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peaches-of-1 · 5 years

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Peachtober | Day 12: Striking Midnight

Cinder to Ember

Cinderella!Hoshi x Prince/ FTM!Reader

Warnings: Abusive language, abusive parent, abusive siblings (the stuff that were in the orignal film y’know)

When the kingdom was blessed with a princess almost 30 years go, the peasants and royals rejoiced! Celebrations were held for a month! Years passed, and many servants found the young child enjoyed both dolls and sword fighting and felt just as comfortable in dresses and in chainmail. Even more years passed and the adolescent royal knew they weren’t completely female as his servants believed. He preferred cute things and cute dresses, but did his best to become a good swordsman and wear pants even if he did chafe quite a bit.

The royal seamstresses caught on and began to alter the pants to fit him properly. They also fixed jackets and shirts to account for the amount of breast not repressed by their prince’s binding. Many of the knights bound their chests to help with posture, but this was different. The head knight Mingyu knew this. So he made a unique training regimine to give his prince time to unbind lest the prolonged wear were to hurt him in some way.

Year after year, the training paid off. Prince Y/N had become the most feared and respected swordsman in the 5 kingdoms. He made friends with the other princes and princesses and the subjects adored their transgender prince. So much so that they wanted to marry him. IT became more obvious by the day as more and more proposals came through the mail. Piles of flowers sent from suitors were turned into compost.

“Dearest son,” Said the King. “Whatever must I do to get you to marry a wife?”

“Or a husband.” The Queen added.

“Right. Right. Whatever your preference is. We want you happy more than anything, my child, but...it doesn’t look good for roses to rot so frequently.”

His wife added, “And frankly, it’s pissing off the neighboring kingdoms. Just choose someone and fall for them later.”

You rolled your eyes, “I cannot wed someone I have no interest in. They are my friends or people wanting to marry a prince. What about love, Father? Mother, what is I wanted to marry someone who loved me for me?”

The Queen spoke, “Then you must do it quickly. Your father and I have decided to throw a ball for you to find your spouse.”

“But, how--?” You began to sputter.

Your King, your father said, “We have invited all of the kingdoms as well as the whole of our own to make sure you have tons of options.”

You huffed and went to your room. You had to take your binder off, but also, you couldn’t stand to be around your parents right now.

On the other side of the kingdom, a musical young man by the name of Hoshi was washing the floor in too small brown overalls that had been ripped and repaired so many times. Sometimes they were caught on a stray nail, other times his step siblings would ruin them on purpose. However, it wasn’t like he could speak about it to anyone.

“HOSHI!!!” A regal voice called out to him. “Get your ass down here right now!”

“The young man hurried down the steps after making sure the area was marked as wet, telling the mice to stay out of sight.”

“Yes, sir?” Hoshi bowed to the blonde man who was his father in law.

Draped in a dark red suit, he twirled his hair and glanced at his poor excuse for kin, “You didn’t brush Lucky’s fur, did you?”

“I-I tried to, but they kept running away. I--”

“Excuses, excuses! Did you lure them out like you were taught? Stupi boy!”

“I’m sorry, Mingi!” He flinched. “I...I mean Ren. I’m sorry, Ren!”

The blonde rolled his eyes, “Geez! Why are you so useless?!?”

Soon enough, there was a clatter in the hallway followed by a shriek Hoshi and Ren raced out of the room and towards the source of the sound. Woozi was rubbing his hip in pain as Jun laughed at the top of the stairs.

“What is the meaning of this?” Their father asked.

“The top was wet and I slipped in the puddle.” Woozi whined.

All eyes set on Hoshi who responded, “I set up my drying rags on the border to make sure they didn’t fall. I did exactly--”

“Then why did you still hurt my darling? If he’s hurt, you will be taking care of him, intensively. Now do your work correctly, you insignificant piece of--”

Ding dong.

A rough his, and Ren left to answer the door. Jun and Woozi went to get bathed while the young man finished cleaning the area before drying it and then getting all the elements of breakfast together. He’d have to clean their rooms and set up their clothing for the day.

“My lovely boys, we have some good news! We have all been invited to the Prince’s ball! There is no doubt he’ll be looking for a spouse!” He said, holding them affectionately with their mouths full of break and cream as they were eating breakfast.

Then Ren continued, “The lady gave us 4 invitations, but we only need 3.”

“What about me?” Hoshi said shyly.

“...oh, right.” Jun said. “I’m sure Father didn’t miscount. Someone like you would bring us to shame!”

Woozi agreed, “you wouldn’t want to bring shame to the family of your poor deceased parents, would you? Reputation is important, you know.”

Someone with your stench and matted hair? We’d never be able to live that down!”

The three circled like sharks around fresh and bloody meat. They laughed and the two sons went to go change clothes since they were done eating and had new outfits to buy.

“Well, if you--” The step-child turned maid began.

“If I WHAT?” Ren stared him down. When there was no response, he simply huffed and straightened his cravat. “That’s what I thought.”

As the ball was so soon, Hoshi’s step-father and step-siblings were more irritable than usual. They had to have perfect hair and perfect lips, trying new skin creams and contacts as well. Woozi wanted to be blonde to meet the prince and hopefully become his husband.

“Blond hair will certainly help Prince Y/N to notice you,” Jun said. “He might mistake you for a baby chick because you’re so small, though. Won’t be able to keep his hand off of you.”

He laughed at his own joke, even though Woozi looked like he was going to rip his eyes out.

“Ow!” He then called out and kicked his leg. “Watch where you’re hemming!”

“Sorry!” Filthy black hair bounced to reveal a defensive smile.

Woozi’s cheeks got red with anger, so he shoved him back, “Don’t smile like that. It’s annoying.”

Later that night…

Finally, Hoshi had a moment to himself. A cute little mousy, S. Coups and friends had a cup of tea and nightgown waiting for their friend. Joshua sat on Hoshi’s shoulder as he had just been freed from a trap by an exhausted tired helper.

“Ah, thank you S. Coups, Jeonghwa, Dino. You’re the most helpful mice a boy could ask for.” He said, setting Joshua among them.

After changing into the stained nightgown, he sighed and was glad the house was mostly quiet.

“What’s the sigh about? Dino asked.

“Why the long face?” Inquired S. Coups.

Another sigh, “Step-father told me there was a ball being held by the prince. I want to go, but I know he won’t let me. He even hid the invitations in his study, probably to hide them until the big day, and...to see the prince just once up close. One night of fun and to see his handsome face. I’d be ever so grateful.”

Joshua giggled, “How do you know the prince is handsome?”

“Well, all princes are handsome to someone, and I just know he’ll be handsome to me.” Hoshi replied with his head in his hands, looking at the flickering candlelight.

“What if you and the prince got to dance together?” Jeonghwa tossed the idea in the air.

The black haired man caught it instantly and ran with it, “Oh, I’d be the luckiest boy in the kingdom!”

The poor young man got up on two feet and began to dance around the room, night birds singing from the windowsill. A few grabbed a clean coat from the closet and helped along with the late night daydream. Joyous orchestral music played in his head as his partner asked him to dance. The two circling around the room as smiles were shared among all the creatures in Hoshi’s bedroom.

That is until a faithful creak on the stairs warned the guests of the imaginary ball to an uninvited party crasher. Quicker than lightning, the coat was stashed under the bed and the candle was blown out by Joshua. Hoshi jumped into bed, facing the wall and pretended to be asleep. He hid the candle blower to his chest to keep him from getting hurt.

A knock, “Ashton?” it was one of his step-brothers using the less than affectionate pet name, but the pounding in his ears made it hard to distinguish with certainty who it was.

A moment later, the door squeaked open and Hoshi shut his eyes tightly. Something rolled up was place on top of the pillow...footsteps...door closed shut...a creaky stair but now in reverse.

