Chapter Text
Jay’s head hurts. It’s probably because he is repeatedly banging it against the top of his desk. But it still hurts and he’s still going to complain about it.
This is probably the most boring day Jay has had at this job yet, usually he and the other temps get to follow around one of the big shot managers and learn some ropes of business and stocks, but today that was not the case. He and the two other guys who were employed for the summer were stuck at desks in a back office categorizing digital files. They have been at it since 8AM, and it is now 1PM, Jay has had enough.
“Hey man,” one of the other two temps, Heeseung, leans back in his chair to glance over at Jay, “You okay over there.”
“No.” Jay turns his head to his left towards Heeseung, then to his right, “Sunghoon.”
“What?” The black haired boy on his right looks up from his computer.
“Do you think we can go on our lunch break now?” Jay mumbles after finally stopping his head bumping. He sits up and rubs his head.
“Why are you asking me?” Sunghoon questions.
“Because the bosses like you.” All the boys chuckle at this, they know it’s true but no one has said it out loud yet, “You’re the charismatic pretty boy who’s good at sucking up to adults. Of course they like you.”
Sunghoon chuckles to himself and stands up behind his chair, “Fine. I will ask if now is an okay time for us to go on break if…” the boy walks behind Jay and puts his hands on his shoulders, “You agree to buy me something wherever we go.” Jay groans at this, of course Sunghoon would figure out how to get something out of Jay for a simple favor.
“Fine!” Jay shrugs, giving in, there’s no arguing with the other. Sunghoon is the type of guy who, once he gets something in his head, he will figure out a way to get it.
A moment after Sunghoon dips out of the room he walks back in, “So it turns out they maybe sort of definitely forgot we were back here.” All three boys' eyes go wide in shock. “So I think it’s fine if we go get lunch now.”
—
Jay holds the door open for the other two as they exit the office building. The air outside is cool and refreshing after being inside a stuffy backroom for hours on end. The three walk down the main street of the surrounding downtown area chatting about the different personalities of the managers at Big Hit Investments, the place they are all working for the summer.
The boys hadn’t known each other before they started working together a few weeks ago. When they all began working together they kind of clicked, Jay and Sunghoon were the same age and were both in the same year at the local college and Heeseung was just a year above them. They all were interested in business (whether for actual interest and career reasons or just for the money, it didn’t matter) so they had all scored a temporary job at the most popular investment firm in town. In mere hours of their first day, the boys had started joking together about the mannerisms of their boss “PD,” as he called himself. Jay noticed that the jokes got them a few dirty looks from the man but it had bonded them together, since then they had become even closer. Now they even spend time hanging out outside of work on the weekends. Jay is fully aware he’s only known them since the job started but it feels like they’ve been friends for years.
“So you guys want to try Brewed-Baked?” Heeseung offered.
Sunghoon cocked an eyebrow, “What’s that?”
“New coffee shop and bakery just around the block, apparently they sell different types of salads and sandwiches in their to-go section and also have pretty good coffee. Bunch of different kinds of lattes and mochas and such,” Jay thinks he sounds like a walking commercial for this new coffee shop. He seems oddly inclined towards this place.
“Why do you know so much about this place, Heeseung?” Jay inquires. Heeseung has never been one to suggest lunch places, he usually just goes along with what one of the others suggests.
Knowing that he has been caught, Heeseung reluctantly seems to give in, “Fine,” he stops for a moment in the middle of the sidewalk, “This kid I know works there. They just opened a few days ago and I told him I would try and come in… And maybe try to bring some friends.”
“This kid?” The other two say in unison, “How young is he? And how do you know him?” Jay finishes for the both of them.
“I just met him in this mentoring program a while ago. His name is Niki and he’s a freshman at the local community college.” Heeseung explains, “I have known him since I was a first year in college and he was a freshman in high school. When he graduated from high school a year early I went to his graduation party. He’s been kinda like a little brother to me and it’s his first real job that he got himself. I just- I promised I’d try to come in.” He sighs and reaches behind his head to scratch and distract himself in defeat. He knows he’s going to get relentlessly bullied for showing feelings but he doesn’t really care at this point.
