Yuri’s POV

I thought all night about what job I’d have. Probably just as a normal fruit shop sales person. Minho sips his coffee whilst reading the newspaper. That was the level of sophistication I was expecting out of him. Stylish clothes that fit his figure, and even the position of the legs poised over the other. It was too posh to handle, an eye-sore to the slack kind of slouch I was used too. I was starting to reconsider about how much a slob Ji-yong oppa was.

“You have a job in mind?” He asks momentarily shifting his gaze to me. “Well, nothing much in my mind right now, but I’m thinking about something like a market place.” Minho looks at me with mild disapproval, like I was an idiot to be happy working in a marketplace. Without verbal reasoning he simply returned to reading the flimsy grey pages before him, leaving me to wallow in my thoughts. ‘Fruit store? What about fish market?’ My voice would suit the yelling part. I was dexterous enough to fit the dealing part too.

‘I wonder how Jessica is?’ I guess if it was another girl in my situation they would either be fretting over being constantly surrounded by the male populace, or drooling. Jiyong-oppa had affected me too much, it’s not even weird living with one, except the fact that we occasionally didn’t get along. I slip into the pair of skinny jeans that Jo Kwon had left. I swept the creases off the plaid shirt and fold over the collar neatly. Followed by covering myself with the thickest jacket he'd left. 

“How do I look?” I pose with my right hand awkwardly positioned on my hip as I exit my room. He twirls his finger motioning for me to do a 360 turn. “Well, you look better with Jo Kwon’s help. You used to look like a homeless person that had unfortunately had their clothes run over by a car.” He blatantly states with a straight face. ‘How painfully blunt could he be?’ He wasn’t like this, not to other people anyway. Just me. I did owe him.... not for long though!

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“Hello Ahjummoni, is there any possibility I could work here?” She gave off the same feeling like the ahjummas from back home. Jiyong oppa got along really well with them, always being gifted with free food and sharing it with me. She wore those thick insulating type of synthetic jackets and had unruly permed hair. “No, you should find another store. Though I do feel bad for rejecting such a darling face.” ‘Then why don’t you hire me?’I wasn’t going to bear a grudge, it was just frustrated being rejected over and over again. Calming myself down, I eventually nod dejectedly.

 “I wish you could be my daughter’s boyfriend though. You’re proper, looking for decent work. A hard worker.” She muses, then suddenly spots Minho. “Or you too, you’re both like those boy group members right out of the magazines. Flower Boys.” She laughs stacking some packages onto a stand. Minho thanks the her for her time and quickly pushes to hurry out of the place. Minho did the role justice, small face, large eyes, porcelain skin, more speckless and smoother than a girl’s probably.

“Are you sure you’re content with working in a market? I mean, there are only elderly middle-aged people working here.” He crinkles his nose gesturing it wouldn’t be on most people’s preference to take on the stall yeller position. “Well, I’m used to it. Bustle doesn’t bother me, it’s soothing in a way. I like company.” I spoke sincerely. I still had my doubts about this though. “Come on, try some shops and stores first. Then if you’re rejected there then you can come back here. I don’t want to dodge rotting vegetables clotted on the floor every-time I pick you up.” I raise my eyebrows. “You’re going to pick me up?” He realizes what he said and chuckled. “Oh, thanks for reminding me. I’m not going to.” Minho you troll.

“I’m sorry.” Another place rejected. A balding man wearing a cardigan answers. I was a desirable employee, someone hire me please! “If you get a job anywhere else I guarantee it’ll get you the same amount double time faster.” Minho re-quotes. “I guess,” I nod slowly. There was no reason to be sad, I’m worthy way more than this.’

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I swear all I could see were couples clingy beside one another. “Look.” Minho points to from beneath a sign imprinted with ‘Looking for workers’ on a laminated poster. “How easy was that?” He rubs in. Like a gentleman he opens the door, causing a small bell to tinkle a chime. He burrows his hands buried deep in his olive trench coat, sort of implanting himself on the spot, completely blocking my view. Straining my heels I leap to peer passed his shoulder. With no hope of seeing passed I just opt with the suggestive nudge.

