The café is buzzing with the sound of people, and Jeonghan tries not to be annoyed, honestly, but right now he’s tired and hungry and, oh also, not to mention the fact that his boyfriend is one hour late to their date.

            “Hey beautiful,” a deep voice says beside him and Jeonghan’s eyes cut away from the wall he was glaring at, only to soften as he looks at the wide, impish grin that’s being flashed in his direction.

            The tall boy flashes him another smirk as he sits in the chair opposite of Jeonghan, his long legs folding under the table as he sets the empty tray on the table. The apron he has tied around his waist is a dusty pink, with pale blue letters that spell out SVT Café on the center.  There’s a bright gold nametag pinned to the front of his white button-down shirt, the name Mingyu neatly inscribed on the gold plate.

            “Waiting on your boyfriend again, Angel?” he asks, his voice lightly dipping in disappointment, but his eyes are still bright, which is not unusual. In all the time that Jeonghan has known him, he’s never seen the younger boy look anything but happy.

            “You know precious, I’d never keep you waiting.” His fingers reach out to brush the back of Jeonghan’s hand, and he winks, smirking. “An Angel like you should never have to wait for anyone.”

            Did Jeonghan forget to mention that he’s also a big flirt?

            Mingyu grins one more time, pressing his thumb onto the faint mark that covers Jeonghan’s wrist, and Jeonghan wonders if there’s something in Mingyu’s eyes because, again, one eye flutters closed in a wink.

            Oh yeah, he thinks, definitely a big flirt. Good luck to whoever is this guy’s soulmate.

            Jeonghan lets himself laugh, sliding his hand from underneath Mingyu’s. He doesn’t say anything about Seungcheol, instead says, “Aren’t you going to get in trouble for sitting on the job?”

            Mingyu leans back, clasping his hands together and letting them fall in his lap as he shrugs. “Maybe. Probably.” He smacks his lips, raising his brow at the older boy. “But I’m keeping you company until your boyfriend gets here, and I doubt Soonyoung-hyung would mind.”

            Jeonghan rolls his eyes, a smile tugging at his lips as he rests his chin delicately in his hands. He clicks his tongue. “But I mind.”

            Mingyu’s brow raises up. “You do?”

            “Yeah,” teases Jeonghan, “you don’t have my coffee.” He peeks under the table quickly, causing the taller boy to let out a laugh. “Yeah, no coffee.” He lifts the empty tray up and pretends to look around before he looks back up at Mingyu, who is grinning in amusement. Jeonghan clicks his tongue, shaking his head in mock-disappointment. “I see no pastries either.” He sighs loudly, letting the tray land back on the table. “Wow Mingyu-ah, you’ve really disappointed me.”

            Mingyu rolls his eyes, standing up lazily. “Yeah, yeah, no need to be a smartass. I’ll bring your order out in a sec.” He grabs the empty tray, clutches it in his hands and he looks between Jeonghan and the previous spot he was just in before he sighs. “Do you want two orders of that…?”

            And Jeonghan can hear the hidden question behind Mingyu’s words, can hear what he really wants to ask. Are you going to wait for him all night again?

            And Jeonghan frowns, glances quickly at the watch that’s on his wrist – not the wrist with his tattoo, no, you’re supposed to showcase those tattoos proudly, whenever you can (and only if it’s appropriate) – and sighs, shaking his head. “No, just one order please.”

⚘❁⚘

            Jeonghan is mad. Seungcheol knows this. Jeonghan knows that Seungcheol knows this. Seungcheol knows that Jeonghan knows that Seungcheol knows. And Jeonghan knows…. well, you get the idea.

            So when Seungcheol finally walks into their shared apartment, his eyes drooping with sleep and exhaustion, Jeonghan is sitting at the dinner table, a small wrapped pastry sitting in front of him.

            His face has been scrubbed clean, his hair let loose, brushing the tips of his shoulders. His eyes are sad, disappointed as he glances at Seungcheol. His face feels tight as he smiles at Seungcheol, returning the tired smile that Seungcheol throws in his direction.

            “Hey baby,” Seungcheol sighs as he throws his sweater over the chair before he plops down in it. He points at the pastry in front of Jeonghan. “That for me?”

            Jeonghan purses his lips, his brow furrowing, and he says nothing, just nods and slides the treat over to Seungcheol.

            Seungcheol smiles happily, his fingers brushing the faint marking of his name on Jeonghan’s wrist. It makes Jeonghan shiver, just a little, but forgiving him won’t be as easy this time.

            “Did you have a good day today?”

