hello!! i saw your "nct reaction to a ticklish s/o" and found it so cute 🥹 i'm a huge moa so i was wondering if you could make one for txt too!!
Hey anon! Hope you enjoy this and have a great day :)
yeonjun:
a MENACE once he finds out. tickles whenever, wherever, as and when he feels like
he's bored? tickles. you're cuddling? tickles. he just feels like it? tickles
you were in the kitchen getting a glass of water when yeonjun came in too, looking for a snack
“hey baby” he greets, smiling softly at you as he passes by, hand brushing over your waist gently
you attempt to return his greeting with a smile, but a squeak rips from your throat instead as you reflexively jump back holding your side
yeonjun notices your sudden reaction and stares at you for a few seconds, confused as to why you'd reacted so strongly to his touch
then it all clicks for him and you feel your heart sink to your stomach as he starts grinning like Joker from batman
“so, y/n. you're ticklish, huh?”
“no…” you attempt to lie, but the way your voice trails off betrays you
doubtful, yeonjun delivers another experimental poke to your side and smiles even wider when he receives the same reaction, prompting you to escape
you practically fly out of the kitchen into the living hall as yeonjun follows behind you, the snack he wanted having been long forgotten, laughing maniacally the entire time
“got you!” he shouts triumphantly, and you scream as he tackles you onto the couch and pins you down with one hand while his other hand tickles you in every spot possible, making you laugh louder than you ever have in your life
he quickly finds an especially sensitive spot on your back and chooses to tickle that spot extra, driving you crazy as you flop around like a fish
“y/n you liar! you're ticklish as hell!” he cackles, watching you squirm around in his hold and laugh your heart out
after what seems like an eternity he finally stops his attack
“you're so cute”, he says, smiling as he strokes your hair, and pulls you in for a hug
knowing you can't stay mad with him, you lean into his touch and reciprocate the hug
you both spend the afternoon cuddling on the couch (with occasional tickle attacks from yeonjun)
soobin
i personally don't think he’d tickle you that much, though he’d find it cute
he would only do it if he wants to make you laugh or if he's feeling particularly playful
that fateful day soobin finds you hobbling into the house, no thanks to the brand new pair of heels you'd worn for work
“y/n? you alright?” soobin asks, concern evident in his voice as he rushes to help you to the couch
“i’m alright, bin. it's just that my feet hurt, probably because of the new shoes,” you reply as you plonk yourself onto the couch and yank your shoes off, grateful to finally be able to sit after a long day
your sweet boyfriend offers to give you a foot massage to relieve your pain
feeling beat from the tiring day, you happily agree
you feel yourself melt into the couch, relaxing at his touch as he rubs the soreness out of your feet
your blissful peace is unfortunately interrupted when soobin accidentally grazes your soles, causing you to instinctively pull your feet away and giggle
he notices, and his lips curve up into a small smile
“you're ticklish?” he asks, tone carrying hints of playfulness
“no…okay, maybe a little”. you concede.
“only a little?” soobin teases as he traps both your ankles in one of his giant hands, mercilessly skittering his fingers over your soles
you burst out into fits of laughter, kicking like a mule to try to free yourself from his grip
soobin’s heart melts at the sight of you laughing so freely, and his smile widens too, eyes forming half-moon shapes and bunny teeth beginning to show
after about two minutes he stops, sending a final poke to your side
“aish, jagi, why are you so cute?” he quips, wrapping his arms around you as you giggle and rest your head on his chest
for the rest of the evening, the both of you are all smiles
other members under the cut!
beomgyu:
similar to yeonjun
do NOT let this information land in his hands because disaster will most definitely befall you if it does
you had just finished your shower, and was looking forward to just relaxing in bed with beomgyu after a tiring day
but your prankster of a boyfriend had other plans
as you pass by your closet, the door swings open, and beomgyu launches himself at you with a deafening “RAHHHH” as he grabs your waist
you shriek in surprise – exactly the reaction he wanted BUT he also doesn't miss the way you immediately recoiled and hurried to push his hands off your waist while giggling
“what was that y/n? hm?” beomgyu inquires, eyes now lit up with interest
“n-nothing,” you stammer, hoping your cover wouldn't be blown. “you just scared me, that's all”.
“that didn't look like nothing to me. ticklish, aren't you?” he continues to prod
and before you can continue denying it he's tackled you onto the bed, encasing you in a tight hug as he hurries to uncover all your ticklish spots while you're howling in laughter and flailing wildly
the squeal that emanates from you when he tickles under your armpits is a telltale sign that he’s found your most ticklish spot, and your laughs increase exponentially in volume as he focuses his attacks there
when he senses that you’re near your limit, beomgyu stops his tickle attack (albeit reluctantly because he finds your laugh so cute :( )
“that was so funny,” he guffaws, looking at your beet-red face. “and cute,” he adds.
“you better not do that again,” you warn, mustering up your most threatening glare.
“nope! from now on, i’m gonna tickle you every day :D” beomgyu declares, determination coming over all his features
best believe he will keep his word on that
but you don't say anything because you actually don't mind it that much (not that you'd ever tell him)
taehyun:
i think he's similar to soobin in that he’d only tickle you if he's feeling especially playful (which probably happens a little more often though) or to get something he wants
you were both playing with his cat in the living room
smiling, you let it come up to you and rub its head on you
however you didn't expect it to climb onto you and begin kneading your stomach
it tickled really badly but you didn't want to scare the cat away so you tried your best to hold in your reactions, biting your lip to prevent yourself from laughing out loud
but that proved harder by the second as you felt the giggles threaten to spill out of you
however, observant taehyun notices and hurries to remove the cat, thinking that the kneading hurt
“sorry jagi, did it hurt?” he asks, glancing at you with a concerned look as he puts the cat down
“no, don't worry, it just…tickled a lot”.
you hesitate to tell him the truth as even though your boyfriend’s general demeanour is more on the calm/serious side, you know he has his playful moments too and he will probably use this information against you at some point
unlucky you! today happens to be one of those moments
“oh? is that so?” he responds, eyes taking on a playful glint, making you immediately regret telling him the truth
“yeah, just a l-little”, you stutter, attempting to do damage control
“a little? didn't you say ‘a lot’ earlier?” taehyun picks apart your lie, quickly pulling you closer to him and poking all over your stomach as you begin giggling and squirming in his grip
he switches to pinching and squeezing at your stomach instead, mimicking the way his cat was kneading you earlier
your laughter crescendos as the ticklish sensations begin to overwhelm you, and you struggle even harder as taehyun just tightens his hold while continuing to tickle you
taehyun is unable to hold back his own giggles too as his heart melts at the sight of your adorable smile, which he loves so much
“gosh, you're so ticklish,” he comments, stopping his onslaught of tickles as he moves to pat you on the head. “you're like a kid, it's so cute”.
“don't you dare call me a kid”, you huff, shooting taehyun a slightly annoyed glare
taehyun merely laughs and carries you bridal-style back to his bedroom, where both of you cuddle for the rest of the day
hueningkai:
he would find it so cute and use this information to tease you whenever the opportunity presents itself
you can expect tickle attacks from him whenever he's feeling playful
today, hueningkai had had a particularly draining day so after his shower, all he craved were your cuddles
“tired?” you ask, gazing at your boyfriend in concern as he trudges into the room with his eyes drooping downwards
“yeah, i’m alright. just really tired,” he responds, making his way onto the bed and wrapping his arms around you as you go back to reading your book
as you're on a particularly interesting section, you're distracted by a slightly ticklish feeling on your neck and you can't hold back the giggle that escapes you
turns out it was hueningkai trying to rest his head in the crook of your neck to doze off and his hair, which was especially fluffy after being blow-dried, was the culprit of the ticklish sensations
he’s noticed your reaction and is now fully awake and all traces of sleepiness have eluded him
“ticklish?” he questions, tilting his head to one side curiously
“no, of course not,” you answer, feigning confidence as you try to brush him off while hoping that he goes back to sleep
“really? so if i do this, it won't tickle?” he quizzes, and proceeds to lean on your shoulder again, making sure to purposefully nuzzle into the crook of your neck with his fluffy hair
the ticklish sensation is so intense, you can't stop yourself from yelping and moving away from him slightly, hand flying up to where he had nuzzled you
hueningkai takes this as his signal to go in for the kill and tackles you down, tickling you in every spot he can think of
ticklish sensations course through your entire being, causing laughs of ungodly volume and occasional squeals to escape from your throat
he concludes that your neck is where you're most ticklish, judging by how the volume of your laughter increased by at least a hundred decibels every time he touched your neck
he even figures out that merely blowing air on your neck is enough to make you squeal, so he does exactly that while tickling you in other places, leaving you a shrieking, giggling mess as you lose your mind
eventually when you begin begging for him to stop, he lets up and wraps his arms around you for a hug
“why didn't you tell me you were this ticklish?” he chortles, running his fingers through your hair
“i knew you'd use it against me, so of course i kept it to myself!” you argue
“but it's hilarious!” he insists. “besides, that laugh of yours, it's so cute”.
hey! could you do a reaction of seventeen with a partner who's afraid of needles? thank youuu
Hey anon! Here you go, I hope you enjoy it :)
tw: mentions of hospitals, needles, operations etc
Seungcheol:
“Y/n! That vaccination appointment you said you needed – have you booked it?”
Upon hearing Seungcheol’s voice boom from the other end of the living room, your heart sinks to the pit of your stomach like a pebble that was thrown into a pond. Looking back at him with guilty eyes, you shake your head and mouth a “no”, only to be met with his scolding stare.
“Y/n-ah, you can't avoid it forever,” he gently chides, approaching you as you direct your gaze to the floor and shift from foot to foot. “What about that nursing course you’ve been so excited about? You need the vaccinations to update your medical records to be eligible for application,” he reminds you.
“I know, it's just…” your voice trails off mid-sentence as you contemplate whether you should tell Seungcheol the truth – your fear of needles was stopping you from getting it done.
You didn't have to decide, because your boyfriend can read you like an open book. “You're scared, aren't you?” he guesses, softening his gaze. As you nod slowly, he reaches out to give your arm a comforting squeeze. “What about this – I book an appointment for you and we go together. I’ll be there to comfort you if you're scared. How does that sound?”
“You know what, having you there might make it a little better,” you answer with a small smile. “At least I won't be alone”.
“Let’s book an appointment now then,” Seungcheol declares, taking the phone from your hands and scrolling through the clinic’s calendar. “There’s an empty slot for three days later, and it happens to be my day off too. Does that work for you?”
“Book it quickly, before I chicken out again,” you declare.
You're rewarded with a gentle flick to the forehead and a “tsk” from Seungcheol as he makes quick work of booking the appointment. “Alright, it's done”.
Jeonghan:
”Yah, y/n,” Jeonghan calls from his seat across from you. Your head snaps up, only to be met with his mischievous grin. “I can see the cogs in your head turning — you better not be thinking of running away”.
You groan, knowing that Jeonghan had seen through you. “Okay, fine, you got me,” you concede. “But even if I tried I wouldn’t be able to”.
”Hey, I know getting the cannula inserted is scary,” Jeonghan acknowledges, empathizing with you. “But think about it. Once this operation is done, your wrist will be able to heal easier and quicker and you can get back to doing everything you love doing,” he adds, attempting to make you see the bright side.
“The first step is always the hardest, isn’t it? I’m only watching the nurse and anaesthetist prepare the needle and all, and I’m already terrified,” you confess, eyes darting left and right tentatively.
“Don’t look at them then,” Jeonghan responds. “Look at me. I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying here until they wheel you into the operating theatre. And when you wake up, I’ll be right beside you too. I’ll be with you all the way,” he reassures, and the corners of your lips turn upwards slightly as gratitude blooms in your heart. “Remember. An ant will bite you, you’ll fall asleep and wake up as if you had 10 shots of soju, and you’ll be a cyborg,” he jokes as you chuckle at the mental image that he had painted for you.
“Thanks, Hannie,” you answer, shooting him a grateful smile. “When you say it like that, it does make it sound better”.
When the anaesthetist inserts the cannula, Jeonghan sings to you throughout the whole process to put you at ease. His honey-sweet voice calms you down and steadies your rapidly-beating heart, and you get the cannula inserted with little pain. “You’ll be okay! I love you,” he calls as the operating staff wheel you into the theatre, and the last thought you have before falling asleep is of his encouraging smile. The operation goes without a hitch, and before you know it you’re out of the operation room again.
Indeed, true to his word, the first thing you see when you wake up is him sitting next to your bed with a shiny, metallic “get well soon” balloon with a cartoon print on it meant for children, a sheet of stickers, and a “bravery certificate” he designed and signed himself.
other members under the cut!
Joshua:
“Do I really have to do this?” you groan as he sits down on a chair in the waiting area, leaving one seat in between the both of you to adhere to social distancing guidelines. Joshua shoots you an empathetic glance, having picked up on your anxiety.
“I know you hate needles and injections, y/n. But this vaccine will help to keep you safe, and allow you to go about daily life easier,” Joshua reasons. “You need to be vaccinated in order to go out and about, because there’s checks for vaccination records everywhere now”.
“It’s kinda useless, though, isn’t it? You get the vaccine, and then you get boosters, and even after all that you can still catch Covid. It’s not like chickenpox or measles vaccines, where you’re basically immune to it after the vaccine,” you argue, still not seeing the point of the vaccine.
“I get what you’re saying, but at least it offers a little bit of immunity, right?” Joshua suggests. He really wanted to be able to hold your hand and comfort you, seeing how scared you were. “Even if you do catch covid, you might get hit less hard at least. I’ll try to follow you in and stay with you so you’ll feel less afraid,” he promises.
