Wednesday, April 24^th
Around one in the afternoon
The Downtime Café

"Hey Soo, it looks like we're going to need more of those Super-Duper Chocolate Chip Chocolate Cookies. A bunch of girls rushed in demanding I hand them over." Minseok told the baker as the he watched Kyungsoo run back and forth the kitchen adding ingredients to various goodies in the making. When everything could stand to be left only for a few minutes the younger male turned to his friend with a strained smile on his face.

“It’s time for midterms, and everyone knows that the best cure for stress is chocolate.” The timer on the oven beeped signaling large eyed young man to go back to work. A few more students bustled in chatting about different classes and tests, two of the voices stuck out to the round faced young man in particular; taking a quick peek at the clock he let out a small chuckle.

“1:34 on the dot. Do you two have alarms set so you know exactly when to walk in?” The two in question laughed at the brewer’s jest as they took their favorite spots at the end of the counter right next to the cash register.

“Don’t be silly Minnie, we wait outside and press our faces into the glass watching the seconds tick by, and we wait until it’s exactly 1:34 that’s when we walk in.” Jongin, joked; his friend Sehun, rolled his eyes at the other’s actions, and began taking a look at the specials of the day.

“He’s been hyped up on nothing, but sugar for the past two days. Once the exams are over he’ll be sick as a dog and I won’t do anything about it.” Minseok chuckled at this; the pair had been very close with Kyungsoo and Minseok since the day Downtime Café had opened. In fact Jongin and Sehun had been their first customers, they came in at exactly 1:34, one ordering a bubble tea while the other ordered an iced tea, and since then every day the DC was open the two came in for their drinks and sweets at exactly 1:34. The brewer immediately went to work preparing their Wednesday usual’s while the tanned young man glared at his friend, which was essentially ineffective since Sehun sat there watching the other make their drinks.

“Yes you will.” Jongin stated as if it was a fact of the universe. “Because if you don’t I’m going that bouncer at Club XO that you want nothing more than to get into his pants.” Now, to truly picture the moment you need to understand the three things that happened simultaneously after the young man said this. First, Sehun fell off of his stool and onto the floor, probably injuring something in the process. Second, Minseok dumbfounded by the new information kept his hand on the lever controlling the milk tea causing the liquid to spill on his hand then down to the floor. The third and final happening was with the young chef, who poked his head out from the swinging door that lead to the kitchen, his eyes, twice their normally large size mostly out of shock, but also concern. You got all that? Good.

“Ah !” Sehun and Minseok shouted, one out of pain and the other after realizing the giant mess he made of the tea. This caused a young man with a doll like face to appear out of nowhere and lean over to the counter, holding out a napkin for the shortest of the males in the room. Minseok in turn, severely confused by the action, slowly took the napkin looking at the blonde man like he had grown another head.

“Call me when you get a chance Baozi~” The man whispered then winked at the brewer before walking-no, skipping out of the café  with a grin only the Cheshire Cat should wear. Minseok stared at the retreating figure for a moment before examining the napkin and found that the man or Luhan scribbled down his number.

“What is happening to all my babies?!” Kyungsoo screamed from the kitchen, not daring to leave it at the moment. Minseok puffed out his cheeks at the comment before stuffing the napkin with Luhan’s number into his back pocket; he stormed into the kitchen and yelled at the wide eyed baker.

“I’m older than you mister!” After grabbing two rags the brewer stomped back to his spill and went to work cleaning it. “Back to this crush-on-the-bouncer situation, I will agree with Sehun. Tao’s pretty freaking cute.” Jongin and Sehun stared at each other puzzled before leaning over the counter, barely in their seats at this point, and look at Minseok with the same confusion.

“You go to Club XO? When?!”

“His name is Tao? Do you know him? What does he like?” The older male blinked a few times as he registered the questions that just flew at him. Tossing the sopping wet rags into the nearby sink, the round face young man turned back to the students staring at him eagerly.

“Yes I go to Club XO on Fridays or whenever I have the energy after work. Yes his name is Tao, but most of us call him panda, I know him more than you apparently, and go ask him yourself you're a grown man, despite what Kyungsoo says. Now if you’ll excuse me, I really should make your drinks then get to the rest of these people. We’re short on staff since all the college students are off studying or ignoring their tests.” With that the eldest went back to work and started preparing drinks. Sehun and Jongin slumped back in their seats, the dark skinned young man looking a little deflated while the other had a small smile on his face.

“His name is Tao.” Jongin turned to his friend shocked.

“Is that all you got out of that conversation? My parents will kill me if they find out that I’m a dancer at a club!”

“But is name is Tao. Taaaaaooooo. Hmmm Tao.” Jongin rolled his eyes at his best friend and grabbed the younger male by his jacket collar before dragging him out of the café, mumbling something about ‘fresh air and crazy hormones’. Minseok returned to the boys spot with drinks in hand only the pair missing; he did a quick scan of the room for their heads then checked the clock again before let out a small sigh.

