Woops
Title: Woops
Pairing: Jonghyun/Onew, ninja!Key/Taemin if you’re looking for it
Rating: NC-17
A/N: Changed this like 9387427934 times before I said fuck it. xD
SUPER DUPER LONG I swear I either write it short and sweet or drag it out. But this is a different kind of story I’m trying, you know, one with actual character development haha. It’s a true love story. And fuck, you guys know I hate sappy romance. xD
And shoutout to the latest july!fangirl, l2inl2in ! :D <333
AND OF COURE namae_nai BECAUSE UM SHE DEMANDED IT SO HERE YOU GO BABE ALL FOR YOU <333333
IF YOU READ THROUGH ALL OF THIS YOU DESERVE A FUCKING MEDAL BUT PLEASE DO BECAUSE I'M ACTUALLY REALLY PROUD OF SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ANGSTY AND EMOTIONAL :(
--
“Good morning,” bright and chipper, Jinki sent off his last customer and smiled sunnily at the man that was standing at the counter. He gave Jinki a sly grin and the barista blushed lightly, going through the script per usual. “What can I get for you today?”
It was seriously probably the most useless question he had ever asked any of his customers, because this man always asked for the same thing like he had for the past three months. He would be all sunshine and puppies and order his triple vanilla vente, extra whipped cream, and Jinki would ring it in and then make it for him and collect his rather hefty tip.
He was already pressing buttons on the register, when suddenly their script was broken, and the man said something else. He glanced up at the customer, since he hadn’t caught what he said, being too busy making sure he hit the right buttons (but he had already rang in the order as a double instead of a triple and needed to fix it), tilting his head and blinking his eyes at him vaguely.
Getting the hint, the man chuckled and leaned forward, making sure only Jinki could hear him.
“I said skip the drink, I want your number.”
Jinki’s eyes widened and he hit a button that popped open the register, the drawer slamming into his pelvis and making him let out a surprised sound as he stumbled back and doubled over slightly, gasping for breath. The customer looked surprised as well and leaned over a bit, his hand suspended in the air like he wanted to do something but didn’t know if he should.
Waving a hand, Jinki forced a smile and straightened, clearing his throat and trying to fight the blush that was spreading on his cheeks due to intense embarrassment. But his number one customer merely smiled and chuckled, slipping a five-dollar bill along with a small piece of paper on the counter, sending a wink and a wave towards Jinki before disappearing in the crowd.
Jinki took the paper and read the number on it, blushing heavily as he put it in his pocket and then put the five dollars in his till, since he had already opened it. Better to be safe than sorry.
--
The next day the customer was back, per usual. Jinki took the time to survey him, since he was a bit earlier than usual. He recalled the slip of paper with the phone number on it and wondered why he hadn’t given his name - it wasn’t fair, since Jinki was wearing a freaking nametag. Usually the man looked like he worked a chic job, perhaps in a clothing store, since he was always fashionable whether he was wearing jeans or slacks. His hair was a bit long, covering his ears, a chocolatey brown and usually styled messily.
Or maybe he was just too lazy to comb it when he got out of bed in the morning.
His aura exuded confidence and perhaps he had a bit too much of it, with the way he would flash a smirk at a nearby female and have her knees go weak as she blushed and coyly averted her eyes. Jinki wouldn’t admit it, even though it was obvious, that the man’s smirk made his knees weak, too.
Today the man was wearing a pair of straight-legged pants with an interesting pair of black high tops that looked like a cross between an army boot and a sneaker. He was wearing a plain white v-neck shirt and a black blazer, three-quarter sleeved and unbuttoned. His head was tilted back as he looked at the menu, and Jinki wondered if he would order anything different.
But common sense kicked in and while the man stared at the menu, his head tilted back and his Adam’s apple and collarbones exposed, Jinki busied himself by making the drink in order to prevent himself from staring at the handsome man. As Jinki was putting the coffee grounds in the shot machine, he was in mid-stroke of tightening the scoop when the man spoke, making him fumble and drop the whole thing, spilling coffee grounds everywhere.
“Can you add some cinnamon to my drink today?”
“Ah,” Jinki was surprised that the man wanted to change his drink, as he grabbed a rag and cleaned up his mess, glancing up to see the customer watching him with a slightly lopsided smile that made Jinki’s heart skip a beat. He threw the rag in the sink and started over with the process, shrugging a bit. “Yeah, I can add cinnamon. Do you want the syrup or the spice?”
The man seemed to contemplate as he moved up to the counter, resting his forearms on it and leaning forward some, watching Jinki work. “The spice. Just a sprinkle on top.”
With the man’s eyes on him, Jinki’s fingers were trembling a bit more, but he was extra careful as he got all of the shots squeezed out, putting them in the cup as he started to heat up the half and half. There was the barest amount of foam as he brought it away from the steam arm, reaching for the vanilla and pouring two shots into the heated coffee. He poured in the half and half and reached for the cinnamon, proud that he was working so well with the man practically hawk-eyeing him.
But all good things must come to an end, as he set the cup aside and reached to the spice rack, grabbing the cinnamon but sending a few other spices careening down onto the counter, some of the tops popping off and spilling the contents. Jinki let out a surprised noise and tried to catch them, knocking over the vente in the process, managing to get the hot liquid all over the front of his apron.
Taking a step back after the commotion stopped, Jinki sighed and grabbed another rag, cleaning himself of the milk and the coffee, before he glanced up to see the man carefully scooping up some of the spices and putting them back in their respective containers, capping them and arranging them back on the shelf.
“You don’t have to do that,” Jinki said, blushing as he untied his apron and tossed it in the sink, but the customer merely shined his charming smile and Jinki couldn’t help but allow him to continue what he was doing.
Together they cleaned up the mess, their hands brushing occasionally if they reached for the same thing, Jinki pulling back and sputtering an apology while the man laughed and continued on. Soon the mess was clean and Jinki was glad it was a slow morning - Wednesdays always were, for some reason - and he was definitely glad that his number one customer was here.
Straightening, Jinki let out a breath and started to gather the proper items to make his customer’s drink. “Let’s try this again.”
The man checked his watch and smiled lightly, “Actually I’m late for a meeting. Rain check?” He slid a ten-dollar bill on the counter and winked. “See you tomorrow, Jinki.”
Jinki flushed heavily at hearing his name, watching the man leave the coffee shop with that bit of swag that had quite a few people staring after him. Sighing, Jinki suddenly remembered that the man’s number was still in his apron from the previous day - he rushed over to the sink and searched through the pockets, pulling out the soggy piece of paper and whimpering as it dissolved on his fingertips.
Really, Jinki was starting to think he had a condition.
--
The next day the customer was back, like he said he would be, but he was sitting at a table with a laptop. Jinki had already served him his drink and was keeping an eye on him out of his periph as he helped customers; for some reason Thursday was their busy day and he briefly wondered why, but then decided that Thursdays sucked. It was the day before Friday, which was the start of everyone’s weekend, and it just seemed to drag on and on. Jinki hated Thursdays because they were busy, but he also hated Thursdays because it was the day that his manager worked the same shift as him.
Kim Kibum was a force to be reckoned with and his coffee shop was nothing but perfect. Or at least it better be, else heads will roll and Jinki would be dickless by now. Kibum was a stylish, educated man that loved customer service and being in the ‘artsy’ atmosphere, but he really was a savvy businessman and had beat out the neighborhood Starbucks in sales somehow. And we say somehow because even Jinki didn’t know how this tiny coffee shop that usually had one barista working the till and making drinks managed to beat out Starbucks.
Kibum was feisty and Kibum was a handful - he nagged a lot and things had to be done in a specific way, but because Jinki was such a clutz Kibum was often on his case about the littlest things. Which in turn only made Jinki clumsier and mess up a bit more often but customers loved Jinki and Kibum secretly liked Jinki too, for whatever reason no one knew since on the surface they argued like an old married couple.
“Jinki, you forgot to wipe this arm when you were done using it,” Kibum nagged as he grabbed a rag and wiped the steam arm free of the foam.
“You were the last one to use it, Kibum,” Jinki reminded his manager as he smiled at the next customer and rang in their order.
Kibum huffed and folded the towel, before coming over by Jinki’s side to read the order off of the screen and start making it. Jinki always felt burdened when Kibum was near but did his best anyhow - the drawer opened and got Jinki in the pelvis and he doubled forward, making a rather unattractive noise, causing Kibum to roll his eyes.
“So, did you ever get lover boy’s name?” Kibum asked, making Jinki wince in both slight awkwardness that his manager knew about his crush, as well as the fact that Kibum managed to blow steam in his face with the steam arm he started using.
“No, I didn’t,” Jinki said, running a hand over his features as he got the flavors for the drink, handing them to Kibum.
They both had their own way of making the drinks; Kibum was quick and precise, his movements flowed easily and he had everything memorized like the back of his hand. He had both a photographic and phonographic memory that Jinki always envied, and an order never needed to be repeated to Kibum for he would make it right every time. Jinki’s technique, however, was to double check with the customer, ring it in, start making it, double check the order, then make casual conversation as he took his time in making the drink.
“And why not?” Kibum arched a brow as he put a lid on the cup and sent the customer off with a dazzling smile and a ‘have a nice day’, before he turned to Jinki and put a hand on his hip. “I swear if you don’t ask him, I’m going to. That man is delicious looking.”
Jinki’s ears heated up with the comment and Kibum laughed, waving a hand and patting Jinki on the shoulder.
“I’m kidding. Try as I may he only looks at you.”
Flushing heavily, Jinki started to clean up the little messes he could find, awkwardly mumbling about how the customer only comes here to get his drinks and leave.
“Oh, that’s why his tip value keeps increasing? Jinki, you idiot, you didn’t even make him a drink for the past two days and he still paid for it and four others on top of it.” Kibum rolled his eyes and shook his head, walking away. “For being so smart, you’re such a dumbass.”
Jinki hung his head, letting out a dejected sigh as he turned towards the counter and looked up - only to jump back and grasp his heart as it nearly leapt out of his chest, his number one customer arching a brow and offering an easy smile as he leaned against the counter.
“Woops, sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you,” he said, his voice as melodic as ever as Jinki’s heart calmed down. “Could I get a glass of water?”
Jinki nodded and grabbed a cup, pulling the purified water out of the lower fridge and filling the cup, handing it over to the man who winked and tipped it as if in a toast, before returning to his seat. Licking his lips Jinki closed his eyes, berating himself because yeah, he was a freaking idiot and he couldn’t even ask the guys’ name or maybe even for his number again.
The customer lingered for another hour or so, before packing up his laptop and giving Jinki a wave, heading off into the morning elsewhere.
A little part of Jinki went with the man, and part of his heart ached to have the man come back and stay longer.
--
It wasn’t often Jinki had a day off from work, since aside from him and Kibum their other employee was a kid that was still in high school, Taemin. Taemin worked in the evenings when he could but mostly on the weekends, and Kibum also had another job running the bakery next door (really the man was a work horse; Jinki didn’t know how he did it). But Jinki didn’t have a problem with it; he loved working, he loved customer service, he loved making coffee (though personally he didn’t drink it at all) and of course…
He loved seeing his number one customer every day.
But today was one of those rare days that Jinki had off. It was a Saturday and he padded around his small apartment, wondering what on Earth he could do. It’d been so long since he had a day off (a month, two?), but he didn’t feel tired or like he needed to relax because it’s not like his job stressed him out or anything. Sighing, he made himself a cup of hot tea and moved to his sliding door, going out onto his second floor balcony and glancing down onto the street below.
He didn’t live in an extravagant part of town but it was pleasant; it was small and everyone knew each other and while most people would have been annoyed at the Pleasantville aura it gave off, Jinki loved it. He was nowhere near his parents as they had moved to America with his fathers’ business, and being here made it feel like he had four sets of parents, eight grandmothers and six grandfathers, as well as brothers and sisters. He couldn’t trade it for the world, really.
