A/N: I'm sorry it took me a while to upload this. This is my first time posting on Aff, so please bear with me and my ty formatting. I tried my best though.
Thank you in advance for any kind of criticsm, comments, advices.
I hope you'll enjoy Peppermint Flavour! :D


~~~~~


Jonghyun really, really liked coffee.

He liked the bitter taste of the pure black liquid tainting his tongue and how it jolted his taste buds awake after waking up. He also liked the nice smell of the first cup in the morning after a sleepless night, infused with just the right amount of milk to make it lighter. And ever since he discovered the different kinds of coffee and cocktail syrups, there wasn't a single flavour he hadn't bought and tried. His favourite though, he had found it quite fast, was nougat praliné. Not that he could really pronounce the English and French terms, but it didn't matter anyway, this was about the taste of it only. It had a strong scent that filled your nose immediately, traveling down to your lungs and made you just the more thirsty for it. Jonghyun couldn't get enough of it.

A coffee addict.
That's what his friends called him. Caffeine junky.
And there were more, but these two already felt like his actual second names to Jonghyun.

Consequently, it was only natural that he snatched a part time job as a barista, right? He had found the small café in a narrow alley not that far from his university's campus (He was studying music, because if there was something outshining his addiction for coffee it was his love and talent for music) and there had been that cliché “Help Wanted” sign plastered on the window so he had entered it without any further ado. He had almost, but just almost, scared the elderly woman at the counter to death as he opened the door a bit too harshly, sending the bells above it into loud clanking. She quickly recovered though, her startled expression returning into a gentle smile that matched his own.
He told her that he had seen the notice in the window and she offered Jonghyun to come behind the counter and show her a special creation.
One minute later he had whipped just enough cream to put it atop of the caramel latte he had made, adding caramel stripes and chocolate chunks atop before he served the cup on a plate right in front of Mrs. Cho (She had introduced herself with her first name Songi, but Jonghyun still referred to her as Mrs. Cho).

And just like that, he was in and an official barista.

And thanks to his years of practice on his addiction, the café (Its name was “Les Jolies” he learned. Another stupid French term Jonghyun had to memorise, but as he liked this place quite a lot he even bothered to get the pronunciation right) quickly gained new costumers. More students from his university frequented the place now, Jonghyun's creations and Mrs. Cho's pastries becoming popular among them.

Jonghyun was pretty content with that. Studying music in the mornings (Composing, writing lyrics, and learning about former composers; the latter not being his favourite but he pulled through, acing most of them because music really was his greatest talent) and serving tables in the afternoon. He didn't even mind cleaning that much. (And he detested cleaning, if you took a look at his dorm room and you'd realise how much)

After some time even his friends Minho and Taemin finally gave in and visited. The temptation of getting coffees and cupcakes for free was just too big even for them. And so, Fridays became his favourite day of the week. He had no classes on Fridays to begin with, which already made him prefer Fridays  before anyway, but now he had taken the morning shift in Les Jolies and afterwards his friends picked him up to hang out for the afternoon.

Today, luckily a Friday, had been kind of tedious for Jonghyun. When on morning shifts you actually just had the 'before university/school' wave to deal with, but even that one wasn't even worth mentioning that day, probably because a lot of students skipped Friday classes to catch an early train home (if they didn't live in Seoul obviously). So Jonghyun was stuck to cleaning the counter and tables. Luckily for him though, the clock was already nearing 12 o'clock, when Mrs. Cho would take over for the rest of the day.

Jonghyun took the small pink cloth from the sink and started to wipe the counter yet again (Mrs. Cho was a very meticulous woman) when his cleaning trance was suddenly interrupted

 “Excuse me?” Jonghyun turned back to the cash register, a smile appearing on his face immediately. There stood a boy, about his age maybe, with pale skin and black hair, eyebrow raised in annoyance as he crossed his arms in front of his chest (The eyebrow was slightly split at the end, perhaps he had a scar there?).

“It's nice to see that you take cleaning up so seriously, but my break is short so could you, please, take my order now?”

That voice, that voice that didn't match the boy’s face at all, but at the same time it distinctively belonged to him and Jonghyun couldn't think of any other way it should have or could have been otherwise.