The young man let out a breath, letting go of Joshua who scurred over his savior to see what the gift was. Everyone was curious and started to murmer until Hoshi hushed them, using moonlight to make out the words. Then he gasped.

“It’s the invitation!” Quickly, he covered his mouth, hiding the scroll in his trunk at the foot of his bed.

Everyone was ready for the ball and even Hoshi raced down the stairs with invite in hand. He wore his birth father’s coat which he had kept and altered for such an occasion. Then Ren glared at him in the mirror’s reflection.

“And just where do you think you’re going?” He asked.

“T-To the ball with you.”

“Without an invitation? The blonde devil gave a cocky smirk.

Hoshi held up the scroll, “It was placed on my pillow, so I thought--”

“As if Father would let you come with us, Ashton.” Jun said. “And in those rags?”

“You look like utter garbage.” Woozi added.

Then a devious grin crossed the former’s face, “Why don’t we try our hand at some last minute alterations?”

Then the two began to claw and rip and tear the suit of the father Hoshi never knew. AT some point, even the invitation was taken from his hands. Red streaks and marks trailed down the suffering young man’s arms and legs. Ribbons. His clothing had been turned to ribbons of fabric all around him as he cowered on the floor.

The devilish trio weren’t done with their assault just yet as step-father Ren tore up the invite piece by piece in front of his very eyes.

“I don’t know how you thought you were going to get away with stealing from me and invading my private study, but let this be a lesson to you, Ashton. Don’t ever cross me again.” and the paper was thrown over black hair as if it were confetti.

The men left laughing, and Hoshi was left on the floor sobbing and found himself running to his mother’s grave.

Is tears watered the long dead flowers and helped to awaken his mother’s spirit.

“Dear, don’t you cry. Mother will wipe up the wettest eyes. Dearest, don’t you you weep, look into your heart and reveal the goodness you should keep. What does it want~?”

“I want to go to the ball.” He sobbed. “One night where *sniff* I’m not...I’m not forced to clean shoes or mend suits! One night of happiness.”

Wind twirled and picked up his form.

“Then my dearest, I will make your wish come true with a Bippity Boppity Boo. however, come back before midnight because that is when my magic will be through. I do believe what would be best is a bit of gold and blue.”

A crisp power blue suit fell onto Hoshi’s frame, golden Oxfords on his feet, and he looked up just in time to see his mice be turned into horses and a lucky pumpkin turn into the most ornate four wheeled carriage he had ever seen! The young man gasped as Minghao the owl gained human form to become his footman. The torn pieces of the invitation floated out of the home and became whole again.

“Oh, thank you, Mother! Thank you!”

“It’s the least I could do for leaving you with them.” She said, kissing his forehead.

And so off to the ball the crew went.

Bright lights. Loud laughter. Simple chatter. Prince Y/N was having none of it. Of course he was nice and polite and showed off his good upbringing to all that approached. He needed to excuse himself, requiring a moment to breathe as he took off his binder for a few minutes. The appointment would happen before the wedding, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to get rid of these fatter lumps on his chest.

Mingyu asked from the doorway, “Are you ready to return to the party, my prince? There are several suitors waiting to meet you. If you need more time, please let me know. They will wait for you, my prince.”

“No, no. I’m coming. Just give me a few minutes.”

Then his outfit was done up once more. Just in time, it seemed, as the horns announced another guest arrival. No name since they were rather late, but still. His very wide eyed arrival was nothing compared to his dapper suit the color of the sky. Very fashion forward, nothing you as the prince had thought of wearing. Minimalistic and sleek. Golden shoes on his feet.

You weren’t the only one who noticed as all eyes were on the young man who lit up the room. He did not approach anyone himself, but the Queen asked to dance with the young beauty. You knew she was probably asking about status and other unimportant things. Then again, she was very good at partnering with Father to help rule the kingdom.

You would trust Mother to find a great potential husband for her own son. Just as you turned around, an older man and two young men approached you and bowed deeply.

“Your highness, I am Choi Ren from the Pledis sector. These are my sons Woozi and Jun. Both are very eager to meet you.” He basically pushed his offspring towards the royal.

Each grabbed one of his arms and began to bicker over who he should spend time with first.

“Darlings, behave yourselves~” Ren said with a saccharine tone. “I’ll leave you be.”

The prince turned on his charm, “Well, gentlemen, it seems that I’ll have my arms filled with your handsomeness for the foreseeable future.”

“You talk so pretty.” Woozi swooned.

“Your face is so pretty too.” Jun said. “Like a girl--”

The brother wacked his back as the prince made a face, “Don’t say that!”

“What I get the same thing too, especially when I used to have long hair.”

The prince chuckled tensely, “I get that a lot.”

After the dance with the Queen and a few other kind fold who actual wanted to hold Hoshi in their arms for a few turns in the ballroom, the overwhelmed young man went out onto the expansive balcony for a breather. Sitting on a long bench and looking up at the stars.

“Oh, this is so much fun!” he said out loud to himself and casually walking to the bannister. “I do wish it would never end! I still haven’t met the prince, though. I would be an honor to dance with such a man.”

A high alto voice spoke behind him, “Excuse me…”

Hoshi turned around to see a soft and handsome face staring back at him. Who was this man?

“I’ve been wanting to dance with you all night,” the man said. “May I?” and held out his palm.

The lucky young man smiled and gave his hand, “You very much may.” simply wanting to dance with another kind stranger.

This mysteriously good looking man smiled and the two began to twirl to the distant orchestra which played a smooth and melodic waltz. The men gazed into each others’ eyes as if they held the universe, no their own universe in each orb. Not one moment did they look away.

“How are you enjoying the ball?” They asked in sync and laughed.

“You first,” the soft faced one said.

Hoshi replied, “It is the most magical night of my life! I’ve danced with so many people! My feet should be tired, but I am too happy to feel anything but joy.”

“I haven’t seen you around before.” He said sweetly.

“Well, I’m not really allowed to be seen much.” Hoshi bit his lip, “BUt let’s not talk of that for now.”

The kind dance partner nodded, “I do hope I get to see you more often after tonight. It’s been a tiring night for me as well. Some people have decided to call me Miss--”

“Even though you’re very clearly dressed like a Mister?”

“Yes!” He exclaimed.

Hoshi pouted, “Well, I believe the way one puts themself out there is the way they should be perceived. Sometimes perception is wrong, but there’s not much else you can do except talk to the person.”

“Then again, you can’t talk to every person in the world, also some may not want to be talked to anyways.”

“True.” The enchanted boy said. “But I get to talk to you. That’s all that matters to me right now.”

The first strike of midnight tolled, making Hoshi’s eyes go wide.

“I must go. I’m so very sorry. Oh, but I haven’t even seen the prince yet…” Hoshi said as he turned to go.

“The prince?” Y/N himself said to the young beauty clan in a blue suit.

The beauty that was running away at the moment. He at least tried to follow after him asking for a nam, a house, something so he could find his heart again. There was no doubt that Prince Y/N, that you had fallin in love during your time together.

Black hair bounced as the young man ran away, his shoelace getting caught on a broken part of the stairs, causing a golden Oxford to come flying off. Still, the man in blue ran, barely glancing back at his lost shoe.

You picked it up, however. Took it to your nearest guard Mingyu who was always nearby his trusted prince.

“Get Mother and Father. Tell them I have found the one I shall marry. We just...I just have to find him again.”

Back home just in time, Hoshi’s carriage returned back into a pumpkin. The horses back into mice. Footman Minghao reinstated to owl form. Rich looking suit of powder blue back into dust covered rags. The only thing left was a golden Oxford that the young man kept safe as a memento of the night.

