The fading hues of the day mixed themselves into the bright glow of the city. Seoul became beautifully illuminated at night time, artificial light sprung onto every hidden corner of darkness. Busy people rushing to get home sped past the steamed up window, pushing past others, cold in the chilly dusk air.

     Wonwoo liked to people watch, and this time of day was perfect for it. He liked to come to this quiet café after work most days and just watch life pass by. Enjoying the peace and wondering what passerby’s are thinking, where their going and what could be going on in their lives. Being quiet, he had always enjoyed watching people, trying to figure them out.

    A large black coffee sat in front of him, the stream dancing gracefully upwards through the air and fogging up his glasses. Wonwoo carefully took them off and wiped them with the sleeves of his jumper, placing them atop his nose bridge once again. He had had a very stressful day in work. Though working in a local library near to his apartment was not the most unpleasant job, it was certainly not what he wanted to be doing with his life. His boss was an old, interfering man. With cold, grey eyes that gave away nothing and he always wore a grave expression. Wonwoo was always seeming to get on the wrong side of said man,a lways seeming to leave him annoyed and irritated. He shouted at Wonwoo frequently, even when it wasn’t his fault.

    Sighing, Wonwoo took a long sip of his coffee. Savouring the taste for a moment before placing the cup back down. 

    It could be worse though, he thought to himself. He only needed this job to keep him going for a little while before he finally finished his college course. Then he could finally follow his dreams, he could write books, or articles, or anything and get paid enough to live off - actually doing something he enjoyed. Wonwoo smiled at the thought, his eyes slipping closed for a second. The reality of his dreams seemed so far, yet somehow so close also.

    The metal bell which hung precariously above the door rang and Wonwoo didn’t bother to look up, deciding to turn his attention back the to people flitting through the streets. The darkness had become more present and the lights became even more beautiful. 

     Small coffee shops were cosy and homely, but they have a small downside in that you are able to hear everyone’s conversations. Very clearly too. That’s why when Wonwoo heard the newcomers who just came in speaking in a foreign language he recognised, his interest peaked. It wasn’t that he was listening out for anything, it was just impossible to not hear the two boys that had just entered. They were speaking loudly and some may even say obnoxiously, but in a native tongue that wasn’t the Korean Wonwoo was so used to hearing on the daily.

    Wonwoo identified the mystery language as Mandarin. The beautiful intonation and unique sounds told him that quickly. Instead of scowling or letting himself be angry at the two boys for causing such a ruckus in the once serene environment, Wonwoo decided to use this as valueable study time. 

    Coincidentally, Wonwoo had recently started to begin to learn Mandarin. He had always had a huge interest in learning languages and had dabbled in others like Spanish and English, but the beautiful sound of Mandarin had drawn him in. He was not in any way good at the language, but he would take any free chance he could to improve his skills.
    So when the two boys took a seat on the table next to him, both with some type of steaming coffee in their hands, he decided to try to listen into their conversation to see what type of things he could understand. Not creepily, he swore to himself. It was all simply for education purposes. 

    As they were settling down into their seats, Wonwoo took a brief glance at the boy’s faces and was shocked for a moment. Both of them were extremely handsome, but one of them caught his eye. So much so that he forced him to take a second look.

    Jet black hair sat atop a beautifully tanned head. Pretty brown eyes were set in the perfect ratio, with dark, long eyelashes that feathered through the air every time he blinked. He wore a pretty pink blush due to the cold winter winds outside and his soft-looking lips were stretched daintily into a delicate smile. 

    Wonwoo realised he had been staring for far too long to be considered normal and hastily averted his gaze before the pretty boy realised; turning to stare out the window instead. He could feel his cheeks heating up and he tapped his foot awkwardly on the laminate floor to distract himself. 

    Out of his peripheral vision, Wonwoo could see the other boy the ‘pretty boy’ had come with. He was smiling hazily at the black haired boy, with fondness clear in his eyes. He had dyed blonde hair, handsome round features and a statement silver earring dangling from his right ear. 

    Wonwoo sighed quietly again. He didn’t want to admit it to himself, but he hoped that ‘pretty boy’s’ friend was just that. Just a friend. He frowned in disbelief at himself, he couldn’t believe he was so obsessed with a boy that he had only just laid his eyes on.

    The boys started conversing in quick fire Mandarin, Wonwoo was on the edge of his seat trying to keep up whilst simultaneously trying to keep his eyes trained to the outside, he couldn’t spare another look in the boy’s direction or he’d give himself away.

    Try as he might, Wonwoo could barely make sense of anything the boys were saying. They were speaking so fast Wonwoo was sure it would’ve been hard for a native to keep up with them. All he knew was that the ‘pretty boy’s’ voice was as sweet as sugar, soft and nasally but absolutely perfect. Wonwoo didn’t think it was possible to make Mandarin sound any more beautiful than it already did, but he had been proven wrong.

    He wasn’t sure how long he sat there, trying desperately to depict the slightest phrase the beautiful boy said. The outside dusk had turned into complete darkness, and still he sat - with his half drunk, stone cold cup of coffee. 