            Seungcheol sighs, unwrapping the pastry slowly. “I know you’re mad at me.” He gives a wry smile, tapping quickly at the bold print on his wrist. “We’re soulmates, remember? I know you like the back of my hand.”

            This is when Jeonghan decides to be angry. He scoffs, folding his arms over his chest as he leans back in his chair. “Then why didn’t you show up today?” he grits his teeth, looking at Seungcheol’s wide eyes, burning, and Seungcheol’s nose scrunches up in frustration, and goddammit, Jeonghan thinks it’s cute.

            “I told you I’d be busy tonight, Jeonghan.”

            Jeonghan basically growls out. “Do you know how long I was waiting for you? You could have, oh I don’t know, texted me or something.”

            “My phone died.” A beat. “Are we really fighting over this?”

            Jeonghan pushes himself up from the table. “Yes, we are fighting over this! Because you stood me up again! Again, Seungcheol! I’m tired of waiting for you all the time!” Jeonghan is not particularly emotional, but he feels his throat close up. “It’s like, god are you sure we’re even soulmates because –”

            And before Jeonghan can get the rest of the sentence out, Seungcheol is up and across the room, grabbing the younger boy’s face in his hands, and then he’s smashing their lips together, his kiss frantic and desperate and Jeonghan – he clings to him, his hand curling into the material of Seungcheol’s shirt.

            “– damn.” Jeonghan finishes when Seungcheol stops kissing him. Jeonghan blinks slowly, realizing that Seungcheol is shaking.

            “D-don’t say that,” Seungcheol forces past trembling lips. His forehead is pressed against Jeonghan’s, his eyes screwed shut. “Please, don’t say stuff like that.”

            Jeonghan blinks slowly, lets his hands reach up and tangle into Seungcheol’s hair. He his lips, tasting the bitterness of the coffee he had earlier. He whispers softly. “Okay.”

            Seungcheol opens his eyes. They’re moist and he blinks harshly, letting out a deep breath. “I got into a fight with Jihoon today.”

            And Jeonghan immediately knows what that means.

            His mouth drops open, his fingers curling in his hair. “Oh.” He plays with the soft tendrils, enjoying the way Seungcheol shivers against him when he lightly tugs at the strands. “What happened this time?”

            Seungcheol laughs, a wet sad sound that makes Jeonghan upset. He shakes his head, the tips of his hair falling into his eyes and sighs out. “The same thing that always happens. I’m a up, I put too much pressure on him, I –”

            Jeonghan stops him, grabs Seungcheol’s face in his hands. He has half a mind to plant a kiss to those smushed lips of his, but instead he forcefully says, looking Seungcheol in the eyes, “You’re his best friend.”

            Seungcheol nods. “I’m hith betht friend,” he says, the words sounding strange due to Jeonghan’s hold on his cheeks.

            “You’re not a up,” Jeonghan says slowly.

            “I’m not a up,” Seungcheol repeats.

            “Jihoon is just stressed.”

            “Jihoon ith jutht strethed.”

            “You’re perfect.”

            Seungcheol grins, his eyes sparkling. “You’re perfect.”

            Jeonghan rolls his eyes, his lips twitching into a smile as he catches the mischievous glint in his boyfriend’s eyes. Seungcheol smiles, easily slipping from Jeonghan’s hold to press a loud kiss to his cheek. “And he’s back,” Jeonghan mumbles as Seungcheol kisses every inch of his face. Seungcheol nips at Jeonghan’s jaw, causing Jeonghan to let out a breathy laugh.

            “Dude, you have got to get out of here, you’re bothering Wonwoo.”

            Joshua glances up from where he’s sitting on the counter. It’s not a safety hazard, he checked. It’s also not a health hazard; this table is used for just this purpose. He checked that too.

            So Joshua looks up to meet Soonyoung’s disapproving but amused eyes, and all he does is make a confused expression.

            “What? Aren’t you the manager? Can’t you just,” he plays with the strings of his apron, “I don’t know, tell him to deal?”

            Soonyoung sighs, shaking his head. “I may be the manager, but Wonwoo…” He drops his voice to a loud whisper. “Wonwoo is crazy.”

            A loud, deep voice in the background. “I heard that!”

            Soonyoung smiles, waving his hands at Joshua. “So shoo, out of my kitchen. We can’t take orders if half of the staff is in the kitchen.”

            Joshua hesitates. “But Seungkwan is out front. And so is Mingyu.”

            Soonyoung smiles, causing his eyes to crinkle even more. “Exactly, which is why they need you,” Soonyoung tugs on Joshua’s sleeve, “to help them.”

