Dongwoo hit the button on his car visor, watching the garage door close in his rear view mirror. The concept of having a garage was still foreign to him; he had lived in apartments ever since he moved out of his parents’ house, which meant that he had been parking outside for longer than he could remember. It was just another way that his life was different now, a good change that made him feel happy, even if it was something small and trivial.

He climbed out of his black Corvette, locking the doors behind him. He looked over to the empty space in the garage, confirming his suspicions that his husband had not returned yet. He let out a sigh as he walked into the house, flicking on lights as he went. He ended up in the living room, collapsing onto the couch to unwind after the day. He slipped his shoes off, crossing his feet on top of the coffee table as he allowed himself to finally relax.

His time with Myungsoo today had been surprisingly good, he could see why Sunggyu had hired the kid after a simple phone interview. He was eager to work, and even more important, he was eager to learn. Myungsoo would fit in easily in the department, they needed more people with that sort of passion for police work.

And maybe, just maybe, Sunggyu had been right about the extra pair of eyes on this case. Dongwoo had gotten so close to a breakthrough a few times over the past couple of months, only to hit a dead end. The evidence he had gathered so far was circumstantial at best. When this had all started it was supposed to be open and shut kind of deal, it was only a couple of guys selling some pills in a concentrated area. But the more Dongwoo started looking the larger the case seemed to get. Each time he thought he was close to finding the doctor writing the prescriptions or the hospitals workers on the dealers’ payroll, the trail just went cold. Maybe Myungsoo could help him, come up with something he hadn’t thought of yet. Sometimes objectivity was a good thing, and hopefully his new partner could do exactly that for him.

Dongwoo closed his eyes, resting his head on the back of the couch as he ran over countless facts from the case; names, faces, dates, and numbers that were all starting to jumble together in his brain. He laughed to himself; today was supposed to be his day off, and of course his thoughts were still consumed with work. He decided to stop thinking about it all together; him and Myungsoo had stayed late getting everything organized inside their workspace, and they would have all day tomorrow - Sunggyu would see to it - to pour over every single aspect of the case.

He rubbed his face tiredly, dragging his eyes open to take in the room. His gaze landed on the scattered pieces of clothing from the previous evening, Hoya’s pants hanging over the arm of the chair, his own shirt on the floor next to the lamp. A smile came over his face naturally as he rose up from the couch, picking up their clothes as his mind turned over to more intriguing thoughts. He made his way to their bedroom, tossing the items into the laundry bin as Hoya crept back into his mind again.

Hoya had sounded pretty burdened during the phone call, the weariness heavy in his voice. It wasn’t exactly a new thing for his husband to be tired from working; he shuddered when he remembered the allnighters Hoya used to pull while he was in med school. They were only dating back then, they weren’t able to spend nearly as much time together as Dongwoo would have liked, but he remembered the tiredness that used to always be present on Hoya’s face. Not only did he have to take shifts in the hospital, but Hoya also had to study for his exams on top of working. But those days were long gone, and now there were supposed to be in more of a normal routine. Sure there were long days and late nights here and there, but usually not one right after the other. Maybe that was why Hoya sounded so troubled on the phone, maybe his body wasn’t used to it?

Dongwoo shook his head, he doubted that was the reason behind his husband’s fatigue. Even when Hoya was tired he would always be able to cheer himself up for Dongwoo. He had mentioned wanting to talk once he got home, and judging by his tone it had seemed important.

As he stripped off his clothes from the day and jumped in the shower, he ran over possible scenarios in his head. He was worried, but not too worried; he knew that whatever Hoya wanted to talk about had nothing to do with him or their relationship. After the night they had yesterday, he knew that they were more than okay. In fact, right now their marriage was pretty damn perfect.

The only place Hoya had been since he left the house was the hospital, so something must have happened at work. Maybe he lost a patient? It wouldn’t be the first time that had happened, and Hoya was always a little lackluster afterwards, even if he understood the reality of sickness and the fragility of health more than most.

He stayed underneath the warm stream of water for awhile, trying to wash away the sudden stress from the day. When he realized he was getting nowhere he turned off the faucet, stepping out of the shower and quickly drying off. The shower had done wonders on his body, but the same couldn’t be said for his mind. He hung the towel up on the rack and padded into the bedroom, pulling out a comfy pair of pants and a loose v-neck. Dongwoo’s eyes darted over to the clock, the late number making him feel more uneasy. Hoya hadn’t come home this late in longer than he could remember. He picked his phone up on the nightstand, his fingers traveling over the phone.

His thumb hovered over the call button, a sudden hesitance making him stop before completing the call. He had already checked in with Hoya, calling him while he was obviously still at the hospital wouldn’t really solve anything or make him come home any quicker.

