To think that simply because it was a Monday afternoon and this just happened to be the only café for just about three miles, it was supposed to be busy. Dozens of both high school and college students should be flooding the doors, eager to sip on the Styrofoam cups with hand-made coffee that warmed their bellies while they studied or caught up. Himchan should’ve seen nothing but young faces happy to slip bills into his hand for some reasonably-priced coffee (he didn’t make the prices, okay? just enforced them).

He should’ve been busy as , flying everywhere his not-so-athletic body could carry him as fast as he could, barely able to hold onto the many cups and barely able to keep the cash-register from flooding with crumpled bills and loose change. Himchan shouldn’t have been allowed to breathe with all the precipitation the coffee, along with the swarm of bodies, made. In fact, he shouldn’t even be feeling bored, he shouldn’t even have time to look up the “smart” definition of bored on his phone if he was busy at ALL.

Yet, the shop was empty. The Best Absolute Perfect Coffee Shop (or, for short, the BAP Coffee Shop) was deserted, every chair placed as neatly as Himchan remembered when he unstacked them this morning, every table spotless, missing the circular stamps the cups left after sitting on the table.

 The blinds were open, the ‘Open’ sign was flipped on the right side (Himchan should know, since he went outside at least twice this morning to make sure it actually said ‘open’ at the lack of customers) and everything was just sitting there, waiting, almost begging for a customer. A single one. No matter how ugly, how y (Himchan can handle that, being as he would just be y right back) or how small the order, this establishment just yearned for a crisp dollar into the cash-register as well as a few cents of change into the tip jar (that barely had a few crumbled bills, a lid, and a few pennies in there).

                Himchan sighed, tapping away his frustrations onto his phone to Yongguk, because he knew that no matter how strangely weird it was that he was 23 and dated a 17 year old (Zelo, he thinks he goes by), or how strangely deep his voice was, or how he had this gummy smile (Yongguk’s grandma came up with that—he didn’t dare ask), that man always listened to him. Always.

                Seriously, Guk, you have no idea how boring it is in here!!! I mean, it’s literally DESERTED in here. In fact, I thought I just saw the wind sweep in a branchy-ball—you know, the ones in those Western movies?

                He didn’t know why or how, but he was pretty sure he saw Yongguk’s smile flash behind his eyelids after he waited about ten seconds for a reply. And then twenty. And then it came.

                Chill, Channie! I mean, it’s only noon. Everyone has different timetables. I’m sure they’ll come around to stepping in. meanwhile, fix that y-ness of yours. It could use some work.

                Himchan’s eyes narrowed; what was that supposed to mean?

                Shut it, Guk! For your information, my y-ness is on the RIGHT level. Not too much, n—

                His fingers didn’t even manage the next syllable before he was forced to look away, the bell still ringing in his ears and he immediately jumped, practically flying to the register to tend to the customer. FINALLY.

                Maybe it was the rush he felt when he had dashed there (yeah, that was probably it), it had caused his legs to feel weaker and Himchan made a mental note to exercise more. Surely, it was the light run that had caused his cheeks to flush and surely the fact that this was his first customer in hours made his hands unconsciously fly to his hair, fixing a few misplaced strands of chocolate brown (maroon, I think) hair.

                Surely, it was the run that had his heart racing.

                The man that stood before him was slightly shorter than himself, but he had broad shoulders and biceps (Himchan thinks) the size of his head, the tight black V-neck he wore doing little to nothing to hide his well-built form. His skin was tan, and he had a beautiful shade of dirty blonde, almost light brown, and wide, happy-looking eyes. Those eyes… they were a deep, deep shade of brown, shining into a hazelnut color with the afternoon shimmer and something else that screamed purity and happiness.

                He was physically the opposite of Himchan.

                “Hi,” the man, no, change that to boy, he looks too young to be called a man, stated confidently, smiling as if he were an angel. “Are you okay?” He tilt his head to the side.

                Damn, Himchan thinks with a tug at his heart, now he thinks you’re weird for staring! “Uh-huh.” Words failed him so that was all he said. Then he tried again. “Um, what would you like to order?”

                At least his voice didn’t betray him like his legs did.

                The teen smiled cutely. “What would you recommend?”

