// chapter 1 ; coincidences.

"We were apart then, but together now"

When Jaebum starts his day,  he wears his clothes that he’s going to school in. Nothing too fancy nor lazy-like, even though the male himself is lazy and rather just stay home. Gotta get out and about. Usually though, he goes by himself and is only to be standing in the back of a familiar figure so to say. Most of the days anyways. Sometimes he gets caught in the elevator by mr. nameless neighbor and they both end up going to the coffee shop together.

Today would be one of those days. He’s wearing a sweatshirt and black jeans with a snapback on. As he reaches the elevator, the contraption makes a bing, and the door opens. When he steps inside, he presses the button to his destination; at the corner of his eye as his gaze moves up, he sees the familiar figure. Never have they ever said their names to each other. Out of reflex, he pushed the button to keep the door open until the other came in.

Getting a 'thanks', he just nodded his head. Jaebum stuffed his hands in his pockets and stared back down at the ground. He chewed the inside of his cheek, feeling like he had to say something. Usually he doesn't. But the usual can always be broken can't it? The silence of those two was broken when the other spoke.

"Jinyoung."

"What?"

"My name, it's Jinyoung. And yours?"

Jaebum was looking at the other male by now who had a smile and god was it beautiful. The way how his eyes would just crinkle up a little bit. It was something to adore. With his mouth slightly open, bing the elevator went. “Jaebum,” He said before walking out, only to get followed. He caught a glimpse of the other male and realized that they were going in the same direction. “Coffee again?” He asked, opening the door to the coffee shop that he usually goes to.

“As always” Jinyoung responded with a light chuckle, walking in as the other held the door open. The two stood in line with each other, the music filling the air. Jinyoung stood in front of Jaebum and walked up to the cashier, gesturing the other to follow. Being confused, the latter just followed along. “Can I get one caramel macchiato with two extra shots of espresso; iced, and one Americano please?” Once the male had ordered, he even paid.

Being the tired guy he was and not paying attention, Jaebum blinked a couple of times and looked over to the male, his mouth agape. “Wait, why?” The two of them walked to the side and sat at a small table, waiting for their drinks.

Jinyoung just had a grin on his face and pat the other’s shoulder, following with a firm grip. “Now if I told you, my intentions would be totally exposed wouldn't it?”

His expression fell flat, eyes narrowing. “If it's to sweep me off my feet, you're not doing a good job at it” Jaebum remarked, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

The other tsked at that and shook his head. He walked over to the counter and grabbed the made drinks and handed the male his own. “You're paying next time then.”

Jaebum grabbed a straw and poked it through the lid and took a sip, looking at Jinyoung. I'm paying next time? “What? Is this going to be our usual now?”

“Isn't it anyways? We go to the same coffee shop almost everyday. I see you in the elevator, going to your room everyday. At least you won't look like some sad puss now if you got someone to talk to.”

Now that was a mouthful for Jaebum to take in. The other male made him sound like one creep, explaining how they practically see each other everyday. Why not just agree to the proposition? Oh wait. “I'm not some sad puss. If anything you're a lost pup, with those eyes of yours just looking around like it ain't no one’s business” Jaebum bit back and took another sip from his drink, swirling the straw around.

A light chuckle was earned. “Damn, and I thought I had a mouth” Jinyoung looked at the male and gave him a thumbs up. “Didn't know your image would actually fit with that pretty mouth of yours” he continued and glanced at his watch, realizing the time. “Well, it's that time already. Gotta go, see you tonight.”

“Maybe” Jaebum stressed that word and both of them went out of the coffee shop. He walked over to the bus stop, knowing that the next one should be coming in about five. Totally enough time for him to get to class on time. He brought the straw up to his mouth and as he was about to take a sip, he looked to see if the bus would be arriving. Instead, he saw Jinyoung standing right next to him and looking at him. Almost choking, the male had to pull the drink away from himself and let out a few coughs.

“What, can’t handle it now? Thought you liked it like that?” Jinyoung teased, a smirk on his face, that Jaebum just wanted to smack right now.

“Don’t even start with me and your remarks”  Jaebum replied, shaking his head. No way is he going to seriously start his morning off like this with some guy that he finally got the name of (and that he thinks he’s attractive), to just get some stupid taunts thrown at me. “Why are you taking the bus anyways? Are you following me?”

Jinyoung scoffed. “So self concluding aren’t ya? Have you ever thought that maybe I had to take the bus and go somewhere as well?”

Silent for a moment, the male then replied. “Well, this bus is the one that pasts my school so…” he trailed off, taking a sip out of his drink.

“Tch, well. What if I told you that I was going to that school anyways? What would you say about that?”

Jaebum looked at the other, surprised. “I, um. I’m sorry for assuming? You don’t take the bus when I go on it so, it’s kind of just a first thought.”

“Making assumptions won’t help you for first impressions. Just saying, kid.”

Kid? You’re kidding right? “Kid? I’m not-” The bus came to the stop to have Jaebum’s sentence cut in half. The two of them went on and it was packed. More people were on than usual. Great.

The two of them stood together, merely inches apart. On the way there, they would get a glance at each other, making Jaebum turn away immediately afterwards. That guy he thought that was attractive wasn’t so attractive as he thought. That mouth of his was just on a whole new level. Did he like it? Hell no. His grip on the pole had became harder from the break the bus was making. It looked like everyone was affected because Jaebum could hear everyone practically whining about it in their head. Too many voices filled his head and he closed his eyes. He then felt a warm hand on his nape, thumb rubbing in circles. Quite soothing he would say.

