“Hello, may I take your order?”

Chanyeol’s ears clap ecstatically at the sound of those words escaping from the black-headed fellow behind the cashier. Even though he has heard it for the nth time, and from different people. Today’s greeting was just special, since it came from the person he was dying to see every single day, it was like an effervescent ring of wedding bells.

“Um, sir, your order?” He snaps at his trance and tries to brush the whole idea of wedding bells as a simile to that mere greeting off. Clearing his throat, he heaves and lets out a slightly embarrassed sigh. Recovering, he smiles confidently. “I’ll have the usual.”

“I don’t know what the usual is. I’m sorry.” The lad shrugs. A pang hits Chanyeol’s heart, humiliation spreading through his entire manhood. For so long, he thought that the person in front of him has known almost every single detail of his order, unfortunately, he was wrong.

“I’ll just have burger and fries.” Chanyeol laughs rather hoarsely trying to hide the indignity of his whole existence as a man.

The lad nods and repeats his order thru a microphone in front of him, tapping the order on his screen and computing the price. Chanyeol hands his cash.

 “Keep the change. Think of it as a token from me.” He whispered. The latter only smiled and shoved a little box in front of Chanyeol. “No thank you, but you can donate it for charity instead.”

Chanyeol only gawked and complied, dropping the spare change in the so-called charity box. He waits for his order to be completed, while doing so, he steals glances at the young fellow in front of him, and he manages to have a glimpse of his name tag. He chuckles slightly at the golden name plate, finding the greeting and name written adorable. “Hi I’m Baekhyun. Happy to serve you!”

“Order’s complete, thank you.” Shaken off of dream land, again. Chanyeol was given a light push by the man next in line. Baekhyun only waved, (because it was part of his job to bid customers a thank you-goodbye) but Chanyeol took it as a more of like an affectionate wave. He waved back with a goofy grin all-over his already silly face.

 

The following day, Chanyeol ordered nothing but a pineapple-flavored slushy. Baekhyun was on cleaning duty. He was currently mopping the floor. This day was one of the hottest days, no air conditioner could even soothe or cool the atmosphere, thus pushed him to order a cool beverage. Taking a sip of his drink, Chanyeol fixed his eyes at the moving figure two chairs away from him. Baekhyun who was drenched with sweat── maybe because he was working pretty hard and with the warm temperature to match. Chanyeol his lips, he felt a little bit hotter. Was the temperature rising or? Before his imaginations could take over, he face-palmed himself lightly calming himself.

“Is there something to matter?” an accustomed voice dawdled, enhancing Chanyeol’s shame to the highest point he was aware of. He looked at the lad now standing next to him, he struggles at the huge lump forming in his throat as he examined the whole form: hair fanned up from the latter’s frequent hand gestures, the white button-up shirt now pressed against the soaking-wet skin and the face water-logged with perspiration with tiny, visible droplets.

Puzzled, Baekhyun observed the mouth-agape habitué. “Shouldn’t you be at work or something?”

Apparently, Baekhyun received no answer, so he left the spaced-out man. It took Chanyeol about a minute of two to break away from his fantasies when his phone vibrated showing an incoming call. He rushed out of the place and went on with his busy life as an office worker.  Baekhyun watched as the glass door opened and closed as if there was a ghost, though he wasn’t able to think about any paranormal happenings at the moment since he was battling with the heat of the ambiance.

 

A few weeks passed and the two often met, with Chanyeol ordering the same meal and beverage, but Baekhyun often changed tasks. Sometimes he’s a cashier, sometimes a waiter, sometimes cooking duty and sometimes he’s on cleaning duty. There was one time where Chanyeol wasn’t able to see Baekhyun because he had to go to work earlier than the usual 9 am. The day after that, he ordered twice of the same meal and even insisted Baekhyun to have breakfast with him, obviously the second refused. Chanyeol would go to that place every day around 7 to 8 in the morning before going to work, or 12 noon to 2 pm during lunch and he even manages to pass by at late evening; not to mention he goes there during weekends.