And so the next day began with a bit more sunlight in his heart. He sang a bit louder while making breakfast and was in the back garden hanging up clothing to dry when Ren suddenly grabbed his arm.

“The prince is searching the entire kingdom to find someone he danced with last night at the ball and left a show, so I need you to stay out of sight. Wouldn't want you to bring shame upon us.”

So Hoshi was thrown into his bedroom with the door locked behind him

“Wait! Wait! It was me! Let me out!” He yelled and randing already raw fists against the door. “Please, let me out!”

But no reply other than a vicious scream to tell him to be quiet.

Prince Y/N arrived in much splendor. All eyes were on him as he approached the biggest house in the Pledis sector.

“Is everyone present among possible suitors?” Mingyu asked.

“Yes.” Ren said, shooting a warning glance to his children that didn’t go undetected. “Everyone.”

The one known as Jun was the first to try on the show, trying to stuff his foot inside, but it would not go in. his foot was way too big to properly fill it.

“My feet are swollen from dancing last night.” He tried to explain.

You shook your head, “I doubt a foot would swell so much in such a short period of time.”

As Woozi took his turn in the chair to try on the gold show, it was quite clear his foot was too small to wear the shoe as intended.

“My--my feet were swollen last night from dancing. I assure you that I am the gentleman you are looking for, your highness.”

You looked down at the young sir, quite concerned, “If your feet swole so much, I suggest seeing a physician. Besides, the man I dance with last night didn’t complain about his feet.”

Again, the shoe was taken off and the man discarded. Prince Y/N sighed and said that the person he hat waltzed with must be at the next house. His knight Mingyu said there were no more houses.

The crash of a vase from upstairs. All heads turned to the source of the sound. Ren cursed the boy he had been forced to care for since his wife and Hoshi’s mother died. Why didn’t he stay quiet?

“Everyone?” You asked in your most princely tone.

“It was a mouse--” Ren began.

“Our maid--” Jun said.

“Our brother--” Woozi started.

Glares towards the shortest felt like daggers.

“He was ill last night and didn’t even attend the ball. You shouldn’t go up there. He might still be sick.” Ren put on his doting father facade.

You crossed your arms and smoothed the skirt you were wearing since wearing pants all night had made your legs start to chafe.

“I have the best doctors in the country. Let me see him, your brother maid.”

Begrudgingly, Ren went upstairs with the prince’s knight behind him, shoe in hand. The door opened and Hoshi was picking up the pieces of the broken case with his hands.

Was it really the prince himself I had danced with last night? Hoshi asked himself as he was brought downstairs to stare at the man.

“Sit.” Ren said, struggling to hold back his usual venom in front of company.

He did and the golden Oxford slid perfectly onto his foot with not too much extra space nor half of the foot hanging out. Not only that, but the mice S. Coups, Jeonghwa, Joshua, and Dino worked together to bring the other shoe downstairs as well.

“The other shoe as well!” Prince Y/N gasped. “You are him!”

“Could you not recognize my face?” Hoshi laughed, tying up his shoes.

The prince blushed, “Do forgive me, my love. It was dark and I needed a couple of drinks to get through the night.”

Hoshi smiled, “I forgive you.”

Prince Y/N then got down on one knee, “Will you also marry me?”

“Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes!”

The prince and Hoshi shared a loving embrace and a beautiful kiss. Less than a week later, the wedding was held.

As for the step-father and step-siblings, they were thrown in jail for abuse towards the princess. All’s well that ends well.

#Seventeen #Hoshi #Kwon Soonyoung #Hoshi x Reader #Reader x Hoshi #ftm!Reader #trans!reader #male!reader #Prince!Reader #Cinderella #Cinderfella #Cinderella!Hoshi

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jungnoir · 6 years

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SVT Mingyu bodyguard bullet point headcannon pls love you

a/n: actually i love u more and THAT’S THE TEA also i hope you don’t mind this being kinda short!!

honestly who hired this kid

you’re a famous actress working on a new drama and with your growing popularity, you need a little more muscle when you go to sets and such during your everyday life

well, mingyu fit the bill

looks really good in his standard clean cut black suit

unlike the other bodyguards who wear a white button up underneath, he wears a black one because he was eating breakfast tacos on the job and got salsa on his shirt one time

then he panicked and ran to the bathroom to clean it, but then the other bodyguard came to get him because shooting was over for the day so he had to sit in the van with you on the way back to your agency with his shirt balled up in his hands and his suit jacket showing off his bare chest

he honestly was on his way to getting fired that day because of his “astounding unprofessional antics” but you just laughed and asked mingyu why he wasn’t wearing a shirt and when he told you, you just told your manager who hired him that you wanted mingyu as a permanent bodyguard

since that day, mingyu has felt very thankful toward you and therefore works v hard to protect you in gratitude

since he’s pretty tall and well built, he actually can pack a punch,,, but you’ve never seen him actually throw one

he also looks Gorgeous so when people started seeing him around you on set and paparazzi came to snap pictures, they would assume that he was one of the actors on set and more flatteringly,, your love interest

when it got out he was just your bodyguard tho, he actually started to gain,,, fans?

sometimes when he would show up to an event you had to be at, there would be some ppl there just,, cheering for him

at the very first event, they asked him his name and he was just like “oh!! uh i’m kim mingyu!! nice to meet you :)” and now you can always hear a small chorus of “kim mingyu!”s from the crowd every time he shows up anywhere with you

your manager sometimes asks why you’re not put off by the fact that your bodyguard has fans now but you just think it’s so cute!! the way mingyu gets all nervous and waves all cutely at the group of ppl who without fail come to see him at ur press conferences and such

you’re actually the one that convinces him to make an insta and you post a photo of you attempting to take a picture together, but he’s so tall that you kinda only get half of ur face in it

so he opts to take it for u and he takes it from such a high angle that you honestly wonder if that’s how he sees u all the time,,,

he only posts photos off work or when you’re at an event, he’ll snap a pic of you and write a supportive lil caption like “go see (insert drama/movie here)!!”

he gains quite the following just being your bodyguard (even tho u keep telling him it’s because he’s so handsome)

one day, he escorts you to the set of ur drama and the casting people are like hey,, are u looking for a job

long story short, mingyu ends up getting cast as “handsome boy in coffee shop”

his cameo is pretty small as he only plays the random guy who hits on your character for all of five seconds before the main lead comes in and tells him to buzz off

he only has like three lines

your manager keeps making eyes at him behind the scenes telling him not to fuk it up so the whole time mingyu is like o.o

when it’s time to film that particular scene, mingyu is so nervous that he messes up his introductory line and he feels so bad that he just runs off into a spiel of apologies to you all of a sudden

he’s so incredibly anxious and honestly doesn’t know what he’s doing here, he can’t fathom why anyone would think he’d be good enough to be your bodyguard let alone act alongside you in one of your highly anticipated dramas???

so you just take his hands in yours and shoot him one of your dazzling smiles that he used to only see on tv, but this one feels so much more real than the ones you’d usually show in your dramas

quietly, you whisper to him, “honestly, gyu? don’t be so scared. you’re doing really good, okay? just pay attention to me and don’t worry about everyone else. especially not my crazy manager”

somehow,, ur advice really helps him

because for the next take, he’s a lot less nervous and really doing exactly what you told him

almost too well

in fact, when the main lead comes in he’s supposed to switch his attention but,, he’s still looking at you

and you’re still looking at him. you haven’t even noticed that you’re supposed to do your next line because mingyu just looks so,, sweet,,, adorable really,,, why didn’t you notice how pink his lips were before,,, or how bewitching his eyes were?? was that just the makeup highlighting his features or-

the director calls cut really loudly and you and mingyu both break out of your trances

you both think you’re going to be scolded but the director tells you that you guys should keep the prolonged eye contact when the male lead enters to further showcase the lead’s jealousy in the scene

you both are just like ah hahaha cool :))) what just happened btw

when the scene is finally finished, your manager is So eager to yank mingyu off set but you’re like wait!! he needs to go take off his makeup first

and one of the makeup artists touching up your foundation just laughs and says “we didn’t put anything on him! he just looks like that”

mingyu shrugs shyly and lets your manager finally take him away while you stare after him in awe

the artist just grins, “your bodyguard could give anyone watching this drama serious second lead syndrome, and he’s not even a lead in the first place”

all you can do is nod, a little dazed, a little… curious

#write-svt #mingyu scenarios #mingyu imagines #mingyu au #bodyguard!mingyu #kim mingyu #seventeen scenarios #seventeen imagines #seventeen au #bodyguard!seventeen #seventeen #majwrites #sbmusings #these were awfully short but ok this was just in my head since the moment i saw this req