Dongwoo decided to put his energy into something better for the both of them, heading into the kitchen to scrape some dinner together. With luck Hoya would be home by the time he was finished, and they could catch up then. He decided on something simple, his focus too scattered to make anything fancy. He ended up putting some water on for noodles, leaning against the counter and staring at nothing in particular.

He was broken out of his trance by the sound of the garage door opening, signifying his husband’s arrival.

“Dongwoo?” Hoya called out, the sound of his footsteps exaggerated on the wooden floors.

“I’m in the kitchen!” Dongwoo responded, already feeling overly anxious to see his husband now that he was actually home.

Hoya appeared just moments later, looking worn down in his scrubs. A grin still found a way to his face when his eyes landed on Dongwoo for the first time, his hands reaching out to settle on the shorter man’s waist. Dongwoo let Hoya pull him closer, throwing his arms around his husband’s back to hold him close. Their lips found each other in mere seconds, the kiss more than a little desperate on both sides.

Dongwoo moaned into the kiss, moving his hand up Hoya’s back to tangle his fingers in the dark hair. “Missed you,” Hoya murmured, his fingers tightening at Dongwoo’s sides. The blonde made a noise of agreement, kissing him once more before resting his head on the brunette’s firm chest.

Hoya slipped his hands underneath Dongwoo’s shirt, crossing his arms to hug him close. “Missed you so much today.”

The shorter man looked up at him, giving his husband a smile. “I missed you too baby. My plan was to have dinner ready before you got home, but that didn’t exactly work out.” His eyes were bright at the sight of the brunette. “Not that I’m complaining. I’m happy you’re back.”

“I know. It’s been such long day, night… hell, I’m not even sure anymore. I’m just glad to be back home. With you.” He kissed Dongwoo on the top of his head. “And dinner was a sweet gesture. Pasta?”  Dongwoo nodded, his blonde hair bouncing. “You’ve let the water almost disappear again. What’s got you so distracted?”

Dongwoo looked over his shoulder, and sure enough the pot of water was almost empty. “Wow.” He turned back to Hoya, looking up at him with amused eyes. “I didn’t even realize it was boiling. I was waiting to put the noodles in and I was wondering when you’d get home-”

Hoya cut him off with a intimate kiss, moving his hands from his sides up to hold Dongwoo’s cheeks. “Baby.” He pecked him again, angling his face up with a light touch. “I understand.” He gave Dongwoo a soft smile, before moving away to reach for the pan.

“No, no!” Dongwoo moved in between Hoya and the stove, picking up the pot before the brunette could. He moved over to the sink, adding more water and setting it back on the stove top. “I’ll finish up dinner like I planned. You can go shower and get comfortable. I’m sure you’re more than ready to get out of those scrubs.”

Hoya nodded, resting his head in between Dongwoo’s shoulderblades. He hugged his husband again, his arms resting comfortably around Dongwoo’s middle. “Dongwoo.”

The blonde turned his head over his shoulder, glancing back at his husband. “Yes?” Hoya nudged his face and Dongwoo chuckled. He looked into Hoya’s eyes, his own fluttering shut as their lips connected in another kiss.

“Thank you,” Hoya whispered, pecking him one last time before letting go of his body. “I’ll be back soon.”

“Okay.” Dongwoo leaned against the counter, watching Hoya walk out of the kitchen until he disappeared down the hallway. He shook the little butterflies off, turning his attention to preparing dinner with a not so small smile on his face.

Dongwoo watched Hoya refill his bowl for the second time, giving himself a generous portion of the pasta. The both of them had a healthy appetite, but Hoya had barely stopped to breathe since Dongwoo had set his food in front of him. “Would you like some more meatballs?”

“Sure,” Hoya responded, and Dongwoo got up from his spot at the kitchen table. He picked up Hoya’s bowl, walking over the stove to scoop a couple of meatballs out of the simmering pan. He set the dish back in front of Hoya, moving back to his seat.

Hoya caught his wrist, and Dongwoo looked back at him questioningly. “Thank you.”

Dongwoo laughed, ruffling Hoya’s still wet hair. “You don’t have to thank me baby. I’m just taking care of you like I should.”

“Still.” Hoya reached down for his hand, lacing their fingers together. “I’m thankful. Sometimes I just need to tell you that.”

Dongwoo bite his lip, staring at the floor shyly. “I know. I’m thankful for you too. Now eat, before your food gets cold.” He leaned down to give Hoya a quick kiss, before returning to his seat. He picked at his food, he wasn’t necessarily hungry anymore. He watched Hoya twirl his fork around the noodles in somewhat of a daze. The sudden touch on his hand made him jump. “What?”

“I asked why you aren’t eating more,” Hoya repeated.

“Oh. My bowl is practically empty.” He took the last couple of bites and pushed the bowl away slightly. “And I kind of ate lunch twice, so there’s not too much room left for any dinner.” He explained.

“Twice?”

“Well, Sungyeol came over to see the house and we had lunch together before I got called into work. And then me and Myungsoo made a pit stop at the Cheesecake Factory later in the afternoon.”

