-fin-
Pulling Shots on a Sugar RushOne teensy warning: Hormones
Pulling Shots on a Sugar Rush
He had given her a week.
“If this idiot of yours doesn’t grow a pair of eyes to see what he’s been missing out on by next week,” He’d said that night he walked her home, “You’ll show me how to make an iced Americano.”
Heo YoungJi had smiled and stood on her tiptoes, but that was three weeks ago and Song Mino still hadn’t followed up on their deal.
“Seriously?” HaRa rolled over the floor to look at YoungJi, frowning.
YoungJi stared at the ceiling and sighed, “Yup.”
GyuRi leaned against the mirror of their practice room and took a sip of her water.
“But I thought you guys had a good time at your date.” She said.
YoungJi suddenly remembered the smell of leather and fresh body wash and hoped they’d excuse the blush on her face for the flush of their recent rehearsal.
“I thought so, too.” YoungJi said quietly.
“Hang on.” SeungYeon jumped in, “Weren’t you two just texting each other yesterday?”
She neglected to mention that she only knew this because she was looking over YoungJi’s shoulder when those very texts came in.
“We’re still in contact.” YoungJi admitted, playing with her shoelaces. “He just…” She tried not to sound so disappointed, “He just doesn’t bring it up.”
She avoided their eyes while they exchanged glances around the room.
“…Then,” HaRa said after a moment, “What do you two talk about?”
“A lot of things.” YoungJi said, biting back a sigh, “Just not…that.”
They could talk about music and gossip and just about everything…except the date they were supposed to have two weeks ago.
“Maybe he’s just really busy.” SeungYeon suggested gently.
“Yeah,” YoungJi agreed lightly, “Busy with other interests, I’m sure.”
The bitter edge in her words wasn’t difficult to pick up on.
“So why don’t you ask him out.” GyuRi suggested pragmatically. When YoungJi raised an eyebrow, she shrugged, “It’s not like there’s a rule that he has to be the one to initiate things.”
And she was right, of course. KARA’s leader knew what she was talking about, after all. But Mino had been so frank with YoungJi when they’d last seen each other that she’d pretty much expected him to hound her, asking after that coffee date she didn’t even realize she was looking forward to until it looked like it wasn’t going to happen.
“This is ridiculous.” HaRa scoffed, pulling out her phone and punching at the screen maliciously. “SeungRi needs to set that boy straight.”
“Oh mYGODNO!” YoungJi scrambled to her knees, crawling to HaRa and stopping her from sending a completely unnecessary text to her childhood friend, “Don’t do that!”
“Why not?” HaRa demanded, offended for her sake. “That kid needs to learn that you’re worth more than a handful of text messages and a half-hearted promise!”
It wasn’t really a promise and it was more like an average of a dozen messages on most days, but HaRa was on a roll and YoungJi quickly said, “Unnie, I don’t want him to go out with me because he feels guilty or obligated.”
“Yah,” HaRa exhaled, exasperated, “Don’t you know by now? Boys are stupid. Half of the time, they don’t know what they want.”
YoungJi’s response was instant, “Mino’s not like that.”
She hadn’t meant to sound so defensive, but her quick reaction had surprised the others.
“You…” GyuRi tried not to chortle and failed because, “You seem awfully sure of him, YoungJi-ah.”
YoungJi rubbed a hand down her face because their leader was using that same tone her mother did when YoungJi came home at the age of five and announced that she was going to marry her seat-partner.
“Ooh, yes.” SeungYeon cooed, crawling up on her knees to scooch uncomfortably close to their maknae. “Your confidence in Mino is very…” She swooned onto YoungJi’s back dramatically, “Inspiring.”
YoungJi’s left eye may have twitched. Sometimes, she missed having only one elder sister to get on her nerves.
“Tch.” HaRa twisted at one corner, doubtful, “I still say you should let me light a fire under that a-”
“It’s fine!” YoungJi cut her off quickly, feeling mildly mortified that they were even on this topic in the first place. “Really! You don’t have to do anything! It’s fine!”
And it was. Really. So what if he didn’t ask her out again?
It’s not like it’d be the first time she was friend-zoned by a rapper anyway.
YoungJi glared at her phone for another moment longer before their choreographer called them to their marks again.
Going on stage was a bit of a religious experience for YoungJi still. She had thought that, after a year of this, she’d get over the rush of adrenaline whenever their songs blasted through the air, the stage lights burning over their heads, the only thing they could see behind the glare of the brightness was the pink ocean of KARA fans cheering for them, cheering to their songs, cheering her name. But no. Each time she rushed on and off for a performance, she felt that unmistakable surging sense of freedom, of invincibility, of somehow being so sure that she could conquer the world as long as her KARA members were at her side.
