Baekhyun is panicking.

He feels himself fidgeting in his spot, fingers unconsciously tapping repeatedly on the counter table as he stares at the monitor placed just above the coffee machine for God knows how long. Written on the screen is an extensive list of different kinds of coffee he couldn’t even pronounce in one go.

Should he just order an Americano? That seems to be the common order. Will it be strong enough to wake his senses up this morning? Or should he order an Espresso instead? Why is it even called an Espresso? Is it the fastest drink to make among the other coffee? Is it the to-go coffee of the coffee community?

Baekhyun managed to find his theory interesting before internally crying in front of the counter, not noticing the confused stare the cashier is giving him. He knows nothing about coffee, why did he even think that a cup of it would help him with his presentation?

He should’ve bought alcohol instead.

Yeah, a mix of beer and soju sounds good.

“Excuse me, sir?” The cashier waves his hand on the customer, the latter still unresponsive and so he tries again. “Sir? What’s up, sir? Hello?”

Still stuck on his americano-espresso dilemma, Baekhyun answers in his withdrawn state. “Clouds… and birds… and airplanes… and Jesus sunbaenim, maybe…”

He snaps out of his trance when he hears a knock on the counter table. “Sir. I am confused. And worried. And sleepy. And you’ve been standing there for like, twenty minutes now. And it’s too early for this. And you called Jesus your sunbaenim. Again, Sir, I am worried and confused.”

Baekhyun could only stare at his feet and imagine his eyes shooting lasers at the ground to form a hole that will swallow him whole.

Yeah, a mix of beer and soju really sounds good now.

“I—I am so sorry!” Baekhyun bows a little lower than normal. “Just… really nervous about this… and other stuff.”

“I see.” The cashier’s gaze softens at the visible hint of embarrassment on the customer’s face. He’s never seen the guy around here before so he’ll let this slip. Plus, he’s cute. “First time?”

Baekhyun shakes his head. “No, I’ve been nervous a lot of times before.”

The cashier, whose nametag says Park Chanyeol, laughs out loud like he wasn’t just glaring at Baekhyun a while ago. “Oh my god, you’re cute. What I meant was, is this your first time ordering coffee?”

Baekhyun looks like he’s about to cry. Or constipated. He looks like a mixture of both now, really. “Ah, yes. Also my first time trying coffee. Energy drinks don’t work on me now and…” He sheepishly scratches his nape. “…convenient stores don’t think I’m old enough to buy alcohol.”

“That’s understandable.” Chanyeol nods. “I actually think I’m older than you, and who told you that alcohol is a breakfast option?”

“My upcoming thesis defense in an hour.”

Chanyeol clicks his tongue. “Now that’s a breakfast. Should I recommend you my favorite?”

“Yes please!” Baekhyun quickly nods. The cashier looks like a person with a fancy taste, Baekhyun’s sure he’ll like it. “As long as it wakes my senses up, anything will do.”

“I’ll go with Iced Americano, yeah?” Chanyeol punches the suggested item when he sees Baekhyun nod. “Would you like a side with that?”

Baekhyun ponders for a while. “What are my options?”

Chanyeol sees that as an opportunity to get back at Baekhyun’s absentmindedness. “Yes and no.”

“What?”

“Kidding.” Chanyeol flashes him a bright smile and Baekhyun is suddenly awake as he feels his heart skip a beat. “Pancakes? Muffins? Anything you’d like to pair with that? You may refer to the menu.”

Baekhyun looks like he’s about to space out again and Chanyeol swears he will hurt a puppy. “Your number isn’t on the menu though.”

“Wha—what?”

To say that Chanyeol was flustered is an understatement. He was almost panicking; he didn’t know what to do first. Should he finish the order first? Or give Baekhyun is number first? Or squeal like a teenage boy because wow that was cute and smooth and Chanyeol doesn’t know what to feel—

“I’d like to have another order.” Baekhyun beams at him and oh god that eyesmile—

“I would like a cup of your smile with your number on the side please.”

Chanyeol massages his chest in an attempt to calm his heart that is beating rapidly. “Hey Mister, do you know what you’re doing?”

“Baekhyun, call me Baekhyun.” Baekhyun actually looks shy. “And asking you out, I think?”

Today must be Chanyeol’s lucky day because it has been an hour since the shop opened and there is yet to be another customer since this cute, handsome customer in front of him that may or may not just be his future boyfriend.  He would be under trouble if his manager finds out he has been attempting to flirt his way into a relationship for an hour now instead of attending to customers—or, fortunately, lack thereof.

Chanyeol prepares Baekhyun’s drink and hands it to him with a cup carrier after he wraps it with a tissue that has his number written on it. “Call me and I’ll say yes.”

“Roger that!”

Baekhyun is about to leave the counter when he sees the name written on his cup.

“Hey, um, you misspelled my name.” Baekhyun faces the cup to Chanyeol. “You wrote Baehyun, you forgot the k.”

“Did I?” Chanyeol leans over the counter and wrote a b between a and e. “There, fixed it.”

Baekhyun didn’t bother checking his cup again as he glances at his watch. “Call you later, I’m running late!”

He hears Chanyeol shout while he runs out of the shop. “Good luck on your presentation, babe!”

When Baekhyun is settled on his seat inside his car, he takes out his coffee and smiles at the name written there.

Babehyun

He takes it back.

Coffee sounds better than a mix of beer and soju now.