Author’s P.O.V

Cooking, laughing, talking and watching were always involved in this job. Including his co-workers that seemed more like his close dongsangs or kids than anything else. The best part was that he co-owned the place with a close friend of his. It was a Café by day and a bar by night called ‘Piquant Café’. It insisted of two things he loved: cooking and music. Plus, he always met unique people that erased boredom form his existence. That’s why Jin couldn’t help but be thankful with his present life.

Jin unlocked the door to the café and took a big breath and smiled. He walked towards the locker room to change into his work uniform. It was a classic look of black pants, a white t-shirt, black vest that fit his big shoulder to his thin legs. The outfit was finished with a pearl pink bow that was associated with his favorite colour. It really matched with his deep wine red coloured hair that he simply adored.

He walked out and then started his daily routine of sweeping the whole place in case there was anything left from the night and then wiping all the counters/ glass. Then he took out the various coffee beans and put them in the counter with the French press’ that concluded beautifully handmade brewed coffee. Knowing that he had cleaned to perfection, Jin headed towards the kitchen. Wearing his favorite pink apron that said ‘Très chic’ he started making fresh batches of dough in order to make fresh pastries for the day.

“Morining hyung!” a voice yelled cheerfully as he entered the kitchen. He was wearing a similar uniform fitted for his tall yet small figure but, instead of a pink bow he was wearing a French lime green bow. “What shall we make first today?”

Jin smiled at the new comer, “Morning Taehyung-ah! Get ready and then we cans start with bread today!”

“Hyung, I told you its V at work!” V complained as he went to put away his leathered jacket, “Plus, don’t you think that this caramel coloured hair really suits me?” he asked as he fluffed his hair.

“I guess so,” Jin replied as he put the finished batch of dough in the pans, “but what’s the occasion? Black hair looked good on you.”

“Needed a change,” V replied as he started mixing ingredients for a batch of cupcakes, “Oh, I see Jimin and Jungkook at the door! Yo! Guys hurry up!”

“We’ll be quick,” one of the boys with a chirpier expression exclaimed.

By the time the two boys had come out dressed it was already 7: 00 A.M. Jin and V had finished making most of the batches for their various pastries being sold. Jin then took the opportunity to switch the closed sign to open and scurried back to the kitchen. The two boys had started displaying the pastries inside of the glassed cabinets. One of them with the dark brown hair, a small figure and wearing a blue bow with the same uniform as the rest was handling the cupcakes and cookies. While the other one that was slightly taller, with a lighter brown hair and wearing a red bow was putting out the muffins and the croissants.

“Jimin can you takes these Brioche out too!”Jin asked as he handed the basket that held the batch.

The boy that had a big smile and the blue bow took it from Jin, “Hyung, can you make scones too, Jungkook and I haven’t eaten anything.”

“No hyung, I want to have Bagel with eggs, cheese and ham instead please,” the one that had the red bow stated. “Jimin hyung and I don’t have similar tastes and he needs to understand that I don’t like sweet things in the morning.”

“Oh come on, don’t you think having sweet things in the morning would make your whole day sweeter?”  Jimin asked as he started boiling hot water for the coffee later.

Jungkook rolled his eyes, “Only in your world hyung, only in your world,” he commented and started taking out the vegetables and fruits to cut up.

Just then the door to the café opened leaving a thud sound as it closed announcing that a customer had arrived. The boys all hushed as the customer walked up to a seat near the window and sat down.

Jimin being one of the barista’s went up to the customer bringing a menu and a smile with him, “Good morning sir. What would you like to eat?” he asked as he gave the menu to the customer and took out his notebook and pen.

“Can I ask someone else to take my orders?” the customer asked with a serious face, “It’s not that I don’t like you. It’s just that he has always taken my orders.”

“Umm….,” Jimin replied feeling a little rejected but mostly awkward.

“He is always wearing the pink bow,” the customer stated.

Jimin smiled and gave him a nod and walked into the kitchen. Jungkook was laughing quietly as possible. Then jimin walked up to Jin and tapped the busy boy that was finishing the bagel that was requested before.