“2:20 and they’re gone as always.” Taking the drinks into the kitchen he handed the milk tea to Kyungsoo and kept the bubble tea for himself. “I wonder if the universe would explode if those two stayed here after 2:20.” The owl eyed chef laughed at the joke then took a sip of the drink, obviously pleased with the taste he instantly began smiling and went back to cooking.

“I don’t how to feel about one of my babies working at that club.”

“If you actually went out once in a while you’d know he’s a fantastic dancer, Sehun too, plus Club XO is pretty cool. Oh, I should take you!”

“What! No, no, no, no. I don’t do clubs.” Kyungsoo replied as he grabbed the cookie sheet out of the oven and set them out to cool a little.

“Oh, come on it would be amazing. We’ll go shopping to get you some clothes, and then we’ll hit the town like Kesha does in all her songs.”

“Drunk and sleazy?”

“Possibly, please, please, please I need a friend who won’t troll me about what I did last night.” Minseok begged as he gripping the baker’s arms tightly and began shaking him.

“Alright, alright I’ll go but, you have to promise not to leave me.” Kyungsoo said as he finally squirmed out of the brewer’s hold, though it was short lived freedom since Minseok went and trapped him in a tight hug.

“You are the best right now. Just the freaking best!”

“Yes I am the best. Now get off me I need to get these cookies on the rack.” Taking hold of the cookie sheet once again Kyungsoo left the kitchen followed by Minseok, who now was smiling as if world hunger had ended. Friday night would be a most interesting.

*~*

Wednesday, April 24^th
Later in the day :)
Yifan’s Magazine Office

Luhan’s Cheshire Cat smile never faded. In fact it was really beginning to scare his all co-workers, well almost all.

“Luhan?” His photographer and one of his childhood friends Yixing called out quietly hoping to not disturb his friend’s happy mood. The golden haired man stopped typing his article turned to the other, smile still plastered to his face.

“Yes, good buddy of mine.” The cheeriness of his voice also put the other on edge; the lanky photographer was about to say something when Yifan their other friend since diapers, as well as their current boss, stormed out of his office and padded his way over to the two.

“Luhan what the is this ?! All you wrote for the article on the theaters’ performance of ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ is baozi. What am I supposed to do with that?” Yixing grabbed the article from the taller man and began skimming it.

“No, I talked about his squishy and delicious too!”

“I don’t want to read about some guy’s Luhan!” Yifan rebutted as he crossed his arms and puffed out his chest which only reminded the shorter blonde about how birds did that to look more intimidating, but to Luhan his best friend was everything, but scary.

“Wow, Lulu you even drew pictures!” Yixing commented, Yifan glared harshly at the two and then snatched the papers away from his lanky friend.

“I want a new draft, preferably one that won’t make me want to gouge out my eyes with a spoon.”

“Oh, well that’s going to take a while.” Luhan replied causing the brighter blonde to twitch.

“Why?” Yifan manage to spit out causing the creepy kitty grin to reappear on his friend’s face.

“Because I am too busy remembering how flushed my little Baozi looked as I gave him my number.”

 “Knowing you, he probably looked horrified.” The taller man commented making both of his friends frown. Luhan snatched the papers from Yifan’s grip and hugged them to his chest.

“Just for that, you’re going out clubbing with me this Friday.”

“No, the last time I went clubbing was for your birthday. Never. Ever. Again.” Yifan said practically hissing at the golden blonde. Luhan smiled brightly back the turned to his computer pulling up various photos that he had curtsy of Yixing. One in particular was perfect black mail for the little deer. It was from Luhan’s most recent birthday the trio went to Club XO to celebrate. Yifan it seemed had other plans, in the picture he was in the process of devouring a very handsome brunette’s face. The tallest of the three immediately slammed the laptop closed, his face returning once again.

“You told me you deleted that picture.”

“Please I’ve been saving this bad boy for blackmail. So, have you rethought about that answer Wu Yifan?” The two glared at each other while Yixing stood there looking at one then the other waiting to see who would win first.

“Will you delete that picture if I go with you?” The deer boy thought about this offer for a moment before nodding his head eagerly. “Fine I’ll go.”

“Yes! Win for me.”

“Actually neither of you win since you’re losing your blackmail, and he still has to go.” Yixing pointed out, Yifan seemed pleased by this statement and went back to his office, shutting the door behind him. Luhan turned to his friend smiling evilly, causing the other to take a few steps back. “What?”

“Please that brunette he was making out with is the bartender for Club XO. I’m guaranteed something new to hold over Yifan.” Luhan rose from his seat stalking off to the break room. “Be sure to bring your camera Yixing!”

Yup Friday was sure to be full of surprises.

*~*

Fun Fact!

The Downtime Cafe is open on Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 7:00 and Sunday from 2:00 to 6:00.

Just throwing that out there. Yeah first chapter and I am very honored to have so many people subscribed to this story. I hope it's up to your expectations, if not your welcome to give me critiques. No hating! Um...if you've got suggestions I'm all ears :)