Author's Note: Hello, lovelies! I hope you are all doing well! I'm getting better every day and wanted to thank you all for your kind words and support as I recover and get back to my Ontae chaptered story. I've been working on this for a while and I hope you like it! Well, here goes nothing! Picture present at the bottom! Enjoy! XDD 

The black hat, dark clothes, and small mask were working better than I thought. My long coat kept me hidden and warm. I had yet to be recognized and was able eat some street Ddukbokkie from a food stand, not to mention Odeng, which I think I ate too much of, come to think of it.

There was a small café that I had spotted on my way out of the hotel and away from my bodyguards that looked really good. I should just go there to relax and if my manager or whoever finally finds me, I’ll just tell them I was here the entire time and not get into too much trouble for screwing my diet or wandering away too far.  

I made my way back towards the hotel and spotted the café, instantly going inside. The café was great. Along one of the walls were weird shelves full of books and games. While there were some tables, there were also couches, recliners, bean bag chairs, and even mats on the floor. The place looked really cozy and it surprised me that there was even a small stage near the back.

I went to the counter and was greeted by a pretty boy with dyed blonde hair, seductive eyes, and a cute smirk. He was cleaning cups and smiling at me. I took a small glance at his tag before looking at the menu. There were many choices but one caught my eye, making my mouth water.

“Kai, I think I’ll have the peppermint hot chocolate and a slice of chocolate cake without the frosting.”

“Great choice. Go ahead and take a seat, relax, and I’ll have it over to you shortly.”

I nodded and went to find a book and a chair, but not before putting a generous tip into the tip jar at the counter. I found a book that I had read but never finished. I sat down and opened the book to a page I knew and began reading.

“That’s one of my favorites. Page 23 has a great piece.”

I turned to see a different boy than the one at the counter. He was just as pretty as Kai, with bright eyes lined with charcoal, brown hair swept out of his eyes, and lush lips. He had a cup in his hand and a plate in the other.

“Here you go. Let us know if you would like anything else. Just press the button.”

He set the cup and plate down, taking a cutlery set out of his pocket and set it by the plate. His name tag said Baekhyun when I glanced just before he turned and walked away. I noticed the small button he mentioned on the end of the small table I sat by. It was very small, but as I looked around, I saw them everywhere anyone could sit, even on the floor by the mats.

I was really loving the atmosphere. It was very peaceful, though it surprised me that there weren’t more people around. There was a young lady across the way from me, on her computer and looking at what seemed to be a nurse’s study book. I could hear some soft music but it wasn’t loud enough for me to identify the piece.

The chocolate cake looked so delicious that I decided to take a bite first when I usually always leave pastries for after I have finished my drink and just before I ordered another. It was something I did since usually the cake was almost always dry or way too sweet enough for me to enjoy my drink.

Closing my eyes while taking in that first bite was involuntary. The cake melted on my tongue, making me want more. I took another bite, savoring the taste as I stirred my hot chocolate with the petit candy cane sitting inside the cup. I welcomed the steam as it had been quite chilly outside just before I came into the café.

One sip from the cup had me sighing contentedly. I had been many places around the world and tried more versions of peppermint hot chocolate than I could count. This version was the best so far and I couldn’t stop myself from taking three giant gulps and swirling the sweet liquid in my mouth before swallowing.

I set my cup down and grabbed the poetry book, turning to the page Baekhyun had recommended. The poem was beautiful, leaving me to read its entirety before glancing back at my food. I took another bite and sip before turning the page to the next poem.

The door chime broke me out of my trance. I had been reading the same poem, realizing that it expressed just what I felt. Becoming an idol was my dream but as I got older, my dream started to change. Lately, I had been wanting to leave my idol life and settle down somewhere where no one knew who I was.

I glanced to my left and saw a young man approach the counter. Kai came around, giving the man a hug and a kiss on his cheek. The young man smiled before asking for his usual and going to the small stage, flicking on the lights and sitting at the piano. The girl who hardly made a noise was watching him intently and packing up her things, a small smile on her face.