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neoangelz · 6 years

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crash and bounce || kim mingyu

genre: pure fluff/soulmate au

words: +2k

overview: you get your hands on a soulmate item, a bouncy ball of all things. Whenever your soulmate moves their bouncy ball, yours will move too. The woman who sold them gave yours to you for free, but with a catch...

“Why did I even come here?”

That was an excellent question, one you’ve been asking yourself for the past 20 minutes. You were invited by some of your classmates to shop after school got out, but of course they chose to check out the new couples shop that recently opened. The store was baby pink and looked like valentines day threw up on it.

Most, if not all of the girls you came with had boyfriends. They were chattering amongst themselves as they looked at the matching clothes and accessories. You wandered off by yourself towards the back to see if the had anything for single people, but alas, there was nothing.

Or so you thought.

On one of the tables, was a basket full of bouncy balls. They were no bigger than a golf ball and had, you guessed it, little hearts in their pattern. You picked one up and dropped it. It barely bounced past your knee. You scoffed and placed it back into the basket.

“Your soulmate must live far away.”

You whipped around, only to stand face to face with an older woman. She wore a headscarf and an assortment of rings graced her fingers. You gave her a questioning look. “Soulmate? What does that have to do with the bouncy balls?”

The woman laughed. “Quite a lot actually. They’re soulmate items. Whenever your soulmate moves their ball, yours will move too.”

You rolled your eyes, as if you’d ever believe such a ridiculous story-

“Oh! Look at the cute bouncy balls, we should get them!” A girl’s voice shrilled behind you. She dragged a boy, whom you presumed to be her boyfriend, over to the table you were standing by. She picked up a bouncy ball. “Awww it’s so cute!” She cooed and handed one to her boyfriend. The boy bounced his ball and let out a gasp as the ball rocketed above his head and crashed against the ceiling before landing back in his palm. That wasn’t the end of that however. As soon as his ball rocketed up, the ball that the girl was holding instantly followed it before landing right back in her palm.

The couple squealed in delight before running over to the checkout counter. You watched, mouth agape. The older woman was smirking. “See? Believe me now?” She cackled. She picked up one of the bouncy balls and handed it to you. “Tell you what, you can have this. Free of charge. You just have to come into the shop with your soulmate and buy something once you meet each other. Deal?”

You thought about it. You were kind of a sucker for free things and you highly doubted that you would meet your soulmate anytime soon. The woman would forget all about your deal. You nodded and accepted the bouncy ball. The woman grinned a Cheshire Cat grin as she watched you slip the bouncy ball into your bag. “A promise is a promise dearie. Don’t forget to come back.”

“I won’t.” You faked a smile as you headed for the exit of the store. The minute you stepped outside, you all but gunned it for the bus station. You didn’t want to see that store or the older woman ever again. As you waited for the bus, you pulled out the bouncy ball again. This time when you dropped it, it didn’t even bounce back up. It just sat there, making you realize that you really weren’t going to meet your soulmate anytime soon. You grumbled incoherent curses under your breath as you picked the small object back up and stuffed it into your backpack.

The bus arrived and you got on, taking a seat somewhere in the middle. Before the doors shut, a couple quickly stepped on, giggling as they looked for a place to sit. You noticed the girl had a bright pink plastic bag clutched in her hand, and you groaned when you realized it was from the store. The couple wouldn’t stop giggling as they took their seats and began fishing out their newly bought goods. You could tell that everyone else in the bus was practically gagging, yourself included.

You finally got to your stop and ran off and headed down the street, hoping to avoid any more couples. You ran up to your house and slammed the door behind you once you entered, bending over to catch your breath. Your mother poked her head out from the kitchen. “You okay?”

You nodded before hauling yourself and your bag up the stairs to your room. You flicked the light switch and your room was illuminated. Dirty laundry and crumpled up homework papers littered the floor. Using your foot, you cleared a path to your bed before flopping onto it. Your thoughts trailed back to earlier and you heaved a sigh. Did you really need the bouncy ball?

You fished it out of your backpack and set it on your desk. You watched it intently, maybe it would move earlier than you expected. A few minutes passed and you gave up, shoving your face into your pillow. Your mother called you down for dinner at some point and, after eating, you went right back up to your room. You put on some music and forced yourself to study but, every now and then, you found yourself glancing at the bouncy ball. You were out of focus and got nothing done. You inwardly screamed. You were tempted to throw the bouncy ball away, but you couldn’t find the heart to do it.

You threw on your sleepwear and climbed into bed, calling it quits for the day. Weeks passed and there was still no movement from the bouncy ball. You brought it with you everywhere and gave it the occasional bounce. Sometimes it would bounce slightly, never past your ankles. Mostly it just laid on the ground, no movement whatsoever. Perhaps your soulmate lived in another city, or country, or maybe you were just going to be single forever. Weeks turned into a month, and that month turned into months. You finished school, summer vacation had come and gone, now it was November.

10 months has passed and your bouncy ball never moved. You had almost made it a year, you weren’t going to throw it away now.

One rainy day, you were sitting in your room, watching a movie. Your mother knocked on your door and opened it, letting herself in. “Could you run to the store for me? I need a nap because I’m exhausted,” she sighed. You fought back the groan that wanted to escape your throat. Your mom had been working hard lately, the least you could do was let her have a small break.

“Okay, do you have a list?” She nodded and handed you a slip of paper. You stuffed it into your purse, slipped on your boots and threw your raincoat over your shoulders. You were about to walk out of your room, but you paused a moment. Turning in your heel, you glanced at the bouncy ball before throwing it into your purse as well. Grabbing an umbrella and your keys, you stepped out and got into your car. Rain pelted against the windshield, you flicked on the wipers and pulled out of your driveway.

At the store there was some kind of big sale going on, so you were surrounded by packs of people, prolonging your trip much to your dismay. You were trapped behind a crowed of angry women in the dairy section, because some idiot boys decided to try bottle flipping a gallon of milk and ended up making a huge mess. Two boys were laughing their butts off and filming their friend who was laying amongst a large puddle of milk. Another boy was apologizing furiously to the staff of the store. You rolled your eyes, but held back your laughter. Who was stupid enough to try bottle flipping milk?

You glanced behind you, and realized you were pretty much trapped where you were until the mess was taken care of. You sighed. You subconsciously reached for your bouncy ball inside your purse and started bouncing it. It hit the ground and bounced right back up to you. You heard a yelp from a few aisles down, but payed no attention to it as you kept bouncing your ball. Suddenly a boy rushed by, screaming as he chased an object back and forth between the aisle. As he ran by, your bouncy ball rocketed and bounced all the way to the ceiling of the store.

Then you realized what was happening. The boy ran by again and turned sharply to go down another aisle. You couldn’t believe it.

Your soulmate was in the store.

