The Romantico is one of the most popular Italian restaurants in Seoul. Only the most elite, prestigious, wealthiest people can enter.

No reservation, no entry.

Lee Sungmin, age 27, born from a middle class family, is the best waiter of the Romantico.

Sungmin has probably met a thousand of gorgeous women and handsome men come and go from the restaurant. Of course, by meeting meaning asking for their orders and constantly asking them if they’re doing fine with the food.

On a regular day, Sungmin would usually serve twenty people in less than three hours. But on busy days, twenty people are an understatement. 

Sungmin still finds it funny how the restaurant even has a busy day. Like, what? It’s like every company called each other and told them to have their business meeting at the restaurant at the same time one is going to do it. Whatever happened to coffee shops? Or how about, oh, their office?

Rich people can really be dumb these days. And that statement wasn’t proven until this day.

Cho Kyuhyun, son of the wealthiest CEO in town, decides to have lunch in the Romantico.

“Sir, do you have a reservation?” A waiter asks.

“What? You need a reservation to get in here?” Kyuhyun responds.

“Yes, sir. So, do you have a reservation?” Kyuhyun shook his head. “I’m sorry, sir but you’re going to have to leave.”

“Do you know who I am?”

“No, sir.”

Ohhh burn!

“Well, anyway, I’m Cho Kyuhyun. So if you don’t let me in, I can ask my father to build an Italian restaurant better than this and ask these people inside to never come back here.”

Success, that’s what Kyuhyun thought. He had caught the waiter dumbfounded and just when he was about to enter, Sungmin arrives.

“Leeteuk, what the hell do you think are you doing? If he doesn’t have a reservation, then don’t let him in.”

“B-but-“ Leeteuk tried to defend himself.

“No buts!” Sungmin snapped, and then turned to face Kyuhyun. “I’m sorry sir, but you’re gonna have to leave.”

“Ah, so you’re Lee Sungmin.” Sungmin raises his eyebrows in question of how a stranger, a man he hasn’t even seen before, knows his name. Kyuhyun points toward his nametag, and he nods. “I’ve heard about you from my best friend. He should be in there. You see, Lee Sungmin, I’m actually invited by my best friend, who actually made the reservations, so…”

“ing jerk,” Sungmin mumbled under his breath.

“What was that?” Kyuhyun asked with a smirk.

Sungmin grinned widely. “Nothing, sir. This way please. I think I know who your best friend is. As for you, Leeteuk, we’re gonna have to have a talk with the manager.”

As they were walking, Kyuhyun couldn’t keep his eyes away from Sungmin who is in front of him, swaying his hips as if trying to attract attention.

“You know,” Kyuhyun started. “I really admire the way you walk.”

Sungmin immediately turned around to glare at Kyuhyun. “Oh, I’m sorry sir, but this is not Hooters so you’re not permitted to check me out.”

“Feisty, I like it.” Kyuhyun heard Sungmin scoff.

Finally, Sungmin have found who he was looking for and fastened his pace to get rid of the headache that’s following behind him.

“Mr. Choi, I believe this is your guest.”

“Ahh… Sungmin, you never fail to amuse me.”

“Choi Siwon!” Kyuhyun greeted, grabbing Siwon from the shoulder and raising him up.

“Dear God, Kyuhyun nobody asked you to act strong! Oh, wait I see what you’re trying to do.” Siwon winks at Sungmin.

“Mr. Choi-“

“Sungmin, how many times do I have to tell you to just call me Siwon? We’ve known each other since… when... two years now?”

“You’re still a customer, so no. As for you, mister…?”

“Cho. Cho Kyuhyun.”

“Yeah I didn’t need to know your full name, but uhmmm… what would you like to drink?”

“I wonder how you’re not fired yet, but I’ll just have some of this wine Siwon is having.”

“Okay, I’ll bring out a wine glass for you.”

As soon as Sungmin left, Kyuhyun took a seat in front of Siwon.

“He’s nothing like you described him to be,” Kyuhyun said.

“Which is?”

“He’s more than perfect, Siwon.”