Leaning against the railing, he sipped on his tea and watched the commerce below. A small trickle of people always came through, since one of the best butcher markets in town was at the end of the block, and there was also a small school that didn’t count as an elementary school, more of an extra curricular school where parents would send their kids for piano or violin lessons.
His eyes trailed along the crowd, and like radar he zoned in on a chocolate-covered head, strands mussed, attached to a body wearing chic clothes and a worn satchel over a left shoulder.
Jinki’s breath hitched in his chest - his customer, what was he doing in this area? The coffee shop was quite a bit a ways from here; did he make this commute every day? Jinki didn’t know, since he was never home at ten in the morning, but now he had a million questions. Did the man live around here?
Trying not to be too obvious, since the man hadn’t noticed him yet, Jinki leaned a bit further over the edge of the balcony, watching as the man went towards the small school. A child, about seven or eight, was waiting outside the doors, and ran up to the man and hugged him around the middle. Even though he was a ways away Jinki could hear that beautiful laugh as he pat the child on the head and unlocked the door to the building, following the kid inside and disappearing.
Jinki felt his heart swell; so the man worked with kids? Smiling to himself, he cupped the mug he was holding with both hands and wandered back into his apartment, promising himself that tomorrow, he’d talk to this man and get his name, and his number.
--
Sunday had started off well - Jinki was in high spirits because Sundays were moderately busy but everyone seemed to be in a chipper mood. Not only that, today he was going to talk to that handsome man and get his number again, and even his name, and while butterflies were fluttering in his stomach, he was still determined.
However, as time dwindled on and morning turned into noon, and noon turned into afternoon, Jinki felt his heart sinking in his chest. The man hadn’t shown up at all, and on Sundays he usually was their first customer, getting his drink and sitting down in a cushy chair with a book, spending his morning there. But there was no sign of him, and Jinki started to feel weighed down as the day wore on, his smile dimming a bit.
“Hyung,” Taemin finally said at around three o’clock, turning and patting Jinki on the back. “You can go home, hyung. I can handle things from here.”
Jinki gave a small smile at Taemin and hugged him, ruffling his hair and making the boy whine and push him off, before he took off his apron and hung it up, grabbing his belongings and going outside to start the trek home.
And it was like that for the next five days; Jinki would show up to work and wait for that handsome, mysterious no-named man to come in and order his triple vanilla vente, extra whipped cream, but there was no sign of the man and with each day that went by, Jinki felt heavier and heavier.
Finally, on Saturday morning, a lull was hit in the rush hour, not a single customer in the store, Jinki alone and face-first on the counter, arms spread out as his cheek rested on the cool surface, his eyes staring blindly at the spice rack. He didn’t know how long he’d been like that, but when someone cleared their throat Jinki nearly jumped out of his skin as he let out an undignified sound, clutching at his heart through his apron, his gaze landing on a sight for sore eyes.
“Morning,” the man said easily, as if he had been around this whole time and not absent for almost a week.
Jinki merely stared, still clutching at his apron, and the man arched his brow as he leaned forward on the counter in that familiar manner, a smirk tugging the corner of his lips.
“Woops.” He didn’t sound apologetic at all, and Jinki’s heart was hammering in his chest as the man tilted his head a bit, his grin lopsided and his eyes inquiring, and overall he just looked like an overgrown puppy. “Miss me?”
Finally collecting himself, Jinki blinked and shut his mouth, before he reached forward and grabbed the man by his collar, pulling him forward as Jinki connected their lips in a chaste kiss. It lasted only a second, that is, it lasted until Jinki realized just what the hell he was doing, as he let go of the man’s collar and gasped, covering his mouth and flushing a bright red.
Expecting some kind of backlash, he was surprised when the man merely chuckled and licked his lips, as if savoring the taste.
“You’re cute, Jinki.” The man said, still leaning on the counter where Jinki had pulled him to. “Can I take you to dinner?”
Still covering his mouth, Jinki nodded slowly, and the man grabbed a napkin and a pen, jotting down an address - with his left hand, Jinki noted.
“Meet me here at six o’clock tonight.”
Jinki took the napkin and briefly analyzed the slightly slanted handwriting, before he glanced up and offered a slightly awkward smile. The man winked and waved, setting a twenty on the counter before he sauntered out of the café, hands, in his pockets.
Jinki shook his head and put the twenty in the till, heart pounding in his chest before realization hit him hard.
“I have no idea what to wear.”
--
So at five in the afternoon Kibum was sitting on Jinki’s worn, comfy couch, sipping on some home brewed java, flipping through a magazine and looking up every ten minutes when Jinki walked out in a different outfit, asking him his opinion and worriedly fretting about every detail. Finally Kibum huffed and stood, coffee cup in one hand as he moved into Jinki’s closet and looked at it for about three seconds before pulling out a pair of faded denim jeans, a tan long-sleeved tee and a dark brown blazer, and then with remarkable regard for not spilling his coffee, bent down and pulled out a pair of dark brown Docs, setting it all on Jinki’s bed and sipping his coffee as he wordlessly left the bedroom.
Jinki stared at the outfit for a few seconds in bewilderment. “Huh… Genius.”
--
At 5:54pm Jinki found himself walking out of his apartment and down the street that he had seen the other walking down just the previous week, headed towards the school that the man worked at. There were people filing in and out of the building and a sign on the sidewalk said that there was a recital at 6pm, and Jinki was briefly confused before he remembered that the man worked at this school and maybe for once it was Jinki’s turn to visit him at work.
Smiling and entering, he dropped quite a big amount in the donation box - admission was free but donations accepted, and Jinki always loved to support a good cause - before he was handed a brochure and he wandered in to the area. It was already pretty full save for a few seats right up front, the stage area small and perfect for kids, the auditorium big enough for parents, and Jinki found himself being ushered to the front by a young, smiling girl.
“Oppa said that you need to sit up front,” she said, and Jinki had to wonder how she knew who he was.
But sure enough she led him to a spot that literally had his name on it, taped on a piece of paper to the back of the chair. He chuckled and sat down, patting the girl on the head as she skipped off. Adjusting his jacket and getting comfortable in his chair, he looked over the stage, seeing a shiny black grand piano front and center, along with a stool and a microphone and a stand off on the side.
The man had invited Jinki to one of his student’s piano recitals.
Jinki didn’t think anything more perfect could have broken the ice. He smiled as the lights dimmed and the allotted time rolled around, his fingers toying with the brochure as he opened it up and glanced at the contents.
‘A Night for a True Love’ was the theme of the concert, and there was only one song on the itinerary; an American song that Jinki had only heard once in his life, but a beautiful song no less. The lights dimmed and he sat back in his seat, adjusting his glasses on his nose (Kibum had told him to skip the contacts, the glasses made him more appealing, whatever that meant) as he smiled up towards the stage, expectant.
The man that Jinki had been pining over for three months straight came onto the stage, followed by the small kid that Jinki had seen him greet the previous week outside of the school. The man grabbed the mic as they made their way to the piano, and he arranged the sheet music in front of the child in a way that he wouldn’t need a page turner, before he turned and offered the crowd a dazzling smile.
“Thank you so much for coming, everyone,” he said, and the crowd applauded softly as he gave a bow. “My name is Kim Jonghyun and tonight is the first of eight solo performances by your own children. Tonight’s first performer is Kwon Taehyuk, he is eight years old and will be playing ‘The Last Time’ by Eric Benet, with vocal accompaniment by me.”
Jinki’s heart pounded.
Jonghyun.
The man’s name was Jonghyun.
And said man looked directly at Jinki, his smile softening and the lights overhead making him look like some sort of angel, as cheesy as it sounded.
“We spent an entire week preparing this. Please listen with sincerity.”
Jinki felt his chest tighten with a bit of guilt; that’s why Jonghyun had been M.I.A. Not because he was avoiding Jinki, but because he was spending time with little Taehyuk to get this performance perfect. But Jinki got comfortable and watched as Jonghyun sat down on the stool and put the mic on the stand, adjusting it and then nodding for Taehyuk to start the song.
Taehyuk was a remarkable pianist for his age, only making a few blunders but fixing them with surprising professionalism. Jinki was impressed with the child, but as soon as Jonghyun’s voice floated over the crowd, the barista felt his lungs shrivel and his heart thump as the breath was stole from his body.
Jonghyun’s voice was like nothing Jinki had ever heard. It was light and melodic and slightly breathy and the perfect pitch, easy on the ears and delightful to listen to. His English was accented but that was forgivable, because good God, the sounds that were coming from his pipes were just astounding.
The words soaked in to Jinki’s head, his eyes transfixed on Jonghyun as the other occasionally swept his eyes to where the man was sitting, giving the softest smile before moving on over the crowd.
“The first time I fell in love was long ago.
I didn't know how to give my love at all.
The next time I settled for what felt so close.
But without romance, you're never gonna fall.
After everything I've learned;
Now it's finally my turn.
This is the last time I'll fall... in love.
The first time we walked under that starry sky,
there was a moment when everything was clear.
I didn't need to ask or even wonder why, because each question is answered when you’re near.
And I'm wise enough to know when a miracle unfolds, this is the last time I'll fall in love.
Now don't hold back, just let me know.
Could I be moving much too fast or way too slow?
'Cause all of my life, I've waited for this day.
To find that once in a lifetime, this is it, I'll never be the same.
You'll never know what it's taken me to say these words.
And now that I've said them, they could never be enough.
As far as I can see, there's only you and only me.
This is the last time I'll fall in love.
Last time I'll fall in love.
The last time I'll fall... in love.”
Jinki was enraptured by the voice, the beautiful man on stage but most of the parents in the crowd were transfixed on the small prodigy child on the piano, and really the kid was amazing but Jinki couldn’t tear his eyes away from Jonghyun. His voice, his looks, his smile… Jinki’s heart fluttered and as he registered the song (Kibum had taught him quite a bit of English, since the younger man was nearly fluent) and the words and the possible meaning behind it, Jinki’s cheeks were highlighted a dusty pink. The song ended and the parents stood to applaud both teacher and pupil, Jinki standing amongst them and tucking the brochure under his arm as he clapped, smiling fondly up at Jonghyun.
His mind was running haywire, though, as Jonghyun thanked the parents and showcased Taehyuk a bit more because the recital was for his piano skills, not Jonghyun’s voice. Jonghyun had invited him specifically to this recital; after three months of seeing the man almost every day, after three months of the man giving him such hefty tips he could almost pay rent on those alone, after three months of his heart swelling fatter and fatter because every time Jonghyun entered the shop, every time Jonghyun flashed him a smile, every time Jonghyun laughed good-naturedly at his clumsiness… Jinki knew that he had fallen in love.
Had Jonghyun?
The man brought Taehyuk down off the stage and brought him to his parents, smiling and chatting with them as Jinki stood a bit awkwardly. Well, where could he go? He didn’t have a child in the program and he couldn’t just waltz up to Jonghyun. Running a hand through his hair and pushing his glasses higher up on his nose, he smiled a bit nervously as Jonghyun finally made his way over to him.
Now that there wasn’t a counter between them, Jinki realized that Jonghyun was… short. And he meant that in the nicest way possible. The man was glowing and Jinki couldn’t help but feel affected by the radiation, smiling back.
“What did you think?” Jonghyun asked, and to Jinki it sounded like he was really eager to find out what the taller man’s opinion was.
“I enjoyed it a lot,” Jinki amended, and Jonghyun’s smile brightened. “You must be an amazing teacher if an eight year old can play like that.”
Jonghyun turned a little sheepish, “Ah, well the kid’s a genius, it just took a bit of guidance and practice…”
“And your voice is beautiful,” Jinki couldn’t help the compliment, but out it came, and he blushed darkly and averted his eyes as Jonghyun gave him that trademark lopsided smile.
“You really think so?” Jonghyun asked, and the way he asked, it was like he didn’t believe Jinki’s words.