You could hear the poor boy yelling as he tried to catch his bouncy ball. He was about to run by you again when you stopped bouncing your ball, henceforth halting the movement of his. He caught it with a triumphant laugh, but didn’t slow down and ended up slipping on the puddle of milk and crashing into one of the fridges. The boys who caused the mess erupted into another fit of laughter. You blinked. Once, twice.

Was that really your soulmate?

You squeezed through the crowd and ran over to the boy, extending your hand. “Are you okay?”

The boy groaned, slowly taking your hand. The minute you made contact, you felt a shock that ran through your whole body. The boy must’ve felt it too, because his head snapped up instantly and your eyes met. Your heart pounded wildly and your breath caught in your throat. You helped him to stand, the two of you still staring at each other. He had tan skin and soft eyes. He seemed to be studying you as much as you were studying him. Then a smile blossomed on his face.

“Hi, I’m Mingyu.”

“Wow you even sound as attractive as you look.”

Oh shoot, you did not mean to say that out loud. The boys in the background, who you forgot about in that moment howled with laughter. You turned and glared at them, before turning back to Mingyu. “Er, sorry about that. I’m Y/N.”

Mingyu smiled. “Y/N. I never expected to meet you so soon, not that I’m complaining or anything! I mean- I’m really excited and my heart is beating really fast right now. Wait, why did i just say that?” The poor boy rambled on, his cheeks tinted pink. You could feel your own face warming up, heart beat erratic as well.

More laughter erupted behind you, it was from those same boys. Mingyu sighed, before glaring at them. They gulped before returning to their teasing actions. Some were puckering their lips and making kissy noises. Others were batting their lashes. Mingyu gestured to them, who were now being severely scolded by the boy who was talking to the manager. “They’re idiots, most of them, but we’re family.”

“They’re your brothers?” You asked.

Mingyu snorted. “In a way, yes. Now, where were we?”

You reached for your phone and handed it to him. “Here, put your contact information in.”

Mingyu took your phone and quickly took his out. “You too,” he said.

You opened his contacts and started adding your information. When you were finished, you handed his phone back to him. Mingyu was still adding his information to your phone, when the notification buzz went off. Your eye widened in alarm at what Mingyu could’ve just seen. What if your friends were sending embarrassing messages? What if your father said something? You watched as a smile crept on Mingyu’s face and he let out a soft giggle.

“I was going to ask if you wanted to meet my friends and shop with us, but I think your mother needs you.”

You took the phone from him and opened your messages. Your mom was sending you a bunch of messages asking where you were and that it shouldn’t take that long to the get the items needed. Wasn’t she supposed to be napping? “I’m sorry Mingyu, I’d love to stay and talk more but this isn’t the time or place unfortunately,” you apologized, clasping your hands together. Mingyu laughed.

“Hey don’t worry, I understand. The supermarket isn’t the most romantic place in the world.” He smiled. He stepped closer and took hold of your hand. He kissed your knuckles softly before pulling away with a gentle smile. Your face grew warm at the soft act. Then he gestured to his phone. “We’ll keep in touch,” he said, smiling the brightest smile you had ever seen. When he walked back to the other boys, he was practically skipping.

You looked down at your hand, heart soaring at the recent encounter. You almost crashed your shopping cart when you were purchasing your groceries. You were in a daze driving home. After you arrived home and dumped the groceries on the table, you walked up to your room, the sound of your mother scolding you was faded.

You entered your room and sank into your bed. A pillow was tucked under your arm as your eyes gazed upon the bright lights that rested on your ceiling. It was as if life paused for a moment, long enough for you to soak in your thoughts of your soulmate. Mingyu. His black hair all messy from his fall, eyes that were so full of admiration and mischief, glowing tan skin that put even the shiniest of gold to shame. Your arms squeezed the pillow tighter.

You only heard it once, but his laugh sounded like a new song you’d play on repeat for months. The feeling of his lips on your hand, they were slightly chapped but still held more warmth than the sunniest summer day. By now you had buried your face into the pillow and squealed. How did you end up so lucky?

A ping from your phone never had you so excited. You reached for your phone at lightning speed, hoping it was from Mingyu. A big smile stretched itself across your face as you read the contact name. You hurriedly unlocked your phone to read the message.

“Hey, it’s Mingyu. I’m so happy I finally met you Y/N <3”

You quickly typed back your response.

“I’m happy to have met you too!”

Wait, should you add a heart emoji like he did?

Within minutes, you both were chatting like you were old friends turned lovers.

You laid back down and pressed your phone against your chest, a large breath of pure exhilaration leaving your lips. You closed your eyes in pure content and bliss. You cracked one open and looked at the bouncy ball that had rolled out of your purse when you dropped it on the floor.

Then you remembered.

That old woman.

You groaned when you realized you did promise you had to go back. Whether or no she remembers, a promise is a promise. You reached for your phone to text Mingyu.

“This is going to sound absolutely crazy, but can you help me out with something?”

“C’mon Y/N. You promised,” Mingyu teased. He was dragging you across the street towards that darn couples store. The sight of its hot pink door made you want to gag.

“I hate this,” you muttered under your breath.

Mingyu gently took your hand in his and you felt your body naturally relax. You shook your head and walked into the store. It was still as hideous as you remembered. You glanced around for the woman, but you didn’t see her. “Well, I guess she’s not here. Let’s go-“ you tried to turn around, but Mingyu held you tightly.

“Y/N...”

“Ugh fine.”

You both looked around for a bit, the only thing that interested you both was the matching teddy bears. It was the item that didn’t have hot pink thrown up all over it. Just then, the woman came out from behind the store and took her place at the cash register. When she saw you, her eyes widened. Then a satisfied smirk settled across her face.

“See? What’d I tell you? Now, what will the lovely couple be purchasing today?”

#mingyu seventeen #seventeen mingyu #mingyu x reader #mingyu one shot #Mingyu oneshot #kim mingyu #seventeen x reader #seventeen oneshot #Seventeen #mingyu fluff #seventeen fluff

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wen-junehui · 7 years

Text

sugar ‘n spice

part 1/? of Café Carat series

genre: fluff/romance, coffee shop!AU, barista!Jun[SVT]

word count: 5415

characters: Wen Junhui/Original Female Character, Joshua Hong, Kim Mingyu, Yoon Jeonghan

(a/n): i finally finished this after how many months??? ;w; school got in the way when i was halfway done but now we here y’all. in celebration of their comeback and rebirth, i hope you sweet nibs of chocolate enjoy! ♡

He carefully hovered the cayenne pepper shaker over a pool of chocolate. He only needed a small amount so that the flavors can harmonize with each other. Anything more than that would result in burning hot failure. The tip of his tongue poked out of the corner of his lips while his eyebrows scrunched together in complete concentration. He gently tapped the glass bottle and red specks of fire drifted into the mug like snow on a winter’s day.

He pat the container a few more times, keenly watching the red dust-like particles until he was satisfied with the amount. His eyes focused on the cayenne as it slowly dissolved to become one with the chocolate. An air of relief washed over him like he just jumped through a ring of fire with his clothes still intact. The hardest part of making this drink was finally done. He grabbed a silver teaspoon and let the cayenne pepper mingle with the sweet, sugary flavors. Fluffy clouds of whipped cream spurted from a metal canister and rested peacefully atop the chocolate. To add to the aesthetic, he artfully drizzled chocolate syrup across the mountain of cream letting the streaks of fudge flow like waterfalls. Finally, he stepped back and admired his completed spicy hot chocolate.

“Hey Josh. Try out this new hot chocolate I just made.” he nudged his coworker, who was leaning forward near the register scrolling through pictures of cats on his phone.

Joshua averted his attention to the rusty brown ceramic mug trying to decipher any obvious differences with this so-called new drink. His stared at it for a good minute before looking at his friend with complete disapproval. “What’s so new about it? It looks like our normal hot chocolate that we’ve made a million times already.”