Since my cup was now empty, I decided to press the button and order another. I also wanted to ask how much it would cost for me to take a whole cake home with me. Hopefully they sold it. I would really love to have more of it since I knew after my bodyguards found me, I would be on house arrest for quite a while.

“Another cup?”

I turned to my right, meeting another new face. More like another pretty boy. This boy was taller than the first two with a sharp jawline, full lips, and piercing eyes. He gave me a sweet smile, grabbing my cup from the table. His tag said Sehun and I couldn’t help but think the name fit him perfectly.

“Yes, Sehun. That would be great.”

He gave me a nod and walked away before I could ask about the cake, going to the young man that was sitting at the piano who stood up upon seeing him approach. They hugged and the young man moved his scarf a bit and gave Sehun a kiss on the cheek as well as pinching the other cheek.

I couldn’t see the young man’s face because of the scarf wrapped around him and the hat on his head, even when he pulled it down to place the kiss on Sehun’s cheek. While he had been sitting at the piano, he had yet to play it, looking over the papers that covered the stand beside the piano. I saw Baekhyun go over to him, giving him a cup and plate with what looked like a pink cake. He stood once again, hugging the boy and accepting a kiss from him.

The girl had finished packing up her computer and books, slinging her back pack over her shoulder and approaching the young man. They spoke briefly, before she looked down, shaking her head at him. I could see that she was crying and wondered if she had been rejected by the young man. He moved forward, wiping away a tear from her chin before he sat back down at the piano. She ran her hands though her hair before walking to the door and out of the café. 

I turned just in time to see a completely different boy setting down a new cup of peppermint hot chocolate for me. His name was Luhan. He had beautiful eyes, a cute smile, and dusty pink hair that made is fair skin stand out. He gave me a warm smile before he spoke.

“Let us know if you would like anything else.”

“Thank you, Luhan. I definitely will.”

He bowed slightly before going over to the young man at the piano, hugging him and also gaining a kiss.

I was beginning to wonder if the young man came here every day. He seemed to know all the boys who worked here. I was also wondering why this place wasn’t swarming with girls. The boys that worked here were beyond pretty. If I wasn’t so chicken and shy, I would have asked out Kai or maybe Luhan.

Actually, now that I think about it, I probably shouldn’t. They all looked rather young. I suddenly felt like a erted ajusshi. I shook my head as if to shake away the thought and continued to read the poetry book I picked when I had arrived. I once again took hold of the petite candy cane inside my hot chocolate and stirred with it before popping the remains into my mouth.

I would say I had been here for about an hour, drinking my third cup of peppermint hot chocolate and finishing off my cake, when I felt my phone buzz. I quickly pulled it out to see a missed call from my manager. I swiped the screen lock away just in time to see a message pop up.

My manager sent me a message, letting me know that it would be better if I showed up at the hotel instead of being found. I sent a reply, letting him know I was just around the corner from the hotel but not really telling him where I was at and turned my phone off, putting it back into my coat.

“A gift for you.”

I turned to see Kai holding a box, wrapped in green with a small red bow.

“Bwo? For me?”

He smiled, nodding his head and placing the box on my table.

“You seemed to like the cake and hadn’t noticed we placed a new piece on your table. You just kept eating it. So the owner thought you would like a whole one for yourself.”

I looked at the box, my mouth salivating. There was a small tag on the box that said Merry Christmas.

“How much do I owe you?”

When I looked back up, Kai was gone and Baekhyun was staring at me, a smile on his face.

“It’s on the house. Feel free to come back any time. We are open 24/7.”

Bwo? Really? I wouldn’t think a café would be open all night unless it was a Starbucks. I placed the cake on the table, smiling to myself.

“Wow. Thank you. I hope I can come back. I really like it here.”

“We hope you can come back, too.”

I quickly looked back up at the sound of a voice that wasn’t Baekhyun’s. My eyes meet with Sehun. He nodded to me, giving me a small smile before walking to a chair in front of me and taking a seat.

I looked to see what he was staring at and saw that Luhan was sitting on a stool in front of a mic on the small stage. The young man was still seated at the piano, this time he had on some headphones. I was surprised when Luhan began singing. It wasn’t until he was on the second verse of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” that the young man began playing the piano.