So, Jinki blinked stupidly for a few seconds, and Jonghyun laughed.
“Ah don’t blow a gasket over it,” the shorter man said, before he gently took Jinki’s elbow and it was the first intentional physical contact that they had experienced.
Jinki’s whole arm went numb and caught on fire all at once.
“C’mon, I’ll make my rounds to the parents and we can go for dinner, eh?” Jonghyun said and Jinki could only nod as he followed Jonghyun around, the man casually holding onto his elbow like Jinki belonged there, and… Jinki sort of liked it.
Not to mention, on Jonghyun’s arm he didn’t feel so awkward around all of these strangers.
It only took another twenty minutes to meet and greet the parents, Jinki introducing himself shyly a few times, but Jonghyun mostly took over that part, introducing him as a close friend. That made Jinki’s heart swell even bigger than it already had (if possible); Jonghyun considered him a friend? Even though all Jinki did every day was make him coffee and barely make small talk because his tongue was so tied?
They left the building with a lightheaded, pleased Jinki, and a slightly smug Jonghyun.
“Ready for dinner?” Jonghyun asked, and Jinki nodded as Jonghyun pointed down the road that Jinki’s apartment was on. “My place is just a few blocks down. I prepared our meal there.”
“You cook?” Jinki asked as they started walking, briefly distracted by the fact that he and this gorgeous creature lived in the same area.
Jonghyun laughed and shrugged his shoulders, “I suppose. I’m no gourmet chef but I make some fancy meals for a bachelor.”
Jinki latched onto the word ‘bachelor’, which also meant ‘single’, but he quelled his heart beat and told his mind to shut up, as he nodded, and then pointed at his apartment building.
“I live there,” the barista said, glancing up to the second story where his balcony was. “That balcony with the cat figurine is where I li-agh!”
In his effort to point out where he lived, Jinki hadn’t been watching the road, and a cobblestone was slightly raised higher than the others, his toe catching on it and sending him lurching forward. But Jonghyun was quick to react, wrapping his arms around Jinki’s middle and bracing his legs to keep the taller man upright and dang, even though Jonghyun was shorter he managed to keep an oaf like Jinki from face-planting and that was a miracle.
“Woops, you ok?” Jonghyun asked as Jinki straightened, nodding. Jonghyun smiled and pat Jinki’s lower back gently, before his hand slid to Jinki’s arm, then down it towards his hand, lacing their fingers together as he kept watching. “C’mon, I’ll catch you if you fall.”
Jinki tried not to think of all of the cheesy lines he could come back with, preferring to keep to himself to save further embarrassment. They made it the rest of the way to Jonghyun’s apartment, a complex that was much nicer than Jinki’s own, which didn’t really surprise Jinki at all since the man was always throwing around money like he hadn’t a care in the world. Up the elevator to the fifth floor they went, and Jonghyun led Jinki into his apartment, the barista slipping off his shoes and awkwardly moving inside.
It was plain but had a simple elegant style about it, modern and chic with geometric furniture and a few abstract paintings on the wall. Most of the colors were warm, reds and browns, and Jonghyun grabbed Jinki’s wrist to pull the man into the kitchen.
“I hope you like chicken?” Jonghyun asked, and Jinki’s eyes lit up.
“Chicken is my favorite!”
Jonghyun laughed and Jinki blushed, and Jonghyun got behind Jinki to push him gently to the other side of the kitchen and into the dining room. He pulled out a chair for Jinki and the taller man sat down, impressed by the table set for two and the single, wood wick candle in the middle. His nose finally caught the scent of cooking food, and he turned to watch as Jonghyun opened the oven and pulled out a dish.
“You had that cooking while you weren’t home?” Jinki asked, his tone cautionary like he might be ready to chide the other man for the safety hazard.
“I cooked it earlier and then turned the oven on low to keep it heated,” Jonghyun laughed, bringing the dish to the table.
Baked chicken breast greeted Jinki’s eyes, and it looked like it was basted in a sort of honey sauce with sprinkled garlic and lemon slices arranged around it tastefully. Jonghyun disappeared and reappeared with steaming rice, setting it down and getting utensils.
“Besides, my maid wouldn’t have let anything happen,” Jonghyun said with a wink.
“I’m not your maid.”
The third voice made Jinki jump and his eyes went to the kitchen where a tall, stunningly handsome man was leaning against the wall, eyeing Jonghyun, who merely grunted.
“You might as well be, living here rent-free,” Jonghyun scoffed as he walked by, raising his hand in a threatening manner. But Jonghyun was pathetically short next to this tall man, and he knew it, because he just grumbled and moved into the kitchen.
“I’m going to work. I’ll see you in the morning hyung.” The man gave a small smile to Jinki, before he brushed past Jonghyun and pat his shoulder amicably, Jonghyun offering an affectionate smile.
“Work hard,” Jonghyun said, and soon the stranger was gone and Jinki raised a curious brow. Jonghyun smiled and set two wine glasses on the table, producing a fancy bottle, uncorking it with ease. “That’s my cousin. He’s like a brother to me.”
Jinki nodded and took the wine once it was handed to him, swirling it around as Jonghyun sat himself down and dished their plates up. For once the confidence that usually oozed out of Jonghyun’s pores seemed a bit dulled and maybe even absent, but Jinki’s thoughts were distracted as Jonghyun lifted up his wine glass.
“A toast?” Jonghyun suggested, and Jinki raised his glass as the other man cleared his throat. “To triple vanilla ventes with extra whipped cream, and the sexy guy that makes them for me every day without fail.”
Jinki flushed heavily as they clinked their glasses together, taking quite a big gulp of the alcohol. Hopefully it would calm his nerves, but as Jonghyun smiled and chuckled, Jinki knew that his nerves would be shot for the rest of the evening in this man’s home.
--
Three hours later their plates were empty and the wine was nearly gone, both of them smiling and laughing as Jinki did his best impression of Kibum.
“Jinki, I refuse to call you ‘hyung’ because I’m your manager and therefore above you in every way possible. And Christ,” he made an exaggerated hand movement, almost knocking his plate off of the table but catching it at the last moment, giggling. “Can’t you be less clumsy? Ugh if you trip again and I have to catch you you’re totally going to mess up my hair and don’t you know how long it took me to get it perfect this morning? Really Jinki you don’t know anything about style and don’t you dare corrupt my precious Taemin with your adult stories of the outside world!”
Jonghyun’s arms were wrapped around his stomach, tears streaming down his face, Jinki barely able to contain his own giggles.
“Ah, Jinki, you should be a comedian,” Jonghyun gasped, before he shook his head and stood up, gathering the dishes and finally moving them into the kitchen.
Jinki followed suit and shook his head as well, grabbing the extra dishes and bringing them to the sink, proud that even though he was tipsy he didn’t break a single dish.
“Nah, I like my job,” he said, and Jonghyun glanced over at him with an arched brow. Jinki blushed and shrugged, and then explained. “I don’t drink coffee but I love the smell of it. I like being the reason people get up in the morning and smile - I like supplying people with something that makes their day better. I like helping people start their day off right. I like knowing what my customers like to order and I like that they come back because I do it right.” He glanced down at the plate Jonghyun was washing. “To be honest… I’m not good at much, Jonghyun. But I’m good at my job and that’s where I want to be.”
Jonghyun listened in silence, washing the plate and handing it along with a towel to Jinki, who dutifully started to dry it. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, and Jinki soon got lost in the monotony of drying the dishes and putting them on the rack, but as Jinki put the last dish on the rack, he turned around and suddenly had an eyeful of Jonghyun.
Blushing scarlet, Jinki tensed as Jonghyun reached up and gently cupped Jinki’s cheek.
“Do you really think you’re so useless?” Jonghyun asked, his large brown puppy eyes searching Jinki’s. “Honestly. Do you?”
Jinki stayed silent, and then averted his eyes. “All I was good at when I was in school, was academics. When I got a job at the café it was like I… fit. There weren’t any jocks to bully me into doing their homework, there weren’t any snobby girls making fun of me. Kibum can be blunt but he means well, he’s my best friend. If it weren’t for him, I don’t know where I’d be right now.”
“You didn’t answer my question, Jinki.” Jonghyun grasped Jinki’s chin between his forefinger and thumb, and all of a sudden the singer didn’t seem so short as he looked Jinki in the eyes. “Do you think you’re useless?”
Jinki let out a breath, “I haven’t found a reason to think otherwise.”
Jonghyun made a slight clucking sound with his tongue, pulling back as he grabbed the dish towel from Jinki’s slack grip and started to dry his hands.
“I think you’re useful.”
The barista frowned lightly.
“Because you’re right, you are good at your job,” Jonghyun said, flashing a small, sad smile. “Every day you work tirelessly. You know the menu like it’s tattooed on the inside of your eyelids, you always add something extra to whatever you make to ensure that it’s perfect. You get hundreds of customers a day but you still remember every old face and what they want, and you make sure to remember the new faces and what they want too.” Jinki opened his mouth to speak but Jonghyun lifted a hand. “I leave you generous tips and instead of keeping them to yourself you put them in your till, you give them to the café and your manager without a second thought. And on top of that…” Jonghyun ran the hand that was raised through his hair, messing it up even more as he searched for words. “On top of that you’re not only good at amazing customer service, but you’re good at making someone feel important. You make me feel important every day when I come in, when I don’t even need to say anything and my drink is ready, when your face lights up and you smile that amazing smile.”
Jinki swallowed the lump in his throat as Jonghyun smiled affectionately and cupped Jinki’s cheek, stroking his thumb over the cheek bone.
“I’ve been lonely for a long time, Jinki. Being with you, I can forget about the loneliness and remember that I have you to look forward to every single day.”
Jinki’s cheeks were hot to the touch and he felt tears forming in his eyes; Jonghyun was lonely? That was why he was always at the coffee shop? Maybe… Maybe they were drawn together because Jinki was lonely, too. Customers came and went but there was no one by his side, no one he could call his own at the end of the day and give his own special smiles to.
He had been giving all of his special smiles to Jonghyun without realizing it.
A smile broke out on Jinki’s lips and Jonghyun matched it, the most beautiful smile that Jinki had ever seen the man let out.
Jonghyun closed the gap between them and Jinki’s arms wound around the smaller man’s frame, holding him close as their lips fit like pieces to a puzzle, melting together as Jinki slid his eyes shut and finally, he felt useful as Jonghyun let out a soft purr of content in the back of his throat. Lips parted and tongues touched each other shyly at first, but pent up emotions over the past three months - wistful fantasies and stray glances and secret smiles - all of it boiled over in a split second as they stumbled over each other’s feet to get to Jonghyun’s bedroom.
Jonghyun kicked open the door and pulled Jinki in by the scruff of his shirt, determined to keep their lips locked as Jinki nearly lost his balance, trying to walk and kiss the living daylights out of Jonghyun at the same time. But by a miracle Jinki stayed upright long enough to push Jonghyun onto the bed, crawling over the smaller man and laying kisses on his neck, the singer practically ripping the blazer off of Jinki’s thicker body as he tossed it aside and pushed up Jinki’s shirt, running his hands along the exposed flesh.
“Fuck, you’re sexy,” Jonghyun purred and Jinki felt his pants tighten as the singer’s eyes devoured his flesh.
Not to be out done, Jinki unbuttoned Jonghyun’s shirt and pushed it off of his shoulders, kissing along the flesh that was exposed, pleased that the other wasn’t wearing an undershirt. One less obstacle. Jinki scraped his teeth over Jonghyun’s collarbone and he was going purely on instinct - he had only had sex with one person and that had been a female, and while this wasn’t rocket science it was still a bit different. Jonghyun arched up into his mouth though as his lips encircled a nipple, suckling on it lightly, and he only broke away from the smaller man’s flesh to allow him to pull his t-shirt off of his body and fling it to the side. Jonghyun sat up to shrug his shirt off the rest of the way and toss it aside as well, before pulling Jinki back down on top of him, his teeth nibbling at Jinki’s ear as the older groaned and moved between the singer’s legs.
