▷ cafe

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁵⁰⁹ chanyeol p. (I'm so sorry for mine also oh my goodness T____T)

Mina tilted her head slightly from his question, her expression one of surprise as she blinked slowly at him. He wanted to walk her home? But why? No one had ever asked her such a thing before, so she wasn't sure how to really react except nod slowly. It couldn't hurt, and besides, she was fairly sure he wouldn't hurt her.. or so she hoped. Looking up at him, she then nodded a bit more confidently and smiled, giving him a thumbs up.

Making her way over to where her notebook was thrown, she picked it up and dusted it off lightly before carrying it over to the counter. Setting it down, she then made sure the register was locked and everything was in order before she grabbed her bag and nodded at him. 'Let's go.' She mouthed, hooking a strand of hair behind her ear and wiping at her still teary eyes.

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁵⁰¹ mina m. [] so sorry for the late reply ;;

"I should call the police, that bastard-" Consumed by further aggression when the disgusting man started provoking him verbally, Chanyeol started to curse, but feeling Mina grip at the back of his suit jacket, he stopped and held back. The younger girl really didn't need to hear any more foul words, especially when she had just heard her assailant curse out a whole bunch. Keeping his eyes on the old man and making sure he saw him walk out and disappear, Chanyeol then turned to Mina. She was crying, her round, pretty eyes glossed with tears that were flowing from them. A weird of feeling struck Chanyeol, clenching an uncomfortable feeling around his heart. He had seen Mina crying before; in the school yard, in the halls, around various place in school. Chanyeol felt embarrassed; terrible even, as if he too had just committed a crime or offense against her. Especially when she looked upon at him in gratitude, mouthing a silent thank you. "Y-You don't need to thank me.." He said with a shake of his head.

Becoming an adult hadn't changed anything. He was still the same coward; afraid to face the truth of what he indirectly had and hadn't done to her. But for all those times he hadn't been there to come to Mina's help, maybe he could now, starting right from this very moment. Chanyeol gulped, swallowing back a nervous rising lump at the back of his throat. He looked shamefully to his feet. "If it's um o-okay with you, can I w-walk you home?"

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁵⁰⁹ chanyeol p. Snapping her head up in surprise when she heard someone else enter the cafe, she almost screamed in relief, but knew that no sound would come out if she did and simply kept her lips pressed in a thin line. Seeing who it was, though, made her feel strange. She wasn't very sure if she should be relieved to see the other or terrified. In this situation, however, it was definitely the former. Crying out silently when the elder pulled the obviously drunk man away, she then quickly moved to hide behind Chanyeol, her hands shakily reaching out and gripping onto the fabric of his suit. Normally, she hated skinship from anyone but her mother, her best friend that lived next to her along with her son, and another friend of hers, and yet now, she was willingly clinging onto Chanyeol like her life depended on it.

Tears were streaming down her eyes as she watched the man spout words that one would never say in front of their mother before stumbling out, the younger girl looking up at the elder with wide, teary doe eyes, her lower lip jutted out in a pout and trembling. Now that she was finally getting a good look at him, he most certainly looked more familiar than before, but she still couldn't quite put her finger on it. 'Thank you..' She slowly moved her lips to form the words, as her notebook had gotten thrown somewhere through all the drama.

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁵⁰¹ mina m. For the past few weeks, ever since he knew of Mina working in the cafe near the apartment, Chanyeol had tried to make it a daily habit of his to go to the certain establishment at least once a day. Keyword was that he tried, but after that morning when he had been late to work for the first time, his manager hadn't been too happy with him and right away Chanyeol had been faced with the punishment of working late night shifts. Which meant that he now spent his mornings and days asleep, and by the time he woke up to go to the cafe, Mina would have already been done work. He knew of this for he had been going to the cafe for awhile now, mostly knowing of the general times Mina would be working. However, as of recently, Mina had been absent during her supposed working times. This sort of incident had happened 3 times to him now and concerned that he might have lost his opportunity to reconnect with Mina, Chanyeol had finally asked the worker that had happened to be there on the mute girl's whereabouts. Thankfully, the other worker had told him that Mina was just getting rest because she was sick.

Chanyeol was on his way home from work, walking by the street where the cafe was and he was about to pass it without a second glance knowing it was closed by now, but stopped when he saw the establishment was still open. The cafe's lights were still all on, his eyes darting to scan the interior of the place to see if anyone was inside. That's when he noticed the burly backside of man in the back corner of the store, facing the wall, looking strange, for it just seemed like he was leaning towards into the wall. It looked odd, until Chanyeol's gaze strayed downwards and saw another pair of feet pointing towards the man. Someone else was with him, and struggling against his presence. Racing inside, Chanyeol made sure the man know that he was entering the scene, speaking loudly as he came in. "Sir, the cafe is closed. I ask you to leave the premise." He firmly said, continuing to walk towards the aggressor, his eyes widening slightly when he saw that it was Mina with him; the latter clearly in a dire situation of ual assault. Anger boiling at the sight, Chanyeol yanked the man off and away by the back of his shirt. "Get out." He growled, shoving the man.

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁵⁰⁹ chanyeol p. (Alrighty!)

Weeks had gone by since the incident with the rude woman, but things had only gotten worse from there. The customers got ruder and more impatient, and it drove her near insanity in some cases, but she thankfully had her best friend/co-worker, Sooyeon, to defend her when most needed. During their break time that day, the elder woman told her about the same Chanyeol fellow who often asked about her and became a regular to their cafe, the younger pursing her lips as she listened. Was she to feel honored, or creeped out by his actions? She wasn't sure, instead feeling rather neural on the subject as she exited the break room and continued taking orders with her trusty notebook.