Hoya laughed into his napkin. “Say no more. Knowing you, you probably ate an entire cheesecake.”

“Hey! I did not eat an entire cheesecake. I just had a substantial number of slices,” Dongwoo defended, but he knew Hoya saw right through it.

“It’s your loss, dinner is delicious.” He made a show of taking a bite.

Dongwoo rolled his eyes. “It’s spaghetti and meatballs. Anyone can make that.”

“Doesn’t matter, it still tastes better since you cooked it for me,” Hoya argued and Dongwoo hid behind his hand.

“What’s with you today? First you come home late, then all those lingering kisses in the kitchen. And now you’re giving me all these compliments about my husband skills. One could think that you are trying to compensate for something.”

“No,” Hoya said honestly. “It’s just the first time I’ve come home to you in our home. Can’t I be a little sweet with you?”

“You can.” Dongwoo his lips, grinning down at his empty bowl. Hoya squeezed his hand before returning it to his lap. The blonde’s eyes flickered over Hoya, who had turned his attention back to his bowl, taking another bite of the pasta. “But I know you, and spaghetti isn’t exactly high on your favorites list for dinner. You’re eating like you haven’t had food all day.”

“That’s because I haven’t,” Hoya said matter-of-factly, and Dongwoo blinked at him.

“I’m sorry, I must have misheard you.”

Sensing the sudden seriousness in Dongwoo’s tone, Hoya straightened up a bit in his seat. “I was busy and-”

“That’s not an excuse,” Dongwoo cut him off, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “Are you telling me that the last time you had a meal was last night at Sungyeol’s apartment?” Hoya looked guiltily down at his bowl and Dongwoo let out an angry sigh. “Howon, we talked about this.”

“Howon?” The brunette’s eyes widened at the use of his given name. It was never a good sign when his husband used that name.

“I’m mad, I’ll call you what I want. And don’t try to change the subject.” Dongwoo leaned back in his chair, his feet tapping angrily on the floor. “I don’t want to fight with you.”

“We aren’t fighting.” Dongwoo gave him a hard glare, and Hoya shifted in his seat. “Baby, we aren’t. I remember what we talked about, and I listened to you, okay?”

“Obviously not. You promised me that after med school was over that you wouldn’t do things like this anymore. No more skipping meals and putting yourself last for whatever crisis the hospital was having. I know you care about your work, but that doesn’t mean you get to ignore your own needs.” Dongwoo put his head in his hands, a sound that sounded suspiciously like a cry coming out of him. “This is my fault, I pushed you to start taking shifts in the ER so we could get this house, and look what’s already happening-”

“Hey.” He pulled Dongwoo’s hands away from his face. The blonde was still refusing to look at him, clearly upset. “Baby, don’t say that. Come here.” He scooted his chair back, pulling on Dongwoo’s hand. His husband wasn’t budging though, his feet firmly planted on the ground. “Dongwoo.” He said firmly, and the blonde finally turned to look at him. “I said come here.”

Dongwoo huffed, clearly still upset as he allowed Hoya to tug him closer. The brunette pulled him into his lap, immediately wrapping his arms around the smaller man’s body. “I love you Dongwoo. And I love that we have this house together. When I was driving back from the hospital all I could think about was how happy I was to have a home to come back to. You didn’t force me to do anything that I didn’t want to do. When I became a doctor I knew that some days would be harder than others. This was just one of those days. It doesn’t reflect on you at all, so please don’t ever say anything like that again.”

The blonde still looked troubled, his eyes downcast as he bit his lip. “But you’ve been starving all day. You haven’t even slept.” He tried to hide his face in Hoya’s chest but the latter wouldn’t let him.

“But I’m here now, and I’m okay.”

Dongwoo reached up, grabbing onto Hoya’s shoulders firmly. “But you promised me that you’d take care of yourself and today you didn’t keep that promise. I don’t like to be angry with you, but if I’m not like this, then who will be? You put so much effort into taking care of your patients, and you try your hardest to do what’s best for them, right?”

Hoya nodded, looking down at Dongwoo. “Right.”

“Well, the moment you became my husband, you also became my patient. And it’s my job to do what’s best for you, to make sure that you are healthy, even when you are too blind to see it. I love you so much and I need to know that when I can’t be around, that you’ll take care of yourself. I can’t… function knowing that every time you walk out that door, there’s no guarantee that you’re taking care of your health. How would you feel if I came home from the department after not seeing you for almost an entire day and casually announced that I hadn’t even bothered to feed myself or sleep?”

Hoya looked guilty, his arms shifting nervously. “I… would be angry.”

“And if on top of all that, the one time you spoke to me that entire day, I sounded extremely troubled on the phone and clearly exhausted, how would you feel?”

