Customer Satisfaction
Pairing: HimUp/DaeLo
Rated: PG
Length: 5.7K
The closer it got to the end of his ten hour shift the crankier Jongup became. He would snap at the busboy, "forget" to put skim milk instead of whole into college girls cappuccinos and one time he might have even growled at someone.
He woke up the next morning feeling bad about that last one. But not bad enough to apologize. Yongguk always came in fifteen minutes before closing and ordered the most elaborate drinks he could think of. He thought it made him artsier. Jongup thought it just made him a douche.
So when it was five-fifteen and he was so close to that clock striking six he didn't have the amount of patience he would normally have for picky customers.
"Are your muffins whole-wheat?"
The raspy voice behind him asking the stupidest question Jongup had heard all day made him sigh in annoyance. He kept his eyes glued to the TV in the corner showing the baseball game. If he had to work ten hours on his normal day off then he was at least going to tune the channel to what he wanted to watch.
"The chalkboard lists all the ingredients." Jongup pointed behind him, cursing under his breath when the home team's pitcher struck a player in the arm. "Worthless idiot."
"Excuse me?"
Junhong dropped his bucket of dishes and ran over to push Jongup out of the way of the register. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Kim. He was complaining about the game not you. He gets a little mean when his team loses."
"You got this, Junhonggie?" He didn't mind that the café's busboy had taken over the sale because it was the bottom of the ninth inning and if his team didn't win then they were done for the year. He chewed his bottom lip and leaned over the counter, body tight and muscles clenched in anticipation.
"Just shut up before you ruin this." Junhong hissed through gritted teeth. "That man you just acted like a jerk in front of is a big-time actor and you could have made him storm out."
Jongup waved him away. "They're a dime a dozen. And whole-wheat gives you gas. I was doing the world a favor."
"I'm still standing literally two feet away from you." Mr. Kim spoke up helpfully.
"Yes!" He pumped his fist into the air when his team finally got their third out and were now able to advance to the next level. "Drinks on me tonight!" The best thing about Yongguk being so completely out of touch with reality was that he tended to lose most of the bets Jongup made with him. He was now fifty bucks richer and planned to spend every penny after a much-needed nap when work was over.
"He seems like someone who has a lot of customer complaints."
Junhong snorted as he finished the transaction. "Not as many as you'd think. Jonguppie's usually pretty sweet but when he gets tired he lets everyone know it." He handed over the soy chai tea latte with a grin. "I really enjoyed your last movie, Mr. Kim. Thank you for visiting our store and please don't let Jongup deter you from coming again."
"Thank you." He gave him the wide smile he was known for, with teeth on full display and a tiny dimple under the curl of his closed eyes. "I'm actually in town for a few days for some PR work so I'll stop in again." With a wave he gave one last thoughtful look before he left towards Jongup, who still hadn't even bothered to glance his direction.
"You're going to be the reason my brother's store goes under." Junhong slapped him on the back of the head, not caring that he was the younger one. "And then I'll be out of a job. Living on your couch. Drinking your beer. Eating all of your Cheez-It's."
Jongup finally turned his attention away from the television. He gave his friend a bright smile and pulled him closer to ruffle his hair. "I'm sorry. Was I being mean again?" He glanced around with a frown. "Where did whatshisname go? Did I scare him off?"
"You could have been a little more welcoming. He's one of the top rising actors in Korea. I saw his last movie two times in the theater. Not to mention he's completely fuckable."
"Gross." Jongup wrinkled his nose as he backed away. "I've known you since you were four. I don't ever want to hear you say the word 'fuckable' please. And anyways, if Daehyun heard you say that he'd probably throw a tantrum."
Junhong was the one to make a disgusted expression this time. "He can do whatever he wants. Like I care. Crazy bastard. Ew." The more he protested the more it was obvious that he did care at least a little bit. "Now I need a chemical bath." He glanced at the clock and motioned for Jongup to head out. "We've been slow for the last hour. I can handle it. Go home and take a nap because you're about as bad as a two year old in a wet diaper."
"I'll tell Dae you said hi." Jongup teased, untying his apron and throwing it over his shoulder. He ran out the door with a laugh when a bran muffin splattered on the wall next to him.
Outside the café he pulled his work polo off as he turned towards the subway station. The humid air of the late summer had made the material stick like glue to his skin and he was glad he had thought to put a tank top on underneath.
He was too busy fanning himself with his damp shirt to notice the man sitting relaxed in the shade of the seating area outside, latte held halfway to his lips.
But the man noticed him.
"Youngjae?" He held the cellphone to his ear and pushed away the now unwanted drink. "I'm rather enjoying this small town life for a change. Add a few more days to my schedule."
---
After Jongup had showered and slept off his irritation he met up with his friends at the bar they visited together at least three nights a week. The owner liked to yell at them that they were worthless but since Yongguk was his grandson he also slipped them free drinks every now and then.
"Pay up." Jongup held out his hand, coughing when Yongguk only placed half of the agreed upon amount on top of it. "Keep going Hipster Trash."
"Do you know how many starving children in Mexico that this could feed?"
He rolled his eyes at Yongguk's whine because if he had wanted it to go towards charity then he shouldn't have made the bet with him in the first place.
"Tell your grandpa I want the good stuff tonight. None of that watered down junk he tried to give us last week."
Junhong wandered in after they sat down and sighed as he scooted in close to Jongup. "We had a rush after you left. I spent ten minutes explaining the difference between a latte and a cappuccino to a mom wearing a velvet tracksuit. Tell me again why I don't quit?"
"Because your brother would lose his store and you would feel guilty." Jongup glanced over to the door to see the last member of their group pushing his way through. "And you wouldn't get to see Daehyun on his way to work every morning."
"Hey guys. What'd I miss?" Daehyun stood over their table with his regular wide grin on his lips. "Hi Junhonggie." The grunt Junhong gave him was all the recognition Daehyun got but it still managed to get a small chuckle out of him as he slid into the open seat beside Yongguk. "What are we drinking tonight?"
"Not watered down beer, that's for sure." Jongup kicked Yongguk under the table for not speaking up during the debacle the week before. "And drinks are on me since I'm a tiny bit richer tonight."
"Yongguk lose another bet?" Daehyun was too busy punching buttons on his phone to see the way Junhong was slyly craning his neck trying to catch a peek of the screen. "What was the money supposed to be marked for this time? Abandoned puppies in Russia? Orphans in China?"
Yongguk pulled his beanie down over his eyes. "I hate you three. You're all going to Hell."
The sudden laugh Daehyun made while reading something made Junhong narrow his eyes suspiciously. "Who are you texting?"