At the end of her shift, she was left alone in the cafe to clean up and lock the doors, a glass of water on the counter for her to drink as she did so. Though she never spoke, often ached, and only her prescription medication followed by lots of water could cure it, if only temporary. While she was cleaning, she heard the door open and frowned, swearing that she had closed it only a few minutes ago. Turning around, she found the man unfamiliar and her frown deepened, reaching for her notebook to ask what the male wanted when he suddenly grabbed her wrist and pinned her to the wall, his breath reeking of alcohol as he demanded she give him all her money- and her body. Her heart began racing in anxiety, her breathing became labored and she silently whimpered, bad memories filling her mind as she weakly tried to squirm out of his grip, praying that someone would see the situation unfolding and help her. Knowing her luck, however, she wasn't very hopeful and instead prepared for the worst.

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁵⁰¹ mina m. Again, his hearing seemed to deaf when looking at Mina. Intently watching the latter do her barista duties speedily and efficiently as if she were more than one person, Chanyeol almost missed his name being called out for his drink. Reacting a split second late, he quickly went over to the other barista and took his drink. He was most definitely already late for work and so he should have just rushed out the door without a second glance back, but instead he went to the countertop that was in Mina's vicinity, internally making up an excuse in his mind that he was over in the particular space because he needed to grab a sleeve for his cup. Slowly, he slipped the sleeve around his coffee cup, giving Mina one last long look. He'd definitely be back. Chanyeol was intrigued, his curious piqued by the appearance of the girl from his past. Though he didn't say it out loud, he silently hoped that the rest of Mina's day would go much more smoothly. With the particular thought in mind, Chanyeol then quickly exited out of the cafe, a tiny smile curling onto his lips when he took a sip of his sweet drink.

[] timeskip to when chanyeol comes in and spends hours in cafe? by this time chanyeol could have become a regular of the cafe, most of the staff knowing his face. and maybe co-worker also mentions that he came one day of the week when mina was supposed to work but didn't because maybe she felt too sick and had to take a day off. co-worker could also tell her that he asked about her and stuff too.

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁵⁰⁹ chanyeol p. Today turned out to be a literal day from hell so far for Mina, and she honestly wished she had just called out sick to work that day to instead stay at home curled up in her fluffy purple blanket, drinking hot tea and binge-watching her favorite shows. With her rather comprised immune system, it would've also been beneficial to have done that instead of facing the abuse she unfortunately had to endure each shift she worked at the cafe, caused by none other than her inability to speak.

It was particularly worse today when she had a certain elder customer that apparently didn't know the definition of patience, and snapped at her for innocently writing in her notebook to communicate with her. She hung her head low in shame as the woman screamed at her, tears prickling the corners of her eyes at the words the elder spouted. 'She is right in a way, I really am just a burden. Always have been, always will be', the younger thought silently to herself.

Once the woman stormed away, she took a shaky breath to fight back the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks, as she was normally quite skilled in masking her emotions. Glancing up at her fellow co-worker, who thankfully happened to be a friend of hers, she nodded a bit at her and moved to the back where the drink machines were, her hands flying as she made several different drinks all at once without messing a single one up.

Receiving the cup from her friend for a caramel macchiato, she frowned a bit when she saw the name. It sounded familiar, though almost like a distant memory. One she more than likely locked away to the back of her mind along with the rest of her most unpleasant memories. Shaking her head slightly, she made the drink and turned around to give it to her friend to give to the customer when she froze upon seeing the male staring at her from a distance. Grimacing the smallest bit as she made brief eye contact with him, she then set the drink down before turning and continuing to make the drinks, her fingers now trembling slightly as she did. She definitely knew him from somewhere, though she couldn't necessarily pinpoint where exactly. He was the least of her worries, however, and she continued to work silently, praying her shift would pass by quickly.

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁵⁰¹ mina m. Chanyeol took a glance at his watch. He had about 10 minutes left to catch the next train that would take him to the airport for work. Hopefully, he wouldn't miss it, or else he'd be clocking into his job late. He looked back up, seeing that the lineup of people in the cafe hadn't budged at all. As sluggish as he was this morning, maybe he would have to pass at getting a cup of coffee. His small internal debate was interrupted when a customer at the front of the lineup started yelling, causing a ruckus and scene from early morning. A woman whom looked to be about in her mid-forties was absolutely going hysterical at one of the cafe employees. Taking a step out from the line, Chanyeol sought to see what was going on.

"Where's your manager. Are they stupid to put a mute girl on taking orders, especially during a morning?! Who has ing time to write back and forth on a notepad!" The lady screeched, not daring to stop there, despite the customers behind her telling to stop. "If you can't talk, don't get a job that requires you to do so! Get one that fits your state- instead of wasting the energy and time of all those around you. You're being a burden to this store, a burden to your co-workers!" With all that spewed, the lady then stormed off, which Chanyeol thought was good riddance. His head turned back to look at the particular employee that had to stomach such rude, berating treatment, his eyes squinting at how surprisingly familiar he found the female worker's face. Chanyeol had definitely seen her before somewhere, but where? He felt his eyebrows furrow as he ransacked his memory, trying to match her face up with a name or a particular memory to refresh his mind on her identity, but nothing really stood out. The thought kept bothering him. Chanyeol continued to watch her, a fellow co-worker of hers gently gesturing for her to instead start making drinks, the two of them switching tasks so that the customers could get served faster.