Eventually he moved over to reveal everything. It was your typical coffee shop, except obviously clustered with teenage girls. ‘ He thinks he’s so photogenically handsome the girls with start drooling. Typical ego.’ We walk a few meters in, but not without me having coax Minho along. There were several cream parasols shading the tables neatly situated beside the store’s window outside. The sets of pearly white cups brimmed with coco sprinkled foam, neatly kept on matching tables. The place had a pungent smell of fresh coffee beans, but not in an overwhelming way. I liked it.

 “Oh, Annyeonghaseyo! How may I help you? Oh, Jae- Yup!” I immediately tense up after hearing my ‘name’ being called across the room of chattering girls. A male figure came jogging towards us, grinning. It was Yunho. I bow to greet him and Minho does so too. “What are you guys doing here?” He curiously asks while trying to balance a tray on his arm. “Well, I’m kind of looking for a job.” His expression immediately brightens up, and he quickly calls to the counter. A brown haired girl scurries over and takes over his duty as he gestures me to follow him. 

“You have no idea, what a relief it is for me knowing that there’ll be another worker around!” He relinquishes leaning against the table the minute the door closes. He approaches clamps my shoulders with joy. “Thank you!” He embraces we tightly and releases just as fast. “Could you possibly start now?” ‘Well, it didn’t feel right leaving Minho’s money hanging in limbo because of me.’ “Yeah sure,” I smile. He hands me an apron identical to his and take off my jacket to pull it on.

My fingers fumble trying to find the loop to tighten the knot but I keep clumsily pulling before finding it. “You need help tying it?” Yunho asks, walking towards me. “Yes I do.” Minho sniggers from his position in the corner seat, but he quickly loses his smirk when Yunho speaks again.“Now that I observe closely, you have quite a womanly figure Jae- Yup.” I could feel it, heat slowly soaking up onto my cheeks. My heart started to beat faster too. “Wh-what you talking about?” I sharply ask as he tightens the knot.

“You’re manly too. It just gives you an approachable, charismatic vibe that’ll attract women.” He mellowly chuckles. Either he was as smooth and slick as a playboy equipped with the quickest thinking mind on earth or just a romantic gentleman with a lot of vocabulary. A feeling arises in me, sort of like admiration. He was charismatic for sure, I could see the prying eyes of vying lovers taking up most of the shops population. “Do you have a girlfriend?” He hands me a notepad and a pen meanwhile. “Um, yes?” Jessica, there was Jessica. I would see her tomorrow. He pats my back and shows me outside. “Wh-what about you Sunbae?” He shakes his head low but places a finger his lips for me to keep it secret.

“Oppa! Oppa! I have an order!” One of the girls squeal from the line across the counter, frantically waving towards him. Yunho leads me and demonstrates how to take orders. “So afterwards you just hang the note here on this wire and Voila! Order Ready.” I concentrate on stabilizing my hand beneath the coffee machine.He wasn’t at all like a menace about to rip my throat the moment I mucked up, he was encouraging. Unlike Minho. Speaking about him, I eye him seated near the counter with smiling girls surrounding him. “He’s so handsome.” “Another Flower-boy like our oppa!” Man, these girls were rather annoying.I roll my eyes. This sort of an environment was loath-able. This was a coffee shop, appreciation for the drink would be nice. Not the man serving it up.

 I type in the pin number, gradually fastening the pace. I was getting the hang of this. I was basically counting order after order. Hoping for my life there wouldn’t be a snobbish girl to correct me if I got the order wrong. Most of then were girls anyway. An ear splitting crash woke me from the trance. “I’m so sorry!” A girl with plaited hair immediately falls to the space beside the broken pieces of ceramic. 

He smiled and quickly assisted her. “It’s ok, I’ll take care of this.” He guided her back to her seat, holding her by the shoulders. “Thank you oppa,” the girl flusters from their seats. He tilts his head in acknowledgement strides off objectively to the counter. Within this short amount of time, he had accomplished in amazing me. His ambition and skills to get things done. It was refreshing to see determination. The simple slick hairstyle and the slight crinkle of his nose whenever he eye-smiled. It was adorable. The girl was in quite the daze, gaining some envious eyes from Yunho’s surrounding fan-base. 

Yunho is probably the Prince. He is the kind Prince spoken about in all of the fairytale stories.

He’s the Coffee Prince.