She was still running on that performance high when she noticed that her phone was blinking with a notification: 1 New Message.
‘So, can you show me how to make an Americano this weekend?’ Received 6:45pm
Mino wasn’t really talking about coffee, but that was fine.
‘I’m free on Sunday if you are.’ Sent 8:17pm
YoungJi wasn’t really talking about coffee either.
She has a hard time sleeping that night though, because the rush of her performance eventually dies down, but every time she glances at their messages, she can feel her heartbeat racing all over again.
She let him in through the backdoor of the shop, just a few minutes shy of their closing time. Her hair was swept up in a loose ponytail and she was wearing an apron with ‘Coffee Terior’ stitched on the front. It was already dark, but then Heo YoungJi lit up when she saw him and Mino could’ve sworn the sun was beaming right in front of him.
Ah, and he’d left his RayBans home this time.
“Hi.”
His smile must’ve been infectious because a pretty one bloomed across her glossed-lips.
“Hello.”
They stood there for a moment, simultaneously just staring and smiling at each other before YoungJi remembered that she was standing in his way. She moved to the side, clearing ,
“Come on in.” YoungJi invited.
Mino stepped inside and YoungJi got hit by a fresh whiff of that clean soap smell and…was he wearing cologne tonight? She’d have to ask him later.
“There’s, um,” YoungJi shut the door behind him. “There’s a few more customers getting their orders in right now.” YoungJi nodded at the door leading out to the front of the café. “Unnie is going to finish up with them and then we can have the place to ourselves.”
For a moment, Mino was confused, but he remembered that YoungJi was talking about her real unnie, not the three KARA-ones who smiled at him with their all teeth bared and their eyes sharp like knives whenever they greeted each other. He idly wondered which kind should’ve worried him more, but then he remembered SeungRi’s face when Mino had admitted that he hadn’t asked YoungJi out for a second date. The Big Bang singer had actually laughed in his face.
“Yah!” He’d exclaimed, “Do you want HaRa to kill you before you can even make a comeback??”
“I’m glad I can meet her.” Mino said sincerely…Largely because he was still holding out hope on having a YoungJi-associated noona that didn’t low-key terrify him. YoungJi, gloriously oblivious to the fact that Mino was (VERY) mildly wary of her group members, pointed at a hook beside the door leading to the front part of the cafe.
“You can hang your sweatshirt there if you’d like.”
He did so, pulling his hoodie off over his head and YoungJi tried hard (she really did!) not to stare at where his shirt lifted in the process, revealing a terrible tease of toned, before he turned around to face her. She was planning on looking away nonchalantly (honest!), but then again, this is the closest that she’s been to him since they’d last seen each other and now that he’s there in the flesh, within an arm’s reach, she couldn’t help herself.
“Wow.” She murmured, peering up at him, amazed and amused, “That is really, really blonde.”
Mino laughed, embarrassed as a hand came up to self-consciously ruffle his latest dye-job that he’d managed to hide underneath his hoodie.
“It’s not that bad,” He defended. When YoungJi didn’t agree, he made a face, “Is it?”
Considering that the man could’ve rocked a trash can and he’d probably be asked to walk on a runway, YoungJi doubted it.
“No, no.” YoungJi assured him, laughing, “It’s just very…different.”
He raised an eyebrow at her pause, “Is that your polite way of saying it looks really bad?”
“Different isn’t a bad thing, you know.” She insisted, tilting her head to one side. Internet photos didn’t do him justice, really.
It was a random, involuntary habit of being around affectionate girls, but YoungJi didn’t even realize she’d raised her hand towards him until Mino’s expression changed to one of surprise as he stared at her outstretched fingers, paused in mid-air, a small length away from actually grazing his hair. YoungJi stopped herself in time, realizing what she was doing and retracted her hand.
“Uh, sorry,” She apologized, flushing, “I-I wasn’t trying to-”
“It’s okay.” Mino cut her off, giving her a crooked grin as he reached out for her retreating hand and assured her, “I don’t mind.”
‘Warm.’ YoungJi thought then of the loose, insistent hold he had on her. ‘He’s really warm.’
Mino guided her hand back to the top of his head and YoungJi haphazardly thought she should probably pull away or protest or do something, anything really, but-
She giggled, surprised, “It’s so fuzzy!”
Mino teased, “What were you expecting it to feel like?”
“I don’t know.” YoungJi admitted, the pads of her fingertips grazing the buzz-like cut of Mino’s hair. “I had figured you wore, like, a liter of hair gel or something.”
The short strands were really soft, too, and YoungJi thought it was funny because she had a hard time imagining Mino in the shower carefully conditioning his hair.
“I think it’ll just take some time.” YoungJi told him honestly, “But I could get used to it.”
She angled her hand just so and her fingernails lightly grazed over his scalp so nicely that Mino turned into the touch, humming agreeably, “Yeah?”