"What? Oh, no one." The phone was quickly shoved back into his pocket. "How was work?"
He obviously didn't appreciate the change of subject instead of the truth, but Junhong brightened at the question anyway. "The guy from Tears Like Rain came into the store today!"
"Tears Like Rain?" Daehyun frowned. "The movie you dragged me to twice? The pretty boy with the deep voice?" A muscle in his jaw tightened. Jongup wanted to tell him that he was ruining the thinly veiled attempt to make Junhong jealous but figured he'd let the two idiots figure it out on their own. It was probably his mom that was texting him, Daehyun was completely transparent. "What did he do?"
"Ordered a really disgusting drink and then stared at Jongup's ass for a few minutes."
Jongup blinked as the conversation finally caught up with his brain. "Wait, what? You didn't tell me that earlier."
Junhong shrugged. "You were being all moody and I wasn't going to give you the satisfaction of knowing someone appreciated your butt. Even if that someone is gorgeous and fuckable."
"I said stop saying that!" He shoved Junhong onto the floor beside the booth. "You keep using that word when you know it makes me want to throw up!"
Daehyun crossed his arms and glared at the laughing boy on the floor. "If you guys are going to act like children then I'm going to go. I'm meeting someone later and I think I'm going to walk instead of taking the bus." He stepped over Junhong and stormed towards the door without a look back.
"What does he mean, 'meeting' someone? Like a date? Or a friend?" Junhong stared at the doorway even though Daehyun wasn't reappearing inside it. "Who is he meeting?"
Yongguk had stayed silent during the entire exchange but now even he looked exasperated. "Maybe he's meeting someone who doesn't lead him on and then push him away like it's a joke." He stirred his sour apple martini and raised an eyebrow at Jongup across the table. "Idiots."
"Both of them." Jongup agreed.
---
Himchan was used to having fans fall over their feet trying to please him. Flowers filling his dressing rooms containing cards that had phone numbers and promises scrawled on them. Chocolates and candy showing up outside his manager's office that he wasn't allowed to eat unless they were store bought and unopened. One woman had even sent in a picture of her newborn son that she had named after him. That creeped him out a little bit but the more hardcore his fans were the more money he raked in and Youngjae said that was all that mattered in the end.
There were a few people over the years who had made it well known that they didn't support him. A movie reviewer from his home town who still smarted from when he had turned her down in high school. A husband of a particularly rabid fan who promised to rearrange his teeth if he had to watch his debut movie one more time. Usually they didn't bother him because for every anti-fan there were a hundred who thought a fairy was born every time he smiled. Himchan was confident he was a great actor and so sure of himself in his talent and looks that the haters just slipped right past him.
But Jongup hung on him worse than a rash.
He clawed his way inside Himchan's ego and clung there like a pesky mosquito.
Jongup wasn't rude to him because he was an actor or because he was jealous. Jongup was rude because he genuinely didn't care at all about him and Himchan couldn't get past it.
He thought he was a friendly man and good to his fans. On his days off he regularly volunteered for charity functions and when he braved the public he always posed for pictures and signed autograph after autograph with a smile.
So why did Jongup not even bother to glance his direction?
"Am I ugly?"
Youngjae raised his head from the thick scheduling planner in front of him and blinked in confusion. "Huh?"
He repeated the question, staring at himself in the small mirror he always carried in his bag. "On a scale of 1 to 10 what would you rate me?"
"Negative six." Youngjae answered dryly, scoffing at Himchan's stupid question. "What brought this on? Did you read an article about yourself again? I told you to stop doing that."
"Some boy at the coffee shop I went to yesterday didn't seem impressed by me." He had no idea that would hurt his feelings so much but he was used to people treating him like a prince. "He didn't even seem to care that I was in there."
Youngjae smiled slightly as he watched Himchan turning his face from side to side to make sure there were no blemishes on his otherwise perfect skin. "You don't normally care what people think about you." He sat back in his seat and stretched. "Did you want this boy to care you were in there?"
He remembered the way Jongup's sweat-soaked arms had looked like diamonds glinting in the brightness of the setting sun and how when he peeled the wet tank top away from his chest there had been just the smallest glint of tanned tummy and sharp hipbones.
"I think I wanted to eat him."
"Then go back tomorrow." Youngjae sighed as he turned his attention back to the mess on the table. "And try to be discreet about it. The last thing we need is a gay love scandal. I'm still fighting off rumors about how you supposedly broke that movie reviewer's heart in high school."
---
When Junhong opened the store the next day he was surprised to see Daehyun already waiting outside the door.
"You're here awful early." He was still annoyed at the way Daehyun had left the bar and he was angry at himself for being annoyed in the first place. "You don't have more big plans today?"
Daehyun leaned against the bar and watched him turn on all of the coffee makers and pull out a sleeve of cups to stock himself up for the morning. The usual smile on his lips was gone today and there was a dark ring under his eyes, rimming them in black.
"I have to go in to work early today but I always see you on the way and didn't want to skip it."
"You didn't come in yesterday." Junhong knew his voice was accusatory but it had been the first time Daehyun missed his morning coffee and he knew why it made him upset but admitting it would take a lot of work. "Jongup saved you a cheese danish, too."
The corner of Daehyun's lips lifted up into a weak smile but it was nothing compared to the one Junhong begrudgingly admitted he preferred. But only in his head.
"I found another coffee shop near work that's cheap and has pretty good dessert." The quiet words behind him caused Junhong to freeze up with a hand halfway to the toppings bar where he was in the middle of filling up the sprinkles. "They aren't as good as this one but I went there yesterday and I can go there again today if I have to." Junhong still hadn't turned around but he could hear the way Daehyun took a ragged breath and tapped his fingertips nervously on the counter between them. "Tell me not to? With no jokes and no teasing. Just… Tell me there's a good reason to keep coming here?"
Junhong counted to ten in his head as he tried to calm his heart pounding rapidly behind his lungs. After months of accepting his brush-off's and sarcasm Daehyun was finally putting it all out there for Junhong.
"Please Junhonggie?"
"If you want to start going there then why is it any of my business?" The words coming out of his mouth felt flat but for Junhong they were as big as bombs in the empty building. "Nothing's keeping you here."
Daehyun was silent for a moment as Junhong closed his eyes. "I guess you're right. See you around, Junhong."
When Jongup showed up for his shift with the boxes of pastries he had spent all night making for the shop, he noticed Junhong's ashen face as they filled the display cases together.
"You okay? Feeling sick?"
"Yeah." Junhong hadn't so much as looked at him since he got to work. "Sick."
