7:15

                Mingyu has been doing this for almost a month already, he could hear Minghao in his head right now saying “Man, you’re too whipped. Confess already and get over it!” as he stirs his usual iced Americano drink. He doesn’t like the said drink per se, but it’s the only beverage he could afford to buy daily. He also can’t say he’s become addicted to coffee as he usually doesn’t finish the drink whenever his business in the café is done.

                He glances at the clock as soon as he hears the wind chime ringing, signaling someone coming in. Seven fifteen on the dot as always, he thought as he subtly turns his head to see the person coming in. Oh my, how his heart beats fast in his ribcage and how he feels like his breath has been knocked out.

                This, right here, my friends, is the effect of Mingyu’s probably one-sided crush to a senior named Yoon Jeonghan. The said senior had done nothing to Mingyu except coming in to the café one fateful day when Mingyu’s rushed through the establishment to grab a caffeine for the first time in his life—well, not really, he just didn’t have any choice that time considering he’d been sleepless for the past nights and he needed the caffeine’s help in his system—and came face to face with the senior as he took his order then walked off.

                Ever since that day, Mingyu’s sleepless night intensifies. For just a few days only though when he finally resolved to coming to the café at o’clock (read: 7:15AM) in the morning and grabbing a drink.

                So back to the present time, Mingyu hastily grabs his iced Americano chugging a huge gulp clumsily when it choked him. For sake! He screams in his mind as he throws a coughing fit. Fortunately, (or not) the senior is just near him when Mingyu had his drama with his pathetic lungs so the senior runs to his rescue. Mingyu’s lungs melted first at that very touching gesture.

                “Hey, hey. Calm down, here have some water— oh no. You just had a drink so you’ll probably choke even more. Okay, um, breath? Inhale (he does it to set an example) then exhale. Hm?” the senior says frantically as he does the deep breaths himself as if he was the one dying.

                Mingyu dumbly follows the senior, out of respect, because honestly, he is doing fine after he’s cough thrice. After a while, Mingyu concludes he should stop the fraud and just straight tell the senior he’s already fine. Which he did and to the senior’s relief, he sits down across Mingyu as he sighs.

                “Man, that almost gave me a heart attack. Damn,” the senior mutters and Mingyu wonders if it was meant to be said towards him or not.

                “Uh, sorry about that. I didn’t mean to you know cough my lungs out when it’s my heart supposed to be— “Mingyu stops himself. What the hell was his mouth thinking for saying that?

                The senior turns to him, brows arched as the looks on his face encourages Mingyu to go on with what he’s meant to say. Mingyu shakes his head in return and laughs it off as an excuse. The senior smiles back seeming to understand and doesn’t want to pry more. Then the senior’s name is called for him to take his drink.

                “Oh, that’s me. I should go get that,” the senior excuses himself to grab his drinks. As he goes back to where Mingyu’s seated, the senior waves a hand. “I’m Jeonghan. See you when I see you!”

                And that’s that, the senior left. Mingyu stares openly at the other as he walks out of the establishment. Dreamily, he sighs as he gathers his things (they’re his props, honestly) to go as well.

                See you when I see you!

                Mingyu smiles widely as that phrase keeps playing in his mind. Why of course, his crush had just given him permission to see him finally! Not that Mingyu’s conscience had been bugging him that what he’s doing is stalking. Nope. Not. Totally not stalking.

                Though for some, what was said (by Jeonghan) isn’t a permission or anything but let us have Mingyu his way. He’s hopelessly pining, we give him that.

                The next and the days that come, Mingyu very warmly welcome Jeonghan every time the other walks in the café. Why not? Mingyu was just given permission to see his crush without hiding.

(“You know, you’re an idiot for thinking he just gave you a permission to see him,” Minghao said that night, the same day Mingyu had his encounter and told Minghao all of it.

Mingyu glared at his poor excuse of a best friend, “Shut up. Let me live. It’s what I wanted to believe okay!”)

                Nobody really wants him to live for believing in what Mingyu wants to believe but here he is, enjoying the sometimes-brief moments he and Jeonghan talk with each other. Sometimes, the other would be rushing for his class or go cram for an upcoming quiz first thing that morning class of him. Mingyu never minds, if he gets to spend time with Jeonghan. It’s all that matters.

                “So,” Jeonghan starts one time when they meet again at exactly 7:15AM at the café. Mingyu has come to his own terms to calm down while he’s around his crush for they’ve been together (as in just hanging out briefly at the café) for like two months already (not that Mingyu’s counting).

                Mingyu glances at Jeonghan with a questioning look on his face, “So?” he asks.

                Jeonghan puts his pen down, he’s decided to procrastinate the other night so here he is that morning cramming his way with his paper works that’s due that day. “So, there’s actually a reason as to why I’ve been coming here at the café around this time of the day.”

                Mingyu blinks, he’s sure he’s not getting what Jeonghan’s point is but he nods anyway.

                “And I want to tell you that you’re one of the reasons why,” Jeonghan adds.

                Mingyu nods again as he proceeds to take a sip with his, usual, drink. He does a double take almost coughing his drink out as his mind finally digests what Jeonghan had said. “…what?”

                Jeonghan smiles softly as he takes a deep breath and stares straight into Mingyu, “I like you a latte.”

                And this time Mingyu coughs loud featuring choking. Okay, he is exaggerating but his crush just confessed to him WITH A PICKUP LINE WHO ELSE COULD DO THAT?! NO ONE BUT JEONGHAN.

                Jeonghan hurriedly comforts him panicking a bit as he hushes Mingyu down while patting his back. “Hey, breath. Ohmygod, don’t die on me. I knew that was a bad idea I’ll have Joshua killed for that but I tried, okay? Sorry—“

                And before Jeonghan can finish his apology, Mingyu already pulls him into a hug. The latter coughing softly against Jeonghan’s shoulder which Jeonghan grimaces at as he slaps Mingyu’s back.

                “Gross.”

                “You like me still,” Mingyu whispers to which Jeonghan rolls his eyes in response albeit the former won’t see it. “Seven fifteen.”

                Jeonghan chuckles as they break off the contact, “Yes, seven fifteen.”

(“So, what can you say Hao? He like me a latte,” Mingyu proudly says with a smug on his face as he slings an arm around Jeonghan’s shoulder. The latter laughing and rolling his eyes at Mingyu before glancing a sorry look at Minghao.

“Whatever, . No one can still beat the library card pickup line I had.”

And the two, namely Mingyu and Jeonghan shared curious look together as Minghao walks out of the scene.)

Note:  *fun fact; title and perhaps the plot is inspired by Snow White and Prince Charming story from this series Once Upon A Time (Season 1).

**i'd probably write a series of stories involving laaaaame pickup lines (clue: minghao's library card pickup line. who could it be?)