The next day, Jongup sat in his seat in the Science Lab, waiting for Youngjae to show up and the class to start. He pulled out his book and notebook, getting ready for class. After a few moments, Jongup pulled out his iPod and Beats headphones, listening to some music.
Not long after the second song ended, Youngjae appeared above Jongup, wrapping his arm around the younger male.
“Jonguppie, you saved me a seat,” he cooed, squeezing the other male a bit.
“Ah, Youngjae.” Jongup greeted him calmly, taking off his headphones. “You ditched me yesterday, so I hate you today.”
Playfully pushing Jongup, Youngjae sat down next to him and smiled, “So you went to the café? Isn’t it fantastic? Did you get the sandwich I was talking about?”
“The café was nice, and the sandwich was pretty good, but…”
“But what?”
“I don’t know if I’d want to go back any time soon.”
“Why not?” Youngjae questioned.
Jongup smiled, a blush hovering over his cheeks, and hesitated, “Well, uh, an employee there…Well, it’s weird. He gave me his number. I think I’m gonna avoid that place from now on.”
“Wait, ‘He?’ As in male? He’s a guy? Have you called him? Are you going to?” Youngjae gushed.
Jongup nudged him away with his elbow, saying, “What’re you getting so excited for? Of course I haven’t called him, and I don’t plan to.”
“And why shouldn’t you? He already sounds like a nice guy, giving you his number. Most guys try to force you into giving yours.”
“What?”
“My Daehyunnie wasn’t like that.”
Jongup rolled his eyes immediately. “Can you not talk about Daehyun right now?”
Ignoring Jongup’s comment, Youngjae continued, “My Daehyunnie was so sweet when he first hit on me. It was at a BIG BANG concert and he bumped into me; he was so suave as he—”
“Yeah, yeah, I know how you met him. I was there. Don’t tell me again; I’ve heard this story so many times.”
Youngjae clicked his tongue, saying, “Ah, you’re no fun… What’s his name?”
“It’s Chris.”
“Huh… I wonder why he wants you.”
“I don’t know. He sure has a weird way of making friends.”
“Making friends?” Youngjae asked in disbelief. “You think he wants to be your friend?”
“What else would he want?”
Youngjae smirked, leaning in close to his innocent friend. “Obviously he wants your bod.”
“What?!” Jongup exploded, standing up from his seat, his cheeks on fire.
Every other student in the room turned to look at him.
Youngjae laughed nervously, pulling Jongup down to sit back down and stop embarrassing them both.
“What is wrong with you?” Youngjae hissed to his friend quietly.
“What’s wrong with you?!” Jongup hissed back, blush still present. “How could you even say something like that?!”
“What? He probably does. He didn’t give you his number so you could hang out.” Youngjae exaggerated his body language with the last two words, using air quotes to emphasize.
“Well he certainly doesn’t want me like—like that!”
“Alright, alright settle down class,” the teacher announced, walking in the room 10 minutes late. He put his stuff on his desk and turned to the class. “Yes, I’m late, and no, I’m not going to cancel class. Let’s get started.”
“Call him,” Youngjae whispered when the teacher turned his back to write some Biology terms on the board.
“Why would you even suggest that?” Jongup hissed back, hitting Youngjae with his elbow.
“Shut up,” Youngjae elbowed him back.
“But it’d be weird; I shouldn’t ca—”
“You definitely should call him.”
• • •
“I definitely should not call him.”
Jongup sat at his desk at home the next day, staring down at his cell phone and the little note Chris had left him on his plate. He had just finished his homework for the night and found the note on his desk, having thrown it there two nights ago when going through his pockets. It had been hidden underneath his IB Literature book, which he put on the desk before he went to bed on Tuesday, and having finished the work for that class that night, it wasn’t necessary to have it on his desk anymore.
“I should definitely not call him,” Jongup reassured himself.
If anything, he should call Youngjae. The bastard still hadn’t apologized for ditching him on Tuesday. At school that day, he just kept going on and on about how “Daehyunnie” took him out for that “romantic evening” of dining, paddle boating, and more stupid shit Jongup didn’t care about. He barely even brought up Chris, he was so stuck on Daehyun. Maybe if he called and complained, he’d get an apology.
Jongup leaned back in his chair with a loud sigh and stared up at the ceiling.
So, what if he did call Chris? It wasn’t like anything bad would happen or anything. If push came to shove, he could always just hang up on him. Which he doubted would happen anyway. Chris seemed like a nice guy. But what did he want with Jongup?
Picking up a pen, the male continued to lean back in his chair, idly balancing the pen on his upper lip.
There was no way Youngjae was right; Chris couldn’t possibly want Jongup, let alone be gay. Maybe he just wanted a friend. Yeah, he wanted to be friends with him. That was all. And who was Jongup to reject another possible friendship?
Sitting up quickly, he reached for his cell phone as the pen fell to the floor. He dialed the number on the paper quickly, but hesitated before he hit the call button.
It only rang one and a half times before it connected.
