Shake Up My Heart

 

 

 

"It's him again!" Taemin urgently whispers to his boss next to him and tries to hide behind the counter. Jinki doesn't even spare a look at him just continues boxing the cakes and pastries into small boxes with huge bows on them.

 

"Who?"

 

"Minho!" The blonde glances out, only to see the model-like man walking closer to them and the panic rises in him. This costumer comes each day whenever it's Taemin's shift- he thinks it's on purpose- and looks at him with his glazed eyes and cold look that makes the boy shiver.

 

"And?" It's easy to see that Jinki doesn't give a damn of his misery as he continues packing. Taemin tugs his pants to make him notice him.

 

"Can you take it over? I think he hates me." He juts out his lower lip and gives a puppy look but it's hard to melt his boss's heart when he doesn't even look at him. Most probably he knows that he's giving him the look. Jinki looks up at the costumer who is taking down his coat and scarf.

 

"He? He doesn't hate you, believe me. I won't take it over." The elder snorts. Where this boy get his ideas? Also, he's already here to help the blonde since he's too slow to do the boxing and serve the costumers in the same time even though this rundown café has only a few guesses per day. He doesn't even understand himself to hire him.

 

"Please take it over!" Taemin tries again desperately but it's over. He hears the footsteps stop in front of the counter. He sighs, it's time to face with his fear.

 

"Excuse me. I would like to order." Minho's deep voice can be heard and Taemin shots up from his hiding place, surprising the other. The blonde braces himself and puts on the same cold facade as Minho has on.

 

"Good morning!" He fake cheers, his smile never reaching his eyes. He tries hard not to stutter under Minho's gaze but he's kind of used to it until now.

 

"Morning." The man greets with one word, so emotionlessly. It feels like he just cursed.

 

"What can I get you?" Each day, they go on with the same short conversation. Nothing changes. He just asks it out of a  simple courtesy but he knows the response well.

 

"The same as always. An Americano with one sugar."

 

"Name?" The blonde already scratches it on a paper cup with the name of the man, he knows it well. He asks for formality. Choi Minho, a year above of Taemin at university. He doesn't even pay attention to his moves, his thoughts are all over the roof.

 

"Minho. M-I-N-H-O."

 

Taemin nods at the same weird habit and goes to make the coffee. As his hands do what they need to do, he steals glances at the taller male, just out of curiosity. He almost drops the paper cup when he sees Minho talking with his boss, all sunshine and rainbows around him and suddenly his whole life looks so cruel. A divine creature like Minho has to hate him.

 

Taemin doesn't want him to hate him. Not only because he finds him quite attractive but because he hates being hated, especially when it's groundless.

 

He hears the man laugh and he swears it's like angels' singing into his ears. This is ridiculous. He has done nothing wrong to him like he exactly remembers how he had a developing crush on the other until it's crushed- huh, funny- because of Minho's coldness towards him.

 

Taemin runs his hands through his messy blonde looks and sighs before he plasters a fake smile on his lips. Like always.

 

"Here!" Taemin hands the coffee to the man. As their fingers meet, he feels electricity rushing through his body. He slips his own hands away as quickly as he can. If he had tried to overanalyze the situation, he would have seen the hurt on the other's face for a millisecond.

 

"Thanks." Minho grunts out and tosses the same amount of money as always. He doesn't even asks for the change, he leaves a generous tip to the boy he hates.

 

Like always.

 

But today, he starts a change.

 

He drew a smiley on the cup.

 

 

*

 

 

Minho looks at the cup in his hands and sighs.

 

Mino

 

The black haired man swears the barista boy hates him. Other than spending half of his lifetime in this hell hole café just to see the beautiful blonde boy, he would like to achieve only one thing.

 

To get his name right on the cups.

 

He grumpily walks to his usual spot where he can stare at Taemin as long as he wants and no one will notice it while he loathes in self-pity because he still doesn't know his name. It's been what? Half a year since he discovered that the boy works here, since then he comes here almost every day.

 

He has became a regular costumer and got close to every worker in this café but Taemin. He cries his complaints to every of them but none of them could come up with a proper solution. The only good thing that comes with it that they don't let Taemin switch shifts.

 

He doesn't know how their blooming relationship- in Minho's mind- limited to the same actions every day but he can't move out from it. And believe me, he tried. He tries to put on his charming, prince-like atmosphere which usually works in the very first minute but not with him. The blonde boy just seems unaffected by his charm.

 

Plus, it's hard to get closer to the boy when he's so nervous each time they meet.

 

Minho plays with the paper cup when he notices the little symbol and his eyes widens.

 

Minho has never thought a poorly drew smiley would brighten up his whole day.

