Sipping his bottled milk, Jeonghan leaned against his chair, pressing the space button to start the video he received from the lecturer, a reenactment of a classic Korean theater by the performance art students. He knew there was supposed to be something really deep he should analyze here, something symbolic, but he was already halfway through and yet nothing meaningful came to mind. Honestly, if he had a choice, he would not be caught watching this 3-hour video with some traditional songs sounding as if they had nothing better to do other than screaming, monotonously but, he didn’t and so, he would have to interpret the play and write a review of it. Of course he could always just look for someone else’s work and copy it to get the minimum passing mark but if he had to torture himself and watch this thing anyway, he would rather ace it.

Yawning, stretching his body as he tried to keep himself awake, Jeonghan looked at the clock. He was already at his limit. Right now he couldn’t process anything. Old Korean language was already confusing as it is, his lack of focus just turned his ears into a shield and prevented all the information from reaching his brain.

Guess he needed to take a rest.

Jeonghan turned his head to look around for something to do besides staring at the computer screen. Everyone was in their own world minding their own business. No sound could be heard except for a few whispers the moment he took his earphones off. He wouldn’t expect anything less from being in a library, but this also meant his only choice of distraction was either sleeping or reading books, and he couldn’t do the latter because he brain was already overloaded. And he wouldn’t want to sleep here either.

Taking out his phone to check for any new messages from his friends, he turned it off again when he realized there was none. Obviously because one was at home with his girl and the other one was working so…

Owh, Seungcheol was working at the café today.

*****

Seungcheol tied his apron as he made his way to the front, telling his senior he was ready. The dishes were finally done, the ingredients stocked and all the preparation for tomorrow done. He was now ready to take over the front until the end of the shift. It was a weekday so by dawn, there would usually be only a few customers, one staff could handle the café alone. And today, that would be him.

Passing the latte to the two ladies, Seungcheol heard the bell rang, noting the customers leaving. As usual, he took the cloth and walked to the table they occupied, cleaning it for the next customer.

‘Jeonghan?’ He called softly, finally noticing his friend sitting on one of the sofas, his brows furrowed deeply as he stared at the screen. With no reaction from the omega, and him realizing the man had his earphones on, and a notebook with him suggesting he was working on something, Seungcheol decided to leave the man be.

Returning to his spot, the young alpha couldn’t help but smile at how focused his friend was. It was almost as if, the man was a really good student. And today was a Thursday too, if he was not mistaken, the day he first saw Jeonghan coming back from the club. The fact that the man was here instead of the club… did that mean he actually changed his lifestyle?

Pretending to be busy as he noticed the omega glancing at him, trying his best to ignore the pretty man’s presence, Seungcheol started to rearrange all the stocks before returning them to the initial places. He would usually just sit at the cash register playing with his phone on days like these but he wouldn’t want his friend to think he was slacking off would he?

Just as he was about to go to the back and whip some cream he wouldn’t need just because, he heard the door signifying incoming customers. A group of very well-dressed men came, Seungcheol could tell they were from the modelling agency nearby or something similar. Secretly thankful for the work they brought with them which meant he wouldn’t have to sit idly, he started taking their orders as usual and make them.

‘Owh look at that, the very beautiful Yoon Jeonghan.’ One of them started talking loudly, the others joining him while some chuckled softly, enjoying the situation that was about to happen. ‘Haven’t seen you in a while. We kind miss you and your lovely scent gracing us.’

Seungcheol found himself getting really tensed at the teasing. He was really curious about their relationship with his omega friend, but hearing that Jeonghan completely ignored them, he reckoned they were not close. Although, it might also be possible the man didn’t hear them either due to the earphones stuffed in both his ears. But curious as he might, this was not the time to start prying. He was, a staff, and Jeonghan and the pack of alphas, customers. It was not his place to say anything nor do anything stupid. Because, obviously, there might also be a possibility that Jeonghan actually knew these e- customers.

