The scent of coffee made its way to his nostrils as soon as he pushed the glass door. A small bell sound followed. It was warm inside, he liked it. He liked it warm. It was way better than the cold wind outside especially that it would be getting dark soon. He soon began to take off his hoodie and slung it on his arm. His eyes tried to find some familiar faces but failed so he made his way to the counter, where a cluster of employees with their warm smiles on was behind the wooden table. 

"Hello, how can I help you?" A male worker around his age asked as soon as he reach the cashier. He must be part-timers, he thought. 

"One latte, please." He said almost too quietly after scanning briefly through the yellowish menu board on top of the counter. 

"One latte," the cashier said which sounded more like a confirming question, to that he nodded and mentally note to speak clearer, "that will be 4.500 won, please. And your name?"

"Jeonghan."

His hand reached to his black backpack he had on his back and slung it in front before pulling a black, again, wallet after a bit of struggle. Why did he put it way down in the bottom again? He gave the cashier the exact amount of cash and had his receipt.

"Seungcheol-ah, 1 latte." He heard the male said.

Jeonghan hugged his heavy backpack and moved to the side where the barista was supposedly give his coffee. He stood there quietly as he watch the, another young, barista clad in tartan button up shirt seemingly made his order and some other along side. Soon the said barista turned to him and flashed a wide smile.

His smile was bright and childish. Jeonghan found himself staring for a bit before blinking fast. The male employee approached Jeonghan with a cup of latte in his hand, a perfectly crafted one with some pattern he did not know how to describe (you know that roundish thing) on top of its froth. He was just as tall as him now that he's right behind the counter.

"Jeonghan-ssi?" He said smiling all gum and teeth. It would have seem unflattering on most cases but in this case it looked perfectly fitting. His smile looked cute on him. Jeonghan could not help but mentally note that he had a good smile. 

He nodded shyly.

"Here's your latte, enjoy!" 

He might or might not have his heart jumped when their fingers brushed for 0.0003 second for some unknown reason but he hurriedly swallow such weird feeling down to his tummy and reached out for the cup. "Thank you." He said, this time clearer and louder, he learned, and smiled back. The employee stared at him for a second before giving him small nod and return to what he was doing. 

What was that, Yoon Jeonghan? 

When he was walking to an empty spot by the window (with a clear view of the counter) someone called his name after a cling was heard, "Jeonghan-ah! Did you wait long?".

The-cute-employee thought was forgotten for a moment when he saw a girl jogging up to him. The girl he was supposedly do some work together, the girl he had a crush for. Also the girl he might just treated a drink and repeatedly sneaked from to glance behind the counter more than 5 meters away from their table.

"Hi, how can I help you with?" 

The gummy-smile boy was now at the cashier and serving him (he actually chose the cashier on the right in purpose because he saw this employee, but anyway). "Hi, um, what do you suggest?" He asked trying to catch on a conversation. His voice sounded weird and awkward on his ears, he was not used to chat with waiters or whatsoever, in fact he also went alone today because he did not have that many friends.

"Let's see," the male peeked over him to the menu board with a serious thinking expression, his pouty lips puckered by a tiny bit, "if you like coffee, you should try our americano, it's great.". 

Jeonghan honestly did not know what that was. He was not a coffee drinker to be honest, last time was picking out of luck because he heard many people liked latte. It was fine so he figured this 'americano' coffee would not taste bad. And it's not like he would say no anyway. "Okay, I'll have that."

"One americano it is, and your name, it's Jeong..." 

"Jeonghan." 

Jeonghan did not think he'd remember any syllable of his name because he had only been there once in 18 year of his lifetime. 

"Right. Jeonghan." He repeated with a soft curl on his lips. Jeonghan liked how it sounded, and by the small smile on his lips, he figured he fancied it as well. 

He paid and got his receipt, once he was away from the cashier he hurriedly look at the white piece of paper once again, to the bottom of it to be exact. 

'Cashier: Choi Seungcheol'

He got his name. Now it's his time to taste how it runs on his lips, absentmindedly he whispered the name. Choi Seungcheol. 

It tasted good.

Unlike the americano.

It tasted like , for Jeonghan. It was bitter, it was way too strong and dark of a coffee for his liking. His eyebrows scrunched to its limit as soon as his tastebud catch the taste of the black liquid. He cursed mentally. Let's not try this one anymore.

"It's you again, Jeonghan-ssi!" That afternoon there wasn't many people, only few highschool girls staying and Seungcheol spotted the short haired male as soon as he went through the door, something that he decidedly do every week if he had the spare money.

Holy lord, he remembers me, he thought.

"How was the americano last time?"

Holy , he remembers that , he thought again.

"Um, it was good." Unsureness was thick on his voice. Despite how hard he wished for Seungcheol to not notice, he did, his expression dropped and his gummy smile was soon replaced with a worried one. "Oh lord, you didn't like it? Was it bad? I'm so sorry!" He hurriedly apologize and it startled Jeonghan. 