Unfortunately, because of social distancing guidelines, the nurses tell you that Joshua has to wait outside for you. Fear rises in you again at the thought of facing it alone and your heart begins pounding at the speed of a galloping horse, until Joshua suggests staying with you via video call, which the nurses agree to. “I know it’s not the same, but I’m still there with you, alright?” he reassures you as you nod weakly and follow the nurses in.
“This is terrifying, Shua. They’re already cleaning my arm and preparing to inject,” you protest, cringing at the feeling of the nurse rubbing your arm with the alcohol.
“It’ll be over soon, y/n. Just breathe with me, okay?” He breathes in and out in an exaggerated manner to ensure you can hear him over the call, trying to get you to copy him. “Good job. You’re doing well,” he exhorts, the loving, gentle warmness in his tone putting you at ease. Before you know it, the needle is in and the injection is given, and you’re walking out of the tent pressing down on a cotton ball plastered to your arm.
The moment you’re home, Joshua pulls you onto the couch for a hug and presses a kiss to your forehead. “It was scary, but you did such a good job. I’m proud of you, y/n”.
Junhui:
”Holy f-“ You almost exclaim, anxiety taking over as you catch sight of the nurse preparing the needle. Junhui claps a hand over your mouth just before the curse word slips out, hurrying to shush you and turn you away from the horrifying sight.
”Calm down, baobei. It’s just a blood test, and it really won’t be as scary as you think,” Junhui blabbers, saying whatever he thought of to try to soothe you.
“‘Just’ a blood test?” you question incredulously, looking at him as if he had grown four more limbs. “That’s the most terrifying thing in the world!”
”Trust me, it’s not that bad,” Junhui reiterates, hoping it would calm you down. “And besides, I think we’d both feel a lot better if we could find out what exactly is wrong with you. This blood test will help us figure that out, and get you the treatment you need,” he coaxes, rubbing up and down your arms to further quell the quivers running through you.
“I guess you’re right. As much as I hate needles, I’d like to quickly recover from whatever I’ve been ill with and get back to normal,” you concede. “If this will help, then let’s do it”.
Junhui squeezes your shoulders again as the nurse walks back over with the needle. “Just hold my hand, okay? I promise it’ll be over and done with in a flash”.
As the nurse rubs your arm with the alcohol swab, you inhale and exhale, trying to steady your breaths as you ready yourself for the inevitable stab. All the while, Junhui is by your side, rubbing the back of your hand gently to try to ease your fear. But as the needle makes its entrance, you cringe slightly, feeling the prick that came with it. “Relax your arm, baobei”, Junhui reminds, having noticed you wincing. “It’ll hurt more if you tense up”.
Following his instructions, you take a deep breath of air and relax your arm — and true enough, it didn’t hurt as badly as you had expected it to. “See? It’s almost over. As soon as the nurse takes the sample needed, it’ll be out and we can go home,” Junhui points out, grinning brightly. “You’re doing amazing, baobei”.
Hoshi:
“Come on, y/n,” Soonyoung says with an encouraging lilt to his voice as he drags you into the waiting area of the clinic. “It’s not as bad as you think, really”.
”I thought all my vaccinations were up to date, and I’d never have to do this again,” you groan, reluctantly plonking yourself in the chair next to him. “Who would’ve thought that I’ve actually missed one booster shot”.
”At least now we know, and you can get the missed shot,” Soonyoung comments, pointing out the positive side of things. “Better now than never, right?”
”I’d rather the latter,” you deadpan, and Soonyoung gently nudges you, clicking his tongue in disapproval. “Look! I’m terrified of needles, I’m terrified of pain, and I’d rather just avoid them altogether if I could”. The words pour out of you at a mile per minute, and a shiver runs down your spine at the mere thought of the needle.
”I know, jagi. But travelling with an updated vaccine record would be much safer for both of us, and we’d be able to enjoy our trip with more peace of mind,” Soonyoung reminds you, gently squeezing your hand as a sign of reassurance and comfort. You squeeze his hand back as he goes on. “Besides, I’ll be there with you. I’ll do anything you need to make the process easier”.
”Could you distract me?” you implore, looking at him with hopeful eyes. “Just anything to take my mind off it”.
”Of course!” Soonyoung replies, puffing up his chest like a proud peacock. “Anything, you say? I can sing silly, dance crazy, make funny faces-“
”That’s true, your face is always funny to look at”.
”Hey!”
Wonwoo:
The fever had been raging in you for three days straight, with no signs of going down. You and Wonwoo had tried everything you knew — from the fever medicines you had in the fridge, to the cool fever patches Wonwoo applied and changed for you religiously, to old wives’ tales of taking shots of apple cider vinegar (which Wonwoo had warned was not going to work), only for everything to fall through. Despite you insisting that all you needed to do was to sleep in bed for a few more days and continue self-medicating, Wonwoo was not convinced and insisted on taking you to a doctor. “That’s all you’ve been doing for the last three days, and it clearly isn’t working. You need a doctor,” he asserted, marching you into the doctor’s office.
“They’re going to be alright. I’ll prescribe them with a course of antibiotics, but because this is quite a serious bacterial infection they’ll need an antibiotic injection too,” the doctor muses, typing down notes on his computer.
As you process his words, you turn paler than a sheet of paper, the flush from the fever completely dissipating in that instant. “Can I perhaps…just take the oral medications?” you suggest, hoping that the doctor will accede to your request.
“It would take a lot longer, because it needs to be metabolized by your liver before being released into your bloodstream. Intravenous medication would act much faster, since it goes directly into your bloodstream to fight off infections. Right now you need something fast-acting, because leaving such a serious bacterial infection to fester could make it worse,” Wonwoo explains, hoping that it would convince you to take the injection. Next to both of you, the doctor nods in agreement with your boyfriend’s words.
You shoot a playful glare at Wonwoo. “Okay, nerd,” you fire back jokingly. “As scary as it is, I guess I’ll take it”.
“Don’t worry. You can hold onto me throughout, okay?” Wonwoo says, taking your hand and gently rubbing circles on the back of it. “It’ll be over before you know it, and then you can go home and sleep, just like you wanted to do”.
You nod weakly, feeling too drained by the illness to do anything else. But as soon as the doctor brings out the needle, adrenaline goes coursing through you again, and you’re back in a panicked anxious state, trying to pull away from the doctor who’s trying to administer the injection. Wonwoo notices, and he’s quickly rubbing your back and whispering sweet nothings into your ear to calm you down. “Just this last step, y/n-ah. It’s gonna be over soon,” he assures. “All you need to do now is breathe in and out slowly”.
Doing as he says, you feel nothing more than a mild pinch as the needle goes in, and the injection is done. “Good job back there, y/n,” Wonwoo praises, shooting you an encouraging smile as you walk out of the clinic with him. “You were really brave. Let’s go home, and then you can get the rest you deserve”.
Woozi:
Your knee bounces up and down nervously as you sit on the chair in the consultation room, awaiting your dreaded fate. Beads of cold sweat appear on your forehead as you try to steel your nerves to face your biggest fear- needles. You thank your lucky stars that at least your boyfriend was off work today, so he had kindly offered to accompany you to the dreaded appointment to get a booster shot.
Next to you, Jihoon stands in silent comfort, gently squeezing your knee to try to calm you down. “I know it’s scary, y/n. I’m scared of needles too, so I know exactly how you feel,” he murmurs, gently rubbing your back.
“How do you do it?” you ask, turning to face him for a brief moment. “How do you cope with injections?”
”It’s been a while since I’ve had to have one. But I remember that once, a nurse taught me a simple trick to make them hurt less,” Jihoon answers, brow furrowed as he tries to recall the advice given to him. “Don’t look at it- it’ll be scarier if you do. I’ll count to three before she inserts the needle, and breathe in as it happens. After that, just keep taking slow deep breaths. Can you do that?” He fleshes out a plan to you, and feeling hopeful, you nod. “Okay good. And just keep in mind, I’m right next to you,” he adds as extra reassurance.
As agreed, he counts down for you when the nurse does the injection. “One, two, three, breathe in. Very good,” he whispers soothingly. “Now just breathe in, and out. In, and out,” he instructs, and you do as he says, surprised at how little pain you felt. ”You’re doing great, y/n”.
“I didn’t feel much of anything,” you remark, still shocked as you make your way home with Jihoon. “That trick really helped”.
”Told you,” Jihoon replies with a smile. “If it works on me, it’ll most definitely work on anybody.
Mingyu:
“Shh, y/n, it's gonna be okay,” Mingyu reassures, stroking your hair in an attempt to comfort you. Sitting in the chair, you take deep breaths in and out, trying to steady your rapidly beating heart.
“I don't know why I even decided to do this, Gyu. I knew I was scared of needles, but God-knows-what possessed me to think I could push past it to donate blood,” you sigh, trying to keep the tremor out of your voice as you lean into Mingyu’s embrace.
“That just shows how kind and brave you are,” Mingyu affirms. “I asked you multiple times if you were sure you wanted this, and you were so intent on stepping out of your comfort zone to contribute to a good cause. That's truly admirable,” he adds, beaming at you encouragingly.
“Thanks Gyu,” you reply, grateful for the reassuring presence of your boyfriend in such a scary moment. Unfortunately you catch sight of the nurse preparing the needle, causing you to flinch and turn away.
Mingyu notices and is immediately back at attempting to comfort you. “Don’t look, y/n. It’ll just make it scarier”.
”Well too late now, isn’t it?” you remark, wincing as you feel the nurse already rubbing your arm with the rubbing alcohol. “I’ve already seen the needle”.
“Unsee it, then”, Mingyu blurts, garbling out whatever nonsensical phrases come to his mind to try to humour you, succeeding as both you and the nurse chuckle. “Hey, you survived the prick earlier for the haemoglobin test. You can do this too,” Mingyu exhorts you. “I’ll be here with you throughout. Just take deep breaths in and out”.
You do as he instructs, inhaling and exhaling deeply as you feel the needle make its way through. “And it’s done!” Hearing Mingyu’s confident announcement, you open your eyes to find the needle in your arm connecting you to a blood bag, hooked up to an IV rack. “You did well, y/n. I’m very proud”.
For the next 10 minutes, Mingyu stays by your side and tells you all kinds of jokes to keep you entertained, until the nurse removes the blood bag and tells you that you’re all set to go. “When we get home, have a good rest while I prepare a steak dinner for us. Eat up and replenish your iron stores,” he says, pressing a kiss to your forehead as he holds your hand, leading you out of the clinic.
DK:
“Modu uril chyeodabwAaAa~”
Seokmin’s comically out-of-tune voice rings out through the clinic, a far cry from his usual angelic vocals. His clumsy dance moves add on to the hilarity of the situation as he mimics the infamous “Boys’ Planet” performance of his group’s hit song “Hot”. Across from him, you're laughing like a hyena, a far cry from the anxious state you were in earlier. Even the nurse beside you was trying to hold in her laughter as she readied a vaccine dose.
You had a vaccination appointment for today, but because you were so deathly afraid of needles and injections, you had almost backed out of it completely. Seokmin, knowing this, volunteered to come with you to the appointment to hopefully ease your nerves and provide some comfort. “I’ll be there to entertain and distract you,” he promised. “You’ll be so amused, you won’t feel a thing”.
“Are you sure? As embarrassing as it sounds- I’ve cried at every single injection ever since I was a kid,” you confessed, scratching your head sheepishly.
”Y/n, it’s not embarrassing,” Seokmin responded, wrapping you in a warm embrace. “Everyone has their own fears and it’s perfectly normal. Hey, I still scream at the sight of bugs!” He brought up his own fear, hoping that it would make you feel less ashamed. “Jagi-ah, don’t worry. I promise I will make this the first time you ever walk out of an injection laughing instead of crying”.
He was right. “BaMi EoMnEuN nAt HaNeUrEuN bUlGeUnSaEk” the horrible singing and wacky dancing continues as you double over in laughter, abs burning from the exertion. Who knew you’d end up enjoying your vaccination appointment so much? You continue chortling away, thoroughly amused by the antics of your boyfriend. So much so that, you fail to notice the needle making its entrance and exit and the medication going through your veins.
“And you’re done! Just press on the injection site for about two to three minutes,” the nurse says, interrupting Seokmin’s clown show as she secures a cotton ball over the injection site with a plaster.
“Wait, that’s all? It’s over?” you exclaim, mouth agape in shock.
“You’ve got a very good boyfriend. He did such an amazing job at entertaining you, you didn’t even feel a thing,” the nurse chuckles, gesturing at a beaming Seokmin.
Linking your arm with his, you prepare to leave the clinic. “He’s the best,” you reply with a confident smile.
Minghao:
”I’ll never understand you, y/n,” Minghao splutters, looking at you incredulously. “You can stay calm after getting bitten by a wild monkey, but you freak out over a tiny needle?”
Your hiking date in the nature reserve had taken a nasty turn when a macaque, apparently after the snacks in your bag, turned aggressive and bit you in the leg. By some miraculous power you were able to stay calm, stumbling away from the situation while reassuring concerned passersby that you would be alright. Minghao’s meditation efforts from the morning must have paid off, as he too kept a cool head and called for a Grab to take you to the Accident and Emergency department of the nearest hospital. Which is how you end up sitting in a consultation room, bandage wrapped snugly around your ankle to keep the wound dressing in place, and awaiting an injection.
“It's not tiny, have you seen the size of that thing?!” you argue, eyes going wide in fear as you point at the terrifying piece of equipment.
“It's tiny compared to the jaws of whatever beast took a bite out of you earlier!” Minghao insists as he shushes you and turns you away from the nurse who's preparing the syringe.
“Okay, but the doctor has already cleaned and dressed the wound, surely that's enough to stave off infections? Why do I still need an injection?” you question, gesturing wildly in confusion and fright. “Not even just one, multiple jabs over the next few weeks”.