It was only when he was close enough to the front of the line that he could remember her, for Chanyeol was able to get a glimpse at her name tag that was pinned to her apron. The girl was Mina, Myoui Mina. He knew her from when he had studied in Japan, a fellow classmate in his homeroom. Chanyeol had never once interacted with her back then, but Mina's name had often came up within his circle of friends. They had made fun of her, teasing her about her muteness. Although he hadn't ever partaken in teasing the latter when they had been younger, after seeing the kind of attitude she had just received now, Chanyeol couldn't help but feeling guilty. Just like then, he had been a bystander, only observing and doing nothing.

"Sir. Excuse me. Sir, what can I get you?" Chanyeol blinked twice rapidly, not even noticing that he was right at the counter and his turn to order. "Sorry. Uh one medium caramel macchiato please." He said, taking out his card to pay. After telling the barista his name which she jotted down on the cup before placing it near where Mina was quickly working to make drinks, Chanyeol moved along to be out of line and wait for his drink to be made. While waiting, he continued to watch Mina from afar, wondering what she was doing in Korea.

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁴⁰⁸jiyong k. () it's totally fine, I understand!

Jaewon nodded slowly, taking in the answer. He felt pretty bad for Jiyong. Not only did he work hard at the cafe but it seemed as though he was putting his heart in his music as well. How did he manage to function throughout the day on no sleep? Jaewon couldn't even survive a day with less than six hours of sleep, minimum. There wasn't anything he could do to help the other with that though. He wished he could, yes, he really did wish he could.

Jiyong's question to him was something Jaewon was sure the other had been wondering about for quite some time. Since he had started working at the cafe, the boy could usually be found shadowing Jiyong. A soft laugh escaped him as he held his hands up and shook them defensively. "No, I know. That's for later on anyway." He joked, giving the man a tight mouthed grin afterwards as he thought of an answer to the question.

"Well, honestly you're probably the most mysterious person I've ever met. You don't talk a lot so I don't really know much about you and I'm the type of person that just...has to know." Jaewon finished, shrugging his shoulders as he wore a sheepish smile. "You're quietness intrigues me. I want to see what I can learn about you. Anyone can chat away about themselves or anything not in particular, take me for instance." The boy gestured towards himself, looking down at his hands that were currently patting his chest.

"I can go on and on and on about whatever comes to mind and you'll get a good idea of what I'm like as a person, right? With you, you say as little as possible. I've worked here for -what, almost two or three weeks? Something like that? I still don't know much about you. You're just so interesting to learn about."

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁵⁰⁶ jaewon j. //Sorry, I got really caught up with work. My replies can be really slow sometimes,,,

"Well to answer your question first," He began, sitting back in his chair with his head lilted to the side. "I don't really sleep, I guess? With all that free-time I'd much rather be productive. So, when I'm not working, I usually turn towards my music."

Ah, he sounded depressing, didn't he? Or perhaps he made it sound like he was on drugs? No matter. The fact that he couldn't sleep at night wouldn't change after all. He let out a frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. Peeking them open, he could see how the younger male beamed with curiosity. Youth. He was charismatic and it took him no time at all getting himself a warm spot in Jiyong's heart.

"As for my question for you," He said, his features softening as he straightened his posture, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "Why are you so interested in knowing about me? I'm not going to give you a raise or anything."

His lips curled into a smirk as he teased his coworker. Perhaps getting close to Jaewon wouldn't be that bad. They lived next to each other after all. He had spent more time pushing the younger away that he lost sight of what it was like to really enjoy a conversation or two with someone at work. It was easy for him to talk to Jaewon. More-so than his other employees, because the boy was patient with him. Which he really appreciated.

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁴⁰⁸jiyong k. Jaewon did in fact notice that Jiyong looked exceptionally tired and at first he hadn't meant to try and strike up another conversation. He was just tired of talking with his other coworkers. He talked to them every shift he had and the conversations were usually all the same with the same exact answers. How school was, what the weekend plans were, discussions about the weather, what his opinion was on the latest chart topping song was.

At least with Jiyong, he had something different to talk about any time he brought something up. The nights seemed to pass by a little easier when he got in a few short conversations with the other. He gave the man an apologetic smile, taking a seat beside him.

Jaewon tilted his head ever so slightly. Jiyong had a question for him? That was definitely a rarity. Clearing his throat as to try and hide his surprise, the younger nodded his head and placed his trademark grin right back on his face. "Okay, sure that sounds fair."

He figured since he talked the man's ear off so often, it was more than okay to have a question asked to him instead. Resting his arm on the table, he used his hand to prop his head up as he looked at the other expectantly. Jaewon wasn't entirely sure what was going to be asked but he was a pretty open book about himself. "Shoot."

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁴⁰⁹ jaewon j. "Photography, huh?" He hummed, standing behind Jaewon for support in case the boxes decided to topple over. "With practice, there is no doubt that you will get better. You have my support, Jae." He added with a smile, his hands resting on Jaewon's back to keep him steady as he reached upwards.

He nodded in confirmation, happy to know that had a little left before restocking. As the other parted to take care of ordering what was needed, Jiyong returned to his spot in the corner of the cafe. They closed around three in the morning. He used to consider making the place twenty-four seven but he didn't have the business to do that. And he didn't think his employees would think it was worth doing either. It was fine the way it was. An early start and a fairly late closing.

