𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙞 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 | nishimura riki | encafe *₊˚☕୧
↬ rest of the encafe series (ongoing!) synopsis ; following an unexpected encounter with a long-lost friend, riki sparks a fresh connection with a familiar face. and what if he wants something more with you this time, and the boundaries of your friendship extends into unfamiliar territory? (news flash: he’s loving every second with you.)
pairing ; barista!nishimura riki x fem customer!reader genre ; fluff, childhood friends to lovers, mutual crushing trope ; barista x customer reunited buddies wc ; 4417 warnings ; kissing! reader is very very very oblivious and riki is very in love, they are so cute :(
taglist (open!!) ; @chaseyikis @nikiswifereal27 @llvrhee @aileeeeeeeeeeeee @doyochibubu @jikepi @enwonz @rikihqq
14.02.24 – valentine’s day.
If not for a particular order of caramel macchiato on a cold winter’s day. That’s what Riki likes to think when he looks at you with such a look of adoration you can’t help but cover your face in your hands, cheeks flushing a vibrant pink.
Similar to the wisps of steam rising from atop your coffee mug, you can feel Riki’s love for you swirling in the confines of your heart. Just last winter, your heart whispers, was the moment when he came crashing back into your life. One quick decision to slip into the quaint little coffee shop before work was all it did.
He’s still in his custom designed apron, scooting ever closer at the window seats. And though he remains content in the pin-drop silence, the hand that sneaks up your back speaks on his behalf. Suddenly, you can’t bear to meet his gaze and turn to the cosy view of the dim street.
It’s the definition of a romantic street down a road in London – just in Korea. Cobbled roads lined with streetlamps that have a soft golden glow once sundown approaches. Every once in a while in the darkness, a couple or person donned in light winter wear strolls down past the cafe. And Riki looks over at you with a wistful, longing expression as if he wants to be one of those couples. He wants to go out and dance with you, he wants the flurry whiteness embracing you both at the darkest hour.
He taps your shoulder, enthusiasm glimmering in his eyes, and begins to untie the back of his apron. You carefully sneak a glance at your signature marking its spot on the back of one of the lacings. Your boyfriend had insisted on getting it printed there when you became official, last valentines.
You would never have imagined that the boy, peeping out amidst the craze with a pink, valentine-themed iced drink in his hands and fumbling uncharacteristically for the right words to confess his feelings to you, would be your long-lost childhood friend.
(riki’s pov, 10.12.22)
“Psst. Riki! Pretty girl’s coming up to the counter. Hurry – do something!”
Riki’s coworker nudges him teasingly, noticing his relentless stare on the office worker who has just entered their cafe. It’s not unusual that pretty girls walk in on early weekday mornings like this, but this girl, clearly not a regular, seems familiar somehow. She seems to move in slow motion towards them, and Riki has to put down the ceramic cup he’s holding before it inevitably falls to his feet.
While it may be an exaggeration to say, her chic grey office clothes seem to sparkle in the minimal lighting. Her brown hair also seems to swish like time has slowed, blonde streaks evident when she tosses her locks. Long eyelashes, a petite nose and strawberry freckles that Riki could spot from a mile away. It’s like he’s met her before. A memory is fighting its way to the surface of his mind, but his efforts are useless when the girl continues to walk up to the counter.
His mind keeps going completely blank.
Sunoo drags him by the hand towards the cashier area, raising his eyebrows and giving him a knowing look. When Riki finally snaps out of his mesmerised daze and turns to protest, Sunoo has already taken over the order he was preparing. Gulping, Riki turns to meet the girl in the eye. Or more like past her eyes, because he barely feels enough strength to meet her gaze. He’ll probably faint.
The idea that he knew her in the past keeps popping up in his head, but he repeatedly shoves the thought down. He’s probably intensely attracted to her, and it’s making him think he has history with her. Which isn’t really a good thing at the moment, with his throat dried up and Sunoo sneaking peeks over to see how he’s doing.
“U-Um, what would you like to order?”
The girl leans in and laughs. There’s a sick, uneasy feeling brewing in Riki’s stomach as she does so, because the memory he’s been trying to uncover is slowly emerging from the back of his mind. She recovers from the bout of laughter, still smiling, and when she opens her mouth to speak, Riki remembers.
“Your sciences are pretty good, Riki, are you planning to pursue them in the future?” A fourteen-year-old version of the girl standing in front of the counter asks.
Riki replies sheepishly, taking his report card off y/n’s table before others in the class have the chance to see. “Actually, no.”
