Take 1 – Meet the guy. The ever-so-important first impression.

There were different ways to meet a new person and Daehyun was fully aware of that. In fact he could walk down to the nearest 7/11 in his pajamas, bump into someone and that person might, just might be the person for him. But he wouldn’t do that of course, he didn’t want to leave the impression of being a complete fool. First impressions are after all quite important.

Working in the ever-so-busy coffee shop near his university he got to meet a bunch of new people, some he was sure he’d never see again and some he saw so frequently he wished he didn’t have to see again.

And if… you know if he happened to stumble upon his let’s say ‘the guy’ he’d imagined it would be something in the likes of:

     1, Graceful. Hopefully he’d have overcome his awkward social skills and be able to make a proper and intellectual even conversation.

     2, Charming. He’d show his best sides and make sure to eliminate the chances of the other perceiving him as some sort of weirdo. Because he really wasn’t.

     3, Intriguing. Just enough for the other to want to come back, not forget and to take the initiative, because god knows they’d get nowhere if things were left in his hands.

Perhaps you’ve already guessed it.

Well, Daehyun wasn’t exactly a dishonest person; he just never mentioned it to anyone.

You see, there’s this guy…

Now, he wasn’t in love of anything, but he might have been a little bit taken the morning he saw the said guy the first time, crouching down in front of the flowers in the backyard snapping photos like a pro. Not that Daehyun could tell the difference between an experienced and non-experienced photographer, him with his old digital camera with locked settings, but the boy-without-a-name certainly looked liked he knew what he was doing. And for some reason that had made Daehyun stare for a bit too long.

At least he hadn’t realized he was staring until he took in the way the boy smiled as he looked through his pictures; with eyes glittering under the sunrays and crinkling as he smiled.

Daehyun almost choked on his heart palpitations.

He saw the boy with the camera a couple more times around campus, every time with the same camera hung around his neck. Daehyun would become flustered at how easily he could stop everything to admire a stranger. Someone he dubbed as Cutiepie or ‘CP’ for future references.

He wasn’t in love.

He knew he wasn’t.

But there was a certain tingle that spread throughout his body every time he saw the other.

And he genuinely thought while grinning sheepishly to himself…

‘I can definitely fall in love with this person’

***

Daehyun retied his apron and proceeded to clean the counter. The mid-day rush just passed over to a more calming Saturday afternoon with only a handful of customers left in the café. He made sure the cake display cabinet was full of the prettiest before he strolled over to Himchan for a five minute breather.

The elder was roasting coffee beans and putting them in small bags for sale, somehow it was one of his friend’s favorite tasks. Daehyun wasn’t very fond of it though. Too much coffee for his liking.

“You know, one would think that you’d be perfectly happy as long as you have coffee.” He leaned back against the counter and folded his arms over his chest as he observed the way Himchan handed the dark brown beans with used hands.

“At least I’m happy.” Himchan sealed the bag and smirked, “And they’ll just be jealous.”

Daehyun chuckled and shook his head disbelievingly.

If Jung Daehyun’s was printed on the cover as the main role, Kim Himchan would be the one winning awards for the best supporting actor. Without his hyung, Daehyun wondered what his days would’ve looked like aside from school and food. The elder was the one who got him the job and made sure he didn’t rot away or grow a freaking mold civilization in his home. He was someone you’d call a good and loyal friend.

But sometimes Daehyun couldn’t help but think that maybe he’s being looked after a tiny bit too much.

“So,” Himchan started and had this twinkle in his eyes, “I went to my parents’ place last weekend.”

Daehyun nodded accordingly to show that he was listening.

“And my cousin happened to be there, have I told you about him?” Himchan asked casually as he stretched to stack the coffee bags on the shelves. “Very handsome, great personality and he’s just became single again so I thought —“

Daehyun groaned rather loudly and covered his face with his hand.

“No hyung, no.”

The elder looked appalled. “What do you mean by ‘no’? You should really give it a try, the guy is gay, he’s hot and he likes saving stray cats from dark allies and trees. Yah – why are you being like this?” he hit Daehyun on the arm when he saw the younger roll his eyes.

“Because as amazing as you are hyung,” Daehyun gave his friend a meaningful look, “You make a terrible matchmaker.”

The other was about to protest when Daehyun raised his hand to silence him. “Remember the one from your Barista class? The one you tried to set me up with even though he was already taken?”

“Is not like they are married!?” Himchan defended.

“They’ve been together for 4 frickin years hyung. That’s like screaming marriage.”

“Fine,” the older male raised his hands in defeat. “Fine, but it was an honest mistake. It’s not like people are actually wearing their Facebook statuses on their faces. Besides I’m a terrific matchmaker. I just thought he made a nice change from your usual type.”

Daehyun raised his eyebrows. “I have a type?”

Himchan smiled that loop-sided grin of his, the one he wore when he was about to tell you something you should know but obviously and sadly didn’t. He wiped his hands on his apron and imitated Daehyun’s stance. “Oh you do, actually it’s so unexpected and obvious at the same time that it’s cute.”

Daehyun couldn’t really think of a certain type he felt himself attracted to, but since Himchan looked way too smug for his own good, he decided to play along. “What is it then? What’s my type?” he asked, narrowing his eyes in a challenge.

The elder turned his eyes elsewhere and bit his lips ponderingly. His eyes lit up a short moment later as they focused on some point behind Daehyun and a smirk grew on his face. “Dark hair, about as tall as you, slim body, small face and full cheeks. Cute smile, oh, and dimples as well.” Himchan turned back to Daehyun and smiled triumphantly. “The nerdy type wearing round glasses, black shorts and a shirt bottomed all the way up!”