His fingers fumbled with Jonghyun’s belt for a few seconds before Jonghyun knocked his hands away and undid it himself, pulling it from the loops, the buckle clanking loudly on the floor as Jinki managed to undo the slacks, his head dipping down so his lips could trace over Jonghyun’s torso as he inched the pants and boxer briefs beneath further down milky thighs. Jonghyun’s body trembled and Jinki was pleased he could get that sort of reaction, but Jonghyun proved to be impatient as he sat up and flipped their positions, unbuttoning Jinki’s pants and tugging them down Jinki’s thighs.
Chuckling a bit, Jinki sat back on his elbows and watched as Jonghyun pulled his pants off and then his boxers, feeling a hint of self satisfaction as Jonghyun’s eyes widened at Jinki’s impressive cock. The singer licked his lips and wasted no time, gripping the base of the shaft and licking a stripe up the underside, before nuzzling the cock with his cheek. Jinki dropped his head back, not sure if he could take the sight of Jonghyun doing such a thing, but when wet heat enveloped his length he gripped the sheets and bucked his hips.
“J-Jonghyun…!”
There was a slick popping sound and Jonghyun’s lips were making their way up Jinki’s body, and through the haze of lust and alcohol and the utterly sexy image of Jonghyun being anywhere near his dick, Jinki managed to have the coherent thought that this was his first time with a man and he had no idea what to do. But Jonghyun seemed to know what he was doing as he laid next to Jinki and undressed himself completely, taking Jinki’s hand and guiding it to his arousal.
“Touch me, Jinki,” Jonghyun breathed, his lips pressing kisses against Jinki’s shoulder. He let out a moan when Jinki wrapped unsure fingers around his cock, giving an experimental jerk. “Yes, yes.” Jonghyun encouraged as his lips moved up Jinki’s neck to his ear lobe, nibbling on it gently.
Going on Jonghyun’s encouragements and the way that the smaller man’s hips bucked forward into his hand, Jinki tightened his grip and swiped his thumb over the surface area, tracing the hot veins and lines. Jonghyun’s cock was different than his own; the vocalist’s was long, but slender, and Jinki’s was girthy, but it wasn’t short, and the one girl that Jinki had been with had shockingly exclaimed “that’s the biggest dick I’ve ever seen!” making the barista feel confident in himself.
It was the biggest dick he’d ever seen, too, but it’s not like he stared at other men or anything.
Jonghyun gripped onto Jinki’s shoulders and pulled the taller man on top of him, Jinki sliding over Jonghyun as their lips met again and their arousals grinded together. It was beautiful in the way that when Jonghyun’s eyes opened to look at Jinki’s, they were full of a powerful emotion that had the barista not already been lying down, he surely would have gotten weak in the knees. It was beautiful in the way that they moved together perfectly synchronized as if they’d been doing this their whole lives; it was beautiful in the way that Jonghyun gently guided Jinki over him, spreading his legs and entrusting Jinki with a very arduous task that the older was sure he was going to mess up but hey, Jonghyun was giving in a chance and that was more than Jinki needed.
Lube was procured from Jonghyun’s bedside table and pressed into Jinki’s palm, the taller man swallowing the lump in his throat and squeezing it onto his fingers. Rubbing them together to create some friction and warm up the liquid a bit, Jinki pressed his lips a bit awkwardly to Jonghyun’s, not sure if it would be a distraction or not as he carefully pushed his first finger inside.
Jonghyun’s arms wound around Jinki’s neck and his back arched a bit, a small sound leaving the back of his throat as the finger pushed in further. Jinki didn’t want to ask Jonghyun if he had ever done this before even though it was obvious that he himself hadn’t, because he wasn’t sure if he could take the answer. Surely Jonghyun was experienced with the way he carried himself, there was no way on Earth that this beautiful man was completely untouched, but in the back of Jinki’s mind a slightly possessive notion tugged at his conscience and he decided that if he wasn’t Jonghyun’s first, then he was going to make Jonghyun forget about all of the rest.
Still moving his finger carefully, in and out now, he slowly added the second finger and scissored, going purely on instinct. But physics obviously applied and a small area must be prepared for a larger object to occupy it, and Jinki knew the basics of the whole ‘gay sex’ thing anyway. Jonghyun’s face was buried in his neck, teeth and lips and tongue worrying over the flesh not hard enough to leave marks but just the right pressure for Jinki to feel every swipe of Jonghyun’s flesh against his own.
“Jinki…” Jonghyun moaned out, his voice high and slightly breathy as his hips bucked up. “Ungh, now, please.”
Jinki’s heart hammered and surely with just two fingers Jonghyun couldn’t be ready; the taller man pulled back, brows knit in worry and curiosity, but Jonghyun merely smirked and arched a brow.
“You think I haven’t been preparing for this for a while?”
Those words shot straight to Jinki’s cock and suddenly animal instinct overrode everything else, as Jinki coated his arousal and pressed the tip of his dick to Jonghyun’s entrance. Jonghyun’s lips were by Jinki’s ear and oh, if Jinki had known Jonghyun was a dirty talker, then maybe he wouldn’t be so floored.
“I’ve been wanting this for so long,” Jonghyun whispered, his teeth scraping over the shell of Jinki’s ear. “You don’t know how many times I just wanted to jump that counter and take you down to the ground, fuck you where everyone could see.”
Jinki trembled slightly as he tried to keep himself upright as he started to push the head of his cock past the tight ring of muscle.
Jonghyun sucked in a breath and let out a shuddery exhale, “Oooh yeah, fuck. I knew a clumsy guy like you would be hiding a huge cock.”
Jesus did Jonghyun know how he sounded? All breathy and taxed out even as Jinki pushed in further, splitting the other in half and God just how could his cock fit into such a tight space? Jinki dropped his head, his biceps flexing under his skin as he tried to stay stable above Jonghyun, the singer making these amazing noises right in his ear, the vibrations going through Jinki’s head and shooting down his body to his cock which felt like it was going to explode in the hot confines of the smaller man’s body.
Once Jinki was in all of the way they both froze, Jonghyun’s noises from the back of his throat halting and instead just air passing through his lips and ruffling Jinki’s hair. Sweat was gathering on Jinki’s brow, and he wrapped Jonghyun up in his arms as his body trembled and tried not to buck into the heat instantly, tried not to ram this beautiful man into the bed.
“Jinki,” Jonghyun crooned, his voice crooned and it sounded so amazing, “… Move…”
Jinki didn’t need to be told twice as he pulled out and pushed back in, and Jonghyun sucked in a gasp as Jinki let out a low moan. Jonghyun’s hands wrapped around Jinki’s biceps and one of Jinki’s hands lifted to brace himself against the headboard of the bed, the other hand moving to Jonghyun’s hip as he started up a pace that was relatively slow, as he memorized the feeling of the smaller man’s insides clenching around his shaft. But Jonghyun wasn’t going to have any of that as he wrapped his legs around Jinki’s waist and crossed his ankles behind his back, drawing Jinki in harder and faster.
Jinki cursed below his breath, and Jonghyun mewled as the pace increased in fervor and soon the headboard was slamming against the wall, rattling picture frames and other decorations that were adorning the wall. Jonghyun’s cries soon escalated and finally his voice cracked as Jinki shifted his hips and hit that spot inside of the other that made his body freeze up for a split second before it melted all over again, and Jinki saw stars behind closed eyes as the passage around his cock got impossibly tight.
“Yes, yes, yes, Jinki-fuck,” Jonghyun was whimpering continuously, various words and phrases falling from his lips, most in an encouraging fashion along with a few staccatos that occasionally made Jinki lose his pace, but oh it was glorious and it was beautiful and Jinki tucked the information away in the back of his head that maybe, just maybe, being a barista wasn’t the only thing he was good at, now.
Smirking to himself, Jinki continued to drive into Jonghyun, the smaller man’s blunt nails running down Jinki’s arms and leaving angry red marks in their wake, not quite drawing blood bur irritating the skin enough that it felt prickly and rubbed Jinki in just the right way.
The sound of the headboard smacking against the wall was drowned out by Jonghyun’s sudden cry, his untouched arousal pulsing and then spurting his seed without warning, coating his stomach and splashing onto Jinki’s lower abdomen, The tightness of Jonghyun’s body drew Jinki over the edge but the clincher was the smaller man’s mouth clashing against his own, teeth and tongue and completely ungraceful, Jinki emptying himself into Jonghyun before collapsing on top of him.
Jonghyun grunted a bit and Jinki carefully pulled out, gathering the smaller man up in his arms and littering kisses all over the younger man’s face. Jonghyun laughed and bat at Jinki’s chest in a false attempt to push him away, before they let out twin sighs of satisfaction.
“Mmm…” Jonghyun hummed as he rolled over onto his side, his eyes trailing up and down Jinki’s body, causing the barista to blush a bit. “I really didn’t think you’d have this nice of a body.” His hand reached out and touched Jinki’s chest, before running down to his abs.
Jinki let out an awkward chuckle and pushed Jonghyun’s hands away, the sensation tickling his skin slightly. Jonghyun arched a brow at the noise, and then laughed a bit.
“Ah, dork.” Stretching his arms over his head, he managed to knock Jinki in the nose with his elbow, the older man letting out a noise of surprise and covering the appendage. Jonghyun instantly reached up and laughed apologetically, kissing Jinki’s wounded face. “Woops.~”
Chuckling, Jinki pressed his lips to Jonghyun’s, still on a euphoric high to care too much about anything like a potentially bleeding nose.
After a few moments of comfortable silence, Jinki spoke up. “So how come you haven’t been buying your coffee lately? Are you cheating on me with another coffee shop?” Jinki pouted and puffed his cheeks out, but Jonghyun merely laughed and shook his head.
“No, actually I bought an espresso machine,” the man confessed, looking slightly sheepish.
Jinki blinked, “Why?”
Jonghyun rolled his eyes and scoffed like Jinki should have known the answer, “So instead of walking my ass down to that coffee shop to get what I want, I could just have you here to make it for me.”
Jinki fell silent at the words, his heart fluttering at the obvious insinuation that Jonghyun was pointing to.
“Are you getting tired of walking?”
Jonghyun let out a frustrated yell and grabbed a pillow, smacking Jinki in the face. “No you idiot I’m saying I want you to move in with me!”
Jinki laughed and bat the pillow away, pulling Jonghyun into his arms and smiling broadly. “Oh well I guess I could do that.” He thought for a moment. “Even though your creepy cousin is here?”
“He’s not creepy, he just lingers inconveniently,” Jonghyun said, his response muffled.
“Oh, I see.” Jinki really wasn’t sure what the difference between creeping and lingering was but he wasn’t going to ask.
“Jinki?”
“Hm?”
“I haven’t had a drop of coffee in a week.”
Jinki laughed and pulled away, “Alright, I’ll go make you some.” He moved to get out of the bed, but his feet got caught in the sheets and twisted around his ankles, sending him face first onto the floor, an undignified sound leaving his lips as he connected. Rolling around a bit and kicking at the sheets to get them off, his face found his boxers and he got untangled enough to pull them on, standing up and running a hand through his hair. “Er, yeah. I’ll go do that.”
Jonghyun was laid out on the bed, hands tucked behind his head as he watched Jinki with an amused expression. He looked stunning like that, the moonlight filtering in through the blinds and creating white tiger stripes on his tan skin; Jinki blushed and averted his eyes, turning around to head for the kitchen - but then decided that in order to go through doors, one must open them first.
Rubbing his forehead, he left the bedroom and heard Jonghyun chuckling behind him, and Jinki smiled to himself.
He was an amazing barista, and maybe he could be an amazing lover, too.
The sound of porcelain shattering echoed throughout the apartment, and Jinki stared at the pieces of coffee mug that he had just dropped.
“… Woops?”