“He’s mine.”

“Who says?”

“I say. It’s too bad he doesn’t like me back. He keeps on turning me down every time I ask him to be mine.”

“What if I make him mine then?”

Siwon loudly chuckles. “Good luck!”

Sungmin came back with a wine glass for Kyuhyun, and two menus.

Kyuhyun took a quick look at the menu, and then puts it down on the table. “I’ll have a Fettuccini Alfredo.”

“Okay, one Fettu-“

“Never mind, I’ll have lasagna.”

“Lasagna it is-“

“Nope, I’ll have the spaghetti.”

“If you don’t make up your mind, I swear I will ask one of the other waiters to take your order. It’s a good thing Mr. Choi is a good friend of mine… or else…”

Kyuhyun takes the wine, and then pours some of the red liquid in his wine glass. “I really like you, Lee Sungmin.”

Sungmin watches Kyuhyun gulp down the wine from the glass in one go. “Mmhmm, and so does Mr. Choi over here. Mr. Choi, what would you like to have?”

“I’ll have the spaghetti too, Sungmin,” Siwon said, flashing his charming smile at Sungmin.

“And I’ll be back with your order.” Sungmin takes the menus from the wealthy men before leaving. Sungmin couldn’t stand serving the arrogant Mr. Cho anymore so he asked his good friend, Kibum to serve them for the rest of their stay.

An hour later, Sungmin was standing next to Leeteuk near the entrance, happily chatting with him after being scolded by their manager. Someone taps Sungmin on the shoulder and he quickly turned around to face the person.

It was none other than Cho Kyuhyun.

“May I help you?” Sungmin deadpanned.

“Oh, no. I was just going to ask you to move out of the way.”

“There’s this huge space that you can walk on.” Sungmin motions to the wide space that was available. “Ta-da!”

“You see, Mr. Lee, I was going to talk to Mr. Park right here, so if you don’t mind, move out of the way.” Sungmin gawks at Kyuhyun’s face before walking away to go to Kibum who was working at the bar.

Sungmin watches Kyuhyun whisper something to Leeteuk, leaving with his hands in his pockets. Sungmin runs to Leeteuk and shakes his body.

“What happened? Are you okay? Did he say something bad?” Sungmin asks worriedly.

“No, but the wrath won’t stop today.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing.”

Sungmin walks back to Kibum, thinking of the words that Leeteuk said. Wrath? What wrath? It won’t stop? Huh?

~

Sungmin’s confusion was answered the next day.

The moment he was going to pick up his next customer, he finds Cho Kyuhyun, CEO of all arrogance, waiting for him.

“Mr. Cho, fancy seeing you again. I believe Mr. Choi doesn’t have a reservation today.”

“No, but I do.”

“Oh, you do now?”

“Yeah. For the rest of the year.”

“For the rest of the year?!” Sungmin screams, making some heads turn to look at him. He apologized to everyone, and then stared at Kyuhyun. He repeats what he asked only silently this time.

“I want to see you every day.”

“Dear God, I’m not interested, okay?” Sungmin says, taking a menu from Leeteuk before leading Kyuhyun by the window seat.

“But I’m interested.”

“Whatever. What will you have today?”

“Spaghetti.”

“Okay, I’ll have someone serve it for you.”

“But I want you to serve it for me. You wouldn’t want me to give this restaurant a bad review, now would you?”

“You’re not even a critic.”

“No, but I could hire a critic.”

Sungmin scoffs. “That’s exactly why I don’t want to deal with rich, arrogant people.” He left before Kyuhyun could even say anything.

~

The next day, Kyuhyun came again.

Then the next day, then the next, then the next, until two weeks have passed and he still came.

Sungmin and Kibum watches Kyuhyun devour his spaghetti, which he has been ordering for the past two weeks, at the bar.

“God damn, Sungmin. I haven’t seen someone so devoted to seeing you,” Kibum said.

“He’s so stupid,” Sungmin stated.