---
The first half of Jongup's shift was usually the hardest with customers hurrying on their way to work and early shoppers trying to get a caffeine boost to help them stay on their feet all day. It wasn't until lunchtime that he realized Junhong hadn't spoken to him again since he'd asked how he was.
"Break time." He slipped his apron over his head and pulled Junhong towards the back, motioning for their part-time employee to take over the register. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong or do I have to force it out of you?"
Junhong stared at his hands and shook his head.
"Did you do something illegal?"
"Of course not."
Jongup eyed the cell phone barely sticking out of Junhong's apron pocket. "I haven't heard your phone go off at all today. Did you have a fight with Daehyun?"
When Junhong slumped against the wall Jongup knew he had his answer.
"He told me he's not coming back." Junhong licked his lips as he mentally reviewed everything Daehyun had said to him that morning. "And I said okay."
"You both are driving me to drink." Jongup growled, stomping his way out of the break room and through the café lobby. The door opened as he was a few steps away and instead of apologizing, he brushed past the two men entering without even a backwards glance.
---
"He's an angry little guy."
"I told you he was an asshole."
Youngjae pushed Himchan out of the way to press his face against the glass so he could see Jongup better. "That was him? He's kind of hot. What'd you say his name was again?"
"Jongup." Himchan had come to the café with the intention of trying to flirt himself off of Jongup's bad side. He never imagined that he would be leaving as soon as they arrived. "Should we go after him?"
"Nah. He looked pretty mad about something and he already hates you. We'll come back tomorrow after your photoshoot."
They turned around to leave when a timid "Mr. Kim?" stopped them.
Junhong stood behind them holding Jongup's apron in his hands and a bewildered expression on his face. "Can I help you with something?"
He couldn't leave without ordering something now because the tall kid had been so excited to wait on him the other day. "I changed my mind about coffee as soon as I walked in. Do you maybe have tea instead?"
"Yes, we do." Junhong watched the way Himchan and Youngjae were still trying and failing to look inconspicuously out of the window. "Jongup's not here if that's who you're looking for."
Himchan smiled sheepishly when he realized he'd been caught. "That obvious huh?"
"He has a lot of repeat customers." Junhong answered dryly. "For what it's worth, he felt bad for being so rude to you. It was just the end of a long shift and he doesn't get many days off so he wasn't as sweet as he usually is. And he gets bored watching movies so he didn't know who you were anyway."
Youngjae thumbed behind them where they had watched Jongup fuming his way down the street. "Then what's his excuse for being like this today?"
Junhong dropped his shoulders and the tired smile on his lips dipped a little. "He'll be back in a little bit. I think I know where he's going and it will only be about fifteen minutes. Do you want a tea and a muffin while you wait?"
After they were settled in a booth off to the side where they could stay private and still keep an eye on everything Youngjae blew on his mug and looked at Himchan questioningly.
"I know, I know," Himchan waved off the searching gaze. "Waiting on someone I don't even know is stupid and I'm an embarrassment to mankind." His lips pursed together as he stirred his tea. "But I don't find many people I'm attracted to and I liked that Jongup didn't care one bit about who I am."
Youngjae tore off a corner of his apple cinnamon muffin and rolled his eyes. "You're too romantic to be in this business. You should be working at a place like this and married to a baker so they could draw hearts on your cookies every day. That's the life for you." He took a bite and moaned around a mouthful of dessert. "I mean it. Marry a baker. Marry this baker."
"Jonguppie made those actually." Junhong stood over them with Himchan's cranberry oat muffin that he had asked to be warmed in the toaster oven first. "People come for miles to try his peanut butter banana bread. It won an award in some fancy travel magazine." The warm plate was placed in front of Himchan as Junhong finally smiled for the first time all day. "And he's single. In case you're curious."
He had finished off his entire muffin and was trying his hardest to steal a chunk of Youngjae's when the bell over the door rung and they could see Jongup dragging in a boy as equally angry and tiny as himself.
"Let me go, I told you he didn't want to see me."
"You two are going to work this out or I swear I will lock you in the fridge in the back. And sometimes the door sticks and I can't open it. And I won't call for help."
Junhong watched them from behind the counter, a wet rag gripped so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.
"Daehyun, tell him you don't want to stop coming here. Junhong, tell Dae you're stupid and that you've been secretly in love with him for months now."
The tight grip Jongup had around Daehyun's waist would have made a twinge of jealousy shoot through Himchan's veins but he could see the way the other two boys looked at each other with longing and regret.
"I already told him I didn't want to stop. He's the one who said he didn't even care."
Jongup sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm too tired for this. In the fridge." He pushed Daehyun forward and grabbed Junhong's wrist on the way. "You can come out when you've decided to be big boys."
"You can't put us in the fridge, what is wrong with you?"
They could hear Daehyun shouting louder the further away they got until there was a loud slam and then silence. Jongup stepped back into the front of the café and rubbed the back of his neck. When he turned his head he noticed Youngjae and Himchan both staring at him with open-mouths and wide eyes.
"It's not like I won't check on them." Jongup grinned brightly making Youngjae kick Himchan under the table when he heard a low moan. "Can I get you two anything else?"
"No thanks." Youngjae spoke up because Himchan was tight-lipped and staring while trying to swallow the whimpers coming up this throat. "Actually yes, we do need something else." He smiled slyly when Himchan rapidly shook his head at him. "My friend here thinks you're cute. And wanted to know what it would take to score a date. He's shy."
Himchan dropped his head to the table with a thump.
"And a little dumb."
Jongup bit back a laugh. "Tell your friend I don’t think I'd make a good date. I stay up till two every morning getting the food ready for work and in my free time all I do is watch baseball."
"But if you had help baking you'd be interested?"
The expression that passed over Himchan was steady and made his skin burn the longer Jongup stared at him.
"Maybe."
Youngjae sat back, suddenly satisfied. "Good to know. That's all we needed."
It was ten minutes and a lot of curious looks towards the booth across from the counter before Jongup remembered the boys he had locked in the fridge.
"You're an j-j-jerk," Junhong chattered out through clenched teeth. He had Daehyun pressed against his chest with his apron covering the smaller boy's head. "Daehyun's too tiny for this. His b-body temperature drops q-quicker than mine."
"You were in here for twelve minutes. I think he'll be fine." Jongup did feel a little bad though when they tripped out of the fridge and tiny flakes of ice fell off their clothes. "Did you make up?"
Daehyun popped his head out of the stiff apron and narrowed frost-covered eyebrows his direction. "We did come to one agreement," He replied. "We both decided we hated you the most."
---
The news that the bakery had been bought from Junhong's brother came as a shock to everyone.