“JINKI!!!!!”
Pairing: Jonghyun/Onew, ninja!Key/Taemin if you’re looking for it
Rating: NC-17
A/N: Changed this like 9387427934 times before I said fuck it. xD
SUPER DUPER LONG I swear I either write it short and sweet or drag it out. But this is a different kind of story I’m trying, you know, one with actual character development haha. It’s a true love story. And fuck, you guys know I hate sappy romance. xD
And shoutout to the latest july!fangirl, l2inl2in ! :D <333
AND OF COURE namae_nai BECAUSE UM SHE DEMANDED IT SO HERE YOU GO BABE ALL FOR YOU <333333
IF YOU READ THROUGH ALL OF THIS YOU DESERVE A FUCKING MEDAL BUT PLEASE DO BECAUSE I'M ACTUALLY REALLY PROUD OF SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ANGSTY AND EMOTIONAL :(
--
“Good morning,” bright and chipper, Jinki sent off his last customer and smiled sunnily at the man that was standing at the counter. He gave Jinki a sly grin and the barista blushed lightly, going through the script per usual. “What can I get for you today?”
It was seriously probably the most useless question he had ever asked any of his customers, because this man always asked for the same thing like he had for the past three months. He would be all sunshine and puppies and order his triple vanilla vente, extra whipped cream, and Jinki would ring it in and then make it for him and collect his rather hefty tip.
He was already pressing buttons on the register, when suddenly their script was broken, and the man said something else. He glanced up at the customer, since he hadn’t caught what he said, being too busy making sure he hit the right buttons (but he had already rang in the order as a double instead of a triple and needed to fix it), tilting his head and blinking his eyes at him vaguely.
Getting the hint, the man chuckled and leaned forward, making sure only Jinki could hear him.
“I said skip the drink, I want your number.”
Jinki’s eyes widened and he hit a button that popped open the register, the drawer slamming into his pelvis and making him let out a surprised sound as he stumbled back and doubled over slightly, gasping for breath. The customer looked surprised as well and leaned over a bit, his hand suspended in the air like he wanted to do something but didn’t know if he should.
Waving a hand, Jinki forced a smile and straightened, clearing his throat and trying to fight the blush that was spreading on his cheeks due to intense embarrassment. But his number one customer merely smiled and chuckled, slipping a five-dollar bill along with a small piece of paper on the counter, sending a wink and a wave towards Jinki before disappearing in the crowd.
Jinki took the paper and read the number on it, blushing heavily as he put it in his pocket and then put the five dollars in his till, since he had already opened it. Better to be safe than sorry.
--
The next day the customer was back, per usual. Jinki took the time to survey him, since he was a bit earlier than usual. He recalled the slip of paper with the phone number on it and wondered why he hadn’t given his name - it wasn’t fair, since Jinki was wearing a freaking nametag. Usually the man looked like he worked a chic job, perhaps in a clothing store, since he was always fashionable whether he was wearing jeans or slacks. His hair was a bit long, covering his ears, a chocolatey brown and usually styled messily.
Or maybe he was just too lazy to comb it when he got out of bed in the morning.
His aura exuded confidence and perhaps he had a bit too much of it, with the way he would flash a smirk at a nearby female and have her knees go weak as she blushed and coyly averted her eyes. Jinki wouldn’t admit it, even though it was obvious, that the man’s smirk made his knees weak, too.
Today the man was wearing a pair of straight-legged pants with an interesting pair of black high tops that looked like a cross between an army boot and a sneaker. He was wearing a plain white v-neck shirt and a black blazer, three-quarter sleeved and unbuttoned. His head was tilted back as he looked at the menu, and Jinki wondered if he would order anything different.
But common sense kicked in and while the man stared at the menu, his head tilted back and his Adam’s apple and collarbones exposed, Jinki busied himself by making the drink in order to prevent himself from staring at the handsome man. As Jinki was putting the coffee grounds in the shot machine, he was in mid-stroke of tightening the scoop when the man spoke, making him fumble and drop the whole thing, spilling coffee grounds everywhere.
“Can you add some cinnamon to my drink today?”
“Ah,” Jinki was surprised that the man wanted to change his drink, as he grabbed a rag and cleaned up his mess, glancing up to see the customer watching him with a slightly lopsided smile that made Jinki’s heart skip a beat. He threw the rag in the sink and started over with the process, shrugging a bit. “Yeah, I can add cinnamon. Do you want the syrup or the spice?”
The man seemed to contemplate as he moved up to the counter, resting his forearms on it and leaning forward some, watching Jinki work. “The spice. Just a sprinkle on top.”
With the man’s eyes on him, Jinki’s fingers were trembling a bit more, but he was extra careful as he got all of the shots squeezed out, putting them in the cup as he started to heat up the half and half. There was the barest amount of foam as he brought it away from the steam arm, reaching for the vanilla and pouring two shots into the heated coffee. He poured in the half and half and reached for the cinnamon, proud that he was working so well with the man practically hawk-eyeing him.
But all good things must come to an end, as he set the cup aside and reached to the spice rack, grabbing the cinnamon but sending a few other spices careening down onto the counter, some of the tops popping off and spilling the contents. Jinki let out a surprised noise and tried to catch them, knocking over the vente in the process, managing to get the hot liquid all over the front of his apron.
Taking a step back after the commotion stopped, Jinki sighed and grabbed another rag, cleaning himself of the milk and the coffee, before he glanced up to see the man carefully scooping up some of the spices and putting them back in their respective containers, capping them and arranging them back on the shelf.
“You don’t have to do that,” Jinki said, blushing as he untied his apron and tossed it in the sink, but the customer merely shined his charming smile and Jinki couldn’t help but allow him to continue what he was doing.
Together they cleaned up the mess, their hands brushing occasionally if they reached for the same thing, Jinki pulling back and sputtering an apology while the man laughed and continued on. Soon the mess was clean and Jinki was glad it was a slow morning - Wednesdays always were, for some reason - and he was definitely glad that his number one customer was here.
Straightening, Jinki let out a breath and started to gather the proper items to make his customer’s drink. “Let’s try this again.”
The man checked his watch and smiled lightly, “Actually I’m late for a meeting. Rain check?” He slid a ten-dollar bill on the counter and winked. “See you tomorrow, Jinki.”
Jinki flushed heavily at hearing his name, watching the man leave the coffee shop with that bit of swag that had quite a few people staring after him. Sighing, Jinki suddenly remembered that the man’s number was still in his apron from the previous day - he rushed over to the sink and searched through the pockets, pulling out the soggy piece of paper and whimpering as it dissolved on his fingertips.
Really, Jinki was starting to think he had a condition.
--
The next day the customer was back, like he said he would be, but he was sitting at a table with a laptop. Jinki had already served him his drink and was keeping an eye on him out of his periph as he helped customers; for some reason Thursday was their busy day and he briefly wondered why, but then decided that Thursdays sucked. It was the day before Friday, which was the start of everyone’s weekend, and it just seemed to drag on and on. Jinki hated Thursdays because they were busy, but he also hated Thursdays because it was the day that his manager worked the same shift as him.
Kim Kibum was a force to be reckoned with and his coffee shop was nothing but perfect. Or at least it better be, else heads will roll and Jinki would be dickless by now. Kibum was a stylish, educated man that loved customer service and being in the ‘artsy’ atmosphere, but he really was a savvy businessman and had beat out the neighborhood Starbucks in sales somehow. And we say somehow because even Jinki didn’t know how this tiny coffee shop that usually had one barista working the till and making drinks managed to beat out Starbucks.
Kibum was feisty and Kibum was a handful - he nagged a lot and things had to be done in a specific way, but because Jinki was such a clutz Kibum was often on his case about the littlest things. Which in turn only made Jinki clumsier and mess up a bit more often but customers loved Jinki and Kibum secretly liked Jinki too, for whatever reason no one knew since on the surface they argued like an old married couple.
“Jinki, you forgot to wipe this arm when you were done using it,” Kibum nagged as he grabbed a rag and wiped the steam arm free of the foam.
“You were the last one to use it, Kibum,” Jinki reminded his manager as he smiled at the next customer and rang in their order.
Kibum huffed and folded the towel, before coming over by Jinki’s side to read the order off of the screen and start making it. Jinki always felt burdened when Kibum was near but did his best anyhow - the drawer opened and got Jinki in the pelvis and he doubled forward, making a rather unattractive noise, causing Kibum to roll his eyes.
“So, did you ever get lover boy’s name?” Kibum asked, making Jinki wince in both slight awkwardness that his manager knew about his crush, as well as the fact that Kibum managed to blow steam in his face with the steam arm he started using.
“No, I didn’t,” Jinki said, running a hand over his features as he got the flavors for the drink, handing them to Kibum.
They both had their own way of making the drinks; Kibum was quick and precise, his movements flowed easily and he had everything memorized like the back of his hand. He had both a photographic and phonographic memory that Jinki always envied, and an order never needed to be repeated to Kibum for he would make it right every time. Jinki’s technique, however, was to double check with the customer, ring it in, start making it, double check the order, then make casual conversation as he took his time in making the drink.
“And why not?” Kibum arched a brow as he put a lid on the cup and sent the customer off with a dazzling smile and a ‘have a nice day’, before he turned to Jinki and put a hand on his hip. “I swear if you don’t ask him, I’m going to. That man is delicious looking.”
Jinki’s ears heated up with the comment and Kibum laughed, waving a hand and patting Jinki on the shoulder.
“I’m kidding. Try as I may he only looks at you.”
Flushing heavily, Jinki started to clean up the little messes he could find, awkwardly mumbling about how the customer only comes here to get his drinks and leave.
“Oh, that’s why his tip value keeps increasing? Jinki, you idiot, you didn’t even make him a drink for the past two days and he still paid for it and four others on top of it.” Kibum rolled his eyes and shook his head, walking away. “For being so smart, you’re such a dumbass.”
Jinki hung his head, letting out a dejected sigh as he turned towards the counter and looked up - only to jump back and grasp his heart as it nearly leapt out of his chest, his number one customer arching a brow and offering an easy smile as he leaned against the counter.
“Woops, sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you,” he said, his voice as melodic as ever as Jinki’s heart calmed down. “Could I get a glass of water?”
Jinki nodded and grabbed a cup, pulling the purified water out of the lower fridge and filling the cup, handing it over to the man who winked and tipped it as if in a toast, before returning to his seat. Licking his lips Jinki closed his eyes, berating himself because yeah, he was a freaking idiot and he couldn’t even ask the guys’ name or maybe even for his number again.
The customer lingered for another hour or so, before packing up his laptop and giving Jinki a wave, heading off into the morning elsewhere.
A little part of Jinki went with the man, and part of his heart ached to have the man come back and stay longer.
--
It wasn’t often Jinki had a day off from work, since aside from him and Kibum their other employee was a kid that was still in high school, Taemin. Taemin worked in the evenings when he could but mostly on the weekends, and Kibum also had another job running the bakery next door (really the man was a work horse; Jinki didn’t know how he did it). But Jinki didn’t have a problem with it; he loved working, he loved customer service, he loved making coffee (though personally he didn’t drink it at all) and of course…
He loved seeing his number one customer every day.
But today was one of those rare days that Jinki had off. It was a Saturday and he padded around his small apartment, wondering what on Earth he could do. It’d been so long since he had a day off (a month, two?), but he didn’t feel tired or like he needed to relax because it’s not like his job stressed him out or anything. Sighing, he made himself a cup of hot tea and moved to his sliding door, going out onto his second floor balcony and glancing down onto the street below.
He didn’t live in an extravagant part of town but it was pleasant; it was small and everyone knew each other and while most people would have been annoyed at the Pleasantville aura it gave off, Jinki loved it. He was nowhere near his parents as they had moved to America with his fathers’ business, and being here made it feel like he had four sets of parents, eight grandmothers and six grandfathers, as well as brothers and sisters. He couldn’t trade it for the world, really.