 

He's giggling in the corner idiotically that he has achieved something with Taemin and he swears he will never throw this cup away when Jinki approaches him with a weird look on his face. Ah, judgmental if he reads it off well. But too bad, he doesn't care.

 

The elder sits down without asking- after all he owns the place- and seriously looks at Minho and the other just waits for him to shower him with his wisdom.

 

"If you let me give you an advice, try to loosen up. Taemin thinks you hate him." His voice is merely a whisper since the boy isn't too far from them.

 

"Why would he think that?"

 

"After seeing you this morning, I shared the thought even though I know your feelings, lover boy." Jinki leans closer and Minho monitors his moves. "You act all cold, so does Taemin. I don't know if it's on purpose or not but try to smile at him. He'll love it."

 

"Are you sure?" Minho is terribly failed at his charming attitude. He never thought it would come out fearsome since usually he uses this aura to get whatever he wants. But now, he assumes it's because of his nervousness around the blonde, he can't use this magical power. He just hopes it's not late to get things right.

 

"Believe me, he has a crush on you."

 

"He said that?" Minho beams, his big eyes lights up.

 

"Not exactly but I can see it."

 

Minho grunts something incoherently and Jinki leaves with a big smile on his lips, only to meet with Taemin's chestnut colored orbs peeking at the man. As Jinki catches him, he quickly looks away.

 

Those two are the most adorable and dumbest pair he's ever met.

 

 

*

 

 

Minho drinks the last sip of coffee then he starts packing. His lectures starts in half an hour so he has to halt his starring session for this day. He takes his time storing the images of the blonde barista that will last until tomorrow. He thought about taking real pictures of him but he finds it way too creepy even if Taemin has no clue about it.

 

He's about to step out the comfort of his corner, when he remembers the advice Jinki just gave him.

 

Smile!

 

It's worth a try.

 

He puts on his backpack and breathes in, then out. He has to fight down his anxiety. He takes a few steps forward.

 

"Goodbye!" Minho smiles as brightly as he can without looking like a smiling pumpkin. He even waves a bit to add to his newfound sweetness- and as he can judge it, it works like magic.

 

Taemin stands behind the counter, eyes wide and lips parted as he stares at Minho like he just saw a ghost. But he quickly recovers and a sunshine smile appears on his lips as he bits goodbye to the elder.

 

"G-Goodbye!"

 

Minho is already out of the café, clenching his heart because it has to be the most beautiful view he has ever laid his eyes on.

 

Inside of the café, Taemin is in the same state.

 

"Wow, he's in a good mood." He mutters to Jinki who just smiles knowingly at him.

 

 

*

 

 

The next day Minho comes in, fully pampered to meet the blonde boy. Learning from the success from yesterday, he doesn't even try with his prince-like behavior. He tries to be the same Minho who mindlessly giggles at every action of Taemin because he's too good for this world.

 

As he steps into the café, he feels the chestnut colored eyes finding his form right away and they don't leave him at all until he arrives to the counter.

 

The blonde just stares at the man- he refuses to believe it's the same person who grumped into the café almost every day for half a year. Minho is all smiles, his big eyes are crescents and he gives off a kind of warmth Taemin is really attracted to.

 

"Good morning!" Minho greets while looking straight at Taemin's eyes. The boy is curious how one look could change his bones into jelly. "How's your day?"

 

The blonde blinks, he has no clue what's going on.

 

"Good m-morning." He starts, biting on his lips. He doesn't know if he should be relieved by the sudden change of act or intimidated. More than that, how should he behave? Should he stay cold or can he melt up a bit? This new Minho is quite confusing. "Uhm... It's good, I guess. What can I get to you?"

 

"The same as always." The man says with a bit hope in his voice. He hopes Taemin remembers what he orders every day. The boy nods and scratches something down on the paper cup. "My name is Minho."

 

The blonde looks up for a second and quirks an eyebrow.

 

"Hm? I know."

 

He knows.

 

 

*

 

 

Minha

 

He ing knows but he doesn't in the same time.

 

How it is possible, Minho doesn't know.

 

He drinks the coffee quickly, doesn't even care about the hotness of the liquid. Also, he doesn't notice the curious glances of Taemin who tries not to be too obvious- but he is.

 

He stares at the paper cup, pissed by his inability to change things and he's about to crumple the cup in front of him to fight down his growing anger, when he notices a sentence on it with scratchy handwriting and his mood immediately brightens up.

 

Have a good day!

 

He may have a collection of paper cups with Taemin's messages from now on.

 

 

*

 

 

Minho has a plan.

