◦ chinatown

@b. baekhyun ᵖʳᶦⁿᶜᵉ ᶻᵘᵏᵒ “they say jasmine tea is good for comfort and calming.” momo reached up, brushing a strand of hair behind her ears. when she met baekhyun’s gaze, there was something deep inside of them that reminded her of someone, of something distant but so close, and yet she couldnt put her finger on it. she had to figure this out.

while in the kidst of her thoughts, she lifted a hand as if to wave off the offer, but she hesitated. the more she had, the longer she could stay in the tea shop without seeming like she was a creeper. she needed a jog of her memory, maybe even get down to the reason why the presence of the man before her struck her like a chord. with a nervous laugh, momo tilted her head. “maybe a muffin? i dont mind what kind, you can always surprise me.”

it wasnt hard to miss the clearing of his throat, and when momo met his gaze once more, she wondered just who this man was. could he be someone from home, tossed into this world just like her? or was her really just someone else in the world that was honestly just a little too struck by her. she couldnt tell. “take your time, i’ll be patient.”

@h. momo ᵏᵃᵗᵃʳᵃ “jasmine,” he repeated, while typing the order into he computer, trying to keep his eyes focused on something other than staring at her. he didn’t want to be rude. “is a personal favourite of mine.” baekhyun looked up, with questioning eyes but he caught himself staring at her. jasmine tea was something he drank every morning, the drink giving him pleasant memories and the hope of going back.

“it brings me back to my past, the tea. it’s really good here it’s very... comforting.” he rambled on, before forcing himself to look away from her and off to the side, where the treats sat. “is there anything else you’d like? a cake? muffin?”

baekhyun’s mind rattled with thoughts, but there was no exact explanation why this attraction was between them. like two magnets, he couldn’t bring himself to be away. what was it? it was as if something was pulling him from within her, but he couldn’t pinpoint what it was. does he know her? she doesn’t look familiar in the slightest. what is it?

he cleared his throat, silently in hopes she wouldn’t hear his internal struggle, and blinked hard. “i’ll get the tea ready.”

@b. baekhyun ᵖʳᶦⁿᶜᵉ ᶻᵘᵏᵒ "yeah, home." the words were quiet, and gentle, as she thought back to the life she once knew. something about this place, this tea shop, even the man in front of her, was so familiar, so heartwarming. it made her miss everything she once had, everything she believed she would never have again. and to know that he felt the same? it couldnt be possible. she had been alone all this time, why would that change now?

"oh right, tea." she mumbled quietly, her fingers coming to grasp the strap of her purse that slung over her shoulders. momo had to force her gaze up and away from the person before her, despite feeling so unnaturally drawn to him. when she glanced up, looking over the menu board, she couldnt focus. the flavors melded in her mind as she thought back to everything she knew.

tea was her connection to her own world, one of the only true connections she had. it reminded her of everything she had to leave behind forcefully, everything she was beginning to forget. after a moment, she realized she must have just been standing there, hanging open as she stared up at the menu bard, lost in her thoughts. clearing , cheeks flushing, momo tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "can i get a um - jasmine tea?"

@h. momo ᵏᵃᵗᵃʳᵃ as she stepped closer, baekhyun’s heart rate quickened. he didn’t know what it was, but she was so familiar his smile faded a bit. away from the cheap one he usually gave his customers, and into a real genuine one. baekhyun doesn’t express smiles that often, real ones at least, so when he actually realized he was doing that, he snapped out of it.

“home?” he questioned, but it was quiet. loud enough for her to hear. his smile widened. “that’s what i felt when i walked in.” he spoke, an even and fond tone towards the woman in front of him. it was almost admiration for the woman, but he had no idea where it came from. he had to snap himself out of it, again. who was she?

he cleaned his throat, a fist over his mouth. “alright. so what are you going to order?” he tried his best to focus on the computer before him, reciting the script he wrote for the job. he didn’t want to creep her out, no matter how much he caught her staring at him. what was he doing? she was a stranger. just another customer. just because she was stunningly beautiful in a way that wasn’t obvious, a way that baekhyun couldn’t pinpoint, didn’t mean he had to treat her any different. he mentally sighed loudly at himself, exasperated at his out of character actions.

@b. baekhyun ᵖʳᶦⁿᶜᵉ ᶻᵘᵏᵒ as momo looked around the shop, she easily took note of the lack of people in the tea shop. normally, she would put it off as something that didnt seem too good for business, but for some reason she felt a wave of peace wash over her. it was nice, not having much to worry about, and basking in some silence. however, it was when her gaze came to rest on the man with a pen in hand that her heart nearly skipped a beat.

there was something so painfully familiar about him, but she was sure she had never met him before. without even realizing that she had been staring, she quickly fumbled into the shop, shutting the door behind her as she stepped inside, hands clasped before her. taking in a much needed deep breath, momo flashed a smile, her voice a little breathy when she finally spoke up.

"oh, hi. um--" she hesitated. why were the words suddenly completely stolen from her? it took her a moment, but as she rocked on her feet she finally found her words again. "i was just-- here for tea. i saw the shop, and i just... it reminds me of... home." she couldnt finish a sentence, and yet the last word hung in the air as she spoke of a home that she didnt think existed anymore, one that she didnt expect anyone to know.

@h. momo ᵏᵃᵗᵃʳᵃ the shop had decided to be relatively slow today. it was hard for baekhyun to find things to do sometimes, sweeping under every nook and cranny, or wiping the tables three times over. the manager was thankful, since some of the other employees had already pulled out their phones. baekhyun didn’t have a phone, so he couldn’t slack off.

the shop picked up, a few customers here and there. some asked for treats to go with their tea. baekhyun was happy to give it to them.

baekhyun wasn’t paying attention, but one time, the bells that rang was especially louder. he looked up from where he was writing an order down to see a woman. she was stunningly beautiful, but not in just her physical appearance. it reminded him off someone, yet he couldn’t pinpoint it. it was like a tune in his head he couldnt remember. it was like a word he knew how to read but not how to say. he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, and smiled gently at her.

“hello,” he said, in a happy tone. “how may i help you?”

@b. baekhyun ᵖʳᶦⁿᶜᵉ ᶻᵘᵏᵒ it was the weekend, and on her first day off she decided she would head down to chinatown. it was a simple enough quest. her apartment wasnt too far away, so she walked with the reasoning that she’d get a little extra exercise in, and she was right. for the most part, she had no idea what was going on around her. the bustling people jarred her movements as she moved down the street, and the bright colors kept her pleasantly distracted. the red of the decorations caused a stirring in her heart that momo just couldnt place. finally, she arrived where she needed to be. the tea shop stood before her, and she smiled up at the little sign. it was noce, getting to go out and explore like this, especially if she found gems like this. without and ounce of hesitance, she pushed open the door and stepped inside, little bells attached to the door tinkling to signal her arrival as she stepped int and glanced around.