“Why would meeting me be the demise of your limbs?”

Said a voice from his back.

“Excuse me?” Niel said in return.

“Choi Jonghyun.” The man introduced himself with a confident smile plastered on his face and a hand was stretched for a shake.

…

Niel was pretty much sure that he was screwed. He had always picture Ricky’s employer as some balding old man, and he was so not prepared to meet this young man, a very strapping-attractive-scarily-handsome young man as Ricky’s boss instead.

Nonetheless,Niel always remember Ricky’s tales on Mr. Choi’s bad temper which lay indiscernibly beneath that handsome façade. He reminded himself to not let his guard down though so far, Mr. Choi had appeared to be affable enough. That was because Niel was beyond doubt that he had been a terrible coffee bearing guy who delivered the food late and to add salt to the wound, he also had successfully drenching the office floor with rain water.

There was no reason for Mr. Choi to not get angry.

Biting his lips in helplessness, Niel sent out a silent prayer and wished the ground would swallow him whole before Mr. Choi decided to put down his façade and yelled him out of his building.

‘!’ he mouthed to Ricky who looked torn between being a good friend and stayed with Niel to suffer Mr. Choi’s wrath together or to fled out of the scene to save his sorry , alone.

But Ricky was naturally a good person, in the end he loyally remained with Niel.

What done is done, if Mr. Choi was mad at him, so be it. He would not cower and let the other guy had the benefit of witnessing his cowardice in addition to his soon to be wounded pride.

Braving himself,Niel pulled his charming (as charming as he can muster with his dwindling confidence) smile and shook Mr. Choi’s hand.

“Oh, hello Mr. Choi, I’m Daniel, Ahn Daniel.”

~~~

Jonghyun took some of his paperwork home with intentions to do a quick review, to check out if there’s any correction or amendment needed but his plan was completely ruined, and he knew what to be blamed, or to be more accurate who to blame. 

He had been staring at the same page for more than half hour but to be honest, no matter what angle he looked, the contents were totally lost to him. He’s not the type to lose focus. When working, he would tackle the task in hand without compromising a single flaw. People didn’t blindly scared of him just because of his temper, they respected him for his unblemished working antic. He’s a superior, but he’s also young, therefore in order to make sure no one ever dare to step on his head because of his age, Jonghyun had found himself as an uncompromised perfectionist. However, today was another story, instead of focusing on his work, which should be far more important and persistent, his mind kept drifting to the unexpected meeting in the earlier morning.

That mellow voice, luscious lips and cold hands. Jonghyun still could sense the tingles of the first touch when they shook hands, the reminisced coolness he felt when their hands clasped remained despite hours had past.

Jonghyun is a determined young lad, nevertheless mess up in the head because of one minute encounter with some random guy that had unknowingly warm his stomach for the past year.

(He found out that the guy was the one who prepared the delivered coffee and pastries when he interrogated Ricky soon after the meeting.)

Jonghyun didn’t know what mojo Daniel had but from the very first sight, Jonghyun had fall head over heel. And he fall really hard. People said the one who cook good food had a way to worm up to your heart, it sound cheesy but Jonghyun starting to find the truth in it. Maybe that’s how Daniel made his way to Jonghyun’s heart, with his triple shots espresso and blueberry danish, and when Jonghyun saw him, his body just naturally reacted to their dedicated provider. Surprisingly wanting someone in a way he never want anyone else before.

That guy, Ahn Daniel, was totally something.

Jonghyun wanted to wipe away that not-so-well-suppressed frightened looks Daniel had once he learnt Jonghyun’s name because knowing  Ricky and his hobby on spreading shenanigans, there’s no doubt that the tale of his temper had reached the other guy. Besides, somehow he found himself wanting to warm those frail cold hands, run his fingers through the messy wet hair, shields the lithe body from prying eyes, plastered beautiful smile on his pretty face every day, makes him happy, keeps him safe, he wants, wants and wants.

Call him crazy but Jonghyun himself has no explanation why he was reacting that way.

 It was a pure instinct.

All Jonghyun know is, he must have Ahn Daniel.