“Hello?!” an excited voice spoke through the receiver.
“A-ah, this is Jongup.”
“I was hoping you’d call. I’m glad you did.”
He could hear the smile on Chris’ face.
“Yeah,” Jongup said, waiting for Chris to say something.
After a few moments of waiting, it became evident that Chris wasn’t going to.
“So, why’d you tell me to call you?”
“Oh, right, yes. I wanted to spend some time with you.”
What.
Jongup said nothing.
“Uh, you know, hang out?” Chris quickly corrected.
“O-okay,” Jongup complied hesitantly.
“Sweet,” Chris chuckled. “So when do you want to g– uh, hang out?”
“Why?”
Jongup couldn’t figure out why he went through all of this just to hang out with him. Why didn’t Chris just ask him at the café? Why’d he have to get his number like that? What was his real motive?
“Well, uh, you seem like a pretty cool guy. You were alone the other day, but you seem nice to talk to. And I think you were studying or doing homework or something like that. I thought that was pretty hipster of you to study in a café. And I can tell you know a good shoe design when you see one.” He could hear Chris’ smirk through the phone.
“Thanks, I gue—shoe design?”
“Yeah, you see I—huh? Right now? Ugh, okay. Hey, Jongup?”
“Uh, yeah?”
“I gotta go. I’ll text you when and where. See you soon!”
Click.
“H-hello? Chris?”
He hung up.
Well then.
“Jongup!” called a voice from downstairs, “Dinner’s ready!”
“Okay!” Jongup called in answer to his mother. “Be right down.”
He stared at his phone for a few seconds more before saving Chris’ number, placing it down on his desk, and heading downstairs for dinner. Picking at his food absently, his mind wandered to Chris and why he wanted to hang out with him so much. It was a bit weird, right? Chris was handling this situation a bit too… differently just because he wanted to be friends with Jongup… Right?
“Jongup, are you alright?” his mother asked, a concerned expression on her face.
He smiled at her, as he usually would, answering, “Everything’s fine, Umuni.”
She smiled back at him, her own matching his, and went back to eating. His father made a small grunting sound, but said nothing the entire dinner.
Jongup finished his dinner in silence.
Once back upstairs, Jongup planned to take a shower and head off to bed early, maybe wasting some time in front of the TV in between. But then he saw his phone sitting on his desk, just begging to be checked for texts.
He rubbed the back of his neck, slowly walking over to the desk before picked the cell phone up and clicking the lock button.
One unread text from Chris.
His face warmed up slightly as he slid his fingers across the screen, unlocking the phone and pulling up the text.
Jongup pulled down his Beats headphones as he stepped through the front door of the Star Café. He glanced around the establishment, judging his surroundings. Youngjae had suggested this place to him yesterday in IB Biology II. Apparently Star Café was getting famous for its pastries and signature Cold Cut Turkey and Swiss Grilled Sandwich. It had some type of secret sauce or something, he didn’t remember; he had spaced out when Youngjae got to that part. He heard Daehyun’s name somewhere that conversation though, so he figured Daehyun took him there recently.
Speaking of Youngjae, he should be here by now. He’s the one who said they should meet up there the next day to study for the test the next week and snack on some café food.
Jongup puffed out his cheeks in a bored fashion, readjusting his bookbag on his shoulder and walking towards an empty table off to the side of the café. As soon as he sat down, he took out his IB Biology textbook and the study guide he made the night before after finishing all his homework.
He knew he’d probably be prepared for the test next week, especially with Youngjae’s help and after making the study guide, but he wanted to sure that he was ready for it. That’s the only reason why he agreed to meet up here with Youngjae.
He looked up and around the café again, looking to see if Youngjae had shown up yet.
Nope.
Going back to his study guide, Jongup took out his highlighters, prepping himself for an intense study session when his phone went off. He reached in his back pocket to pull it out and saw it was a text from Youngjae.
Eyeing the screen suspiciously, he unlocked his phone and read the text.
- my Daehyunnie surprised me after school today! we’ll have to meet up later~ <333 sorry jonguppieeee
Annoyed at how his friend only capitalized one word, Jongup glared at his screen and angrily jabbed a quick text.
- I hate you.
He threw his phone into his bookbag’s front pouch, nowhere near interested in seeing if or what Youngjae replied. Guess he was on his own today.
Jongup sighed, picking up his highlighter and opening his text book. If he studied hard and long enough today, he wouldn’t even need Youngjae’s help or his stupid tendency to throw away all of his plans whenever Daehyun showed up. This was the fifth time he’d done it to Jongup, six if he included the time they went to play laser tag and Daehyun showed up with his college friends. The couple had disappeared halfway through the game, leaving the teams uneven and Jongup alone with Himguk and Yongchan or whatever their names were.
Obviously, Jongup wasn’t going to get much done while he was still upset about Youngjae, so he decided to order something. He stood up and walked over to the counter, where a short line was slowly starting to grow as more people showed up for whatever.