“The disinfectant will keep bacterial infections of the wound at bay, yes, but it's not enough to prevent viral infections that could have already been transmitted into your bloodstream through the bite,” Minghao explains, squeezing your arm gently to try to comfort you. “All these vaccines will do the job for you”.
“Why can't I just take medication orally then?” you argue, still not understanding why you needed an injection of all things.
“It’s too slow for such dangerous viral infections,” Minghao clarifies.
You sigh, still shaking slightly in fear. “I'd rather not have the injection, if I can help it”.
“So you think catching tetanus or rabies is a favourable alternative?” Minghao counters, an eyebrow arching upwards as he stares at you.
“No! But like- okay, fine, guess I’ll take the injections,” you huff, slumping over dejectedly. “When’s the needle coming?”
“It's already been in and out of you, dummy. The whole time you were arguing with me, the nurse came, administered the jab, and left,” Minghao snorts.
“Oh”.
Seungkwan:
Sniffling, you cling to Seungkwan’s arm with one hand as you ready the other for the dreaded jab. Whether you were sniffling because of your horrible flu, or because you were sobbing in fright, you will never know. Adding on to the horrible sensation, embarrassment tinted your cheeks as you were well aware that you were bawling your eyes out even before the actual ordeal had begun, though you were not a child anymore.
“Oh no, y/n,” Seungkwan murmurs in empathy as he quickly sweeps you into a hug, stroking your hair and whispering sweet nothings to you. “You must be really scared”.
Too afraid to say anything else, you merely nod your head in response. “Everything will be alright, okay? I know it seems like a lot, but you’ll be really proud of yourself for getting through this,” he exhorts, squeezing your shoulders gently and leaving a kiss on the top of your head. “Is there anything I can do for you? To make you feel less afraid?” He asks, sincerity in his gaze as he lowers himself to look at you.
“Distract me. Do something, anything to make this less scary,” you sob.
”Alright then. What about I sing to you?” He suggests.
You mull over his proposition for a moment. “That could work,” you reply, still reeling from the sheer amount of cortisol running through your system.
”Alright then. Just breathe for now, okay?” Seungkwan keeps you in his hold, continuing to stroke your hair and whisper reassurances to you.
When the dreaded moment finally arrives, Seungkwan holds your hand, singing “Candy” softly in his usual heavenly voice. As you take in the beautiful notes, you feel yourself calm down, your pulse steadying and your breathing becoming less erratic. The feel of his hand in yours makes the situation better too, knowing that you weren’t alone in your scary predicament. You squeeze his hand back in a show of appreciation to him.
Seungkwan is still holding your hand as you exit the clinic and make your way home. “It was scary, but you sat through it. I’m so proud of you”. He encourages you, kissing you on the cheek again as he promises lots of cuddles when you get back home.
Vernon:
The look of horror that had crossed Vernon's face when he saw the hues of green and yellow oozing from your wounded knee was unmistakable, and before you knew it you found yourself surrounded by the smell of antiseptic and sitting in a consultation room. “We’ve been cleaning it for weeks, and it somehow looks even worse now,” Vernon explains when you ask why he had rushed you to the nearest doctor for something so seemingly trivial. “I know it seems like no big deal, but better safe than sorry”.
The doctor grimaces as she checks your temperature and casts another worried look at the injury. “38.2. You're lucky you came, because the infection is starting to get really bad,” she says, disposing of the cover of the ear thermometer in a swift motion. “I’ll prescribe you with some medication and an antibiotic cream, but you’ll also need an injection of antibiotics”.
Your blood runs cold at the words, and Vernon seems to notice because his hands are immediately rubbing up and down your shoulders in silent comfort. As the doctor motions to her nurse to begin preparing the apparatus, he turns you away from their direction before you can see anything. “God, I really wasn't prepared for an injection today,” you groan.
“Hey, don't worry, it’ll be over before you know it,” Vernon states matter-of-factly, hoping the certainty in his voice would help to ground you and calm you a little. “And besides, I’m here with you,” he reminds you, deep voice soothing you like hot cocoa on a stormy winter day.
“You're right,” you reply, turning back to face him with a smile. “And like you said- better safe than sorry. I wouldn't want the infection to worsen,” you acknowledge, now feeling fully ready to accept the injection.
Vernon says nothing, but grunts in understanding as he continues rubbing your shoulders. As the nurse approaches with the needle, you close your eyes and prepare for the jab. “Just keep breathing”, Vernon instructs, hand remaining on yours. Doing as he says, you feel nothing more than an ant’s bite and in a flash, the process is over.
“Don't forget to apply the cream and take the medicines at home,” Vernon reminds you as you hobble out of the clinic. One of his arms is slung around your waist and the other is holding your hand as you make your way back to the car. “I will, don't worry,” you reply. “And thanks for looking out for and caring for me,” you add, gratitude filling your heart as you slip into the passenger seat.
“Anything for you, y/n”.
Dino:
“Y/n, please. Just this one time, you need it to get better,” Dino pleads. Fear, desperation and worry are written all over his face at once. “You really really need this surgery- or else I don't want to think about what could happen to you”.
Weakly, you lift your head to meet his gaze, still holding on to your stomach due to the immense stabbing pain you felt there. The same pain that had caused you to collapse onto the floor, a shriek of anguish ripping from your throat just an hour earlier, and sent Dino speed dialing an ambulance and rushing you to A&E quicker than the speed of light. There, the doctor had diagnosed you with appendicitis and sent you for an emergency operation to get the aggravating organ removed.
However, one obstacle stood in the way- your deathly fear of needles. Despite being in a tremendous amount of pain already, you couldn't handle the thought of having to get the cannula inserted. Still looking up at Dino, you shake your head ever so slightly. “I can't, Dino, I-I’m scared,” you stammer, with what little strength you have left.
“This could save your life, y/n,” Dino reasons in a shaky voice, hoping to break through the tidal waves of fear and anxiety crashing over you in the moment with plain, simple logic. “I’ll hold your hand throughout, until you go for the surgery. And when you wake up I’ll be right here waiting for you. So please- just this once, okay? You’ll not need another jab for a really long time after”.
With the urgency and potentially life-threatening circumstances looming over you, you take a shaky breath and slip your hand into his, seeing that the doctor was here with the needle. Closing your eyes, you accept the slight prick and realize that it was nothing, at least compared to the excruciating pain you were already in. But through all the fear, pain and anxiety, Dino’s hand never left yours, his touch grounding you and reminding you that even in such scary circumstances, everything would be okay. You open your eyes and find him looking back at you with a small smile, as if to reassure you of the same thing. “It’ll be alright, jagi. I’ll see you when you're done, and I love you”. He finishes, pressing a quick kiss to the back of your hand. You flash a quick smile at him, waving feebly as the medical team prepares to wheel you into the operating theatre.
When you awake, you're greeted with the sight of Dino’s relieved face. “Y/n! You're done!” He exclaims as your eyelids flutter open and you sit up groggily, the effect of the anaesthesia still fresh. Noticing your apparent drowsiness, he gently pushes you back down and beckons you to rest. “It's okay. Now you should rest. Take all the time you need here, and when the doctors clear you for discharge we can go home together,” he murmurs, and you drift back to sleep with a smile, feeling his fingers gently run through your hair.
hii haha r u sgean... i read "bear with me" and saw the sg food being mentioned and perked up 👀 nw if you don't want to say! also will be leaving my comments on bear w me sometime soon HEHE
hello!! yes i am HAHAHA good to see you fellow singaporean :D
i'll try to clear the reaction requests first, because I'm not sure how much writing i can do, and neither do i think i can jump back into writing full fics straight away. but whatever it is, i'll try to post here a little more again
yes, it's me amelia, I'm back from the dead. I'm terribly sorry for disappearing for so long. I hope all my moots are doing alright, and do feel free to drop me asks anytime!
genre: fluff, angst; enemies to lovers, coffee shop au
synopsis: at the coffee shop you work at, there's always this regular who comes and orders the same cup of cold brew coffee every morning without fail. you end up having a rather rude interaction with him one morning when you accidentally spill his coffee on him before his job interview – which turns out to be for the very same coffee shop you're working at. it doesn't matter to you that he got the job, but the fact that he's always on the same shift as you never fails to get on your nerves. Will the two of you sort out your feud, or will the both of you continue to brew these cold feelings towards each other?
a/n: this is a very VERY long overdue fic for @hcsarchive ! i’m really really sorry for the long hiatus y’all, and for the decline in quality of writing and banner design :”) but to star, i genuinely hope you enjoy this fic that i churned up at 2 in the morning, and that your life will be filled with joy and many many good things! it’s been great having you as my friend, though we haven’t interacted much </3 I promise i’ll try to be more active here <3
"One venti cold brew for Na Jaemin!" you call, voice ringing out through the coffee shop amid the clinking of mugs and cutlery and cool jazz music playing in the background. As expected, a young man clad in a mint green hoodie and jeans rushes up to the counter. His soft, ebony-black bangs fall over his coffee-brown eyes as he claims his drink from you with a muffled "thanks" before scurrying off again, black backpack hanging from his back and laptop case in hand.
"He came again?" Lia asks, popping a pastry into the oven and setting the timer.
You nod in response. “Na Jaemin. Here every morning, at the exact same time ordering the exact same thing”.
"Aren't many of our customers like this too?" Lia questions, uncertain as to why you suddenly brought up this particular customer.
"Yeah, but they're not always here at the exact same time every day – sometimes they come a few minutes earlier or later. And even if they have regular orders, they sometimes order different things. This guy is here at 7 am on the dot every day without fail, and he always, always orders a venti size cold brew. I don't recall him having ordered anything different," you explain to Lia as the timer on the oven goes off, and you take the croissant out.
"Wow, how are you so observant towards these details outside of his regular drink order? It's as if you're specifically keeping your eye out for his arrival. Are you?" Lia questions, raising her eyebrows at you.
"What the hell, no!" You hurriedly deny.
"But he's your ideal type, is he not? Brown eyes, black hair, pretty cute," Lia replies with a smirk as she gets to preparing a latte, and in that moment you regret the day you'd spoken about your ideal types to each other.
"I mean yes, but we don’t even know each other! We’ve barely exchanged any words apart from him mumbling his thanks to me when I pass him his drink,” you protest.
“So? He comes here every day, you’ll sure have a chance to get to know him better,” Lia insists.
“One grande caffe latte for Kai!” you call out, placing the drink on the counter and flashing a smile at the customer, who says a “thank you”, picks up the drink and casually saunters off, in contrast to how Jaemin had practically flown out the door after collecting his order from you earlier. “I don’t know. Compared to all our other customers, he seems to be in a constant rush. He’s like the rabbit from Alice in Wonderland!”
Still, Lia remains adamant. “Trust me, if he’s your destined soulmate, there will be a way for you both to get to know each other. Really”.
You shrug, getting to work making a java chip frappuccino. “Nah, I don’t think he is. He’s probably just the eye candy who comes into our shop every morning for his daily cold brew”.
Lia simply hums and turns around to take the next customer’s order, while a mild pang of longing settles in your heart. Yes, you knew he was really just eye candy to you, but a part of you wished that you’d at least be able to interact with him a little and get to know him as an acquaintance at least.
»»————- ☕️ ————-««
Your wish comes true the next day — or at least the first part of it. You finally get to properly interact with him, past the muffled “thank yous” he would give you whenever you passed him his cold brew every morning.
But was it pleasant?
Far from that.
It’s about 2:30 pm in the afternoon, and the cafe is way more hectic than it should be at this time. Throngs of people flood the cafe, leaving all of the baristas overwhelmed, yourself included.
“I thought people drink morning coffee, not afternoon coffee!” Lia complains, practically sprinting to the other end of the counter, carrying a customer’s order on a black tray. “One blueberry muffin and one vanilla sweet cream cold brew for Shanice!”
“I know right. Suddenly everyone’s ordering their coffee in the afternoon for some weird reason!” you exclaim, hurrying to save the pastries in the oven before they burned to a crisp.
Your already-divided attention is briefly stolen by the sight of a familiar face coming in through the door — it’s none other than Na Jaemin. Weird, he already came in the morning, you think to yourself, already moving towards the cold brew machine out of instinct. You can’t help but notice he’s changed out of his usual hoodie and jeans into slacks, a white long-sleeved collared shirt and a blazer, more formal than the casual attire he normally dons, which leads you to think that he has something important on. As soon as you place the pastries on the counter, you head over to the register where Jaemin is to take his order. “Hi, what can I get for you?” you recite the standard phrase.
“One venti cold brew, please,” he states.
“Alright, I’ll get that for you. Na Jaemin, right?” you ask, picking up a venti-size cup and a marker, scribbling the name on as he nods.
You put some ice in the cup, and then stride over to where the brewed coffee is stored before dispensing enough to fill the cup. Just as you’re bringing it to the collection point, a voice calls for you. “Y/n! Hurry, there’s more orders!” one of your colleagues yells.
“Okay, coming soon!” you reply back, calling out Jaemin’s name and order, passing the drink to him and preparing to hurry off.
Only, you’d been too fast in handing the drink to him and had let go before his hands were properly around the cup, resulting in the cup falling from your hands and spilling coffee all over his shirt. Your jaw falls to the floor along with the cup as you watch his white shirt turn coffee-brown and prepare to offer multiple sincere apologies, maybe even offer to pay for his shirt to be cleaned.
But before you can do that, he hits the roof. “Ugh! I have a job interview, you idiot! Why are you so careless?” he exclaims, clearly livid. Veins bulge out visibly from his forehead, a clear sign of his fury. Heads snap in your direction as the commotion distracts customers from whatever they were doing previously.