“Dongwoo, you’re right. You’re right about everything and I’m sorry. But you need to believe me when I say that today was an exception. I’ve been out of school for awhile now, and have we needed to have this discussion?”

“Well, no-”

“Exactly. I have been listening to you. I do take the time to take care of myself, because I know that’s the only way I can take care of my patients to the best of my abilities, and more importantly, I know that’s the only way that I can make you happy.”

“You promise?” Dongwoo looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

“Yes, baby. And I love you for not being afraid to put me in my place. Almost as much as I love knowing that I have someone like you that’s always supporting me.” He rested his head on top of Dongwoo’s, pressing his lips into the soft blonde hair. “I’m sorry for making you worry. Do you believe me?” He felt the small nods in his chest, and he tilted Dongwoo’s chin up. “Prove it?”

Dongwoo laughed once, puckering his lips obediently. He let Hoya kiss him, just a light brush of lips, before hugging him tightly again. “As if I can stay mad at you. You should have seen the way you shivered when I called you Howon.”

Hoya grinned, his sharp teeth on display. “There was practically smoke coming out of your ears! I thought you were going to throw your bowl at me for a second there. Good thing yours is empty, I was afraid you’d get spaghetti sauce all over my favorite shirt.”

“Whatever, you own like ten of those blank tank tops. And I should have thrown some sauce on you for worrying me like that! Seriously! I was having visions of you passed out at some nurse’s station next to a cup of instant ramen after being on your feet visiting patients for like ten hours straight.”

Hoya caressed his cheek, giving him another soft kiss. “It was nothing like that. I did what I did today of my own accord. I stayed late because I wanted to, not because I was told that I had to.”

Dongwoo rested his head on Hoya’s chest. “Well, no one could ever argue that you don’t care enough about your patients. But don’t think I’m going to go easy on you. I’ll start showing up at the hospital to check on you if you push me.”

“Actually… would you come for lunch tomorrow?” Dongwoo lifted his head to look at him suspiciously, and Hoya grinned sheepishly at his lap. “No, it’s not like that. There’s just… someone that I’d like you to meet.” Dongwoo narrowed his eyes at him, trying to read him.

“Is this someone the reason why you came home late? Or the reason you said you wanted to talk when you got home?” Dongwoo questioned him.

“Yes. I understand if you are too busy with your new partner and everything-”

“I’ll be there.” His sudden voice made Hoya look up, and Dongwoo was practically beaming at him. “Of course I’ll be there. It’s been awhile since I’ve had lunch with you and I want to meet this person that affected you so much. Obviously this person’s situation is important to you, so that means it’s important to me too.”

Hoya shifted him closer on his lap, nuzzling his face in his hair. “Thank you Dongwoo. I don’t know how many times I’m going to say it tonight, but thank you.” He leaned down to kiss him, moving his hand up the blonde’s back to rest it at his neck. He grasped it firmly, pushing Dongwoo’s mouth harder against his own.

“Hoya.” Dongwoo gasped out between kisses, his mouth opening on instinct when Hoya deepened the kiss. His own hands found purchase on Hoya’s shoulders, but instead of pulling his husband closer he pushed him away.

The brunette blinked blearily at him. “Why?” he complained, already trying to lean back in to continue the kiss. But Dongwoo stayed out of his reach, stubbornly keeping his face turned away. “Why?”

“Because.” Dongwoo stood up abruptly grabbing Hoya’s bowl off the table and moving away. Hoya was practically pouting at his absence, watching him move around the kitchen with clear longing. Dongwoo returned soon enough, setting the now hot bowl in front of his husband. “I’m not letting you leave this table until you’ve had at least two more servings.”

Hoya yanked Dongwoo back into his lap, his lips traveling over the blonde’s ear. “But I’m not hungry for food now,” he protested, his hands slipping under Dongwoo’s shirt.

“Nuh uh uh,” Dongwoo chastised him, moving to pull Hoya’s wandering hands away from his skin.

“But I want something else-”

“Howon.” Dongwoo’s firm voice cut off Hoya’s plea, and his husband let his hands drop obediently.

“Fine. But later-”

“Later, I’ll reward you if you finish your dinner properly,” Dongwoo , turning around in Hoya’s lap so they were face to face. He grabbed the bowl of pasta and the fork, resting his back comfortably against the table. “Now come on, I’ll even feed you since you are my favorite patient.”

“So you are the kind of doctor to sit in a patient’s lap and feed them? That’s not very professional Dr. Jang.” Hoya chastised him, and Dongwoo rolled his eyes.

“Since I only have one patient, I have a very close relationship with him. And he doesn’t seem to have any complaints about my bedside manner, Dr. Jang.” He stuck the fork in the noodles, twisting it around to get a good bite ready. “Now open up for me.”

“That won’t be the last time you hear that sentence tonight.”

Dongwoo nudged him in protest, but he couldn’t stop his cheeks from coloring at the thought.  “Your mouth, Dr. Jang.”