"I had no idea he even wanted to sell," Junhong whispered to Jongup as they watched his older brother clear out his office. "What does this mean for us? Do we need to look for new jobs, too? Will they let us stay on?"
Jongup was a little worried because he actually liked working with Junhong every day, even if staying up past midnight baking and having to work six days a week at a minimum was tiring him out. Otherwise he would have no problem with the sudden turn of events. He was proud of his cooking skills and knew he wouldn't have a problem landing a new job fairly quickly.
"What if the new owner doesn't order the same brand of milk I like?" Yongguk sat the counter wringing his hands and wincing every time Jongup passed him. "I can't drink milk from cows unless they're free range, Jongup. I'm allergic to the growth hormones they put in factory cows, I'll have a-"
"You'll be fine, Yongguk." He tuned him out as Yongguk started ranting about the chemicals they consumed on a daily basis and watched Junhong's brother shaking hands with the lawyer that had been the middleman between the old and new owners. "What'd Daehyun think about it?"
Junhong bit back a smile at the mention of Daehyun. He pretended they still hated each other but Jongup had been the one to run out in terror two days earlier when he walked in on them in the break room. The sight of two of his best friends with their tongues shoved down each other's throats and hands palming areas he never wanted to even think about venturing would stick with him until the day he died.
"He thinks it's great. Says maybe the new owners will hire more workers so we have some days off for once."
That could be a good thing or a disaster. No one else knew that to you had to double-bake the croissants to make them extra crunchy. Or that the chocolate muffins had a pinch of chili powder in them. But like hell was he sharing his award-winning peanut butter banana bread recipe.
"I don’t work well with new people." He smiled sheepishly at his friends. "You tell me all the time I'm starting to scare customers off."
"Well then let's try and work on that so our investment wasn't a complete waste of time and money."
A new voice spoke up behind them. They whirled around to see the new owners watching them from the doorway.
Junhong snorted beside him but refused to elaborate when Jongup asked what was so funny.
"You bought our business?"
"Not me," Youngjae jerked his chin towards the silent man beside him. "Himchan."
The name didn't ring a bell to Jongup but of course he recognized the tall man with the soft skin and barely there smile on his bow-shaped lips.
"Himchan," He breathed, swallowing dryly when uttering his name made Himchan's already dark eyes even blacker. "Are you stalking me or something?"
"Or something," The words sounded raspy to his ears and he vaguely recognized the tone but it was fluttering just out of his reach. How was he supposed to concentrate on anything when the most beautiful man he'd ever laid eyes on was staring at him like he was his last supper?
Junhong was still laughing even when his brother noticed the newcomers and came out of the office bowing and apologizing for the mess.
"Thank you again for the generous offer. And more thanks for agreeing to keep my employees on. Junhong is my brother but he's been the store manager for eight months and could run it in his sleep. And Jongup is the best baker in the city. His peanut butter banana bread has even won an-"
"Award, yes. We know." Youngjae cut him off and asked about something he apparently had to look at outside on the sidewalk right that moment, winking at Jongup as he brushed past him.
Yongguk was the only one who had stayed quiet throughout the whole exchange, his eyes following Himchan and Jongup's replies like a ping-pong match.
"You look familiar," He finally spoke up, leaning forward to peer closer at Himchan. "Have we slept together?"
"I… What?"
Junhong groaned as he pulled Yongguk to his feet. "Just ignore him. He thinks sleeping around makes him a free spirit. Come on, Guk. I'll buy you a tofu burger at that vegan place down the street."
When everyone had left but them the mood in the café grew even more awkward.
"You do realize it's a little creepy that you bought my place of employment just to hit on me?"
Himchan cocked his head to the side but stayed silent.
"Are you going to tell me why?"
Again Himchan kept his lips tight together.
"Should I be concerned you're going to keep my liver as a trophy?"
Finally he had said something to make the other man respond.
"I'm not a psycho, Jongup. Just… Determined."
The roughness of his voice was one Jongup knew he should be able to name but he just couldn't put his finger on it. "Have we met? I mean before the last time?"
"You mean you don't remember?" Himchan took a few steps forward so that he was flush with the counter and only inches away from Jongup's reddening face. "You might recognize me if the first time I came here didn't consist of you yelling at the TV and calling me a worthless idiot."
Jongup closed his eyes and groaned when he finally realized where he had heard that voice before, "Oh no…"
"Oh yes." Himchan pulled his phone out of his pocket and pressed buttons before handing it over to Jongup. "Here's your new schedule."
"But…" Jongup's embarrassment melted away quickly and changed to anger at the hours listed. "I only work with Junhong twice a week!" The smirk on Himchan's lips infuriated him even more. "Why am I not coming in until noon? I have to come early to bring the food!"
Himchan was satisfied that he had worked Jongup into an uproar so he relaxed into a stool next to the counter and swiveled happily while he watched Jongup's face turn from pink to red. "Not anymore. We've hired two new bakers to help you. Now you'll have more free time. You should thank me."
Instead of gratitude, Jongup sputtered wildly, still holding onto Himchan's phone and staring at his schedule. "Wait…" He narrowed his eyes and peered closer at the tiny screen. "Next Saturday you have 'Date with Himchan' written instead of my hours."
"Oh. That." Himchan turned serious, plucking the phone out of Jongup's hands. "You said you would be interested in a date if you had time. Well, now you have time." He smiled cheekily. "Let's see if you have the same bad attitude when sitting across from someone who's just as big of a jerk as you are."
"You'll regret this." Jongup's words were a threat but Himchan could see the way he was biting back a smile as he leaned on the counter on his elbows. "I'll make your life miserable. You don't even know one thing about me."
"I'll chew you up and spit you out," Himchan promised in return. "When you think of my name from now on I hope it makes you so mad you could spit. And I'll learn all the important things about you eventually."
Jongup finally broke, lips curling up into a grin as he laughed. "This sounds like fun."
---
"They're completely bonkers. I already know mine's completely crazy but on a scale of one to ten, how insane is yours?"
Junhong crossed his arms as they watched the two men at the counter continue to berate each other with grins on their faces. "Jongup's a two when he's happy but when he gets in a bad mood he's about a seven."
"Himchan's a nine no matter what mood he's in," Youngjae sighed and cracked his neck. "Buying this place is going to give me gray hair. Those two are going to drive me up the wall by the time the week is over."
The phone in Junhong's pocket buzzed and he grinned when he saw a new text from Daehyun.
I want to put my hand down your pants in the fridge at the café. Is that weird? I don't care. I've been thinking about it ever since Jongup locked us in. We're doing it when I get done with work.
