You’re at your part-time job, working as a barista. Although the café is always bustling with people on the go, a sudden silence occurs. Finishing the latté you were making, you speak up “What’s going on?” you ask your colleague. Turning to hand the customer her order, she drops the cup, paying it no attention whatsoever.

It is at that time you see them, two body’s cladded in dark hoodies, sunglasses atop their noses, facing the floor. EXO’s Chanyeol and Baekhyun… Even if you weren’t a fan, which you obviously are, you’d recognize them. “EXO” your colleague finally breathes as a responds, but it comes out as a stammer. The only thing you can do is nod. You are left speechless and dumbfounded, and completely forget about the spilled coffee.

All of a sudden, Chanyeol walks to the counter, reaches over the bar and grabs a towel to clean. You hurry to stop him, as you bend forward he looks up. Resulting in your heads bumping into one another. A heartfelt laughter can be heard from the entrance, Baekhyun. You gently rub your forehead, bowing to apologize. To your surprise you are met with a warm smile, the one which makes his ears twitch just that tiny bit. It happens naturally; you smile back.

Baekhyun approaches you and casually helps you up, you thank him, politely inclining your head. However your eyes never leave Chanyeol but to nervously look at the floor. You feel anxious and at the same time excited. They order their coffee, a buzz growing, you feel pressured and make rookie mistakes. As they leave you see he left a massive tip. Deciding to go after them, you run out onto the street. They’re gone, nowhere to be seen. Disappointed you let your head hang, and go back inside.

The next time you see him, he’s alone. A few days later, he returns to the café. You don’t mention the tip nor the accident, just take his order and hand it to him, and he tips you graciously. This happens a few times more, but word gets out that Chanyeol visits the café often and a lot of fans wait for him to show up. One evening, while handing him his order, he smiles somewhat mischievous. He clumsily pushes a bill in the tipjar and leaves. Just before he goes through the door he speaks up “Check your tip” he says, and vanishes.

The moment he leaves you ravage the jar, examining everything that’s inside. Eventually you find one with a small scribble on its corner. Your hands start to tremble slightly, it’s a phone number. HIS phone number.

It takes you a while to muster up the courage to contact him. When you finally do, you send a text.

‘Hey… It’s the barista. You over tipped’ you send him, trying to casually make conversation, but your insides are burning with desire. You don’t have to wait long for a response, shortly after your phone buzzes.

-‘Then return it to me’ he sends. It wasn’t what you wanted to read, nor expected to. Disappointed ways heavy on your mood, but you cannot defy his wish, so you respond curtly.

‘Fine, when and where?’

-‘Tomorrow, 10AM, café’

You don’t text back. Tomorrow is Saturday, the café opens at 10, no need to confirm. The rest of the evening turns into a rollercoaster of emotions. You are happy and excited to see him again, but sad and let down that it’s only like that because he wants his tip back. You’ll see him, provided that it’d be the last time. Or so you thought.

You end up waiting for him the next morning, since you were a bit too eager and way early. He turns up 10 sharp. He’s wearing casual clothes, trying to blend in, but miserably failing. You feel overdressed, seeing as you spend the better part of last night and this morning stressing over what to wear. You shyly greet him, looking up you see him looking a bit stoic. It’s better to get it over with already, so you hold out the money he tipped. He just stands there, unmoving, eventually you look up, confused. Giving a large smile he grabs your hand and pulls you with him. “You’re paying” he jokes as he stops a cab.

He whispers an address and the cab guns it. The ride is slightly awkward, he is clearly excited to do or go to whatever it is you are headed for. However most of the ride is quiet except for the occasional shouts and cusses from the cabby. When you arrive, words are lost. Looking like a child awaiting praise Chanyeol walks to the entrance.

He took you to an unknown, small amusement park. It had the main attractions but not much more. The thing that stood out most was the ferriswheel. The colors had long since faded but you could still see how majestic it must have been back in the day. The two of you walk around for a bit before he clearly makes up his mind to do something, and skillfully though somewhat awkwardly leads you towards the ferriswheel.

The park wasn’t busy, not at all, it seemed close to deserted, but that’s what made it so nice and comfortable. Now, though, you felt a bit pressured, being alone with him. It almost felt… When you got into the cart he sat next to you, moving slightly away from him to create some space between the two of you, you sat like a statue. Not a words was spoken, it was silent until the cart reached the top and it swayed lightly from one side to another. He moved to sit down in front of you. You could see him fumbling, softly giggling to yourself you looked down at your own sweating palms.

Stuttering he started to speak. “I…” he seemed to be struggling to word his feelings. Unable to look at him, you stared at his shoes. Those big sneakers, it gave you a smile on your face. As if it gave him courage he spoke up loudly, standing up as if a spring had launched him of his seat “I like you” he practically shouted. Amazed you sat there, the wheel began to move again, you felt obligated to say something, but what could you say?

The air was loaded as both of you got out of the cart, minutes turned to hours and the day slowly came to an end. He’d spend his precious time off with you, confessed and still you couldn’t give him a proper answer. Could you fulfill that place? Were you the right person? You doubted it, but he seemed more than convinced for the two of you together.

Eventually impatience must have gotten the better hand of him, because he grabbed your shoulder forcing you to stop walking. Turning around asking what might be the problem, a shadow came closer and you felt the soft touch of lips caress your own. The first was soft and gentle but he broke it only to grab your hands and entwine his fingers into your own. He pulled you close to him and pressed his lips against yours once more, it was stronger more intense, more forceful, but not rough. It didn’t hurt.

Everything you had held in spilled over, water boiling against the back of your eyes as you instinctively responded to his kiss. It took everything you had to keep yourself upright so you broke the kiss, smiling, you looked at him. Having found your resolve in the statement he had provided you spoke up “I like you too” you whispered placing your forehead against his chest. Letting out a suppressed snort. A crooked smile appeared on his face, lifting his ears and slightly topping his snapback up. He nodded “Good”.

After getting his phone number he didn’t visit the café anymore. You didn’t mind thought, it was no longer necessary, because the two of you no longer needed that place.