Annoyance at how Jaemin had unnecessarily blown up at you, coupled with stress from the already overwhelming shift began to take over you, and you had to use every fiber in your being to maintain your professionalism and not hurl the best insult you could think of back at him. “Sir, I’m extremely sorry”. You murmur repeated apologies as you get several wet tissues for him. “I’ll be willing to pay for the cleaning costs, just let me know how much it costs when you next visit us”.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to appease Jaemin. “That’s not the point. I don’t have spare clothes, you know! Now I might not get my job!” Jaemin exclaims, eyes boring into you accusingly. Unsure of what to say, you remain silent, your mouth opening and closing like a goldfish’s. “Thanks a lot, I suppose,” he spits, making sure his sarcasm came across clearly. With that, he takes his half-empty drink cup and stalks off.
Meanwhile, you’re left with a taste that's even more bitter than the cold brew in your mouth from the encounter. “Wow, that was pretty rude of him,” Lia comments, coming up beside you. “Maybe you should have ensured that he was actually holding the cup before letting go, but that was still out of line on his end”.
You sigh, shaking your head and turning back to the cash register, preparing to serve the next customer. “Whatever. Let’s forget that this happened”.
»»————- ☕️ ————-««
A week has passed since the incident, and you’ve all but forgotten about it, the incident almost having been cleared from your memory completely.
Until you see a familiar face coming in at 2:30 pm — none other than Na Jaemin, the customer who’d yelled at you rather rudely that day when you’d made an honest mistake. “Lia? Can you take this next customer? I’d rather not interact with him again,” you whisper to your co-worker while glaring daggers at him.
To your surprise, Lia shakes her head. “I don’t think he’s here to order, actually. I think he’s here for his first day on the job”.
You narrow your eyes at her as a sense of foreboding comes over you. “What do you mean?”
“He’s our new barista, and he’ll be working here part-time. Did no one tell you?” Lia explains, wiping the counter top. “The job interview he mentioned last week — it was for a position here as a barista”.
“No way. Please tell me you’re lying”. You feel your eyes grow to the size of the saucers in your hands.
She shakes her head. “I’m being for real here”.
You watch as your supervisor comes out to meet Jaemin and they exchange greetings, before she passes him a set of uniform and he heads to the restrooms. “Oh, my gosh”. Your hand comes up to your forehead, and your lips form a thin line as you feel your annoyance levels peak again. “No way I’m sharing shifts with this guy”.
Lia shrugs. “Maybe it won’t be as bad as you think. Hopefully he forgot that it was you who spilled coffee on him last week,” she says while placing a hand on your shoulder, in an effort to appease you.
At that moment, your supervisor comes out of the store room with Jaemin in tow and approaches you and the other baristas. “Everyone, this is our new employee, Na Jaemin,” she says, introducing him to all of you. “Some of you may know him, as he’s a regular at our cafe. He’ll be working the afternoon shift from Monday to Wednesday. I hope all of you look after him well, and show him the ropes”. She then takes her leave as Jaemin comes to join all of you behind the counter.
“Hello everyone,” Jaemin greets, his pearly whites appearing as he gives all of you a small bow. So cute! You internally squeal as you greet him back. It was the first time you’d seen him properly smile, as every time he ordered coffee from you, his face had this permanently exhausted look on it thanks to what you can only assume to be the university student life. You return his greeting, relaxing as you realise that maybe Lia was right and he’d forgotten about the incident.
Or…maybe not.
“Aren’t you the barista who spilled my drink on me last week?” Jaemin questions as he pours milk into a blender, eyes narrowing into slits as he stares at you. “How do you still have a job? You can’t even serve a drink properly”.
Okay, that does it for you. First day on the job and he’s already being so rude?
“Can you just forget about it? You got the job in the end, didn’t you?” you snap, making your annoyance clear as you somewhat aggressively spray whipped cream onto a customer’s drink. “Also why are you showing disrespect to colleagues on your first day here? How did you even get hired?”
Jaemin shrugs, and you feel a vexation prick at the back of your neck at his nonchalant attitude. “Bold of you to talk about respect, considering you were pretty disrespectful to me last week by spilling my own drink order on me”.
"Shut the fuck up, will you?" you hiss, trying to keep your voice from rising to fever pitch, in order to not attract unpleasant attention to the both of you.
Jaemin opens his mouth to retort, but Lia steps in. “Enough, you two. Let’s just move on from the incident, shall we? I’m sure she didn’t mean to do that”.
Shooting her a grateful look, you move over to the shelf to grab a tea bag to prepare a customer’s order. “Not quite your ideal type anymore, huh?” Lia whispers from next to you as she washes a mug.
Cringing, you shake your head furiously. “Appearance wise, still yes. Personality-wise, definitely not”.
»»————- ☕️ ————-««
Ever since Jaemin joined the team, it was almost like you couldn’t have a peaceful day at work, especially since you and Jaemin always shared the same shifts. Both of you were constantly at each other's throats now, even over small things, and today wasn't any different.
“Y/n! You didn’t heat this up long enough!” Jaemin hollers, gesturing to the chocolate chip cookie on the counter top.
Rolling your eyes, you turn around to address him. “You didn’t serve it on time and it’s cooled down, you idiot. Also, Seungkwan asked for an extra espresso shot, which you didn’t add in. Who’s the one who can’t do his job properly now, huh? I hope the boss fires you one of these days”.
As a look of hurt flashes across Jaemin’s face for a fleeting moment, you feel a small pang of guilt hit you. Jaemin covers it up by rolling his eyes at you and muttering “piece of shit”, before moving over to add the extra espresso shot as you shove the plate with the cookie on it into the oven again. At that moment, his ringtone sounds out, and he takes his phone out of his apron pocket. Colour drains from his face at the sight of the caller ID, and he hurriedly excuses himself to the storeroom, leaving you to man the counter yourself since both Lia and the other barista weren’t able to make it to work today. “Hi, what can I get for you?” you inquire, plastering a smile on your face and turning to face the customer, who asks for a cappuccino.
You open up the mini-fridge below the counter, only to find that there’s no more milk left. No big deal, you could always get more from the bigger fridge in the store room. Heading over to the store room, you push the door open and prepare to step inside when Jaemin’s voice stops you in your tracks. “…what? The surgery costs that much? I thought it was cheaper…”
Peeking through the door slightly, you’re greeted by the sight of Jaemin pacing around the small room and clutching onto a handful of his black hair. From his tone and demeanour, it was evident that he was in a clear state of stress. "Yes, I got the job, but I don't think my earnings from the shifts I'm working currently can cover the costs". Another pause. "It's alright. I'll just ask the supervisor if I can work more shifts. It's more important that grandma gets well. Okay, bye. Send my well-wishes to her".
Jaemin turns around and you dart back out of the room to avoid being seen, but you still catch a glimpse of the tear drops falling from his eyes, sending a pang to your heart. Sure, you both argued all the time at work, but it didn't mean that you had no empathy for him at all, now that you had an idea of his circumstances — even if it was a vague one. You recall when he lashed out at you for spilling coffee on him just before his interview, and now you're able to better understand his reaction, thanks to the newly learned information about his grandmother’s situation. Yes, his reaction was still rude and unnecessarily harsh, but he was going through a stressful time himself. Guilt floods you suddenly as you think of all the times you'd flung harsh words at him for no reason.
As Jaemin emerges from the store room, you enter and get the milk and start preparing the customer's drink, all while this question replayed in your head: what could you do to help him?
"Y/n!" a clear voice sounds from the cash register, and you recognise it to be your regular customer and best friend from junior college – Chaewon.
Enthusiastically returning her greeting, you inquire about her order. "Chae! What would you like today?"
Chaewon scans the menu and makes her decision. "I'll get a tall strawberry frappuccino, no whipped, takeaway".
"No problem!" You answer, and prepare the drink for her as she goes to the side to wait. "One tall strawberry frappuccino for Chaewon!" you announce, and your friend skips up to collect her drink.
"Thank you! Here's a tip for you – you deserve it," Chaewon adds with a wink as she stuffs a wad of notes into your hand before sauntering away. "See you in class tomorrow!"
"See you Chae!" you call back. You head into the store room, intending to keep the money in your wallet, until the sight of Jaemin's wallet peeking out of his backpack catches your attention. A thought then hits you: why not give the tips I get to Jaemin? He needs it more than I do, anyway.
Without a second thought, your hands are already pulling the wallet out of his bag and stashing the tip Chaewon gave you into the wallet. Putting the wallet back where it was, you stride out of the room again as if nothing happened. Yeah, I'll keep doing this. Hopefully it helps to ease Jaemin's financial burden, you think to yourself.
Thankfully, the rest of the day goes by without a hitch. “Y/n! Good job today, just finish the last order and then you can go,” your supervisor comments, giving you a small smile. “Here’s today’s pay. See you tomorrow!” she finishes, passing you an envelope which contained your day’s earnings.
“Thank you so much ma’am! See you tomorrow!” You reply, calling for the last customer and then heading off to the store room to collect your bag. Peeking inside, you catch Jaemin gawking at his open wallet, prompting you to just stay outside and observe his reaction for a while. "No way. I don't remember receiving any tips. So how did this cash appear?" he asks himself, opening and closing his wallet repeatedly – even slapping himself at one point. "Oh my goodness. Whichever supernatural power provided me with this, thank you," he whispers, putting his cash into his wallet before shutting it again and placing it in his bag. His stressed expression melts away, and is replaced by a smile – one of relief and hope. The sight makes your heart rate increase faster than you'd like to admit, but you ignore it and exit the coffee shop, glad that you were able to do something to brighten up Jaemin's day.
»»————- ☕️ ————-««
Jaemin had gotten the green light from your supervisor to work extra shifts, so over the next few weeks you both see each other more often as all his shifts coincide with yours. Though both of you are still rather cold towards each other, you argue less with him as you force yourself to hold your tongue whenever you're tempted to spew unkind things at him, knowing that he was going through a rough time.
And of course, you continue with your plan of secretly giving him all the tips that customers leave you – whether it was sixty cents or fifty bucks.
Today's just another day at work, and you overhear Jaemin on the phone as you're busy whipping up drinks for customers again. "Oh my gosh, no way".
Though you know it’s technically wrong, the saying “eavesdroppers never hear any good about themselves” leaves your memory momentarily as you prick up your ears to listen to the conversation, hoping that it was news about his grandmother. As his voice raises in pitch and grows increasingly excited, you feel your heart begin to beat faster as well, like the wings of a bird about to take off. "We only need $50 more and she can get surgery? That's fantastic news!"
Your heart swelled with joy, so much so that you thought it would burst right there and then in the cafe. Jaemin's grandmother would be saved! Though you didn't know the elderly woman, hearing the news still made you nearly melt in relief.
"Thank you, see you again!" you flash a bright smile to a customer as you hand them their order.
"Thank you! Here's a tip for you!" the customer replies and hands you some cash. Accepting it gratefully, you take a peek at it, and your heart leaps even higher than before at the sight. It's a fifty dollar note!
"Just what Jaemin needs!" you whisper to yourself, stashing the note in your pocket and making a mental note to put the money in his wallet when the day was over, since it was a very busy time at the cafe right now.
As promised, you secretly stash the note in his wallet again after your shift is over. Hopefully, this covers the costs of the surgery, you think to yourself as you pull the wallet out, unclasp it and stuff the money in.
“Wait, it’s you?” A familiar voice sounds from behind you, making you jump and whip your head around at breakneck speed as his wallet falls out of your grip and onto the floor with a clatter.
“Jaemin?” you blurt out dumbly, stunned by your colleague’s sudden appearance.
“Y/n? It’s you who’s been giving me the extra money?” Jaemin responds, seemingly even more astonished by the whole situation than you were.
It’s at this moment you realise there’s no point hiding it from him any further — he’d already discovered the "culprit" behind the extra money appearing in his wallet. “Yes, it’s me,” you sigh, handing his wallet back to him. “Look, I'm really sorry about this, but I happened to overhear your phone converstion with someone one day, and you were saying something about there not being enough money to send your grandmother for some kind of surgery or something like that. You seemed so sad and I just couldn’t bear to see it because I know it must be so stressful, having a family member who’s severely ill and not having financial means to get them treatment. So I thought I’d just quietly help you by giving you whatever tips customers left for me — I don’t really need the extra money right now. I did all this secretly, because I was worried you’d accuse me of purposefully eavesdropping or pitying you if you knew what I was doing. Also, it’d be awkward if I were to suddenly start intervening in your family matters since we’re both not really on good terms right now,” you explain, attempting to clear the air of confusion by explaining your intentions.
For a few moments, the only sound in the store room is the drone of whatever machinery is keeping the old fridge running as Jaemin slowly processes what you'd just told him. Finally, he speaks up. "Y/n, you have absolutely no idea how much that means to me. I was so, so worried when I found out the actual cost of the surgery, and that we might not be able to pay for it on time for my grandmother to survive. For so many nights, I couldn't sleep for so long because I was so worried," he explains. "But thanks to your kind donations, we'll be able to pay for it before she gets it today. Words alone can't express my gratitude to you. Really". He looks up and meets your gaze, and his eyes are moist with emotion.
Your lips curve into a gentle smile. "I'm glad I could help, Jaemin. I hope your grandmother's surgery goes well, and for her to have a speedy and stable recovery," you answer.
"I'm going to the hospital to visit her now, so I'll convey your well wishes to her. See you tomorrow, y/n". As he leaves the store room, he shows you a genuine smile, the first one he'd shown you ever since you both became coworkers.
Your heart melts at the sight, like the marshmallows you used to top orders of hot chocolate. "See you tomorrow, Jaemin". You return his smile, and continue to pack your own things as well before you leave the cafe. As much as you don't want to admit, for some reason this much more pleasant interaction has you using every single ounce of your willpower to stop yourself from squealing out in joy.
»»————- ☕️ ————-««
"Y/n!" A familiar voice calls out to you as you start up the coffee machine next Monday morning.
"Oh hey, Jaemin!" You reply calmly as said boy comes up to you, looking much more relaxed and confident, compared to the usual worried and downcast expression etched on his face that had been the norm for the past few weeks.