                Himchan wanted to laugh; of course the kid wouldn’t know what to get—he looked too young to have coffee. Instead, Himchan settled with a small smile and looked over his shoulder to the menu. “Personally, I love Americanos. But they’re pretty strong.” He shrugged.

                He smiled again. “I trust you.”

                God, why must he be so innocent? We’ve barely met and already, he trusts me. He didn’t know why but his heart fluttered. Must be finally hearing someone’s voice after hours.

                Himchan gave a small smile. “Okay then. What size?”

                Jongup shrugged. “Doesn’t really matter to me.”

                “I’ll give you a medium then. Is that okay?” Himchan asked softly, smirking cutely and no, he reminds himself, that wasn’t flirting. The kid nods and he placed the order into the register before speaking again. “That would be $2.25.”

                The teen simply nods and digs into his pocket, bringing out a five dollar bill that had been folded. He hands it to Himchan and for some reason, Himchan couldn’t help but think he was the one that caused their hands to brush up against each other’s if only for a second. It makes his mind go blank briefly before he realizes the dollar is in his hand and he takes it wordlessly, although he guesses the blush on his cheeks must speak volumes to the other.

                When he looks up, he sees the other smiling at him. For some reason, around this kid, no matter how taller he actually is, he feels so small, so weak and fragile but he brushes the thought aside as he digs up change.

                Jongup grins. “Ah, keep the change.”

                Himchan gives a nod and a sweet smile before he walks over to the counter and makes the coffee. He knows how to make everything by heart, but seeing as this is his favorite drink, he just happens to make this drink faster, and he puts effort into it as if he were praising his favorite drink. Now, he doesn’t even praise the drink when he makes it for himself. But he thinks of something like ‘since he is my first customer, I should make something good so that he could recommend it to others and it wouldn’t be so empty today’ and other things along those lines. He loses track of them all in a matter of seconds.

                Himchan looks back once he is done and finds the younger (he assumes) scrolling down his phone. So to get his attention, he clears his throat softly. When their eyes meet, Himchan is sure his heart leaps into his throat, successfully blocking oxygen from making its way to his body. He blames this for his blush.

                Jongup smiles softly at him, locking his phone and then slipping it into his pants’ pockets and Himchan pretends his eyes didn’t unconsciously slip to admire anything lower.

                If Jongup caught him glancing, he didn’t say anything.

                “Thanks for the drink,” Jongup states around a small smirk as he takes his cup from Himchan’s hand and again, the tips of their fingers brush together. The heat from Jongup’s hand, Himchan decides, is warmer than the coffee’s.

                “No problem, sir.”

                Sir, Himchan, really? You don’t even call Yongguk’s appa ‘sir’!

                Jongup gives a little smile before shaking his head almost fondly. Almost. “Ah, I’m not old enough to be called ‘sir’ quite yet.” Himchan was just about to apologize when the teen continued. “Call me Jongup instead, yeah?”

                So that’s his name. He didn’t know why but he smiled and extended his hand, stating, “My name is Himchan.” He decides it’s just him being polite.

                He is more than relived when Jongup (God, what an awesome name) takes his hand and shakes it softly, softer than Himchan expected when he had arms like those.

                “Well then, Himchan, nice to meet you.” Jongup smiled while Himchan was left pretending his name didn’t roll perfectly off his tongue.

                “You too,” Is all Himchan is left to answer.

                He waved Himchan good-bye and he stopped walking just at the door. Himchan didn’t know why but he felt some sort of hope for something in his chest, for anything. But all Jongup said, with a smile, of course, “See you around.”

                All he got was an empty promise, he soon realized.

                Because soon enough, Himchan wondered if ‘around’ was actually a place because everywhere he went, anywhere around the school, or at the café, he waited, and waited, and was left waiting like an idiot. He didn’t even know why or what he was waiting for if he did come across the teen again. He seriously felt pathetic but he wouldn’t bring himself to say that aloud.

                Himchan tried to pretend that every day for the next week that he stepped out of the house, he didn’t look his best on purpose. No, really. He always looked amazing, but most recently he just seemed to add a little something else to his appearance. Whether it was the extra hairspray to keep his hair perfect for a bit longer or whether it was the fact he seemed to only be wearing his more expensive clothes and nice fitting jeans recently, he just tried more.