“Wow”

It slipped out of Jonghyun's mouth faster than he could have stopped it, hands coming up to cover his blabbering lips right in the moment he realised what he had done, but it was too late. He cursed inwardly, red colour tinting his cheeks with embarrassment, yet, luckily, as he lifted his gaze back to his costumer the boy didn't look like he bothered enough to care, or had even heard him at all (However, Jonghyun never saw the small amount of pink dust on the boys cheeks after his sudden exclamation).

“Sure thing?” Finally Jonghyun’s own voice piped up.

He tilted his head slightly to the left, picking up some of his lost confidence

“What can I get for you? A special latte? Chocolate chunk, perhaps?”

(He was very proud of his chocolate chunk caramel latte, and he liked to say that it was the most popular drink here, too)

“A cup of tea”

Jonghyun blinked. Once, twice.

Did he misunderstand that just now?

“Excuse me, did you say 'a cup of tea'?” he broached, not trusting his apparently ill working ears.

“Seriously, are you retarded or something?” the boy’s voice rose in a snarl
“Peppermint if it's available” and with that Handsome Boy (Jonghyun didn’t knew his name , even if he really wanted to, so he called him Handsome Boy instead) his heels and took a seat at a small table in the back of the café.

Tea?

Did they even serve tea?

What person in their right mind ordered tea anyways?

Questions like these kept tormenting his thoughts while he opened all cupboards in sight in search for teabags.

Did they even have infusions?

“Damn this....” Jonghyun was eventually able to find a small box (At the very back of the smallest cupboard in the very last drawer) which contained rows of neatly organised teabags. He grabbed one of the ones that stated 'peppermint' and prepared a small plate with sugar bags and a teaspoon. The glass cup he wanted to use was put under the extra tube of the coffee machine that provided hot steam and water until it was filled completely, the teabag already placed inside.

Jonghyun snatched a small cupcake from the display cabinet (one that had peppermint icing) and brought both over to Handsome Boy.

Jonghyun grinned, placing the two plates in front of the seemingly surprised boy, but before latter could protest Jonghyun spoke up

“It's on the house” he nudged the plate with the cupcake

“Peppermint icing. For being a retard, you know?” he offered and Handsome Boy smiled at him in return

“Thanks...” he watched as hazel eyes traveled to his chest “Jonghyun” and up to meet his own gaze again.

And just then Jonghyun's heart broke out of his ribcage, leaping over and landing on a silver platter right in front of the Handsome Boy with the pretty smile.

~~

Karma was on Jonghyun's side, it seemed. After that day, Handsome Boy came back to Les Jolies at least every Friday, ordering his peppermint infusion and now a peppermint iced cupcake, too.

However, Jonghyun learned that even though he was quite confident in himself, he turned into a huge coward when faced with soft brown orbs. It took him almost a month till he had the guts to ask for his name. Kibum.

Kibum.

Such a common name for such an individual person like Handsome Boy Kibum.

Jonghyun had noticed over the weeks that passed by that Kibum always chose flashy outfits to wear, colourful and striking, and even the thick black rendered glasses he wore from time to time had the air of a fashion statement (Kibum actually wore contacts most of the time, Jonghyun had discovered this when he had rather unprofessionally dropped the peppermint tea right in front of him and the table he always sat at, starring into Kibum's surprised eyes maybe a bit too long).

Studying fashion design must really rub off on your own clothing collection, at least that was obviously the case with the younger boy (3 additional weeks till he asked for his age and another 2 till he had himself hyped up enough to actually hold a short conversation with him about university).

But over all these weeks (It was week number 10 now with fashion student Handsome Boy Kibum) the younger had never ordered a cup of coffee. Never, ever.

And it mortified Jonghyun greatly.

How could Kibum even favour tea over coffee?

He didn't know.

So he decided, after 10 long weeks of watching Kibum poisoning himself with the leaf beverage, that he would surprise Kibum with a special peppermint flavoured creation.

He spiked the brown liquid with the mint syrup he brought from home, adding some extra cream on top. Green streaks of the syrup and some chocolate chunks on top of the white cream brought it to perfection.

Putting the tall fancy glass on a plate with sugar bags and the obligatory coffee slash teaspoon, he carried it over to Kibum's usual spot before the younger boy had even started to unpack his study papers and set the plate in front of him.