Resting his elbows on the table in front of him, he laid his head in his hands and sighed. He was so tired. How many days had it been since he last slept? Four days ago? The migraine that had been bothering him for the past three weeks resurfaced and he groaned. Should he take some of those pain-killers he had gotten a prescription for? He was tempted, but he didn't want to become dependent on the things. Should he...? Looking up to see Jaewon approaching him once more, probably to confirm the order, he decided against the medicine.

He'd live.

Another question resurfaced from the other male. Now he was becoming more curious himself. Due to his withdrawn personality, which sometimes sparked out cunning jokes-- well, more like lame-- his coworkers usually kept their relationship professional only. Of course he'd had a few take an interest in getting to know him, but they were never this persistent. Perhaps it was because they were neighbors? No, that couldn't be it...

"I don't mind you asking, but in return for my answer, how about I ask you a question?" He asked, lacing his fingers together, he rested his chin on top. Lips curled upwards, his eyebrow quirking up in amusement.

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁴⁰⁸jiyong k. "Hm as would anything with time, I suppose." Jaewon thought aloud, nodding his head ever so slightly as he scanned the list of items on the sheet. He felt Jiyong's hand wrap around his wrist, this being one of the few times the man had ever done so before but nonetheless the younger followed as he was lead to the storage room. Immediately his eyes searched for a box with 'light roasts' labeled onto it. As he looked, Jiyong spoke up again. Jaewon hadn't thought that their conversation would continue onward but he would happily continue chatting away if there was an open ear.

"Photography mostly. I majored in it when I was in college." He confirmed, smiling a bit at the memories of his classes. His eyes gave off a twinkle as he spoke of the one thing in his life he was most passiobate about. If it weren't for photography, Jaewon highly doubted he would have stuck around for university life. "I dabble in sketching as well, but I'm in no way amazing at drawing. It's just something I'm working to get better at because I enjoy it." He reached up, boosting himself up a bit on his tiptoes as he reached for the box to bring it down and check to see if they had another hidden behind it. They didn't.

Opening the box, Jaewon figured this would do until they could get the order in. "Okay, I'll go and restock the light roasts out there and then call to place an order for more to be delivered." Excusing himself, the younger of the pair exited the room and did as he said he would. Actually, he got some help. He asked one of the coworkers he was standing behind the counter to take care of the box while he made the phone call. In no time at all, the light roasts were restored and the order was said to arrive by tomorrow afternoon.

Jaewon made his way back over to Jiyong to let him know, letting out a soft yawn as he finished his report. The place had gone quiet for a while, fewer people popped in so they weren't all that busy. Jaewon glanced over at his boss with a questioning look on his face, once again being the curious kid he was. "Jiyong, do you mind me asking how you have the time to work so much at the cafe and still be able to make music? Both seem so time consuming."

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁴⁰⁹ jaewon j. He couldn't help but grin at the other's words. It was always nice hearing compliments. He loved them, actually. He even considered fishing for more from the other male but he noticed Jaewon looking over the list from behind him and he remembered the task at hand. Angling the sheet to give the younger a better view, his smile fell back into his usual indifference.

"I suppose after you do it for a long time it just..." he bit his lips, pursing them slightly before continuing. "Comes naturally?"

He was nervous to show his music outside of performances. He'd never shown anyone. Not even the people he had dated. Though, he couldn't say it would never happen. Especially since no one had visited his place in years. Well, not anyone that he was close enough with to care. Besides, he could tell Jaewon had an interest. It wouldn't be so bad. Perhaps he could get some input as a bonus?

Flipping to the second page of the list, he took Jaewon's wrist, leading him towards the storage room. His mind flitted towards what Jaewon said. It wasn't often that he delved too much into his employees backgrounds. Sure, he knew the basic gist of their lives outside of work through interviews and small talk, but never enough to become close. Building close relationships in a work environment scared him -- not that he would ever show that it did. People come and go. Especially when the majority of his staff were part-timers. He didn't want to create an even larger crater in his chest from the loss of a employee he grew too close with. Though, he really was curious about what sort of artistic abilities the younger possessed. He had an affinity for that sort of thing, after all.

"...So um..." He started, smacking his lips sheepishly as he let go of Jaewon's wrist, entering the storeroom. "You said you do better with images, huh?" Instead of looking at Jaewon as he spoke, he turned his attention towards the boxes surrounding them. It had been a while since he initiated a topic to get to know someone better. He felt really awkward.

"As for the, uh, light roasts... I think there may be some..." His eyebrows rose when he found the box, his mouth curling into a satisfied smile. Setting the list down, he pointed towards the box. "I think that's our last box so we should probably order some more."

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁴⁰⁸jiyong k. "Okay. It's really cool actually." Jaewon corrected, chuckling at the man's expression as he too looked at the sheet from where he was standing. He wanted to get familiar with such things so if he was needed to do it on his own, he wouldn't be lost completely in what to do. As Jiyong explained to him when the origin of his song writing began, the younger male nodded along giving a soft hum in response. So he had been right about the poetry after all. He was just in the wrong time era of Jiyong's life.

"That seems really hard to do, writing music. I'm not that creative myself when it comes to words. I do better with images." He stated as he thought about how he too started his creative outlet in college. The mention of possibly hearing something Jiyong created made his ears perk up, eyes shining with childlike excitement as he quickly nodded his head. "Yeah, yeah that would totally be awesome. I'd love to hear something of yours."