“Is that what you want me to do to you tonight?” He leered at Dongwoo, who was trying very hard to stay in control.

“Dr. Jang.” His harsh tone wasn’t nearly as intimidating when coupled with his blushing face.

“I’ll be a good patient.” He crossed his hands behind Dongwoo’s back. “For now.” He stared into the bright eyes of his husband, opening his mouth as he had been instructed. He cocked his eyebrow in a challenge, and Dongwoo finally gave him his first bite. He moaned at the taste, never breaking eye contact with the suddenly flustered blonde. He decided to let his husband take control; after all, Dongwoo wasn’t exactly known for his patience.

They both knew it wouldn’t be long until they were stumbling into their bedroom.

Perhaps arriving at the station forty-five minutes earlier than he should have signalled that he was a bit too eager. He had convinced himself that arriving early would show how serious he was for the job, but maybe it just made him look too excited. It was awkward, to say the least, as he hovered outside Dongwoo’s - and now his as well - locked workspace, rocking back and forth on his feet. He still had yet to acquire a copy of the key to his office, and until then, he had to wait for Dongwoo to show up before he could get in.

He let out an anxious sigh, his eyes wandering all over the station. Without realizing, he began pacing in front of Dongwoo’s door, hoping by some miracle that Dongwoo would decide to come to work early.

“I look crazy,” he muttered, scolding himself. “What was I thinking - coming into work almost an hour early.” He glanced haphazardly at the few officers that passed him by. “They all probably think I’m nuts. Which is totally understandable since I’m talking to myself. Way to impress your co-workers Myungsoo, second day on the job and they already think the new Junior Detective is cracking under the pressure.”

Rather than pacing, he opted to just lean on the wall instead. But his constantly shaking leg was an indication that he was still jittery.

Suddenly, Sunggyu appeared walking down the hall in his direction, a cup of coffee in his hand and a curious expression on his face. “Myungsoo,” he called.

“Chief!” Myungsoo exclaimed. He stood up straight immediately and gave Sunggyu his full attention.

Sunggyu shook his head in a daze. “Whoa there, kid, try not to move so quickly. I’m a little slow in the morning.”

“Oh, sorry sir,” Myungsoo responded.

“It’s not a problem,” Sunggyu replied, blinking rapidly. He squinted at the junior detective, his eyes trying to adjust to the light. “Why are you here so early? Aren’t you tired or something?”

Myungsoo flushed, shaking his head sheepishly. “No, not at all. I got to bed early and got a good rest last night so that I could come here and do my best.”

“Well, that makes one of us,” Sunggyu said with a large yawn. “I barely got any sleep last night. Stupid lawyer keeping me up...”

“Oh? Does this department deal with the prosecutor’s office directly?” Myungsoo asked curiously.

Sunggyu rose his eyebrows, a small chuckle coming out of him. “Not… necessarily. You won’t have to worry about dealing with anybody on the legal side. The only person you’ll have to work with closely is Dongwoo.”

“Speaking of my partner, any chance that he’s a morning person? I don’t exactly have a key to the office…” He trailed off, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

Sunggyu gave him a sympathetic grin. “You’re out of luck, kid. Dongwoo is notorious around here for not being a morning person. So it looks like the chances of you getting into that office any time soon are close to none.”

Myungsoo sighed with an embarrassed smile. “Guess I’m stuck hovering until he shows up, huh?”

Sunggyu sent him a bright smile. “You could always go down to the break room and make yourself a cup of coffee!” He said good naturedly, lifting up his mug. “The coffee machine is a real antique, so it might take awhile for it to brew, but at least you’ll get some caffeine out of it.”

The junior detective laughed, nodding his head. “I will consider it, sir. Actually, some coffee sounds pretty good right about now.”

“Yeah, coffee in the morning is always great. I haven’t made a cup at the station in such a long time.” He lifted the World’s Best Boss mug to his lips, taking a sip. Almost immediately, he gagged and then forced himself to swallow.

“You know what?” Sunggyu said. “I think it might be best for you to go out and buy some. Forget making it here - it’s a bad idea.”

Myungsoo stared at the cup in the chief’s hands apprehensively. “Yes, sir.”

Sunggyu grimaced as he began walking away. “I’ll see you later then, detective.”

A smile played across his lips at the title as he watched the Chief disappear into his office. As he was left alone in the hallways again, Myungsoo felt the want for some morning brew growing stronger. He hadn’t had a single cup since he had arrived in San Jose, so it sounded very appealing to him at the moment.

Clearly, the machine in the break room was a bad option, so that left Myungsoo in the position of needing to buy some. He checked the clock on the wall - he had more than enough time to get a cup of coffee and make it back before Dongwoo showed. After the brief moment of uncertainty, he brusquely walked to the elevator to make his way out of the station.

