daehyun prefers working on the drinks rather than punching keys on the cash register. it's better, he thinks, since mixing drinks didn't require plastering a phony smile on his face just because his manager says so. daehyun didn't need to ask how their names were spelled, or worry whether his passive face would scare the customers away.

"i don't even like this job." he tells his co-worker, jongdae who had a smile that resembles that of a cat. jongdae says it's an asset, but daehyun thinks it's plain weird. they were at the kitchen, refilling the trays with lunch wraps and a variety of baked goods. "if my parents could just send me extra money i--"

"but they don't, right?" chen looks at him, "that's right, they don't. so get to it, dae." and he's right. much after a whooping bill from the last five months, daehyun's parents just had to cut his allowance short. college really . "it's your own fault why you're here anyway."

"you don't need to stress that." daehyun begrudgingly puts the last lunch wrap on the tray.

"hey, if you really need money, why don't you leave that apartment of yours and find a  cheaper one?"

"no freaking way, jongdae. i'm glued to my apartment now. it's my safe haven or something--"

"then.. why don't you find a roommate so you can split the rent? i gotta say, daehyun. your apartment's too big for you."

daehyun exhales to a sigh. as much as he wants to argue with jongdae and tell him how he’s been butting in his life too often, daehyun realizes that jongdae may be his last friend who cares for him. "i'll go take these outside."

he takes the trays, all filled and ready to be served, and proceeds to the counters. just when he's about to finish refilling the display cabinet--and a minute away before his fifteen minute break, someone calls "daehyun-- a little help over here."

kim ing himchan.

“i’m on break man, piss off.” he said in a hushed tone, hands reaching to untie the strings of his apron at the back. “go do it yourself.” and daehyun turns away to fold his apron, putting it aside behind the stacks of trays. daehyun should have left right then and there, pull out his iPod and light up a menthol stick.

but he didn’t, and he groaned because he couldn’t take the pout his coworker is giving him. daehyun took the tray, mumbling a you owe me, er. the other simply laughed and patted daehyun’s shoulder. “thanks bro. take that to table three—baekhyun, i believe.”

*

the first thing you have to know about baekhyun is that, he's deeply in love with coffee shops. he likes how the smell of coffee greets him, the smiles of baristas and the slight buzz happening inside that allows him to be alone without feeling lonesome.

baekhyun, as he waits for his order, sits rather comfortably on a plush chair and stares back at the blank document on his laptop's screen. though as much as he loves coffee shops, if there's one thing he'd hate about it, baekhyun would point out how unidealistic it is to study. baekhyun never writes with noise surrounding him; it's distracting and it losses his focus. so he wonders, why he suddenly thought of going here in the first place.

"one white chocolate mocha for baekhyun," a voice, a noise. baekhyun looks up to find a barista carrying his order.

daehyun was pretty sure his heart stopped right then and there the moment their eyes meet. the customer--baekhyun--had a pale complexion, hooded rimmed eyes and wore a university sweater in which daehyun recognized as the neighboring uni next to daehyun's school. okay, breathe jung daehyun, he tries to tell himself. this isn't your first time seeing a beautiful boy, right?

"that'll be me." baekhyun answers, clearing the table for the barista to set the tray down. "thank you."

"would that be all?"

ah, yes. baekhyun remembers now.

baekhyun didn't have a place to stay anymore. two days before, baekhyun decided to leave luhan, his dorm mate and best friend right after finding out that he's been dating with baekhyun's ex. and yes, perhaps it's baekhyun's fault and now he's practically homeless.

"well, this might be a bit off but--do you, by chance, know a room for rent or something? i'm homeless and i need a place to stay for maybe at least a month."

daehyun isn't sure if it's his lucky day or if jongdae's secretly a man from the future.

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hello! sorry if this chapter confused you in any way! unbeta-d and rushed so im really sorry if this didn't meet your standards. ^^;; thanks for subscribing by the way~ i'm working on chapter two~ comment below for suggestions or anything~ if there's anyone who'd like to be my proofreader or sth, please just tell me hihihi. 

just to clear things up: they don't attend the same school ^^;