over the counter and back ✧ jww
tags fluff, meet cute, izakaya!au / midnight diner!au, slight misunderstanding, few swear words, self indulgence (surprising), sopping wet pathetic reader
wc 2.7k words
note that men’s nonno izakaya shoot with dk… yeah... *faints* the hirotaka allegations aint helping either [pic cr. jwwfile on twt]
note i was gonna put an alcohol on the tags but its an izakaya au, u know what ur getting into
crossposted to AO3
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It wasn’t the weekdays or the rush hour. It’s just the izakaya usually is not that packed. Only two couples on the tables and a woman tonight, who seemed have gotten off work quite late, sitting at the bar area, seemingly laid back on her phone over her unfinished beer. Old jazzy songs from your boss’ playlist softly filled the bar, warming up the mood.
Your head chef, well, your boss, Kouji, just bid you a farewell. The izakaya just opened about two hours ago this evening, but he had to clock early for his daughter in labour, who usually works part-time here alongside you until about a month ago, which is why you tried to fill her shift until she comes back. Not that you mind.
You wished him good luck before he tackled you into a light hug, resulting in a small “oof!” out of you.
Honestly, handling the diner on a slow day alone doesn’t really worry you. It’s always just the three or two of you. Kouji said the neighborhood was particularly safe.
"Also it’s a small bar afterall,” he adds.
As you came back from the kitchen after finishing the woman’s check, a new customer came in behind the bar island this time. Young man probably what describes him more. Looks about around his mid 20s, pretty thick rimmed glasses. You’re not sure if it’s his shoulder who’s wide or his button-ups were just oversized, but, boy, does he look lean.
“Welcome! Anything for your order tonight?”
He sits on the barstool at the centre by himself. He adjusts his glasses as he glances around unsure, “yeah, um… just gyudon and draft beer, please,”
You walked around getting the tall glass to pour one from the beer machine.
"Sorry, can I ask something?” he promptly starts.
”Yes?”
”Where is Kouji-san?”
Looking up from the filled glass, you serve the beer on the counter, “Sensei? His daughter’s in labour tonight. I’m in charge for now,”
“Only you?” you smiled at his question and nodded, “‘Seems you know Sensei. You’re a regular?”
He took off his watch and chuckled, “Sort of? I do stop by pretty frequently but I’ve kinda never seen you,” he reasoned as he folded up his sleeves.
You laughed softly in the middle of wiping off the beer faucet, pointing to the back with your thumb, “I’m usually in the kitchen.” You put back the rag into your apron, “So ring the bell or call up if you need anything.”
You felt the banter was enough as you turned your heels back to the kitchen because you had to make his gyudon.
“Wait,” but his calling stopped you in your step. You turned around to him taking a sip of his beer.
“I haven’t gotten your name.”
“If it isn’t Wonwoo!”
Who?
Kouji’s whoop was muffled behind the kitchen curtain. You tried to calmly finish plating up the dish for a current customer so you can quickly move on to this acquaintance of Kouji. Putting his order is for later, so you swiftly deliver the tray full of bowls to the also full table at the back first.
You came back with another tray of empty dishes as you can finally see your next customer.
Oh, right… I forgot to ask his name.
He smiled at you as you confidently welcomed him, mirroring his smile.
In the middle of putting away the dirty dishes, Kouji came into the kitchen with a question, “Wonwoo said he knows you? You’ve never told me!”
You looked back at him in a slight surprise and a chuckle, “Not really, actually, we met around last week I think? You clocked off early.”
What you remembered from that day was after Wonwoo asked your name, customers started piling up in a short time right after you served his food. That resulted in you spending most of your time in the kitchen and finished his check a little quickly because the other was also queuing behind him.
“Go take his order. A group just came in just now and I’m taking theirs,” Kouji ordered.
“What?? Why not you earlier, Sensei?” you whined.
After your half-playful complaint of not taking his order, you wipe off your hand dry and sighed on your way out.
“Another draft beer?”
You guessed as you walked up to him. He nodded, “And a mapo tofu, do you have that?” You took out your notes to write down his orders, “I’ll make sure and prepare that for you.
"Anything else?”
Days after that, Wonwoo occasionally stopped by around eight or nine, assumingly whenever he had overtime. It’s always the same order. One (or more) glass of draft beer and any bowl dishes, that mapo tofu most of the time.
There was also the time where he came in at almost eleven. He usually never shows any signs of fatigue or weariness on his face but you can see the dim in his eyes. You tried to not approach him that much, spending more of your time checking up the kitchen before touching the baton to Kouji for the night.
