Reasons

Chapter 14

Note: Happy reading!

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The city bus left, and Yeosang stood by the waiting shed, still contemplating whether or not it was a good idea to go to Utopia café and hope to see Jongho working there. Since Seonghwa and Hongjoong gave him the signal and got Jongho's schedule from Yunho, he mentally prepared himself to meet Jongho. Was he emotionally prepared though? Not so much, but he was determined to see Jongho. So he dragged himself to the café and hoped that everything goes well for him.

Jongho was cleaning the counter when he heard the door open and caught a glimpse of the customer and quickly put away the cleaning rug and washed his hands so that he could attend to them. Once he stood in front of the cash register and wiped his hands for the second time with his brown apron, he greeted the customer but stopped mid-sentence because the person before him was no ordinary customer, it was his ex—Yeosang.

"Good afternoon! Welcome to—" As soon as Jongho stopped talking, Yeosang felt his breath hitched the moment their gaze meet.

'Oh god', Yeosang thought to himself, heart pounding and hands shaking at the sight of Jongho staring at him in disbelief. This wasn't part of his plan, he doesn't even have one! He thought that maybe Yunho or Mingi could take his order and once he finds a seat, he could just glance at Jongho once in a while from afar while he works. Not this?! Oh god.

He hears Jongho clear his throat before continuing his greeting, "Welcome to Utopia café, how may I take your order?"

'Right. He is working. He needs to be professional. Get a grip,' Yeosang thought again and let out a deep breath.

"Uhmm–uh–one...onemorechance—I mean—" Yeosang's eyes widened as soon as he realized what he said and quickly clamped a hand to shut his mouth.

'The fuck was that, Kang Yeosang?'

He suddenly felt hot and knew that his face was blooming tomato red. But he didn't miss how Jongho's eyes widened, and his breath hitched before blinking once or twice to compose himself and act professionally again. He's working.

"I-I meant..." Yeosang spoke again, trying his best not to stutter and shake. He wished the ground would split open and swallow him for saying something embarrassing. "O-one iced americano, please," he continued, mentally patting himself for actually saying what he intended to say earlier.

Jongho softly smiled at him, slightly amused.

'Don't smile at me like that!' He thought to himself again.

"Would that be a venti?" Jongho asked him.

Oh, how silly of him. How could he forget the size of his drink? But he didn't have to say it when Jongho already knew it, so he dumbfoundedly nodded at him.

"Anything else you might want to add to your order? Cupcakes? Brownies? Macaroons?" Jongho asked, suggesting some sweet treats to go with his iced americano order because it has always been like that for Yeosang.