Taekwoon was exiting the coffee shop he was working at. His shift just ended and his stomach was grumbling really loud. He took out his phone and called his best friend, Taehyung.

“Tae I’m hungry, let’s have something to eat!” Taekwoon whined into his phone when Taehyung picked up.

“You’re done at work?” he heard a yawn.

“Yes, please tell me you’re coming.”

“Okay okay let’s got to that place we went last time, hum? How does it sound?”

“Perfect!”

He kept on walking down the same path as usual. The restaurant wasn’t that far from his work so he’d probably have to wait for his friend who obviously was sleeping before he called him. His voice was husky and hoarse. Taehyung was working at a night club so Taekwoon guessed he had the right to be sleeping.

He went across the street, almost hitting with another male doing the same. He looked up and their eyes met for a few seconds but those seconds caused a weird sensation travel down his spine. He never in his life saw such a sharp jaw and wide shoulders, he had a dominant nose and even more dominant gaze. It took just a second but he thought he could melt into a puddle in an instant.

When that second past, when he received a slight bow from that man, when he finally was able to move from his spot, he had to look back. That man looks like someone cut out of his fantasy. Did he just meet his ideal type? He blushed and headed away.

Taehyung is waiting. Think, you idiot. That man is too perfect, he probably has a girlfriend, how could you think like that?

He kept on scolding himself as he moved to the restaurant. Luckily, Tae wasn’t waiting for him yet, he didn’t see him in. So he wasn’t late yet. He went to first free table he saw and sat down with a sigh. He didn’t know what he’ll do in the case they’ll meet again. That man was mesmerizing indeed and Taekwoon was totally taken back by it.

When Tae came he had ripped jeans on him, hoodie, mask, and cap and looked a bit like a celebrity in disguise. But honestly, he was just covering his makeup-free face and tired expression. Plus his hair must’ve been a mess. When he sat down Taekwoon could see that yawn even through the mask.

“Usually you are already up at the time I call you,” he commented. “What changed today?” he picked up his hand to order.

“I’m not going to work today so I decided to sleep the whole day. Till you called and ruined it all.”

“Oh come on! You’ll get free food!”

“Yeah the only positive thing about this”

Taekwoon just shook his head and looked at all the food. He was hungry so he poured a glass of soju for Taehyung and himself and dug into the food. His mind wondered back to the man he met on the street. Why did it bother him so much? Yes, he looked good but that’s where it ends. He would probably gossip about that with someone if he had someone to gossip with guys about. But you see, this kind of relationship isn’t appropriate here. People here will easily judge you and point fingers on you. You can even lose a job, tho they’ll find some other reason to write down.

“Did you find a girlfriend yet?” he looked up quickly.

“What?”

“A girlfriend, man! Did you find one? You seem to be thinking about something.”

“Nah, it’s just weather. And I don’t have a girlfriend, Taehyung. You have a bigger possibility to find one than me” Taekwoon grinned. “Did you?”

“Just because I work at night club doesn’t mean I can easily find one. Most of the pretty chicks get drunk super fast and they are not that pretty afterward,” Taekwoon chuckled after his comment.

He can’t imagine that. He didn’t really like loud places with a lot of people. He was more of a book worm than a party lion.

They finished their meal pretty quickly, since Taehyung would whine how much he misses his bed and that he is sleepy, pouting all the time even tho he stuffed himself with food like he never had better. Guess it’s true that meal tastes better when you don’t pay for it. They left the restaurant and walked towards Taehyung’s apartment. Taekwoon decided to walk him home since it was halfway to his own.

As they went down the street, they say a couple in the shadow behind the corner, kissing passionately. Even tho the lower one of the couple had a hoodie over the head, it was easy to tell that it was a man by the body features. Taehyung looked the same way as he did, seeing the couple and shook his head.

“Can’t they do it in private? It’s… Weird,” Taekwoon would lie if he said it didn’t hit him.

