the scowling brows that weren't... the tilt of the eyes that he'd admired so often, so quietly...
Yoongi picked up the flowers as the other staff began to clap him on the back and begin their teasing...
"I have to finish work..."
... and Jimin blinked, feeling suddenly foolish, reassign he'd just been standing there, grinning at the other.
"Oh, oh yeah... no problem... um... okay... I'll see you soon, right? I mean, hear from you to see you?... well, not hear but get your text?... um... I'll text you right now so you have my number-"
As he continued his /very/ uncharacteristic babbling, Tae gripped him by his arm and began to tow him out. "Sorry, hyung! I'm sure he'll have his shit together better by the time you text... okay, bye everyone..." and was unceremoniously dragged out, still facing the elder, grinning haplessly, as Taehyung tried to get him to leave to get ready for his 'date'...
"Bye, Min Yoongi ssi! I'll see you-"
... and Yoongi caught the mild look of outrage on the blond as the door shut, cutting off his words...
... and turned, greeted by knowing looks and teasing smiles-
"Later, Okay? I can't wait!"
He startled at the sound and turned in time to see that Park Jimin had opened the door and thrust his head back in to finish his words... and was tugged backward again, the door falling shut once more.
The staff started laughing, Eunwoo covering his mouth, and Kihyun just staring at his also-crush, a little ruefully, knowing Park Jimin had won... and more than a little taken aback by the dancer's behavior.
"Wow, Yoongi... I've never seen Jimin ask anyone out before..."
"ha!... get those tshirts framed!"
"Hey, I 'really really like you' too, hyung... can I borrow that shirt?"
Yoongi turned a blank face to his affectionate tormentors, then looked down at his flowers, thinking of how beautifully delicate they were.
Ignoring the good-natured teasing, Yoongi went to put his flowers in water, in the pitcher of a french press, to take home later.
Park Jimin liked him.
Park Jimin had asked him out.
His phone went off again.
Ready to finish out his shift, a renewed vigor and energy coursing through his entire body as his mind was still swept up in what had just unbelievably happened to him, Yoongi retrieved his phone from his pocket to look at it.
/o my god hyung the troll is park jimin?!/
/o my god/
/READ THIS/
/ not a troll he has a crush and hes coming to ask u out so dont bmean but im gonna kick his ass a little 4 making u feel bad by accident ok/
Yoongi smiled at the texts.
Today was a good day.
+++++++++++++++++
Yoongi sat heavily into the chair, glad to finish up a hectic shift...
Jimin was going to meet him earlier, but taking pity on Tae, Yoongi decided to stay long to get them through the sudden rush...
As he looked over his emails, he felt arms go around his neck from behind, and an automatic smile already began to light his face.
As Jimin pressed his shaven cheek to Yoongi's slightly rougher one, he inhaled the fruit essence of Jimin's products and felt his heart rate pick up a little, like it still did whenever Jimin came up to him, even after these weeks of dating and being a couple.
"Hi, hyungie..." Jimin murmured softly before delivering an intentional kiss to the slope of his cheek.
Yoongi just leaned back into the other a little more, his affection a little less blatant, a little less obvious, but never less heartfelt.
"Hey..." he reached his hands up to gently squeeze the arms around him, and they stayed that way for a moment... before Yoongi let go, Jimin getting his signal, and Yoongi indicated the seat for him.
Jimin let his bag drop to the floor as he slid into the seat, smiling softly at his /boyfriend/, and looked over the pastry and tea that Yoongi had all ready for him.
"Mmmmm, thank you..." Jimin had been touched by all of the thoughtful gestures the elder lavished on him... they were never announced or he made to feel as if Yoongi were trying to impress him or others... they were sincere, they were little things that let Jimin know Yoongi thought of him, cared for him,... really liked him,...
As he took a bite, eyes opening a little wider at how good it was, Jimin heard the door open...
... and looked up to see a tall, well-built boy, dark hair a little long, large brown eyes round with apprehension...
... and saw Tae visibly gasp,.. then shove Youngsik out of the way of the register.
"Hi! Welcome to Haute Kopi! How can I serve you... I mean, I can get you... I mean, why are you here-"
Watching his friend babbling nonsense, Jimin began to smile, Yoongi, seeing his boyfriend's smile and hearing Taehyunng's words...
"I... I have an application-"
"You're going to /work/ here? Oh my god!" Tae was staring at the other, words just coming out of his mouth. "Why are you doing that? You're going to be here? I mean-"
As the words had flown out of the other's mouth, the unknown boy had begun to look extremely uncomfortably and regretful... he had almost begun apologizing and backing away when he felt a hand on his arm.
"Hey... sorry... Taehyung is having an issue with speaking hangul right now... um, I'm Min Yoongi and I work here, too... I can take your application.... make sure it gets to the owner, okay?"