“Stupidly in love with you? Aren’t we all stupid when we find someone that we like?” Kibum responds, wiping the fingerprint on the wine glass with a white cloth.

“But still, he’s rich, I’m poor. He’s on the top of the world, and I’m here struggling just to get to the middle. He’s this beautiful rainbow after the storm, and I was that storm. Do you get the point?”

“Point being?”

“We’re from different worlds, Kibum.”

“You know, you’re this smart person, but sometimes I feel like I’m smarter. All I have to say is- oh, he’s calling you.”

Sungmin strolled towards Kyuhyun. Kyuhyun was smiling ever so widely which Sungmin returned with a nervous grin.

“Do you need something?” Sungmin asks.

“No, I’m finished. It’s good.”

“Aren’t you tired of it?”

Kyuhyun stares at him. “Of what? Of the spaghetti or coming here every day for lunch?”

“Both,” Sungmin answered.

“Well, first of all, spaghetti is my favorite Italian dish. I will never get tired of it. Secondly, no. I like seeing you every day.” Kyuhyun smiles at Sungmin.

Kyuhyun was dumbfounded when Sungmin took a seat in front of him as if he’s not even working right now.

“Look, Mr. Cho, I really appreciate your fondness for me-“

“Not fondness, but love.” Kyuhyun snaps lightly.

“No, oh dear God, no. How can you even say its love already? That’s not what I’m trying to say, Mr. Cho, but please-“

“Are you trying to say what I’m feeling for you is wrong?”

“Yes.”

“I’m not the one who’s wrong, it’s you. I don’t know if you believe in love at first sight, but I think I do. Ever since Siwon talked about you, I knew I wanted to meet you. Siwon is a playboy so it’s normal for him not to keep on pestering you about dating him. But I’m not like Siwon. Siwon is nice, I’m not. Siwon saves money; I spend money like it’s nothing. The only thing that I hate about him is that he doesn’t believe in love, I do. So, I don’t know why you’re thinking what I’m feeling is wrong, Sungmin. Because I sure damn don’t feel like I’m wrong.”

“I’m really sorry, Mr. Cho.” Sungmin stands up from his seat. “I really can’t accept your feelings for me.”

“I see.”

Kyuhyun stands up, takes money from his wallet and slapping it on the table, then silently walks away.

Sungmin on the other hand made his way back to Kibum.

“You turned him down?” Kibum asks.

“Like always for the past fourteen days,” Sungmin replies.

“You’re really stupid, Sungmin. Really really stupid.”

Sungmin shrugs before he made his way back to Leeteuk.

~

The next day, Kyuhyun didn’t come. Sungmin was happy, but at the same time, he was wondering why the latter wasn’t there. Maybe he was just late today.

The day after that, Kyuhyun still didn’t come.

The next day, Kyuhyun still didn’t show his face, which actually made Sungmin worry.

In a blink of an eye, Kyuhyun is gone from Sungmin’s life.

~

It’s been a month since Sungmin had last seen Kyuhyun. Life went on normally for Sungmin. It wasn’t like an elite person would actually be telling the truth anyway. Sungmin believed that Kyuhyun simple was just playing around.

Siwon entered the restaurant and Sungmin was more than ecstatic to see him.

“Mr. Choi, how’ve you been?” Sungmin asks with a bright smile.

“I’ve been fine. I see you’re still as jumpy and happy as before.”

“Would I ever find a reason to sulk and frown?”

“I don’t think so.”

They laughed their way to Siwon’s usual table. The moment Siwon sits down, he tugged at Sungmin’s black apron.

“I have company coming.”

“Don’t you always?”

“True. Sungmin, I think I’ve found love.”

“Really?”

“Yes. She’s the sweetest person I’ve ever met, and she makes me feel all giddy and innocent again.”

“That’s really nice to hear Mr. Choi, is she the one that’s coming?”

“No. It’s me.”

Sungmin turned around to face the familiar voice that he missed. Yes, he missed Cho Kyuhyun, the guy that has everything, but seeks love from him. Cho Kyuhyun, whose face is peppered with acne marks, but his charming smile makes up for it. Cho Kyuhyun, whose hair black as night that falls perfectly, lips pink as cherries, and eyes brown as cappuccino, he’s finally fallen in love with.