“Just try not to change it in the time it takes for us to meet again.”
YoungJi had intended it to be a joke because idols changed hairstyles/color with the season, but she couldn’t help the slight, snarky undertone of her voice. Mino noticed it immediately, glancing up at her, amused.
“I knew it.” He said, smiling even as he winced, abashed, “You are mad at me.”
“W-what? No, I’m not mad.” YoungJi insisted even as she pulled away from him.
The hand that guided hers stopped her from getting too far, Mino’s hold was gentle but firm.
“You totally are.” Mino laughed because he’d suspected that she may have been peeved at him, but she was always so nice and sweet whenever they messaged each other that-
“I’m not mad.” YoungJi said again, slowly and carefully because ‘mad’ didn’t quite cut it, “I just thought that ‘next week’ meant seven days later.” twisted at one corner, nonplussed, “Not twenty-three.”
Mino hissed, caught, because she had a point, but, hang on a second…
“Yah.” He couldn’t stop himself from pointing out because he’s a brat sometimes, “Have you really been keeping count this whole time?”
Her answer was immediate, “No.”
But her face had gone red to the tips of her ears and Mino had to laugh, loudly this time, because geez, she really did manage to get prettier when she was flustered. YoungJi fought the urge to groan and bury her face into her hands because, seriously?? Did she just admit that she’d been keeping track and ughasdnf;kawher! She avoided his gaze and looked to the wall on her left, wondering if she could reach it to bang her head onto its surface.
“I’m sorry.” Mino blurted out once he’d manage to stop laughing. He tugged at her hand when she continued to stare at the wall and wished she could disappear into it. He smiled at her put-out look because there was a not-so-small of him that was glad to know that she cared enough to be upset at him in the first place, “I shouldn’t have made you wait on me.”
It was stupid that such a tiny thing as an apology and an acknowledgement for being a butthead was all she needed to let the tension out of her shoulders and Mino allowed himself to feel relieved when she finally turned to him again.
YoungJi hesitated before asking, “So why did you?”
It was a heavy, loaded question that probably wasn’t appropriate for a second date conversation, given the way that Mino looked taken back by it. The loose grip on her hand fell apart completely when he took a step back from her, and YoungJi found that she missed it quicker than she could’ve anticipated. Now, it was his turn to avoid her eyes and she felt stupid, so, so very stupid because it was none of her business what Song Mino did with his life or whatever (She ground her jaw) interests he might’ve been pursuing in the twenty-frickin-three days it took for them to face each other again.
“Never mind.” She mumbled, sighing. “Forget I even asked-”
“No, it’s fine.” He permitted even as he shoved his hands into his jean pockets, staring at his awkwardly-shuffling sneakers and wishing he could run out the door with them rather than have this conversation. “It’s…it’s a fair question.”
“You don’t have to tell me. I’m not your-” YoungJi cut herself off because, wow, this is really not where she thought this night was going to go. She tried again, “You don’t have to explain yourself to me.”
Mino nodded absently because she totally had a point. They weren’t really…anything just yet and they didn’t owe each other anything either. But he’d never been a coward. And he wasn’t going to be one tonight.
“Honestly,” He admitted, his lips, “I was surprised that you even agreed to see me tonight.”
That surprised her. “Really?”
“I-” He stopped himself, then chuckled sardonically, “I figured you wouldn’t even want to talk to me.”
“Why would I?” YoungJi asked even though she already knew where this was going.
Mino finally raised his head to look at her, his expression grim and just a bit bitter. YoungJi fought off the sudden, irrational urge to hug him. He was a grown man, capable of handling his own business and the fallout of his own behavior. But it didn’t stop her from wanting him to stop making that terrible face.
“You saw it,” Mino deadpanned, defeated, “Didn’t you.”
Of course she did. She’d told him before over dinner.
“I watch you on Show Me The Money.”
Mino had randomly recalled YoungJi’s admission when he wrote out his first apology letter. The memory had brought on a sudden wave of shame he hadn’t expected and he’d actually set his pen – and then his head – down for a few minutes when he realized that she’d been watching. That she was at home, probably with her KARA members or -oh God- maybe even her family, watching him and listening to him and his machismo bravado and-
He didn’t text her for a few days after that. Largely because he was certain she wouldn’t have replied, or worse: that she would’ve, only to tell him off and order him to lose her number.
Across from him, YoungJi nodded once, and that shame-wave at his heels again. “I did.”
He was grateful that she didn’t lie to him. She wasn’t exactly falling forward to gush over his televised rap or defend him against his critics like a rabid fangirl. But she also wasn’t launching into a tirade about public decency or looking at him like he was a squelched cockroach at the bottom of her 4-inch heel either. He appreciated that.