You rang up his check right before you clock out. He looked a bit more refreshed after his meal, cheeks slightly flushed after a few refills of beer.
“Please walk safe home,” you gave back his card to the small tray alongside the bill.
Not expecting your non-customer service farewell, he stared at you for a few seconds before nodding his head, “you too.”
You swore in every language you can think of. You felt heart squeezed and you hated it. Wonwoo was starting to grow in your heart. It’s always been really nice to see him in the izakaya for a few days a week after that. You hated that you never sort of believed in any of those “at first sight” moments. If it works the. good for them. But, God, does it felt slightly heavy on your feet anytime you had to walk back to the kitchen instead of seeing him and talk to him. You mentally slapped yourself to put your mind in place. Focus.
It could be because he’s one of your first regulars and, cough, is good looking, but you don’t even know his background. Who are his friends and family? Why does he always come alone? Hell, you're not even sure if it’s a crush or that you just found comfort within a customer. Either way, workplace is still a workplace, and he is your client. This izakaya is your only rendezvous to him.
That is when Wonwoo ordered two glasses of beer. You tried your best not to halt when you stepped out of the kitchen and saw a young woman around his age beside him. You didn’t, and served him his usual bowl of rice. Gyudon this time, and mapo tofu for her.
This is the second time he had brought her to this izakaya. You need to stop looking like a stalker, hiding behind the kitchen curtain. You also need to stop before someone accuses you as a total creep as you compare their interaction a few days ago with today. Almost the same. From outside it looked like they were having a quite serious and private discussion, noting down stuff on paper and their phone alternatively. As if someone’s life was actually on the line. You are also lucky Kouji will come later at night, because he might also accuse you as a total creepy stalker.
You try only focusing on attending customers. It’s almost the weekend and customers start piling up before you realize Wonwoo was already sitting alone. You try to not overthink why he didn’t take her home himself and let her go home by herself.
You walk up to the bar to check the beer dispenser. You can feel his eyes boring at you, slightly dim again like it was a couple weeks ago, and two empty glasses of beer.
“Need a refill?” you carefully ask, walking up to him.
“I’m good.” he slightly smiles before asking for his check.
You kept your sweet encouragement to yourself as you don’t want to force and assume anything towards him. He left the change and gave you a tip.
“Wonwoo?”
It was nearing autumn. Though the sun was already setting at five, the bar still opens at the same time. The rain pours hard, covering any sign of the sun setting with gloom. But nothing could’ve prepared you other than the six feet tall man crouching under the roof in front of the closed bar you’re working at, shading himself from the rain. You grip your umbrella tighter when he looks up to your call.
He calls your name in recognition as he stands up.
The rain poured even harder above the roof of the izakaya when you hand Wonwoo the warm coffee on the bar. He’s in the middle of taking off his damp jacket when he looks up to you at the sight of the cup.
“On the house,”
“Thank you.”
You busy yourself behind the bar, checking and tidying stuff up under the bar as Wonwoo sips on his coffee. You peek glances over him. He doesn’t look as tired as the last time you saw him. But if your over-analysis and timeline matched, his reasoning behind crouching like a pathetic man in front of your workplace must have something to do with it.
“Is it okay if I ask you what’s wrong?”
Your sudden approach jolts him a little. He chuckles, “it’s fine,” you wait for his pause.
“I can say it’s, um... family matters. Something came up and we had to figure it out somehow, a little stressful I might say,” you hum understanding.
“Did you not have work today? You usually come later. It’s not even six yet,”
He shakes his head, “No, I just finished super early. My seniors are having dinner, too, so,”
“Not going?”
“Not really my thing. Only works when I was new,”
He takes a sip of his coffee again. You space out for a moment not knowing what to respond. You were never the best at comforting someone. For as long as you’ve been friends with your best friends, you’ve always listened. Maybe give them some hugs and pats on the head, words of “I’m here” and “You’re not on your own” repeatedly said, affirming.
You feel sort of bad and truly embarrassed at how you acted behind him the past weeks. Suspecting his love life(?), getting—you admit—jealous at some random woman you don’t know and didn’t even try to know. Maybe what you thought a few weeks ago was right. Maybe you do have a huge cru–
“Yes, Wonwoo?” your ribbons of thoughts were snipped by Wonwoo calling your name.
“You’re usually bright, is something wrong?”
He countered back your question. Confused by it, you look around unsure. Guests usually come around an hour after opening, and you have never wished someone to come in right now so bad throughout your whole career.
“M-maybe? I don’t know, sorry,”
Wonwoo was in the middle of wiping his glasses with the paw of his sleeves. He puts them back on.
