Jongup pulled down his Beats headphones as he stepped through the front door of the Star Café. He glanced around the establishment, judging his surroundings. Youngjae had suggested this place to him yesterday in IB Biology II. Apparently Star Café was getting famous for its pastries and signature Cold Cut Turkey and Swiss Grilled Sandwich. It had some type of secret sauce or something, he didn’t remember; he had spaced out when Youngjae got to that part. He heard Daehyun’s name somewhere that conversation though, so he figured Daehyun took him there recently.

Speaking of Youngjae, he should be here by now. He’s the one who said they should meet up there the next day to study for the test the next week and snack on some café food.

Jongup puffed out his cheeks in a bored fashion, readjusting his bookbag on his shoulder and walking towards an empty table off to the side of the café. As soon as he sat down, he took out his IB Biology textbook and the study guide he made the night before after finishing all his homework.

He knew he’d probably be prepared for the test next week, especially with Youngjae’s help and after making the study guide, but he wanted to sure that he was ready for it. That’s the only reason why he agreed to meet up here with Youngjae.

He looked up and around the café again, looking to see if Youngjae had shown up yet.

Nope.

Going back to his study guide, Jongup took out his highlighters, prepping himself for an intense study session when his phone went off. He reached in his back pocket to pull it out and saw it was a text from Youngjae.

Eyeing the screen suspiciously, he unlocked his phone and read the text.

    -    my Daehyunnie surprised me after school today! we’ll have to meet up later~ <333 sorry jonguppieeee

Annoyed at how his friend only capitalized one word, Jongup glared at his screen and angrily jabbed a quick text.

    -    I hate you.

He threw his phone into his bookbag’s front pouch, nowhere near interested in seeing if or what Youngjae replied. Guess he was on his own today.

Jongup sighed, picking up his highlighter and opening his text book. If he studied hard and long enough today, he wouldn’t even need Youngjae’s help or his stupid tendency to throw away all of his plans whenever Daehyun showed up. This was the fifth time he’d done it to Jongup, six if he included the time they went to play laser tag and Daehyun showed up with his college friends. The couple had disappeared halfway through the game, leaving the teams uneven and Jongup alone with Himguk and Yongchan or whatever their names were.

Obviously, Jongup wasn’t going to get much done while he was still upset about Youngjae, so he decided to order something. He stood up and walked over to the counter, where a short line was slowly starting to grow as more people showed up for whatever.

The other customers seemed to know what they wanted, as the line was moving fairly quickly, and Jongup gazed up at the menu, trying to figure out what he wanted. He spaced out a couple of times, his signature smile plastered on his face as he did so. By the time he figured out what he wanted, he was next in line. It was then that he looked at the person taking orders behind the counter.

A medium-toned black man, maybe in his early twenties, stood behind the counter. His mouth moved quickly, yet smoothly as he asked the customer how she wanted her mocha latte and what type of side she wanted to go with her sandwich. His eyes darted back and forth over the screen as his fingers effortlessly punched in the order.

Suddenly, he glanced past the current customer ordering and smiled at Jongup, showing off his pearly whites.

Jongup couldn’t believe how… well, flawless this man’s smile was.

The black male looked back to the ordering customer and told her the total before she gave him her debit card. He handed it back to her after swiping it, along with a little beeper for when her food was ready. The customer walked away, smiling at Jongup and blushing slightly.

Jongup smiled back and watched her disappear behind the wall separating the café into two parts, lost in her delicately short, brown curls.

“Hi,” the man said, taking Jongup’s attention off of the woman. “Welcome to Star Café. What can I get ya?”

Chris, his nametag read. His name was Chris.

He raised an eyebrow at the Korean spaced out in front of him.

“Oh, sorry,” Jongup apologized, snapping out of it. “I’ll have the Signature Turkey and Swiss.”

“Okay,” Chris drawled out, typing the order into the machine. “You want a drink?”

“Uh, yes. Sprite.”

“Can do,” Chris said with a wide smile. “That all?”

Jongup smiled back at him and nodded.

“That’ll be $6.58.”

Jongup pulled a ten from his wallet and handed it to him, his eyes drawn to Chris’ hand when it unintentionally brushed against his.

Chris counted out Jongup’s change and handed it to him, saying, “…8, 9, 10. Here’s your change. I’ll bring your order out to you shortly.” He handed Jongup a beeper and a cup for his soda, giving him another wide smile. “Have a nice Tuesday.”

“Thank you, uh, Chris, you too.”

The man smiled even wider than before, as if it was one of the first times a customer said that. Jongup was almost sure that wasn’t the case.

Jongup turned and walked away from the ordering counter, resisting his urge to turn around to get another look at Chris. He made it all the way back to his table before he glanced back over his shoulder. By then it was impossible as the wall was in the way.

His shoulders slumped as he noticed this, sitting down in his chair and picking his highlighter back up. He began to work again, soon forgetting about the Chris guy as he was immersed in his studying.

“Signature Turkey ‘n Swiss?” came a voice oddly close and behind Jongup.

Jongup sat up and turned around quickly, startled out of his previous state of being hunched over his textbook and highlighting the crap out of it. He almost stammered when he saw who it was.

Chris stood behind him, practically looking over his shoulder and holding a platter with said Signature Turkey ‘n Swiss Deluxe Grilled Sandwich.

“Uh, yeah,” Jongup stammered, moving his textbook and papers out of the way.

Chris placed the platter down in the spot the Korean male just cleared, smiling just as wide as he was from behind the counter.

“Thanks,” Jongup smiled at the black male.

“No problem,” he grinned back, never taking his eyes off of Jongup.

The two males continued to stare at each other from their positions, never ceasing to smile and giving the occasional chuckle.

This awkward interaction went on for a good twenty seconds.

Jongup was partially creeped out, but he couldn’t help but wonder why Chris was paying him so much attention. He didn’t think his order would be brought to his table, let alone by Chris. In fact, he was almost sure customers were supposed to go pick up their food at the counter. Isn’t that why they gave out those little–

“Could I get your beeper?”

“Hmm?”

Well maybe not, but usually that’s what the beepers are for. Wait a...

“My beeper didn’t go off,” Jongup informed, handing the black male the beeper off of the table.

“I know,” Chris smiled. “I just wanted to bring your order out to you personally.”

Jongup blinked.

“Why?”

“Just cause,” Chris winked, beginning to walk off but stopping and coming back. “Hey, what’s your name?”

“Uh, Jongup.”

“Jongup?” He paused before smiling again. “I like it.”

And then he was gone. Just like that.

Jongup saw him appear back behind the counter, apparently resuming his job.

Well that was weird.

Turning back to his deluxe grilled sandwich, the Korean male decided it was probably time to go. He picked up his sandwich and took a bite, about to put it down again and start packing up when he noticed a small piece of paper on his plate.

“Hmm?” he perked up through a full mouth.

A quick glance around the café and he picked up the balled up paper. Opening it, his eyes grew wide.

It was a number, a phone number.

A rushed scribble hovered over said number, reading, “Chris, call me.”

Jongup immediately turned to look at the counter, where Chris stood taking orders. In that instant, Chris looked over at the other male and gave him a smile followed by a wink before going back to his job.

Yup, it was definitely time to go.

Jongup quickly packed up his things, grabbed the sandwich, and rushed out the door furthest from the order counter, the crumbled piece of paper stuffed deep down into his skinny blue jean pockets.

So sorry for the way the text looks.. And it's long.. and probably nobody wants to read this :/ but.. but I worked really hard on this.. so ... I'm sorry ; A;