"Youngjae, you have no idea what you're in for with this place."
Rated: PG
Length: 5.7K
The closer it got to the end of his ten hour shift the crankier Jongup became. He would snap at the busboy, "forget" to put skim milk instead of whole into college girls cappuccinos and one time he might have even growled at someone.
He woke up the next morning feeling bad about that last one. But not bad enough to apologize. Yongguk always came in fifteen minutes before closing and ordered the most elaborate drinks he could think of. He thought it made him artsier. Jongup thought it just made him a douche.
So when it was five-fifteen and he was so close to that clock striking six he didn't have the amount of patience he would normally have for picky customers.
"Are your muffins whole-wheat?"
The raspy voice behind him asking the stupidest question Jongup had heard all day made him sigh in annoyance. He kept his eyes glued to the TV in the corner showing the baseball game. If he had to work ten hours on his normal day off then he was at least going to tune the channel to what he wanted to watch.
"The chalkboard lists all the ingredients." Jongup pointed behind him, cursing under his breath when the home team's pitcher struck a player in the arm. "Worthless idiot."
"Excuse me?"
Junhong dropped his bucket of dishes and ran over to push Jongup out of the way of the register. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Kim. He was complaining about the game not you. He gets a little mean when his team loses."
"You got this, Junhonggie?" He didn't mind that the café's busboy had taken over the sale because it was the bottom of the ninth inning and if his team didn't win then they were done for the year. He chewed his bottom lip and leaned over the counter, body tight and muscles clenched in anticipation.
"Just shut up before you ruin this." Junhong hissed through gritted teeth. "That man you just acted like a jerk in front of is a big-time actor and you could have made him storm out."
Jongup waved him away. "They're a dime a dozen. And whole-wheat gives you gas. I was doing the world a favor."
"I'm still standing literally two feet away from you." Mr. Kim spoke up helpfully.
"Yes!" He pumped his fist into the air when his team finally got their third out and were now able to advance to the next level. "Drinks on me tonight!" The best thing about Yongguk being so completely out of touch with reality was that he tended to lose most of the bets Jongup made with him. He was now fifty bucks richer and planned to spend every penny after a much-needed nap when work was over.
"He seems like someone who has a lot of customer complaints."
Junhong snorted as he finished the transaction. "Not as many as you'd think. Jonguppie's usually pretty sweet but when he gets tired he lets everyone know it." He handed over the soy chai tea latte with a grin. "I really enjoyed your last movie, Mr. Kim. Thank you for visiting our store and please don't let Jongup deter you from coming again."
"Thank you." He gave him the wide smile he was known for, with teeth on full display and a tiny dimple under the curl of his closed eyes. "I'm actually in town for a few days for some PR work so I'll stop in again." With a wave he gave one last thoughtful look before he left towards Jongup, who still hadn't even bothered to glance his direction.
"You're going to be the reason my brother's store goes under." Junhong slapped him on the back of the head, not caring that he was the younger one. "And then I'll be out of a job. Living on your couch. Drinking your beer. Eating all of your Cheez-It's."
Jongup finally turned his attention away from the television. He gave his friend a bright smile and pulled him closer to ruffle his hair. "I'm sorry. Was I being mean again?" He glanced around with a frown. "Where did whatshisname go? Did I scare him off?"
"You could have been a little more welcoming. He's one of the top rising actors in Korea. I saw his last movie two times in the theater. Not to mention he's completely fuckable."
"Gross." Jongup wrinkled his nose as he backed away. "I've known you since you were four. I don't ever want to hear you say the word 'fuckable' please. And anyways, if Daehyun heard you say that he'd probably throw a tantrum."
Junhong was the one to make a disgusted expression this time. "He can do whatever he wants. Like I care. Crazy bastard. Ew." The more he protested the more it was obvious that he did care at least a little bit. "Now I need a chemical bath." He glanced at the clock and motioned for Jongup to head out. "We've been slow for the last hour. I can handle it. Go home and take a nap because you're about as bad as a two year old in a wet diaper."
"I'll tell Dae you said hi." Jongup teased, untying his apron and throwing it over his shoulder. He ran out the door with a laugh when a bran muffin splattered on the wall next to him.
Outside the café he pulled his work polo off as he turned towards the subway station. The humid air of the late summer had made the material stick like glue to his skin and he was glad he had thought to put a tank top on underneath.
He was too busy fanning himself with his damp shirt to notice the man sitting relaxed in the shade of the seating area outside, latte held halfway to his lips.
But the man noticed him.
"Youngjae?" He held the cellphone to his ear and pushed away the now unwanted drink. "I'm rather enjoying this small town life for a change. Add a few more days to my schedule."
---
After Jongup had showered and slept off his irritation he met up with his friends at the bar they visited together at least three nights a week. The owner liked to yell at them that they were worthless but since Yongguk was his grandson he also slipped them free drinks every now and then.
"Pay up." Jongup held out his hand, coughing when Yongguk only placed half of the agreed upon amount on top of it. "Keep going Hipster Trash."
"Do you know how many starving children in Mexico that this could feed?"
He rolled his eyes at Yongguk's whine because if he had wanted it to go towards charity then he shouldn't have made the bet with him in the first place.
"Tell your grandpa I want the good stuff tonight. None of that watered down junk he tried to give us last week."
Junhong wandered in after they sat down and sighed as he scooted in close to Jongup. "We had a rush after you left. I spent ten minutes explaining the difference between a latte and a cappuccino to a mom wearing a velvet tracksuit. Tell me again why I don't quit?"
"Because your brother would lose his store and you would feel guilty." Jongup glanced over to the door to see the last member of their group pushing his way through. "And you wouldn't get to see Daehyun on his way to work every morning."
"Hey guys. What'd I miss?" Daehyun stood over their table with his regular wide grin on his lips. "Hi Junhonggie." The grunt Junhong gave him was all the recognition Daehyun got but it still managed to get a small chuckle out of him as he slid into the open seat beside Yongguk. "What are we drinking tonight?"
"Not watered down beer, that's for sure." Jongup kicked Yongguk under the table for not speaking up during the debacle the week before. "And drinks are on me since I'm a tiny bit richer tonight."
"Yongguk lose another bet?" Daehyun was too busy punching buttons on his phone to see the way Junhong was slyly craning his neck trying to catch a peek of the screen. "What was the money supposed to be marked for this time? Abandoned puppies in Russia? Orphans in China?"
Yongguk pulled his beanie down over his eyes. "I hate you three. You're all going to Hell."
The sudden laugh Daehyun made while reading something made Junhong narrow his eyes suspiciously. "Who are you texting?"
