BARISTA BOY ; KJI
kim jongin x gn! reader
after getting kicked out of the library, you decide to go to a local coffee shop to get a sugar boost to help you finish a tedious assignment. you end up hitting it off with the cute barista working the graveyard shift, and you really want to get to know him better.
genre: college + barista au! fluff!!! <3 word count: 3.4k warnings: minimal strong language
author’s note: hello @achenlove !!! i’m starry, and i’m your secret santa for @exolssecretsanta 2021!! ik u said u like fluff fics so i do hope you enjoy this cute fluffy piece🥺 goodness i want a barista jongin in my life😭
“Hey, what are you doing here? Library's closed!"
The voice of your college's librarian shook you out of your hyper-focus. With a jump, you turned to look at her, shouting a quick apology. After saving your work, you shut your laptop and began putting your textbooks and other stuff into your backpack. You slung the bag over your shoulder and rushed out of the dark library, uttering a silent goodbye and another apology to the grumpy librarian before exiting.
The breeze of the cool midnight air sent a chill down your spine as you looked around your campus for a brief moment. You weren't in the mood to go back to your dorm room since you still had to finish your Music Theory essay and you knew your roommate would be nothing but distracting. Just as you were going to accept defeat and make the trek back to your dorm, you remembered your classmate's suggestion of a nearby café not even half a mile away from campus. You needed a pick-me-up anyway, why not? With a smile, you turned your heel and began the walk over to the café.
"Please still be open, please still be open!" you murmured to yourself as you crossed the street. You pumped your fist in the air as you saw the illuminated sign of Honey’s Café.
The comforting smell of coffee beans filled your nose as soon as you entered the cute little shop. It was completely deserted apart from the only employee. He was in the middle of cleaning one of the many tables when he looked up at you.
You thought he was the most breathtaking part of the café. He was tall, a pair of round glasses sliding down his cute button nose. He sported a stained white apron below a tan knitted turtleneck with the sleeves rolled up (where you got to get a good look at his toned arms). He smiled at you, pushing his glasses up his nose.
"Hi! I'll be with you in just a sec. Lemme, uh, get back there quick." he said quickly. You nodded with a blush as he dropped the white rag onto the table and scurried over to the counter. You slowly followed him as you fished your wallet out of your backpack. You couldn't take your eyes off of him as he stumbled into the small station, silently giggling at his clumsiness.
"Sorry about that. I didn't really expect anyone to come in at this time of night. What would you like?" he asked, tapping a few times on the cash register screen.
"It's okay, you're good! And can I have..." you trailed off, looking at the menu (and not-so-subtly stealing a few glances at his gorgeous face). "A medium hot chocolate?"
"Sure thing!" he chirped, tapping some more on the screen. "That'll be $4.15." You took out your debit card and put it into the chip reader, waiting for a moment before signing the screen and taking the card back out. He took the receipt out of the machine and handed it to you with another smile. "It'll be ready in a bit."
As the barista, whose name you learned was Jongin, no thanks to his nametag, set off to make your drink, you unzipped your backpack and took out your laptop. You booted it up and opened up your essay, immediately beginning to type. You got lost in your work for a bit before hearing a light tap in front of you. You looked up to see Jongin looking down at you, your hot chocolate in his hands. You softly thanked him as you took the drink from him.
"Lot of work?" he questioned, glancing down at your computer. You nodded with a sigh, typing out another sentence before taking a sip of your hot chocolate. Your eyes widened at the flavorful combination of milk chocolate, whipped cream and a small hint of vanilla.
"Hot damn, that's amazing!" you exclaimed, taking another sip. He shyly smiled down at you, pushing his hair back slightly. "Can I give my compliments to the chef, er, barista?"
"You may." Jongin beamed. You stared up at him for a few moments before hesitantly turning back to your laptop. Honestly, you could stare at him for hours. He walked back behind the counter and began to clean the machines as you tried to refocus on writing your essay.
A couple of hours passed before you finished the final sentence of your godforsaken paper. With a content hum, you saved your work and shut your laptop, silently reminding yourself to go print it when the library reopened in about six hours' time. As you began to pack your stuff back up, you noticed Jongin walking in your direction, yawning softly. "Hey, um... I'm gonna close up now."
