Taeil has never been comfortable with being the center of attention.

He’s a bit of a wallflower, most comfortable with watching the more confident people play from the sidelines. It’s not a burden to him, he legitimately enjoys being able to keep to himself.

Given this, he finds his current situation a tad bit uncomfortable.

There’s a new employee at the cafe Taeil works at, and he seems to find something about Taeil interesting.

Yookwon had been originally tasked with training him on the various machines behind the counter, showing him the ropes and all that, but he’d called in sick today. Leaving behind Taeil as the lone employee available to take care of Jiho.

Jiho, who had shaken Taeil’s hand so vigorously upon their first meeting that Taeil had worried for his wrist.

Jiho, who had spilled steaming milk foam all over the counter and then proceeded to try and hurriedly mop it up with the corner of his apron.

Jiho, who had pinched Taeil’s when he’d bent down to retrieve a spare stack of cups from a floor cupboard, then tried to convince Taeil of his innocence by spinning around and whistling obnoxiously.

This was going to be a long day.

~~~

Taeil’s day has not gotten much better since the addition of Jiho to the team.

A woman had ordered a medium triple vanilla latte and then threatened to call the branch manager when Jiho had accidentally handed her a large, leaving Taeil to try and diffuse the situation by offering a few gift cards and a coupon for a free drink.

Then a businessman had left without his phone, leaving Taeil to run out after him to give it back, only to be accused of trying to steal it.

People were hard to understand.

Jiho included.

The kid hadn’t left Taeil side since that morning, always right there whenever he turned around. Always with that same mischievous smile on his face.

It was a bit intimidating.

Jiho was a halfway competent worker, though, and Taeil was glad for the help he provided.

Until now.

You see, Taeil is honestly quite short. He is just a naturally small person. Jiho nearly dwarfs him despite his age, and the younger man seems to love it.

He stands closer than necessary just to grin at the way Taeil has to bend his neck to meet his eyes, he looms over Taeil’s shoulder as Taeil tries to teach him to master the intricate inner workings of the espresso maker, once even going so far as to rest his chin on the top of Taeil’s head.

It was humiliating.

Taeil is determined to prove himself to Jiho, for some strange reason, to show him that he is the more capable one.

This is why Taeil is struggling, in complete and utter vain, to reach the three-ply table napkins on the top shelf of the storage closet. He’s stretching up as high as he can, balanced on the toes of one foot while his fingers grasp futilely at thin air and his teeth chew his bottom lip raw.

He knows he can do it, he has to be able to do it, so he resorts to jumping in place, desperate to get to those damn napkins that are the barest inch out of reach.

Then there are hands on his sides, gently moving him aside, and Woo frickin’ Jiho is standing there, both feet flat on the ground as he reaches and snatches up Taeil’s prize with no difficulty.

The smirk on Jiho’s face brings a red flush to Taeil’s cheeks that spreads down his neck and warms to tips of his ears.

Jiho just smirks harder.

"Here, hyung," he positively gloats, handing the napkins to Taeil with a flourish and a mock bow.

Taeil grumbles something unintelligible in reply and hugs the napkins to his chest self-consciously, annoyed and embarrassed with Jiho’s penetrating stare.

It’s when Jiho starts to coo something in a little baby voice, grabby hands reaching towards Taeil’s cheeks, that Taeil finally moves to leave.

The storage closet is not very wide, made for only one person at a time to be inside. Because of this Taeil is forced to squeeze slowly by the motionless Jiho, eyes trained on the floor as he ignores Jiho’s obvious childish grin.

Taeil will be having a serious talk with Yookwon when he gets back.