“Really?” She tilts her head, hunches over and laughs. “Don’t tell me you want to be an artist or something. But actually that would be pretty cool.”
“Promise you won’t laugh?” Riki looks away from her gaze. He knows she’s not the type to judge, but he doesn’t like when people jab at his interests and prides. And y/n seems to find even the littlest things funny – she has the habit of leaning in and laughing when she finds something amusing.
“I won’t, pinky promise.”
“Why are you laughing?”
Finally, Riki can muster the courage to talk to this ‘mystery girl’ now that he remembers her and knows her name. It has to be her, and it can’t be anybody else. There’s only one girl he used to know with chocolate hazelnut eyes, the bad habit of rumpling her own hair every few seconds (she got it from him), and a height she deems short enough to require heels everyday to work.
She’s back. When did she fly back from Japan? When did she get a corporate job? When did she dye streaks into her hair like she said she wanted when they were younger?
“No reason, you just seem frightened.” She – y/n – giggles and Riki swears her head leans in towards him once again.
He grins. “Why would I be?” Liar, liar, liar, liar liar liar liar liar– “Anyway, what would you like to order?”
“Hmm. It’s cold out. Why don’t you surprise me with a warm drink?” Playful as always. This is undeniably y/n. But she seems as if she doesn’t know it yet. Has she erased Riki from her memory or is she pretending to not recognise him? His nametag states his name clearly. His facial features haven’t changed much since then.
“Promise you won’t laugh?” Riki tests, for her answer. I won’t, pinky promise.
It’s what Riki expects her to say. Or, more accurately, what he desperately hopes she’ll say. His stomach drops with the possibility that this might be the last time he ever sees her. If she fails to realise he’s her long-lost best friend from their teenage years, will she ever show up in this cafe ever again?
The face-framing strands of her hair flutter as she nods earnestly. “I won’t.”
This is going to be hard to work with.
“Okay, then, why don’t you take a seat? I’ll surprise you with a custom order.” He winks at her, the only flirtatious move he feels comfortable executing. “Shall the name I put on the order be y/n?”
“How’d you know?” The girl purses her lips and looks at him curiously.
She still doesn’t realise? Just how much has she erased from her memory?
“U-Uh…” He scans her for any hints or labels. Luckily, her corporate key card is strung over the straps of her bag, and he breathes a sigh of relief as he points shakily its way. Y/n follows his gaze and gasps cutely when she notices.
A fantasy of a scene.
When she finds herself a seat by the window, partially hidden through numerous wisps of smoke rising off coffee mugs, Riki finds his heart aches the same way it did all those years ago.
With the pain that came with leaving her for the first time, he hopes she won’t leave forever for the second time. He turns to where Sunoo is grinding coffee beans, fully concentrated. He doesn’t even look up when he asks,
“So, what’s the order?”
Riki’s voice cracks when he replies. “Caramel macchiato.”
What a teenage dream.
“Order for y/n,” Riki calls gently, one hand holding a tray with her hot drink and the other hand reaching out to tap her shoulder. She unplugs the earphones from her ears and blinks warmly at him. Just as warm as the coffee Riki quietly prepared and snuck an extra shot of caramel in.
“Oooh,” she giggles and claps her hands. “What’s the surprise drink?”
“Try it,” Riki pushes the tray closer to her and raises his chin. Subtly, he also takes a seat beside her, while his mind unhelpfully screams, notice the nametag, notice my name, notice my face, notice me!
But instead of looking at him, she carefully blows on her coffee and takes a sip. The face she makes instantly after is so vague he doesn’t know whether she loves it or absolutely despises it, never to return again.
“Who made this?” Her expression still refuses to give anything away.
Panicking in the split second of a moment, Riki blurts his coworker’s name. “Sunoo. There.”
“Ohhh, it’s really good! Thank him for m–”
“I did the foam art!” Once again, Riki lets his mouth run loose and internally smacks himself hard when he gestures towards the heart-shaped imprint in the sea of white. The girl stares at him for half a second before bursting into laughter again. She leans in close and places a hand on his shoulder.
‘How did you guys know that caramel’s my favourite?”
“I want to be a barista.”
“What? Really?”
Teenage Riki scratches the back of his head and nods. Accompanying his mother to her coffee shop on their ‘bring your child to work day’ was enough to lock in his love for the pleasant aroma of caffeine. He particularly enjoyed creating his own versions of cafe-art. He’s born to be creative, a natural artist at heart. Lab experiments and hypotheses may be his strong suit, but all he wants is to express himself with the tasty remnants of coffee beans and cocoa.