"Oh, shoot. I didn't even realize I was here for... two hours!" you exclaimed as you checked the time on your phone, reading 1:55 AM.
"Don't worry about it, I just wanted to let you know I was closing up shop now."
"Okay. Um, d'you need help with anything? I know I'm not a barista or anything but I probably should do something since I took up space in here for two hours."
"No no, you're fine. I just need to lock everything up and put up these chairs," You gave him a nod as you stood up from your seat. You picked up the chair you were sitting in and flipped it over, resting the flat seat on the miniature table. "Oh, you don't have to do that! You're probably really tired!"
"Hey, it's okay. I'm amped up on sugar and I'm bored." you said as you picked up the second chair and placed it onto the table.
Despite Jongin's protests, the two of you ended up closing up shop together quickly and efficiently. You worked with the tables and chairs while he locked the cash register and gave the machines one final cleaning. Jingling a ring of keys in his hand, he led you out of the small shoppe, shutting the lights in the process. He pulled the gate down and locked it. He looked over to you with a small smile as he pocketed his keys.
"Um, do you mind if I drive you home? Y'know, as a thanks for helping me close up." Jongin asked softly, looking down at his hands before looking back up at you.
"Sure, thanks. I, uh, go to the college around here. I can give you directions to the dorms if you want." you responded, blushing.
"I know where they are, I actually went there. Graduated last year."
"Oh, that's cool! I graduate this year, actually. One more semester of this bull crap then it's off to graduate school." Jongin nodded as he opened the passenger door of his car for you. You nodded as a thank you as you slid inside.
"What're you going to grad school for?" Jongin asked as he started the car.
"Music technology. It's always been a dream for me to become a producer."
"Ooh, that's cool! I was a performing arts major with a dance minor with plans to do it professionally, but my family's been having some... money problems... so a family friend who owns Honey’s hired me so I can help out with the bills while trying to find an agent."
"Performing arts, huh? That's really cool actually, I could never perform in front of other people like that, I'm sure you've got a gift."
"Thanks."
Jongin pulled up in front of your dorm building and stopped the car. You thanked him for the ride home and exited his car. You gave him a wave goodbye as he drove away before making your way inside.
Thankfully your roommate was already asleep when you entered the dorm room. After changing into your pajamas and completing your nighttime routine, you curled under the covers thinking of Jongin, smiling giddily to yourself.
Three days passed before you saw Jongin again. It was one of those nights where sleep was not going to come easy, so impulsively, you got out of bed and decided to pay another visit to Honey’s Café. You knew that it was still open for another hour, so you grabbed your backpack and a hoodie and snuck out of your dorm room, careful not to wake your roommate.
You grinned as soon as you stepped inside of the homely shop, laying your eyes on Jongin. He was typing on his phone before looking up at you, giving you a soft smile.
"Hey, fancy seeing you here again." Jongin says, shooting you a dazzling grin. You felt your face heat up a bit as you smiled back at him. You ordered a chamomile tea, carefully taking in the cozy atmosphere of the shop (and the barista) before sitting at the same table as last time.
You laid your head atop your folded arms as you watched Jongin move around behind the counter. He crafted the perfect beverage for you as if he was painting a mural: each of his movements adding the precise amount of flavor and color.
“Any sugar?” He called out, pushing his golden glasses up his nose. You held up two fingers, giggling softly as he send you a wink and a returning finger-gun. After hearing the crinkling of two sugar packets and soft mixing, your smile only increased as you saw Jongin carefully walk over to your table and place the steaming cup in front of you. “Careful, it’s hot.”
“Thanks.” You looked into the cup and inhaled the comforting scent of chamomile and sugar. The hot steam wafted into your face, startling you slightly before you blew some of it away. You shot Jongin a quick glance before raising the cup to your lips, taking a slow sip of the hot drink. Surprisingly, the burn was not as bad as you anticipated; you were able to actually taste the tea on the first sip!
“How is it?” Jongin inquired.