The conversation soon died down but it was nothing new when it came to talking with Jiyong. Jaewon was used to it at this point and he didn't mind it so much. This was probably one of their longer conversations and he had learned something about his boss that he probably wouldn't have if he wasn't so adamant about getting to know the other.

Anyway, they were working so he would have to do what he was there to do. He'd wait until they weren't busy with a task to talk more about personal things outside of the work place. "Should I order some more?" He asked quizzically, jerking his head towards the phone. "Or are there any put away?"

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁴⁰⁹ jaewon j. He smiled bashfully, looking at the ground as he felt flustered from the other's reaction. Was it really that surprising? Perhaps it was since he never talked about it. Covering his mouth behind his hand again, he laughed quietly. "I'm not, silly."

He stepped closer to Jaewon, reaching behind the younger as he grabbed the list containing their stocks. Stepping back to a more comfortable distance, he mulled over how to answer the younger's questions while also scanning the list for what they had in stock and what was out of stock. Keeping busy. "Only kind of cool?" He feigned disappointment, his eyes not leaving the list in his hands as his lips pursed outwards into a pout.

His eyes flicked up when the other moved, to see what he was doing before looking back down. His mouth tilted to the side, a soft 'tch' escaping his lips. When did he start again? It must have been during his freshman year of college. "I started when I was around eighteen, I think. I wrote a little poetry when I was younger, but I started writing music and lyrics when I was a freshman in college."

It was nostalgic, really to think about. He never really thought about the past. He liked to focus on the present, but perhaps memories like these weren't all that bad. "I made a studio of sorts in my apartment if you'd like to hear some of the things I've made."

Rubbing the side of his arm, he wondered if he should regret asking. He almost did but the numbers on the sheet in front of him caught his attention more. "I think we're almost out of light roasts..." he mumbled, scratching his head as his mind began to wander. He never was good at keeping a conversation.

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁴⁰⁸jiyong k. The pause felt like an eternity. Jaewon wondered if he had teetered onto something he shouldn't have, eyes instantly falling to the dishes he was washing. The last thing he wanted was an awkward atmosphere at the work place. That would be torturous for him. Having to be careful what he said and did even more than what he was already attempting to be? He might as well become a mime if it ever came to that point.

Finally the man had turned back to him, joking along with Jaewon with the gesture for him to be quiet. He did so obediently, a small smile on his face as he grabbed the hand towel and dried himself of the suds and water droplets left on his skin. The boy looked at his boss clearly surprised, an eyebrow raised ever so slightly. "No kidding..." he muttered, a small grin cracking along his face.

He hadn't expected that from the other male. In all honesty, he really did suspect Jiyong was writing poems. It would have been fitting. The silent, private man who worked at a coffee shop and wrote poems seemed to scream Jiyong in his head. Though, he hadn't been too far off he supposed. "That's kind of cool." Jaewon added, putting the little cloth away and leaning back against the sink. "How long have you been doing that, if you don't mind me asking? "

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁴⁰⁹ jaewon j. He appreciated the boy helping him out even though he wasn't asked. It was the small things like these that Jiyong appreciated the most. It always irked him when I busied himself while one of his workers stood around looking lost. Sure, they could get slow, but he wasn't paying someone to stand around when there were things to be done. The corner of his mouth curled into a tight smile as he turned to look at Jaewon. He nodded his head in appreciation before turning back to his work, his features relaxing. Picking up a dirtied pot, probably used for some sort of soup, he retrieved a sponge before gently scrubbing its interior. There wasn't much grime, so it didn't take him long before he began to rinse it.

The question sparked him at him inconveniently, his lips pursing outwards. It wasn't like he kept his night job as G-Dragon secret. He was just a little, well, self-conscious about his works. Many of the songs he produced and showed to the public were mostly due to what he thought people would like. His notebook contained such songs, but it also held some of his more personal songs. Words that expressed his true emotions and heavy heart. Words that told of feelings he wasn't sure others would understand.

Setting the pot aside to dry, he sighed as he flicked the water off his hands into the sink. Well, the question was innocent enough. There was no harm in answering. "Well, you see..." He began before drifting off into silence. There was no easy way to explain things, was there? As he dried his hands, his gaze flitted back up to Jaewon as the other continued. He seemed genuinely interested and perhaps that was enough for Jiyong to continue rather than drop the subject completely.

Rolling his eyes playfully, he pressed his index finger against his lips as if gesturing the other to stop talking. He was kidding, of course. "Sort of?" He laughed airily, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. Offering Jaewon the hand towel to dry his own hands, he continued. "I was writing down some lyrics. I make music in my free time."

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁴⁰⁸jiyong k. Jaewon never complained when it came to his job. He did whatever he was told to do when he was told to do it, which was surprising because he never really was the responsible type but it was different because money was involved. That, and Jiyong was a nice guy so he didn't want to give the man any trouble. "Whatever you need me to do, I'm here for." He nodded, rolling up his sleeves to his elbows and following his boss behind the counter like a little puppy.

They weren't necessarily close but they got along well. How could they not when they lived in the same complex on the same floor and worked at the same job as well? It was inevitable. He really admired Jiyong, the man was always here and stayed long hours. Jaewon could tell Jiyong was exhausted almost all the time but he still did everything he needed to do by the end of the day. The boy wanted to be like that, too. More productive and responsible. Yeah, that'd be a nice change.

