1. First encounter: Enchanting idiot

The bell upside the door dings as a little-eyed boy with silky hair enters the café. He smiles to the guy who seems like has been waiting for him, calmly sitting near the bar with newspaper and a cup of coffee on the table.

“Hey, Baekhyun.” The guy folds his newspaper and stands up to welcome the young boy.

“Hi, hyung. Good morning,” Baekhyun smiles as he hangs his thick sweater on the coat hanger. “What a cold morning.”

“-3ºC.” The guy tells with a smile which is permanently plastered on his face.

“Suho hyung, you are forever up-to-date.” The younger one shakes his head and side-hugs his hyung.

“What’s your order today?”

“The usual cappuccino, please.” Baekhyun smiles, his little eyes turn into a perfect crescent, which makes Suho smiles too.

Because Baekhyun’s smile is contagious.

Suho nods as he walks towards the bar to lightly nudge his new barista who’s sitting with his eyes closed and earphones in his ears.

“Jongin.”

Jongin jumps a little, and then slowly opens his eyes. He looks up at his boss with blurry vision, the direct effect of waking up.

“Yes, boss?” The tan boy’s voice cracks, he hems after saying.

“What time did you sleep last night?”

“Uh… I don’t know. But I have that habit of sleeping anywhere anytime.” Jongin bites his lower lip, not because he’s afraid of Suho because he sleeps early in work hour. But it’s just his habit again.

Suho sighs, he can’t get mad at Jongin ―at everyone, to be exact. “Don’t do that again, okay?”

Suho’s words are breeze, he always speaks gently and his signature smile will always be plastered on his face. That doesn’t make Jongin trifles at him (because he’s too kind), but it makes Jongin respects him and promises himself not to disappoint him.

“Okay, boss. I understand.” Jongin nods and smile widely.

“Good,” Suho smiles again. “Now make a cappuccino for Baekhyun.”

“Oh, he’s here already?”

Suho uses his chin to point at Baekhyun who is sitting with his hands drumming on the table along with the music from his iPod, melodious hums can also be heard from his lips (because it’s still a few customers there and Baekhyun is near with them). Baekhyun always do that, typical musicians.

“Ah, I see. I’ll do it now, boss.”

“That’s what you should do.” Suho nods and strides to Baekhyun’s seat, but then he stops and turns to Jongin again.

“Have I told you to not calling me as boss?”

Jongin’s eyes go wide ―well, not really wide like his ‘Pororo’ friend, he forgets that Suho hates being called as boss.

“Uhh, sorry, hyung. I think you haven’t.” He lies.

“Ah, okay. Don’t call me boss start from now.”

“Arasso.”

And Suho walks back to sit with Baekhyun.

“He always forgets that I have told him to not calling me as boss.” Suho mumbles as he comforts himself on the couch across Baekhyun.

Baekhyun giggles. “I wonder why you hate being called as boss. That’s cool, hyung.”

“Nope,” Suho lifts his hand and shakes head. “It gives me burden. Every human is an equal.”

“My words.” A tall guy with fine body suddenly answers as he hangs his long coat.

“Zitao!” Jongin exclaims, the guy named Zitao turns to look at him and waves. “Hi, Jongin! You arrive early today.”

“Yup,” Jongin nods. “I have nothing to do at home, so I went here earlier.”

Zitao nods, then strides toward Suho and Baekhyun.

“Hi, hyungs!”

“Yo, panda. How’s life?” Baekhyun retorts as he grabs Zitao’s hand. “You are really cold. Get some coffee.”

“Yeah, it is under zero outside. I was freezing!” Zitao shakes his body slightly to show that he feels cold, Jongin laughs.

“I thought panda has a thick fur.” Jongin says as he smirks.

“I am not literally a panda, Kim Jongin. Make me a frapuccino, please.”

“Why don’t you make it by yourself? You are a senior barista; compared to me.” Jongin says as he starts putting on his earphones.

“Don’t make me do aegyo to you.” The panda says in intimidative tone, which makes Jongin puts his earphone off, but not with Suho and Baekhyun who are laughing silently. But Zitao doesn’t care.