            Joshua sighs, not moving an inch. “I can’t go out there.”

            Soonyoung raises a brow, shaking white hair from his eyes. “And why not?”

            Joshua glances down, his cheeks blooming in red, and he feels a sharp sting on his chest – right over his heart. Soonyoung is quiet and then, “Oh.”

            Joshua clamps his lips together, furrowing his brow. He draws random patterns on the table, not looking up at Soonyoung as he says, “Yeah, oh.”

            Soonyoung sighs, and Joshua hears more than sees Soonyoung crawl onto the counter with him. He places a hand over Joshua’s, causing the older boy to look up. Joshua’s eyes flit over Soonyoung’s face, traveling down until he reaches the base of Soonyoung’s neck, where in small, bold text, reads the name Seokmin.

            “You can’t hide from him forever, hyung.”

            Joshua frowns, removing his gaze from Soonyoung’s tattoo. He raises his lips into a small smile, his voice weak when he says, “Can’t I try?”

            Soonyoung smiles, and with his hand still in Joshua’s, jumps down from the counter, bringing the older boy down with him. “Oh, but if only you could, Joshua. If only you could.” He fixes Joshua’s apron, dusts off his nametag, and smiles at the older boy. “But a life of hiding is not a life worth living, my friend. So, go forth and conquer.”

            Joshua frowns, a bit confused. “Conquer what exactly?”

            Soonyoung is opening his mouth to respond, but a new voice interrupts him.

            “Go forth and conquer tables three and four, because their order is ready.”

            And Joshua didn’t even notice when Wonwoo joined them, a tray of coffee and pastries in both his hands.

            He’s wearing all black, which Joshua thinks is a bad choice, since it’s covered in flour now. His apron, as opposed to everyone else’s, is pure white, the words Cat Puns Freak Meowt written on the front, accompanied by a picture of a small black cat looking frazzled. (And Joshua doesn’t know how, but he swears that the cat resembles Wonwoo. Just a little.) A gift from Mingyu.

            Joshua slumps his shoulders. “But,” he whines, “do I have to?”

            There’s a loud laugh, the sound of heavy footsteps and then Mingyu is pushing past the doors, a wide grin on his face.

            He walks right up to Wonwoo, plops his arm heavily over the older boy’s shoulder, and steals a tray from him.

            “Hey lover boy,” Mingyu says, “your angel is here.”

            And Joshua can just feel himself blushing, from his cheeks to the tips of his ears.

            Mingyu steals the other tray from Wonwoo, carrying them both easily. He bumps his hip with his, causing the older boy to grumble before he walks off, going back to complete orders.

            “Honestly,” Joshua says, trying to keep the conversation off of him, “how is it that you’re manager again, Soonyoung? Because Wonwoo does basically everything.”

            Soonyoung shrugs. “My father owns the place so I mean –”

            “Boring,” Mingyu interrupts, crossing his arms over his chest and – wait, how did Joshua end up carrying both trays? He could have sworn Mingyu had them.

            “I’ll take Angel’s order,” Mingyu says, standing straight and stretching. Something pops when he stretches, and it makes Joshua wince, but Mingyu smiles happily. “You can take my tables,” he offers, all too eagerly, reaching out to grab an empty tray.

            Joshua is thankful.

            “Um, hello? Do the schedules I make mean nothing to you?”

            Joshua and Mingyu glance at each other quickly and they both say, in a serious tone, at the same time. “No.”

            Soonyoung rolls his eyes, shaking his head, muttering to himself. “Useless, useless staff, I tell you. I like Seungkwan now, both of you get out of my kitchen.”

            They’re both giggling when they step out, but Joshua feels his breath catch in his throat, because of course his eyes automatically go to him.

            He’s sitting alone at his usual table (the table that is usually Joshua’s table, but not when he’s there – never when he’s there) with his arms crossed over his chest. (Joshua ignores the faint mark on his wrist, pretends it’s not even there). His hair is pulled back at the base of his neck, a few brown strands falling into his face. His eyes are sharp, cutting as he glares at the wall that’s opposite of him. His pretty pink lips are pulled into a scowl, his face tinged with irritation and tiredness.

            Mingyu catches him staring.

            “Hyung,” Mingyu sighs, “you have to let this go. Falling for someone who’s already marked is pointless.”

            Joshua sighs. “I know. You don’t think I know that?” Joshua feels his heart sink. “I just can’t help it, you know?”

            And it’s inexplicably quiet for a moment, and Mingyu is very serious when he responds with, “Yeah, I know.”

            And Joshua thinks that maybe he’s not the only with a broken heart standing there.