Leaning against the railing, he sipped on his tea and watched the commerce below. A small trickle of people always came through, since one of the best butcher markets in town was at the end of the block, and there was also a small school that didn’t count as an elementary school, more of an extra curricular school where parents would send their kids for piano or violin lessons.
His eyes trailed along the crowd, and like radar he zoned in on a chocolate-covered head, strands mussed, attached to a body wearing chic clothes and a worn satchel over a left shoulder.
Jinki’s breath hitched in his chest - his customer, what was he doing in this area? The coffee shop was quite a bit a ways from here; did he make this commute every day? Jinki didn’t know, since he was never home at ten in the morning, but now he had a million questions. Did the man live around here?
Trying not to be too obvious, since the man hadn’t noticed him yet, Jinki leaned a bit further over the edge of the balcony, watching as the man went towards the small school. A child, about seven or eight, was waiting outside the doors, and ran up to the man and hugged him around the middle. Even though he was a ways away Jinki could hear that beautiful laugh as he pat the child on the head and unlocked the door to the building, following the kid inside and disappearing.
Jinki felt his heart swell; so the man worked with kids? Smiling to himself, he cupped the mug he was holding with both hands and wandered back into his apartment, promising himself that tomorrow, he’d talk to this man and get his name, and his number.
--
Sunday had started off well - Jinki was in high spirits because Sundays were moderately busy but everyone seemed to be in a chipper mood. Not only that, today he was going to talk to that handsome man and get his number again, and even his name, and while butterflies were fluttering in his stomach, he was still determined.
However, as time dwindled on and morning turned into noon, and noon turned into afternoon, Jinki felt his heart sinking in his chest. The man hadn’t shown up at all, and on Sundays he usually was their first customer, getting his drink and sitting down in a cushy chair with a book, spending his morning there. But there was no sign of him, and Jinki started to feel weighed down as the day wore on, his smile dimming a bit.
“Hyung,” Taemin finally said at around three o’clock, turning and patting Jinki on the back. “You can go home, hyung. I can handle things from here.”
Jinki gave a small smile at Taemin and hugged him, ruffling his hair and making the boy whine and push him off, before he took off his apron and hung it up, grabbing his belongings and going outside to start the trek home.
And it was like that for the next five days; Jinki would show up to work and wait for that handsome, mysterious no-named man to come in and order his triple vanilla vente, extra whipped cream, but there was no sign of the man and with each day that went by, Jinki felt heavier and heavier.
Finally, on Saturday morning, a lull was hit in the rush hour, not a single customer in the store, Jinki alone and face-first on the counter, arms spread out as his cheek rested on the cool surface, his eyes staring blindly at the spice rack. He didn’t know how long he’d been like that, but when someone cleared their throat Jinki nearly jumped out of his skin as he let out an undignified sound, clutching at his heart through his apron, his gaze landing on a sight for sore eyes.
“Morning,” the man said easily, as if he had been around this whole time and not absent for almost a week.
Jinki merely stared, still clutching at his apron, and the man arched his brow as he leaned forward on the counter in that familiar manner, a smirk tugging the corner of his lips.
“Woops.” He didn’t sound apologetic at all, and Jinki’s heart was hammering in his chest as the man tilted his head a bit, his grin lopsided and his eyes inquiring, and overall he just looked like an overgrown puppy. “Miss me?”
Finally collecting himself, Jinki blinked and shut his mouth, before he reached forward and grabbed the man by his collar, pulling him forward as Jinki connected their lips in a chaste kiss. It lasted only a second, that is, it lasted until Jinki realized just what the hell he was doing, as he let go of the man’s collar and gasped, covering his mouth and flushing a bright red.
Expecting some kind of backlash, he was surprised when the man merely chuckled and licked his lips, as if savoring the taste.
“You’re cute, Jinki.” The man said, still leaning on the counter where Jinki had pulled him to. “Can I take you to dinner?”
Still covering his mouth, Jinki nodded slowly, and the man grabbed a napkin and a pen, jotting down an address - with his left hand, Jinki noted.
“Meet me here at six o’clock tonight.”
Jinki took the napkin and briefly analyzed the slightly slanted handwriting, before he glanced up and offered a slightly awkward smile. The man winked and waved, setting a twenty on the counter before he sauntered out of the café, hands, in his pockets.
Jinki shook his head and put the twenty in the till, heart pounding in his chest before realization hit him hard.
“I have no idea what to wear.”
--
So at five in the afternoon Kibum was sitting on Jinki’s worn, comfy couch, sipping on some home brewed java, flipping through a magazine and looking up every ten minutes when Jinki walked out in a different outfit, asking him his opinion and worriedly fretting about every detail. Finally Kibum huffed and stood, coffee cup in one hand as he moved into Jinki’s closet and looked at it for about three seconds before pulling out a pair of faded denim jeans, a tan long-sleeved tee and a dark brown blazer, and then with remarkable regard for not spilling his coffee, bent down and pulled out a pair of dark brown Docs, setting it all on Jinki’s bed and sipping his coffee as he wordlessly left the bedroom.
Jinki stared at the outfit for a few seconds in bewilderment. “Huh… Genius.”
--
At 5:54pm Jinki found himself walking out of his apartment and down the street that he had seen the other walking down just the previous week, headed towards the school that the man worked at. There were people filing in and out of the building and a sign on the sidewalk said that there was a recital at 6pm, and Jinki was briefly confused before he remembered that the man worked at this school and maybe for once it was Jinki’s turn to visit him at work.
Smiling and entering, he dropped quite a big amount in the donation box - admission was free but donations accepted, and Jinki always loved to support a good cause - before he was handed a brochure and he wandered in to the area. It was already pretty full save for a few seats right up front, the stage area small and perfect for kids, the auditorium big enough for parents, and Jinki found himself being ushered to the front by a young, smiling girl.
“Oppa said that you need to sit up front,” she said, and Jinki had to wonder how she knew who he was.
But sure enough she led him to a spot that literally had his name on it, taped on a piece of paper to the back of the chair. He chuckled and sat down, patting the girl on the head as she skipped off. Adjusting his jacket and getting comfortable in his chair, he looked over the stage, seeing a shiny black grand piano front and center, along with a stool and a microphone and a stand off on the side.
The man had invited Jinki to one of his student’s piano recitals.
Jinki didn’t think anything more perfect could have broken the ice. He smiled as the lights dimmed and the allotted time rolled around, his fingers toying with the brochure as he opened it up and glanced at the contents.
‘A Night for a True Love’ was the theme of the concert, and there was only one song on the itinerary; an American song that Jinki had only heard once in his life, but a beautiful song no less. The lights dimmed and he sat back in his seat, adjusting his glasses on his nose (Kibum had told him to skip the contacts, the glasses made him more appealing, whatever that meant) as he smiled up towards the stage, expectant.
The man that Jinki had been pining over for three months straight came onto the stage, followed by the small kid that Jinki had seen him greet the previous week outside of the school. The man grabbed the mic as they made their way to the piano, and he arranged the sheet music in front of the child in a way that he wouldn’t need a page turner, before he turned and offered the crowd a dazzling smile.
“Thank you so much for coming, everyone,” he said, and the crowd applauded softly as he gave a bow. “My name is Kim Jonghyun and tonight is the first of eight solo performances by your own children. Tonight’s first performer is Kwon Taehyuk, he is eight years old and will be playing ‘The Last Time’ by Eric Benet, with vocal accompaniment by me.”
Jinki’s heart pounded.
Jonghyun.
The man’s name was Jonghyun.
And said man looked directly at Jinki, his smile softening and the lights overhead making him look like some sort of angel, as cheesy as it sounded.
“We spent an entire week preparing this. Please listen with sincerity.”
Jinki felt his chest tighten with a bit of guilt; that’s why Jonghyun had been M.I.A. Not because he was avoiding Jinki, but because he was spending time with little Taehyuk to get this performance perfect. But Jinki got comfortable and watched as Jonghyun sat down on the stool and put the mic on the stand, adjusting it and then nodding for Taehyuk to start the song.
Taehyuk was a remarkable pianist for his age, only making a few blunders but fixing them with surprising professionalism. Jinki was impressed with the child, but as soon as Jonghyun’s voice floated over the crowd, the barista felt his lungs shrivel and his heart thump as the breath was stole from his body.
Jonghyun’s voice was like nothing Jinki had ever heard. It was light and melodic and slightly breathy and the perfect pitch, easy on the ears and delightful to listen to. His English was accented but that was forgivable, because good God, the sounds that were coming from his pipes were just astounding.
The words soaked in to Jinki’s head, his eyes transfixed on Jonghyun as the other occasionally swept his eyes to where the man was sitting, giving the softest smile before moving on over the crowd.
“The first time I fell in love was long ago.
I didn't know how to give my love at all.
The next time I settled for what felt so close.
But without romance, you're never gonna fall.
After everything I've learned;
Now it's finally my turn.
This is the last time I'll fall... in love.
The first time we walked under that starry sky,
there was a moment when everything was clear.
I didn't need to ask or even wonder why, because each question is answered when you’re near.
And I'm wise enough to know when a miracle unfolds, this is the last time I'll fall in love.
Now don't hold back, just let me know.
Could I be moving much too fast or way too slow?
'Cause all of my life, I've waited for this day.
To find that once in a lifetime, this is it, I'll never be the same.
You'll never know what it's taken me to say these words.
And now that I've said them, they could never be enough.
As far as I can see, there's only you and only me.
This is the last time I'll fall in love.
Last time I'll fall in love.
The last time I'll fall... in love.”
Jinki was enraptured by the voice, the beautiful man on stage but most of the parents in the crowd were transfixed on the small prodigy child on the piano, and really the kid was amazing but Jinki couldn’t tear his eyes away from Jonghyun. His voice, his looks, his smile… Jinki’s heart fluttered and as he registered the song (Kibum had taught him quite a bit of English, since the younger man was nearly fluent) and the words and the possible meaning behind it, Jinki’s cheeks were highlighted a dusty pink. The song ended and the parents stood to applaud both teacher and pupil, Jinki standing amongst them and tucking the brochure under his arm as he clapped, smiling fondly up at Jonghyun.
His mind was running haywire, though, as Jonghyun thanked the parents and showcased Taehyuk a bit more because the recital was for his piano skills, not Jonghyun’s voice. Jonghyun had invited him specifically to this recital; after three months of seeing the man almost every day, after three months of the man giving him such hefty tips he could almost pay rent on those alone, after three months of his heart swelling fatter and fatter because every time Jonghyun entered the shop, every time Jonghyun flashed him a smile, every time Jonghyun laughed good-naturedly at his clumsiness… Jinki knew that he had fallen in love.
Had Jonghyun?
The man brought Taehyuk down off the stage and brought him to his parents, smiling and chatting with them as Jinki stood a bit awkwardly. Well, where could he go? He didn’t have a child in the program and he couldn’t just waltz up to Jonghyun. Running a hand through his hair and pushing his glasses higher up on his nose, he smiled a bit nervously as Jonghyun finally made his way over to him.
Now that there wasn’t a counter between them, Jinki realized that Jonghyun was… short. And he meant that in the nicest way possible. The man was glowing and Jinki couldn’t help but feel affected by the radiation, smiling back.
“What did you think?” Jonghyun asked, and to Jinki it sounded like he was really eager to find out what the taller man’s opinion was.
“I enjoyed it a lot,” Jinki amended, and Jonghyun’s smile brightened. “You must be an amazing teacher if an eight year old can play like that.”
Jonghyun turned a little sheepish, “Ah, well the kid’s a genius, it just took a bit of guidance and practice…”
“And your voice is beautiful,” Jinki couldn’t help the compliment, but out it came, and he blushed darkly and averted his eyes as Jonghyun gave him that trademark lopsided smile.
“You really think so?” Jonghyun asked, and the way he asked, it was like he didn’t believe Jinki’s words.