“It’s usually me who’s quiet between us,” he adjusts them to the bridge of his nose, looking up at you from his seat, smiling.
'Between us?' He’s not making this any better.
You scratch the back of your unitchy neck, have not planned to come up with any reply or answer. You avert your gaze to the window, trying to avoid his eyes. Your wish of customers barging in is washed away by the rain—not slowing down any minute apparently.
“I just thought something came up and you had to like,” you chuckle at your messy attempt at answering, “get off early or... run away or some sort."
Wonwoo was still sipping his coffee. Not sensing his answer in any minute, you finish your prior thought with your remaining breath, “sort of, um... heartbroken-looking.”
You organize the shot bottle on the under bar, again trying to distract yourself from the fact that he's now facing you, eyes boring. You didn’t budge and he stared at his coffee.
“I think I wanna get to know you, Wonwoo,” you finally look at him. Emphasizing on your tone, you don’t want him to feel like you’re just messing around.
“Can I?” you tilt your head and ponder at him, preparing yourself for the worst.
“I don’t know if it's possible. For all the times you came here, the past few weeks, I always get all... gung-ho when cooking, or preparing side dishes and bowls in the back. It’s like I want you to see me doing great, like there’s nothing wrong in my mind. You know, to be "bright" like you said. Honestly I feel kinda stupid now, fuck, sorry…” you breath out the last word.
“And then you came in super late that night, with that… heavy shoulders and countless refills of this damned beer, and then came in with that lady not once but twice, and this… serious tension between the two of you. You know, I just didn’t want to assume but it’s just… I don’t know, it was kinda confusing—"
“With who now?”
You instantly pause, knowing full well he has probably caught on. So you sigh, “That… friend around your age. Pretty, slight tan... long hair?” you scratch your forehead in defeat. It’s like your pride just splurts out like a balloon being squished its air out.
You excuse yourself by collecting his empty cup on the top counter to refill it, but a hand halts your steps grabbing onto your arm.
“Don’t give me more, I can't handle caffeine that well.”
“Just… let me put this back to the kitchen,”
“Later. Sit here.” he orders.
Your heart flinched at the slight octave drop of his already soft voice. Another sigh of loss, you put back the cup. Wonwoo slowly let go of your arm to let you walk around the bar counter.
It’s now a whole new view. Wonwoo is sitting right next to you and you can definitely smell his cologne. Even just one second of eye contact, you couldn’t handle it. How does one’s gaze be so soft and comforting? You dart your eyes and cover them with your hands with elbows on the table.
“Just… let's just finish this. I already feel ridiculous.”
All you can catch with your ears was his soft chuckle and fabric rustling, “you wanna get to know me right?”
You feel his fingers snake around your wrist, gently pulling your hands away from your face. Seeing his face up close does not help even one bit, you feel even more like shit of how messy and pathetic you must’ve looked.
“That… “friend”, is my future sister-in-law,” he starts,
Your eyeballs could probably see the back of your head as you whip your head away, hands on your head in attempt to shrink yourself.
“Ugh, Wonwoo, enough of that,”
“Which is why we were so stressed we had to talk about it on our own. My brother’s marriage is on the line.”
You hear his tone indicating him smiling whilst explaining. To be frank, you kind of already gave up the moment his voice dropped an octave lower. All you can do now is just to sit next to Wonwoo with his thumb drawing circles on your palm.
“It’s not stupid or whatever you said earlier,” he softly assures, fingertips a little cold from sheltering the rain earlier. Your heart squeezes again. It does feel so to you. Stupid crush at the ripe age of your 20s. Great.
“So can I get to know you then?”
You look up at him, desperate for his answer and decision.
“Only if I get to know you, too. Here,”
He taps his finger to the table, hand still not letting go of yours.
You make sure once more, “like right here?”
He nods, “until today’s first customer.”
You’re not sure if the smile on your lips is for him or just out of embarrassment, “Well technically you are one,” you chuckle, “at least let me put this back to the kitchen.”
Well, now that your stupid crush issue is all clear, you can finally find the courage to look at his face one more time, no meddling. All you can focus on was the soft and playful beam on his eyes behind that thick specs.
“Tell Kouji-san you got a date tonight.”
[18:06] sensei [18:06] i might have to clock off early
[18:12] Oh sure, something’s up?
[18:13] yeah umm [18:13] i just booked myself a date
[18:14] Oooh [18:14] Hahaha [18:14] About time that wonwoo
[18:14] ??? [18:14] sensei?
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[m.list]
im bout to make a “try not writing scenario about another meet cute at 3 am” challenge (already failed)