bad news, guys. i miscounted the day until i face finals and just realized this monday that FINALS IS NEXT WEEK. which means i cannot do anything during that week and my goal is the week after that. i'll do my best to meet your expectation and thus releasing this part sooner. i hope i don't disappoint you guys ;A; enough from me, please enjoy the story and see you on xmas!

To be perfectly honest, there's nothing special in Hollys Cafe branch in Mapo-gu compared to other branches in Seoul. The walls are painted light brown, the lamps are all yellowish to give off warm atmosphere, the shop smells like freshly roasted coffee, and other things are all the same like any other ordinary coffee shop in any part of the world. Luhan can go to another shop, hell, a guy with his standard should've just gone to Starbucks and bought more than a cup of Americano just because he could, but there's something especially different in this shop that makes him come on daily basis just to buy $2.5 worth of cappuccino.

It's a big secret of his —not even his mother knows, and for whatever's sake shall his parents keep oblivious to this matter until he finds the perfect moment— that he's a little fond of men more than of women. He might have to reveal it to them soon, considering how much expectation has burdened his shoulder every time people see him as a successor of his father's business kingdom, and he's very much expected to get a life partner soon and have the next heir to pass on the throne. Nevertheless he's just 25 this year, freshly graduated from Yonsei University School of Business, and he deserves to take a breath in the freedom he never had before.

And during this hiatus state, he found Minseok.

It's ridiculous to say that he falls in love with the said person when he doesn't know anything beside his name from the name tag on his uniform and the fact that he works as a regular barista from 4 to 11 pm on weekdays. He only knows that Minseok is slightly shorter than him and smells like fresh citrus, he doesn't know his family name, his age, and most importantly his ual preference. One more thing he knows, though, is that Minseok knows who he is since he reads Luhan's name from his paper cup almost on daily basis.

Luhan feels pathetic and hopeless for the first time in his life.

Hopeless might be an understatement since apparently it's not only him who comes to the shop just to ogle a certain Hollys barista. School girls, who look a bit too young to be addicted to coffee, blatantly pull out their phones to take 'candid' pictures (Luhan's sure that the object of their admiration is actually aware of it but he pretends to be oblivious) and go out of the shop with not so quiet giggles. Despite of his costumer's antics Minseok's smile is still unwavering. Luhan wonders how beautiful the other guy will be when he smiles earnestly.

*

The young heir's daily routine goes like this: waking up at 8, taking breakfast at 8.30, reading world updates or coming to the main office until lunch, going to Japanese course at 2, and finally visiting Hollys at 6. In spite of his nonchalant exterior, he actually takes his role as an heir very seriously. That's also why he often takes his Japanese homework or his father's company's business reviews to the cafe, partly because he doesn't want to get caught eyeing one particular employee in the shop, but the main reason is that he finds solace at the warm place with coffee scent like that cafe. He finds his house and his room in the office with his father too big and too quiet, while the cafe feels warm and lively for him. And most importantly, there is Minseok.

But not today. "Yoona sshi, do you know where the usual barista is today?" asks Luhan to the cashier girl.

"You mean Minseok, sir?" Yoona chuckles when she sees the costumer in front of her blush. "It's okay, everybody's a little fond of him. He's calling in sick for today. Something like seasonal flu, he said. Apparently he's not really good with cold weather."

Luhan slips in the new information to his brain. "Too bad," he exhales. "Please tell him to get well soon."

"Alright, can I know your name, sir?"

"It's Luhan."

"You're cute so I will definitely pass your message to him, don't worry," Yoona winks at him but before he questions further, the person queuing behind him nudges him to move away. He unwillingly shifts away from the counter but when he looks at the cashier girl, she pays no attention to him anymore.

Was she implying that Minseok—?

Luhan brushes away that thought, not gonna get his hopes soar. But it's relieving that one of Minseok's colleagues approves him. That's an improvement, right?

*

Right. Especially when your mother is a demanding little sh- woman for asking about your future partner again and again.

"For once bring someone to us, baby," she coos him while caressing his hair when he's munching on his cornflakes. He's never a fan of big meal in the morning, so he's always choosing cereals or bread for breakfast. "It doesn't have to be someone potential, at least prove us that you're still healthy and not frigid. But if that's the case we can arrange a private therapy for you."

"Om sweel wolwal mom," whines Luhan before completely swallowing down his breakfast. "I'm still normal, mom, one hundred percent healthy, thank you for your concern. It's just right now I'm not seeing someone and there's been no one... suitable."

That's not completely a lie, at least to Luhan's situation. He's totally seeing someone right now, a barista named Minseok in particular, but to the condition where he should make a heir to pass on the business he's still yet to rule, the cute guy most certainly doesn't match the qualification. Ironically he needs someone who has more than one who has in this matter.

His head or his he should follow, that's the real question now.

*

To consult about this kind of problem, sometimes you need someone who has brain in both head and . Or summarized, a dickhead.

Kim Jongdae is at the first place in My Dickhead Friend List in Luhan's mind. Jongdae is smart, and he becomes a genius especially when it comes to throwing remarks or embarrassing people. But surprisingly, he can give best advice if he wants to. Luhan just hopes that his friend is in his best mood today or he'll just get another jab about his loveless life.

"I have this friend," begins Luhan after he took a sip of his hot chocolate served by Jongdae. He came to his friend's comfy apartment and they are currently sitting on dark navy blue recliner in the living room side by side.

"Cut it out, I know this is about you," says Jongdae followed with a mock yawn. "You don't have a friend because you don't do friends. It's either a partner or a foe for you."