"What? Oh, no one." The phone was quickly shoved back into his pocket. "How was work?"
He obviously didn't appreciate the change of subject instead of the truth, but Junhong brightened at the question anyway. "The guy from Tears Like Rain came into the store today!"
"Tears Like Rain?" Daehyun frowned. "The movie you dragged me to twice? The pretty boy with the deep voice?" A muscle in his jaw tightened. Jongup wanted to tell him that he was ruining the thinly veiled attempt to make Junhong jealous but figured he'd let the two idiots figure it out on their own. It was probably his mom that was texting him, Daehyun was completely transparent. "What did he do?"
"Ordered a really disgusting drink and then stared at Jongup's ass for a few minutes."
Jongup blinked as the conversation finally caught up with his brain. "Wait, what? You didn't tell me that earlier."
Junhong shrugged. "You were being all moody and I wasn't going to give you the satisfaction of knowing someone appreciated your butt. Even if that someone is gorgeous and fuckable."
"I said stop saying that!" He shoved Junhong onto the floor beside the booth. "You keep using that word when you know it makes me want to throw up!"
Daehyun crossed his arms and glared at the laughing boy on the floor. "If you guys are going to act like children then I'm going to go. I'm meeting someone later and I think I'm going to walk instead of taking the bus." He stepped over Junhong and stormed towards the door without a look back.
"What does he mean, 'meeting' someone? Like a date? Or a friend?" Junhong stared at the doorway even though Daehyun wasn't reappearing inside it. "Who is he meeting?"
Yongguk had stayed silent during the entire exchange but now even he looked exasperated. "Maybe he's meeting someone who doesn't lead him on and then push him away like it's a joke." He stirred his sour apple martini and raised an eyebrow at Jongup across the table. "Idiots."
"Both of them." Jongup agreed.
---
Himchan was used to having fans fall over their feet trying to please him. Flowers filling his dressing rooms containing cards that had phone numbers and promises scrawled on them. Chocolates and candy showing up outside his manager's office that he wasn't allowed to eat unless they were store bought and unopened. One woman had even sent in a picture of her newborn son that she had named after him. That creeped him out a little bit but the more hardcore his fans were the more money he raked in and Youngjae said that was all that mattered in the end.
There were a few people over the years who had made it well known that they didn't support him. A movie reviewer from his home town who still smarted from when he had turned her down in high school. A husband of a particularly rabid fan who promised to rearrange his teeth if he had to watch his debut movie one more time. Usually they didn't bother him because for every anti-fan there were a hundred who thought a fairy was born every time he smiled. Himchan was confident he was a great actor and so sure of himself in his talent and looks that the haters just slipped right past him.
But Jongup hung on him worse than a rash.
He clawed his way inside Himchan's ego and clung there like a pesky mosquito.
Jongup wasn't rude to him because he was an actor or because he was jealous. Jongup was rude because he genuinely didn't care at all about him and Himchan couldn't get past it.
He thought he was a friendly man and good to his fans. On his days off he regularly volunteered for charity functions and when he braved the public he always posed for pictures and signed autograph after autograph with a smile.
So why did Jongup not even bother to glance his direction?
"Am I ugly?"
Youngjae raised his head from the thick scheduling planner in front of him and blinked in confusion. "Huh?"
He repeated the question, staring at himself in the small mirror he always carried in his bag. "On a scale of 1 to 10 what would you rate me?"
"Negative six." Youngjae answered dryly, scoffing at Himchan's stupid question. "What brought this on? Did you read an article about yourself again? I told you to stop doing that."
"Some boy at the coffee shop I went to yesterday didn't seem impressed by me." He had no idea that would hurt his feelings so much but he was used to people treating him like a prince. "He didn't even seem to care that I was in there."
Youngjae smiled slightly as he watched Himchan turning his face from side to side to make sure there were no blemishes on his otherwise perfect skin. "You don't normally care what people think about you." He sat back in his seat and stretched. "Did you want this boy to care you were in there?"
He remembered the way Jongup's sweat-soaked arms had looked like diamonds glinting in the brightness of the setting sun and how when he peeled the wet tank top away from his chest there had been just the smallest glint of tanned tummy and sharp hipbones.
"I think I wanted to eat him."
"Then go back tomorrow." Youngjae sighed as he turned his attention back to the mess on the table. "And try to be discreet about it. The last thing we need is a gay love scandal. I'm still fighting off rumors about how you supposedly broke that movie reviewer's heart in high school."
---
When Junhong opened the store the next day he was surprised to see Daehyun already waiting outside the door.
"You're here awful early." He was still annoyed at the way Daehyun had left the bar and he was angry at himself for being annoyed in the first place. "You don't have more big plans today?"
Daehyun leaned against the bar and watched him turn on all of the coffee makers and pull out a sleeve of cups to stock himself up for the morning. The usual smile on his lips was gone today and there was a dark ring under his eyes, rimming them in black.
"I have to go in to work early today but I always see you on the way and didn't want to skip it."
"You didn't come in yesterday." Junhong knew his voice was accusatory but it had been the first time Daehyun missed his morning coffee and he knew why it made him upset but admitting it would take a lot of work. "Jongup saved you a cheese danish, too."
The corner of Daehyun's lips lifted up into a weak smile but it was nothing compared to the one Junhong begrudgingly admitted he preferred. But only in his head.
"I found another coffee shop near work that's cheap and has pretty good dessert." The quiet words behind him caused Junhong to freeze up with a hand halfway to the toppings bar where he was in the middle of filling up the sprinkles. "They aren't as good as this one but I went there yesterday and I can go there again today if I have to." Junhong still hadn't turned around but he could hear the way Daehyun took a ragged breath and tapped his fingertips nervously on the counter between them. "Tell me not to? With no jokes and no teasing. Just… Tell me there's a good reason to keep coming here?"
Junhong counted to ten in his head as he tried to calm his heart pounding rapidly behind his lungs. After months of accepting his brush-off's and sarcasm Daehyun was finally putting it all out there for Junhong.
"Please Junhonggie?"
"If you want to start going there then why is it any of my business?" The words coming out of his mouth felt flat but for Junhong they were as big as bombs in the empty building. "Nothing's keeping you here."
Daehyun was silent for a moment as Junhong closed his eyes. "I guess you're right. See you around, Junhong."
When Jongup showed up for his shift with the boxes of pastries he had spent all night making for the shop, he noticed Junhong's ashen face as they filled the display cases together.
"You okay? Feeling sick?"
"Yeah." Junhong hadn't so much as looked at him since he got to work. "Sick."
