“Sooo…” you tried to start. You were steaming milk for one drink and preparing the coffee for the other as Minseok stood at your side concentrating on making a perfect heart in foam.

 

“Hm?” he asked not looking up.

 

“Um.. that girl, Charlotte?”

 

“Uh, hold on- let me go serve this,” he said with a smile and put the cup with two other drinks on a tray and walked to the table to serve. You stood at the counter with the next two drinks ready to be decorated. As soon as he came back he started on them. You just weren’t sure how to bring up Charlotte again. Minseok finished the last two drinks and came back and stood maybe a little too close. You decided to try again.

 

“I haven’t been working here long,” he looked at you, curious as to where you going with this. You’d only been there a week but dammit you needed answers. “I was just wondering who Charlotte is to you? It didn’t really seem she’s been working here long.” The surprise in his eyes told you that this was not what he was expecting from you.

 

“Aha, she comes off kind of strong, doesn’t she?”

 

“Lol, just a little.” He looked towards the entrance and leaned his elbows on the counter.

 

“She’s my best friend’s younger sister. I’ve known her since she was a little kid; she’s like a sister to me.”

 

.

 

She’s a goddamn childhood friend! But not really? She’s the sister of the childhood friend?

 

“Ah, that explains a lot,” you tried to add a little laugh at the end to make it lighter. Minseok turned his torso so that he leaned on one elbow to look up at you. He gave you a lopsided smile.

 

“She’s just a sister to me,” he said standing up straight. “There’s no need for you to worry,” he said, playfully nudging your shoulder with his.

 

“Waa?? I’m not worried!” you scoffed. Minseok laughed. If anyone else had been looking at you, they wouldn’t have noticed the small blush that crept up in your cheeks. But, unknown to you, Minseok had been silently studying you since your first day. And, yes, he noticed the small blush. He went to pretend to wipe something down as a customer approached the register.

 

“Can I call you Minnie too?” you asked when Minseok came back from delivering the cup. If he had water in his mouth he would’ve done a spit-take. Instead he let out one hearty, “HA!”

 

“No?”

 

“Um...” he tried to think while laughing to himself. “Nah, that’s something Charlotte and my mom call me.” The rejection hurt a little. Just a little. You tried to laugh it off but choked as Minseok leaned in closer than ever. Your chests were almost touching. All though he wasn’t that much taller, he was tall enough that he looked down into your eyes.

 

“How about you call me, “ he started slowly, looking over your features. You could feel his eyes tracing your eyebrows, your nose, your lips. He leaned in so he could whisper in your ear.

 

“Call me ‘oppa.’”

 

Now it didn’t matter if people had studied your face or not; your blush was out in full swing!

 

Minseok leaned back on his heels and put his hands in the pockets of his apron.

 

“What? Can’t call me ‘oppa?’” he teased. You shook yourself, trying to regain some kind of composure. You opened your mouth but nothing came out. Minseok laughed again. He looked you over and bit his lip. “I guess not,” he said quietly as another customer approached the counter. Well, he’d successfully one-upped you. For the rest of your shift you worked in relative shock. And all the while you thought of all the witty, y, funny things you could’ve said back.

 

When twelve o’clock came around you heard the awfully familiar voice enter the shop.

 

“Minnie! My brother says to text him back already!” Charlotte walked in not even bothering with greetings. Minseok had said not to worry but how could you not? Charlotte was about your age, maybe younger? Hell be damned if she was older than you.

 

“Tell Lu: he knows where I am!”

 

“Wow, I never thought I’d see the day you two break up,” she said in fake awe before looking over to you. “My brother and Minnie used to be inseparable. But look!” She her hands out to Minseok. “Life has gotten in the way!”

 

Charlotte waltzed over to Minseok and grabbed hold of his arm, yelling something about the disappearance of love in youth. But was she pushing her nonexistent chest on him?! Was she batting her eyes at him?! Was she really doing that?! Minseok patted her head and tried to calm her down. Your eyes locked and he gave you a small apologetic smile. But, not to worry Minseok. He had given you the perfect tool for you to get back at her. Although it might make things worse for him, you couldn’t stand this. Your crush was developing and you’d be damned if someone stopped it before it even started.

 

Your shift was basically over. You closed up your register and deposited your money in the safe under the counter. Charlotte was opening her register oblivious to your plan. Your realized that she didn’t see you as a threat, which is why she openly flirted with Minseok right in front of you. And you absolutely couldn’t wait to see her face. You folded up your apron and reached the swinging door. You looked back to Minseok who was busy making a drink. And in the most innocent voice you could manage you said:

 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Oppa!”

 

…priceless…

Both of their faces. Minseok’s cheeks flared the brightest red you’d ever seen them. He pursed his lips to keep his smile from becoming too big. He made eye contact with you for a second before looking away, hands on his hips, trying not to smile.

 

Charlotte’s on the other hand, was the complete opposite. Her eyes were wide and in shock. She quickly looked from you to Minseok and back to you. The panic in her eyes was clear. You locked eyes with her and tried to tell her that you’re also playing this game. You gave her an innocent smile and waved bye as if you didn’t know what you had just done.

You left feeling like you had done something big and you were a little proud. Besides seeing the look on Charlotte’s face you realized that Minseok likes being called ‘oppa.’ If he thought he one-upped you earlier, he was sorely mistaken. He had just given you his weakness. And now you weren’t afraid to use it anymore.