"Excuse me," he murmurs, reaching out for the coffee machine and dispensing some into the plastic cup in his hand that was half-filled with ice, before calmly sipping on the beverage. "By the way, my grandmother's surgery was a success, and the doctor's prognosis for her looks good," Jaemin reveals, officially putting your worries about his grandmother to rest.
"Really? That's awesome!" you exclaim, sharing your coworker's joy over the good news.
Jaemin nods, a radiant smile forming on his face as he continues. "On behalf of the rest of my family, thank you so much. I know this probably isn't much, but please, let me treat you to a meal one day".
Though you initially refute his suggestion and say it's not necessary, arguing that you were simply helping him out in his time of need, you eventually give in to his insistence. "How is she now? Is she recovering from surgery well?" you inquire as you pile marshmallows onto a cup of hot chocolate.
"Yes, when I visited her yesterday, she had regained some of her appetite, and though she still seemed quite tired, she had slightly more energy than before, which are good signs," Jaemin replies, blending a matcha frappuccino. "Actually, do you want to come with me to visit her after work today?"
"Why not? I don't have anything on today, so I should be able to come," you reply.
"Alright then!" Jaemin grins, before turning and calling for the customer to pick up their order.
You return your attention to the drink you were making, totally surprised by your exchange with Jaemin earlier — much more pleasant compared to the interactions you’d had prior to this day. Maybe the saying your teachers had drilled into your head since elementary school was true. A small act of kindness could turn a situation around — in this case, it helped Jaemin’s family afford a life-saving surgery for his grandmother, and helped you and Jaemin warm up to each other.
»»————- ☕️ ————-««
Before you both go to visit his grandmother, Jaemin insists on treating you to a sumptuous burger dinner. Which is how you both end up at a restaurant, with the juiciest chicken burger you've ever seen in your life, along with fries that have been fried to crisp golden brown perfection and a cup of iced lemon tea.
“How’s life been?” Jaemin asks, tucking into his own burger.
“Oh, it’s been quite chill. I just finished my graduating exam not long ago and am waiting for my results to come out, so I don’t really have much to do. That’s why I took on this job — to earn some money and pass my time,” you explain, picking up a few fries and popping them into your mouth, savouring the crunch that followed. “What about you?”
“University’s been kicking my ass,” Jaemin groans. “The professors have gone ham on my class — who gives their students freaking five essays to finish in a week? On top of that, I’ve got frisbee practices after school and also this job. Luckily my grandmother’s condition has stabilised, or else I’d have even more stress to deal with,” he adds.
“Oh my, that sounds tough. All the best,” you grunt empathetically, knowing exactly how he felt. Though you had never studied in a university, you’d just finished junior college, and had experienced days where the onslaught of homework seemed never ending, leaving you feeling as if you were going to suffocate to death under the workload that only seemed to get heavier and heavier each day. “Oh yeah — speaking of your grandmother, what exactly happened to her? If you’re not comfortable sharing this with me, please don’t feel obligated to do so,” you hurriedly add at the end. You were aware that this was a very sensitive topic, and that Jaemin might wish to keep such matters to himself.
“About that…” Jaemin’s voice trails off, and he scratches his head as he contemplates whether to tell you or not. “Okay. I’ll tell you, since you’re the one who basically saved her life,” he decides, before beginning his story. “It was cancer. Stomach cancer. She lost her appetite, and often complained of stomach pain. Initially, we thought that it was simply a stomach bug, and we took her to the doctor who just prescribed her some medication. But she didn’t improve — if anything, she got worse. The day she began vomiting blood, we knew that something was terribly wrong. A check up at the hospital revealed that she had stage 3 stomach cancer”.
“Oh gosh, that’s horrible,” you muse, brows forming a furrow in the center of your forehead.
“It was. Our whole family was devastated, especially knowing that she wouldn’t have any chance of survival unless she went for surgery. But at that point of time, my dad had just been laid off, meaning that we weren’t able to afford to pay for the operation. Hence we began scrimping and saving, with my dad taking on three jobs in order to try to earn some money. My mother took on two odd jobs, while also having to look after my younger siblings at home. I was really anxious about my grandmother, and I felt terrible seeing how exhausted my parents were. So, I decided to do whatever I can to help, which is why I took on this job, thinking that the salary I’d earn would be sufficient. But the hospital called back to say that the cost of the surgery would actually be more expensive than we initially thought, since my grandmother’s case was extra complicated, and it sent me back into a panic because I knew that even with extra shifts, the money I earned might not even be able to cover the costs. Gosh, I’m so glad it’s over,” Jaemin finishes, breathing out a sigh. The tears that had welled up in his eyes, now pouring out like rain, spoke volumes just how bleak that period had been for Jaemin.
The sight of him tearing up made your heart ache. “I’m so sorry you guys went through that,” you murmur, reaching over to rub his shoulder to comfort him. “That must have been so tough. Fortunately, you guys were able to afford the procedure in the end. You're so strong".
Jaemin nods. “And it’s all thanks to you”.
“Now I know why you were so worked up that day,” you add, thinking back to the day when you’d had your first proper interaction with Jaemin.
A quizzical look comes upon Jaemin’s face. “Which day?”
“The day you came to the cafe for your job interview. I spilled your drink on you, remember?” you remind him, a sheepish smile gracing your features.
Jaemin's brows furrow as he searches his brain, trying to recall the moment you had mentioned. His eyes widen, and he snaps his fingers as the memory returns to him. "Oh! Right! Oh my, I still feel so bad about it, jeez," he exclaims, his palm meeting his forehead. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have lashed out at you like that over such a small thing. I think that's why our relationship has been so sour".
"No, no, it's fine. That was in the past, was it not?" you say, reassuring Jaemin that you don't hold any grudges against him over past events. “I’m sorry too, for saying that I hoped the boss would fire you, when it was a time when you needed this job most”.
“It’s alright. Honestly, I don’t even have any memory of that incident, anyway,” Jaemin chuckles, popping the last of his fries into his mouth. “You done? Let’s go, then,” he decides as you nod.
At the hospital, you get to know Jaemin’s grandmother. She took the chance to express her thanks towards you for donating the money that went towards her life-saving surgery. "Jaemin told me all about it," she mentions. "Thank you so much. Make sure to treat her to something nice," she adds, directing her comment towards Jaemin.
"He already has, and besides, there's no need for it," you chuckle. "I’m just happy that I could help".
Your evening ends with you and Jaemin spending an hour chatting with the affable elderly lady over the happenings in your lives, who was a pleasure to talk to. "Thank you for coming over to visit! I hope to see you again, y/n. You're coming again tomorrow, right?" she confirms with Jaemin.
"Yep, that's right. See you tomorrow, grandma. Have a good rest," he replies, giving his grandmother a hug before leading you out of the ward and shutting the door.
The walk out of the hospital is silent, but this time it's a comfortable silence and not one that's permeated by a frosty, cold atmosphere. "So…coming tomorrow?" Jaemin asks, breaking the silence.
"I think I can come," you reply. "I should be free. If you and your grandmother are okay with that, of course," you hastily add.
Jaemin snorts and chortles at your answer. "Of course I'm alright with it! Why would I ask you if I wasn't? And plus my grandmother literally just said she hopes to see you again," he replies.
"Alright then, I'll come," you confirm, laughs pouring out of your mouth as well. From relentlessly firing abrasive remarks at each other to being able to laugh together, you and Jaemin's relationship sure had come a long way.
»»————- ☕️ ————-««
In the days that follow, you find yourself tagging along with Jaemin to visit his grandmother more often whenever you're free after work, and having dinner with him after. Through these interactions, both of you grow closer, and the fluttering in your heart whenever he cracks a joke or pulls a silly antic increases in frequency, which you often try to suppress. As much as you try to deny it, you’ve grown fonder of him as the days go by, as he shows more and more of his true self to you.
It's also no surprise that now the old lady sees you as her own granddaughter, and often treats you as such. You came to trust her with whatever was on your mind as well, sharing with her deeper things that were on your heart and mind and taking the sensible advice she offered. She would also humour you with many different stories, from both her own and Jaemin's childhood.
Today, however, was slightly different. You had gone to visit Jaemin's grandmother by yourself, since Jaemin had to attend a project meeting with his group mates after work. So here you were, seated in a chair beside her bed and laughing out loud as she let you in on some of the embarrassing things Jaemin had done in his childhood.
"You know, Jaemin used to be so shy to talk to girls when he was a child. Last time, he'd come and hide behind me whenever girls tried to talk to him. I would have to coax him out just to say hi!" she explains, chortling as she relates the memory to you and your eyes go wide. Jaemin seemed so comfortable around you, you'd never have known that he was so shy as a kid.
"Really?" you ask, letting the surprise sink in.
"Yes, really," his grandmother confirms. "And whenever he liked any girl he never ever made any move to confess. He simply kept his feelings to himself and only ever spoke to me about them".
"Wow, I didn't know," you laugh.
"Yeah, Jaemin was terribly shy as a child. Come to think of it, you're the only girl he's been this comfortable with," she adds. "I actually think he feels a certain way towards you, but he doesn't want to say anything," she adds.
"How would you know?" You inquire, brows furrowing in surprise. Surely she was wrong?
"He's always bringing you along on his visits, if you're available. And when you're not, it seems to make him feel a bit sad," the old lady begins explaining. "Every visit, he has to mention at least one thing about you – even if it's as small as the smile you gave him when he arrived at work".
"Oh…I see". You falter in your reply, unsure of how to process what his grandmother had just told you.
"And when I tried asking him about it, he tried so hard to deny his own feelings for you. But I can read my grandson, you know. He likes you more than a friend, but he doesn't want to say anything. He's too shy, and he’s scared that he’ll spoil the friendship between you two," his grandmother adds, before shooting you a question that catches you off guard. "Do you feel the same towards him too?"
"Well I- I…" you stutter even more, unsure of your response. "Okay, maybe I do. At first it was purely due to his looks, because I always saw him order from us during my shifts and found him really handsome. But as I got to know him better, I found things about his personality attractive too. Like how he loves his family so much, he'd willingly sacrifice more of his limited time to work extra shifts to provide the money they need. And how gentle he is towards the people he cares about. There's more, but if I were to list them all I'll be here past visiting hours," you joke, while at the same time voicing your true thoughts and feelings about Jaemin.
His grandmother nods, processing your answer. "I see. From my previous interactions with you, I can tell that you're a sensible, compassionate young lady as well, and I think you'd be a good match for my grandson. Now that you know he feels the same way towards you, will you be bold and take the first step to tell him your feelings?" she asks, looking up at you with hope in her eyes.
“I…” you trail off, not knowing if you should accede to her request. On one hand, you had come to terms with the fact that you fancied Jaemin more than a friend, and what you felt was probably not just a fleeting crush, and you badly wished to get these feelings off your chest. On the other hand, you were immensely worried about what would happen if you told Jaemin these things.
That he would see you differently.
That he’d reject you, and you’d have to deal with the sting that would come after.
That the friendship between both of you would be affected.
There was just so much to worry about!
“Y/n, I know what you’re thinking. I know you’re worried about his reaction,” Jaemin’s grandmother drawls understandingly. “But trust me, he’s thinking the exact same things as you, and because of that he’s not willing to make the first move. So, now the ball is in your court. Are you willing to take that risk?” She asks, her gaze on you unmoving.
“I…I don’t know. I’ll have to think about it,” you answer honestly.
His grandmother nods, grunting in understanding. “Alright then, if you wish. There’s no pressure on you to do anything, really. The choice is really yours. But believe me — it would make his day”.
That day, you left the hospital in the biggest dilemma you’ve been in for a long while.
»»————- ☕️ ————-««
It doesn’t take too long for you to make up your mind.
“I’m gonna do it”. You declare, striding out of the store room as you tie up your apron. It’s a monday morning, and you’re back at work again.
“Do what?” Lia asks, a quizzical expression coming over her.
“I’m gonna shoot my shot”.
At this, Lia lets the plastic cups in her hand clatter to the floor. “You’re what?”
You move quickly to help her pick up the cups. “I said what I said. I’m shooting my shot today”.
“Yes, yes, I heard you, but with who?” Lia speaks quickly, looking as if she’s just heard the most ridiculous new in her life.
“Na Jaemin, duh,” you answer, stacking the plastic cups up where they should be.
“You’re- no way.”
“Yes way. I’ve decided I’m gonna take my chances today, and if it doesn’t go as planned- oh well, what’s the worst that could happen? At most, I get rejected and I lose a friend,” you reason, explaining your thought process — though more so to try and calm your nerves than to appease Lia’s curiosity. Truth be told, you were becoming extremely jumpy, and you felt like you were going to begin bouncing off the walls any moment.
“Are you insane? There is no way on earth he’s going to reject you!” Lia exclaims, staring at you incredulously. “If he rejects you, it means the sky’s gonna fall down tomorrow”.
“How are you so sure?” you question, narrowing your eyes into slits as you stare at her.
“It’s so obvious, duh. I can practically see hearts in his eyes whenever he looks at you!” she answers as she gives the countertop a quick wipedown with a cloth. “Bet he’s too shy to speak his mind, though”.
You shrug in response, arranging a few more mugs on the countertop. “I don’t know. But I’ll see how everything goes”.
“It’ll be more than fine. Trust me,” Lia declares. “But anyway, what’s your plan?”
You whisper your plan into her ear, and her brows furrow disapprovingly. “That’s it? That’s so basic, y/n!” she groans.
“Hey, basic isn’t always bad!” you exclaim, shoving her playfully. “If it works, it works, okay!”
“Whatever”. Lia rolls her eyes jokingly. “But just know I’m rooting for the both of you”.
Fortunately, Jaemin shows up to work punctually, meaning that your plan can be put into action.