“Nope, you don’t have to, Tao. I am not Kris hyung who is weak of your aegyo, but I am sick of it.”

Jongin starts preparing to make a frapuccino for Zitao. Zitao smirks, “I know, and that’s how I threat stubborn Kim Jongin.”

Zitao takes a seat beside Baekhyun and continues his words, “and you should start calling me gege. I am about 8 months older than you.”

Jongin merely snorts and keeps focusing on the frapuccino.

“So what were you talking about that made one of you said ‘Every human is an equal’?” Zitao asks as he runs his fingers through his black hair.

“Nothing important, Tao.” Suho retorts and sips his last drops of Americano. “Where’s Kris?”

“I don’t know. I’m not his wife.”

“I thought you are.” Baekhyun laughs, remembering how clingy Zitao on Kris is.

“Yixing is.”

“Yixing?” Suho asks, but then he makes an O shape with his mouth. “Oh, someone’s getting jealous.”

“Jealous for what? For how Kris gives more attention at him and forgets me? For how Kris smiles gently at him? No.”

Jongin laughs again after placing Zitao’s cup on the table and sits beside Suho.

“Stop denying, Zitao. You look so dumb.”

“Shut up, Jongin. If you see your Pororo Kyungsoo turns his head from you for Suho hyung, won’t you feel jealous?”

“Ey, why me?” Suho protests.

“Nope, because Suho is my hyung. And I know that Kyungsoo is close with him, even before I know Kyungsoo. And so does you, Kris, and Yixing hyung.”

“He’s right, beef.” Baekhyun says to Zitao who is in silent.

“Yeah, Yixing is close with Kris before you know Kris, Tao.” Suho adds.

“I know… Ugh, I just… I just need…”

“Need what?” Jongin raises his eyebrow at Zitao’s sudden whimper.

“I need a new Gucci bag, for God’s sake! It was really cool but Kris said maybe next time and went to call Yixing!”

The three guys sighs in unison.

“No wonder Kris ‘moves’ to Yixing.”

≈

The bell upside the door dings and dings as the customers start entering the café. Zitao is no longer lounging and ready to serve people. Baekhyun still talks with Suho but they move to the corner which is usually used by them, it is called as ‘staff corner’. Baekhyun is neither the part of staff-line nor owner-line, but for Suho, Baekhyun is the VIP in his café since he’s been close with them for so long and he sings for the café too.

“My friends are nice, trust me.” An incredibly tall guy enters the café while talking to another curly-golden-haired tall guy who seems nervous.

“Uh… okay.” The curly one says as he takes off his fluffy jacket. The good-looking one (not saying that the curly one isn’t handsome, but this one is just really) waits for him and continues walking to the staff corner with him.

Zitao frowns, “See? He has another new guy! And he didn’t turn his head even a bit at me! It is depressing.”

I think you should stop your Gucci-addiction for a while and say sorry to him, Zitao…”

“Gege.”

Jongin rolls his eye balls, “Fine, gege.”

Zitao smiles in satisfy, but then sighs. “Ah, I don’t know if it’s possible.” He says as he proceed making coffees.

“Believe.” Jongin says and hands the change to customer and smiles, which makes the customer squeals. Jongin is really an eye-candy; all of the staffs there are eye-candies. That’s what makes them have more girl customers than guys.

“Jongin, look at Baekhyun hyung.” Zitao points at Baekhyun who seems nervous or whatever.

Jongin smirks, “Let him. He’s been alone for quite long.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know…” Jongin lets out a silent laughter and hits Zitao’s built arm. “Focus, Zitao ge. We have many customers.”

“So where are you from, Chanyeol?” Suho asks the curly-haired guy who is looking at Baekhyun.

“Oh? Uh… I am from Seoul.” Chanyeol answers, he smiles widely like from ear to ear.

Baekhyun thinks it’s cute while Suho slightly raises his eyebrows. Baekhyun thinks Chanyeol is cute. The way Chanyeol told his name earlier brightly, but still unable to hide his nervousness, Baekhyun likes it. And that silly curly hair looks good on him. Baekhyun feels like drowned in the sea of pink hearts until Kris snaps his fingers in front of him.