                No reason; definitely not for that Jongup kid.

                No, not at all. Other men like him. Men that he just happens to see around more often than he did that kid.

                But he tried to overlook the fact that they weren’t as sweet-looking or fit like him while having an incredibly adorable personality (if that adjective could even be used to describe somebody).

                Then, one day at Yongguk’s house, he decided to answer Bang’s question as to why he seemed so down recently.

                “Ever liked someone, Guk?”

                Junhong seemed offended by that.

                Yongguk noticed his boyfriend’s pout and he wrapped an arm around him, looking back at Himchan with a slight glare. “Course I have.”

                Himchan bit back a scoff. Why couldn’t he have a lovely, stable relationship like them? “I mean, but… have you ever liked someone without even knowing it… but you still knew that you did?”

                Junhong seemed confused, but being as Yongguk knew Himchan for just about a life time, he smiled and answered like a pro. “Sounds to me like you’re trying to deny yourself that you like somebody, Channie.”

                Himchan tried to pretend he didn’t see Junhong slightly glare at him for having Bang call him by a nickname, and instead focused on his friend’s answer. “Like him?” he mused to himself. “I am not a child, Yonggukie~!”

                Zelo glared again.

                “I know when I like someone,” Himchan stated, trying to defend himself. He crossed his arms and huffed; yes, definitely not a child.

                Yongguk stared. “Uh-huh,” he stated slowly, as if he were trying to ask: ‘do you even know what you’re saying?’

                Frankly tired of minor jealousy, Junhong pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts. Surely, his friend would clear his mind from ‘Yonggukie’ being so ing close to ‘Channie’. So he looked through his contacts, smiling shortly when Yongguk glanced at him with a look that could only be described as worry.

                “Hey, Jongup-hyung!” Junhong almost cheered into his phone.

                Both Yongguk’s and Himchan’s eyes narrowed. Jongup?

                That couldn’t have been right, Himchan reminded himself, shaking his head. Surely, there must be more than one Jongup around. Surely he wasn’t desperate enough to think that everyone just happens to be the exact same Jongup that had walked into the Coffee Shop. Or at least that’s what he kept chanting in his oh-so-confused mind.

                “Who’s that Jongup Junhong’s talking to?” Himchan tried.

                Yongguk’s eyes snapped from his boyfriend’s form over to Himchan, glaring as if he had just witnessed his boyfriend cheating—which to him that was sort of like the first step into it. “This buff kid. I don’t know much about him other than he looks like he was raised at a gymnasium since birth and he smiles way too sweetly all the time.” He didn’t mean for it to sound so whiney.

                Himchan’s eyes widened, the description sounding suspiciously like the Jongup he knew. So he tried again, sounding desperate for reasons he himself couldn’t quite understand (or admit, more like). “Does he have like dirty blonde hair—almost a light brown color?”

                Yongguk eyes him suspiciously. “Uh-huh,” he drawled out slowly.

                Himchan was now blushing, sounding less confident. “A-and does he have a little mole on the side of his nose?”

                Yongguk’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah.” Himchan’s heart leaped in his chest. “Anything you’re not telling me?”

                The younger male shook his head, biting his lip and trying to look away. That was an easy task, sure, but trying to remove glimpses from Jongup’s face from his eyelids wasn’t something he was good at. He was a master at forgetting—like that time he left the stove on and almost set the whole house on fire—but he could never really remember many things—like how he started developing a crush on someone around Junhong’s age (THERE HE SAID IT OKAY!). But this kid… Jongup… was someone Himchan just couldn’t find in him to just forget.

                “N-no. I-I have o-one last question.” Himchan decided it would be best to try and forget Jongup for now so that he’d stop blushing and make sentences understandable. Yongguk simply hummed, as if amused. “Anything been going on in Junhong’s school over the past week?” he told himself the only reason he asked that was because he wanted to change the subject, not so that he could put a name to Jongup’s absence in the shop.

                Yongguk didn’t feel jealous—he knew for a fact Himchan was about the only person in the world that didn’t want to jump all up on his precious ‘Bunhonggie’. “Nope. Not that he’s told me anyway.”