“Psst, Jaemin,” you whisper, waving your hand in front of his face. “Earth to Jaemin”.
“Sorry, what?” Jaemin responds, snapping out of his momentary trance.
You can’t help but laugh at his stunned response. “Looks like the mid-afternoon coma is hitting us both — I feel it too. So, I was thinking we make each other a coffee of our choice, just to perk ourselves up. What do you say?”
“Why not? I need the caffeine fix real bad right now anyway,” he reasons, standing up from his chair and moving to where the cups and mugs were placed. “Hot, iced, or ice blended?” he asks.
“Surprise me”. You simply respond, flashing him a grin. “And I’ll surprise you too”.
With that, you both begin whipping up drinks for each other.
You decide to make him a venti vanilla sweet cream cold brew, since his usual order is a cold brew, but you also know that he’s been obsessed with iced vanilla lattes recently — so why not combine the best of both worlds? Being aware that he enjoys having a stronger coffee taste in his drinks, you make his drink a little less sweet.
This is where your plan comes to life. Picking up a marker, you write this on the cup, taking care to write where the vanilla cream is visible:
Be mine?
▢ yes
▢ no
Now, all that’s left to do is to wait for Jaemin to finish with yours, pass him the drink, and then wait for his response.
It sounds so simple in theory, so why do my hands feel heavy as lead now? You question mentally as Jaemin reappears, looking slightly sheepish. “Y/n? I’m done with yours, are you finished with mine?” he asks softly.
“Yes, of course! Here you go,” you exclaim, pass him the cup of cold brew and take your drink, trying to hide how your hands are shaking as if a 9.2 magnitude earthquake is taking place on them.
The sight of your drink sends a new wave of butterflies flying right through you, while at the same time causing a laugh to bubble up in you, which you fight to keep down.
Jaemin had made you a classic latte, but with a hilarious yet heartwarming twist. He’d clearly given his best shot at latte art, as shown from the words on the drink which have now almost dissolved into illegible, messy foam streaks. Fortunately for you, you’re still able to comprehend it.
It’s the exact same thing that you wrote on his cup.
You peek in Jaemin’s direction and catch sight of him gawking at the writing on his cup. “Y/n…” he trails off, his facial expression a clear giveaway of the shock he’s feeling. “I can’t believe we were thinking the exact same thing!” he exclaims, before bursting into guffaws.
“I can’t believe it either,” you respond, now laughing your head off along with him. “Gosh, and to think I was so afraid to do this!”
“So was I!” Jaemin chuckles, sipping on the drink. “If only I knew you had almost the exact same plans as I had”.
“Well…I guess our answers to each other are obvious then,” you giggle. By now, you’re smiling so widely, the corners of your mouth could reach your ears, and you feel as if your whole chest is going to explode with how fast and hard your heart is pounding.
“Well then, cheers to our newfound love for each other,” Jaemin declares, raising his cup and pulling you in for a side hug, all while gazing at you lovingly.
“Cheers,” you respond, bringing your cup to his as you lean closer to him, resting your head on his shoulder as you soak up the warmth of his embrace.
oh man sorry about the long text boxes 😐😐 trying to find a way to change that too cuz I had a feeling that people would get sick of it oops. but thank you so much for the positive review! it's very encouraging and means a lot to me 🤍
💌 Send this to the twelve nicest people you know or who seem to have a good heart and if you get five back you must be pretty awesome. 💌
gaaaaahh cloud hello ‹33 im sending one back to you hehe
and ofc to these lovely lovely people : @hee-pster @hwajin @telesvng @starlostseungmin @zoe8stay @sunboki @bruh-changbin @lotus-dly @ipegchangbin @hyunverse @seungisms @soluvcore @comet-falls @bbyquokka , y'all are vv precious to me i hope you know that !! sending you all the biggest smooches to your forehead ( consensual ofc )
awww thank you so much for thinking of me and tagging me ahri!! sending much love back to you 🤍
a lot of people i know have been tagged already but i’m tagging again and i’m doing more than twelve. don’t feel pressured to reply or “send this back” if you don’t want to. just know that i appreciate you and your presence on this site immensely 🫶
thanks so much rain :')) omg i'm always so starstruck to see ur interactions 🙇🏻♀️ ur so very lovely, much love !! <33
tagging some other people who are incredible human beans, i love u all mwah! 😚 @justalildumpling @winterchimez @ethereal-engene @jaehunnyy @loveliestfelix @hqrana @tranquilpetrichor @flowerjun @wonciel @hongyangi @goldenhypen @sseastar @polarisjisung
Duckie shut up I love you so much you don't even know it I need to shower you with more of my affection and appreciation so I'm tagging you right back <3
I'm gonna tag some more people who've been here for me always and deserve all the best in the world <3
genre: fluff, angst; enemies to lovers, coffee shop au
synopsis: at the coffee shop you work at, there's always this regular who comes and orders the same cup of cold brew coffee every morning without fail. you end up having a rather rude interaction with him one morning when you accidentally spill his coffee on him before his job interview – which turns out to be for the very same coffee shop you're working at. it doesn't matter to you that he got the job, but the fact that he's always on the same shift as you never fails to get on your nerves. Will the two of you sort out your feud, or will the both of you continue to brew these cold feelings towards each other?
a/n: this is a very VERY long overdue fic for @hcsarchive ! i’m really really sorry for the long hiatus y’all, and for the decline in quality of writing and banner design :”) but to star, i genuinely hope you enjoy this fic that i churned up at 2 in the morning, and that your life will be filled with joy and many many good things! it’s been great having you as my friend, though we haven’t interacted much </3 I promise i’ll try to be more active here <3
"One venti cold brew for Na Jaemin!" you call, voice ringing out through the coffee shop amid the clinking of mugs and cutlery and cool jazz music playing in the background. As expected, a young man clad in a mint green hoodie and jeans rushes up to the counter. His soft, ebony-black bangs fall over his coffee-brown eyes as he claims his drink from you with a muffled "thanks" before scurrying off again, black backpack hanging from his back and laptop case in hand.
"He came again?" Lia asks, popping a pastry into the oven and setting the timer.
You nod in response. “Na Jaemin. Here every morning, at the exact same time ordering the exact same thing”.
"Aren't many of our customers like this too?" Lia questions, uncertain as to why you suddenly brought up this particular customer.
"Yeah, but they're not always here at the exact same time every day – sometimes they come a few minutes earlier or later. And even if they have regular orders, they sometimes order different things. This guy is here at 7 am on the dot every day without fail, and he always, always orders a venti size cold brew. I don't recall him having ordered anything different," you explain to Lia as the timer on the oven goes off, and you take the croissant out.
"Wow, how are you so observant towards these details outside of his regular drink order? It's as if you're specifically keeping your eye out for his arrival. Are you?" Lia questions, raising her eyebrows at you.
"What the hell, no!" You hurriedly deny.
"But he's your ideal type, is he not? Brown eyes, black hair, pretty cute," Lia replies with a smirk as she gets to preparing a latte, and in that moment you regret the day you'd spoken about your ideal types to each other.
"I mean yes, but we don’t even know each other! We’ve barely exchanged any words apart from him mumbling his thanks to me when I pass him his drink,” you protest.
“So? He comes here every day, you’ll sure have a chance to get to know him better,” Lia insists.
“One grande caffe latte for Kai!” you call out, placing the drink on the counter and flashing a smile at the customer, who says a “thank you”, picks up the drink and casually saunters off, in contrast to how Jaemin had practically flown out the door after collecting his order from you earlier. “I don’t know. Compared to all our other customers, he seems to be in a constant rush. He’s like the rabbit from Alice in Wonderland!”
Still, Lia remains adamant. “Trust me, if he’s your destined soulmate, there will be a way for you both to get to know each other. Really”.
You shrug, getting to work making a java chip frappuccino. “Nah, I don’t think he is. He’s probably just the eye candy who comes into our shop every morning for his daily cold brew”.
Lia simply hums and turns around to take the next customer’s order, while a mild pang of longing settles in your heart. Yes, you knew he was really just eye candy to you, but a part of you wished that you’d at least be able to interact with him a little and get to know him as an acquaintance at least.
»»————- ☕️ ————-««
Your wish comes true the next day — or at least the first part of it. You finally get to properly interact with him, past the muffled “thank yous” he would give you whenever you passed him his cold brew every morning.
But was it pleasant?
Far from that.
It’s about 2:30 pm in the afternoon, and the cafe is way more hectic than it should be at this time. Throngs of people flood the cafe, leaving all of the baristas overwhelmed, yourself included.
“I thought people drink morning coffee, not afternoon coffee!” Lia complains, practically sprinting to the other end of the counter, carrying a customer’s order on a black tray. “One blueberry muffin and one vanilla sweet cream cold brew for Shanice!”
“I know right. Suddenly everyone’s ordering their coffee in the afternoon for some weird reason!” you exclaim, hurrying to save the pastries in the oven before they burned to a crisp.
Your already-divided attention is briefly stolen by the sight of a familiar face coming in through the door — it’s none other than Na Jaemin. Weird, he already came in the morning, you think to yourself, already moving towards the cold brew machine out of instinct. You can’t help but notice he’s changed out of his usual hoodie and jeans into slacks, a white long-sleeved collared shirt and a blazer, more formal than the casual attire he normally dons, which leads you to think that he has something important on. As soon as you place the pastries on the counter, you head over to the register where Jaemin is to take his order. “Hi, what can I get for you?” you recite the standard phrase.
“One venti cold brew, please,” he states.
“Alright, I’ll get that for you. Na Jaemin, right?” you ask, picking up a venti-size cup and a marker, scribbling the name on as he nods.
You put some ice in the cup, and then stride over to where the brewed coffee is stored before dispensing enough to fill the cup. Just as you’re bringing it to the collection point, a voice calls for you. “Y/n! Hurry, there’s more orders!” one of your colleagues yells.
“Okay, coming soon!” you reply back, calling out Jaemin’s name and order, passing the drink to him and preparing to hurry off.
Only, you’d been too fast in handing the drink to him and had let go before his hands were properly around the cup, resulting in the cup falling from your hands and spilling coffee all over his shirt. Your jaw falls to the floor along with the cup as you watch his white shirt turn coffee-brown and prepare to offer multiple sincere apologies, maybe even offer to pay for his shirt to be cleaned.
But before you can do that, he hits the roof. “Ugh! I have a job interview, you idiot! Why are you so careless?” he exclaims, clearly livid. Veins bulge out visibly from his forehead, a clear sign of his fury. Heads snap in your direction as the commotion distracts customers from whatever they were doing previously.
Annoyance at how Jaemin had unnecessarily blown up at you, coupled with stress from the already overwhelming shift began to take over you, and you had to use every fiber in your being to maintain your professionalism and not hurl the best insult you could think of back at him. “Sir, I’m extremely sorry”. You murmur repeated apologies as you get several wet tissues for him. “I’ll be willing to pay for the cleaning costs, just let me know how much it costs when you next visit us”.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to appease Jaemin. “That’s not the point. I don’t have spare clothes, you know! Now I might not get my job!” Jaemin exclaims, eyes boring into you accusingly. Unsure of what to say, you remain silent, your mouth opening and closing like a goldfish’s. “Thanks a lot, I suppose,” he spits, making sure his sarcasm came across clearly. With that, he takes his half-empty drink cup and stalks off.
Meanwhile, you’re left with a taste that's even more bitter than the cold brew in your mouth from the encounter. “Wow, that was pretty rude of him,” Lia comments, coming up beside you. “Maybe you should have ensured that he was actually holding the cup before letting go, but that was still out of line on his end”.
You sigh, shaking your head and turning back to the cash register, preparing to serve the next customer. “Whatever. Let’s forget that this happened”.
»»————- ☕️ ————-««
A week has passed since the incident, and you’ve all but forgotten about it, the incident almost having been cleared from your memory completely.
Until you see a familiar face coming in at 2:30 pm — none other than Na Jaemin, the customer who’d yelled at you rather rudely that day when you’d made an honest mistake. “Lia? Can you take this next customer? I’d rather not interact with him again,” you whisper to your co-worker while glaring daggers at him.
To your surprise, Lia shakes her head. “I don’t think he’s here to order, actually. I think he’s here for his first day on the job”.
You narrow your eyes at her as a sense of foreboding comes over you. “What do you mean?”
“He’s our new barista, and he’ll be working here part-time. Did no one tell you?” Lia explains, wiping the counter top. “The job interview he mentioned last week — it was for a position here as a barista”.
“No way. Please tell me you’re lying”. You feel your eyes grow to the size of the saucers in your hands.
She shakes her head. “I’m being for real here”.
You watch as your supervisor comes out to meet Jaemin and they exchange greetings, before she passes him a set of uniform and he heads to the restrooms. “Oh, my gosh”. Your hand comes up to your forehead, and your lips form a thin line as you feel your annoyance levels peak again. “No way I’m sharing shifts with this guy”.
Lia shrugs. “Maybe it won’t be as bad as you think. Hopefully he forgot that it was you who spilled coffee on him last week,” she says while placing a hand on your shoulder, in an effort to appease you.
At that moment, your supervisor comes out of the store room with Jaemin in tow and approaches you and the other baristas. “Everyone, this is our new employee, Na Jaemin,” she says, introducing him to all of you. “Some of you may know him, as he’s a regular at our cafe. He’ll be working the afternoon shift from Monday to Wednesday. I hope all of you look after him well, and show him the ropes”. She then takes her leave as Jaemin comes to join all of you behind the counter.
“Hello everyone,” Jaemin greets, his pearly whites appearing as he gives all of you a small bow. So cute! You internally squeal as you greet him back. It was the first time you’d seen him properly smile, as every time he ordered coffee from you, his face had this permanently exhausted look on it thanks to what you can only assume to be the university student life. You return his greeting, relaxing as you realise that maybe Lia was right and he’d forgotten about the incident.