The other two chuckle at his sensitivity but give in, “Okay, we can help you be a good big brother today,” Jay pats Heeseung on the shoulder, “Let’s go give the kid a visit, shall we?”
Less than a block later they come upon a coffee shop, a large sign reading “BREWED-BAKED” sits above the front door. That same glass paned door jingles when Jay and the other two boys walk into the shop. It’s a relatively large shop, big windows along one wall and a large espresso bar along the other. Brown and green chairs decorate the sitting area where working students on computers occupy almost all of them.
“Heeseungie-hyung!” A tall, slim, blonde kid jumps out from behind the counter and rushes over to where the trio is standing near the door and practically tackles Heeseung in a hug. Even though the kid is a good deal younger than Heeseung, he stands at the same height as the older, maybe even taller. Jay can’t tell.
“Heeseungie?” Jay resists the urge to laugh out loud. His normally confident hyung’s exterior crumples around the kid, smiling as soon as he is embraced by the younger boy.
“Shut. Up.” Heeseung mumbles through the embrace. Jay shares a smile with Sunghoon as the kid, Niki, finally lets up on the hug. He starts beckoning the trio over to the main cash register where a few other guys stand in the back. A soft faced blond boy and a black haired boy smile in their direction. The black haired one starts waving in their direction, for some reason Jay seems to recognize him, but he can’t place from where.
“Jake!” Sunghoon exclaims next to Jay, and suddenly it hits him. Jake was a classmate of his at school who he had in a class once in first year. Probably his intro to sociology class because Jay remembers Jake being a Soc’ major. Now that Jay has placed Jake, he remembers him fully. He was a nice guy, kinda like a big puppy dog, very enthusiastic and participatory, always talking. It made class easier for Jay so he always appreciated it; he used to have dark brown hair but it looks like he dyed it black and grew it out a bit, which explains why Jay didn’t immediately recognize him. Sunghoon walks up to the counter and reaches over to give Jake a “dude handshake” sort of thing. Though Jay is fully aware neither of them are in a fraternity, with that handshake alone, they could blend in easily if they were superimposed into a frat house and dressed in some basketball jerseys.
The blonde boy next to Jake seems to be the only one working at the moment, his eyebrows are furrowed lightly as he focuses on steaming milk in a small metal pitcher. He taps the pitcher on the counter and quickly begins pouring latte art, which mesmerizes Jay. The circular pouring of the steamed milk into the cup of espresso lasts not even twenty seconds but when Jay’s eyes refocus he notices the shape of a flower or leaf on the surface of the drink in the boy's hands. Jay looks up and makes eye contact with the blonde who smirks.
“Impressed?” He asks Jay. Who smiles back and nods in conformation. While they are all distracted a small cough comes from behind the other counter and gets Jay’s attention.
“Excuse me?” The voice asks, “Can I get you guys anything or are you guys just going to…” He gestures to the guys who are still chatting it up.
Jay freezes.
The boy in front of him makes Jay’s eyes widen and his heart skip. The boy has toffee brown hair, it’s darker at the roots as if it has grown out a bit since he dyed it and the natural color is just starting to creep in. His eyes are widened with curiosity and his pupils look like small tapioca balls, suspended in the center of the whites of his eyes. One of his eyebrows is quirked up and his mouth is following suit, scrunching up on one side in inquiry. His face is round but angular and almost feline, slightly resembling that of a cat. He’s wearing a sweater over a collared button up and he realizes the boy’s apron is on inside out, but Jay thinks to himself that the other probably isn’t aware of this. Jay can’t deny it. This boy is pretty. And this pretty boy is speaking to him.
“Hello?” The boy says, and Jay suddenly realizes he is still frozen, and still staring.
“Sorry!” Jay finally breaks his silence. He turns and elbows Sunghoon to effectively get his attention, and they all fall into line. Jay turns back to the cashier, “I’ll get a-” The menu above the brunette’s head is suddenly hard to focus on with the other still in his view, but Jay manages, picking out one of the fancy named drinks, “Large iced Blessed Latte, and can I get it a little extra sweet?”
The other huffs to himself at Jay’s words, “Huh.”
“What?” Jay asks, intrigued by the attitude of the boy in front of him.