"So, what were you writing?" He asked, trying to make conversation. He knew the man was a quiet person, so any chance he could get Jaewon liked to try and start up a conversation with Jiyong otherwise he was afraid they'd work in silence all night. He didn't like that, the boy was too much of a chatterbox to not talk to someone for a whole shift. However, he also learned through the grapevine of employees that Jiyong would rather keep to himself so he made sure to spread small conversations through the night as to not annoy the other too much.

"You're always writing when I come in. Do you write stories?" He asked, genuinely curious as he helped to wash the dishes and dry them before putting them away in their respective place. "Or poems maybe." With a small pause, he gave an embarrassed smile as he realized he was rambling at this point. "Or how a certain employee won't shut up?"

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁴⁰⁹ jaewon j. It had been a long day, as most were. Like usual Jiyong had spent his day tending the cafe. By this point it was steady business with mostly regulars stopping by. Usually, when they weren't too busy, or when someone didn't ask for him to make their coffee or meal directly, Jiyong would lounge in one of the cushioned seats in the back. Sipping on coffee. Maybe reading a book or two. Or perhaps he'd be writing a song for a future performance.

As day shifted into night, the exhaustion creeped up on him as always. Draping a heavy sort of uncomfortable blanket over his shoulders as his eyes drooped sleepily. He wouldn't sleep again tonight. He could tell. As the day shift employees went home, the night shift taking their place, he let out a sigh. The nights were quiet and not as steady as the day. A few regulars would come in for a drink or two. Maybe complain about their day before heading home. Taking a sip from his coffee, he gazed longingly at a couple sitting by the window. They had been there since the sun went down. It seemed like they were discussing something happily. Wedding plans maybe?

A figure blocked his view of the couple and he blinked, confused. "Huh?" He spluttered, almost spilling his coffee. Looking up to the person in question, he recognized them immediately. His next door neighbor and one of his best employees. Setting his coffee down, a small smile tugged at his lips. He always liked the energy Jaewon gave off. It seemed to give him a boost himself.

"Hey there, Jae." he acknowledged with a small nod, his attention straying to look over to the side to stare at the couple again. Pursing his lips, he stood from his spot, brushing off his pants, before looking at back at the younger male. "Actually, I'm glad you're here. I need you to help me restock."

Patting Jaewon's shoulder, he bent down to clean up his table. Closing a worn and over used notebook containing many of his writings and picking up his coffee mug, he walked behind the counter to wash everything he had used as well as a few extra stray dishes nearby.

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁴⁰⁸jiyong k. Jaewon handn't been working at the cafe for very long but he was catching on quickly to how things ran. That was a benefit of working nights shifts, more time to be trained with the slower flow of customers. He walked into the building, waving hello to a few of the nightly regulars he had come to recognize and making his way over behind the counter. The usual nigh-shift crew was there, including his boss Jiyong who he had found out was his neighbor in the past day or so. Yeah, it was kind of weird to literally live next door to the man you work for. No, seriously. They were only separated by a wall, their apartments were right next door to each other. Jiyong was cool though, for the most part Jaewon never really heard him rummaging around. He had heard Jiyong worked another job, so that was probably why he rarely saw him around the apartment complex. He was a relatively chill person as far as the younger male could tell.

"Hey neighbor, reporting for duty." He greeted with a small grin towards Jiyong, placing his name tag onto his shirt and punching in to start his shift. Jaewon quickly wiped down the counter as he gave a few head nods as a greeting to his fellow coworkers before looking back towards the older male. "So what do you need me to do today, boss man?" Arms crossed over his chest, he waited expectantly for direction seeing as he he was still considered a trainee.

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@ᴀᴘᴛ⁴⁰⁹ jaewon j. Jongin stood still, brows furrowing thoughtfully as he still stared into the distance with a blank expression. Another hand stuffed in his pocket, the other reaching up every now and then as he took long drags out of his cigarette. 'Aren't we all?' He wanted to add but bit his tongue and swallowed the words, instead letting out a low hum. That comment would have probably come out wrong anyway and just make him sound arrogant. Jongin glanced at the boy next to him. His eyes were glossy but he was working really hard not to show that to Jongin. Did he get fired? Jongin went through the possible options in his head that could have caused this but didn't really come up with anything that made sense. Luckily he didn't have to because soon Jaewon spoke up again.

Jongin tugged up one of the sleeves of his sweater that kept stubbornly sliding back down to his wrist, holding in his breath for a few extra seconds before he exhaled. "...well that doesn't sound too good," Jongin was genuinely worried but he wondered if that could be heard from his voice. He wasn't she smoothest guy when it came to...consoling people and showing empathy. He started walking next to his friend, slightly nudging him with his shoulder. "Hey. You'll figure it out okay? Don't worry." Jongin tried to cheer the other up, then mentally scolding himself and quickly correcting himself. "I mean we. We'll come up with something. Maybe I can ask the bar if they have extra shifts or-...or if they need help around the place? Photographing, maybe?" Jongin tried to think of a way to get the dark haired boy, who was dragging his feet as he walked next to him with his head down, some help. The sight made Jongin's head hurt. It was so different from what he had used to seeing from the boy. "Why the would they do that anyway?"

