Part I: The Neurochemical Basis of Behaviour

Baekhyun’s favourite coffee shop is burning down.

He wants to blame Elektra, but this time, he knows it’s his fault. He tucks his legs underneath him and watches from a highrise rooftop as firefighters rush to the scene and the best spot for coffee at 5am goes up in flames.

The man he’d taken down lies in the alley behind, unconscious and beaten. He had no useful information, just like the rest.

Very much irritated and exhausted and not in the mood to face her if she does show up, Baekhyun heads home.

***

Baekhyun only wakes up at such a godforsaken hour to do his work because he has no other time to. On the other hand, he’s convinced Jongdae’s a psychopath for tagging along with him to jog and study at five in the morning.

“This is depressing,” is Jongdae’s verdict when they pass the crime scene. The fire has long been extinguished, but the damage is severe, and most of the building is completely charred. “They said Kinese left the man responsible for arson incapitated in the alley though, so at least we know he’s not going to be burning anything else down. Ugh.”

With well-practiced ease, Baekhyun raises an eyebrow at Jongdae. “Kinese caught him?”

“Elektra was on the scene when firefighters got there, but the arsonist was beaten bloody when they took him in. That’s his work, not hers.”

Fair, Baekhyun thinks, but decides not to reply because he really prefers not to think about Elektra so early in the morning.

The only other coffee shop near campus is a block away from his old one, and it’s called Hello Brewtiful, a name that sends Jongdae into a laughing fit for a full minute when they first searched it up. Baekhyun spots the cafe before his friend does; it’s a cheery little shop with a cute sign, warm light pouring out from inside. The window displays a fair amount of plants, and the interior looks cosy enough to be a good study area.

The bell lets out a pleasant chiming noise as they step inside. There’s only one girl behind the till, and she’s hunched over on the counter with her head in her arms. She has a laptop propped open in front of her and appears to be asleep on a notebook.

Jongdae clears his throat.

She shoots up, flails, and nearly knocks the laptop from its perch. There’s lines from the notebook coils imprinted on her cheek, which Baekhyun sees when she hastily stands upright.

“Oh my god,” the girl manages, staring at them with wide eyes. “I am—I am so sorry, let me just—um, I just need to—” she sweeps her laptop, notebook and pencil case away to the side. Baekhyun hears her mutter, “this is so embarrassing,” as she hides everything behind the counter and straightens stiffly. “I’m so sorry. What can I get for you?”

Now that he sees her face properly, he realizes that she’s really cute. Her hair is in twin braids, she has a cheerful expression, and despite the fact that she was dozing off seconds ago, she looks surprisingly awake. Baekhyun squints at her nametag. Seo Eunju, it reads.

“It’s fine,” he reassures, then grins. “Won’t tell your boss.”

She lets out a small laugh. “Appreciate that.”

A minute later, both he and Jongdae have ordered their drinks and have picked a corner table to sit at. Baekhyun is trying to keep his attention on the study he’s trying to take notes on rather than the faint hum in the background of Eunju making their coffee.

“You think she’s cute,” Jongdae whispers from across from him.

Baekhyun looks up from the paper he’d worked so hard to focus on. “What?” he mouths back.

Jongdae winks at him. “Go talk to her.”

Baekhyun pretends he’s more interested in diminished dopamine release in presynaptic neurons in depressed individuals for another two minutes before he gives up and decides to talk to Eunju.

He stands up and slams right into her.

He feels the coffee before any other part of the situation sinks in. The liquid would’ve been hot enough to burn a normal person, but Baekhyun doesn’t sense more than a faint tingle. The coffee mugs shatter on the ground, and he realizes belatedly that while it didn’t burn him, his white hoodie has been recoloured brown.

Well.

There’s a moment of heavy silence before Eunju makes a horrified noise. “I’m so sorry!” she blurts. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? I’m so sorry, there’s a first-aid kit in the back, I’ll go get it—wait, no, come to the back and, um, I’ll clean this up later—I am so, so sorry.”

Another stream of apologies later and Baekhyun is being led behind the counter, mouthing you over his shoulder as Jongdae mouths it’s fate back.

***

“I’m so sorry,” Eunju repeats for the nth time. Baekhyun has shed his hoodie, sitting on the bench in the backroom. “I didn’t get enough sleep last night, and I have a midterm coming up in two days. It’s been… a trying time.” She winces. “Doesn’t excuse my clumsiness.”

“My fault, honestly,” Baekhyun replies. She comes lugging the entire first-aid kit. “I shouldn’t have stood up suddenly.”

She sets the kit down. “Are you sure you’re not hurt? The coffee was pretty hot.”

“I think my hoodie took the brunt of the damage,” Baekhyun replies drily.

Eunju manages a laugh before it trails off and her expression edges back into guilt. “Oh my god. It’s stained, isn’t it?”

“Better it than me?” he jokes. “Besides, I’ve gotten tomato sauce on it before. The hoodie was past saving before the coffee.”

“Still feel really bad,” she groans. “Thank you for taking this so well.”

“Accidents happen,” he reassures, not sure what to say to actually make it clear he doesn’t blame her.

They spend a minute or so in silence as Baekhyun dries his shirt as best he can before he remembers: “You said you have a midterm in two days?”

Eunju looks up in surprise. Then, “Yup.”

“Me too. What course?”

“It’s called, uh, the neurochemical basis of behaviour?”

Baekhyun’s first thought is holy Jongdae’s right it’s fate before he has to physically stop himself from saying it aloud.

“I’m in that course,” he says, beaming. “We should sit together in class!”

That seems to do the tr