                For some reason, Himchan’s heart felt crushed and it restricted his breathing, but he figured he was just tired… of doing nothing all day. So he waved good-bye and decided the burning in his lungs was something other than pain.

                For about a week and a half, he wanted nothing more than to see Jongup and that million dollar smile of his, but he never wanted it to be like this.

                It was a normal day. Birds chirping that ing annoying tone that Himchan suddenly despised, his mood suddenly sour and his heart melting in the most painful way, the remains slipping into his intestines and blocking any oxygen. His eyes stung slightly, but he figured it was the sun outside.

                Jong ing Up had stepped into the shop. He was smiling and Himchan could have even swore his entire ty pay-check that he was even glowing, his eyes sparkling just like those chocolate diamonds Himchan has seen on ads on TV. And he would’ve looked ing amazing that day too, with his snapback on his dirty blonde hair, only a few strands escaping the cap, with a grey t-shirt that matched the Chicago Bulls cap, the same logo and everything, and his dark washed jeans and white Nike’s. The sight had Himchan smiling unconsciously, his heart fluttering (maybe it was because this was his first customer in the past hour and he was just grateful he had something to do now).

                And maybe it would’ve been the most precious sight in the world to Himchan if that bastard hadn’t brought a girl with him.

                And maybe, just maybe, Himchan wouldn’t feel something that felt a lot like anger bubbling in the pit of his stomach if the girl wasn’t pretty.

                And (closer to) Jongup’s age.

                “Hello, Himchan,” Jongup greeted happily. If Himchan wasn’t so… bothered right now, he would’ve smiled and blushed because he remembered his name.

                But his y-ness kicked in and he decided to momentarily forget Jongup’s name. “What will you be having?” if it sounded like he was forced to say this by a dude holding a blade to his neck, so what?

                Jongup seemed to look like a kicked puppy but Himchan ignored it. “I’ll have a medium Americano, please.” He smiled sweetly.

                He looked to the girl on his arm and asked, “What do you want, Minzy?” he asked with a smile.  ing smile. And no, Himchan didn’t want to rip that smile off his face.

                Minzy, whatever, smiled and blushed lightly at that dazzling smile. Well , he smiled at ME like that first, Himchan was so tempted to say, but before he could, she answered.

                “It’s okay, Uppie, I can order myself.” Himchan resisted an eye-roll. “I’ll have a medium Frappuccino please. Hold the caramel, add more whipped cream.”

                Even her orders sounded like a . “$5.25,” Himchan stated.

                Jongup nodded before pulling his wallet out and handing Himchan a ten. Himchan gave him his change but Jongup shook his head, smiling sweetly. “It’s a tip.” He smiled.

                All Himchan could do was nod and try not to feel like some sort of charity case.

                As he made the orders, he tried not to eavesdrop a bit, rolling his eyes, glad his back was to the couple so that they wouldn’t see the many eye-rolls he had shot them. Himchan didn’t want to admit it but he took his time with Jongup’s drink, making sure he praised his favorite drink right before moving on to Minzy’s. he just threw everything in, maybe even a little (okay, a lot) more caffeine in to make the drink bitter, hoping his terrible excuse of coffee would be enough to put her and only her off.

                He rung the little bell, making Jongup smile as he got up to pick the drinks up. He flashed a greasy grin Himchan’s way, and Himchan ignored it, instead going back to doing his job.

                Jongup pouted before walking over to Minzy.

                Himchan tried to busy himself, wiping the counter a few times, no matter how clean it appeared, before washing the equipment he used to make the girl’s drink. He then washed his own hands, hoping that they decided to leave, or that at least he decided to leave her, but to no such luck, he realized after he turned and saw them still together.

                “Yah! I am not beautiful, oppa!” Minzy screeched with a slight laugh, her cheeks tainted pink up to her ears.

                At least she recognizes it.

                “Yeah, you are!” Jongup almost teased (why couldn’t he chan like that?). he was grinning widely and suddenly, his eyes caught Himchan’s. “Himchan, will you tell her she’s beautiful?”

                Himchan scoffed. “Why would I lie?”