“That’s what you think, but I actually put a bit of cayenne pepper in it!” he grabbed the shaker from the counter and shoved it in Joshua’s face with pride.

As if Joshua didn’t already deal with his antics on the daily, he slowly pushed the shaker away and looked even less pleased. “Cayenne? In hot chocolate? Jun, I know you love spicy food but come on, man. That sounds ridiculous.”

Junhui grabbed his chest like all of Joshua’s words were arrows going straight into his heart, and not in the hey-Cupid-he-shot-my-heart type of way. “But this is the hottest thing in all the cafes nowadays.” he paused for a moment, waiting to see if his pun would give Joshua a second thought. But the only thing he received was a blank stare. Clearly it wasn’t working.

“Have you been on shift with Vernon or Wonwoo lately?” Joshua asked, knowing that they were the only two people that could come up with a pun that terrible.

Just as the taller one opened his mouth to respond, the bell above the entrance jingled cheerfully indicating someone was entering the cafe. The sound of car horns beeping outside and bicycles zooming past the shop momentarily disrupted the relaxing ambiance. Junhui turned his attention away from Joshua to see a girl descending down the small staircase like an angel coming down from heaven. She was wearing a black and white ombre tennis skirt with a navy high neck top and an oversized denim jacket. She hopped down the stairs with a spring in each of her steps. She approached the register and blankly stared at the menu above, not minding the two baristas who were blatantly staring at her.

“Hey.” Junhui whispered quietly. “Who’s that girl and why haven’t I ever seen her before?” he turned his head back to Joshua so he wouldn’t get caught staring at her from the top of her honey blonde hair to the bottom of her black and white striped sneakers.

“Ah, it’s her. She was in my creative writing class last semester. She doesn’t come here very often, only during exam season to study. She came here once during the summer with her friends to do a photoshoot. She only orders the same three things: matcha latte, ginger peach iced tea, or hot chocolate.” Joshua said matter-of-factly as if he knew all of their customers’ usual orders, which wouldn’t be surprising considering he’s one of the managers of this fine establishment.

Junhui’s ears perked up hearing the last drink option. “If she orders a hot chocolate, ask if she wants to try mine.” he said hopefully. Even though he saw her for the first time today, he wanted her to be the first one to try his drink. As crazy as it sounds he doesn’t want anyone else, not even the rest of his coworkers, to try it before her. He wasn’t sure why he was feeling like this. But the way he felt sparks gently sprouting within his chest told him that he had to get to know this girl and his hot chocolate was the key.

“What? Jun, no! We can’t give that to a customer. It’s not even an official menu item.” In order for a barista’s creation to pass as an official drink, it has to get each one of the manager's approval. Joshua already wasn’t too convinced and he was sure that the other two, Jeonghan and Wonwoo, were going to give the same opinion.

“Come on, please! Just this once. Just so … you can see if it has any appeal.” he suddenly grasped Joshua’s arms and gave them a gentle shake, gradually becoming desperate as the seconds passed by.

Joshua sighed and nodded, agreeing to his request. He broke away from Junhui’s grasp and walked over to the register with a strawberry sweet smile plastered onto his face, ready to put on his best customer service act. “Hi and welcome to Café Carat. What can I get for you today?” he was making a bet with himself to see which of her three usuals she would choose today.

She turned her attention from the large hand drawn menu to Joshua. Her chocolate pupils met his crescent-shaped eyes through her round silver glasses. “Mmm … I’ll just have a hot chocolate.” her sweet voice wafted through the air like a soft piano melody. Junhui heard her say the magical two words and restrained himself from making any obvious reaction, nonchalantly wiping a mug as if he wasn’t eavesdropping.

“We actually have a new type of hot chocolate that one of our baristas created. It has a hint of cayenne pepper in it to give it a little kick, helping to keep you awake as you study. Would you like to give it a try?” Even though Joshua thought it was the weirdest drink he’s ever heard of, he still had to advertise it in the best way possible. He wasn’t going to be the one drinking it, so what did he have to lose?

She tilted her head slightly and pursed her plump, pink lips as she considered his recommendation. “Uhh … no it’s fine. I’ll just have the regular.”

“No problem at all. That’ll be $4.50.” Joshua swiped her card through the register and handed her receipt with a smile that was a little too sweet for it to be genuine. She thanked him for his kind service and walked away to find a place to settle for the next few hours.

She claimed a spot at one of the long wooden tables facing the counter and draped her jacket over the black metal chair. She opened her laptop and started to type away while waiting for her drink. Her eyes were glued to her screen and didn’t bother to give any attention to the baristas in her line of vision, assuming they were the same people she sees every time she came there.

Junhui couldn’t hide the insulted look on his face as he made her basic, plain hot chocolate. Maybe she didn’t want a new flavor to distract her? The sweet and spicy notes in the drink could make her taste palette go haywire and therefore, she wouldn’t be able to focus? All of these thoughts were running through his mind as he swiveled the canister of whipped cream. He swirled an extra fluffy cloud and finished it off with an organized mess of chocolate syrup. He carefully carried the mug to the pick-up counter ready to meet its owner. “Hot chocolate!”

Her head popped up from her laptop like a rabbit coming up from the tall grasses. She got up from her seat and gracefully weaved her way through the tables and chairs. Once she reached the counter she and Junhui locked in eye contact, prompting her heart to stop beating for a split second. Was he new? Or maybe he’s worked here for a long time but she never caught him on his shift until today. This cafe was known for their insanely attractive baristas but none of them quite piqued her interests until now. She was so taken aback by his handsome good looks and tall stature that she forgot how to muster a simple greeting.

Junhui noticed her prolonged gaze and gave her a soft smile. “You ordered the plain hot chocolate?”

His voice sounded like molten honey, rich and smooth, which provoked butterflies to buzz frantically within her lower body. “Yeah, I did.” she gave a nervous giggle as she lowered her gaze to look at the drink. She noticed the monstrous amount of fluff and widened her eyes in surprise. “Wow. Being generous on the whipped cream today?”

“Only when I’m in the mood.” he gave her a smirk as he gently pushed the mug towards her. “I hope the whipped-cream-to-chocolate ratio doesn’t ruin the drink for you.”

She looked directly into his eyes. Changing her demeanor in the blink of an eye, she wasn’t going to let this guy in a burgundy apron win her over so easily. “I’m sure I’ll be able to handle it.” lowering her voice tone just a tad bit to match the sensuality his dark chocolate eyes seem to be emulating.

She reached for the mug and purposefully brushed her fingers against his. The slight physical contact was enough to make the butterflies go mad. “Thank you!” she swiftly lifted her drink off the counter and made her way back to her seat.

Junhui continued to stare from across the room, unable to break his gaze away from her. Majority of the customers that swooned over him either acted too flustered or made it obvious that they just wanted to rip the apron off of him. But he saw the quick change in her character as more of a challenge, that she didn’t want to let him win at his own game. That was enough to make him feel more attracted to this girl.

“Bruh, what was that all about?” Joshua’s amused voice broke him away from his gaze and he turned to face his boss, who was leaning against the register with a smirk glued onto his face.

“I honestly don’t know.” he was at a complete loss for words. A girl has never made him feel this way before and he genuinely didn’t know how to respond or react at all. All he knew was that he would do anything to get to know her. He was even contemplating working more hours during exam season just to catch her again.

Joshua chuckled at how love struck Junhui appeared to be and lazily walked over to nudge him on the shoulder. “Okay well, obviously she has a thing for you too. Why don’t you go over there and talk to her? You know, help her study?” he suggestively raised his eyebrows at him.

“What? No! I think I’ll just … be a distraction to her.” Junhui began to nervously fiddle with the buttons and knobs on the espresso machine.

