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Taehyun was a comparatively calm person but sometimes, beomgyu drove taehyun absolutely batshit crazy. And it always led him to do stuff he doesn't want to do.
He knows he shouldn't let the older's jabs get to him but there’s something about beomgyu’s taunts that rile him up like nothing else.
So, he owns up to it as he walks down to the nearby café. He’s walking with purpose, wanting to prove himself to his friend today.
‘You’re such a baby’
‘I'm just one year younger than you’
‘You’re still a baby. You cant even drink an americano ‘cus its too bitter for you’
‘I don’t drink it because i don’t like it. I could if I wanted to . I just like sweeter drinks more.’
Taehyun has had some americanos before, when studies pile up and rock music isn’t enough to keep him awake.
But still, it's too bitter for him. Why would someone drink that poison voluntarily anyway, when you could drink something much sweeter?
Nevertheless, he’s heading to a cafe, to get an americano and prove his (annoying) friend wrong.
‘You can make all the excuses you want taehyunnie’
‘Whatever. I'm not listening to you again.’
‘oh our baby taehyunieeee’ he squished taehyun’s cheeks between his palms
That’s what did it.
-
The cafe’s cute, with pink and blue themed decor that could be a little too much to some eyes, but taehyun thinks it's cute.
He goes up to the barista, a man about his age, with black hair that fell in front of his eyes like curtains. Taehyun’s first thought was how uncomfortable it must be, was he even able to see?
He was. The barista looked up at him “hi, can i take your order?"
“Ah. yes. Can I have an iced americano? \“
‘Sure! That’ll be 10 dollars ‘
Rather reluctantly, taehyun handed over the cash. As a university student, he’s always a little low on cash, and now he has to spend some of it on a drink he knows he won't like.
"great. you can take a seat, I'll call you when your order's done."
The barista's smile was sickeningly sweet.
just how taehyun liked it.
He went and sat on one of the tables, taking out his phone and scrolling through social media.
After about five minutes, his name gets called.
he walks up to the barista giving him a cup and a straw, paired with that sweet smile of his.
almost made him forget that he had to drink a very not-so-sweet coffee .
He takes it, and tries a sip.
yep, still bitter.
he must've made a face because the barista chuckled.
"you don't like it?"
"huh?"
"You don't seem like you like it. then why'd you order it?"
taehyun flushed. how to admit to an admittedly very cute AND attractive barista that he's buying an americano for the childish reason of proving to his friend he isn't a child?
Yes, he was aware of the contradiction.
seeing his hesitation, the boy smiled.
"annoying friends?"
"h-how..?"
the barista giggled at taehyun's wide eyes.
"I've had my fair share"
Why was he so attractive?
"oh." That was all he could muster. He didn't know why this pretty barista managed to make him so tongue-tied.
Well, he was pretty.
" Tell you what, I'll take that off your hands, and make you a caramel macchiato . how's that sound?"
" but I don't want this to go to waste.."
" I'll drink it . I like Americanos !"
"oh.. thank you "
He knew his ears were red. damn it.
he smiled at the boy in front of him, and he got a smile in return that made his insides squirm.
"now take a seat, this'll take some time"
he did as he was told, and took his phone out again. but this time, he had no idea what app he was scrolling through, or what content he was seeing.
"here."
a cup of brown liquid placed at his desk, much lighter than the cup in his hand.
the barista sat down in front of him.
" I'm yeonjun. "
"taehyun."
taehyun took a sip of the macchiato. sweet and refreshing.
his face lit up, and yeonjun's smile was so fond you wouldn't think they met fifteen minutes ago.
"cute"
"huh?"
"nothing- uhm.. give me the americano please"
taehyun handed him the cup and yeonjun took a sip.
his ears burned when he registers the fact that yeonjun was drinking from the same straw as him.
"so-"
"yeonjun!!"
he turned around as one of his co-workers was calling for him, probably to help them with customers.
"I'm coming!"
" So I have to go now. oh and you forgot the bill, so here . and I didn't charge you for the macchiato, that's on me" and then he left.
he took the piece of paper in his fingers and eyed it, hopeful.
surely he wouldn't have.. it's too cheesy.
but when he flipped the paper over, there it was , a total of ten digits and the words
text me, cutie xx
as cringy as that was, he got the hot guy's number, so who cares?