“I’m not a vulgar person, you know.” Mino had to tell her.
“I know.” YoungJi said easily.
“The things I rap about…” He his lips, suddenly anxious that she understood him, “They’re not everything I am. I mean,” Mino winced because words usually came so easy to him, but she made it so hard sometimes to string a proper sentence together, “They are, kind of, but it doesn’t mean…I’m not-” He stopped himself and swallowed, “I’m not a bad person, you know?”
“I know.” She repeated, softer this time to soothe him.
He went quiet then, staring at her, glancing at one wide-eye and then the other as if he was trying to find the lie or the pity he’d expected. He found neither.
“You can curse around me, you know.” She told him abruptly.
Mino blinked, “…What?”
“You can curse around me.” YoungJi repeated, amused. “I won’t get upset if you do.”
When he continued looking at her, adorably befuddled, she crossed her arms in front of her chest and proudly told him, “You’re not going to scare me off with a couple of big, bad words.”
He laughed suddenly, mildly embarrassed at being caught because he’d thought he was being smooth about watching his language around her.
“Was I that obvious?” Mino asked her between chuckles.
“Only because I expected you to use profanity like a second language.” YoungJi admitted, smiling because his dour expression had eased again. She was curious though, “Did you really think I’d be mad at you for that?”
Mino leveled her with a serious gaze, a hand coming to rest at the nape of his neck sheepishly.
“A little.” He confessed, then added with a smirk, “Though I get the feeling that you’re madder that I waited twenty-three days.” Mino laughed when she winced, embarrassed.
“You’re not going to let that go,” YoungJi whined, “Are you?”
“Probably not.” He shrugged, stepping back into her space and yup, he was definitely wearing cologne tonight. Was that for her benefit? He said, “In fact, I think I’ll remind you of it every time we see each other.”
YoungJi snorted, unable to jest, “You mean in another twenty-three days?”
“Or sooner,” Mino allowed, grinning down at her. “But I’ll remind you of it so often in person that you’ll get sick of my hair and ask me to change it already.”
The implication wasn’t lost on her and she rolled her eyes even if a tiny, miniscule thrill ran through her.
“That’s a big promise to make.” She said.
Mino leaned forward and winked with that sly-wolf look he’d given her on their first date.
“I guess it’s a good thing that big, bad words don’t scare you.”
He watched, pleased, when dropped open in shock/exasperation and he couldn’t help but notice how shiny her lips looked. Ah, really, that gloss was making it hard to look elsewhere actually…
“FINALLY!” The door leading to the front of the café swung open as a woman walked through it, arms raised in triumph. “I thought that customer would never leave!”
She suddenly seemed to realize that there were other people in the back room and, when she turned to look at them, Mino saw the family resemblance.
“Oh.” She blinked, surprised, and Mino thought she looked a little like YoungJi, “You’re not Jackson.” Aaand she was apparently just as graceless too.
“No.” He tried to force out a grin as YoungJi fought the urge to, yet again, bury her face into her hands. “I’m not.”
Elder sisters of any form, pseudo or otherwise, YoungJi decided, were terrible
“Unnie,” YoungJi gestured between them, “This is Song Mino. Mino, this is my elder sister.”
Mino bowed in her direction politely. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“It sure is.” Her elder sister cooed, eyes narrowing merrily and lips quirking as she glanced between the two kids. She propped her hands on her hips, amused, “Well, this is different.”
“Yes,” YoungJi agreed, glancing at Mino out of the corner of her eye and idly commenting, “But different isn’t a bad thing.”
And then Mino blinked because her eyes seemed to flick up and down on him and…did he just imagine it or did Heo YoungJi just give him the once-over?
She made him wash his hands before they walked from the back room to the counter at the front, and it was like walking onto a set, because he recognized the seats and the counters and the machines from that episode on Roommate, though he was grateful that there isn’t a camera crew set up inside this time. YoungJi’s sister had told them that she was going to go over the books in the office until she and YoungJi were ready to leave together so the other two had free reign over the shop until then.
“Do you mind taking off your cap for a bit?” YoungJi asked, watching him glance around the shop curiously.
“Sure.” Mino replied distractedly, pulling it off without a second thought.
And then YoungJi was suddenly right beside him, looking a little sheepish with an apron in her hands.
“It would just…make it easier to put this one you.” She said before reaching up and slipping the top part over his head. He froze for a moment, surprised and actually started when she wrapped her arms around him to tie the strings behind his back. The scent of Miss Dior hit him like a brick wall, bringing him back to three weeks ago when he was standing outside of her building and she was standing on her tip-toes to-
“…You know, I can do that by myself.” Mino told her, strained, when he remembered how to speak.
“I know.” YoungJi replied, tying him like a present. She took a step back then and tried not to let the look he was giving her burn her up before they actually started.