He walked past familiar signs and stores, remembering them from the small tour Dongwoo had given him yesterday. His eyes spotted a decent looking cafe and headed in that direction before pausing in his steps. His mind flashed back to the last shop Dongwoo had introduced him to. His partner had mentioned that many officers frequented that particular cafe, and that Dongwoo even knew the owner. Without a moment’s hesitation, he changed direction and headed the other way.

Walking to Sarang’s only took a few minutes, so Myungsoo arrived at the door in no time. Instead of the Closed sign he had seen the previous day, the store was now clearly open. He stepped in with a smile, happy to escape the chilly January air. The bell jingled distinctly as he was embraced by the warm air inside the cafe.

The cafe was brightly decorated in Christmas accessories, still ringing with holiday cheer. A small Christmas tree stood in the corner, glittering with little lights. It created a welcoming atmosphere that made Myungsoo happy to be in. There were already a few customers that were littered throughout the store, hot cups of coffee steaming in their hands.

Myungsoo mustered up a bit of courage and walked up to the counter. He glanced up at the colorful menu that had been written down on a chalkboard hanging on the wall. Thankfully the place didn’t use specialized jargon or unfamiliar words to make ordering difficult.

However, there was a wide assortment of drinks to choose from; lattes, espressos, frappes, and even smoothies were present. He murmured the various options to himself, trying to figure out what he wanted. There were so many options written in so many colors, his eyes blurred for a moment.

“Need some guidance?” a voice asked.

Looking away from the menu, Myungsoo realized that someone had walked up behind the counter and gave him a friendly smile.

Myungsoo returned the gesture, laughing lightly. “Yeah, a little help would be nice.”

The barista looked at him warmly. “Alright! What may I help you with?”

“I’m having some trouble picking out my order,” he admitted, looking up at the menu. “Everything looks so good I can’t bring myself to narrow down the one I want yet.” He looked at the man behind the counter. “I know I’d like something hot, and something with some caffeine. I’ve got a long day ahead of me... any suggestions?”

“Well, if you ask me,” the barista said, leaning forward, “I would go with one of the winter items inside the snowflake border on the right.” He motioned up at the menu helpfully. “The drinks are seasonal, so they’re only on the menu during the holidays. I think you should give one of them a try while you still have the chance.”

“Oh, a seasonal specialty?” Myungsoo raised his eyebrows in interest. “Sounds great. May I have a personal recommendation from the barista? You would know what’s best, after all.”

The barista’s eyes sparkled. “A personal recommendation from me?” His eyes searched the ceiling, his lips in a pout as he thought. Then he looked Myungsoo over, taking in his whole appearance. “For you… I think a gingerbread latte would suit your tastes.”

Myungsoo smiled. “A gingerbread latte it is, then!”

“Awesome,” the barista said, his smile turning his eyes into happy crescents. “One gingerbread latte coming right up. Would that be a large, medium or small?”

“Go ahead and make it a medium,” Myungsoo replied. “I still have awhile until I need to get back to work.”

He gave him an surprised look as he pulled out a medium sized cup from underneath the counter. “Someone’s an earlybird,” he joked lightly. “Can I have your name please?”

“Myungsoo.”

“Myungsoo,” he repeated as he wrote the name onto the cup. He looked up with a bright smile and twinkling eyes. “Your order will be ready in a few moments!”

The barista stepped to the side, where a few machines were already waiting. Myungsoo liked how open it was - any customer could just watch their drink being created. He watched in awe as the barista filled the cup with fresh coffee from the espresso machine and then added a shot of a thick, clear liquid.

“What’s that?” Myungsoo asked interestedly, peeking over the counter.

The barista smiled at him. “Gingerbread syrup.”

“Oh! Like the one they sell in the stores around holiday season?” he asked. He vaguely recalled seeing a bottle of gingerbread syrup in the grocery store while shopping.

“Sort of,” he replied. He poured freshly steamed milk into the coffee and syrup mix, giving it a few strong stirs. “The only difference is that I make this syrup myself.”

“Yourself?” Myungsoo reiterated. “That’s impressive.”

The barista gave a half smirk as he was shaking a bottle of whipped cream. “Any good barista should be able to make a decent gingerbread syrup.” He swirled the whipped cream on top of the drink, skillfully creating little peaks and arches with the white foam. “The whipped cream is homemade too,” he added.

“That’s amazing,” Myungsoo stated honestly as he watched the creation be made in front of him.

“The recipe is simple,” the barista continued, reaching under the counter for something more. “You could probably make it in your own home.”

Myungsoo scoffed light heartedly. “As someone who managed to burn himself while making cereal, I can only dream of successfully making something in my kitchen. I’m more of a take out kind of guy to be honest.” He wasn’t even sure why he was admitting his shortcomings, but the barista was easy to talk to.

“It’s never too late to start learning.” He brought out a small, gingerbread man from under the counter, and gently tucked it into the bed of whipped cream. Gently dusting the top with ground cinnamon, he slipped it into a cup sleeve and placed the finish product in front of the customer. “One medium gingerbread latte for Myungsoo.”

