If Jihoon got a dollar for every time he heard a coffee joke, he’d probably never need to make another cup ever again. He’d probably also be less likely to punch his co-workers.

Seokmin bursts into the shop, dripping rainwater onto the newly-mopped floors. Jihoon shoots him a dull glare, but the younger ignores him easily, rushing to the back to shed his raincoat and put on his apron. Whatever. Seokmin can do the mopping for the rest of the day. It looked like a wet one.

“You’ll never guess what just happened!” Seokmin says breathlessly as he bustles about, trying his best to act like he had come in on time before their boss shows up.

Soonyoung smirks, leaning against the coffee machine so he can look at Seokmin. “Did you finally get a date?” Soonyoung teases. “Congratulations, Seokmin-ah! I knew there’d be a first time for everything.”

Jihoon leans forward, allowing Seokmin’s rag to fly into Soonyoung's face. The latter lets out a yelp, pinching the dirty rag between two fingers and flinging it away. “Gross.”

“Haha, very funny. No.” Seokmin scowls. “I’ll let you know, hyung, that I almost got robbed today!”

“I don’t think Jeonghan hyung lets you walk in late unless you actually were robbed,” Jihoon says. He’s about as interested in Seokmin’s story as he is about Soonyoung's love life – which is to say, not at all.

Jihoon's eyes are on the shop accounts, which is the only reason he doesn’t spot Soonyoung's grin. He does feel a chill run down his spine and that’s how he should have known.

“At least he didn’t steal your coffee,” Soonyoung drawls. Jihoon flicks his gaze towards Soonyoung; that made absolutely no sense. Not unless – “It would have been a mugging.”

Jihoon contemplates murder.

“Get out,” he says flatly, pointing his friend to the entrance. “I don’t give a that it’s flooding. You need to not be here. Right now.”

Seokmin snorts, quietening when Jihoon shoots him a withering glare. “It was a good one,” Seokmin defends.

Idiots. All of them.

The day is miserable, but at least he’s warm and cosy inside the café. He pities any who thought it was a good idea to challenge a squall like this –

The bell on the door jingles as someone enters.

Jihoon scowls; it seems like they brought in half of the storm with them and he’s this close to tossing that rude bugger out. But he doesn’t, because good customer service and a pay cut just isn’t worth it.

“Welcome to Angel’s Peak, where you can get a slice of heaven!” Soonyoung chirps, grinning at the newcomer. “How may we help you?”

The stranger grins sheepishly (that’s actually a pretty cute smile), but it doesn’t distract Jihoon from the water that’s dripping from his raven hair and onto the tiles. Great, now someone (Seokmin) will have to mop it up.

Soonyoung elbows Jihoon and the latter makes an effort to rearrange his features into something more pleasant.

“I just wanted to get out of the rain,” the stranger says before looking down at the puddle gathering at his feet. “Whoops. Sorry about that.”

You better be, Jihoon thinks but holds it in with well-honed restraint. “Would you like anything?” he inquires softly (because Soonyoung and Jeonghan have both mentioned that he sounds angry when he speaks too loudly).

The stranger’s eyes light up when he looks over at Jihoon, but the shorter doesn’t react much other than to keep the polite expression on his face.

“What do you have?”

Jihoon glances at the menu taped on the counter. “Well, we have different types of coffee and tea, as well as an assortment of pastries.”

“Something warm?” the stranger says. He grins sheepishly. “Sorry, I’m not very picky.” He leans onto the counter, tilting his head slightly in an attempt to look cute (and damn it, it’s working). “How about you recommend me something?”

Jihoon very carefully makes sure his expression doesn’t waver. “Hot chocolate is always a good start.”

“Then I’ll have that.” The stranger gets out his damp wallet and fishes for the money displayed on the cash register. “I’m Seungcheol, by the way.”

“Jihoon,” Jihoon answers reflexively, only to feel like hitting himself. His name is pinned onto his shirt, under an obnoxiously bright yellow and serving you today is… on his badge.

“Jihoon-ssi.” And no, Jihoon did not just shiver at the sound of his name on the stranger’s – on Seungcheol's lips. “Thank you.”

Jihoon shifts uncomfortably, eyes flicking around the empty café. “What for?”

“For being here, I guess.”

It’s so achingly cheesy that he wants to gag, but Seungcheol sounds so disgustingly sincere that all he can do is nod dumbly. But seriously, do people even do stuff like that anymore? And , he could feel the back of his neck heating up.

He desperately hopes Seungcheol hadn’t seen it, but the wicked glint in his eyes said otherwise. He cups his chin in his hand, humming thoughtfully.