Ah, this was going to be a long night.
YoungJi tugged at his sleeve and brought him in front of a sleek-looking machine with spouts and levers and…was that a timer or a temperature gauge??
“This,” YoungJi presented, “Is our espresso machine that you,” She pointed at him, lightly jabbing his chest, “Will be pulling shots from.”
He blinked, “Pulling what now?”
“Shots.” YoungJi repeated, “But not the alcoholic kind.”
“That’s fine.” Mino nodded airily, “We can save those for the third date.”
She made a face, groaning, and he had to laugh.
“My God.” She muttered. “You’re really optimistic for someone who took three weeks to get around to a second date?”
“What can I say?” Mino just shrugged, unapologetic, “I like to plan ahead. How’s next week for you?”
“I’m going to Japan.” She deadpanned.
“Perfect.” Mino said immediately.
YoungJi raised an eyebrow, “Really?”
“Yes.” Mino said decisively. “You know, I was just thinking that I needed to get out of the country.”
YoungJi scoffed, “Of course you did.”
“And I’ve heard that Japan is beautiful this time of the year.”
She wanted to hit him. “There’s actually a really bad heat wave on going on.”
“That’s alright.” He said, nonplussed, “We could just sit around and order room service.”
A passing image of them in lounging lazily in matching white terry bathrobes crept into her brain and she shoved it down fiercely because it’s been twentyfrickinminutesforgawdssakes into this and she’d actually like to get to the coffee part of this coffee date.
Aloud, YoungJi told him, “You’re absolutely ridiculous.”
It would’ve held more bite if she didn’t say it so fondly like she was speaking to a puppy that’d just chewed up one of her throw pillows. He leaned against the counter and flashed her that grin that had her biting the inside of her cheek.
He probably knew exactly what he was doing too.
“Alright.” Mino declared, clapping his hands and breaking the moment. “Show me how to use,” He waved over the espresso machine awkwardly, “This…thing.”
“I will.” YoungJi said, “But we have to grind first.”
He blinked, wondering if he heard her right until she pointed to the machine his elbow was actually resting on.
“Well, technically, this does the grinding for us.” She said. YoungJi turned back to the espresso machine and pulled out what looked like a measuring cup with a long handle. “This is a portafilter. This is where you’re going to put the grinds in. Here.”
She pressed the portafilter into his hand and guided him to the dispenser, loosely gripping his wrist in the process.
“So most machines are automated,” YoungJi explained to him. “But this one gives us the option of grinding out our own beans manually so you can play around with the settings.”
She took out a small filter cup and adjusted the grind before turning the crank on the machine and a collection of grinds gathered out the spout.
“Now this,” YoungJi held it out to him, dipping clean fingers into the cup and inviting him to do the same, “Is a little too fine for what you need, but if you prefer something very bitter, you could run a shot through it too.”
Mino sifted his fingers through the grinds, feeling the powder-like texture YoungJi was talking about. She turned when he was done, dumping out the demonstration before going to adjust the settings once more.
“Now, if I turn here,” YoungJi startled a bit when Mino came up behind her this time, his chin just barely hovering over her shoulder as he looked where she pointed. She coughed once and remembered to breathe, “If I move it that way, I’m going to get rougher, bigger grinds out.”
She set out another filter cup and turned the crank again. Once more, she scooped up some of the sample into her hand and gestured for Mino to do the same. Except, now, rather than taking some of the grinds from the cup, he ran his hand over hers instead. The coarse texture was a stark contrast to the warm, smooth skin of his fingers skimming along her palm.
“It’s a little rougher.” He commented thoughtfully, tracing her lifeline through the dark grinds.
YoungJi snapped herself back to reality and stammered, “Y-yeah.” She pulled herself together to explain, “But…um, this kind can usually lead to a shot that tastes less like an expresso and more like you just swirled a few beans in some water. So you usually have to mess with grinders to find the consistency you need for your shot.” She told him, dumping out this sample as well.
Mino snorted, muttering, “You mean I have to find the kind that’s just right.”
“Exactly.” YoungJi said perkily because the reference was utterly lost on her. Mino fought the urge to laugh. She then ordered him, “Bring the portafilter over here.”
He did as he was told and she guided his hand on the handle to where the spout was, making him stand just a little behind her in the process. Damn. He was going to be dreaming of Miss Dior and coffee again tonight, he just knew it.
“Now go ahead and turn the crank twice.” YoungJi told him, except to do so, with his hand on one side of her, Mino had to reach to the other side, effectively trapping her momentarily as he reached forward, inadvertently pressing himself against her as he turned the handle like she ordered. YoungJi seemed to belatedly realize the position she’d put them in because he could see the backs of her ears turning bright red again. Mino chuckled by the nape of her neck as he turned the crank for a second time and pretended not to notice how she shivered.