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁵⁰⁶ jongin k. Jaewon's eyes began to burn due to the pickling tears gathering in the corners but he refused to let them fall. He didn't want to have anyone see him crying over something he didn't have any control over like a child. Jongin's voice from behind sounded concerned but the shorter didn't want him to see how his eyes were tinted pink due to him being overcome with his emotions. Taking a moment to compose himself, he rubbed his face and turned to face the other. A frown made its way onto his face as he took the cigarette that had been offered and lit it up, taking a long drag to clam his nerves before letting out a chuckle. "I'm ed." Jaewon exhaled another puff of smoke as he batted his eyes to keep them dry. He pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes closed as he tried to come up with a solution to his problem. Call his parents? Ask them for help? Knowing them, they'd give him even though he couldn't do anything about the situation but try and ride it out as best he could. Hell, even if he did say he'd eventually pay them back he knew they wouldn't jump in to help out their youngest son. He didn't blame them though. He had to think of something else. 

Opening his eyes, he looked over at Jongin and gave him a smile but his eyes were sad. "It's nothing, they just cut my hours. I'm going to have to figure out a way to pay my rent until this whole ordeal is figured out." Jaewon moved to lean against the wall, playing with the lighter in his hand as he in more of the nicotine from the cigarette. He tried to think of it positively. At least he wasn't let go. They could have easily gotten rid of him, the boy didn't have a lot of experience with being a barista but he was one of the few people that didn't complain about what hours he got. Well, at least not to the manager personally. So long as he was getting paid, that was enough and even at that he was getting paid enough to get by. Now that his money was put on the line, it made things more difficult do bear with. "Let's get out of here before I go back in there and get myself fired for being stupid..."

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@ᴀᴘᴛ⁴⁰⁹ jaewon j. Jongin didn't return to planet earth until a girl, one of the baristas, came over to his table, wiping the floors and tables, flashing Jongin a small smile while she explained that it was getting late and they were going to close down the place. A subtle way of telling Jongin to off, basically. He leaned back on his seat, lifting his arms over his head as he stretched, fingers sore from all the writing. He tried shaking his hands to ease the pain. Jongin scrolled up through the pages, satisfied hum escaping his lips as he realized he had written a lot more today than he had planned to write. The boy closed his laptop just in time to catch a glimpse of Jaewon rushing outside from the cafe. What was that about? Jongin stood up, grabbing his laptop and following Jaewon outside, carefully observing the boy from behind, not speaking up just yet. He looked seemingly distressed...or sad? Angry, maybe? Jongin couldn't quite figure out what was the emotion.

"Jaewonie? You okay, man?" Jongin asked carefully, a puzzled look on his face as he walked over to the shorter male, placing a hand on his shoulder and trying to make eye contact with the boy who had his face buried in his hands. He had been so cheery just a few hours ago. Jongin furrowed his brows, humming softly before he took out a pack of cigarettes, holding out a cigarette for Jaewon. He didn't know if Jaewon wanted to talk, if he even was the type of a person to talk about things that bothered him, so he didn't want to push him in any way, settling for a more subtle way of showing support - offering a cigarette. Jongin himself wasn't a big talker either, so he offered help and support the best way he knew. At least for him it had always worked, easing the stress and making it easier to calm down after a long proper drag from a cigarette. Jongin took one for himself as well, lighting it up and then handing the lighter to the male next to him. He stood there quietly, letting the silence fall around them as he stared into the distance.

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁵⁰⁶ jongin k. Jaewon chuckled as he waved back, resuming his work after being lightly nudged by a coworker. The hours passed, the boy making order after order with the occasional lesson of latte art from one of the more experienced baristas. The place was mainly run by young adults so it wasn't too uncommon for them to chat about irrelevant things to pass the time. Jaewon didn't consider his coffee companions good enough friendships to hang out with outside of work. Especially with his tendencies to drink and do drugs. No, he didn't need them to judge him like everyone else back home did. At least here, he was just Jaewon the guy that always came in with a headache and was tired beyond belief. Every now and then he would glance over at Jongin who had tucked himself away in a secluded nook off to the side. Well , when he said he was going to be writing he wasn't kidding. He had been sitting in the same spot for a while, not once seeming to look up from his screen. Jaewon pursed his lips as he couldn't help but wonder what Jongin was writing about that had him very transfixed in his own little world.

It was near the end of his shift and the boy had been asked for a word with the manager. Apparently his hours would be cut a bit due to the over staff problem going on. He was promised it wouldn't be permanent, what with most of the younger kids who were in high school stating they would take their leave once the summer was over and the semester started. This didn't make him feel any better though. Jaewon already had the ty night hours and now he was even going to get those cut? A cluster of questions started to circulate in his head as he realized that it meant he wasn't going to be getting a good chunk of the money he depended on for his rent. Sure, he worked as a freelance photographer also but that was when a client contacted him. It wasn't like he worked in an official studio. He had just started and it was just him and jobs were far in between to solely depend on that as his main source of income. His face felt hot as frustration began to build up inside him but what could he do? Simply nodding his head, he went back out and finished his shift with a more standoff-ish demeanor.

Quitting time finally came and the male tugged at the apron until it loosened, placing it over his arm and pulling off the hat to have his hair messily fall in front of his eyes. He was fuming at this point, quickly walking outside to get some fresh air and try to calm down. What was he going to do? "..." He muttered, covering his face with his hands as he felt an uneasiness settle in the pit of his stomach. Jaewon couldn't belive this was happening. Not now.

