Son Hyunwoo is a shy person, and can sometimes come off as a big, tough guy who’s a bit of a robot. He knows this, and doesn’t mind it for the most part. Those who bother to get to know him soon find out that this first impression couldn’t be further from the truth. Sure, he tends to be more on the stoic side when it comes to expressing how he feels, and granted he does have pretty broad shoulders. But, there’s a fluffy, teddy bear-like side to him that most don’t bother to get to know.

However, that all changed the day he found Yoo Kihyun, or rather, Kihyun found him.

“Hyunwoo-ya!” Hoseok’s voice pulls Hyunwoo out of his thoughts. He glances up silently, pausing in his wiping down of the counter to give the younger his fullest attention. “What’s up with you? I’ve been trying to get your attention for the past few minutes…” Hoseok says, giving him an apprehensive look. “If you’re not feeling okay, I’m sure Hongsik-hyung would be willing to give you the rest of the day off.” Hyunwoo shakes his head, glancing over at their manager to make sure he didn’t hear. Luckily, he’s speaking with Minhyuk, and that could take a while.

“I’m fine,” he tells Hoseok, who only gives him a look of disbelief.

“I’ve noticed that pink-haired guy who always requests you hasn’t been in yet,” Hoseok comments, watching for some sort of reaction. Hyunwoo gives him exactly what he wants with a slight tightening of his shoulders, and he can’t help but smirk knowingly. “I know how you feel, my Hyungwonnie hasn’t been in here yet either.” He leans forward on the counter with a sigh, pouting at the door.

“Kihyun and I aren’t—“

“You might as well be,” Hoseok interrupts, already knowing what the older was going to say. “I’ve seen you two flirt for a week now, you should take the next step and make it official.” The bell above the door suddenly rings, signifying the entrance of another customer. Hoseok’s face breaks out into a smile, and he immediately straightens up. Hyunwoo notes the change in posture, Hoseok seeming as if he’s almost selling himself to whoever is approaching the counter.

“I was beginning to worry you weren’t coming today,” Hoseok says. Hyunwoo mentally nods, knowing without even looking up that it’s Hyungwon.

“Yeah, things have been a bit hectic today,” an unexpected voice replies, causing a blush to run up Hyunwoo’s tan cheeks, “or else we would have been by sooner.” Hyunwoo glances up, his heart jumping at the sight of Kihyun smiling at him from across the counter, his deeply-set dimples sinking oh-so adorably into his cheeks. Hoseok leans forward with yet another pout.

“Hyungwon-ah,” he says in a slightly whining tone. Hyunwoo glances up finally to excuse himself, but pauses upon seeing Kihyun standing beside Hyungwon. Kihyun chuckles at this, finding the barista’s obvious surprise at his presence extremely cute.

“I’ll see you later, Kihyun-hyung,” Hyungwon says after a moment, grasping Hoseok’s hand and leading him away from the other two. Hoseok’s pout brightens up into an expectant grin as he follows the taller towards an open table off to the side. Kihyun steps closer to the cash register, watching the blush that begins to creep onto Hyunwoo’s cheeks. He feels his own smile grow at the sight.

“Would you like your usual?” Hyunwoo asks after a long silence, his voice coming out much more quiet and deep than intended. Kihyun nods, his smile faltering slightly.

“Hyunwoo-hyung,” Kihyun begins as he leans onto the counter. He stops for a moment, his eyes landing on the barista’s broad shoulders and muscles bulging against his white uniform shirt. He in a breath through his teeth as he refocuses, his eyes making their way back up to his face.

“Hyung,” he tries again, “I’ve been coming to this café for a while, and you always seem to like seeing me. You even complimented when I dyed my hair,” he adds as he absentmindedly plays with his own hair, “so, this makes me wonder if you like me. But, when I try to give you an opportunity to ask me out, you close yourself off.” He hesitates a moment, forcing a lighthearted chuckle, “I’m close to asking you out myself, just so this flirtatious back and forth would stop.”

Hyunwoo doesn’t know what to say. Heat rushes up to the tips of his ears, not quite believing what he’s hearing. Usually, people don’t come out and speak so bluntly with him. People typically take his shyness the wrong way and assume he has no interest in them. This shorter male is the first to actually speak with him about this. This shameless bringing-up of the topic intrigues Hyunwoo, and he finds an easy smile coming to him.

At the growing grin, Kihyun can’t help but chuckle lightly, this time it being genuine. Silence once again laces between the two, and they both find themselves smiling at the other contentedly.

“So,” Kihyun goes on after a while, “how about it? I can come by and get you whenever you get off of work. We could go get some dinner, or go to a movie?” Hyunwoo finds himself nodding before he even thinks about it, the answer coming to him almost naturally.

“He’s actually off in twenty minutes,” Minhyuk says, popping up behind Hyunwoo with a sunny smile. He slides the order over to the shorter. Kihyun hums in acknowledgment as he takes the cup, shooting Hyunwoo a smirk as he walks off.

The two spend the remaining time exchanging flirtatious glances with each other, earning many suggestive “oohs” from Minhyuk whenever he notices. They leave the café after Hyunwoo finishes his shift, walking down the sidewalk. Kihyun grasps onto the older’s hand tightly, and begins to swing their arms playfully. Hyunwoo loves this motion, unable to hold back his chuckle.

He finds himself imagining every day after work ending like this, and silently promising to make this wish come to fruition.