The other customers seemed to know what they wanted, as the line was moving fairly quickly, and Jongup gazed up at the menu, trying to figure out what he wanted. He spaced out a couple of times, his signature smile plastered on his face as he did so. By the time he figured out what he wanted, he was next in line. It was then that he looked at the person taking orders behind the counter.
A medium-toned black man, maybe in his early twenties, stood behind the counter. His mouth moved quickly, yet smoothly as he asked the customer how she wanted her mocha latte and what type of side she wanted to go with her sandwich. His eyes darted back and forth over the screen as his fingers effortlessly punched in the order.
Suddenly, he glanced past the current customer ordering and smiled at Jongup, showing off his pearly whites.
Jongup couldn’t believe how… well, flawless this man’s smile was.
The black male looked back to the ordering customer and told her the total before she gave him her debit card. He handed it back to her after swiping it, along with a little beeper for when her food was ready. The customer walked away, smiling at Jongup and blushing slightly.
Jongup smiled back and watched her disappear behind the wall separating the café into two parts, lost in her delicately short, brown curls.
“Hi,” the man said, taking Jongup’s attention off of the woman. “Welcome to Star Café. What can I get ya?”
Chris, his nametag read. His name was Chris.
He raised an eyebrow at the Korean spaced out in front of him.
“Oh, sorry,” Jongup apologized, snapping out of it. “I’ll have the Signature Turkey and Swiss.”
“Okay,” Chris drawled out, typing the order into the machine. “You want a drink?”
“Uh, yes. Sprite.”
“Can do,” Chris said with a wide smile. “That all?”
Jongup smiled back at him and nodded.
“That’ll be $6.58.”
Jongup pulled a ten from his wallet and handed it to him, his eyes drawn to Chris’ hand when it unintentionally brushed against his.
Chris counted out Jongup’s change and handed it to him, saying, “…8, 9, 10. Here’s your change. I’ll bring your order out to you shortly.” He handed Jongup a beeper and a cup for his soda, giving him another wide smile. “Have a nice Tuesday.”
“Thank you, uh, Chris, you too.”
The man smiled even wider than before, as if it was one of the first times a customer said that. Jongup was almost sure that wasn’t the case.
Jongup turned and walked away from the ordering counter, resisting his urge to turn around to get another look at Chris. He made it all the way back to his table before he glanced back over his shoulder. By then it was impossible as the wall was in the way.
His shoulders slumped as he noticed this, sitting down in his chair and picking his highlighter back up. He began to work again, soon forgetting about the Chris guy as he was immersed in his studying.
“Signature Turkey ‘n Swiss?” came a voice oddly close and behind Jongup.
Jongup sat up and turned around quickly, startled out of his previous state of being hunched over his textbook and highlighting the crap out of it. He almost stammered when he saw who it was.
Chris stood behind him, practically looking over his shoulder and holding a platter with said Signature Turkey ‘n Swiss Deluxe Grilled Sandwich.
“Uh, yeah,” Jongup stammered, moving his textbook and papers out of the way.
Chris placed the platter down in the spot the Korean male just cleared, smiling just as wide as he was from behind the counter.
“Thanks,” Jongup smiled at the black male.
“No problem,” he grinned back, never taking his eyes off of Jongup.
The two males continued to stare at each other from their positions, never ceasing to smile and giving the occasional chuckle.
This awkward interaction went on for a good twenty seconds.
Jongup was partially creeped out, but he couldn’t help but wonder why Chris was paying him so much attention. He didn’t think his order would be brought to his table, let alone by Chris. In fact, he was almost sure customers were supposed to go pick up their food at the counter. Isn’t that why they gave out those little–
“Could I get your beeper?”
“Hmm?”
Well maybe not, but usually that’s what the beepers are for. Wait a...
“My beeper didn’t go off,” Jongup informed, handing the black male the beeper off of the table.
“I know,” Chris smiled. “I just wanted to bring your order out to you personally.”
Jongup blinked.
“Why?”
“Just cause,” Chris winked, beginning to walk off but stopping and coming back. “Hey, what’s your name?”
“Uh, Jongup.”
“Jongup?” He paused before smiling again. “I like it.”
And then he was gone. Just like that.
Jongup saw him appear back behind the counter, apparently resuming his job.
Well that was weird.
Turning back to his deluxe grilled sandwich, the Korean male decided it was probably time to go. He picked up his sandwich and took a bite, about to put it down again and start packing up when he noticed a small piece of paper on his plate.
“Hmm?” he perked up through a full mouth.
A quick glance around the café and he picked up the balled up paper. Opening it, his eyes grew wide.
It was a number, a phone number.
A rushed scribble hovered over said number, reading, “Chris, call me.”
Jongup immediately turned to look at the counter, where Chris stood taking orders. In that instant, Chris looked over at the other male and gave him a smile followed by a wink before going back to his job.
Yup, it was definitely time to go.
Jongup quickly packed up his things, grabbed the sandwich, and rushed out the door furthest from the order counter, the crumbled piece of paper stuffed deep down into his skinny blue jean pockets.