~~~

“Hachoo!” for the nth time he sneezed, and for the nth time, Byunghun was giving him that exasperated look.

“What?” he asked. His voice was muffled behind the face mask.

“You fairly know why, why bother ask?” Byunghun replied before scooping a new batch of coffee beans into the grinder.

Normally on other days, that would be Niel’s job but Byunghun also was a pretty good barista so Niel put his trust on the older guy to wear that apron for the day. He was forbidden to enter the kitchen, prepare the coffee or do the serving because according to Byunghun, Niel at the time was a ‘virus carrier’ that could endanger the livelihood of their customers. That guy was overreacting, Niel just had a light flu.

“I told you to not do the delivery yesterday, regardless for Ricky or anyone. If he desperate for the coffee, he should come in himself.” Byunghun continued once the grinding noise died.

“Stubborn head.” Byunghun added under his breath and Niel pretended he heard nothing.

A customer came and order for a cup of caffe breve which Niel swiftly passed the note to Byunghun after handing the change to the lady.

“Please wait at the other side, thank you.” he said to the customer.

After that, Byunghun made the coffee wordlessly and they fall into an elongated silence until the customer was served with her order.

“I thought that huge umbrella could protect me.” Niel said honestly.

“Pfft. That dumb umbrella was useless.” Byunghun retorted with a snort.

“Hey, it saved me from a burglar once! Give the umbrella a break and show it some gratitude would you?”

“That thankfully was just because of the burglar was stupid enough to chicken out at the sight of an umbrella. Seriously though, you should stop staying up late in here, it’s not really safe when you are alone.”

“Hmm... someone in mother-hen mode today.” Niel singsong. “Drop it, it doesn’t suit your gang-joe image at all. Besides, the pastries wont bake themselves, if I don’t stay late to prepare the dough and all, who is going to do the baking if it’s not me? You?” he replied sarcastically.

Byunghun is a decent cook but baking is never his forte.

“I could!” he replied defensively.

“Yeah, with highest possible chance we will lose all of our customers in the aftermath. Like I will ever let that happen.” He huffed out.

The bell on the café’s door rings with customer coming in and out and both of them let the topic slide, focusing on their respective task. Niel was wiping the countertop when a familiar figure walked in. A regular customer, yet never been to the café himself. Niel quickly turned around and pulled at Byunghun’s sleeve.

“What?”

“Switch place with me. You take care of the counter.” Niel said hastily with pleading look but Byunghun just looked at him like he had grown two heads.

 “What? Why?”

‘Lee Byunghun, this is not the best time to get confused. For God’s sake switch place with me because that rumored bloodcurdling guy had descend upon me to seek revenge of his wet floor!’ Niel frantically trying to explain but what came out from his mouth instead was just some desperate gurgles.

Call him overreacting but he just didn’t want to get involved in any way with Ricky’s boss, at all.

“Just, please..?” Niel pressed as he pulled again at Byunghun’s sleeve, but before they could do anything, someone greeted them from behind.

“Hello.”

That voice.

That spine-chilling voice.

Niel released his grip on Byunghun’s sleeve and took a deep breath to recompose himself. It’s time to face the music. If Choi Jonghyun decides to express his rage now, Niel better take it with dignity (besides, he always has Byunghun to back him up)

‘You can do this Ahn Daniel!’

“Welcome to Café DaNi, what’s your order?”

‘That’s it. That is what we call professional. Well done Ahn Daniel!’