"No, no! It's not like that, it's just I don't really drink coffee!"

"Ah, it's still my fault, I should've told you what was it." Seungcheol said. His face resembled a hurt puppy, one with a pretty cow eyes with full lashes if he might add, Jeonghan thought. How could he. He was such a bad actor. 

"It's fine, it's good that I get to know more kind of coffee. In fact, it's better because it's less sugar and milk, right? And it woke me up for my homeworks. And I need to get used to it." He waved his hands around. , he was rambling.

Seungcheol, behind the counter, pouted, more like to himself. He seemed to think with his forehead creased. "If you say so," he proceeded to take a clear cup and scribbled 'Jeonghan' and a small 'sorry' on it, "this is my treat. I'll make you an iced americano, with more syrup so it'll be a sweeter and easier one, how about that?". He gave Jeonghan a smile, an apologetic smile. Wow, he did not even have to do that Jeonghan had already forgiven him.

"You don't have to." 

"I insist." 

"Fine. Thanks." Jeonghan smiled. His eyes could not even look back at those mellow puppy eyes so he looked elsewhere, missing another gummy smile soon after.

"Doyoon-ah, cover me for a bit." Seungcheol shouted to his colleague who was by then chilling because there was no other customer at the moment. 

Jeonghan watched Seungcheol made his coffee personally, also stealing a glance or two at Jeonghan's direction. His tummy felt like churned. Not in a bad way, although he hoped it was. It's better be in a bad way. He bit his lip, out of habit. A few short moment later, his barista for today came to him and leaned in at the counter as he placed the plastic cup on it. "Here you go, Jeonghan-ssi." He supported his chin on his hand and gestured Jeonghan to try it with the other. 

So he did.

After a sip, the same bitter taste hit his tastebud. But it was way better, lighter and sweeter, maybe because of the ice and extra syrup. This was way more enjoyable though still taste very much like coffee. "Do you like it?" Seungcheol must have noticed the pleasant expression on Jeonghan's face because he was smiling himself. 

He nodded.

"I like it. Much better, thank you," he chuckled, "anyway, it's okay to call me just Jeonghan." He felt his face getting warmer at his own friendly act. 

The gummy smile showed itself once again. Jeonghan liked it. So much. 

"I'm glad you like it. And, hello, my name's Seungcheol." He knew it but he said nothing. 

Jeonghan had religiously gone to the coffee shop once a week, missed it a week or two due to being short on pocket money (he swore he had saved his best) and exams. During this past few months going there, he had figured the best time to go was on Sunday evening, around 6 or 7 because people would be out for dinner and at night less people would go to a coffee shop (and Seungcheol was a part-timer who took night shift anyway). There he could have more chatting time with his favorite staff, who he believed liked befriending him too. 

The male was talkative and fun, he joked a lot, even if they were a bit of a dad jokes and weird things, but Jeonghan laughed at them anyway, and it pleased Seungcheol. By that time Jeonghan was accustomed of drinking iced americano he enjoyed it over time, Seungcheol on the other hand had tried to offer different things but Jeonghan would always opted back to americano. 

Lately school had been hectic with all homeworks and exams, Jeonghan had to squeeze his schedule to find time to visit his favorite shop at least once a week. 

He was finally finished with his studies so he hurriedly fixed his hair and wore his coat and went to the cafe. 

Much to his disappointment, Seungcheol was not there. Neither did the other young part-timers.

In the back of his mind, he thought they could have stopped working there, but he shook out those feelings and made himself believe it was only for today. So he ordered himself the cheapest beverage available (why bother spending money when your crush was not there all you had left was this dust of dignity) and brought it home with him.

During the next week, or the week after, or the week after, he never saw Seungcheol or any of the part-timers who worked along side anymore. After the fourth week of trying he decided to stop visiting. It was stupid, he thought, the only reason to visit really was Seungcheol. Incredibly ridiculous honestly, to have visited the same cafe every week, spending tons of money he could have had to pay other stuffs with, even adjusting himself with the bitter liquid all these times yet it would all stop once Seungcheol stop working. He did not know anything about the male outside his work and such. Not knowing his phone number, his high school, even his agency. He had this pea size chance of meeting him again, and he was almost sure the next thing he would see Seungcheol was if he finally debuted. But that would be useless, he would be distant, and he did not even know how long would the boy do. 

Jeonghan stood silently as he waited the train to come, ignoring the loud announcement he had heard hundreds of times in his life. Today was probably his last cup of iced americano from that cafe, he thought as he stared blankly at the half drank coffee on his right hand.

He was about to step aside when the train stopped to let the passengers out when his shoulder was tapped.

"Excuse me, can we talk for a bit," a man started talking, "I'm from Pledis Entertainment."