---
The first half of Jongup's shift was usually the hardest with customers hurrying on their way to work and early shoppers trying to get a caffeine boost to help them stay on their feet all day. It wasn't until lunchtime that he realized Junhong hadn't spoken to him again since he'd asked how he was.
"Break time." He slipped his apron over his head and pulled Junhong towards the back, motioning for their part-time employee to take over the register. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong or do I have to force it out of you?"
Junhong stared at his hands and shook his head.
"Did you do something illegal?"
"Of course not."
Jongup eyed the cell phone barely sticking out of Junhong's apron pocket. "I haven't heard your phone go off at all today. Did you have a fight with Daehyun?"
When Junhong slumped against the wall Jongup knew he had his answer.
"He told me he's not coming back." Junhong licked his lips as he mentally reviewed everything Daehyun had said to him that morning. "And I said okay."
"You both are driving me to drink." Jongup growled, stomping his way out of the break room and through the café lobby. The door opened as he was a few steps away and instead of apologizing, he brushed past the two men entering without even a backwards glance.
---
"He's an angry little guy."
"I told you he was an asshole."
Youngjae pushed Himchan out of the way to press his face against the glass so he could see Jongup better. "That was him? He's kind of hot. What'd you say his name was again?"
"Jongup." Himchan had come to the café with the intention of trying to flirt himself off of Jongup's bad side. He never imagined that he would be leaving as soon as they arrived. "Should we go after him?"
"Nah. He looked pretty mad about something and he already hates you. We'll come back tomorrow after your photoshoot."
They turned around to leave when a timid "Mr. Kim?" stopped them.
Junhong stood behind them holding Jongup's apron in his hands and a bewildered expression on his face. "Can I help you with something?"
He couldn't leave without ordering something now because the tall kid had been so excited to wait on him the other day. "I changed my mind about coffee as soon as I walked in. Do you maybe have tea instead?"
"Yes, we do." Junhong watched the way Himchan and Youngjae were still trying and failing to look inconspicuously out of the window. "Jongup's not here if that's who you're looking for."
Himchan smiled sheepishly when he realized he'd been caught. "That obvious huh?"
"He has a lot of repeat customers." Junhong answered dryly. "For what it's worth, he felt bad for being so rude to you. It was just the end of a long shift and he doesn't get many days off so he wasn't as sweet as he usually is. And he gets bored watching movies so he didn't know who you were anyway."
Youngjae thumbed behind them where they had watched Jongup fuming his way down the street. "Then what's his excuse for being like this today?"
Junhong dropped his shoulders and the tired smile on his lips dipped a little. "He'll be back in a little bit. I think I know where he's going and it will only be about fifteen minutes. Do you want a tea and a muffin while you wait?"
After they were settled in a booth off to the side where they could stay private and still keep an eye on everything Youngjae blew on his mug and looked at Himchan questioningly.
"I know, I know," Himchan waved off the searching gaze. "Waiting on someone I don't even know is stupid and I'm an embarrassment to mankind." His lips pursed together as he stirred his tea. "But I don't find many people I'm attracted to and I liked that Jongup didn't care one bit about who I am."
Youngjae tore off a corner of his apple cinnamon muffin and rolled his eyes. "You're too romantic to be in this business. You should be working at a place like this and married to a baker so they could draw hearts on your cookies every day. That's the life for you." He took a bite and moaned around a mouthful of dessert. "I mean it. Marry a baker. Marry this baker."
"Jonguppie made those actually." Junhong stood over them with Himchan's cranberry oat muffin that he had asked to be warmed in the toaster oven first. "People come for miles to try his peanut butter banana bread. It won an award in some fancy travel magazine." The warm plate was placed in front of Himchan as Junhong finally smiled for the first time all day. "And he's single. In case you're curious."
He had finished off his entire muffin and was trying his hardest to steal a chunk of Youngjae's when the bell over the door rung and they could see Jongup dragging in a boy as equally angry and tiny as himself.
"Let me go, I told you he didn't want to see me."
"You two are going to work this out or I swear I will lock you in the fridge in the back. And sometimes the door sticks and I can't open it. And I won't call for help."
Junhong watched them from behind the counter, a wet rag gripped so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.
"Daehyun, tell him you don't want to stop coming here. Junhong, tell Dae you're stupid and that you've been secretly in love with him for months now."
The tight grip Jongup had around Daehyun's waist would have made a twinge of jealousy shoot through Himchan's veins but he could see the way the other two boys looked at each other with longing and regret.
"I already told him I didn't want to stop. He's the one who said he didn't even care."
Jongup sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm too tired for this. In the fridge." He pushed Daehyun forward and grabbed Junhong's wrist on the way. "You can come out when you've decided to be big boys."
"You can't put us in the fridge, what is wrong with you?"
They could hear Daehyun shouting louder the further away they got until there was a loud slam and then silence. Jongup stepped back into the front of the café and rubbed the back of his neck. When he turned his head he noticed Youngjae and Himchan both staring at him with open-mouths and wide eyes.
"It's not like I won't check on them." Jongup grinned brightly making Youngjae kick Himchan under the table when he heard a low moan. "Can I get you two anything else?"
"No thanks." Youngjae spoke up because Himchan was tight-lipped and staring while trying to swallow the whimpers coming up this throat. "Actually yes, we do need something else." He smiled slyly when Himchan rapidly shook his head at him. "My friend here thinks you're cute. And wanted to know what it would take to score a date. He's shy."
Himchan dropped his head to the table with a thump.
"And a little dumb."
Jongup bit back a laugh. "Tell your friend I don’t think I'd make a good date. I stay up till two every morning getting the food ready for work and in my free time all I do is watch baseball."
"But if you had help baking you'd be interested?"
The expression that passed over Himchan was steady and made his skin burn the longer Jongup stared at him.
"Maybe."
Youngjae sat back, suddenly satisfied. "Good to know. That's all we needed."
It was ten minutes and a lot of curious looks towards the booth across from the counter before Jongup remembered the boys he had locked in the fridge.
"You're an j-j-jerk," Junhong chattered out through clenched teeth. He had Daehyun pressed against his chest with his apron covering the smaller boy's head. "Daehyun's too tiny for this. His b-body temperature drops q-quicker than mine."
"You were in here for twelve minutes. I think he'll be fine." Jongup did feel a little bad though when they tripped out of the fridge and tiny flakes of ice fell off their clothes. "Did you make up?"
Daehyun popped his head out of the stiff apron and narrowed frost-covered eyebrows his direction. "We did come to one agreement," He replied. "We both decided we hated you the most."
---
The news that the bakery had been bought from Junhong's brother came as a shock to everyone.