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁴⁰⁹ jaewon j. "Nope. Just want to look clean and kept together. Press to impress, right?" Jongin was smiling a little, leaving out the fact that yes, he was studying at one of the top 3 universities in the country, and yes, his father was well-known at his school, having graduated from the very same law school 30 years ago and constantly showing his support towards the department; giving out donations, visiting lectures and what not. There was not a single professor who didn't know who Jongin was ("Well isn't that Mr. Kim's son himself!" was usually the first thing they exclaimed when Jongin stepped into the lecture room. Idiots) so needless to say he had a certain reputation to keep up. A reputation that didn't involve him doing drugs, getting drunk and wanting to become an author instead of a well-paid successful lawyer. Jongin had learned to separate these two personas and usually when meeting new people only introduced them to one of them, keeping it that way so that his act wouldn't fall apart. With Jaewon though, he wasn't sure where Jongin ended and Kai started, the boy accidentally getting to know both sides of his personality. , he was going to be ed if for some reason his parents would find out. He was already using hundreds of dollars on paying for people to do his essays and attending the lectures for him - Because honestly most of the time Jongin had zero interest towards school - and had survived to the second year of school. Jongin was determined to keep it that way and graduate someday, just to get his parents off his back and, well, the easy money that kept appearing to his bank account every month wasn't so bad, either. But Jaewon didn't need to know all that. At least not yet. Hopefully never. Ever.

"Potential daddies," Jongin repeated, bursting into a silent laughter and throwing his head back. "Okay now MR. bartender, I get it, you have a blooming love life. Or... life with all these daddies that go crazy over your face. Done pouring salt in my wounds or should I hand you another bag?" Jongin joked and raised an eyebrow, grabbing the coffee that was handed to him. "Thanks." He took a straw and mixed the drink with it, laughing and taking a sip. "I slept the whole day. Well, slept and visited the bathroom several times. Finally woke up around eight, hugging a cola bottle. I didn't get laid but I mean who needs that when you can share a bed with a soda bottle, right?" He grinned, rolling his eyes and standing back up, straightening his sweater. "Alright man, I'll be over there minding my own business. Thanks for the coffee," he waved his hand at the other lazily, turning around and walking over to his table. Jongin sighed, staring at the screen for a moment before finally getting to work. As always it didn't take him long to get lost in the world he himself had created from scratch, with all the characters and places and plot twists - It was his little sweet escape from the harsh reality Jongin was living in and he was truly enjoying it, not even realizing the hours passed by and that the glass sitting on the table had been empty for a good two hours now.

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁵⁰⁶ jongin k. "Do you go to some elite university or something?" Jaewon asked, half joking and half being genuinely curious. Every other college student he had ever seen dint dress like that. Usually it was whatever they could throw on and be comfortable in while the classes dragged on. He hadn't known Jongin that long to know that he was even in school. Or that he wrote. Jaewon was learning a lot about his friend that he probably wouldn't have figured out if it hadn't been for this encounter. At least, not this soon seeing as how the other acted a little strange while explaining his situation. What was the big deal? As he finished the drink, he let out a low groan as the now brunette boy snapped pictures of him. "Shut up, you wish you looked this good when you were fifteen." He shot back with a small smile on his face as he set the drink down on the counter.

Laughing, he raised a brow and shook his head while wiping his hands on his apron. "Uh, I guess I didn't bring my a-game today. Usually my pockets are full of little slips of paper and I could go home and look through all my potential daddies but today, nothing." He joked along, crossing his arms over his chest with a grin set in place. "Oh man, it was brutal. I felt like a damn vampire when I finally went outside. Work was killer too, I was a complete mess. I had to give my tips to my coworker over there to not rat me out for taking a nap in the bathroom." He muttered, jerking his head in the direction of a teen girl who was currently wiping down tables and collecting trash. "She's cool though, I usually work nights with her so it wasn't too hard to talk her into staying quiet about it." Spotting his manager, he cleared his throat with a cough and gave Jongin a small smile. " dude I should get back to work now. Uh, if you need anything just let me know. I'm here to dote on you lovely customers like the servant I'm dressed as."

@ᴀᴘᴛ⁴⁰⁹ jaewon j. Jongin eyed Jaewon up and down, taking in the sight.The hat was ridiculous but somehow on Jaewon it looked bearable, cute even. It was probably the baby face of his that did it. "Uh..." Jongin glanced down at his own clothes, rubbing the back of his neck. He didn't want to say it but he didn't really have any excuses up his sleeve right now. Jongin was a good liar but when caught off guard his mind just, went blank. He hated that. "Well uh... you know, school," he finally answered, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible, sliding his both hands into the front pockets of his tight jeans. He chuckled at the nerd comment, tilting his head slightly as he ran his thumb over his lower lip, staring at the wooden counter. "Geez, thanks. And you look like a 15-year-old me when I worked my first part-time job." Well, yeah, his comeback wasn't the best he could have offered, but in Jongin's defense, he had been caught off guard. He was still trying to wrap his head around the current situation.

He leaned against the counter and watched as Jaewon worked on his drink order, drumming the wood with his fingertips. "My usual cafe's out of free seats, so. Ended up here. Kinda glad I did though, I wouldn't have wanted to miss seeing your in that little apron," Jongin joked, taking out his phone and snapping multiple pictures of his friend, glaring at him, amused to no end. "So how many creepy old men have left you their numbers today so far? My guess would be... four. And a half. That half being this girl who just walked past me outside. Heels, heavy makeup, a long dress that he clearly wore just to hide the he had under it." Jongin spoke in a hushed voice, leaning on the counter with both arms, laughing quietly before pushing himself up and clearing his throat. "Anyway. I came here to write. How have you been? How was the hangover?"