So, Jinki blinked stupidly for a few seconds, and Jonghyun laughed.
“Ah don’t blow a gasket over it,” the shorter man said, before he gently took Jinki’s elbow and it was the first intentional physical contact that they had experienced.
Jinki’s whole arm went numb and caught on fire all at once.
“C’mon, I’ll make my rounds to the parents and we can go for dinner, eh?” Jonghyun said and Jinki could only nod as he followed Jonghyun around, the man casually holding onto his elbow like Jinki belonged there, and… Jinki sort of liked it.
Not to mention, on Jonghyun’s arm he didn’t feel so awkward around all of these strangers.
It only took another twenty minutes to meet and greet the parents, Jinki introducing himself shyly a few times, but Jonghyun mostly took over that part, introducing him as a close friend. That made Jinki’s heart swell even bigger than it already had (if possible); Jonghyun considered him a friend? Even though all Jinki did every day was make him coffee and barely make small talk because his tongue was so tied?
They left the building with a lightheaded, pleased Jinki, and a slightly smug Jonghyun.
“Ready for dinner?” Jonghyun asked, and Jinki nodded as Jonghyun pointed down the road that Jinki’s apartment was on. “My place is just a few blocks down. I prepared our meal there.”
“You cook?” Jinki asked as they started walking, briefly distracted by the fact that he and this gorgeous creature lived in the same area.
Jonghyun laughed and shrugged his shoulders, “I suppose. I’m no gourmet chef but I make some fancy meals for a bachelor.”
Jinki latched onto the word ‘bachelor’, which also meant ‘single’, but he quelled his heart beat and told his mind to shut up, as he nodded, and then pointed at his apartment building.
“I live there,” the barista said, glancing up to the second story where his balcony was. “That balcony with the cat figurine is where I li-agh!”
In his effort to point out where he lived, Jinki hadn’t been watching the road, and a cobblestone was slightly raised higher than the others, his toe catching on it and sending him lurching forward. But Jonghyun was quick to react, wrapping his arms around Jinki’s middle and bracing his legs to keep the taller man upright and dang, even though Jonghyun was shorter he managed to keep an oaf like Jinki from face-planting and that was a miracle.
“Woops, you ok?” Jonghyun asked as Jinki straightened, nodding. Jonghyun smiled and pat Jinki’s lower back gently, before his hand slid to Jinki’s arm, then down it towards his hand, lacing their fingers together as he kept watching. “C’mon, I’ll catch you if you fall.”
Jinki tried not to think of all of the cheesy lines he could come back with, preferring to keep to himself to save further embarrassment. They made it the rest of the way to Jonghyun’s apartment, a complex that was much nicer than Jinki’s own, which didn’t really surprise Jinki at all since the man was always throwing around money like he hadn’t a care in the world. Up the elevator to the fifth floor they went, and Jonghyun led Jinki into his apartment, the barista slipping off his shoes and awkwardly moving inside.
It was plain but had a simple elegant style about it, modern and chic with geometric furniture and a few abstract paintings on the wall. Most of the colors were warm, reds and browns, and Jonghyun grabbed Jinki’s wrist to pull the man into the kitchen.
“I hope you like chicken?” Jonghyun asked, and Jinki’s eyes lit up.
“Chicken is my favorite!”
Jonghyun laughed and Jinki blushed, and Jonghyun got behind Jinki to push him gently to the other side of the kitchen and into the dining room. He pulled out a chair for Jinki and the taller man sat down, impressed by the table set for two and the single, wood wick candle in the middle. His nose finally caught the scent of cooking food, and he turned to watch as Jonghyun opened the oven and pulled out a dish.
“You had that cooking while you weren’t home?” Jinki asked, his tone cautionary like he might be ready to chide the other man for the safety hazard.
“I cooked it earlier and then turned the oven on low to keep it heated,” Jonghyun laughed, bringing the dish to the table.
Baked chicken breast greeted Jinki’s eyes, and it looked like it was basted in a sort of honey sauce with sprinkled garlic and lemon slices arranged around it tastefully. Jonghyun disappeared and reappeared with steaming rice, setting it down and getting utensils.
“Besides, my maid wouldn’t have let anything happen,” Jonghyun said with a wink.
“I’m not your maid.”
The third voice made Jinki jump and his eyes went to the kitchen where a tall, stunningly handsome man was leaning against the wall, eyeing Jonghyun, who merely grunted.
“You might as well be, living here rent-free,” Jonghyun scoffed as he walked by, raising his hand in a threatening manner. But Jonghyun was pathetically short next to this tall man, and he knew it, because he just grumbled and moved into the kitchen.
“I’m going to work. I’ll see you in the morning hyung.” The man gave a small smile to Jinki, before he brushed past Jonghyun and pat his shoulder amicably, Jonghyun offering an affectionate smile.
“Work hard,” Jonghyun said, and soon the stranger was gone and Jinki raised a curious brow. Jonghyun smiled and set two wine glasses on the table, producing a fancy bottle, uncorking it with ease. “That’s my cousin. He’s like a brother to me.”
Jinki nodded and took the wine once it was handed to him, swirling it around as Jonghyun sat himself down and dished their plates up. For once the confidence that usually oozed out of Jonghyun’s pores seemed a bit dulled and maybe even absent, but Jinki’s thoughts were distracted as Jonghyun lifted up his wine glass.
“A toast?” Jonghyun suggested, and Jinki raised his glass as the other man cleared his throat. “To triple vanilla ventes with extra whipped cream, and the sexy guy that makes them for me every day without fail.”
Jinki flushed heavily as they clinked their glasses together, taking quite a big gulp of the alcohol. Hopefully it would calm his nerves, but as Jonghyun smiled and chuckled, Jinki knew that his nerves would be shot for the rest of the evening in this man’s home.
--
Three hours later their plates were empty and the wine was nearly gone, both of them smiling and laughing as Jinki did his best impression of Kibum.
“Jinki, I refuse to call you ‘hyung’ because I’m your manager and therefore above you in every way possible. And Christ,” he made an exaggerated hand movement, almost knocking his plate off of the table but catching it at the last moment, giggling. “Can’t you be less clumsy? Ugh if you trip again and I have to catch you you’re totally going to mess up my hair and don’t you know how long it took me to get it perfect this morning? Really Jinki you don’t know anything about style and don’t you dare corrupt my precious Taemin with your adult stories of the outside world!”
Jonghyun’s arms were wrapped around his stomach, tears streaming down his face, Jinki barely able to contain his own giggles.
“Ah, Jinki, you should be a comedian,” Jonghyun gasped, before he shook his head and stood up, gathering the dishes and finally moving them into the kitchen.
Jinki followed suit and shook his head as well, grabbing the extra dishes and bringing them to the sink, proud that even though he was tipsy he didn’t break a single dish.
“Nah, I like my job,” he said, and Jonghyun glanced over at him with an arched brow. Jinki blushed and shrugged, and then explained. “I don’t drink coffee but I love the smell of it. I like being the reason people get up in the morning and smile - I like supplying people with something that makes their day better. I like helping people start their day off right. I like knowing what my customers like to order and I like that they come back because I do it right.” He glanced down at the plate Jonghyun was washing. “To be honest… I’m not good at much, Jonghyun. But I’m good at my job and that’s where I want to be.”
Jonghyun listened in silence, washing the plate and handing it along with a towel to Jinki, who dutifully started to dry it. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, and Jinki soon got lost in the monotony of drying the dishes and putting them on the rack, but as Jinki put the last dish on the rack, he turned around and suddenly had an eyeful of Jonghyun.
Blushing scarlet, Jinki tensed as Jonghyun reached up and gently cupped Jinki’s cheek.
“Do you really think you’re so useless?” Jonghyun asked, his large brown puppy eyes searching Jinki’s. “Honestly. Do you?”
Jinki stayed silent, and then averted his eyes. “All I was good at when I was in school, was academics. When I got a job at the café it was like I… fit. There weren’t any jocks to bully me into doing their homework, there weren’t any snobby girls making fun of me. Kibum can be blunt but he means well, he’s my best friend. If it weren’t for him, I don’t know where I’d be right now.”
“You didn’t answer my question, Jinki.” Jonghyun grasped Jinki’s chin between his forefinger and thumb, and all of a sudden the singer didn’t seem so short as he looked Jinki in the eyes. “Do you think you’re useless?”
Jinki let out a breath, “I haven’t found a reason to think otherwise.”
Jonghyun made a slight clucking sound with his tongue, pulling back as he grabbed the dish towel from Jinki’s slack grip and started to dry his hands.
“I think you’re useful.”
The barista frowned lightly.
“Because you’re right, you are good at your job,” Jonghyun said, flashing a small, sad smile. “Every day you work tirelessly. You know the menu like it’s tattooed on the inside of your eyelids, you always add something extra to whatever you make to ensure that it’s perfect. You get hundreds of customers a day but you still remember every old face and what they want, and you make sure to remember the new faces and what they want too.” Jinki opened his mouth to speak but Jonghyun lifted a hand. “I leave you generous tips and instead of keeping them to yourself you put them in your till, you give them to the café and your manager without a second thought. And on top of that…” Jonghyun ran the hand that was raised through his hair, messing it up even more as he searched for words. “On top of that you’re not only good at amazing customer service, but you’re good at making someone feel important. You make me feel important every day when I come in, when I don’t even need to say anything and my drink is ready, when your face lights up and you smile that amazing smile.”
Jinki swallowed the lump in his throat as Jonghyun smiled affectionately and cupped Jinki’s cheek, stroking his thumb over the cheek bone.
“I’ve been lonely for a long time, Jinki. Being with you, I can forget about the loneliness and remember that I have you to look forward to every single day.”
Jinki’s cheeks were hot to the touch and he felt tears forming in his eyes; Jonghyun was lonely? That was why he was always at the coffee shop? Maybe… Maybe they were drawn together because Jinki was lonely, too. Customers came and went but there was no one by his side, no one he could call his own at the end of the day and give his own special smiles to.
He had been giving all of his special smiles to Jonghyun without realizing it.
A smile broke out on Jinki’s lips and Jonghyun matched it, the most beautiful smile that Jinki had ever seen the man let out.
Jonghyun closed the gap between them and Jinki’s arms wound around the smaller man’s frame, holding him close as their lips fit like pieces to a puzzle, melting together as Jinki slid his eyes shut and finally, he felt useful as Jonghyun let out a soft purr of content in the back of his throat. Lips parted and tongues touched each other shyly at first, but pent up emotions over the past three months - wistful fantasies and stray glances and secret smiles - all of it boiled over in a split second as they stumbled over each other’s feet to get to Jonghyun’s bedroom.
Jonghyun kicked open the door and pulled Jinki in by the scruff of his shirt, determined to keep their lips locked as Jinki nearly lost his balance, trying to walk and kiss the living daylights out of Jonghyun at the same time. But by a miracle Jinki stayed upright long enough to push Jonghyun onto the bed, crawling over the smaller man and laying kisses on his neck, the singer practically ripping the blazer off of Jinki’s thicker body as he tossed it aside and pushed up Jinki’s shirt, running his hands along the exposed flesh.
“Fuck, you’re sexy,” Jonghyun purred and Jinki felt his pants tighten as the singer’s eyes devoured his flesh.
Not to be out done, Jinki unbuttoned Jonghyun’s shirt and pushed it off of his shoulders, kissing along the flesh that was exposed, pleased that the other wasn’t wearing an undershirt. One less obstacle. Jinki scraped his teeth over Jonghyun’s collarbone and he was going purely on instinct - he had only had sex with one person and that had been a female, and while this wasn’t rocket science it was still a bit different. Jonghyun arched up into his mouth though as his lips encircled a nipple, suckling on it lightly, and he only broke away from the smaller man’s flesh to allow him to pull his t-shirt off of his body and fling it to the side. Jonghyun sat up to shrug his shirt off the rest of the way and toss it aside as well, before pulling Jinki back down on top of him, his teeth nibbling at Jinki’s ear as the older groaned and moved between the singer’s legs.