“Will you make me a drink then?” Y/n smiles brightly. She doesn’t seem to be weirded out by the unusual career choice. Instead, she’s beaming as if it’s a normal occurrence for a top student to want to live a peaceful life at a cafe. “A test run for you.” “Sure,” Riki plays along, his heartstrings tugging seeing her contagious excitement. “What drink would you like? I’ll make it when you come over today.”
“Hmmm.. make me a caramel macchiato. Nowadays, it’s my comfort drink.”
“Got it.”
“Oh, Riki,” She calls as he heads back towards his seat before the next lesson. He whips his head around, raising his eyebrows. “For the record, I think baristas are cool.”
“It’s a customer favourite in autumn and winter,” Riki lies through his teeth. He doesn’t even stutter once – how commendable. “It’s practically our house special.”
“Mannn, I thought I’d be special,” she jokes, finishing up her coffee in a few quick sips. “Augh, that’s hot. Anyway, I gotta go to work, I think I’m late.”
Her eyes widen and she checks her watch.
“Shoot, I really am. Okay, bye, see you!”
She waves and darts out the store before RIki can say anything more. Is it odd that all he worries about is the way she’s dressed in the blistering cold? She really needs to bring a padded jacket around.
Days turn into weeks, and it comes as a surprise to Riki when y/n shows up the next day. And the next. And the subsequent days. She comes to get the same order every day, the same personalised cup of coffee with Riki’s signature foam heart. Little does she know, though, the whole cup is made by him, with love. Not Sunoo, not another coworker, not following a standard cafe recipe.
Around Christmastime, Riki snags her socials. When she finally learns about his name, tagged to all his accounts, she merely tilts her head as if its clogged. “Why does your name sound familiar to me? Ehh, must be deja vu. I’m getting it a lot these days.”
Yeah, deja vu, Riki thinks, scrolling through all her pictures of every single cup of coffee she’s ever had from the cafe. It’s like a daily update, and she posts nothing else apart from occasional group pictures and selfies. I’m just a disconcerting feeling to you.
(y/n’s pov, 14.01.23)
There’s a number of things that are off about today. One of which, is the way Riki doesn’t greet you at the counter as you walk in. His coworker does instead, the one who you remember Riki pointed out to have prepared your caramel macchiato. Another unsettling thing that can’t be helped is the way you have to order manually instead of Riki smiling and keying in your order without a word needed to be said.
When you receive your beverage, the barista doesn’t sit down beside you to engage in small talk. The curls of steam don’t clear to reveal a heart print in the foam. Rather, it’s a traditional cafe leaf, grains of cocoa flecked on the froth with no emotion whatsoever. And usually, Riki has a way with his words to manipulate time into travelling faster. In a few seconds you finish your drink and head to work like routine suggests.
Today, everything is different.
When you hesitantly take a sip out of your coffee, you cringe. It’s not bad, per se, but it’s not the same. Without Riki’s latte art, the taste can’t have changed that much, could it? Or did the cafe decide to revamp their recipes? And just what happened to Riki?
The next day, you’re secretly hoping he’s behind the counter laughing with his coworkers like normal. But he isn’t. And so you begrudgingly order your caramel macchiato, to go, and leave with hope for tomorrow.
Third time’s the charm – but not today. Riki still hasn’t come back, your coffee tastes like wet dirt (it’s not even that bad, but you’re not used to it. Why doesn’t it taste as sweet as it used to?) and it’s another unordinary day.
It’s what constitutes the change from this cafe to the newer one closer to her workplace, down the street from it and next to a popular florist. There’s an ache in your heart, perhaps because you don’t like changes. Perhaps because you’ll miss the comfort of frosted windows and small talk. Or perhaps because you’ll miss Riki.
(riki’s pov, 21.01.23)
“What do you mean she doesn’t come anymore?”
Riki’s heart drops all the way down to his feet, and Sunoo looks at him with a mixture of guilt and sympathy. “After she tried my coffee, she pulled a face. I’ve never had my pride shattered like that.”
“And a few days later, she didn’t come back. I can’t believe she didn’t tell you first…”
Sunoo’s words drown in his thoughts as he pulls out his phone and checks her socials. She is bound to have posted something about it. Either that, or post pictures of her coffee from whatever new cafe she might be purchasing from. And true enough, her page displays jungle-green coffee mugs with drizzles of caramel atop the foam.
“Oh, isn’t that the new branch further downtown?” Sunoo’s voice suddenly penetrates through his train of thoughts once more. “I think Sunghoon hyung’s starting his job there soon.”