“Jonghyun?” Confused eyes met his.

“Hey....” Jonghyun’s voice was nothing but a barely audible whisper.

Awkward.
That's all he was around Handsome Boy and it made Jonghyun want to slap himself across the face quite often. If Minho would ever find out that he acted like a lovesick 14 year old girl around Kibum.... he would never find peace again.

“I-I” he swallowed, clearing his throat. Concentrate, you idiot. “I made this for you... It's on the house so please don't worry and just enjoy it!” He motioned towards the drink on the plate in front of Kibum, but the other eyed the creation with wary eyes

“What is this?” he asked, eyebrows raised in suspicion

“Peppermint special with extra cream and chocolate chunks” Jonghyun grinned.

He had to like it.

It was Kibum's favourite flavour right?

“It's coffee I assume?”

“Of course it is. My newest creation” Jonghyun's grin spread, yet at the same time he had to watch Kibum's gaze falling

“Look uhm...” Kibum's hazel eyes focused on the cup, avoiding Jonghyun's “I really appreciate your effort but... I don't... like coffee”

He didn't like coffee.

Didn't like coffee.

Jonghyun nearly dropped the serving platter he carried, embarrassment painting his cheeks in an angry red colour.

Of course.

He hadn't ordered a single one of his creations because he just didn't like drinking coffee. That's why he preferred tea.

He really felt like a retard now, obviously looking like a dumb fool. 

“Oh”
Okay, never mind that, now he definitely looked like some stupid retarded fool. 'Oh', really now?

“Look, I... I thought... sorry”

Jonghyun was angry. Angry at himself for being so oblivious and caught up in his talent that he became a stupid idiot, who didn't see the obvious.

He reached for the cup that just seemed to mock him now, looking so tasty but being rejected anyway, but Kibum was faster than him, grasping the cup.

“No, wait!”

Jonghyun looked up, meeting worried brown orbs

“I'll try it. You put so much effort into this, I can't let it go to waste, can I?”

A small apologetic smile followed, and Jonghyun wondered if he had ever met someone as perfect as handsome fashion student Kibum.

The younger placed the cup back on the plate, getting the two sugar bags that adorned it and ripped them both open, dumping the whole two packages into the coffee before stirring it gently.

Jonghyun cringed at the mere thought of the amounts of sugar, but Kibum just found it amusing

“Sorry about that, but I'm a sweet person”

“I know”

It made Kibum's eyes blink and his cheeks flush.

Why was it that Jonghyun's brain loved to embarrass him more and more?

Kibum didn't say anything though, taking small sips from the coffee creation instead, cheeks still a cute shade of pink, mouth drawn into the tiniest smile.

Stop staring. You creep.

But Jonghyun didn't move a mere centimeter.

“It's really good”

Jonghyun’s head finally snapped up, gaze cruelly torn from pretty pink lips to hazel eyes.

“Really?”

“Yeah.... I can get used to it I think” A genuine smile and Jonghyun's heart went into a crazy frenzy of thump thumps

“I'm glad”

And he could have stayed right there, watching Kibum sipping on the peppermint drink, just starring and feeling, but just this time Karma interrupted him and sent him a pair of new costumers.

“Uhm... I see you next week?” Kibum nodded

“Sure, keep a cup of this ready for me”

“Noted”

Finally he was back to his smiling self, confidence flooding him again. Kibum had liked his coffee. He did.

Even though he actually detested coffee in general.

The grin stayed on his face as he served the couple that had entered a minute ago and stayed in place when Kibum came up to him after finishing his cup, messenger bag slung over his shoulder.

“Your tip”

A sly smirk graced Kibum's features as he reached out his palm, placing a small piece of paper in Jonghyun's hand.

A nod and a waving hand followed the smirk, then Jonghyun found himself alone at the counter again. His hand gripped the white sheet firmly, several moments ticking by before he understood that he probably should read what was written there before his sweaty palms removed anything (Yeah, he was nervous, their hands had touched).

066-xxx-xxx

Friday seems too long

And Jonghyun's smile turned into an 'o' and then into a big grin that reached his eyes

>New contact created<

>Handsome Boy Kibum<

How about tomorrow then?

~~Finito~~