"I had no idea he even wanted to sell," Junhong whispered to Jongup as they watched his older brother clear out his office. "What does this mean for us? Do we need to look for new jobs, too? Will they let us stay on?"
Jongup was a little worried because he actually liked working with Junhong every day, even if staying up past midnight baking and having to work six days a week at a minimum was tiring him out. Otherwise he would have no problem with the sudden turn of events. He was proud of his cooking skills and knew he wouldn't have a problem landing a new job fairly quickly.
"What if the new owner doesn't order the same brand of milk I like?" Yongguk sat the counter wringing his hands and wincing every time Jongup passed him. "I can't drink milk from cows unless they're free range, Jongup. I'm allergic to the growth hormones they put in factory cows, I'll have a-"
"You'll be fine, Yongguk." He tuned him out as Yongguk started ranting about the chemicals they consumed on a daily basis and watched Junhong's brother shaking hands with the lawyer that had been the middleman between the old and new owners. "What'd Daehyun think about it?"
Junhong bit back a smile at the mention of Daehyun. He pretended they still hated each other but Jongup had been the one to run out in terror two days earlier when he walked in on them in the break room. The sight of two of his best friends with their tongues shoved down each other's throats and hands palming areas he never wanted to even think about venturing would stick with him until the day he died.
"He thinks it's great. Says maybe the new owners will hire more workers so we have some days off for once."
That could be a good thing or a disaster. No one else knew that to you had to double-bake the croissants to make them extra crunchy. Or that the chocolate muffins had a pinch of chili powder in them. But like hell was he sharing his award-winning peanut butter banana bread recipe.
"I don’t work well with new people." He smiled sheepishly at his friends. "You tell me all the time I'm starting to scare customers off."
"Well then let's try and work on that so our investment wasn't a complete waste of time and money."
A new voice spoke up behind them. They whirled around to see the new owners watching them from the doorway.
Junhong snorted beside him but refused to elaborate when Jongup asked what was so funny.
"You bought our business?"
"Not me," Youngjae jerked his chin towards the silent man beside him. "Himchan."
The name didn't ring a bell to Jongup but of course he recognized the tall man with the soft skin and barely there smile on his bow-shaped lips.
"Himchan," He breathed, swallowing dryly when uttering his name made Himchan's already dark eyes even blacker. "Are you stalking me or something?"
"Or something," The words sounded raspy to his ears and he vaguely recognized the tone but it was fluttering just out of his reach. How was he supposed to concentrate on anything when the most beautiful man he'd ever laid eyes on was staring at him like he was his last supper?
Junhong was still laughing even when his brother noticed the newcomers and came out of the office bowing and apologizing for the mess.
"Thank you again for the generous offer. And more thanks for agreeing to keep my employees on. Junhong is my brother but he's been the store manager for eight months and could run it in his sleep. And Jongup is the best baker in the city. His peanut butter banana bread has even won an-"
"Award, yes. We know." Youngjae cut him off and asked about something he apparently had to look at outside on the sidewalk right that moment, winking at Jongup as he brushed past him.
Yongguk was the only one who had stayed quiet throughout the whole exchange, his eyes following Himchan and Jongup's replies like a ping-pong match.
"You look familiar," He finally spoke up, leaning forward to peer closer at Himchan. "Have we slept together?"
"I… What?"
Junhong groaned as he pulled Yongguk to his feet. "Just ignore him. He thinks sleeping around makes him a free spirit. Come on, Guk. I'll buy you a tofu burger at that vegan place down the street."
When everyone had left but them the mood in the café grew even more awkward.
"You do realize it's a little creepy that you bought my place of employment just to hit on me?"
Himchan cocked his head to the side but stayed silent.
"Are you going to tell me why?"
Again Himchan kept his lips tight together.
"Should I be concerned you're going to keep my liver as a trophy?"
Finally he had said something to make the other man respond.
"I'm not a psycho, Jongup. Just… Determined."
The roughness of his voice was one Jongup knew he should be able to name but he just couldn't put his finger on it. "Have we met? I mean before the last time?"
"You mean you don't remember?" Himchan took a few steps forward so that he was flush with the counter and only inches away from Jongup's reddening face. "You might recognize me if the first time I came here didn't consist of you yelling at the TV and calling me a worthless idiot."
Jongup closed his eyes and groaned when he finally realized where he had heard that voice before, "Oh no…"
"Oh yes." Himchan pulled his phone out of his pocket and pressed buttons before handing it over to Jongup. "Here's your new schedule."
"But…" Jongup's embarrassment melted away quickly and changed to anger at the hours listed. "I only work with Junhong twice a week!" The smirk on Himchan's lips infuriated him even more. "Why am I not coming in until noon? I have to come early to bring the food!"
Himchan was satisfied that he had worked Jongup into an uproar so he relaxed into a stool next to the counter and swiveled happily while he watched Jongup's face turn from pink to red. "Not anymore. We've hired two new bakers to help you. Now you'll have more free time. You should thank me."
Instead of gratitude, Jongup sputtered wildly, still holding onto Himchan's phone and staring at his schedule. "Wait…" He narrowed his eyes and peered closer at the tiny screen. "Next Saturday you have 'Date with Himchan' written instead of my hours."
"Oh. That." Himchan turned serious, plucking the phone out of Jongup's hands. "You said you would be interested in a date if you had time. Well, now you have time." He smiled cheekily. "Let's see if you have the same bad attitude when sitting across from someone who's just as big of a jerk as you are."
"You'll regret this." Jongup's words were a threat but Himchan could see the way he was biting back a smile as he leaned on the counter on his elbows. "I'll make your life miserable. You don't even know one thing about me."
"I'll chew you up and spit you out," Himchan promised in return. "When you think of my name from now on I hope it makes you so mad you could spit. And I'll learn all the important things about you eventually."
Jongup finally broke, lips curling up into a grin as he laughed. "This sounds like fun."
---
"They're completely bonkers. I already know mine's completely crazy but on a scale of one to ten, how insane is yours?"
Junhong crossed his arms as they watched the two men at the counter continue to berate each other with grins on their faces. "Jongup's a two when he's happy but when he gets in a bad mood he's about a seven."
"Himchan's a nine no matter what mood he's in," Youngjae sighed and cracked his neck. "Buying this place is going to give me gray hair. Those two are going to drive me up the wall by the time the week is over."
The phone in Junhong's pocket buzzed and he grinned when he saw a new text from Daehyun.
I want to put my hand down your pants in the fridge at the café. Is that weird? I don't care. I've been thinking about it ever since Jongup locked us in. We're doing it when I get done with work.
"Youngjae, you have no idea what you're in for with this place."