Luhan remembers what his father once had said to him, 'even the best-est friend of yours can stab you on the back', which he has long ignored because that's just a sad, skeptical thought that can make his life dull. "Then where do you place yourself in my life?" he challenges the one sitting beside him.

"I'm your best friend, my role is special in your life," answers Jongdae smugly. "You wouldn't know what fun is if you didn't know me."

"Okay, enough about you, now back to my problem," Luhan rolls his eyes when his best friend raises his eyebrows. "Yes, my problem. So I've been seeing someone lately."

"Oh my God, our little Luhan has finally grown up. But from your tone, that's unfortunately a problem to you."

"Yes because that someone is a he and my mother asks for a grandchild already."

"And so what? You can chase after the love of your life and still give your parents a grandchild through adoption."

Luhan goes silent for a while a suddenly his friend's nonchalant words seep in to his brain and grow like a seed. Why didn't he think about it before? To make a baby needs a man and a woman, that much is true, but as a gay man like him to have a child he doesn't need a woman to be married with and most importantly one to be impregnated. As cruel as it seems, he only needs the baby, not its mother. A parent-less baby is most likely fits the criteria. Why the hell didn't he think of that earlier?

"Kim Jongdae," Luhan grabs Jongdae's hand tightly and looks at him with sparkly eyes, making the latter squirm in discomfort. "You're so genius. I wanna marry your brain."

"No thanks, now you sound like Hannibal."

*

So for now Luhan's plan of life goes like this: step one, getting Minseok's heart, step two, telling his parents about his family plan, and finally step three, conquering his father's throne and living happily ever after.

It's easier to be said and imagined than done, obviously.

To be filthy rich and good looking, it's only Luhan's nature to be wooed than to woo. He's used to people complimenting whatever he does and admiring whatever he has, to the extent he almost has no idea how to impress someone. Narcissism aside, he thinks that his life itself is quite impressive already, but Minseok seems to give no to it.

To get one's heart is to impress them with your own heart, it seems.

Luhan always associates Minseok as the guy who helps anyone without hoping anything in return. Once, he witnessed the barista approach a toddler crying in front of the cafe and guided him inside. He sat the little boy on the sofa seat (it was one slow day and they had no other costumers than Luhan and a girl who was coming for free wifi), served him with a cup of warm milk, and asked him about his parents. He eventually called the police to report the missing child and Jinki, another employee in the shop, said that Minseok had accompanied the boy in the police station until his parents came to fetch him.

Luhan associates Minseok as a man with a warm heart, who makes the young heir's faith in humanity restored.

(And he wonders what kind of kindness in him that he can show to the certain good guy because his effort to make the world a better place seems pale in comparison to Minseok's.)

It is after two days the handsome barista finally comes back in charge. The cafe is still empty since it's just opened a while ago and there is only him behind the counter when Luhan comes in. Seems like he just changed his shift, but Luhan prevents himself from asking since he's scared that Minseok thinks he's a creep for knowing the pretty guy's work hour.

(He is.)

"Oh, Luhan sshi, you're early today," he greets the newcomer with his usual bright smile. 'When you smile, sun shines,' now the lyrics from a popular boy group makes so much sense to Luhan.

"Yes, I need to grab a cup of Americano before going to the office," answers Luhan with a simple smile. He's trying to be cool in front of the apple of his eye, you can say.

"You're working?" he pushes the buttons on the cashier machine. "It'll be 1500 Won."

"No, you can say I'm still an intern," Luhan reaches his wallet to find the cash. That's partly the truth. He's an intern… for the CEO position. "Do I look like I don't go for works?"

"It's not like that, you just look too young to work in an office," says Minseok lightly from the back of the coffee machine. "By the way, thanks for the get well greeting. Yoona noona told me."

To be honest Luhan already forgot the greeting that he immediately blushes after realizing that Minseok did get the message. The barista doesn't miss the way Luhan's cheeks redden and he only chuckles silently. "Um, that's good," responses Luhan. "Are going getting fine already?"

"What a good amount of sleep cannot do? I'm one hundred percent fine now." Minseok places the coffee cup onto the counter and takes one cap from the stack. "Anyway, this is one special Americano on the house, since you're our first costumer for today." Minseok slides Luhan's cash along with the paper cup in front of the customer. Luhan only stares at the things before him with flabbergasted look.

"No, you can't be like this, I—"

"Luhan sshi, I'll be really sad if you reject my treat," the barista pouts and takes Luhan's hands to grab the money and the cup with them. "Good, that's more like it."

Luhan still stares at the stuffs that he just grabbed and doesn't realize that Minseok is already out of the counter and grabs the young guy by the shoulder. "It's already past nine and an intern shouldn't come late to work," he pushes his customer to the glass door and opens it, kicking him out of the shop. "Have fun working!"

Luhan only waves blankly to the waving Minseok and walks away with coffee and money in hands, literally forgets the fact that he drives his own car and turns around to fetch his car.

Only until he settles on his seat does he realize that Minseok just pouted at him and touched his hands five minutes ago and he shrieks unmanly at the recollection how smooth and warm Minseok's fingers were on his skin.

*

Luhan has made Minseok's cafe his secret haven, his getaway, when the universe seems too harsh on him. When he gets average score in Japanese exam, when he just finishes attending a long hours of meeting with the stakeholders, and when he thinks that he's not good enough to fill replace his father's position in the company, he will drive to Mapo-gu and take a couple minutes of walk to the small cafe. He feels the world shine a little brighter when Minseok welcomes him with a warm smile and velvety tone of 'good to see you again, Luhan sshi'.  

[tbc.]