It was a Wednesday and Min Seok’s shift starts at 4 in the afternoon. His History of Architectural Theory lecture ended late today. He’d only have 30 minutes to get to work, he just hopes the bus arrives at the stop on time. He doesn’t wish his perfect record to be tarnished but he messages one of his co-workers, just in case. He’d be closing the café today so he needs a bit of rest before he starts with his shift. The bus arrives on time and there were still plenty of seats available. He chose a single seat farther back. Resting his head on the window he decided he wants to take a nap for a bit. But as soon as he closes his eyes, his mind wanders back to the recent thing that’s been bugging him, Lu Han. He hasn’t seen the latter for a week now and he thinks he might’ve done something to offend said customer. If his boss finds out about it (that is if he did do something to offend Lu Han and if Lu Han did decide to file a complaint), he might lose his job.

                He arrives at work 5 minutes early, he smiles as he opens the café door. The sound of the wind chime attached to the door makes him happy. He has plans of opening his own café someday, hopefully with someone with the same passion. Maybe after he’s finished with his Architectural Degree he could take classes for a barista certificate.

                Do Kyung Soo, a freshman going to the same University as him, greets Min Seok at the counter. The kid has a perpetually shocked face but his heart-shaped smile is endearing. He cooks well and bakes most of the pastries that are sold at the café.

                “Your shift ends…” Min Seok looks at the clock on the far wall, “…now, I’ll take over from here, Kyung Soo-ah…” There was an influx of customers and he can’t help but look for Park Chan Yeol, the guy who’s taking over after Kyung Soo’s shift ends. He went directly to the staff room to quickly change into his uniform.

                “It’s okay, hyung… I’m filling in for Chan Yeol, his photography class has an MT today…” So that explains the tall boy’s absence. Both Chan Yeol and Kyung Soo have been working at the café way before Min Seok was hired. They’ve known each other since middle school having attended the same after school music classes.

                Kim Min Seok exits the employee room and gets ready for his shift. He half wishes that the strange customer (yes, he knows that the customer’s name is Lu Han, it’s just weird using it with familiarity, since they’re not in that kind of relationship) comes today so he could stop worrying about having offended the latter.

                An hour into his shift, the line becomes more manageable but he hasn’t seen hide or hair of the strange customer. Maybe Lu Han-ssi is busy, or having an Mt like Chan Yeol. He’ll probably show up tomorrow to order the same drink and he’d sit on the same booth near the window close to Min Seok’s favourite potted plants.

                A tap on his shoulder interrupted his trail of thought.  “Is Do Kyung Soo around?” A man with a pale complexion and a kind face looks over the counter before returning his gaze to Min Seok. The man smiles radiantly at Min Seok, it was a disturbing kind of smile. Min Seok can’t figure out if the guy in front of him is about to cry or is suffering from constipation.

                “He is—“ Min Seok looks over the kitchen and the side where the coffee machines and the espresso makers where set up, but his co-barista is nowhere in sight. “He was here a minute ago… I could tell him you were looking for him when he gets back...”

                “It’s okay… I’ll just wait for him here… At the counter, where he can see me when he gets back to whatever it is he’s doing…” The guy is semi-shouting, leaning over the counter.

                “The counter’s off limits to non-customers and to those who aren’t staff members, Kim Joon Myeon-ssi…” Kyung Soo’s voice can be heard from the back room.

                “I’ll sit somewhere and wait until your shift ends then…”

                Min Seok looks back and forth between the odd customer and his co-worker. He hasn’t encountered a scenario as weird as this so he has no idea how to react. But he thinks that Kyung soo should get out of the staff room before everything gets out of hand. He doesn’t think that this Kim Joon Myeon-person would make a scene although Kyung Soo needs to be a tad more polite.

                “I’m not getting out of here so you better leave, Kim Joon Myeon-ssi…”

                “Then I’ll go in there if you won’t come out…” The said customer went around the counter and opened the small partition separating the bar and the condiments table. Min Seok blocked him before he could go any further.

                “I’m sorry, sir… but this area’s off limits to non-staff…”

                “I do have permission to go in…”

                “But…”

                “Let him be Min Seok-hyung… He owns the café anyway, he can do whatever he wanted…”                      

                To say that Min Seok is shocked at this revelation is an understatement. Come to think of it, it’s odd that he hasn’t met the owner of the café since he was hired. Even after the interview it was the manager that welcomed him and introduced him to the staff. If Kyung Soo is telling the truth and this person really is the owner… “I apologize, sajangnim… Ermm, you can—“

                “Don’t worry about it… Only a few of the staff knows about me, so I hope you keep this a secret…” the strange person, now know as their sajangnim smiles (or grimace) and pats him on the back before going towards the staff room, where he thinks Kyung Soo is currently breaking everything he can get his hands on. The noise stops as soon as the owner enters the staff room.

                The sound of the bell ringing brings Min Seok’s attention back to the counter. Two tall boys playfully pushing each other approached the counter. Min Seok greeted them with his usual ‘for customer only’ smile. One of the tall boys with blonde hair and a weird part , smiles weirdly at him. The other good-looking teen whispers to the taller male both of them snickers at maybe an inside joke, Min Seok can’t tell. “Are you ready to put your order?”

                The two boys nodded and ordered the basic lattes. After a few more giggling ensues before the boys decided to take the seats on the far back of the café.

                Min Seok remember s something that Chan Yeol said to him a few days ago, how he notices that the weird customers only come when he is around. Not that he believes that particular fact as true. Now that he thinks about it, the odd ones do only appear while he’s on shift. Why is the oddest of the lot not making an appearance? And the most important question is, why does he even care?

~o~

UNDER THE MOON CHATROOM

Yue Lao Wannabe:

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

Handsome Manly China Man:

Absence makes my heart go crazy… and he’s going to attract more rabid admirers if I’m not there to fend them off

YLW:

Patience is a virtue, young man… And I don’t think there could be an admirer more rabid than you…

HMCM:

But I really really reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaally want to see him~~~~~~ :((((

YLW:

You’ll see him tomorrow, follow the same pattern..

And please don’t forget to read this to him…

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HMCM:

Are you sure this would work?

YLW:

Practice it well or he’ll laugh at you

HMCM:

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