Usually, Baekhyun will be annoyed and crept out by it, he even had this thought of avoiding Chanyeol because of his frequent visit. But he grew fond of the younger; he appreciated the company and the effort. He always wondered of what Chanyeol does for a living, ever since he always have time to visit him, but he won’t go that far to ask. Slowly, Baekhyun’s mood lightens up whenever he sees Chanyeol come in through that glass door greeting him with his stupid smile. And his funny way of hiding his embarrassment; Baekhyun finds it cute.

This time, it was a Saturday afternoon, Chanyeol ordered the same food but adding fries as a side-dish. Baekhyun, on the other hand, was sweeping the floor. It was a cool day today, Chanyeol was a bit disappointed. Chanyeol was, again, distracted. Munching his burger he spectates Baekhyun’s every move. Flawless. He thought. But with lack of concentration, he accidentally bit his tongue, earning an agonizing pain inside his mouth. He covers his mouth with both hands, a bit teary.

Baekhyun notices this and an old saying hits him hard in the noggin. “Ah,” he called and went to Chanyeol’s table. “Give me a number!” Chanyeol gives him a confused look, but Baekhyun grins. “C’mon!”

“I don’t know! 25?!” Chanyeol yells in pain. Baekhyun counts on his fingers. “Y! Do you know someone whose name has a “Y” in it? If you do, that person thinks of you right now!” He jeered, though, such a little thing could hype him, Chanyeol thought it was charming. Then pain hits him again, he couldn’t answer properly so he blurted. “YOU.”

Chanyeol’s ears turns vibrant red and drinks his soba straight up. “What I meant to say was──”

“That’s invalid.” Chanyeol chokes as he sees the older with the same hue of red as his. “But, you said anyone who has a “Y”! “You” has it.” Chanyeol proclaims.

“But that’s a pronoun!” Baekhyun argues, sticking out a tongue like a child. The younger’s face turns red and cracked. “I know. It pertains to you! Baekhyun has a “Y” in it! You must be thinking of me! It’s all the same!”  

 

 

It has been 3 days since they last met, after the incident, things grew awkward for the two, once their eyes meet the look away as if they saw nothing but an unpleasing sight of each other. Still, Chanyeol went to the place but it wasn’t the same. But he was really curious, why would such a childish fight cost their relationship so much? It was a stupid reason for them to grow apart.

Baekhyun wasn’t any different. He would request the manager to change his tasks into those not involving any interactions with the customers. Now he’s inside the kitchen wrapping the meals in Styrofoam and paper boxes. He was afraid that Chanyeol would feel uncomfortable, that’s why he chose to distance himself from him. Though, he thought of why did he even reacted to Chanyeol that day? He was busy with his chore yet he chose to play around with him. It was really one of the dumbest reasons.

 

 

Lately, Chanyeol had problems with work and that stress was a mere factor of him not being able to sleep at night. And not seeing Baekhyun was another one. He assumed that if these kinds of stressful days occur, he would just visit the old place and watch Baekhyun at work would relieve him at least. But, no. That won’t happen anytime soon.

He shuts down his computer, takes his coat and leaves his workspace at 11 in the evening. He drove his way on the busy streets, with streetlights flickering from side to side. Finally, he decides to go Drive-Thru and have a sundae to cool his senses.

 

Chanyeol expected to not see Baekhyun at this time of hour since he goes home at around 8. But instead, he sees him at this little air-conditioned room across his car’ window. Glances were exchanged with no head turning to the opposite side. Baekhyun interrupts. “May I take your order?”

Chanyeol didn’t reply, Baekhyun leaned closer to the car window to repeat his statement. But he received no words to answer his question, only a pair of lips crashing into his own. The tunnel became filled with honks from the vehicles behind Chanyeol’s car but none of that mattered. Baekhyun didn’t pulled back. And Chanyeol was happy he didn’t, he knew that the feeling was mutual; they missed each other.

 

That night, Chanyeol forgot to order his sundae, instead, he had a loveable Baekhyun for take-out.