The simplicity of their performance surprised me. It was genuinely beautiful, especially when the young man playing the piano sang with him. He was more of a back-up singer, an echo in my opinion, but his singing was still strong and held meaning. When they finished singing, Sehun stood up from his chair to walk over to Luhan.

They smiled brightly at each other, hugging and sharing a few kisses before going over to the young man. I felt like I was watching something you would see in a drama. They spoke briefly before the two pretty boys went to what I assumed was the back of the café. The young man sat back down and began playing the piano, his headphones still on.

I don’t know if it was because of the song he began singing or because of his voice, but I felt my heart skip a beat. As he sang and played, I rested my head back on the seat, putting the poetry book down on the table. I enjoyed his singing, moving my lips silently along with him. My eyes flew open when he began to whisper the rap in the song. It was a beautiful rendition and I couldn’t help but feel that he did better than the original singer.

He finished singing, playing the last few notes of the song before standing up and taking a sip of his drink and a bite of his pink cake. I wish I could see more of his face. He gathered up some papers that were on the stand, fixing them neatly and placing them in a folder that he put in a green backpack. We both glanced at the door when the chime signaled another customer coming in.

I groaned seeing my manager come in with the two body guards I had been assigned to that I escaped from earlier. I stood up, going to the book shelf to return the book that I was reading. When I turned around to go back to my seat, I could see my manger staring at me, both his hands on his hips. They walked over to me, sitting down in the chairs and couch that were closest to me.

“You weren’t noticed, so I can’t be too mad at you, but I hope you know how dangerous it is for you to just walk about the city.”

I nodded my head, deciding I should take off my hat. I shook my head, allowing my hair to breath a bit before I would have to return to the hotel and not see anything but the inside of my room for however long my manger deemed necessary. I unhooked the mask I had been wearing and decided to leave it off instead of pulling it down every time I drank or ate.

“What can I get for you today?”

We all turned to see Kai. He smiled at my manager, waiting for him to order.

“Three latte’s, with cinnamon on top.”

I smiled, knowing my manager wouldn’t order his usual without knowing the place first.

“Excellent choice. I’ll have that out in a few. Feel free to make yourself at home.”

Kai smiled and gave me a small nod before walking back to the counter.

“Do you know him?”

I rolled my eyes, drinking the last bit of my peppermint hot chocolate before speaking.

“Ani. I just met him today. I’ve never been here before.”

My manager shrugged before leaning back in his seat and taking off his coat, placing it on the end of the couch my bodyguards were sitting on.

“This place is cozy. I love the artwork.”

Key looked behind him where most of the artwork was.

“The owner painted all the pieces you see.”

“He said he wanted everything original.”

“He also designed the shelves.” The three boys startled my manager, earning a chuckle out of me. Baekhyun, Sehun, and Luhan placed the steaming cups in front of the two bodyguards and my manager before walking away.

“Is this some kind of pretty boy café?”

I chuckled, giving my manager a small smile.

“Your peppermint hot chocolate to go.”

We turned to see a completely different boy than the four I had seen. I smiled up at him, taking the thermos, and peeking at his name tag. He was taller than all the other boys, with big ears, big round eyes, and full lips. I swear I saw his eyes twinkle when he smiled back at me.

“Thank you, Chanyeol. I’ll be sure to enjoy this with my cake. Are you sure I don’t owe you anything?”

“Of course. The owner took care of everything and hopes that you not only enjoy our service, but that you will return soon.”

I really wanted to meet the owner now.

“Of course. I promise to return every chance I get. Please let the owner know how much I appreciate this.”

He smiled once again and nodded before turning around and heading to the young man at the piano. The young man stood up and gave Chanyeol a hug and a kiss on the cheek before handing him a guitar that I hadn’t seen before.

“You sure seem to know everybody.”

I raised my eyebrow at my manager before speaking.

“Key, I’ve told you. I’ve never been here before. But I will be coming more often.”

“Here I thought you were mad at me, but seeing as you are calling me by my chosen name and not my given name, I’ll let you stay a bit longer.”

He gave me a smirk before taking a sip of his latte.

