Sungmin stirred his drink lazily, picking up crumbs from the remnants of the scone on the table to pelt at Hyukjae. The latter whined, batting away his actions before returning to hide behind his book. Sungmin snickered. He made sure his essay draft was saved to his Documents folder before shutting his laptop screen, crossing his arms and leaning back in his seat.

Hyukjae's eyes followed a particular waiter around the cafe, never leaving the figure except to snap downwards to his book whenever the waiter got too close to their table. His fingers twitched excitedly around the cover of the book and Sungmin rolled his eyes. Hyukjae's flirting techniques was the same as it was when they were children; non-existent.

'Hey,' Hyukjae finally put down the book, wounded. Oops, Sungmin must have said that last part aloud. 'I resent that statement, I flirt perfectly fine.'

'Not when you're actually intensely attracted to the person you're attempting to flirt with,' Sungmin pointed out.

Hyukjae deflated visibly. 'That's true too.' He squeaked as the same waiter emerged from behind the counter with plates of pastries, grabbing at his book and hiding behind it once again.

Sungmin sighed exasperatedly. 'Your book is upside down.'

'Don't care.'

Rolling his eyes before waving Siwon over to their table, Sungmin gave a small wave as Sooyoung emerged from the kitchen with an armful of plates. Siwon looked very confused as he pointed at Hyukjae, 'Is there a reason he's reading a book upside down?'

'Yes,' Hyukjae said at the same time Sungmin said, 'No,' and the best friends glared at each other. Siwon realised he really didn't care after all.

'Oh thanks Sooyoung,' Sungmin said in surprise as she set down a small plate of tarts on their table. Siwon looked up and ordered a long black absently before he pulled out his notebook and his huge stack of notes from the business lecture that morning.

Sooyoung waved the comment off, 'You guys are regulars here, The boss basically demanded I give you freebies to thank you.' She patted Sungmin fondly on the head before pointing at Hyukjae. 'Is his book upside down?'

'I'm pioneering a new studying technique.'

'Unless it's called 'eyeing-Donghae's--as-he-walks-by', I really don't think you're going to get good grades this semester, stupid.'

'Oh so his name is Donghae,' Sungmin leaned forward interestedly, pushing the plate of tarts closer to her and pulling a spare chair over. Siwon looked up interestedly from his notebook, making a last scribble next to a complicated economic model before closing it. 'Do tell us more.'

Hyukjae groaned and turned the page.

-

Donghae picked up his own water bottle as he pulled off his apron in a quick practised motion from months at working at the cafe, taking a large swig from it. It had been a long shift with many people running in from the bad weather outside. Technically, his shift wasn't over yet but much of the crowd had ran out the minute the rain showed any signs of petering out, leaving the cafe almost empty and strangely quiet after an afternoon of noise.

Sneaking up behind Sooyoung, he watched in amusement as she jumped in fright, nearly tipping over her precariously stacked tower of chocolate chip mint cookies.

'Someone's going at the stock again.'

'Yah. They're been here since yesterday. They're going to be thrown out soon. If I don't eat them, they'll go to waste.'

'And if you do eat them, they'll go to your hips.'

Sooyoung scowled. 'Up yours. I hope your grows bigger than your current jeans size.'

'You're just jealous I have an ,' Donghae whistled as he checked that all the chairs was arranged properly and the tables were wiped down, used to her insults by now. He half expected a cookie to come flying at his head, if he didn't know how much Sooyoung loved them. She would never waste a good cookie.

He stopped by a table, memory jogged by an image. Donghae half-turned to Sooyoung before pointing confusedly at the seat. 'Was there someone here earlier reading a book upside down?'

Sooyoung shrugged, picking up another cookie. 'How should I know? How do you know?'

'No reason,' Donghae blinked. 'I just thought it was strange that was all.'

'It's college. We're all strange.'

'True,' he mused. What was it about that guy? He wiped down another table absently, ignoring Sooyoung's curious eye on him as he wondered why he had noticed the particular strange student. But he forgot about it as soon as a new wave of students came in for the dinner crowd and he hurried to take their orders before they got swamped.

He called out a goodbye and picked up his bag as he pulled off his apron in a quick practised motion from months at working at the cafe, grimacing at the hefty weight of it. He had forgotten that he had thrown three textbooks in it after classes that day, intent on studying hard for an upcoming test that might or might not determine his final grade, depending on how badly he did. Sooyoung waved him off absently, working on a mug of hot chocolate as she turned a page of her textbook. 

It was a nice night, just cool enough for a light jacket so he decided to take a walk home. Just in case Sooyoung's curse came true and his did grow again. He really couldn't afford new jeans.

The night air woke him up a little as he walked home, just enough to send a spark running through his mind as he realised why he had remembered the student reading his textbook upside down.

He had a nice smile.

a/n: what do you think of my new project? ^^ i started off with eunhae cause it was the part i had written the most already haha.