Or…maybe not.
“Aren’t you the barista who spilled my drink on me last week?” Jaemin questions as he pours milk into a blender, eyes narrowing into slits as he stares at you. “How do you still have a job? You can’t even serve a drink properly”.
Okay, that does it for you. First day on the job and he’s already being so rude?
“Can you just forget about it? You got the job in the end, didn’t you?” you snap, making your annoyance clear as you somewhat aggressively spray whipped cream onto a customer’s drink. “Also why are you showing disrespect to colleagues on your first day here? How did you even get hired?”
Jaemin shrugs, and you feel a vexation prick at the back of your neck at his nonchalant attitude. “Bold of you to talk about respect, considering you were pretty disrespectful to me last week by spilling my own drink order on me”.
"Shut the fuck up, will you?" you hiss, trying to keep your voice from rising to fever pitch, in order to not attract unpleasant attention to the both of you.
Jaemin opens his mouth to retort, but Lia steps in. “Enough, you two. Let’s just move on from the incident, shall we? I’m sure she didn’t mean to do that”.
Shooting her a grateful look, you move over to the shelf to grab a tea bag to prepare a customer’s order. “Not quite your ideal type anymore, huh?” Lia whispers from next to you as she washes a mug.
Cringing, you shake your head furiously. “Appearance wise, still yes. Personality-wise, definitely not”.
»»————- ☕️ ————-««
Ever since Jaemin joined the team, it was almost like you couldn’t have a peaceful day at work, especially since you and Jaemin always shared the same shifts. Both of you were constantly at each other's throats now, even over small things, and today wasn't any different.
“Y/n! You didn’t heat this up long enough!” Jaemin hollers, gesturing to the chocolate chip cookie on the counter top.
Rolling your eyes, you turn around to address him. “You didn’t serve it on time and it’s cooled down, you idiot. Also, Seungkwan asked for an extra espresso shot, which you didn’t add in. Who’s the one who can’t do his job properly now, huh? I hope the boss fires you one of these days”.
As a look of hurt flashes across Jaemin’s face for a fleeting moment, you feel a small pang of guilt hit you. Jaemin covers it up by rolling his eyes at you and muttering “piece of shit”, before moving over to add the extra espresso shot as you shove the plate with the cookie on it into the oven again. At that moment, his ringtone sounds out, and he takes his phone out of his apron pocket. Colour drains from his face at the sight of the caller ID, and he hurriedly excuses himself to the storeroom, leaving you to man the counter yourself since both Lia and the other barista weren’t able to make it to work today. “Hi, what can I get for you?” you inquire, plastering a smile on your face and turning to face the customer, who asks for a cappuccino.
You open up the mini-fridge below the counter, only to find that there’s no more milk left. No big deal, you could always get more from the bigger fridge in the store room. Heading over to the store room, you push the door open and prepare to step inside when Jaemin’s voice stops you in your tracks. “…what? The surgery costs that much? I thought it was cheaper…”
Peeking through the door slightly, you’re greeted by the sight of Jaemin pacing around the small room and clutching onto a handful of his black hair. From his tone and demeanour, it was evident that he was in a clear state of stress. "Yes, I got the job, but I don't think my earnings from the shifts I'm working currently can cover the costs". Another pause. "It's alright. I'll just ask the supervisor if I can work more shifts. It's more important that grandma gets well. Okay, bye. Send my well-wishes to her".
Jaemin turns around and you dart back out of the room to avoid being seen, but you still catch a glimpse of the tear drops falling from his eyes, sending a pang to your heart. Sure, you both argued all the time at work, but it didn't mean that you had no empathy for him at all, now that you had an idea of his circumstances — even if it was a vague one. You recall when he lashed out at you for spilling coffee on him just before his interview, and now you're able to better understand his reaction, thanks to the newly learned information about his grandmother’s situation. Yes, his reaction was still rude and unnecessarily harsh, but he was going through a stressful time himself. Guilt floods you suddenly as you think of all the times you'd flung harsh words at him for no reason.
As Jaemin emerges from the store room, you enter and get the milk and start preparing the customer's drink, all while this question replayed in your head: what could you do to help him?
"Y/n!" a clear voice sounds from the cash register, and you recognise it to be your regular customer and best friend from junior college – Chaewon.
Enthusiastically returning her greeting, you inquire about her order. "Chae! What would you like today?"
Chaewon scans the menu and makes her decision. "I'll get a tall strawberry frappuccino, no whipped, takeaway".
"No problem!" You answer, and prepare the drink for her as she goes to the side to wait. "One tall strawberry frappuccino for Chaewon!" you announce, and your friend skips up to collect her drink.
"Thank you! Here's a tip for you – you deserve it," Chaewon adds with a wink as she stuffs a wad of notes into your hand before sauntering away. "See you in class tomorrow!"
"See you Chae!" you call back. You head into the store room, intending to keep the money in your wallet, until the sight of Jaemin's wallet peeking out of his backpack catches your attention. A thought then hits you: why not give the tips I get to Jaemin? He needs it more than I do, anyway.
Without a second thought, your hands are already pulling the wallet out of his bag and stashing the tip Chaewon gave you into the wallet. Putting the wallet back where it was, you stride out of the room again as if nothing happened. Yeah, I'll keep doing this. Hopefully it helps to ease Jaemin's financial burden, you think to yourself.
Thankfully, the rest of the day goes by without a hitch. “Y/n! Good job today, just finish the last order and then you can go,” your supervisor comments, giving you a small smile. “Here’s today’s pay. See you tomorrow!” she finishes, passing you an envelope which contained your day’s earnings.
“Thank you so much ma’am! See you tomorrow!” You reply, calling for the last customer and then heading off to the store room to collect your bag. Peeking inside, you catch Jaemin gawking at his open wallet, prompting you to just stay outside and observe his reaction for a while. "No way. I don't remember receiving any tips. So how did this cash appear?" he asks himself, opening and closing his wallet repeatedly – even slapping himself at one point. "Oh my goodness. Whichever supernatural power provided me with this, thank you," he whispers, putting his cash into his wallet before shutting it again and placing it in his bag. His stressed expression melts away, and is replaced by a smile – one of relief and hope. The sight makes your heart rate increase faster than you'd like to admit, but you ignore it and exit the coffee shop, glad that you were able to do something to brighten up Jaemin's day.
»»————- ☕️ ————-««
Jaemin had gotten the green light from your supervisor to work extra shifts, so over the next few weeks you both see each other more often as all his shifts coincide with yours. Though both of you are still rather cold towards each other, you argue less with him as you force yourself to hold your tongue whenever you're tempted to spew unkind things at him, knowing that he was going through a rough time.
And of course, you continue with your plan of secretly giving him all the tips that customers leave you – whether it was sixty cents or fifty bucks.
Today's just another day at work, and you overhear Jaemin on the phone as you're busy whipping up drinks for customers again. "Oh my gosh, no way".
Though you know it’s technically wrong, the saying “eavesdroppers never hear any good about themselves” leaves your memory momentarily as you prick up your ears to listen to the conversation, hoping that it was news about his grandmother. As his voice raises in pitch and grows increasingly excited, you feel your heart begin to beat faster as well, like the wings of a bird about to take off. "We only need $50 more and she can get surgery? That's fantastic news!"
Your heart swelled with joy, so much so that you thought it would burst right there and then in the cafe. Jaemin's grandmother would be saved! Though you didn't know the elderly woman, hearing the news still made you nearly melt in relief.
"Thank you, see you again!" you flash a bright smile to a customer as you hand them their order.
"Thank you! Here's a tip for you!" the customer replies and hands you some cash. Accepting it gratefully, you take a peek at it, and your heart leaps even higher than before at the sight. It's a fifty dollar note!
"Just what Jaemin needs!" you whisper to yourself, stashing the note in your pocket and making a mental note to put the money in his wallet when the day was over, since it was a very busy time at the cafe right now.
As promised, you secretly stash the note in his wallet again after your shift is over. Hopefully, this covers the costs of the surgery, you think to yourself as you pull the wallet out, unclasp it and stuff the money in.
“Wait, it’s you?” A familiar voice sounds from behind you, making you jump and whip your head around at breakneck speed as his wallet falls out of your grip and onto the floor with a clatter.
“Jaemin?” you blurt out dumbly, stunned by your colleague’s sudden appearance.
“Y/n? It’s you who’s been giving me the extra money?” Jaemin responds, seemingly even more astonished by the whole situation than you were.
It’s at this moment you realise there’s no point hiding it from him any further — he’d already discovered the "culprit" behind the extra money appearing in his wallet. “Yes, it’s me,” you sigh, handing his wallet back to him. “Look, I'm really sorry about this, but I happened to overhear your phone converstion with someone one day, and you were saying something about there not being enough money to send your grandmother for some kind of surgery or something like that. You seemed so sad and I just couldn’t bear to see it because I know it must be so stressful, having a family member who’s severely ill and not having financial means to get them treatment. So I thought I’d just quietly help you by giving you whatever tips customers left for me — I don’t really need the extra money right now. I did all this secretly, because I was worried you’d accuse me of purposefully eavesdropping or pitying you if you knew what I was doing. Also, it’d be awkward if I were to suddenly start intervening in your family matters since we’re both not really on good terms right now,” you explain, attempting to clear the air of confusion by explaining your intentions.
For a few moments, the only sound in the store room is the drone of whatever machinery is keeping the old fridge running as Jaemin slowly processes what you'd just told him. Finally, he speaks up. "Y/n, you have absolutely no idea how much that means to me. I was so, so worried when I found out the actual cost of the surgery, and that we might not be able to pay for it on time for my grandmother to survive. For so many nights, I couldn't sleep for so long because I was so worried," he explains. "But thanks to your kind donations, we'll be able to pay for it before she gets it today. Words alone can't express my gratitude to you. Really". He looks up and meets your gaze, and his eyes are moist with emotion.
Your lips curve into a gentle smile. "I'm glad I could help, Jaemin. I hope your grandmother's surgery goes well, and for her to have a speedy and stable recovery," you answer.
"I'm going to the hospital to visit her now, so I'll convey your well wishes to her. See you tomorrow, y/n". As he leaves the store room, he shows you a genuine smile, the first one he'd shown you ever since you both became coworkers.
Your heart melts at the sight, like the marshmallows you used to top orders of hot chocolate. "See you tomorrow, Jaemin". You return his smile, and continue to pack your own things as well before you leave the cafe. As much as you don't want to admit, for some reason this much more pleasant interaction has you using every single ounce of your willpower to stop yourself from squealing out in joy.
»»————- ☕️ ————-««
"Y/n!" A familiar voice calls out to you as you start up the coffee machine next Monday morning.
"Oh hey, Jaemin!" You reply calmly as said boy comes up to you, looking much more relaxed and confident, compared to the usual worried and downcast expression etched on his face that had been the norm for the past few weeks.
"Excuse me," he murmurs, reaching out for the coffee machine and dispensing some into the plastic cup in his hand that was half-filled with ice, before calmly sipping on the beverage. "By the way, my grandmother's surgery was a success, and the doctor's prognosis for her looks good," Jaemin reveals, officially putting your worries about his grandmother to rest.
"Really? That's awesome!" you exclaim, sharing your coworker's joy over the good news.
Jaemin nods, a radiant smile forming on his face as he continues. "On behalf of the rest of my family, thank you so much. I know this probably isn't much, but please, let me treat you to a meal one day".
Though you initially refute his suggestion and say it's not necessary, arguing that you were simply helping him out in his time of need, you eventually give in to his insistence. "How is she now? Is she recovering from surgery well?" you inquire as you pile marshmallows onto a cup of hot chocolate.
"Yes, when I visited her yesterday, she had regained some of her appetite, and though she still seemed quite tired, she had slightly more energy than before, which are good signs," Jaemin replies, blending a matcha frappuccino. "Actually, do you want to come with me to visit her after work today?"
"Why not? I don't have anything on today, so I should be able to come," you reply.
"Alright then!" Jaemin grins, before turning and calling for the customer to pick up their order.
You return your attention to the drink you were making, totally surprised by your exchange with Jaemin earlier — much more pleasant compared to the interactions you’d had prior to this day. Maybe the saying your teachers had drilled into your head since elementary school was true. A small act of kindness could turn a situation around — in this case, it helped Jaemin’s family afford a life-saving surgery for his grandmother, and helped you and Jaemin warm up to each other.
»»————- ☕️ ————-««
Before you both go to visit his grandmother, Jaemin insists on treating you to a sumptuous burger dinner. Which is how you both end up at a restaurant, with the juiciest chicken burger you've ever seen in your life, along with fries that have been fried to crisp golden brown perfection and a cup of iced lemon tea.
“How’s life been?” Jaemin asks, tucking into his own burger.
“Oh, it’s been quite chill. I just finished my graduating exam not long ago and am waiting for my results to come out, so I don’t really have much to do. That’s why I took on this job — to earn some money and pass my time,” you explain, picking up a few fries and popping them into your mouth, savouring the crunch that followed. “What about you?”
“University’s been kicking my ass,” Jaemin groans. “The professors have gone ham on my class — who gives their students freaking five essays to finish in a week? On top of that, I’ve got frisbee practices after school and also this job. Luckily my grandmother’s condition has stabilised, or else I’d have even more stress to deal with,” he adds.
“Oh my, that sounds tough. All the best,” you grunt empathetically, knowing exactly how he felt. Though you had never studied in a university, you’d just finished junior college, and had experienced days where the onslaught of homework seemed never ending, leaving you feeling as if you were going to suffocate to death under the workload that only seemed to get heavier and heavier each day. “Oh yeah — speaking of your grandmother, what exactly happened to her? If you’re not comfortable sharing this with me, please don’t feel obligated to do so,” you hurriedly add at the end. You were aware that this was a very sensitive topic, and that Jaemin might wish to keep such matters to himself.