Myungsoo stared down at it, the sweet scent making his mouth water. “It’s smells fantastic,” he said. “How much do I owe you?”

“That’ll be three dollars and fifty cents,” he replied. Myungsoo fished out the bills from his wallet, trading the money willingly for the beverage. “Thank you!” the barista said cheerily, opening the cash register to put the money away.

It was silent for a few moments, the only sound being the ringing of the cash register and Myungsoo delicately trying the drink. The cold whipped cream mixed with the hot coffee sent happy jolts of electricity down his spine. He shivered slightly as the hot drink warmed his insides almost immediately. He picked up the little gingerbread man, nibbling on the cookie.

“Is this homemade also?” he asked playfully.

“You bet it is!” The man winked at him. “It’s a family recipe.”

“It tastes great,” Myungsoo responded. “It really adds that extra something to the drink.”

The barista smiled playfully, a mischievous glint in his warm, brown eyes. “It’s a secret,” he whispered. Myungsoo chuckled in response, biting the cookie with a new found familiarity. The barista studied him as he stood there, drinking his coffee and eating his cookie.

“You know,” he said suddenly, “I’ve never really seen you around here before. Most people that come here are regulars or they work really close by. My shop is small and not as flashy as the others, so it usually goes unnoticed. How did you wander in here?”

Myungsoo some cream off his bottom lip. “I haven’t been here that long… I just moved here for a work transfer actually. My new partner recommended this as the go-to coffee spot and I got to work really early today and had some spare time so I decided to give it a try.” He took another sip of his latte. “And I’m glad I did.”

“That’s great!” the barista responded. “Would you mind me asking where you work?”

“Not at all,” Myungsoo replied. “I work down at the station. I’m a junior detective there.”

The barista’s eyes widened in recognition. “You work down at the station? Well, why didn’t you say so?! All the guys down at the station get a discount off every item here!”

“Really? That’s so generous of you! Do you know a lot of the officers there?”

The man nodded. “Yeah - I know almost all of them. I started giving officers a discount since so many of them came by so often. Plus, it’s like a little thank you - for protecting the city and all that.”

“I’m sure they all appreciate the discount. Especially since protecting the city and all that can get pretty grueling.”

The barista turned a pretty shade of pink, rubbing the back of his nape sheepishly. He murmured something soft and incoherent that Myungsoo couldn’t quite make out.

He took another sip from his cup, enjoying the way the hot liquid left a warm trail down his throat and to his stomach. “I wish I had come here sooner,” he commented. “The coffee here is great! My only regret right now is that I probably should have invited the chief along with me - his coffee was pretty bad this morning. I’m sure he would’ve been happy to have gotten some coffee from here instead.”

The boy chuckled, waving away the statement with his hand. “Don’t mind Sunggyu. He needs his coffee bitter in the mornings or he won’t be able to stay awake. He’s so dumb, always letting lawyers and stuff keep him up so late.”

Myungsoo laughed good naturedly, then checked the time on the clock hanging near the menu. “I’d better go if I want to make it back to the station on time without running. It was nice meeting you. I’ll probably be coming back to this place frequently.” He went to turn around, but stopped himself. “I’m sorry… I don’t think I ever asked your name?”

The barista smiled. “I’m Sungyeol.”

“Sungyeol.” Myungsoo let the name roll off his tongue, experimenting with the way it sounded through his own voice. “Well, it was great meeting you, Sungyeol. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again.”

“I look forward to it.” Sungyeol responded warmly, giving him one last warm smile.

Myungsoo headed towards the door with a small wave, Sungyeol returning the gesture from behind the counter. Before Myungsoo reached the exit, the barista called out to him. “Myungsoo! Wait.”

The detective turned around curiously, walking forward when Sungyeol beckoned him closer with his hand. “Something wrong?”

The barista smiled, shaking his head. “Not at all. Just wait a moment.” Sungyeol moved behind the counter, going to the far end where some pastries and other treats were resting behind the glass. He pulled out a small paper wrapper and reached inside to pull out a treat. “This is another one of my creations; a cinnamon roll muffin with just a drizzle of sweet vanilla icing on top. I baked them fresh this morning.”

Myungsoo nodded, the aroma making the muffin even more appetizing. “It looks delicious.”

Sungyeol stared at him, his arm still outstretched. After a couple moments of silence, he laughed softly. “Well, you could continue to stare at the muffin or you could eat it.”

The detectives eyebrows rose, tripping over his words for a moment. “For- for me? It really looks good… how much?”

Sungyeol laughed a little louder. “For free, silly.”

“Really? But why?” Myungsoo asked confused.

Sungyeol shrugged his shoulders, the smile still on his face. “It will go well with your gingerbread latte.”

