The next evening at work Jeonghan could hardly concentrate on menial tasks such as remembering that it was table 1 that had ordered eggs and bacon and not table 7; Jeonghan had more important matters that were consuming his thoughts. No matter how much he tried to distract himself, his thoughts were always being pulled back to Jisoo, and what time he would be here.

Hansol promised to text him when they were leaving the apartment and so it’s like he can feel his phone burning a hole in his pocket. He was continuously checking it, hoping that Seungcheol wasn’t looking. Jeonghan couldn’t help himself from stressing; what did Jisoo think about last night? Did he think it was a date? Was it a date? Should he ask him on another? And Jeonghan’s usually calm demeanour transformed into someone jumpy and jittery.
He had already nearly dropped plates of food after running into Seungkwan, who was not so lucky. And so now Seungkwan was pretending to ignore him even though he knows the boy is just as excited as him to see what happens tonight.

He was clearing away a table, stacking plates when the bell above the door jingles. Jeonghan looks up to see that the new customers were Hansol, Chan…and Jisoo; without warning. Jisoo meets his eyes immediately with an eye smile that lights up his whole face, and Jeonghan hopes this means he was specifically looking for Jeonghan in the busy café.

As soon as Jisoo turns away, Jeonghan shoots Hansol and hopeless look, not being able to believe that the boy didn’t think to warn him. Hansol simply ever so discreetly taps his phone as Jisoo had turned to ask him something. Jeonghan takes out his phone to notice that he did indeed have a missed message, despite checking his phone every possible moment. He raises his gaze to notice that the boys had taken a seat at table 13 and were already looking at their menus. Jeonghan hurries the tidying of his current table and bolts into the kitchen to get rid of the plates so he can serve table 13 before Seungkwan decides to do it out of revenge.

“Don’t worry, I sent Seungkwan out on trash duty,” Seungcheol says with a wink. Jeonghan wonders if he should be worried about how much his manager winks and whether he just has an eye twitch or is weirdly interested in Jeonghan’s love life.

Jeonghan talks himself through a few deep breaths before wiping his hands on his apron and walking back onto the café floor. As Jeonghan reaches the table, he is met with 3 wide smiles, which Jeonghan can’t help but reciprocate. However, while Jisoo’s smile radiates pure friendliness, the other two boys have a hint of suspicious smugness behind their own.

“Minghao and Junhui say sorry they couldn’t come,” Hansol says, answering Jeonghan’s silent question.

“Sit down!” Chan eagerly offers, pointing toward the side of the booth that only seated Jisoo.

“I’m working…”

“But we haven’t finished deciding yet and I think Jisoo needs help with his order,” Hansol says, before both him and Chan disappear behind the fold out menu.

Jeonghan sat down tentatively, with a quick look toward the kitchen to make sure Seungcheol wasn’t watching. However, instead of Seungcheol, Jeonghan sees Seokmin and Soonyoung’s heads sticking out from behind the kitchen door with goofy grins on their faces.

Jeonghan shakes his head and looks up once more to see that they chef’s heads had disappeared, probably to go back to the food they deserted to spy.

“Hey,” Jeonghan starts shyly turning towards Jisoo, “having a hard time deciding?”

Jisoo laughs, “yeah, I’m always like this. I’m the sort of person who will go to a restaurant and want everything.”

Jeonghan scoots over in the bench so he can better look over the menu. Jeonghan can’t help but notice that this is once again in date territory. He can’t help but notice how their legs are slightly touching, their heads leaning in so they can both read the menu and with one little stretch, Jeonghan and Jisoo could be holding hands. Jeonghan wonders if this was Hansol and Chan’s aim, to force them on a date. A date where they are forced to sit across from two guys hidden behind a menu, no doubt listening to every word.

“To narrow it down simply; do you have anything against all day breakfast?” Jeonghan asks.

Jisoo looks at him in shock, “who has something against all day breakfast?!”

“My thoughts exactly,” Jeonghan laughs, “We actually had someone come in one day and ask to speak to the manager because he said it wasn’t ethical to sell pancakes at 6pm.”

“Oh wow, why doesn’t that guy want to enjoy life?”

“Okay, so now that we know you are a normal human being,” Jisoo laughs at that at Jeonghan feels slightly proud to be getting these reactions out of the boy, “do you like savoury, sweet? What’s your favourite food? This is crucial information.”

Jisoo doesn’t even stop to think before blurting out, “chocolate!”

Jeonghan can’t help but slightly crinkle his nose at that.

“What? What was that face? Don’t tell me you don’t like chocolate? I’m going to have to leave, we can’t be friends,” Jisoo acts as if Jeonghan had just said that he liked to kill puppies and not that he simply didn’t like a food.

“I don’t hate it…but…” Jeonghan answers carefully.

“I don’t care if you’re working, I’ll buy you a chocolate milkshake.”

Jeonghan opens his mouth to start to protest, but just decides to let it go; nearly.

“Well, if I have to get a chocolate one, I’ll buy you a strawberry one,” Jeonghan names his favourite milkshake flavour while looking smugly at the boy.

Jisoo looks like he wants to argue but knows how hypocritical he’ll sound.

“How about this,” Jeonghan comprises, “you get a strawberry milkshake. But...you also get chocolate pancakes. With chocolate ice-cream. And chocolate sauce.”

Jeonghan can see Jisoo weighing up the option in his head; a boy who clearly takes his love of chocolate very seriously.

“Okay, but I want extra chocolate sauce,” Jisoo finally caves.

 “Guys, what are you getting?” He turns his attention to the others, who Jeonghan guiltily just remembers are there.

Jeonghan looks up at Hansol and Chan; Hansol with a poker face as always and Chan with his excitement glowing on his face for the whole world to see. Jeonghan couldn’t believe that until Jisoo had reminded him they were there; it really had felt like a normal date. Now his cheeks flushed at the idea that they were sitting across from him and Jisoo that entire time.

“I’ll have bacon and eggs,” Hansol says.

“Oh and a banana split for me please!” Chan follows up.

Jeonghan fumbles for his notepad in the pocket of his apron, forgetting that he did actually have a job to do right now. He quickly jots all their orders down and finishes with the standard, “and was that all?”

“Don’t forget the chocolate milkshake,” Jisoo teases.

Jeonghan sighs and writes it down, which makes a large smile spread across Jisoo’s face.