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Minho’s POV

‘Why is this girl staring so infatuatedly with him?’ I watch her inch behind him like a shadow, longingly gazing at him for the back. ‘Was she even paying attention to what he was saying?’ It irritated me honestly. Was she even so selfish as to be eyeing her potential boyfriend instead of worrying about paying me back? I tap my fingers against the table. Why was I even waiting for her like this? It feels pathetic acting like a chauffeur or bodyguard.

“Why are you so slow? Bwaeli-kah!” I groan as she passes me. “But I’m not done being taught,” she whines. The sight of her pathetically jumping with the intention to say in this female infested coffee shop was beyond me.“It’s okay Minho, I can drop him off later.” Yunho kindly offers glancing at Yuri. She pleads me with her eyes. “Maybe even after dinner?” He adds, laughing and she fiercely persevered in my direction. Adding gas to the fire of ambition.

“Andwae, Hyung. You can’t waste your precious money on him.” Yunho laughs and waves his hand dismissing the burden. Yunho Hyung graduatied with top scores and is currently attending the best university, whilst balancing this quaint job when he was a successful entrepreneur's son.“But it’s o-” “I’ll wait.” I plop myself down, frustrated. I didn’t want to give Yuri the satisfaction of sneaking away with her ‘Prince Charming,’ to dine to a ‘fancy’ dinner beneath the moonlight. Yunho was that responsible kind of hyung that took sincere care of his juniors. Wether wangta, or kingka, treatment was a plain as the same. Maybe I could go around a bit to waste my time.

I walk across the road, skillfully stopping and weaving my way passed cars cluttered on the road. It really did remind me of Friday when I went out to eat with Yuri. The coffee shop wasn’t so far away from the sushi bar at all. The neon flashing lights across the street catch my eye, it was the arcade Yuri was desperate to play. It felt like back tracking where we went before. I steadily pace on the pavement, with people elbowing each other. Fortunately I had a height advantage. ‘There’s where we met Jonghyun.’ I unconsciously note. ‘The store I bought the pin, and the convenience store they entered.’ I really needed to snap out of this. I shouldn’t be wasting my time.

With winter still amongst us, the darkness came fast. My fingers with fortunately covered securely in my pockets, but my thoughts were wondering everywhere. Having someone constantly around me for the last few days was growing to become a habit. That one moment of leisure and freedom just ended up being time to think about when I’m not free. ‘Aiishh,’ I mentally scowl. Yuri had really gotten into my mind hadn’t she. Dug a hold deep inside my brain and curled up into a permanent ball of thought. “Excuse me, wouldn’t you be interested in my buying something, handsome boy?” I glance at the beige coloured vegetables and a smile slowly creeps up. “I’ll take 4 please.”

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‘Closed.’ Casually I start walking to the back door. Sure enough the Tomboy I anticipating was locking up, head darting towards my direction the moment my footsteps were heard. “You stayed until the shop closed?” She sounded surprised. I wasn’t a heartless man to just leave her after I said I’d stay. “Were you hoping I wouldn’t be here so you could go home with Yunho?” I jab, although it didn’t affect her at all. She was a girl after all, she would probably be drooling and insinuating some bizzare trap for Yunho and her to end up in. That was it, wasn’t it? 

“He went home already.” She states oblivious at my comment of malice. A sudden burden in my chest was lifted and I couldn’t help but feel a bit of relief. The plastic bag rustles as I walk closer towards her. “Here.” It dangles in the frigid air and the steam could still be seen escaping through the holes I had punched in boredom waiting for her outside.

“I bought sweet potatoes.” I mumble. She stood there for a while until she grabbed them and smiled brightly. “Thank you! You have no idea how peckish I was handing over orders. I was so tempted to just gorge it all down!”

Her fingers peel at the skin at inconsistent pecks, whilst blowing at the steam. “It’s so warm!” She cheers triumphantly as the last strip of brown skin was torn. Biting into it she body shakes with joy, happily breaking part of it for me. “It’s ok,” I reject but she uncurls my fingers forcefully and places it in. “Thank you again Minho!” She chirps playfully. We walk to Cece, sweet potato in hand. She reaches for the handle but I yell with disapproval. “Finish eating, before you get in. I don’t want you dropping crumbs.” 