But that wasn’t the point, Jaebum opened his eyes and saw that they were now coming to the stop that was in front of the college he attended. When the bus stopped, he quickly made his way out and tossed his now empty cup into the trash can, making his way over to his first class of the day.

He sat down in his usual seat, the room having more students than it usually does. Is this 'let's have more people in the places Jaebum goes to' day? Jaebum let out a groan and rested his forehead on his desk.

'I can't believe we're getting Mr. Park as our teacher! '

'I know right? Finally that old had Mrs. Song left.'

'Isn't he just transferring into this department for the course, since he's a math teacher?'

Jaebum could hear the girls squealing over this 'Mr. Park' guy coming into our class to teach them. Boy was it annoying. Though the chattering started to silence itself, which caused him to still leave his head down on the desk.

Oh my god! It's him!

Some girl thought, making him cross his arms on his desk, slowly raising his head up, his eyes only seeing the figure that was walking in. It was a blurry figure but oh so familiar. Squinting his eyes, he took his glasses out from his bag and put them on to see it was Jinyoung. Oh you're ing kidding me. Forehead creased, he kept his head down but never left his gaze on the male.

He was met with a pair of eyes from Jinyoung himself, smiling ones actually. It made all the girls squeal in their head, causing a roll of the eyes. Now you're really ing kidding me right? He can't blame the girls really because, those eye crinkles that from once the male smiles was absolutely adorable. Jaebum feels like he's going to die. And if this was his cause of death from all the girls squealing, then so be it.

"So we all know that Mrs. Song has retired from teaching and well, I'll be your new teacher!" Jinyoung spoke, getting everyon'es attention. "I know she was quite a strict teacher and I don't expect you guys to think I'm just like her. This is math and I would like to say, I was terrible at it as well when I was your age. But, I came to love it in a way" He chuckled as he stood in front of the class, his hands in his khaki pants. "I hope you guys will come to like math as well at the end of the semester. Shall we begin?" He earned nods of heads and that's where it all began.

---

Classes went by a breeze even though math wasn't all too fun. Though he did have to say that the way how Jinyoung teaches was way better than Mrs. Song herself. He broke it down for him to understand. Maybe he'll be able to do his assignments faster. It was close to evening and Jaebum had work. So he dropped his bag off back at the apartment and changed his clothes into more formal clothes. White collared buttoned shirt and same pants form earlier. He was still wearing his glasses because no way was he going to walk around like a blind bat.

When he got to work, he went in from the back and greeted his co-worker/manager Mark. The owner was Mark's mom who was currently back in the states. The two of them are actually quiet but they would still make a small conversation, even talk in English. If it's anything that Jaebum has learned from working there is learning another language and making food. It was a small cafe that he worked in but they did pay well. So there was no complaining.

He heard the door open from the ring the bell made and already Jaebum could hear the girl practically having a debate on what to get to eat. Something between sweet or spicy, mainly sweet though. With a sigh, he put the apron on and tied it around himself. "Mark, asks if she wants to try our new cinnamon rolls.” He said in english, pulling out dough he made from the night before out of the fridge.

“Cinnamon rolls? Since when have we’ve been selling cinnamon rolls?” Mark replied back in English, quite surprise after hearing a nice even sentence.

“Boss said she wanted me to try out making cinnamon rolls. Today’s the day.” This time he said in Korean.

“You’re going to sell a customer something that even I haven’t tried?”
 

“Of course not, i’ll let the both of us try it before letting you take it out if she agrees to getting cinnamon rolls. They’re mini rolls of three. Sell it for 8,000.”

Mark nodded his head and headed out to the front to take the girl’s order. Jaebum was right, the girl did want the cinnamon rolls. So that’s what he made. It didn’t take too long to make them. he even decorated the plate filled with the rolls all pretty-like. He wanted to gag at how he made it display. The two males took a bite out of the extra cinnamon rolls and Mark gave the approval. “But you’re the one serving it to her.” Earning a roll of the eyes and picking up the plate.

“Fine.”  Jaebum went out from the kitchen and looked for the table that Mark told him she was was sitting at. He found the girl, that looked like a classmate of hers and walked over to the table. It was her and - I’m getting tired of seeing him. Jinyoung. A small smile was plastered on his face when he served the plate. “Here you go. Tell me how it goes alright?” he asked, looking at the girl who was looking at him in awe. He was earned a nod and he turned his head to look at the male sitting across from her, giving a nod.

Jaebum walked back into the kitchen and groaned. Everything’s a coincidence. Everything’s a coincidence. He repeated to himself until closing time, hoping not to go back in the front again.

When it was closing time, he said his byes to Mark and headed back over to the apartment. When he got to the elevator, it was Jinyoung. The two of them stood in silence, while waiting to get to their floor. At this point, he just wanted to get to his room and think nothing of that guy. Just from a day, he was irritated of seeing him. A guy that looks younger than what he probably is was hanging out a classmate of his in college. “I wouldn’t go and date people younger than you” Jaebum said out of irritation when they got out of the elevator, bee-lining it over to his room.

But what was the real reason to why he had this irritation building up in him?

Little did he know, there was a reason for these chain of events that came and will come.
 

A/N: this came out different then what i expected. typical clicheness in this chapter tbh. 
        thanks for waiting, i hope ya'll liked it. 

  until then, 

       - turtlebum