“Nothing,” The cashier shrugs while tapping the correct buttons on the screen, “Just didn’t peg you for an extra-sweet kinda guy.”
“Oh yeah?” It was Jay’s turn to get sassy this time, “What did you peg me as, oh coffee whisperer?”
The brunette scoffs. “Black hair, black button up, black shoes, I would have probably assumed black coffee,” He leans a bit over the register towards Jay, “If I had to guess.”
“Well you would be wrong.” Jay chuckles and looks down at the to-go fridge and sees a sandwich that catches his eye. He grabs it and places it on the counter, “This too please.” The boy rings it up and looks back up at Jay.
“10.49 is your total today.” Jay grabs his card from wallet in his pocket and hands it to the cashier. “Black wallet…” The boy mumbles.
“Huh?” Jay asks, knowing full well what the other said.
“Nothing…” The other smiles while he hands Jay back his card, “What’s your name?” Jay smiles at this, “For the order, that is.”
“Jay,” he says while the other writes it on the cup, “And you?”
The brunette looks suspiciously at Jay, “I’m not ordering.”
“Still, gonna answer my question?”
“Hmm,” the cashier says mostly to himself, then he looks up to Jay, “How much are you gonna tip?”
Jay pulls a five dollar bill out of his wallet, “That enough for your name?”
He shrugs, “I guess,” he grabs the five and shoves it in the glass tip jar in front of the register. “My name is Jungwon.” He smiles just a bit, and so does Jay, “Now move along so I can take your friend’s orders.”
“Thanks, Jungwon.” Jay gets out of the way and Sunghoon walks up to the register next, giving Jay an odd look as he takes his place in line. Jay stops for a second and backtracks, handing Sunghoon a ten dollar bill for his food. A promise is a promise, he did ask the bosses earlier. Sunghoon smiles, successful.
Jay then walks over to the sitting area to wait for his coffee, and he observes. Jungwon, as Jay now knows him, talks kindly to Sunghoon as he orders. Sunghoon squints at the menu and tries to order, he probably mispronounces the name of one of the drinks because Jungwon giggles, Jay tries not to think about the way he looks when he smiles. He tries not to notice the dimples that prick up his cheeks when Sunghoon embarrasses himself. Sunghoon evacuates as soon as he can and Heeseung is next. Jungwon makes slight conversation with Heeseung but he’s quicker than Jay or Sunghoon, probably ordering his usual plain iced coffee, not having to deal with the complicated names of the specialty drinks. Jungwon hands Heeseung his change and Jay suddenly can only focus on the boy's hands. But he’s quickly snapped out of it when his name is called by one of the other baristas.
“Jay!” The shorter blonde barista slides Jay’s drink across the counter and Jay gets up to grab it. “Or should I say Jay,” the boy attempts an awkward smile after saying his name again. The cup has Jay’s name scrawled across it in what Jay would assume is Jungwon’s handwriting, followed by a quickly drawn smiley face.
“Thanks! Uh…” Jay realizes this boy is now the only barista here that Jay doesn’t know the name of.
“Sunoo,” the blonde answers for him, “Are we going to see you guys around here more? We just opened so we could use some regulars.” He sounds hopeful, Jay doesn’t want to let him down.
“Well we work down the street so,” He starts and Jay looks around the shop at his friends and a few new faces, “I think we’ll be coming here a lot.”
—
“Yo,” Heeseung starts as soon as he, Jay, and Sunghoon exit the shop, “What was that in there?” He motions to Jay.
“What do you mean?” Jay asks Heeseung, taking a sip of his drink which is actually surprisingly good for the silly name.
Sunghoon and Heeseung exchange looks, “You and that barista were really,” Sunghoon chuckles in the midst of his sentence, “You guys seemed to get along really well.” The boys both laugh at this wording.
“I don’t know,” Jay responds, shrugging, ignoring the intrusive thoughts of the brunette that attempt to make their way into his mind. He pushes them out, “Just friendly banter I guess.”
“Uh huh,” Heeseung nods, unconvinced, “Sure.”
Jay rolls his eyes at the other two, they’re seeing things that just aren’t there.
Right?