‘Coffee dates,’ he decided with a hidden grin, ‘Were awesome.’
“Now,” Her voice had gone up a few octaves higher and fought the urge to blow a quick breath at her nape once more when YoungJi cleared . “Now this, is a little more what you’re going to need. Go ahead and feel it.”
Instead of stepping back and to her side, Mino decided he was just fine standing behind her, bracing one hand on the counter by YoungJi’s hip and using the other to touch the grinds in the porta filter she was holding. He quirked his head to one side, his jaw just gliding at the side of her hair.
“It’s like sugar.” Mino commented.
“Exactly.” YoungJi said, smiling as she turned to him and stopping short when she realized how close his face was to hers.
Damn. She was really, really close to him. So close that all it would take was a couple of inches to his right and-
“We, uh,” She cleared , smiling awkwardly as she slipped off to his left, “We need to tamp this now.”
Mino stared at the now-empty space in front of him and tried to remind himself that her sister was just in the other room before turning to her and distractedly asking, “Tamp what now?”
YoungJi pulled an item off from the side, something that looked like a stamp almost, except it fit into the portafilter perfectly.
“This is a tamper,” She pointed to the stamp-looking thing. “We have to use it to pack the grinds evenly in the portafilter.”
YoungJi gestured for him to do so, but she stopped him almost immediately when Mino began to lightly pound the grinds in.
“No, no! Not like that.” She protested, resting a hand on his to halt him and demonstrating, “You have to just push it straight down.”
With that, she applied the appropriate pressure on top of his hand before lifting both his hand and tamper off. What was left was a perfectly-uniform alignment of packed grinds. YoungJi beamed.
“Perfect. See?” She said, but Mino wasn’t paying attention to the coffee, and she realized he’d taken her hand from the tamper into his and was staring at it. “Mino-”
“Your nails are pretty.” He said suddenly, studying the manicure she’d gotten earlier that week.
“Oh,” YoungJi was a little thrown but she appreciated the compliment. “Thank you.”
“No problem.” Mino murmured before bending down and lightly brushing his lips over her knuckles.
YoungJi’s mind went blank momentarily and Mino didn’t bother to hide his grin as he avoided her eyes and instead pointed down to their perfectly-tamped grinds.
“So now what do we do?”
Now, YoungJi would’ve hit him or yell at him for randomly pulling a move on her, however innocent and kind of sweet and unexpected and…wait, what did he ask again?
“S-shot.” YoungJi stammered, turning to the espresso machine and flicking on one of the switches. A small amount of water came through and YoungJi explained, without quite meeting his face that, “That’s the grouphead, where the portafilter needs to go into, but we need to flush it first to make sure that it’s clean and that there aren’t any old grinds still stuck there.”
As the flush ran, YoungJi reached over with one of their plastic cups and dispensed some water into it, and putting ice in another because she knew it’s how he liked his Americanos. When the grouphead was clean, she inserted the portafilter and suddenly paused. Mino glanced at her.
“Something wrong?” He asked.
“N-No.” YoungJi said, glancing at her other hand, still in Mino’s lax hold and sheepishly announced, “I…I need to tighten it in place but you’ve still got-”
Rather than release her, Mino adjusted his grip so their palms lined up together and he reached up to the portafilter and said, “Tell me how you want me to do it.”
YoungJi glanced at their intertwined hands and realized he wasn’t planning on letting her go any time soon, so she blushed and told him to move the handle to the right until he couldn’t anymore. He followed her instructions until the portafilter clicked into place.
“Now, we run the shot.” YoungJi said, grabbing one of the timers and placing it in front of them. “Ideally, the shot should fill to that second line within twenty to thirty seconds, okay?”
Mino nodded even as he rubbed his thumb against hers. YoungJi tried not to notice.
“Go ahead and turn that lever.” She pointed to the appropriate one. “We just have to turn it off when we get the right amount out.”
He did so, and YoungJi started the timer as the machine flicked to life just, gurgling and hissing until a thin stream of dark liquid began to pool into the little mug YoungJi had set underneath the spout.
30
29
28 “So is kissing hands something you always do on dates?” YoungJi asked lightly.
27 Mino smirked because she still couldn’t look him in the eye.
26 “Sometimes.” He said before glancing at her sideways.
25 “Do all of your dates end with you kissing them outside your building?”
24 YoungJi scoffed and glared at him.
23 “I kissed your cheek!”
22 “I remember.” Mino said flippantly.
21 The dark drip turned into a deep, golden brown.
20 He winked at her. “Be sure to aim better tonight, okay?”
19
18 YoungJi stared at him, scandalized and he had the nerve to laugh.
17
16 “You’re ridiculous.” She told him with zero sting.