 

After a few messages he received with the cup of coffees with various sweet sentences like Study hard! Fighting! Have an awesome day! You can do it! and a lots of other, Taemin still hasn't got his name right. He's curious if it's just him who gets this special attention- or lack of it- or the boy tends to misspell other's name, too.

 

So he invites his course mate, Jonghyun to see if Taemin will get his name right or not.

 

 

*

 

 

Minho taps with his foot on the ground as he waits for his friend to arrive. Jonghyun is late. The weather turns rather chilly and he curses himself to not wearing warmer clothes. He hides his face into his scarf to protect his lips, cheeks and nose from the freezing cold.

 

Minho looks inside the tempting warmth inside of the little café, when he looks gazes with the blonde barista boy.

 

Then his legs takes him in.

 

The little bell rings, showing the coming of a new costumer but Taemin knows it long ago. He's watched the other standing outside for like twenty minutes, lips pursuing, fighting down the urge to call him in since it's not his task to do or at least he's tried to tell himself that. He's seen the other being cold so he unconsciously started to make a coffee.

 

"Here!" Taemin pushes the paper cup to Minho's chest, without greeting him first. The elder takes it with a light smile on his lips and he warms his hands with the hotness radiating from it. "Drink it. It will warm you up a bit."

 

"Thanks-" Minho is about to fish out his wallet from his back pocket when the blonde boy perks up and rapidly shakes his hands to stop him.

 

"Ah, no. It's on me." Taemin smiles brightly and lights up the whole rundown café.

 

"Then thank you very much!"

 

"It's nothing really."

 

The man shyly glances down at the cup and he sees it.

 

Minhi

 

He exhales to calm himself down. He guess, it's the right time to confront with the boy since there's no one in the café right now.

 

"Hey, Taemin. Can you please write my name right on the cup?" He tries to act kind but he's been holding it back since a while. He has a crush on this beautiful boy, he spends all his money on coffee and massive tips, sacrifice his time to be there- but he does it willingly because this is what makes him happy. Yet the boy just can't learn how to write down his name.

 

"What are you talking about?" Taemin furrows his eyebrows, he truly has no clue what he's telling him.

 

"You always misspell it." With a pout, Minho points at his misspelled name.

 

"Oh? It's on purpose." The blonde boy says calmly but secretly his heart is about to jump out. How can it not when he's about to reveal his secret?

 

"What?!"

 

"First it was accidental but seeing you coming back with that determined expression, then spelling your name letter by letter made me realize that you're here because of it. So I continued."

 

So, Taemin did this to make him come back?

 

Minho is about to ask his question when the door bursts, surprising both of them. Jonghyun walks in like he owns this place and like he hasn't noticed the blonde barista and talks to Minho right away.

 

"Phew Minho, why are you invited me here? The coffee here is disgusting!" He complains with his puppy-like expression. The other tries really hard to make the newcomer realize that he's just cut a really important conversation in half but the dump just stares at Taemin. "Oh. Oh! I see!"

 

"Shh, keep it down!" Minho elbows Jonghyun.

 

"So- what can I get to you?" Taemin's smile doesn't flatter of the harsh comment because he knows it. Everyone knows. The few costumers come to see either Jinki or him or the rest of the staff- not because of the coffee. It's well known.

 

"Erm... I'll stay with a slice of cheesecake." Jonghyun points at the first thing he sees, trying to play off the awkwardness.

 

"And you, Minho?"

 

"Nothing, thanks."

 

 

*

 

 

Minho is sulking mess, head dropped in his palms and mumbles incoherent sentences which scares the out of Jonghyun because he swears his friend is trying to put a curse on him for cutting their chatting half with the little blonde barista.

 

He stuffs the food into his mouth to avoid talking with him.

 

"This cake is actually awesome! Want to have a bite?" Jonhyun tries to brighten up the mood but Minho just glares at him so he just continues eating that masterpiece of cake until it's gone. "Hey, Taemin! Can I have another one?"

 

He sees the blonde head nod then after a few seconds, he comes with a plate of cheesecake and a cup of coffee.

 

Taemin places the pasty in front of Jonghyun and the coffee in front of Minho- who looks up with a confused expression.

 

"I didn't order anything."

 

"Take it as a present. It's on the house."

 

Before he could say anything, Taemin hurries back to his place with cheeks burning up and disbelief written on his face that he was able to take the first step.

 

Minho follows the blonde's body as he walks away then looks down at the paper cup. What he sees makes his heart race. His name- written perfectly with a neat handwriting- and a row of numbers. It can't be!

 

Minho

xxx-xxx-xxx

Call me! 

 

 

---

 

an/ Please upvote and comment if you liked it! :-)