Myungsoo covered his mouth with his hand, suddenly feeling shy after the show of kindness. “That’s very nice of you, but I don’t feel right taking it for free…”

“I’m offering it to you Myungsoo. Plus, I wasn’t able to give you the discount earlier.”

“I’m sure that the discount is way less than the cost of the muffin.” Myungsoo argued, but Sungyeol refused to listen.

“How about we consider it even if you promise to come back again? Who knows, if you like my food as much as you like my coffee then you could end up becoming a new regular. And then I’ll have the pleasure of taking your money on a continuous basis,” Sungyeol said matter-of-factly.

Myungsoo gave in, taking the offered muffin from the barista’s hands. “Okay. But only because I was planning on coming back.”

Sungyeol crossed his arms, watching intently as Myungsoo took the first bite. He made a pleased noise at the taste, and Sungyeol’s smile grew wider. “Just make sure that next time you show me your badge, that way my other customers don’t think I’m playing favorites.”

Myungsoo wiped off the crumbs with the back of his hand, nodding at the suggestion. “Deal.”

The two of them continued to look at one another, matching smiles on their faces as Myungsoo lingered at the counter.

“Can I have a refill on my espresso?” The voice of another customer broke their moment, and Sungyeol finally directed his attention away from Myungsoo.

“Of course!” he answered cheerily, taking the empty cup from the other customer to refill it.

After glancing at his watch, Myungsoo realized that he should probably get going. He waited until Sungyeol handled the cup back to the other customer in order to properly say goodbye. “Well, I should probably head back to the department.”

“Make sure you have a good day Myungsoo,” Sungyeol told him earnestly, tucking his bangs behind his ear.

“You too Sungyeol,” Myungsoo replied and with a bounce in his step he left the coffee shop, the door closing with a distinct jingle.

Outside, the cold air nipped at his nose and turned his cheeks a stinging pink. He smiled anyways, because he had a warm gingerbread latte and a delicious muffin in his hands. It tasted better, now that he was drinking the hot liquid in the cold. Luckily, the sun was also starting to peek between the gloomy clouds, also warming up the city.

Myungsoo began his walk back to the station, the coffee slowly disappearing from the cup as he continued. The taste still sent pleasant shivers down his spine every time and he regretted eating up the gingerbread cookie so quickly. The muffin definitely made up for it and Sungyeol’s prediction was correct; the two items paired perfectly together.

By the time he arrived at the station, it was right when he was supposed to have gotten there in the first place. He walked through the doors, feeling good that he was still on time with one of the greatest coffees he had ever tasted in his hand.

Sunggyu walked by him, sniffing the air suspiciously. “I smell Sarang’s gingerbread latte!” he exclaimed, looking at Myungsoo accusingly.

Myungsoo laughed. “Good nose, chief. It is a gingerbread latte from Sarang’s.”

“I thought so.” The chief smirked. “I know Sungyeol’s coffee when I smell it. Aw man, I should have gone with you. Coffee from Sarang’s is a trillion times better than whatever came out of the break room’s coffee machine this morning.” He made a face. “I still can’t get that taste out of my mouth.”

“I’ll be sure to invite you the next time I go,” Myungsoo said with a chuckle. He looked around the station. “Has Dongwoo arrived yet?”

Sunggyu nodded as he began heading in the other direction. “Yeah, he got here a few minutes ago, actually. He should be waiting for you in his office.”

“Okay, awesome, thanks! I’ll see you later, chief.”

“See you later, rookie.”

Myungsoo walked towards Dongwoo’s office, feeling happy as he noticed that the door was now open. He poked his head inside, smiling as he found Dongwoo in the room. “Good morning,” he said.

Dongwoo looked up. “Morning to you, too! Sunggyu told me you got here super early!”

Myungsoo chuckled. “Yeah, I did. Forty-five minutes, to be exact. But no worries, I figured out a way to kill the time.”

“Did you, now? That’s good, that’s good.”

Myungsoo nodded as he finished off his coffee, sighing in satisfaction as he brought the empty cup away from his lips. He tossed the paper cup and his muffin wrapper in a nearby bin, missing the curiously amused glance Dongwoo sent him.

“I’m ready to start the day,” he said.

Dongwoo gave him a grin. “Me too! Let’s get to work!”

A/N: Yadong coming back to each other for the first time in their new home is just too adorable to pass up. We really love their relationship, and the fact that they aren’t afraid to argue with each other if it’s necessary. But they get to make up - in extremely enjoyable ways - so no problems there, right? The rest is all up to your imagination! ; ] and finally myungyeol have met! (through the cutest terms, i might add) haha, makes me want holiday drinks lolol isnt barista yeol adorbs? i think he’s adorbs. with his sparkling eyes that make you coffee and give you free pastries (as long you’re an officer at least) anyways, thanks for joining us this chapter! drop a comment to tell us what you think and we’ll see you next time! :)

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