“How do I work there?” Riki leans against the counter and mutters without hesitation. “How do I take a shift there?”
Another coughing bout attacks him before Sunoo can answer. Stupid flu, if he had never caught the illness he wouldn’t have to scheme some kind of master plot to be able to see y/n again. He blames her too, of course, for not telling him, but he blames his white blood cells first.
“What’s this about wanting to take a shift where?”
Riki, recognising his boss’s voice, whips around and practically falls to his knees. He doesn’t really, it’s embarrassing, but he feels like he’s grovelling in some way or another. “Heeseung-nim. Please let me take a shift at the new branch tomorrow morning. I can take someone’s place if they’re sick – I’ll even do restocking.”
“Restocking. How mundane. You’re really desperate, aren’t you?” Sunoo whispers in his ear, and Riki shoves him aside with eyes only for Heeseung.
“Please!”
Fortunately, his boss just huffs in amusement. “You’re ridiculous. I’ll ask if there are any slots you can take as a cashier or waiter.”
“You’re the best, hyu- Heeseung-nim!”
The next day, Riki wishes he could replay the astonished face y/n makes when she walks through the doors and sees him immediately. “Deja vu, huh?”
To the confusion of the other workers on shift at the time, he takes over the whole order, insisting he knows what he’s doing. They don’t bother to argue with him though, when they see the latte art he makes. The prominent heart shape says all the words he never did. Holds the explanation that was never necessary. A man in love is not be interfered with en route to his destination.
“Why did you change cafes?” Riki sighs, trying to act nonchalant as he pushes the tray in front of her face. As she reaches out to pick up the cup, he grabs her hand and shakes his head. “Answer me first.” Her eyes grow wide, cheeks flushing slightly. But she turns to face him properly, looking nervous as she tries to explain herself. “I think the cafe changed the recipe of the caramel macchiato or something… and you didn’t come for days… so I just decided..”
“I don’t come for a few days because I’m sick and you disappear?” Riki can’t help but tease, his heart beating in his ears. “You’re funny.”
She looks shocked at this revelation but giggles to herself, body leaning in towards him.
“The coffee didn’t taste the same either. Even though the hands who prepared it were the same, I clearly saw your coworker making my coffee. And I’m not saying it’s because of this, but there wasn’t your signature foam art, and I kinda missed it.” She gestures towards the cup. And Riki can’t take it anymore.
His lip trembles as he bursts out, “That’s because it wasn’t Sunoo hyung who prepared the drinks for you. On the first day, I made your drink. I added an extra shot of caramel because I knew you liked it. I deliberately took care of your order myself.” And you still don’t know why, to this day. You don’t remember me at all. Of course, at the airport, I was the one crying ugly tears, wishing you weren’t going. I wanted one more chance. I knew you didn’t like me back, and it felt like you never would.
Now that you’re back, how am I supposed to let you go again?
“Come back to our cafe. I’ll be there. I’ll make the caramel macchiato like you like, and I’ll even design custom latte arts on your coffees.” By the end of his outburst, he’s wiping his sweaty hands on his apron, scared to hear her answer. Will she say yes and let things return to how they usually were? Or would she reject him and tell him she was fine without him all along?
“Okay,” she smiles and it reaches her choco-hazel eyes. “I’ll see you there tomorrow, then. But I have to rush, I’ve got a movie I want to see.”
Oh? A movie? Isn’t this perfect to…
“Is it the new Disney one?” Riki blinks earnestly when she nods. “I’ve really wanted to see that too!”
“Why don’t you come with me, then? I’m going alone, since all my friends are busy and tomorrow’s the last day it’s in theatres.”
Consider Riki the luckiest boy in the world.
“I’ve got something to show you,” Riki whispers, in the pitch-black darkness of the back of the movie theatre. The movie has just ended, but all Riki remembers is the way y/n laughs and coos at the animations and characters. He only recalls his reaction to seeing her in such a whimsical dress as she walked into the cafe on a Saturday morning. Thin, soft pink ribbons holding her french plaits together, accentuating the doll image she wanted.
All he wants is to finally make her his. He wants to be able to call her beautiful without sounding like a creep. He wants to be the reason why she wakes up and stops by the cafe every weekday morning. Though he has an inkling that he already is, and she just doesn’t want to admit it.
“What is it?”
Her eyes. They gleam even in the utter darkness. How is that possible? She’s like a materialisation of a fairy from a fantasy story.
His voice wavers as he says, “let’s head out first.”