                .

                Jongup’s eyes widened.

                “Yah! I am not ugly! You fish-eyed creep!” She yelped, her face still a bright red.

                Himchan began to fume. He rolled his eyes, crossed his arms and ignored Jongup. “At least I don’t smell like one.”

                “At least I have better fashion sense!”

                Oh no she ing didn’t. “Really? To think that because you are the girl here, you’d have better fashion sense than me and not wear that purse with those shoes. Seriously, do you get dressed in the dark?”

                Her face was now red from anger. “AT LEAST I HAVE JONGUP!”

                That did it. Jongup’s eyes widened when his name was mentioned, suddenly completely fazed now and not when they were insulting each other (he was laughing to himself). Himchan’s heart skipped a beat and his throat felt dry. When their eyes met, he looked away.

                “Out. Right ing now.” Himchan hissed.

                Maybe it was a bit harsh.

                Scratch that. It was COMPLETELY harsh because as punishment, Himchan didn’t see Jongup for the next three weeks. And he hated it all. So ing bad. Why would he feel the need to abandon him? Did he feel that insulting his little girlfriend was something so ing horrible to make his heart ache the way it did for so long? Did he think that this was some way to stand up for her, by ignoring Himchan?

                And in those twenty one long and dreaded days, Himchan thought of so many things this could end even worse than before. All he could think was that no matter how he apologized, Jongup would turn the cold shoulder because Himchan ed at his girl. BOO ING HOO!

                Yet, no matter how bitter he felt, he had to do something. And even knowing that Junhong knew Jongup, he wouldn’t ask the kid for his number. No, if he wanted to ing see me, he would’ve done it himself.

                And he guessed by the suffocating silence Jongup didn’t want to see him.

                But when the little bell sounded suddenly, and that all too familiar mop of hair showed, Himchan felt his breath escape him.

                “J-Jongup?”

                Said boy gave him a weak smile. He stood there, awkwardly, the very first customer because Himchan had literally just opened it. And it was all so awkward suddenly.

                “Can you give me a minute?” he asked, his voice suddenly so deep.

                Himchan nodded, feeling smaller.

                “Why did you flip out like that?”

                Himchan was hoping they’d be able to avoid the subject for at least a few more minutes, but no, the kid liked to get straight to it. So he sighed, deciding it was best for him to say the truth now because it was seriously crushing him to keep it all inside.

                “I don’t like her,” Himchan started, hoping that was enough of an answer.

                When Jongup gave him a questioning look, he decided that it wasn’t.

                The older male sighed, biting his bottom lip. “W-well… she was all over you… a-and—“

                “You were jealous?” Jongup asked now more than stated, his eyes almost hopeful for something, anything. He didn’t even sound mocking, but somewhat worried, as if saying, ‘really? Why didn’t you just tell me before?’

                Himchan blushed, ducking his shy gaze. “I-I guess so…”

                “Why?” the other asked immediately.

                Really? “Because I like you!”

                There, he said it, it was out and all that was left for Jongup to reject him and laugh at him and—

                Kiss him.

                Himchan’s eyes widened, but as soon as he felt those warm, shy lips massaging his lips gently, he melted into the touch, kissing back shyly, pushing hips lips out before Jongup began moving his lips, giving him a proper kiss.

                And God it felt so amazing.

                But the sweet feeling was gone all too soon, and Jongup pulled back with the most beautiful smile. “I’m sorry about her. I just… I really liked you too and I figured an easier way to find out if you like me too is by making you jealous. So I brought Minzy over—she’s just a friend, I swear—to see how you would react—her idea, not mine—and I was going to tell you after I thanked her and left her but no, you had to fight with her a—“

                Himchan’s lips cut off his next sentence. “Done?”

                Jongup shook his head.

                “Go on then.”

                The younger male nodded. “So I thought you were beautiful with the most amazing y attitude and—“

                Himchan narrowed his eyes.

                “I want you to be my sassy beauty.”

                Himchan smiled cutely, beautifully, before he leaned over and pressed his lips against Jongup’s shyly, and Jongup only read this as a ‘yes’.

~*~

A/N: My first HimUp fic~ Hope you guys liked!

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