“Omo. You will have to bring me one of these every time you come here. This is the best latte I’ve ever had.”

I nodded my head and focused my attention on the stage.

Chanyeol was tuning the guitar, his left leg crossed over his right as he sat on a stool right in front of the mic. He turned to the young man, giving him a thumbs up before setting his lips on the mic. I heard a faint whisper but I couldn’t understand what he said before the young man started playing the piano, starting off with a scale down the keys.

I watched Chanyeol as he played, enjoying the smile he had. You couldn’t find people these days who were honestly happy about playing or singing. There was always some hidden reason for wanting to perform. Even I had an ulterior motive for auditioning and wanting a contract.

Key was humming and rocking his head along to the music. I really enjoyed their piece and wished I knew what they were playing. When they finished, Chanyeol smiled brightly and gave the guitar back to the young man who seemed to put it off to the side of the piano where I couldn’t see.

We all turned our heads again at the sound of the door chime. The man had barely stepped into the café when Chanyeol, Sehun, and another boy I didn’t recognize stepped to him. Where were all these boys coming from? I couldn’t see his name tag, but his height spoke enough. He had spiky blonde hair, an earring in his left ear, and an intimidating smirk.

“You should leave. You are no longer welcomed here.”

Sehun spoke first, his voice emotionless.

“Just let me speak to him.”

The man glanced around the café, before his face was brought forward by the boy I hadn’t spoken to.

“Leave. I won’t ask you again.”

The man took his face away from him, glaring before he threw his arm back to punch him square in the face. The boy fell backwards, clutching his nose. I swear I heard the rest of the boys growl but I put that out of my head when I heard someone shouting.

“Yunho! Leave now!”

I turned to see the young man walking forward away from the piano. He took off his scarf and his hat, placing them on a random couch. I felt my heart beat rapidly upon seeing his face. He was the most beautiful person I had ever seen. Doe eyes, fair skin, slightly chubby cheeks, and rose kissed lips. His black hair stood out with his skin color and I felt my cheeks get hot at the intense look he had.

“I just want to talk to you. Please. We can work this out.”

The man moved forward but was stopped by Chanyeol.

“He said leave. Taemin’s boyfriend will be upset that you have shown up.”

Kai came around from the counter and stood in front of the young man who I figured was named Taemin. His name fit him perfectly, if you asked me.

“Taemin doesn’t have a boyfriend. He’s too busy writing music and looking at pictures of that stupid singer on his phone,”the man scoffed, pushing aside Kai so that he was directly in front of Taemin.

“I do have a boyfriend and I would like you to leave. Please don’t cause any more trouble,” Taemin spoke softly, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Taemin, just talk to me without all of your flower boys. Just one conversation that doesn’t involve them and your precious Jinki.”

I felt my heart swell at the sound of my name. That must have been why he sang my song earlier. I couldn’t keep myself from smiling, knowing that he was my fan.

Key placed his hand on my arm, as if to tell me not to draw attention to myself, but we both knew I wasn’t going to listen to him. I watched Taemin run his hand through his hair and puff out his cheeks in annoyance. So cute. He gave the man a quick look before shaking his head no.

“I just want you to leave. Please. I’m already going to have to explain this to my boyfriend.”

“Taemin, stop lying! You don’t have a boyfriend! I want us to work things out!”

The man stepped forward, placing his hand on Taemin’s arm.

Before he could do anything, I stood up, making a loud noise by pushing aside my table to gain their attention, my two body guards standing up behind me. They moved in front of me as if to shield me but I walked around them, my eyes focused on Taemin whose eyes were wide.

“I’m his boyfriend and I would appreciate it if you would take your hands off of him.”

I walked towards Taemin and released him from Yunho’s grip, tucking him into my chest, while trying to stare the man down. I’m not very intimidating, so I hoped my voice sounded the way I wanted it to. Taemin wrapped his arms around my waist, digging his face into my chest.

“You okay, baby?”

He nodded, looking up at me and smiling. I was happy that he played along but I knew after Yunho left, I would definitely ask Taemin out. Hopefully I wouldn’t stutter or fall down, which I was sort of known for.