“Is it just me,” Seungcheol drawls charmingly, “or do you feel something brewing between us?”

For ’s sake.

The illusion is shattered. Seungcheol is as lame as the rest of them and Jihoon never needs to see his handsome face again for the rest of his life.

“Charming,” Jihoon says drily. “Is that how you get all the ladies?”

“I don’t know, I’ve never tried.”

Jihoon frowns slightly as he putters around the area to make Seungcheol's drink. “Never tried lame pick up lines?”

Seungcheol doesn’t seem offended, which is a miracle because Jihoon knows he’s an old hand at unintentionally making people hate him. “Picking up girls. Not really my type, you know?”

“Oh? And what is your type?” Jihoon refuses to admit his palms are a little sweaty. Dear god, is he flirting with him?

Seungcheol shrugs, running a hand through his damp hair. it; Jihoon can’t even muster up the annoyance at the droplets of water spattering onto the floor because that’s kinda hot. “I like them cute, I guess.” He grins, eyes raking over Jihoon's form. “Not too tall, but not all that short either. You know the type.”

Jihoon makes a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat; he’s glad he doesn’t have to look at Seungcheol because he’s too busy being focused on the foam art. This is so embarrassing, where the is Seokmin and Soonyoung when he needs them?

“Enjoy your drink,” he says finally, placing the drink on the counter.

Seungcheol doesn’t bother snagging the forty-seven seats they have in the café, deciding instead to stand by the drink retrieval counter as he takes a sip of his hot chocolate. Jihoon's not watching him out of the corner of his eye or anything, but he is alarmed when Seungcheol makes a face and waves him over.

“Problem?” he inquires with a quirk of his eyebrow.

“My drink isn’t sweet enough,” Seungcheol says seriously. Jihoon peers into the cup; he’s sure he’s put in the right amount of sugar – “Can you please put your finger in it?”

It’s a toss-up whether he wants to brain himself or the flirty cute one. Somewhere in the back, he hears wheezing laughter and figures it’s probably Soonyoung eavesdropping.

“Stop yourself,” Jihoon says flatly even as a blush rises high on his cheekbones. Ugh, he’s not paid nearly enough to deal with this.

Seungcheol snickers into his drink. “Sorry,” he chuckles, “I just couldn’t resist.” There’s an amused twinkle in the taller’s eyes and Jihoon begrudgingly admits to himself that it’s very attractive. “One more question, though.”

Jihoon knows he’ll end up regretting it somehow, but he still ends up sighing, “What is it, Seungcheol-ssi?”

He had said Seungcheol's name in an attempt to throw him off, but it has devastating effect instead. It causes Seungcheol lips to curve into a pleasantly surprised smile and it does things to Jihoon's stomach.

“Do you believe in love at first sip, or should I take another?”

A noise that sounds vaguely like that of a dying animal escapes Jihoon's lips.

“I quit life.”

Seungcheol, strangely enough, isn’t offended by that either. He just chuckles and finishes his drink, leaving it on the counter when he’s done (and Jihoon tries not to think about how considerate it was of his the cute stranger to make his job easier).

Jihoon doesn’t blush when he notices a scrap of paper with a number and a hastily scrawled call me maybe? written under the digits. (And damn Seungcheol for leaving him humming Call Me Maybe under his breath the entire day.)

It takes Seungcheol three more visits to Angel’s Peak to convince Jihoon to actually go on a date with him. Who’d have thought saying “will you please, for the love of the moon, stars and my roommate’s precious guitar, go out with me?” would be effective enough to win Jihoon's assent?

It takes another seven for Seungcheol to find the guts to call Jihoon his boyfriend and just one for him to be comfortable enough to let his tiny grumpy boyfriend tell people about it.

(It goes something like this:

“Hey, babe,” Seungcheol grins as he pushes open the door to the café. Jihoon's manning the counter again, the smallest of (cute) smiles curving his pink lips.

Jihoon leans forward on the counter, strands of orange hair falling into his eyes. “Hello,” he greets politely. “What brings you here?”

“Can’t I just come by to see you?”

“You never just come by to see me, Seungcheol.”

Well, Jihoon knew him too well. He clears his throat and he can already see Jihoon's exasperated look creeping onto his very adorable features. “If you were ground coffee, you’d be – ”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“Oh good, it shut you up.”

Something falls to the ground as Seokmin shrieks, “Jihoon hyung just kissed Seungcheol hyung!”

And Seungcheol's never been redder (or more in love) in his life.)