15 “And you’re pretty.” Mino told her easily.
14 YoungJi face-palmed. “You never stop do you?”
13 “I’m serious.” He insisted, tugging at her joined hands.
12 “I don’t know if I told you,” He said when she finally looked at him.
11 “But you do look nice tonight.”
10 She seriously doubted it, but Mino looked at her with that unfiltered, unscripted honesty she always appreciated with him.
9 YoungJi smiled at him and her fingers slipped between his.
8 “Thank you Mino.”
7
6 Ah, she was so close
5 He returned her smile.
4 “You’re welcome YoungJi.”
3
2 So very, very close that…
1
ding
Mino turned the lever back just in time for the final drop to bring the espresso to the second line. YoungJi nodded, pleased.
“Perfect.”
With the one hand that Mino wasn’t going to let go of, she reached for the cold water she’d poured earlier and instructed him to pour the shot over the water. The rich, hot darkness swirled into the cup before YoungJi topped it off with ice.
“Do you take it with anything?” YoungJi asked. He shook his head.
“Not usually.”
She grabbed a top for the drink, popping it close and presenting it to him with a flourish.
“Ta-da!” YoungJi proclaimed with her own fanfare. “You’ve made your first iced Americano!”
Mino laughed at her antics and accepted the drink.
“Thanks.” He said as YoungJi also passed on a straw for him as well. “I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.”
YoungJi watched him closely as he took one sip and then another, his other hand still grasping hers.
“How is it?” She asked.
Mino shrugged thoughtfully, “A little bitter, actually.”
It was an Americano so that was to be expected but YoungJi was quick to suggest,
“Are you sure that you don’t want to put something else in?” She gestured to the condiments, “Maybe some sugar or milk?”
Mino smiled as he took a few more sips, grateful. “No, I think it’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure?” YoungJi pressed, turning them both to point at the display case, “My sister and I just baked those cookies and cakes if you’d like something to sweeten the taste.”
“…You know.” Mino tilted his head pensively before setting his drink down. “I think I’ll take you up on that offer.”
And then he tugged at their joined hands once, quickly and suddenly and, when YoungJi half-stumbled into him, he steadied her with one hand at her back, the other at the nape of her neck where he’d chuckled into earlier. YoungJi stared up at him, dazed and surprised, and Mino had the decency to look almost apologetic, quietly telling her,
“I just don’t think a cookie’s going to cut it.”
YoungJi’s eyes rounded as made a perfect little, “Oh.”
And then his mouth is cold and bitter while hers is warm and sweet even though he knows she’s been on a strict diet for the last two weeks because she’s texted him how much she misses her desserts.
‘Maybe it’s her gloss?’ Mino thought, tilting his head to skim his tongue over her bottom lip at the bright sheen that had made it so difficult to not stare at all night. She shivered and tasted like cherries. The Americano was still too sharp on his tongue so he nipped once, twice, and then thrice to sweeten the flavor in his mouth. The gasp YoungJi made when he did each time was the proverbial cherry on top.
And while he’d always found her wide-smile charming, her lips were much more charming when they were pressed against his.
Her hands moved to curl at the hem of his shirt and Mino prepared himself to be shoved aside, to have this moment broken, maybe for her to even curse at him (that might’ve been interesting to witness). Instead, his Nonagon shirt wrinkled in her small fists. Wayward fingernails scratched the skin just above his waistband as she tugged once, pulling him down just as she rose on her toes to press even closer to him. YoungJi rolled her tongue just so and his fingers dug into her waist when she bit into his bottom lip.
Mino wanted to slap himself because why on earth did he wait so long for this?? What the hell was he thinking???
‘It’s not enough.’ He thought fervently even though it almost felt like they were going to melt into each other. ‘It’s not enough.’
They didn’t even realize that they’d moved around until YoungJi backed into the counter, though she wass less of a prisoner in Mino’s hold and more of a willing captive because she kept changing the angle of that beautiful mouth and each time she did was like a new revelation and he was seriously going to lose it soon if he didn’t get more, more, more of her. They were so close. He’d moved the hand at her waist to cushion her against the counter but he’d practically pinioned her and every breath she took heaved against his own chest and she needed to stop making those sounds because if she didn’t, he was going to-
It’s hard to think of anything thruough the haze of this girl who’s still burning him up, but the practical side of him thinks,
‘The countertop. Or the tables! Yes, the tables! No! Maybe somewhere in the backroom, away from the storefront. Wait! Didn’t she mention an office or-’
Mino’s eye snapped open and he pulled away so suddenly that YoungJi nearly stumbled forward and broke her nose on the floor.
“What?” She asked, half-dazed. “What is it?” She glanced at the storefront windows in distracted concern. “Is someone there?”