It’s not hurt to self praise once in awhile.

~~~

Jonghyun was standing in front of Daniel. The other guy’s face was covered with mask but Jonghyun could recognize that voice anywhere. With only a few meters gap between them, his mind inconveniently went blank. He was determined to meet Daniel again and had faced difficultly to build up his courage to make it true, but when Daniel was really in front of him, his confidence was tad swayed.

“Excuse me sir, your order please?” Niel repeated, his voice was so sweet and Jonghyun was smitten.

“Can I have you please?”

‘What was that??!!’ Jonghyun mentally slap himself. That was the lamest pickup line in the history of the lamest pickup lines ever.

“W-what?”

“Nothing! I’m just kidding. Just kidding…” Jonghyun quickly replied with a sheepish grin and waving his hand dismissively in hope that Daniel would just let it slide.

“Okay then. What can I have for you? Triple shots espresso and blueberry danish?” Niel asked with a pen and notepad in his hand, his eyes were crinkled with smile but unfortunately the stretch of his lips was hidden behind the mask.

Jonghyun’s heart swelled nonetheless.

Daniel knew his order!

“Ah, how do you know?”

“Well, Ricky orders them pretty much every weekdays, he prefers lighter coffee and favour the bagels over danish, so I kinda figure out that the never changing orders of triple shots espresso and blueberry danish were for you. Am I right?”

“Yeah, right. That’s amazing by the way. For you to remember every details. Do you do this to all customers or some special ones?”

‘please say I’m special…’

“Umm.. no, it’s just you are regular though this is the first time you come here yourself. By the way, are you eating in or ‘take away’?”

“Take away, please.” Jonghyun replied swiftly.

Daniel was taking out a paper bag when he realized the empty tray. “Ah, sorry there’s no more danish out here, I’m gonna get some in the kitchen. Please wait at the other side.” Daniel said while gesturing to the adjacent counter where the barista was preparing his coffee and Jonghyun watched Daniel’s retreating back before he disappeared behind a door with word ‘kitchen’ labeled on it.

Once the door closed, Jonghyun turn his attention to the source of his perturbed feeling, the person who had been staring judgingly at him the whole time.

“It’s you.” Jonghyun said to the barista with a smirk on his face. He didn’t really know this guy, besides the fact that he was the delivery guy who also happened to be Ricky’s friend, but somehow Jonghyun had disconcerting inkling about him. Besides, when someone was practically glowered at you, it is very reasonable for Jonghyun to feel unsettled, though he don’t know what the reason is.

Maybe it was because that guy was having physical contact with Daniel earlier and the closeness between him and Daniel was not unnoticed by Jonghyun. Or maybe because that guy himself was radiating dislike toward Jonghyun. If that was the case, the feeling was mutual.

L.Joe merely tsked him before turning around to prepare the drink, paying no further attention to Jonghyun.

‘What an attitude!’

~~~

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Niel asked as he wiped his hand with a napkin after putting the last batch of pie dough into the fridge.

Byunghun had been watching him like a hawk for the whole day and it was past midnight now and he still giving Niel that silent look, like Niel might do some uncanny thing if Byunghun was not paying attention.

It annoyed him to the core.

“Stop this. Spit it out.” Niel said as he threw the napkin to Byunghun’s face but the other guy swiftly caught the cloth before it reached the intended destination.

“That guy, Ricky’s boss, what did he want from you?” he said as he hopped onto the counter where Niel was sitting on.

“What are you talking about? Why would he want anything from me?” Niel asked, buffled.

‘So this is what had been bothering him the whole day?’

“Humph, that guy is weird.” Byunghun huffed out.

“Okay, now you are being weird. What’s wrong with him anyway?” it’s not like Mr.  Choi had done anything weird (unless if you count in the fact that he was being friendly and hadn’t scold Niel or anything yet as weird).

“Nothing. Just, if he tries to do anything, or harass you in any way, tell me, okay? And I really mean it.” Byunghun said and his eyes were serious, like he somehow was preparing for a battle.

“Oh my God! Lee Byunghun what was that for?!”

tbc.

~~~~~~ 

hello there :))) thank you for reading this piece.

leave some cookies and let me know your opinion on this story so far, ne?

and... i add l.joe for some spice *wink*