Howon fiddled with the ends of his fringe as he sat in class listening to the teacher ramble on and on about the classification of organisms. If wasn’t that he dislike school, or biology for that matter, the problem was that he didn’t know where he was heading. Everyone else had an idea of what they were doing. Some were going to become doctors, other pharmacist or teachers. Even his best friend had already left school, knowing he wanted to be a Patisserie and had already opened a shop. He on the other hand had two more years ahead of him full of exams and trials so he and the other million or so high school students could fight for the number one spot and at the end of it all would all end up on completely different paths.

Howon was sick of it. He only knew what the next 5 minutes would hold for him and nothing about his future.

The Teacher grunted and gave him a look of disgust which he stared blankly back at. Howon wasn’t doing anything wrong but Miss Pumpkin, as he had dubbed her as their similar shape had lead him to do, thought it was appropriate to single him out. “Lee Howon, if your hair is interfering with your eyesight I recommend you cut it,” she hissed and in response he brushed his bangs off to the side and picked up a pen. Howon would admit his straight black hair that hung slightly shorter than shoulder length could use a cut now but he was getting it done next week anyway. A snicker or two rang through the classroom from the people that somehow found humor in a person getting scolded. Seconds later the end of class bell also rang and the other students stood and quickly moved escape the classroom
 

Howon sighed. Standing up and adjusting his blazer, he grabbed his bag and slowly walked down the hallways, easily avoiding the pupils of the school. He had purposely arranged his time table so he could leave early than most of the other student. Howon waited at the bus stop, watching the electronic screen flick between bus numbers. The annoying giggles of a group of girls that had found it necessary to also go to Hongdae reached his ears. He knew it was rude to listen in on other conversion, but in between the talk of the newest boy group, the hottest guy in the school and the other useless things they said something pleasing. They had mentioned about the hot new cafe Sweet Love, in the area. For Howon this was actually nice to hear, seeing as it was owned by his friend and Woohyun would be happy to hear that people were talking about his cafe.

Hopping on the bus, he took his usual seat up the back on the right and watch the scenery go by, and got off 15 minutes later when it stopped at the center of Hongdae. The street he walked down was the sames as ever. The same busker at the corner, the two shops that would have a contest to see who music could be the loudest, makeup shop and hair salons having sales and finally the small cafe with a big glass window and the words Sweet Love elegantly written on it. Pushing open the door that chimed due to the wind chimes hanging in its way and the aroma of coffee and cakes greeted his nose. The cafe was full of people already and Howon’s friend Woohyun was busy running between the kitchen and the main room.

A look of relief flashed across Woohyun’s face when he saw Howon enter. “Howon! Some help please,” he begged, before turning and smiling, going to serve another table. Howon walked through the kitchen, to the small storage room that doubled as a change room. He left his bag to the side and tried the apron around his waist. His uniform itself was quite simple so without the blazer you really couldn’t tell.

Woohyun was thankful to return to the kitchen and focus all his energy on decorating cakes. Hours passed and Howon had served what felt like hundreds of people. Woohyun finally emerged from the kitchen when it had finally died down later that night. “Hey Howon,” he called across the shop to where said boy was clean the tables.

“Yeah...” he muttered tried from all the work.

“I have a date, mind closing up later for me?” Woohyun asked, even though it was much of a question.

“No. It’s fine,” was the reply. It didn’t make that much of a difference anyway. As soon as the words had left Howon’s mouth, Woohyun was out the door and Howon trudged back over to the front counter.

After the long night Howon was slouched over the bench, yawning loudly as no customers remained so there was no need to worry about his manners. Blinking the tears from his eyes he quickly stood as the tinkling of the doors bells echo throughout the room. A short figure walked though, looking as tired as Howon felt. His light brown caught the light, allowing to shine. A cute pout had settled on his full pink lips and his eyes drooping due to his fatigue.

“One black coffee,” he mumbled, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand not looking up from his feet, “Three sugars” Howon nodded and got on with the task of making the drink and the other took a seat at a table. Howon watch silently as the man laid his face down against the table, sighing when his face hit the cool surface and pulled out his phone to play with it.

After making the drink, Howon approached the table and place it down gently. He was surprised when the other didn’t move a muscle. “Sir?” Howon questioned, bending down to see the others face, which was hidden by his arm. A snore answered him in return. Howon frowned and shook his arm, “Sir, this is a cafe,”. This time he giggled a bit, and Howon felt as he was mocking him. With a huff, he turned his back on him and went to finish the washing up, throwing glances over his shoulder to check on the other.