Maybe now Kibum will call him smart for finally admitting to himself that he has indeed fallen in love with a person he never should’ve fallen in love with.

“Hey, I know I’m very good looking, but please stop staring at me like you’re about to kill me,” Kyuhyun said as he grabbed Sungmin’s face in one hand then squeezed it so that Sungmin’s mouth is shaped like a fish’s mouth.

“I thought you died, stupid! Let go of me!” Sungmin swats Kyuhyun’s hand away, then huffed back to the kitchen.

“Chef Kim, give me two plates of spaghetti.”

Sungmin heard the chef whisper “they’re back” to his sue chef.

“Yes, you know what; they’re back, Chef Kim! And you know what I hate the most about them being back? I’ve realized how much I missed that stupid, arrogant, good looking, Cho Kyuhyun! And you know what else I’ve realized, Chef Kim?! I’m ing in love with a wealthy person! I’ll probably get judged so hard by his parents and everyone else in their company. Dear God, I’m screwed!”

“Okay, calm down, Sungmin. It’s going to be fine-“

Sungmin slams his hand on the table. “No, it’s not!”

“Okay, then…”

Sungmin takes the two plates of spaghetti, then went back to Kyuhyun and Siwon’s table.

“Here.”

“But I didn’t want spaghetti today,” Kyuhyun spats.

“You will ing eat this spaghetti like you usually did, and you will like it! Now, eat!” Sungmin snapped.

Kyuhyun placed a mouthful of spaghetti in his mouth in response to Sungmin’s threat. Siwon left the table to go to the restroom and leave the two alone.

Kyuhyun was looking at Sungmin, whose face was burning in annoyance, while chewing on the mouthful of spaghetti. Suddenly, Sungmin grabbed Kyuhyun chin, then kissed Kyuhyun right on the lips.

Sungmin pulled back and Kyuhyun stared at the sauce that was on the corner of Sungmin’s mouth. Sungmin the sauce of his lips before taking a seat beside Kyuhyun.

“Exactly how long were you planning on not showing your face?” Sungmin said.

Kyuhyun swallowed his food. “Was it my fault that my father sent me to Italy to see if our company there is doing fine?”

“You couldn’t call the restaurant to cancel your reservation? Or I don’t know; whisper it to Leeteuk’s ears.”

 “Where you jealous when I did that?” Kyuhyun asks, and then smirked.

“If you weren’t a customer, I would’ve slapped you already. Jealousy is not in my vocabulary. Besides, I didn’t like you back then.”

“So you’re saying you like me now?” Kyuhyun asks Sungmin, waiting for his answer.

His question was answered by another kiss on his lips.

“Can you answer by kissing me every day now?” Kyuhyun teased.

“Only if you promise me that you won’t leave without saying goodbye first.”

“Who said I was leaving you ever again? You’re mine now, right?” Sungmin nods. “It’s settled then. I’m taking you every where I’m going.”

Kyuhyun intertwines their hands together. “See this?” He asks Sungmin. “I’m never letting this person’s hand go. It’s staying with me forever.”

Forever it was.

~

“Jesus Christ, Sungmin, I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Sungmin pulled his hand back from Kyuhyun, then jumped up from his chair. “Why the hell are you flirting with the customer?!”

“Manager Kim, I- I- uhmmm…”

“We’re together now,” Kyuhyun said, standing up from his chair.

“I’m back… well hi there.” Siwon greeted Heechul, taking his hands and placing a kiss on the back of it. He turned to face Sungmin whose eyebrows were raised. “Sungmin, remember when I said I think I found love?”

“Yeah, whatever happened to that, Mr. Choi?”

“Well, forget that one. I think it’s this one right here.”

“If you thought I was hard to get Mr. Choi, then good luck with Manager Kim.”

“I’m Heechul.” The manager introduced himself.

“And I’m your soulmate,” Siwon responded.

-끝-