“Who the hell do you think you are?”

Taemin trembled slightly in my arms. I brought my face low to him, whispering in his ear for him not to be surprised. He let out a shaky breath and nodded.

“I already told you, I’m his boyfriend. Taemin doesn’t want to see you anymore. I suggest you leave before you’re forced to leave.”

My two body guards stepped forward, flanking me.

“You don’t even know Taemin. Stop this act and let me talk to him privately.”

I let go of Taemin, stepping forward as I began undoing my mask and taking off my hat that I was quick to put back on when Yunho first arrived.

“I do know him. I know his favorite drink is caramel lattes with just a splash of banana and he loves strawberry cake with extra frosting. I also know that he likes the sound of my voice, especially in the mornings when I sing to him as I cook breakfast.”

I had finished taking off my mask and hat, putting them in my pocket.

“Yo-you-your Jinki.”

I smiled at Yunho, putting my arm around Taemin, who had stepped closer to me to stare at my face.

“Yes. I’m Jinki. Is there something wrong with that?”

Yunho’s shocked face turned angry as he focused his eyes on Taemin.

“How the hell did you get Jinki, a famous singer, to you?! Did you pay him?”

I stepped forward, grabbing Yunho by the collar.

“Don’t you ever raise your voice like that at Taemin again! I’m the one who approached Taemin. Jonghyun, Minho, please Yunho out of the café.”

Minho took Yunho by the collar after I released him, picking him up and throwing him over Jonghyun’s shoulder.

They took him outside and rounded the corner, disappearing from our line of sight. I turned to look at Taemin. He was once again staring at me. His big beautiful brown eyes were watery. I brushed my thumbs under his eyes, wiping away his tears as they fell.

“Are you okay, Taemin?”

“Deh. Go-gomawo. Yo-you didn’t ha-have to do that.”

I shrugged, pushing him onto a couch to sit with me.

“I was going to ask you out anyway. Now we have a good story to tell our children someday. Oh wait, didn’t you say you had a boyfriend already?”

His eyes became wide before he started laughing, using his hand to cover his mouth when he became louder.

“I don’t have a boyfriend actually, and I don’t think dating me who be a good idea, Jinki-hyung.”

“And why is that, baby?”

He covered his face when his cheeks started to turn red.

“You’re a famous singer. You can have anybody you want.”

“I highly doubt that, but let’s just say you are right. I may be able to have anybody I want, but I want you. I’m not lying when I said I wanted to ask you out. I really was going to before I left. I figured you’re the owner.”

He smiled, nodding in agreement.

“Was? Does that mean you aren’t going to ask me out now?”

I ruffled his hair and gave him a kiss on his cheek. His ears were pink when I pulled away. I didn’t know where my newfound confidence came from but decided to just go with the flow.

“Why ask for something I already have.”

He laughed, leaning his body against mine on the couch.

“You’re smooth. I guess I don’t have a choice, do I?”

I smiled at him and got up from the couch, going to my table to grab the thermos of peppermint hot chocolate and the cake. Key stood up, giving me a knowing smirk and walked to the door just as Minho and Jonghyun walked back in.

“Of course you have a choice.”

He stood up, grabbing my mask, and placing it back on my face.

“How did you know?”

My eyes must have portrayed my confusion because Taemin giggled before speaking again.

“How did you know I was drinking a caramel latte with banana and eating strawberry cake with extra frosting?”

I smiled, moving my hand forward to ruffle his hair.

“I could smell it on your breath and I could see from where I sat that there was a lot of frosting on the cake.”

Taemin laughed once again, covering his mouth.

I took a piece of paper out of my pocket and wrote my number on it. He smiled when I placed it in his hand. I fixed my hat back on my head and walked to the front door, opening it for Key, Minho, and Jonghyun.

“I want a boy.”

I turned back to look at Taemin. He gave me a smirk before winking at me.

“A boy?”

I smiled, knowing exactly what he meant.

“Deh. We can call him Yoogeun.”

I smiled at the thought of raising a child with Taemin.

“Perfect.” 

A/N: There it is!! I hope you like it! Comment! I'll see you next time for Part 2!! XDDD