“Your sister!” Mino whispered in a scandalized hiss.
“Huh?” YoungJi frowned at him, confused. “What’re you talking about? She’s in the office-”
“Exactly!” He exclaimed, feeling a rush of guilt and panic because, “Ah, geez, do you have any idea what I just almost- What we al-”
“Song Mino!” YoungJi almost laughed at his terrified expression. “What the hell did you think was going to happen here tonight?”
He groaned and ran a hand down his face, his gaze falling on those pretty lips that were starting to swell because of him.
“Nothing you’d want your family walking in on.” Mino answered gruffly.
“Yah!” This time she did laugh, scoffing as she closed the distance between them. “I don’t know what’s going on in that head of yours-”
“Trust me,” He grouched. “You don’t want to.”
“-But see,” YoungJi continued sweetly until he was backed up on the counters this time, “I was under the impression that you’re not a bad person.”
He gave her props for using his own words back on him.
“Just because I’m not a bad person,” Mino cautioned her, “Doesn’t mean that I’m a good guy.”
YoungJi crossed her arms over her chest, accusingly, “Didn’t I already tell you that big, bad words don’t scare me?”
Mino shrugged helplessly, “I’m just trying to warn you.”
She stepped into his space, hands coming to rest on the counters on either side of him. Heo YoungJi smiled at him prettily, “And I’m just trying to aim better tonight like you asked, oppa.”
YoungJi popped off the last syllable and it shot straight down to his abdomen.
Mino did groan this time. “This isn’t fair.”
YoungJi raised an eyebrow. “Neither is making me wait twenty three days.”
She had a good point so he didn’t fight or flail when she stood on her toes again, mouth a little softer but still so sweet that Mino was certain he’d have a toothache by the end of the night. She snuck a hand under the hem of his shirt, light fingers tracing the skin just above his waistband and Mino randomly thought,
‘God I’m screwed.’
“Nah,” YoungJi chirped with a raspy laugh and he wanted to bang his head on the counter because he hadn’t meant to say that aloud and- “Well, not tonight anyway.”
And when Mino just stared at her for a moment, YoungJi grew impatient, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and as the last coherent thought Mino had before everything got too hot in his mind was a silent thanks to the one guy who made it possible by his own ignorance,
‘That kid really is an idiot.’
His car arrived faster than he’d anticipated. But he needed to be at the studio early on in the morning so YoungJi double-checked the outside street, making sure there weren’t photographers or fans lying in wait before gesturing to him that the coast was clear. Her lips were bruised and neither of them could recall when her hair tie had slipped out either.
“Ah, wait!” YoungJi exclaimed when he’s half-way out the door. Mino watched as she disappeared to the back room, returning with his hoodie, the one he’d left when he came in through the backdoor. “You nearly forgot this.”
Mino’s response came naturally, “Hang on to it for me.”
YoungJi stared at him in surprise, “Seriously?”
“Yeah.” He nodded, grinning impishly. “You can give it back to me next time.”
“Well, I’m sure it’ll be winter by then,” YoungJi said drily. “So maybe you’ll actually need it.”
He laughed and nodded to the driver gesturing at him to hurry up. Walking backwards away from her, Mino suggested,
“You can consider it payment for the coffee and the lesson.”
Considering that the hoodie cost about the equivalent of a hundred or so coffees, YoungJi scoffed.
“I think this is a little too much for what you got.”
“Trust me,” Mino told her, his smile stretching from ear to ear, “It’s not nearly enough for what you gave me.”
When she blushed and rolled her eyes at the insinuation, Mino cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted from the open car door, “BUT I PROMISE I’LL PAY YOU BACK TENFOLD NEXT TIME HEO YOUNGJI!”
YoungJi nearly dropped the sweater. “Yah! You idiot! What’re you doing??”
And Mino laughed as he slipped into the car. His driver glanced outside and lightly asked,
“Isn’t that your sweater?”
“Yup.” Mino grinned as YoungJi stood in the doorway and slipped it on even though it was a warm night. But because it was such a huge sweater, the whole thing dwarfed her and it looked like it was the only thing she was wearing because those shorts she was wearing needed to be outlawed.
“So, is that your girl?”
YoungJi glanced up when Mino rolled down his window to give her a thumbs up on looking good in his sweater and better out of it. She waved good-bye to him, shyly, happily and his expression in the rear-view mirror was all the answer his driver needed.
‘I enjoyed today’s lesson. Let’s have another one soon.’ Sent 11:03pm
He grinned, pleased with himself and her message came a few minutes later.
‘Sure.’ Received 11:07pm
‘Next time though, let’s make something hot.’ Received 11:08pm
His grin faltered for a moment before he burst out laughing.
It’s not the caffeine that kept him awake that night, grinning like an idiot at his ceiling.
8/11/15
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