Taehyung was his friend, he really was, but he couldn’t understand that feeling he got just now. It would hurt even more if he would call them disgusting but even just so simple word as weird felt like a dagger. Taekwoon knew Taehyung, he was doing his best to not mix in others stuff, but he also knew people who were openly bragging about homouality like it was some kind of disease. He didn’t like those people and back then when he just discovered his orientation he indeed felt like a sick person because of those people. Gladly he grew up and he’s no longer such fool to listen to them. But he was still afraid to come clean. He was mostly afraid of his family reaction so he rather kept his thoughts to himself and didn’t talk about relationships at all.

Did he himself in his thought again since he hit another person? Second time today! He has to come back from this cloud nine and look at where he walks. He didn’t really have to look at the person he hit to feel the same sensation as for the first time. He looked into stranger’s eyes and his legs became wobbly. How can someone has this hypnotizing eyes, he wondered.

This time stranger looked over him from head to toe before he gave him a small bow with his head. And smirked. Taekwoon’s body reacted without much of a thought, he found his face heating up and his heartbeat accelerated within a second. That smirk, how the corner of his lips turned up, somehow his gaze became even more intense.

He didn’t know if he was happy or sad when their eyes finally parted. He indeed could breath more freely and even his heart slowed down a bit but that wobbly feeling he got stay for much longer. He had to watch his steps carefully or he could easily slip.

Taehyung looked at Taekwoon with a worried expression. “Are you okay?”

Taekwoon nodded slowly, trying to take it all in. “My stomach is a bit uneasy, I guess I ate too fast,” he gave his best friend assuring smile.

❈ ❈ ❈

Next morning was Taekwoon standing behind the counter in the coffee shop looking like a panda with those big bangs under his eyes. He couldn't sleep that night at all. His mind was playing jokes with him and he saw that gaze the stranger gave him every time he closed his eyes. Due to lack of sleep, he was now yawning, covering his mouth and drinking second coffee to wake himself up.

"Taekwoon, are you alright?" he looked at his colleague, Bora. She was working with him today and he wished he could tell her. But he just had to come up with another excuse.

"I'm fine, Bora, really. You don't have to worry about it," Taekwoon gave her a small smile. "I'll go to a toilet for a moment, okay? I'll be back soon," he went to an employee bathroom and washed his face with cold water for an nth time that morning.

You are too obvious! Just don't think about him anymore, you pabo!

When he got back Bora already had some customers and he was glad for it. At least she won't be asking any questions for some time. Instead of just waiting for more customers to come he busied himself with checking all the supplies behind the counter. He didn't realize how much he immersed himself in his work before Bora "gently" kicked him into and he almost hit the cupped board. There was a customer waiting for Taekwoon to take their order.

He stood up brushing his head a bit and glared at his lovely coworker who was obviously ignoring him at this moment. "How can I help you?" he finally turned his attention to the customer and froze on a spot.

The man who didn't leave his mind for a while was now standing in front of him, playing on his phone with one of his earphones stuck in his ear. He was glad the man didn't look at him. He shouldn't pay him more attention than to a regular customer. He really really shouldn't. 

Taekwoon straightened his thoughts and gave a polite smile to stange- customer waiting for him to order.

"One Latte Macchiato with me, "the stranger said and looked up at him. He quickly turned away and started preparing his order. Taekwoon knew if he looks him in the eyes he'll turn into jelly. His heart was already like a natural acrobat, doing all those flip-flops. He didn't want to ruin the coffee but his hands were shaking a bit.

When he finally finished it he put the order on the counter ready for him to take it. "It's 3000 won," Taekwoon said with a polite smile and waited for him to pay.

The stranger opened his wallet and gave him 5000. "It's fine," the stranger said as Taekwoon took the money and exited the coffee shop with his order in one hand. It took Taekwoon a moment until he realized what just happened.

His voice. He heard his voice for like the first time ever. And it was so melodic, so different from those everyday voices he heard. Or it was just simply his imagination and he was getting truly crazy, who cares actually. He got 2000 into his own pocket. And his phone number.

Wait...

He looked again on small paper he was holdin