Joshua slowly leaned closer and stared directly into Junhui’s eyes with a look of shock and confusion. They continued to stare at each other until the taller one blinked his eyes in innocence. Joshua suddenly burst out into laughter, probably a little too loud for the ambiance. “Wait, what did I just hear? Are you telling me that Wen Junhui, master of all things greasy, is afraid to talk to a girl? Bruh, what happened to you? Did you inhale too much cayenne?”

Junhui straightened his back and crossed his arms in defense, appalled that someone could mockingly laugh at him like this. “I’m not afraid! It’s just she … didn’t want to try my spicy hot chocolate so I’m a little insulted.”

“Oh come on. I really don’t think anyone, regardless of who it is, wants to try your drink. I’m pretty sure Jeonghan and Wonwoo won’t want to try it either.” Joshua breathed and placed his hand over his stomach as he recovered from his hysterical laughter.

Junhui’s attitude changed with the flick of a switch seeing one of his bosses discrediting something he made and was proud of. He wasn’t going to give up this fight. “Okay, how about this? If I get her to try my spicy hot chocolate and she likes it, it goes on the menu regardless of all of your approval. If she hates it, I’ll give up.”

Joshua pondered about this proposition. He gently gripped his chin and hummed as he carefully thought about all the ways Junhui could lose his own bet. First, she barely comes here so there’s a slim possibility they may never cross paths again. Second, she orders the same three things every single time, not giving a slight indication to deviate from her usuals. Finally, and the simplest way this could all fail, she could try it and she simply doesn’t like it. After analyzing all of the possible outcomes, Joshua turned to Junhui with the most confident smile on his face. “Deal.”

Junhui was surprised at how quickly he accepted the offer. “Wait, really? You’re agreeing this quickly?”

“Mhmm. It’s a bet. But you have to get her to try it the next time she comes during your shift. After that, it becomes invalid. Okay?” he extended his hand to seal the contract.

Junhui suddenly turned his attention back to her. She was taking a sip when she caught him staring. She smiled and set the mug down not knowing she had a white mustache on her upper lip. Licking her lips and feeling the layer of fluff, her eyes widened as she reached for a napkin and tried to hide her embarrassment.

His eyes curled into tiny crescents as he watched her cute gestures. In that moment, he sincerely hoped that the next time they cross paths she would try his drink. He wouldn’t force her into it just so he could finally have his own creation on the menu. He just wanted someone other than his friends to try something he made himself and he wanted her to be the lucky first.

He rotated his head back to Joshua and firmly grasped his hand, accepting the invitation and all of its terms. “It’s a deal.”

Customers trickled in and out of the coffee shop for the next few hours. Most of them ordered espresso drinks to help them get through the rest of their day. Others met up with friends and caught up while drinking matcha lattes and iced cappuccinos. Junhui made small talk with everyone as he usually did, making every person feel welcome regardless if it was their first or hundredth visit. As he worked, he couldn't help but wonder how many times he missed her when she stopped by and he wasn't on shift. He wondered when her next time would be. Tomorrow? Next week? Maybe months from now?

He glanced at her from time to time after handing drinks to customers. She would catch his stares whenever she took a quick break from studying, always smiling in reply. Neither of them spoke to one another ever since she picked up her drink. Even when she approached the counter to return the mug, she immediately went back to her seat to pack up her things.

He could only watch as she quietly pushed her chair under the table, carefully aligning it with the others to create a perfect row. Joshua, being the star manager that he is, greeted her his usual goodbye and waved. She politely waved back and just as she was about to exit, they locked eyes for the last time. She threw him a wink to indicate that this won’t be their last meeting, but he couldn’t help but wonder when she’ll be back.

“Hey. Did you hear about that barista at the Starbucks on the other side of campus? All the girls keep talking about how good looking he is.” a tall, tan boy with jet black hair asked Junhui. He lazily wiped down a mug and attempted to make conversation during a slow day at the cafe.

“If only they came here to see how much better we are.” Junhui sighed, thinking about all the poor customers missing out on his devilish good looks. “What do they say about him?”

“I heard he has really nice plush lips that have a way with words. This one girl said she fell for him after meeting his eyes for just one second. Ah, so ridiculous!”

An image of her popped up in Junhui’s mind as his coworker laughed at how people can fall for someone so quickly. It’s been two months since she last stepped foot into the cafe. It was now finals season, the time where students have to cram a semester’s worth of knowledge for a three-hour exam. He wondered whether they would cross paths again since Joshua said she only rolls around during this time of the year. Exhaling loudly to dismiss these thoughts, he tried to devote his full attention to the conversation. “Hmm. Wait Mingyu, do you think he’s the reason why business here has been slow lately?”

Mingyu placed the mug on the counter and raised his eyes towards the ceiling. He gripped his chin with his thumb and index finger as his lower lip jutted out like a cliff overlooking the ocean. “No, that's nonsense. Our coffee is much more delicious! What do you think, Jeonghan hyung?”

They shifted their attention to the manager on duty, who was lazily leaning against the sink. His blonde locks peeked out from the black baseball cap covering his eyes. He groggily raised his skull at the sound of his name. “Everything about us is so much better. People are just lazy to make the trek all the way over here to get the good quality stuff. But hey, their loss.” he shrugged off the imminent competition like it wasn’t worth wasting his energy on.

He slowly lifted his lean muscular body off the sink and drawled every word he uttered. “Call me when it starts to get busy. I'm going to take inventory in the back.” he yawned and trudged his feet on the floor making his way past the two baristas and through the earthy-toned tapestry into the back room.

Mingyu chuckled as he watched their boss essentially check out for the rest of the day. “He’s going to take another nap on the boxes of coffee beans. I wonder how he became a manager sometimes.” he leaned his elbows on the wooden counter and took out his phone to mindlessly scroll through pictures and status updates in an attempt to pass the time until closing.

Junhui sighed as he was left alone with his thoughts. He scanned his eyes around the cafe, only housing three people hunched over their laptops and piles of papers. He couldn’t help but let his mind drift to the barista at Starbucks and wondered if she met him.

Is she usually on that side of the campus? Does she go there often? Have they talked to each other and started dating? Is that why she never comes by anymore? All of these thoughts aimlessly wandered around his mind, his curiosity eating him away the longer he thinks about possible answers.

He started to take more shifts recently hoping that fate would smile favorably upon his efforts and allow them to meet once more. But with only a few days left in the semester, his hope was gradually fading. He ruffled his hair in an attempt to dispel these negative thoughts.

Junhui padded over to the counter and began making his infamous hot chocolate. The rest of the baristas in the cafe had mixed reactions about it. Some supported his unique twist on a classic drink while others thought the combination just wasn’t suitable for the cafe menu. He solemnly grabbed the cayenne shaker and sprinkled in a dash of fiery flakes. He finished off with a simple drizzle of chocolate, not even bothering to make a mess, and gave his creation a reserved smile.

He will just have to keep trying to reach his goal of getting one of originals on the menu. It was undeniable how all of the customers loved the way he prepared their drinks, adding his own flair into the way he handles the ingredients. But despite all the attention, Junhui wanted nothing more than to have a part of himself up on the menu with the rest of the members’ creations.

Junhui laced his finger through the handle, ready to drink his bittersweet concoction, when the bell rang welcoming a new customer. His eyes darted from the mug to the door and to his surprise, there she was walking down the stairs. His eyes widened and his lips parted in surprise at the sight of her, momentarily thinking she was just a mirage. She adorned a pink and white striped oversized button down tastefully tied in knot around her waist to highlight her figure. Her backpack lazily slung over her shoulder and bumped against her light wash denim shorts with every step she took. She didn’t wear her glasses this time around and Junhui could perfectly see her milk chocolate orbs that twinkled like stars in the night sky.