By the end, Howon had figured it wasn’t that shocking as the customer looked like he was about to collapse when he had came in. He pulled out the seat across from the the other, watching as he dropped his phone and moved his arm away from his face give Howon a good look. “This can’t be natural,” Howon mused reaching out and playing with a lock of the soft blonde-brown hair that was hanging over the mans face.

The sound of the door opening broke Howon from his thoughts and he flinched away. He quickly stood making the chair scrape across the ground and covered his blushing face with his arm after being caught. Another man with small eyes stood in the doorway sending glares at the sleeping one. Muttering something along the lines of “So this is where the kid was.” he walked over and shook his head at the other. “Sorry if he’s caused any inconvenience,” he apologized looking over at Howon who just blink in return. The new man then wrapped the sleeping man's arm around his shoulder and hauled him up, “It’s virtually impossible to wake him,” he explained, dragging the other from the shop, leaving Howon to himself.

Shaking off the oddness of the encounter, Howon went to gather his things and was about to locked the shop up when he noticed the man’s phone laying on the table. Sighing, he pocketed the phone and left. “He never actually paid for anything,” Howon thought on the way home, “But to be far he never drunk anything,” He arrived at his small apartment. He quietly removed his shoes and tiptoed to his room so as not to wake his sleeping family.

The next day was a boring as the day before. He got up, went to school and then work. “She was horrible.” Woohyun and Howon were talking about Woohyun’s date the night before, “She had far too much makeup, laughed at everything I said, even though she didn’t even get the joke. When I told her I was working as a Patisserie she thought I was joking and had made up a word. How dumb can you be?” he complained slouching down and giving up on life.

“Don’t worry,” Howon said, trying to comfort his friend, “I’m sure you’ll find someone,” even though Woohyun was a flirt with his customers, when it came to actually dating someone, he had high standards something Howon respected about him.

“So how’s things going on you side,” Woohyun inquired, giving him wiggly eyebrows, “Any girls you like?”

“Nope. Nothing,” Howon shut him down straight away and went to clear the plates off the tables. He heard a whine come from Woohyun when he left.

Placing the cutlery in the sink out the back in the kitchen he heard the door open and Woohyun greet the new customers. “Hello, welcome to Sweet Love, what can I get you?”

“Actually we’re looking for the boy that was working here last night,” the guest said. Surprised at the request to see him, Howon ducked and peered out the door. The small eyed man and the cute sleepy guy were talking to Woohyun. Howon leant back against wall in the kitchen worried about what the other men could possible want. He still felt embarrassed about being caught playing with the man’s hair.

“Hey! Howon! Someone's here to see you!” Woohyun called into the back of the cafe. Howon crawled out of his hiding spot and when to face the men. The blonde hair man looked completely different. Smiling widely, he laughed sheepishly when Howon appeared in front of him. This time, it didn’t look like he was about to collapse and looked brighter and happier. His hair was neat and well styled, not tousled and messy. Eyes were wide and shining.

“I’ve lost my phone, do you have it,” he laughed earning a smack in the back of the head of the other man. He pouted again.

“Ah, Yes,” Howon reached into his pocket and handed over the phone, embarrassed about worrying over stupid things.

“Thank You~!” the man sung grinning at Howon.

“And yeah I’ll have Cappuccino,” the small eyed one interjected.

“But Hyung, you don’t coffee,” the other tried to say before the other had stepped on his foot.

“It only polite,” he whispered to the blonde one. “And he’ll have a caffe mocha,” he added at the end. Woohyun read off the price of the two before they paid and took a seat. Woohyun return to decorating cakes in the kitchen leaving Howon to serve the two.

“Here’s your drinks,” he said placing them down in front of the two.

He went to leave when the older one stopped him, “Wait,” he commanded grabbing his wrist to stop him, “I’m Sunggyu, and this is Dongwoo. How old are you,”

Howon was quite confused at the question, “Pardon?”

“Age. Age. Age,” Sunggyu repeated.

“20,” He didn’t know what possessed him to say that, as he was far off be 20 at the age of 17. It might of been his dislike of being treated like a child or he just wanted to lessen the gap between him and the well dressed men in front of him. Sunggyu nodded though, accepting the answer and Howon went back to work, throwing around some self hate and pitying every now and then.