 “I can’t tell if you are being serious or spouting nonsense. Kudos for the overly specific description though.” Daehyun chuckled, quite impressed.

He was about to return to work when he noticed Himchan discreetly pointing towards the entrance. He spun around to follow the elder’s line of sight and —

‘No way….’

This shouldn’t be happening.

This really shouldn’t be happening.

But hey, what’s life without its line of clichés…

In a perfect world CP wouldn’t be standing in the café he worked in looking all perfect while he felt like a mess.

Well, Daehyun hadn’t planned to always watch from afar like some creepy stalker but he wasn’t exactly prepared for an official first meeting either. Subconsciously his hands rose to flatten the hair in the back of his head.

‘I’m not prepared for this .’

And considering his impressive dating history this was bound to go down the drain. Maybe he should run. 

Yes, he totally should.

“Do you know him?” Himchan’s deep voice rather welcomingly interrupted —

Oh thank God there’s Himchan.

He surely wouldn’t mind taking over for a few minutes.

“Yes — I’m mean no...” Daehyun’s throat constricted. “I – I’ve seen him around” he mumbled and tried not to panic when CP, today without his camera approached the counter. “I’ve got some stuff to do in the back, if you need help here just give me a call okay?” He stepped around the elder and aimed for the door which said ‘staff only’ but his chest suddenly crashed into an outstretched arm.

“You’ve seen him around?” Himchan’s grin widened in what Daehyun could only at the moment think of as extremely annoying and mean. “You like him.” He said all smug and proud. “You totally dig him.”

Daehyun could feel his ears slowly turning red at the statement.

Damn it.

Then after a row of ‘Go ask him out’ ‘No, are you insane?’ ‘Yes and you’re pathetic!’ and flailing arms he was pushed to the front and the heat which had started by his ears now spread down over his cheeks and neck.

Of course Himchan was nowhere to be seen.

Traitor.

And Daehyun was left alone for a medium-close up he’d never really be ready for.

He fidgeted behind the cashier and his cue to look up and say his welcome with a charming smilewas long gone.

He needed his script for this, why the hadn’t he studied his script like the obedient student he never was?

“Hi.”

Daehyun lifted his head so quickly he was surprised his neck didn’t snap in two and once he looked straight at the person before him, he immediately froze.

He’s the coffee shop boy who didn’t even like coffee, but for the first time he could understand why people liked it so much, to the point of addiction even.

Coffee brown eyes he realized were by far the most beautiful.

He would have loved to show a bit more grace and answer the other coherently  instead of standing there like some possessed soul staring wide at the poor boy. His mouth opened but the only sound he could make was this weird noise sounding more like a burp than anything.

His ears flamed and he could practically hear Himchan facepalming in the back.

The unfortunate protagonist bit his lip and risked another glance at his customer. The smile flashing his way was almost blinding, perfect and sweet and Daehyun would lie if he said his pulse didn’t go up two notches.

“Is it possible to order steamed milk only? I don’t really like coffee.” Daehyun sighed inwardly at the melodic voice. He was done now, for sure. “Well, is it?” the other asked when he didn’t receive an answer from a rather charmed Daehyun. “Hello?”

“I’m Daehyun!”

Wait, what?

His eyes squeezed shut as he started to mumble some alien language under his breath.

Why did he say that?

‘No, no, nooo…’

Urgh, so stupid!

He opened his left eye to inspect the situation and found CP staring at him in mild surprised. But then his lips, which were by the way heart-shaped and too soft-looking, formed an amused smile.

“I know.”

Daehyun’s eyes almost fell out of the sockets and his heart made this huge leap he wasn’t sure if he’d survive.

“It says so on your nametag.”

If he had felt elated then surely he had been shot down to the ground in an instant. It must have showed, Daehyun was after all a miserable loser at keeping his emotions off his face because soon the stranger before him hid his soft laughter behind his hand.

Daehyun’s blush deepened.

Miraculously he managed to bring forward the order without any further embarrassment; he suspected it had everything to do with how his lips were pressed into a hard line, refusing to utter another single word. He was however conscious of the almond-shaped eyes observing his every move. Or at least it seemed like it. At one point when he glanced up at the other he nearly knocked over the glass of warm milk. And then he dropped all the change on the counter when their hands accidently touched.

But other than that one could say he did pretty well.

Not.

There were no customers afterwards thus Daehyun couldn’t find anything to distract him from watching the boy settle down in front of flat-screen showing some drama he didn’t follow.

He had been staring too hard, so intently that he couldn’t possibly salvage the situation when he got caught. Eyes turned in his direction and pierced through him like a camera lens did when capturing its object. Daehyun cursed silently and then turned around, but it happened so quickly he lost his balance and bumped into the stool they kept behind the desk. It hurt like hell.

Before he disappeared to the staff room, he could see at the corner of his eye how CP ducked his head and bit his lip trying not to laugh.

Great, just great…

‘Jung Daehyun, why can’t you get anything right?’

At least Himchan was merciful and gave him a sympathetic pat on the back upon seeing his pout and downcast eyes, sparing him all the nagging.

Wisely, Daehyun left the counter to his friend after that and worked silently in the office on their upcoming order. He was in a foul mood the whole time and muttered how stupid he was continuously until Himchan suddenly snuck up on him and threw and arm over his shoulder.

“Stop pouting Daehyunnie, look you must have done something right.” Himchan grinned broadly. “The guy left this on his table,” he waved a white napkin around him.

Daehyun snatched the thing out of his hyung’s hand and furrowed his brows in confusion.

The elder only winked and walked backwards towards the door.

He inspected the napkin thoroughly and squinted to make out the blue words scribbled down on the white sheet.

I’m Youngjae

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Ivy