His fingers fumbled with Jonghyun’s belt for a few seconds before Jonghyun knocked his hands away and undid it himself, pulling it from the loops, the buckle clanking loudly on the floor as Jinki managed to undo the slacks, his head dipping down so his lips could trace over Jonghyun’s torso as he inched the pants and boxer briefs beneath further down milky thighs. Jonghyun’s body trembled and Jinki was pleased he could get that sort of reaction, but Jonghyun proved to be impatient as he sat up and flipped their positions, unbuttoning Jinki’s pants and tugging them down Jinki’s thighs.
Chuckling a bit, Jinki sat back on his elbows and watched as Jonghyun pulled his pants off and then his boxers, feeling a hint of self satisfaction as Jonghyun’s eyes widened at Jinki’s impressive cock. The singer licked his lips and wasted no time, gripping the base of the shaft and licking a stripe up the underside, before nuzzling the cock with his cheek. Jinki dropped his head back, not sure if he could take the sight of Jonghyun doing such a thing, but when wet heat enveloped his length he gripped the sheets and bucked his hips.
“J-Jonghyun…!”
There was a slick popping sound and Jonghyun’s lips were making their way up Jinki’s body, and through the haze of lust and alcohol and the utterly sexy image of Jonghyun being anywhere near his dick, Jinki managed to have the coherent thought that this was his first time with a man and he had no idea what to do. But Jonghyun seemed to know what he was doing as he laid next to Jinki and undressed himself completely, taking Jinki’s hand and guiding it to his arousal.
“Touch me, Jinki,” Jonghyun breathed, his lips pressing kisses against Jinki’s shoulder. He let out a moan when Jinki wrapped unsure fingers around his cock, giving an experimental jerk. “Yes, yes.” Jonghyun encouraged as his lips moved up Jinki’s neck to his ear lobe, nibbling on it gently.
Going on Jonghyun’s encouragements and the way that the smaller man’s hips bucked forward into his hand, Jinki tightened his grip and swiped his thumb over the surface area, tracing the hot veins and lines. Jonghyun’s cock was different than his own; the vocalist’s was long, but slender, and Jinki’s was girthy, but it wasn’t short, and the one girl that Jinki had been with had shockingly exclaimed “that’s the biggest dick I’ve ever seen!” making the barista feel confident in himself.
It was the biggest dick he’d ever seen, too, but it’s not like he stared at other men or anything.
Jonghyun gripped onto Jinki’s shoulders and pulled the taller man on top of him, Jinki sliding over Jonghyun as their lips met again and their arousals grinded together. It was beautiful in the way that when Jonghyun’s eyes opened to look at Jinki’s, they were full of a powerful emotion that had the barista not already been lying down, he surely would have gotten weak in the knees. It was beautiful in the way that they moved together perfectly synchronized as if they’d been doing this their whole lives; it was beautiful in the way that Jonghyun gently guided Jinki over him, spreading his legs and entrusting Jinki with a very arduous task that the older was sure he was going to mess up but hey, Jonghyun was giving in a chance and that was more than Jinki needed.
Lube was procured from Jonghyun’s bedside table and pressed into Jinki’s palm, the taller man swallowing the lump in his throat and squeezing it onto his fingers. Rubbing them together to create some friction and warm up the liquid a bit, Jinki pressed his lips a bit awkwardly to Jonghyun’s, not sure if it would be a distraction or not as he carefully pushed his first finger inside.
Jonghyun’s arms wound around Jinki’s neck and his back arched a bit, a small sound leaving the back of his throat as the finger pushed in further. Jinki didn’t want to ask Jonghyun if he had ever done this before even though it was obvious that he himself hadn’t, because he wasn’t sure if he could take the answer. Surely Jonghyun was experienced with the way he carried himself, there was no way on Earth that this beautiful man was completely untouched, but in the back of Jinki’s mind a slightly possessive notion tugged at his conscience and he decided that if he wasn’t Jonghyun’s first, then he was going to make Jonghyun forget about all of the rest.
Still moving his finger carefully, in and out now, he slowly added the second finger and scissored, going purely on instinct. But physics obviously applied and a small area must be prepared for a larger object to occupy it, and Jinki knew the basics of the whole ‘gay sex’ thing anyway. Jonghyun’s face was buried in his neck, teeth and lips and tongue worrying over the flesh not hard enough to leave marks but just the right pressure for Jinki to feel every swipe of Jonghyun’s flesh against his own.
“Jinki…” Jonghyun moaned out, his voice high and slightly breathy as his hips bucked up. “Ungh, now, please.”
Jinki’s heart hammered and surely with just two fingers Jonghyun couldn’t be ready; the taller man pulled back, brows knit in worry and curiosity, but Jonghyun merely smirked and arched a brow.
“You think I haven’t been preparing for this for a while?”
Those words shot straight to Jinki’s cock and suddenly animal instinct overrode everything else, as Jinki coated his arousal and pressed the tip of his dick to Jonghyun’s entrance. Jonghyun’s lips were by Jinki’s ear and oh, if Jinki had known Jonghyun was a dirty talker, then maybe he wouldn’t be so floored.
“I’ve been wanting this for so long,” Jonghyun whispered, his teeth scraping over the shell of Jinki’s ear. “You don’t know how many times I just wanted to jump that counter and take you down to the ground, fuck you where everyone could see.”
Jinki trembled slightly as he tried to keep himself upright as he started to push the head of his cock past the tight ring of muscle.
Jonghyun sucked in a breath and let out a shuddery exhale, “Oooh yeah, fuck. I knew a clumsy guy like you would be hiding a huge cock.”
Jesus did Jonghyun know how he sounded? All breathy and taxed out even as Jinki pushed in further, splitting the other in half and God just how could his cock fit into such a tight space? Jinki dropped his head, his biceps flexing under his skin as he tried to stay stable above Jonghyun, the singer making these amazing noises right in his ear, the vibrations going through Jinki’s head and shooting down his body to his cock which felt like it was going to explode in the hot confines of the smaller man’s body.
Once Jinki was in all of the way they both froze, Jonghyun’s noises from the back of his throat halting and instead just air passing through his lips and ruffling Jinki’s hair. Sweat was gathering on Jinki’s brow, and he wrapped Jonghyun up in his arms as his body trembled and tried not to buck into the heat instantly, tried not to ram this beautiful man into the bed.
“Jinki,” Jonghyun crooned, his voice crooned and it sounded so amazing, “… Move…”
Jinki didn’t need to be told twice as he pulled out and pushed back in, and Jonghyun sucked in a gasp as Jinki let out a low moan. Jonghyun’s hands wrapped around Jinki’s biceps and one of Jinki’s hands lifted to brace himself against the headboard of the bed, the other hand moving to Jonghyun’s hip as he started up a pace that was relatively slow, as he memorized the feeling of the smaller man’s insides clenching around his shaft. But Jonghyun wasn’t going to have any of that as he wrapped his legs around Jinki’s waist and crossed his ankles behind his back, drawing Jinki in harder and faster.
Jinki cursed below his breath, and Jonghyun mewled as the pace increased in fervor and soon the headboard was slamming against the wall, rattling picture frames and other decorations that were adorning the wall. Jonghyun’s cries soon escalated and finally his voice cracked as Jinki shifted his hips and hit that spot inside of the other that made his body freeze up for a split second before it melted all over again, and Jinki saw stars behind closed eyes as the passage around his cock got impossibly tight.
“Yes, yes, yes, Jinki-fuck,” Jonghyun was whimpering continuously, various words and phrases falling from his lips, most in an encouraging fashion along with a few staccatos that occasionally made Jinki lose his pace, but oh it was glorious and it was beautiful and Jinki tucked the information away in the back of his head that maybe, just maybe, being a barista wasn’t the only thing he was good at, now.
Smirking to himself, Jinki continued to drive into Jonghyun, the smaller man’s blunt nails running down Jinki’s arms and leaving angry red marks in their wake, not quite drawing blood bur irritating the skin enough that it felt prickly and rubbed Jinki in just the right way.
The sound of the headboard smacking against the wall was drowned out by Jonghyun’s sudden cry, his untouched arousal pulsing and then spurting his seed without warning, coating his stomach and splashing onto Jinki’s lower abdomen, The tightness of Jonghyun’s body drew Jinki over the edge but the clincher was the smaller man’s mouth clashing against his own, teeth and tongue and completely ungraceful, Jinki emptying himself into Jonghyun before collapsing on top of him.
Jonghyun grunted a bit and Jinki carefully pulled out, gathering the smaller man up in his arms and littering kisses all over the younger man’s face. Jonghyun laughed and bat at Jinki’s chest in a false attempt to push him away, before they let out twin sighs of satisfaction.
“Mmm…” Jonghyun hummed as he rolled over onto his side, his eyes trailing up and down Jinki’s body, causing the barista to blush a bit. “I really didn’t think you’d have this nice of a body.” His hand reached out and touched Jinki’s chest, before running down to his abs.
Jinki let out an awkward chuckle and pushed Jonghyun’s hands away, the sensation tickling his skin slightly. Jonghyun arched a brow at the noise, and then laughed a bit.
“Ah, dork.” Stretching his arms over his head, he managed to knock Jinki in the nose with his elbow, the older man letting out a noise of surprise and covering the appendage. Jonghyun instantly reached up and laughed apologetically, kissing Jinki’s wounded face. “Woops.~”
Chuckling, Jinki pressed his lips to Jonghyun’s, still on a euphoric high to care too much about anything like a potentially bleeding nose.
After a few moments of comfortable silence, Jinki spoke up. “So how come you haven’t been buying your coffee lately? Are you cheating on me with another coffee shop?” Jinki pouted and puffed his cheeks out, but Jonghyun merely laughed and shook his head.
“No, actually I bought an espresso machine,” the man confessed, looking slightly sheepish.
Jinki blinked, “Why?”
Jonghyun rolled his eyes and scoffed like Jinki should have known the answer, “So instead of walking my ass down to that coffee shop to get what I want, I could just have you here to make it for me.”
Jinki fell silent at the words, his heart fluttering at the obvious insinuation that Jonghyun was pointing to.
“Are you getting tired of walking?”
Jonghyun let out a frustrated yell and grabbed a pillow, smacking Jinki in the face. “No you idiot I’m saying I want you to move in with me!”
Jinki laughed and bat the pillow away, pulling Jonghyun into his arms and smiling broadly. “Oh well I guess I could do that.” He thought for a moment. “Even though your creepy cousin is here?”
“He’s not creepy, he just lingers inconveniently,” Jonghyun said, his response muffled.
“Oh, I see.” Jinki really wasn’t sure what the difference between creeping and lingering was but he wasn’t going to ask.
“Jinki?”
“Hm?”
“I haven’t had a drop of coffee in a week.”
Jinki laughed and pulled away, “Alright, I’ll go make you some.” He moved to get out of the bed, but his feet got caught in the sheets and twisted around his ankles, sending him face first onto the floor, an undignified sound leaving his lips as he connected. Rolling around a bit and kicking at the sheets to get them off, his face found his boxers and he got untangled enough to pull them on, standing up and running a hand through his hair. “Er, yeah. I’ll go do that.”
Jonghyun was laid out on the bed, hands tucked behind his head as he watched Jinki with an amused expression. He looked stunning like that, the moonlight filtering in through the blinds and creating white tiger stripes on his tan skin; Jinki blushed and averted his eyes, turning around to head for the kitchen - but then decided that in order to go through doors, one must open them first.
Rubbing his forehead, he left the bedroom and heard Jonghyun chuckling behind him, and Jinki smiled to himself.
He was an amazing barista, and maybe he could be an amazing lover, too.
The sound of porcelain shattering echoed throughout the apartment, and Jinki stared at the pieces of coffee mug that he had just dropped.
“… Woops?”
“JINKI!!!!!”