“Really good! Chamomile is my favorite, I’m surprised it didn’t burn my tongue like it usually does when I make it.” You reply, taking another sip.
“Thanks, my mom actually taught me a way how to let the tea cool a bit without it actually getting cold, and people have been raving about it forever.”
“No way. How?”
“A magician never reveals his secrets.” You snort, playfully smacking Jongin’s forearm. He giggles. It’s loud, sure, but it is nothing if not lively as a young child on Christmas morning. Of course, you cannot help your smile.
He turns on his heel and begins to walk back to the counter. At least, until you grab his arm. “Sit with me, I’m bored.”
“But I need to clean the counter...” You almost give in to his whining.
“You can clean later...” He gives you a look. “I’ll help you close again.”
“Deal.”
And that’s how you ended up talking past closing. You opened up to him about your fascination with the behind-the-scenes aspect of creating music: writing lyrics, making beats, helping people with recording, you name it. He was fascinated when you spoke about your experiences with helping a friend of yours get started on their dream of being a musician.
He told you about how he’s always loved dancing since he was a kid, and that acting was more of a newer career path for him. He loved participating in all the school productions, but musicals were a special favorite. Being able to showcase his skills is his favorite thing to do.
“Wait, you were in Phantom of the Opera last year?” you exclaimed, almost spitting your tea out all over the table. He nodded, showing you a picture of him in Erik’s costume. He was holding the actress who played Christine in his arms, who just so happened to be a good friend of yours. “She’s one of my best friends, actually!”
“Really? I’m surprised we never crossed paths before.”
“Yeah, me too.”
You eventually had to cease your conversation and hold up your end of the deal. Similarly to last time, you wiped down the tables before setting the chairs on top of them while Jongin cleaned the machines. He offered to drive you back to your dorm again, which you giddily accepted.
When Jongin pulled up to your building, you impulsively asked him for his phone number and social media. You were pretty shocked with yourself when asking this, since you’ve never made a move like this before, but you sensed that you made a connection with Jongin, and you were not going to let that slip away. Luckily for you, he took your phone and added himself into your contacts and other social media accounts and kissed you on the cheek before driving off.
“Text me when you get home and stay warm!” You called out, trying to hide your giddiness as he drove away. You bit back a squeal as you entered your room, still feeling the lingering touch of Jongin’s lips on your cheek. And right as you were about to close your eyes and drift off into dreamland, you heard your phone vibrate, indicating Jongin got home safely. With a grin, you sent him a thumbs up and a heart emoji before drifting off to sleep, your dreams filled with the aroma of Honey’s Café and a beaming Jongin.
Texting Jongin became your new favorite pastime. You didn’t have too much time to go back to see him at the café due to your busy schedule, much to your disappointment, but you were happy you could text each other at least.
His replies arrived quicker than you could text. You felt bad for your slow replies, but lately, school was absolutely kicking your ass. From finals and research papers to classes and extracurriculars, you were swamped. The worst part about it? You did not have time to go back to Honey’s Café, even for a quick pick-me-up because of how busy you’ve been.
You’ve gotten to know Jongin through these sporadic texts really well luckily. You liked talking about little things like the bird that flew into the café while Jongin was working a particularly slow shift, but also talking about your lives, similarly to how you did so on the two nights you spent together at the café. And the way he was nothing but sweet and understanding as you constantly apologized for not replying on time, it was hard not to catch feelings.
It was another late night when you saw Jongin again, but not in the way you would think. You were scrambling to finish your final research paper, but the words simply would not come to you. You had one more stupid paragraph to write, why couldn’t you do it? Sighing, you opened your phone to text Jongin, lamenting about your writer’s block. He suggested you take a small break to get your thoughts in order, which you gladly agreed to do.
You were scrolling through Tiktok when you heard a soft knock on your window. Your roommate was out of town for the weekend and a lot of your friends were either asleep or studying, so you were not sure who was there. Grabbing a pen and holding it behind you, you slowly approached your window. You jumped in shock seeing a smiling Jongin holding a to-go cup and a brown bag from Honey’s.