    As of this point, the only things Wonwoo had been able to grasp from the boy’s rapid speaking was that they were both taking courses at the nearest university, and something about a guy called ‘Mingyu’. Both boys seemed to enjoy each other’s company tremendously; both laughed frequently and Wonwoo could tell they truly adored each other.

    ‘Pretty boy’s’ laugh was otherworldly. It was sweet and cheeky, he could hear the joy in his laugh and Wonwoo thought it was truly beautiful. He didn’t understand how his friend could sit there so naturally and casually when he had the most gorgeous boy sat right in front of him. 

    Wonwoo went to go and pick up his freezing coffee for the third time since the boys had entered. Raising it to his lips, he took a small sip and tried to make it look as if he was enjoying it - when he heard a small thud, and felt a small weight drop out of his pocket. 

    Eyes scrunched up, Wonwoo prayed that it wasn’t what he thought had happened. He turned his head stiffly to the right, and his eyes met with the ‘pretty boy’s. His breath caught in his throat. Beautiful chestnut brown eyes bored into his own, and Wonwoo had to force himself to look away and look at his lost item. His phone lay discarded on the floor, in the space between Wonwoo’s table and the handsome newcomers.'

    Before he could reach down and pick it up, then probably turn bright red and dwell on it for the rest of his young adult life, a tan arm with a rolled up sleeve swept into his vision. The hand encased his phone, lifting it up to the owners chest and holding it there for a second; before offering the phone to Wonwoo, a small almost embarrassed smile on his perfect face. 

    Wonwoo snapped himself out of his trance and (probably too quickly to be considered un-suspicious) snatched his phone from the long fingers. Realising that that could probably be misread as him being rude, he quickly looked up, ready to apologise, only to find the beautiful boy staring right back at him.

    Taken aback, Wonwoo managed to mutter a small “thank you” along with a painful smile, before fully turning away. Red, hot and winded, he stared into his cup of coffee wishing for the ground to swallow him whole. 

     'Nice one Wonwoo' he thought to himself spitefully, 'you really sold yourself there.'

    Soon enough, the boys starting talking again. Equally as fast and equally as mesmerising. In the middle of their lighting speed conversation, Wonwoo saw ‘pretty boy’ lean over closer to his friend, the way small children did when they were telling their friends a secret, and started speaking in a hushed tone - as if everyone understood him. 

    Wonwoo could still hear his voice pretty well, and ‘pretty boy’ was speaking slower now, something Wonwoo was grateful for. The word’s Wonwoo could grasp from his hushed tone and easier tempo shocked him. 

    “That boy is so handsome”, Wonwoo nearly choked on his coffee. He wasn’t talking about him was he? No. He couldn’t be. Wonwoo persuaded himself.

    The boy’s friend seemed as clueless as Wonwoo.

    “Who?” he let out in a questioning tone, Wonwoo saw him raise an eyebrow out the corner of his eye.

    “Left” the ‘pretty boy’ said and this time Wonwoo really did choke on his coffee. 

    He checked to his left secretly and looked around the whole coffee shop, but he was the only one to the ‘pretty boy’s’ left side. There was no one else he could possibly mean, but Wonwoo still tried to convince himself that it wasn’t him they were talking about. 

    The two boys carried on talking, seeming from their tones to be bickering. All the other noise in the coffee shop had turned into atmospheric buzzing, Wonwoo couldn’t believe it, the boy couldn’t have meant him.

    Needing a break, Wonwoo got up from his chair hastily and made his way over to the bathroom as naturally as possible. He felt like he was going to pass out soon, from either shock or over-heating.

    Wonwoo splashed some cold water on his face messily, all of it getting in his hair but he needed to cool down. He knew he had to leave the coffee shop soon; he’d already been sat next to the two boys for too long. If he stayed for any longer, they would think he was stalking them. Frowning, Wonwoo mulled on the fact unhappily, that he would never see the beautiful boy again. Never hear his beautiful laugh again. 

    Accepting his fate, Wonwoo sighed sharply and nudged the bathroom door open. He made his way over to his table, only now realising he’d left his things out in the open in his state of panic. Items strewn across the table messily.

    The boys were gone.

    The only thing left was one pale pink sticky note left perfectly placed on Wonwoo’s phone screen.

    In scrawly handwriting were a sequence of numbers and a cartoon drawing of a cat with black hair and large, round eyes. 

    Underneath the artwork was one single Korean character stating,

    - Jun

    “Turns out he could speak Korean all along” Wonwoo exclaimed to his friends, his left arm draped casually around Junhui. The group laughed with him, Wonwoo felt Junhui’s ribs rise and fall, that sweet laugh next to his ear. 

    Minghao sat on the other side of the table next to Mingyu, smile wide and blonde hair fading.

    “Don’t lie, you still have that post-it” Junhui giggled, poking Wonwoo’s side. 

    Wonwoo turned his head and smiled, happier than he had ever been. The sight of Junhui with flushed cheeks and wearing a huge smile greeted him and his heart fluttered. He felt like the luckiest man in the world

    “Of course I have.”