‘Yah,’ the alpha, obviously the main alpha, called him. Smirking arrogantly, he pointed towards Jeonghan, ‘Send your best coffee to that pretty omega for me, will ya?'

Sighing inwardly, forcing a smile as he stated the total and received the money, Seungcheol rolled his eyes the moment he turned his back. He really didn’t want to do this, delivering drinks to customers like this, because one, this place is self-service which meant they should take their own drinks at the counter and two, this place is not a ing bar they can send drinks to random people. This is a damned café where people come to relax!

After a moment of dilemma in which he realized he had no choice as he was still working, Seungcheol decided to do as he was asked and hoped that the action would not offend Jeonghan because he would be, if he were to receive something from that particularly smug alpha.

‘That customer bought it for you.’ He added, and just in case, waited for a few seconds before returning to his post. The look on Jeonghan’s face told him what he needed to know – he was offended. And after an annoyed stare at the group to which that one alpha smirked at him, the omega gave Seungcheol a hard look, ‘Tell him thanks but I’m allergic to caffeine.’

After the initial shock of knowing his friend was allergic to such thing, and realizing that the omega was lying through his teeth, Seungcheol sighed softly. Why did he had to be caught in this crossfire? Everyone could hear what Jeonghan just said, he wouldn’t have to reply on the man’s behalf but based on the situation, he had to. And he really didn’t want to. This could turn ugly. Should he just be stern and warn them to behave? Would that affect the café’s image?

Making his mind and reluctantly dragging his feet towards the troublesome group, Seungcheol noted the unamused look the leader bore as he stared right at his friend. He didn’t have a good feeling about it. Should he do something? He knew Jeonghan told him he could handle his own ‘’ as he was warned one too many times before, and he never doubt the omega could but he felt like he really should ask the group of alphas to leave before they do something everyone would regret.

Urgh, he really hate this darned customer. Why the hell did he had to cause all this commotion to feed his ego right now, when Seungcheol was working alone, out of all the other time he could do so??

‘Yah, you know what? Just get him an iced cocoa and tell him I’ll buy him something stronger next time we meet.’ The man announced as he handed him a ₩50,000 note. He knew the alpha meant buying him alcohol, and he knew what the man was suggesting they do at the ‘next meeting’ which he really didn’t like. Not in his café. Not to his friend.

Thankfully, before he could torture himself contemplating whether to comply and make Jeonghan feel uncomfortable or reject the request and make a scene with the group, they left the premise although not without some more suggestive verbal attacks directed to his friend.

Glancing slightly towards the omega to see his jaws clenched, Seungcheol decided to leave the man alone with his thoughts and clean up where the group sat. With no other customers in sight, only the two of them left, he headed to behind the counter to make something for Jeonghan to ease the tension. Noting the man hiding his face as he leaned against the sofa, probably tired and upset from whatever just happened, Seungcheol called out to him.

‘Here,’ he passed Jeonghan an iced Americano to which he received a really cold, deadly stare. Which, to be fair, he deserved. ‘Not sure if you'd like it but this is my go-to drink. Just saying.’

Although seemingly reluctant, the man took the beverage from the table, quietly taking a sip. ‘You trying to kill me? I’m allergic.’ he stated calmly, his eyes not amused. Seungcheol could only smile. ‘You’d be dead drinking your first latte if you’re really allergic. Also, this is clearly an Americano so, you just killed yourself.’

‘Smarty-pants.’ Jeonghan called as he finally let himself laugh. Seeing that pretty smile really made the alpha felt as if something had been lifted off his shoulder. Satisfied with his success, he turned his back to return to his job. ‘I won’t be able to sleep tonight. Thanks to you.’

‘Good. You still need to finish that, right?’ Seungcheol pointed at the laptop on the table as an answer, shaking his head as he was called a nerd. He would love to stay and chat with the delightful omega but since he was alone to tend the café today and a few customers just entered, he had to