“About that…” Jaemin’s voice trails off, and he scratches his head as he contemplates whether to tell you or not. “Okay. I’ll tell you, since you’re the one who basically saved her life,” he decides, before beginning his story. “It was cancer. Stomach cancer. She lost her appetite, and often complained of stomach pain. Initially, we thought that it was simply a stomach bug, and we took her to the doctor who just prescribed her some medication. But she didn’t improve — if anything, she got worse. The day she began vomiting blood, we knew that something was terribly wrong. A check up at the hospital revealed that she had stage 3 stomach cancer”.
“Oh gosh, that’s horrible,” you muse, brows forming a furrow in the center of your forehead.
“It was. Our whole family was devastated, especially knowing that she wouldn’t have any chance of survival unless she went for surgery. But at that point of time, my dad had just been laid off, meaning that we weren’t able to afford to pay for the operation. Hence we began scrimping and saving, with my dad taking on three jobs in order to try to earn some money. My mother took on two odd jobs, while also having to look after my younger siblings at home. I was really anxious about my grandmother, and I felt terrible seeing how exhausted my parents were. So, I decided to do whatever I can to help, which is why I took on this job, thinking that the salary I’d earn would be sufficient. But the hospital called back to say that the cost of the surgery would actually be more expensive than we initially thought, since my grandmother’s case was extra complicated, and it sent me back into a panic because I knew that even with extra shifts, the money I earned might not even be able to cover the costs. Gosh, I’m so glad it’s over,” Jaemin finishes, breathing out a sigh. The tears that had welled up in his eyes, now pouring out like rain, spoke volumes just how bleak that period had been for Jaemin.
The sight of him tearing up made your heart ache. “I’m so sorry you guys went through that,” you murmur, reaching over to rub his shoulder to comfort him. “That must have been so tough. Fortunately, you guys were able to afford the procedure in the end. You're so strong".
Jaemin nods. “And it’s all thanks to you”.
“Now I know why you were so worked up that day,” you add, thinking back to the day when you’d had your first proper interaction with Jaemin.
A quizzical look comes upon Jaemin’s face. “Which day?”
“The day you came to the cafe for your job interview. I spilled your drink on you, remember?” you remind him, a sheepish smile gracing your features.
Jaemin's brows furrow as he searches his brain, trying to recall the moment you had mentioned. His eyes widen, and he snaps his fingers as the memory returns to him. "Oh! Right! Oh my, I still feel so bad about it, jeez," he exclaims, his palm meeting his forehead. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have lashed out at you like that over such a small thing. I think that's why our relationship has been so sour".
"No, no, it's fine. That was in the past, was it not?" you say, reassuring Jaemin that you don't hold any grudges against him over past events. “I’m sorry too, for saying that I hoped the boss would fire you, when it was a time when you needed this job most”.
“It’s alright. Honestly, I don’t even have any memory of that incident, anyway,” Jaemin chuckles, popping the last of his fries into his mouth. “You done? Let’s go, then,” he decides as you nod.
At the hospital, you get to know Jaemin’s grandmother. She took the chance to express her thanks towards you for donating the money that went towards her life-saving surgery. "Jaemin told me all about it," she mentions. "Thank you so much. Make sure to treat her to something nice," she adds, directing her comment towards Jaemin.
"He already has, and besides, there's no need for it," you chuckle. "I’m just happy that I could help".
Your evening ends with you and Jaemin spending an hour chatting with the affable elderly lady over the happenings in your lives, who was a pleasure to talk to. "Thank you for coming over to visit! I hope to see you again, y/n. You're coming again tomorrow, right?" she confirms with Jaemin.
"Yep, that's right. See you tomorrow, grandma. Have a good rest," he replies, giving his grandmother a hug before leading you out of the ward and shutting the door.
The walk out of the hospital is silent, but this time it's a comfortable silence and not one that's permeated by a frosty, cold atmosphere. "So…coming tomorrow?" Jaemin asks, breaking the silence.
"I think I can come," you reply. "I should be free. If you and your grandmother are okay with that, of course," you hastily add.
Jaemin snorts and chortles at your answer. "Of course I'm alright with it! Why would I ask you if I wasn't? And plus my grandmother literally just said she hopes to see you again," he replies.
"Alright then, I'll come," you confirm, laughs pouring out of your mouth as well. From relentlessly firing abrasive remarks at each other to being able to laugh together, you and Jaemin's relationship sure had come a long way.
»»————- ☕️ ————-««
In the days that follow, you find yourself tagging along with Jaemin to visit his grandmother more often whenever you're free after work, and having dinner with him after. Through these interactions, both of you grow closer, and the fluttering in your heart whenever he cracks a joke or pulls a silly antic increases in frequency, which you often try to suppress. As much as you try to deny it, you’ve grown fonder of him as the days go by, as he shows more and more of his true self to you.
It's also no surprise that now the old lady sees you as her own granddaughter, and often treats you as such. You came to trust her with whatever was on your mind as well, sharing with her deeper things that were on your heart and mind and taking the sensible advice she offered. She would also humour you with many different stories, from both her own and Jaemin's childhood.
Today, however, was slightly different. You had gone to visit Jaemin's grandmother by yourself, since Jaemin had to attend a project meeting with his group mates after work. So here you were, seated in a chair beside her bed and laughing out loud as she let you in on some of the embarrassing things Jaemin had done in his childhood.
"You know, Jaemin used to be so shy to talk to girls when he was a child. Last time, he'd come and hide behind me whenever girls tried to talk to him. I would have to coax him out just to say hi!" she explains, chortling as she relates the memory to you and your eyes go wide. Jaemin seemed so comfortable around you, you'd never have known that he was so shy as a kid.
"Really?" you ask, letting the surprise sink in.
"Yes, really," his grandmother confirms. "And whenever he liked any girl he never ever made any move to confess. He simply kept his feelings to himself and only ever spoke to me about them".
"Wow, I didn't know," you laugh.
"Yeah, Jaemin was terribly shy as a child. Come to think of it, you're the only girl he's been this comfortable with," she adds. "I actually think he feels a certain way towards you, but he doesn't want to say anything," she adds.
"How would you know?" You inquire, brows furrowing in surprise. Surely she was wrong?
"He's always bringing you along on his visits, if you're available. And when you're not, it seems to make him feel a bit sad," the old lady begins explaining. "Every visit, he has to mention at least one thing about you – even if it's as small as the smile you gave him when he arrived at work".
"Oh…I see". You falter in your reply, unsure of how to process what his grandmother had just told you.
"And when I tried asking him about it, he tried so hard to deny his own feelings for you. But I can read my grandson, you know. He likes you more than a friend, but he doesn't want to say anything. He's too shy, and he’s scared that he’ll spoil the friendship between you two," his grandmother adds, before shooting you a question that catches you off guard. "Do you feel the same towards him too?"
"Well I- I…" you stutter even more, unsure of your response. "Okay, maybe I do. At first it was purely due to his looks, because I always saw him order from us during my shifts and found him really handsome. But as I got to know him better, I found things about his personality attractive too. Like how he loves his family so much, he'd willingly sacrifice more of his limited time to work extra shifts to provide the money they need. And how gentle he is towards the people he cares about. There's more, but if I were to list them all I'll be here past visiting hours," you joke, while at the same time voicing your true thoughts and feelings about Jaemin.
His grandmother nods, processing your answer. "I see. From my previous interactions with you, I can tell that you're a sensible, compassionate young lady as well, and I think you'd be a good match for my grandson. Now that you know he feels the same way towards you, will you be bold and take the first step to tell him your feelings?" she asks, looking up at you with hope in her eyes.
“I…” you trail off, not knowing if you should accede to her request. On one hand, you had come to terms with the fact that you fancied Jaemin more than a friend, and what you felt was probably not just a fleeting crush, and you badly wished to get these feelings off your chest. On the other hand, you were immensely worried about what would happen if you told Jaemin these things.
That he would see you differently.
That he’d reject you, and you’d have to deal with the sting that would come after.
That the friendship between both of you would be affected.
There was just so much to worry about!
“Y/n, I know what you’re thinking. I know you’re worried about his reaction,” Jaemin’s grandmother drawls understandingly. “But trust me, he’s thinking the exact same things as you, and because of that he’s not willing to make the first move. So, now the ball is in your court. Are you willing to take that risk?” She asks, her gaze on you unmoving.
“I…I don’t know. I’ll have to think about it,” you answer honestly.
His grandmother nods, grunting in understanding. “Alright then, if you wish. There’s no pressure on you to do anything, really. The choice is really yours. But believe me — it would make his day”.
That day, you left the hospital in the biggest dilemma you’ve been in for a long while.
»»————- ☕️ ————-««
It doesn’t take too long for you to make up your mind.
“I’m gonna do it”. You declare, striding out of the store room as you tie up your apron. It’s a monday morning, and you’re back at work again.
“Do what?” Lia asks, a quizzical expression coming over her.
“I’m gonna shoot my shot”.
At this, Lia lets the plastic cups in her hand clatter to the floor. “You’re what?”
You move quickly to help her pick up the cups. “I said what I said. I’m shooting my shot today”.
“Yes, yes, I heard you, but with who?” Lia speaks quickly, looking as if she’s just heard the most ridiculous new in her life.
“Na Jaemin, duh,” you answer, stacking the plastic cups up where they should be.
“You’re- no way.”
“Yes way. I’ve decided I’m gonna take my chances today, and if it doesn’t go as planned- oh well, what’s the worst that could happen? At most, I get rejected and I lose a friend,” you reason, explaining your thought process — though more so to try and calm your nerves than to appease Lia’s curiosity. Truth be told, you were becoming extremely jumpy, and you felt like you were going to begin bouncing off the walls any moment.
“Are you insane? There is no way on earth he’s going to reject you!” Lia exclaims, staring at you incredulously. “If he rejects you, it means the sky’s gonna fall down tomorrow”.
“How are you so sure?” you question, narrowing your eyes into slits as you stare at her.
“It’s so obvious, duh. I can practically see hearts in his eyes whenever he looks at you!” she answers as she gives the countertop a quick wipedown with a cloth. “Bet he’s too shy to speak his mind, though”.
You shrug in response, arranging a few more mugs on the countertop. “I don’t know. But I’ll see how everything goes”.
“It’ll be more than fine. Trust me,” Lia declares. “But anyway, what’s your plan?”
You whisper your plan into her ear, and her brows furrow disapprovingly. “That’s it? That’s so basic, y/n!” she groans.
“Hey, basic isn’t always bad!” you exclaim, shoving her playfully. “If it works, it works, okay!”
“Whatever”. Lia rolls her eyes jokingly. “But just know I’m rooting for the both of you”.
Fortunately, Jaemin shows up to work punctually, meaning that your plan can be put into action.
“Psst, Jaemin,” you whisper, waving your hand in front of his face. “Earth to Jaemin”.
“Sorry, what?” Jaemin responds, snapping out of his momentary trance.
You can’t help but laugh at his stunned response. “Looks like the mid-afternoon coma is hitting us both — I feel it too. So, I was thinking we make each other a coffee of our choice, just to perk ourselves up. What do you say?”
“Why not? I need the caffeine fix real bad right now anyway,” he reasons, standing up from his chair and moving to where the cups and mugs were placed. “Hot, iced, or ice blended?” he asks.
“Surprise me”. You simply respond, flashing him a grin. “And I’ll surprise you too”.
With that, you both begin whipping up drinks for each other.
You decide to make him a venti vanilla sweet cream cold brew, since his usual order is a cold brew, but you also know that he’s been obsessed with iced vanilla lattes recently — so why not combine the best of both worlds? Being aware that he enjoys having a stronger coffee taste in his drinks, you make his drink a little less sweet.
This is where your plan comes to life. Picking up a marker, you write this on the cup, taking care to write where the vanilla cream is visible:
Be mine?
▢ yes
▢ no
Now, all that’s left to do is to wait for Jaemin to finish with yours, pass him the drink, and then wait for his response.
It sounds so simple in theory, so why do my hands feel heavy as lead now? You question mentally as Jaemin reappears, looking slightly sheepish. “Y/n? I’m done with yours, are you finished with mine?” he asks softly.
“Yes, of course! Here you go,” you exclaim, pass him the cup of cold brew and take your drink, trying to hide how your hands are shaking as if a 9.2 magnitude earthquake is taking place on them.
The sight of your drink sends a new wave of butterflies flying right through you, while at the same time causing a laugh to bubble up in you, which you fight to keep down.
Jaemin had made you a classic latte, but with a hilarious yet heartwarming twist. He’d clearly given his best shot at latte art, as shown from the words on the drink which have now almost dissolved into illegible, messy foam streaks. Fortunately for you, you’re still able to comprehend it.
It’s the exact same thing that you wrote on his cup.
You peek in Jaemin’s direction and catch sight of him gawking at the writing on his cup. “Y/n…” he trails off, his facial expression a clear giveaway of the shock he’s feeling. “I can’t believe we were thinking the exact same thing!” he exclaims, before bursting into guffaws.
“I can’t believe it either,” you respond, now laughing your head off along with him. “Gosh, and to think I was so afraid to do this!”
“So was I!” Jaemin chuckles, sipping on the drink. “If only I knew you had almost the exact same plans as I had”.
“Well…I guess our answers to each other are obvious then,” you giggle. By now, you’re smiling so widely, the corners of your mouth could reach your ears, and you feel as if your whole chest is going to explode with how fast and hard your heart is pounding.
“Well then, cheers to our newfound love for each other,” Jaemin declares, raising his cup and pulling you in for a side hug, all while gazing at you lovingly.
“Cheers,” you respond, bringing your cup to his as you lean closer to him, resting your head on his shoulder as you soak up the warmth of his embrace.