She swallows the thing whole and grins... I had forgot her ogre-like eating habits since the first time we’d met. The ride back was silent, she was obviously puffed from working. Hopefully. I wasn’t there after-all to assess her resilience. Her head bobbed and billowed side to side. It was endearing in a way to see her tired from work, I was sure she’d tried hard. I purposely slow down the speed to settle her in more comfortably. It was like a brotherly urge just stop the car and drape a blanket over her. 

“Minho, you should drive like this more often.” Her words catch my attention. What did she mean? Her sleepy eyes drooped and her smile, softly drawn on her lips. A rising feeling of achievement was inside of me. That feeling of successfully taking care of a dongsaeng. It was unfamiliar, but nice. We arrive back at school just before curfew when the gates closed every night. 

Until something catches my eye in the distance. Rows of isolated red lights, barely moving at all. ‘Damn, traffic jam.’ I curse inside. I turn to find Yuri already floating off into her fantasia, leaving me awkwardly seated beside her. I open my phone to find we had about and hour and a half before the gates closed and locks us out. It was like a solo mission now. Yuri had gone down, only me. That feeling of pride being a guardian like figure had been washed away by my anger for the suspension. I fiddle with my phone, the taunting lights of double digit numbers.

We barely park in time for the gates to close. Now we just had to get into the dorms before the carpark was locked from the school and the dormitories. I cover my mouth as I yawn. “I’m really sleepy.” It was rather obvious. Her voice could barely be heard over the ‘silence’. I nod placing the keys into my pocket. “The car parks will be permanently locked up soon, you sure you haven’t left anything?” Nodding with her eyes half-closed she staggers toward our dorm. Usually the cold air would wake me up, but today..... was just zombie mode. I’m sure I was probably unsteadily stumbling over my own feet. Finally we reach our door. It was determined, I would go in, sandwich myself permanently in my bed and sleep for eternity. I shouldn’t have woken up so early.

I pat my pockets to assure with one they were in. A small wave of panic washes over me. “I can’t find my keys.” I fight the urge to permanently close my eyelids for business for the day.“What?” She drones, slightly wobbling on the spot. It was like having a conversation between two dead people.“Did you bring yours?” I wheeze. Her head shakes slowly. We were doomed.... ‘So. Tired.’ Traffic congestion had drained all energy I had ever had stored up. We both simultaneously collapse against the wall and start trickling down.

I could barely open my eyes. What blurry figure I could make out of Yuri was sliding down, just like mine. We probably looked like sacks slumped against the wall by now. I tilt my head upwards, brushing the strands of hair out of my eyes and look to find Yuri slowly falling sideways towards the ground. “Are you sleepy?” Groggily she nods her head. She looked sort of cute.... Sort of. I would admit it this once. Maybe the droning haze was blocking my mind from functioning, but the short locks really fit her well.

I pat my shoulder and beckon her closer. “W-what now?” She seems flustered. It didn’t really wake the both of us up enough though.“You’re tired right, just lean your head against my shoulder.” Without much hesitation she dragged herself closer and laid her head down softly.

“Your jacket feels like clouds.” She smiles, her eyes fluttering. Her breath became lucid afterwards, her breath clearly making icy fumes. My eyes trail across her features and slowly I start to drift off the sleep as well.

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“Aish, you guys remind me of hobos. It’s embarrassing, even as a neighbor. Get up!” A thonged slipper digs into my knee. I shift my position and wind my shoulders back to feel a daunting pain pressing onto my right shoulder. “Wh-what’s wrong?” A voice close to my ear asks. Yuri. She had fallen asleep leaning against my shoulder, with the fluffy rim of the hood as a pillow.

“You forgot you’re key right? What’s wrong is that you’re sleeping outside your door the hard way, when you could have just bunked with me.” Shindong huffs and folds his arms. Yuri and I exchange dumbfounded glances.

‘I guess we could have done it that way too.’

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Author's Notes:

Long time no update? Maybe. I’m not joking that I might need to either change my writing style or make these updates shorter. It was a pain writing this argh! But because I support the couple and for you guys too! My readers, please comment so I can feel more motivated to continue this :)

I apologize beforehand for grammar or possibly mistakes for now. I'll make sure to smoothen it over later perhaps. I'm just so glad that this chapter's done. PLEASE DON'T UNSUBSCRIBE!! I LOVE YOU!! 

"Take care of those around you and stay healthy!"