“Hyung, there is a customer that wants you to serve him instead of me,” Jimin said with a pout, “He says you always serve him.”

Jin looked at Jimin with raised brows in question and walked towards the customer. He wondered if there was anyone that he had served numerous times. However, after thinking hard no face came up in his mind. Even as he stood in front of the customer, he had no reconciliation of ever serving him before.

“Good morning,” Jin greeted at the customer as he didn’t fail to analyze the person. “What would you like for breakfast this morning?”

The customer smiled back briefly and Jin noted it was kind of sweet yet stiff, “morning. Umm… what would you recommend I would eat today?” he asked with a kind of deep and raspy voice.

Jin though for a while before he replied, “I would recommend the grilled chicken sandwhich that has Swiss cheese, leaf lettuce, tomato and our special parmesan romano and asiago sauce.”

“I’ll have that and can you bring me Café Mocha with milk chocolate in it,”

Jin nodded and went to the kitchen. Jimin prepared the coffee muttering about the unfairness while, Jin prepared the sandwich and he delivered the food in no time. He put the plate and the coffee in the table from his tray and was about to leave but was stopped – again.  

“Can you stay?” the customer asked straightforwardly at which Jin was dumbfounded.

He wondered if he should leave; because this is an odd request, or stay; because this was the oddest request he had been asked. “I guess.” He decided to stay.

Jin sat down and they stared a bit and the customer started to eat. He then observed the other man fully and noted that the other guy entirely wore black. His hoodie was black, his jean was black, his shoes were black, and the headphones he had around his neck seemed black. Heck even his hair was as dark as black. He was a total contrast to the bright room and the light brown wooden table and chairs. Though, it kind of matched with his sort of tan skin.

The other guy coughed a bit loudly. Both of their eyes met in the process. Jin realized that he had been staring and avoided eye contact right away. His face turned red out of embarrassment.

“You’re blushing,” the guys stated as he sipped his café Mocha with a hint of amusement but Jin didn’t say anything though he took notice of the guy’s deep voice. “I guess you don’t remember seeing me at all. Though, I frequent this café a lot.”

Jin looked up at the customer wide eyed. He looked at the guys face intently in order to understand why, why he didn’t remember him or if he had come to his Café so often?  The only time he came out was to help if it was really busy or in the mornings. However, his mind would have been fresh enough to remember a face that he had seen frequently. Wouldn’t it?

“Your Café’s name Piquant Café doesn’t it mean scrumptious Café?”  The customer asked as he took another sip, “Why would you put up the word Piquant if no one would understand what it means?”

Jin smiled happy at the interest the other was showing to his Café, “Well you seem to know what it means,” he said, “Plus it always strikes up a conversation between a new customer and us the baristas.”

“Isn’t it annoying though always explaining the meaning to your customers?”

“Not really,” Jin replied, “Well not to me at least because I came up with the name after I heard someone say it. It seemed like a nice name since it sounds like some other word but – it actually means scrumptious.”

“So you’re saying behind the different exterior of the word, the interior of its content would be the same as calling this place ‘Scrumptious Café’ or “Delicious Café. But would it really matter?”

“It’s all the same though the word itself sounding different makes it unique thus the name being significant,” Jin answered slightly pissed the guy was bad mouthing his choice of word, “It attracts attention needed and the word is something that would stay in your mind.”

“I see,” the guy said and then took out his wallet and took out cash, “no change required and hopefully like the name you chose for your Café, you also won’t forget about me for the umpteenth time!” Then he left the Café shortly not forgetting to add a sweet smile and greeting farewell.

 Jin stared with an astonished expression as the guy walked out of the door. He really didn’t know if this guy was playing with him or telling the truth. He picked up the finished plate and cup and the money and returned back to the kitchen. Before he could think more about the mysterious guy the customers flooded in making him busy. But throughout the whole day of work he just couldn’t forget or figure out the customer that came in that morning. It was one of the most unusual Monday, out of all the Mondays he had had since he started his Café. Just Weird!

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