“Okay…”
She follows him out the theatre, and they head back towards the cafe. Riki’s glad he’s not on shift today, otherwise Heeseung would definitely have his head off. All the way back, he fiddles with his wallet, which holds the photograph of truth.
“I don’t want you to go…” On the 8th of December in 2017, Riki waits by the airport barricades and wipes his snot away when y/n leans in to hug him goodbye. “How long will you be gone?”
“Not long, I promise.” Tears well up in her eyes upon seeing her best friend in this state. “I believe we’ll see each other again, if it’s truly fate.”
Riki’s mother, heart aching at the exchange, steps back and suggests, “let me take a picture of you both for you both to remember, okay?”
Riki doesn’t notice the flash between sobs.
When they reach the cafe, Riki sits y/n down at her favourite window seat and puts the very same photograph in her palms. He awaits with bated breath for her response, but she just remains silent. He doesn’t know if she’s breathing anymore, either.
Finally, after nearly a minute has passed, she looks up with a glaze over her eyes.
“It wasn’t just deja vu, was it?” Riki doesn’t know how he manages to tease her even in this tender moment. She gasps like what he says is scandalous, before pulling him in close to hug him. For a few moments, they remain this way, Riki wondering whether she can hear his heart pounding as if it’s going to shatter his ribcage.
Even if she does, though, she says nothing of it.
“So I was right,” she murmurs, pulling away from the hug. Her cheeks are smudged with wetness. “I was right like I always used to be. Idiot.”
He cocks his head, bemused.
“It’s destiny. I said we’d meet again if fate aligned, and it did.”
Like the north and south poles of two magnets, they’ve found their way back to each other. It’s like a fever dream.
(y/n’s pov, 14.02.23)
There’s no way Riki would ask you to come to the cafe at 12pm sharp for no reason, right? In the middle of a huge crowd, no less, knocked right and left from the couples who are here for a Valentine’s date. You have a feeling that a confession is awaiting you, but how does a confession come about without the confessor?
You continue to stand in the middle of the crowd in your carefully selected pink dress, white laced leg warmers adorning your calves to keep you warm. Riki’s always very adamant about you staying warm, so you put on extra layers to please him even if you’re not cold. Otherwise, he’s bound to smother you with jackets and sweaters.
Lost in your own thoughts, you don’t notice Riki rushing over to you with an iced pink drink in his hands. It’s the first time he’s ever prepared an iced drink for you, considering you’ve only experienced winter season together. He looks regretful about this, staring down at his carelessly tied apron for comfort.
“Sorry I didn’t make it a warm drink, I wanted you to be able to see the pink. And I can’t put hot drinks into the plastic cups… obviously…” He rambles, holding the drink out for you. Just as you fish out your wallet to pay him, laughing all the while because of how cute he looks in the moment, he shakes his head. “Oh, it’s on the house.”
“That’s not legally right,” you stick your tongue out at him and pull out a five-dollar-note in spite. His hand comes up, but as you think he’s going in for the note, he grabs your wrist and tugs you close to him instead. He angles his head and his eyes flutter shut as he kisses you. Drink still in his other hand. He drops your wrist and pulls your waist instead.
Breathless when he pulls away, he whispers, looking deep into your eyes, “if you go out with me, it counts as the couple special. Be my girlfriend.”
You bet your cheeks are as pink as the drink Riki prepared for you when he goes in for another kiss.
13 February 2015
“Do you like anyone?”
Ten-year-old Riki poses his very important question to you as he hangs from the monkey bars. You take a while to think, but eventually can’t come up with a name that’s worthy enough to be considered your crush. “Nope! You?”
“I think so.”
“Really? Who is it?”
Riki makes a hushing face as his way of telling you he’s not ready to reveal his secret. “I know tomorrow is Valentine’s day, but I think we should grow up first before I tell her.”
“Awwww, will you at least give me a hint?” You beg, oblivious that the girl of Riki’s dreams is you. It has always been you. He smiles softly and shakes his head no.
He drops down from the monkey bars and comes to sit by your side on the grass. “I’m very close to her. I think one of these Valentine’s, I’ll tell her. Isn’t that romantic?”
“Man, I hope she doesn’t steal you away from me. We’re best friends, you’ll remember that, right? You promise?”
“I will. Pinky promise, chocolate sprinkles on top.”
↬ rest of the encafe series
NOTES ; thank you all so much for reading this first inclusion of me and @enwonz series !! we hope you give us lots of support and love hehe. please like and reblog if you enjoyed, and drop either of us an ask if you'd like to be added to the taglist!