“Jongin? What are you doing here?” You whispered, opening the window and urging him to come inside before he froze his ass off.
“You need a break, I just finished my shift, and here I am.” Jongin said, placing the cup and bag onto your desk. You watched him, all while a ton of different emotions and thoughts encircled your mind.
‘He didn’t have to come.’
‘Why was he here?’
'I can’t believe he came to see me in the dead of night when it’s well below freezing.’
‘How does he always manage to look so fine in that uniform?’
“You didn’t have to come! I mean, aren’t you tired?”
“Aren’t you?” You went to fire back but came back blank. “I, uh, made you some hot chocolate and brought you some pastries and stuff. Are you hungry?”
You sighed. Why did he have to be so sweet and considerate? “Um, I haven’t been too focused on being hungry, but now that I think about it...” As you trailed off, you heard your stomach growl, earning a soft giggle from Jongin.
“Guess that answers my question.” You laughed, waving him off as you grabbed your roommate’s desk chair and dragged it next to yours. Jongin sat next to you, watching you look inside the bag and taking out one of the pastries. “Guess you like them?” He giggled as you began to eat the pastry quickly, washing it down with a sip of the hot (more like lukewarm) chocolate.
“I really needed this, thanks.” you said, not caring that your mouth was full.
“Anytime. So... what’s this paper about?” Jongin asked, leaning toward your laptop. You whined, waving him away from the computer as you sat down.
“Ugh, just some stupid research paper that I totally didn’t start two nights before it’s due because I forget I take this class.” You quipped.
“You literally described my entire time taking Gen Ed classes.” Jongin chuckled, taking a croissant from the brown bag.
“This is literally my last assignment before my finals and I just. Can’t. Get. It. Done. I have one paragraph left and words aren’t even coming to me.” You whined, taking another sip from your hot chocolate.
“I felt that, oh my god. When’s it due? ‘Cause maybe you can pick up on it later.”
“I mean it’s due tomorrow night, but I really wanna get this done now.”
“I don’t know if this is gonna help, but maybe stop for the night? Just because you’re like almost done and you still have time.”
You thought about this for a moment. Maybe he was right, you could pick it back up after a break (and maybe some sleep as well). “Yeah, screw it. I’ll finish in like 8 hours or whatever.”
“There you go, close the laptop.” Jongin wrapped his hand around your wrist, guided it toward your computer and helped you close it. You looked away, feeling your face heat up from how close he was. The scent of his cologne and coffee beans was surprisingly comforting, and his grip on your wrist made your mind wander.
You coaxed yourself into facing him, looking into his big brown gleaming eyes. His lips curled up into a smile, allowing his eyes to crinkle in that way you loved seeing in the selfies he sent. You smiled back, turning your arm around causing you to join hands with him. He squeezed your hand and slowly leaned closer to you.
His lips were soft and inviting when they touched yours. He dropped your hand to wrap his arms around you, deepening the kiss. You wrapped your arms around his neck, pushing it in your direction to kiss him back.
He tasted like fresh coffee grounds with a hint of mint. He kissed you as if he was breathing life into you, savoring you, tasting you, holding you. He kissed you like he was telling you everything about him, giving you love, giving you life.
Regrettably, he pulled away, placing a hand on your cheek. You stared into his eyes, watching the stars swimming in his irises. His smile only increased the more he looked at you.
“Can I take you out when your paper’s done? Maybe to an actual restaurant instead of where I work?” You laughed softly, touching your forehead to his.
“Yeah, that’d be amazing.” Jongin beamed, pressing a kiss to your cheek.
“I think I’m gonna go home and get some actual sleep. You should, too.”
“Good idea. Lemme lead you out of here so you don’t have to climb through the window again.”
You walked him out of your dorm room and to his car, careful to stay quiet as not to wake any of the residents. He left you with a quick hug and another breathtaking kiss, promising to text you when he arrived home.
Which he did, accompanying the words with a simple “Good night” and a red heart emoji. A simple little emoji that made you want to run out of your room and kiss him again. You wished you could move time forward so you could see that cute barista boy again. But, as you knew, good things come to those who wait.
That little saying was so right.
