HELIOS// A Jikook AU.

Two: Young Rookies

"With every roadblock, a detour is built. With every ending, a new beginning is defined. Embracing a challenge makes life interesting, but overcoming it makes life meaningful." – Matthew E. Fryer

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Jeon Jungkook was late. First day of his new job and the bus had broken down two stops before his. So he'd run, in his cousin's suit that was certainly not designed for track sprints, all the way to the bustling cafe he would soon call home.

Flinging himself through the staff entrance, he suddenly collided with a firm chest and promptly sprawled across the floor, "Sorry!" he squeaked, throwing his arms into the air and adjusting his circular glasses, too frozen to pick himself up from where he now sat.

Replacing his glasses, the blurred blobs became clearer and he came to look up at the individual he'd crashed into. It was a black haired individual, dressed in a light purple shirt folded up to his sleeves and smart black jeans that were peppered with dots of white flour. His arms were crossed, displaying the sleek outlines of muscles along his arms and wide shoulders, sharp cheekbones pronounced under his neutral facial expression. Kook gulped, heat rising across his face with every second he took in this stunning stranger. Why did he always make a fool of himself in front of the handsome ones?!

"Take a photo it'll last longer." The older man chuckled, his laugh bringing a small smile to the younger's worried face. The man held out a hand to aid the younger to his feet, letting his eyes drift in amusement across Jungkook's flushed cheeks. "Though I daresay what my boyfriend would think."

"Oh-no..n-no I wasn't-I-" Dammit. Kook shut his mouth tightly, glaring at the floor in embarrassment. He attempted to brush down his suit, concerned not only was he horribly late, but he now looked unacceptable within a food place...And that the fall had left a smear of dirt across the sleeve... which Yoongi would not be pleased about.

"I assume you're my new waiter," The man continued. His? He met the older with a wide-eyed, startled look. "I'm Kim Seokjin, the owner of this place." He laughed as the expression of shock became one of panic, followed by a loud yelp. Then, composing himself with a deep breath, he nodded. Seokjin had already made up his mind this new worker was his favourite. Hoseok had not been wrong.

Despite Jungkook's paranoid fears, he was not fired on the first hour of his first shift. Seokjin seemed like an incredibly calm, yet well organised manager and was more than happy to look past the younger's early mistakes.

Kim Seokjin's café, named 'Moonchild', while claiming to be of humble, homely surroundings, was nothing but immensely impressive. Taking inspiration from his family memories of wafting bakery scents and delightful background music, each customer could experience a little bit of nostalgic calm as they stepped across the threshold for the first time.

The café consisted of a ground floor, a small raised stage perhaps a step tall and a mezzanine floor that overlooked the graceful bustle below, ringed by a fence of iron roses. In the daytime, each section owned their own style of furniture which complimented the rest of the building.
The ground floor owned booths of oak wood that hugged the left and right wall. Each table was flourished with little white flowers and a delicate marble tile displayed the table number. The raised stage held small two to four person circular tables, of which the customers had to lift a wooden stool from a stacked collection in order to sit around these steel legged surfaces. Each table had a tiled top, decorated with small homely patterns from Seokjin's childhood. This was the same layout for the mezzanine floor.

"That's just the daytime," Jungkook's guide - a smiling, cheery waiter named Soobin - chattered on excitedly. "At night... This becomes magical."