As she approached the counter, she noticed Junhui staring at her in disbelief and gave him a joyful smile giving off the impression that she came at just the right time. Mingyu broke away from his phone ready to take her order and immediately sensed the unspoken chemistry. He glanced at Junhui, known for flirting with every customer, and how seemed to be at a loss for words just seeing this girl.

Could this be the girl Joshua hyung was talking about? he thought. His eyes continued to dart back and forth between the two as if he was watching a tennis match wondering who would make the next move. He smirked quietly to himself and decided what fun would it be to waste an opportunity to mess with his visual rival. He stuffed his phone in the pocket of his ripped jeans as she walked up to the counter and met her candy like smile.

“Hi and welcome to Café Carat!” Mingyu didn’t even bother to stand up straight and continued to rest his elbows on the counter to meet her at eye level. His puppy dog eyes curled into crescents as the corners of his mouth formed into a soft smile. “What can I get you on this hot day? Someone as pretty as you only deserves the most refreshing drink in all of campus.”

Junhui immediately pinned his eyes on Mingyu and glared at him with a seething jealousy. Having the thought of the Starbucks barista stealing her away was enough. But having his own coworker trying to reel her in with sweet talk was nothing but unacceptable to Junhui. He was sure Mingyu felt his burning eyes trying to pierce through every layer of his body but the taller one didn’t turn away from her.

She became slightly flustered from his pick-up line, a soft blush forming on her cheeks. “Ah, thank you. I guess I came to the right place at the right time then.” she giggled. Junhui continued to watch their interaction and wished that he was the one on register duty that day.

“You surely did! Business has been slow all day and it’s also too hot outside for my liking. But seeing you made my day a whole lot brighter.” Mingyu gave her the brightest smile that he could muster, making the cafe live up to its name with his shining array of pearly white teeth. “But seriously what can I get for you, miss? I don’t want to keep you waiting.”

“Hmmm.” she tapped her finger on her cheek and looked up at the menu. After about five seconds, she returned her attention to Mingyu. “You might think I’m crazy considering the heat outside but I’d like a hot chocolate, please.”

Junhui escaped from his episode of plotting ways to get revenge on Mingyu to process what he had just heard. Did he hear the magical two words once again? What could’ve made her want it on such a hot day like this, especially when their summer menu has been so popular lately? He was already planning on how to convince her to order a hot chocolate the next time she swung by. Now that she’s here and he didn’t even have to try, a different feeling replaced the jealousy in his chest. A feeling full of warmth just like his drink.

“No judging at all! A bunch of our customers still get hot coffee and lattes during the summer. I guess nothing beats the original.” Mingyu smiled as he finished ringing her up. Despite purposefully trying to make the older one jealous at first, he was secretly happy to know that Junhui had a chance to get this girl and his drink on the menu. And if she and Junhui started dating, that means a greater chance for the customers to fall for him instead.

“You can take a seat anywhere you’d like and our barista will personally bring the drink to you!” Mingyu looked at Junhui and nodded, indicating that he was on his side and wanted to help him achieve his goal.

“Okay! Thank you so much!” she politely smiled before strolling away and settling at a table next to the window. Like last time, she sat down facing the counter and took out all her study materials to tackle her last final of the year. She locked eyes with Junhui and gave him a subtle grin, letting him know that she was waiting for him.

Junhui looked down at his already prepared hot chocolate from before and with his pride restored in full force, he was determined to make it happen. He quickly gathered all the ingredients and a freshly washed mug to make the best spicy hot chocolate like his life depended on it. He steamed the milk, scooped the chocolate powder, sprinkled the cayenne, swirled the cloud of cream, and drizzled the chocolate to perfection because she only deserved the best.

He wove his finger through the handle and carefully lifted up his precious concoction with utmost control, not wanting to disturb the chemistry of the drink. He took purposeful strides towards her table. His heartbeat quickened as the distance between them shortened with every step. She broke away from her laptop and followed his hand as he gracefully set the mug on the table.

Junhui pulled out a chair and sat across from her. “Hot chocolate?” he confirmed, his canines peeking through his velvety lips.

She couldn't help but look at his mouth when he talked, noticing the small beauty marks on his upper lip. She felt the familiar blooming feeling within the pit of her stomach already warming her up. “Yeah, thank you so much! It's pretty hot today but I'm really happy to have this again.”

Junhui tilted his head ever so slightly at her comment. “Hm? Why is that?” he hoped that he didn’t sound too eager to find out her answer.

“Because your hot chocolate was so delicious that I couldn't wait to have it again. Something about it was so much better than the other times I've had it here. I stopped by a couple times in the past few weeks but you weren't on shift. I'm really happy I caught you today.” her eyes curled like bright rainbows on a clear summer’s day as she mused about him and his drink.

Junhui’s heart swelled witnessing how ecstatic she was to see him and to try his hot chocolate. A wash of relief showered over him knowing that what felt that day when they met for the first time wasn’t one-sided. “Do you come here often? I can't believe it took months for us to meet again.”

“I don't have many opportunities to come to this part of campus that much. I'm mostly on the other side because majority of my classes are in the business building. It's a shame though because I love coming here. The atmosphere is so much more calming and welcoming compared to the Starbucks over there.”

Junhui suddenly remembered the hot barista at Starbucks. He licked his plump, cherry like lips. “Yeah I've heard that certain Starbucks is getting more popular lately. People always talk about this hot new barista all the girls are crushing on. It's like we have new competition, you know?”

She noticed the way he suddenly avoided eye contact as he stared at the mug between them. She sensed that he was getting jealous at the possibility of him losing to this guy and found it to be rather cute. “Oh yeah, you're not wrong! But … I don't know. I've had drinks from him a few times and although he is very charming, his drinks don't really give the warm, fuzzy feeling I get from here. Especially the hot chocolate.” All the laughter she was holding in suddenly burst out into the air between them.

Junhui’s shoulders relaxed and he gave the cheesiest smile his cheeks have ever had to endure. “I knew I had nothing to worry about.” he then noticed the whipped cream starting to deflate and the chocolate syrup looking sadder by the minute. “You should probably start working on the hot chocolate. After all, I don't go through the trouble of adding a special ingredient just for anyone.”

Her eyes widened at the unknown additive. “Special ingredient? Will I die? Are you secretly trying to kill me?”

“Mmm… no. But if the heat starts getting to you, I wouldn't mind if you fainted so I can catch you.” he winked and gave her a cheeky smile letting his canines greet her in all of their glory.

The butterflies now uncontrollably buzzed in full force and there was no denying that the heat already crept up to her cheeks. “Okay. But if I end up getting sick and fail my last exam as a result, I'm blaming you.” she sarcastically giggled before carefully bringing the drink close to her face, the mountain of whipped cream just missing the tip of her nose.

She tilted the mug to let the liquid goodness enter her mouth. The chocolate coated every inch of her tongue while the whipped cream added an extra layer of creaminess to the overall experience. She focused on her taste buds trying to discern something different. Suddenly, a hint of spice started to heat up her tongue. It wasn't the searing pain she got from eating fire noodle ramen, but more of a subtle kick that wakes up your senses. “Whoa, it's spicy! Is it cayenne powder?”

Junhui nodded in return. “Do you like it?” he listened intently wanting to hang onto her every word.

“Yeah, it's so good! I wish I ordered this last time you were here.” she licked the whipped cream off her lips and longingly stared at the mug already wanting to take another sip. “I usually don't handle spice well, but wow I never knew cayenne and chocolate would make a perfect match. It’s better than the original actually.”

“You don't do well with spicy food?” Junhui leaned forward so their faces were just inches apart. He got a better look at her milk chocolate eyes, resembling the drink that would now be on the menu. “Don't worry, I can help with you that. You just have to learn how to handle the heat.”

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