“Baekhyun, are you okay?” The good-looking guy asks, Baekhyun merely smiles like an idiot, and Kris can only shakes head and smiles.

Baekhyun mentally slaps himself, ‘What am I thinking? This idiot must be very annoying. No, it’s just his look which is nice. No, he looks idiot actually. No, I don’t like him.’

“So, you want to work here?” Suho asks again, and Chanyeol nods fast. It seems like his head could be thrown away because he nods really hyperactively. Baekhyun nods, agreeing his mind saying Chanyeol is really idiot.

“I saw him just playing games since he graduated, or maybe acting silly at his house everytime I visit him. So I offer him to work here, he’s good in making coffee too.” Kris explains, while Chanyeol keeps nodding at every words of Kris. Baekhyun snorts, ‘Idiot.’

“You’re not going to the university?” Baekhyun finally speaks.

“I have a plan to enter university when I reach 21.”

“And how old are you now?”

“I’ve just turned 20 less then a month ago.”

“Oh,” Baekhyun nods. “We’re in the same age. But I think I am older than you half a year.”

Chanyeol suddenly smiles, now really wide.

“A 92 liner! I am glad to have a friend in a same age.”

Kris smiles, he knows that Chanyeol will be easily intermingle with his friends, and continues talking with Suho about their café’s development. Letting Chanyeol and Baekhyun knows each other.

≈

“Kris ge, stop ignoring me!” Zitao suddenly exclaims from behind the bar when Kris is walking through, going to the restroom.

Kris turns his head and smiles at him, “Who ignores you, Tao?”

“You!” Now Zitao’s eyes start watery. “You went with Yixing ge instead of me, and now you have that curly guy with you and forgets me!”

Kris raises his eyebrows and walks to the bar. Leaning forward to Zitao who’s taken aback and steps backward.

“You’re embarrassing yourself, Huang Zitao.”

“What?”

“Don’t shout. I will explain about it later.” Kris says as he ruffles Zitao’s hair and leaves him. Zitao can do nothing but keep silent.

“Zitao!” Jongin taps Zitao’s shoulder and gets Zitao’s back to life. “That was just a ruffle, how can it make you speechless?”

“He’s in love.” Baekhyun smiles and winks at Zitao.

“N-no! No, how can I fall in love with that perfect guy? No!”

“Zitao, have I told you that you look dumb when you’re denying?” Suho asks as he walks toward Zitao.

“Hyung, it’s me who said that to Tao ge.” Jongin says.

“Oh, now it’s my turn. You look dumb when you’re denying, really.”

Jongin sighs, ‘This hyung…’

“Baekhyun!” A deep voice from behind turns everyone’s head to look at smiling Chanyeol.

“What?” Baekhyun retorts.

“Would you…”

“Wow, a new guy? Who brings you here, dude? Kris hyung?” Jongin interrupts, while Zitao is frowning again.

“Uh, yeah. Hi, I am Chanyeol!” Chanyeol answers brightly. Again, Baekhyun thinks that it’s cute, and Chanyeol is entrancing. But then, he mentally slaps himself again.

“Hi, Yeol ―can I call you like that? I am Jongin!”

“He’s a year and a month older than you.” Baekhyun adds after estimating Jongin and Chanyeol’s age difference, before Jongin starts using banmal words at anyone again ―even though it couldn’t be avoided.

“Oh, Yeol hyung, then!”

“It’s cool! Nice to meet you, Jongin!” Chanyeol says and smiles showing his white and well-arranged teeth.

“Wow, your teeth are really nice.” Baekhyun says lowly, but Chanyeol still can hear it with his big ears.

“Thank you, Baekhyun!”

“Oh? You heard that? Uh… you’re welcome.”

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author’s note: first chapter!! I don’t know how long this story could be, but I will try to give you a good story in every updates! I’m sorry if I update slowly because this is my senior year and I have little spare times heheh, I should learn and study more for national exam TT but don’t worry! I will give updates :D your comments and subs are loves for me. xoxo