The freshman looked into the authoritative eyes, lower than his, and felt reassured, seeing no shock and surprise... no horror... and looked nervously between the two...
"Um... okay... if... I mean, if you're hiring..."
Tae stared at boy, eyes wide and shining, nodding vigorously. "Yes, oh my god, yes... i am! I will hire you... I mean, I'm sure you should be hired... you should be here... I will show you everything... I can show you right now if you want me-"
At the younger's startled look and confusion, Taehyung would have cursed himself out but didn't seem to be able to control his own mouth and thoughts presently...
All his brain registered was that the crush of his daydreams was here, before him...
Yoongi was looking in quiet wryness at his babbling coworker even as Jimin was grinning from his seat, making a mental note to be sure to remember everything his friend was spewing to rehash later...
/'I mean, how could you just totally lose your shit when you were around him... geez... like, you /like/ him, you should be able to be your best around him... why was that so hard?... just telling him you like him or something... not just saying weird things to him...'/
Haha, Taehyungah... Jimin thought... relishing the idea of relating this episode to him again and again...
++++++++++++++++
Yoongi lay, his eyes closed against the sun, the warmth of Jimin's legs under his head, almost asleep as Jimin absently played with his hair as he reviewed a dance video on his phone, often looking down into the dreamy visage of his now-platinum-haired boyfriend.
Jimin felt as if he'd been moving through a dream, these past months...
Never had he felt tied down by Yoongi, never as if he were missing out something, someone... and that Yoongi was so driven himself, so hardworking... they were in sync with one another, understanding that each was committed to their futures... but were learning to do it together,...
... and never got tired of looking at his hot boyfriend... Min Yoongi... who was everything he never knew he needed...
Jimin looked once again at his favorite face, how sweet and soft the elder looked when those enchanting canted eyes were closed... though he preferred to lose himself in them when they were open...
"I did /not/ sound like that!" Tae was objecting as Jin teased the other about hearing how Jungkook's initial application process had gone.
"Yeah, you totally did, hyung..." Jungkook retorted. "I was ready to turn around and run..."
Hoseok was clapping his hands, laughing, almost knocking over the open bottle of water.
The seven of them had slowly become friends... Hoseok and Yoongi and Jimin... with Taehyung and Jungkook, who had now been working at the cafe for sometime now and newly dating Taehyung... and Seokjin with his boyfriend Namjoon, who Yoongi shared classes with.
As they teased one another, Yoongi thought about how his job at the coffee shop had impacted his life so much... he'd found five new great friends, fast becoming inseparable, one of them his incredibly sweet, talented, /hot/ boyfriend... finding much more joy in his life and even more confidence...
... and thought about how close he had come to not applying for the job, all based on the name...
"How'd you come up with the name of the cafe?" Yoongi asked suddenly, his eyes flying open, and seeing Jimin already looking down at him, feeling warm at what he saw in those eyes.
Jin looked over from where he was pulling out the gimbop and bunchan for their picnic.
"Huh?"he blinked, then looked sardonically at his boyfriend. "Why don't /you/ tell them, Joon?"
And as the two seemed to be communicating a long-time argument, Yoongi interestedly sat up, squirming until Jimin had shifted into the curve of his arm, reaching out for a disk of the gimbop to pop into his boyfriend's mouth.
Namjoon, looking slightly abashed, rubbed at the back of his head, eyes becoming sheepish. "Ah... well... that..." he sighed.
"I was helping fill out the paperwork... and he was looking over the new cookbook I got him... and he kept saying 'what's howt cuisine?' so I kept shouting 'haute! haute!' and when he was yelling 'hot what? hot what?!' I started spelling it out and was distracted so I put Haute Kopi instead of Hot Kopi-"
Yoongi blinked as Jin looked at the other with a longtime exasperation.
"Yeah... well... I was in a rush so all of the paperwork and ads were immediately printed... took the name off the registered business name... so..." Jin shook his head. "My /Hot Kopi/ cafe became /Haute Kopi/..."
"It sounds cool..." Tae offered as Jin eyed him suspiciously...
"It is..." Seokjin affirmed. "Aside from the fact it sounds a little pretentious..."
"... with all of the double entendres..." Joon inserted, earning a glare.
"... at least it's memorable..."
Yoongi stared at the others, Seokjin unwrapping a pastry to hand to his boyfriend, Hobie stuffing two disks into his mouth, and Taehyung and Jungkook digging through the seemingly limitless bag of treats that Seokjin had brought...
... and turned to look at his boyfriend, Park Jimin...
"... yeah... it is... it really is..."
... and leaned into the soft kiss Jimin's lips seemed to always be urging... and was met halfway...
... eternally grateful for the sweetness that Haute Kopi had brought to his life...
++++++++++++++++++++