"Uhm...sir? May I take your o-order?"
Kim Rok Soo couldn't help but frown at the fear that the cashier is displaying.
"...One medium latte and add three extra shots of espresso."
The other customers turned to look at Kim Rok Soo like he was trying to kill himself.
"Pardon?"
As of to show his irritation, Kim Rok Soo spoke again.
"Make it four shots."
In fear that Kim Rok Soo will another shot, the cashier scrambled to the barista and tell him his order.
"One medium latte with four extra shots for sir..."
The cashier almost looked like he was about to pass away with how irritable the look was plastered in Kim Rok Soo's face.
"Kim Rokㅡsorry, it's Ryu Gunwoo."
Kim Rok Soo could see how the cashier pitifully trembles while writing the name in the cup.
"That will be two thousand w-won."
Kim Rok Soo pays with his newly withdrawn money from the bank, and the cashier fearfully accepted it.
"I-It will be available in ten minutes."
He sighs to himself before offering the cashier with a small smile, "Thank you."
The cashier visibly gawked at him when he saw the smile on Kim Rok Soo's face, he couldn't quite believe that a scary person like him would be able to muster up a smile.
He looks handsome despite his eyebags when he smiles.
The cashier visibly brightened before bowing, "You're welcome!"
Kim Rok Soo walks away with a peaceful mind, sitting at the farthest table in a corner of the cafe.
He sighs deeply to himself as he stares outside the peaceful yet busy roads of Seoul.
The contrast between this world and his previous one was so different that it made Kim Rok Soo feel like he was in a dream.
"..."
Who is he kidding? He does not have the time to stare outside and feel melancholy!
He opens a book in anger, flipping the pages every second as he drilled all the information in his head.
Tomorrow is the concert, and he does not have any time to stare into space.
"Order for Ryu Gunwoo-ssi!"
Kim Rok Soo buries his head further into the book, making sure that not a word was left behind.
"Latte for Ryu Gunwoo-ssi!"
Damn it with the loud noises! Why wouldn't that Ryu Gunwoo bastard get his coffee already!
...
Kim Rok Soo abruptly stood up, shame muddling his mind as he walks to the counter with a stoic face.
Inwardly, he wants to bite his hand from the embarrassment he's feeling.
"...Sorry."
He said that to the same cashier who was fearful of him earlier.
The cashier simply smiled, finding the scary person funny.
"It's quite alright, Ryu Gunwoo-ssi."
Kim Rok Soo immediately bows and waddled towards his seat once again. He then buries his head on the book with a loud impact, as if it was an attempt to hide his shame.
He sighs to himself before closing the book considering he already finished reading it.
Kim Rok Soo blew his coffee for a while before taking a sip, the undeniably bitterly hot beverage swirled in his mouth.
He then grabs his bag and pulls out a camera, deciding that it's time to test the information that was put in his brain for the past three days of minimal sleep.
The moment he opens it, he feels a whir resonating in his hands. Kim Rok Soo huffs before directing the camera on the coffee.
He fixed the settings in the camera to fit the soft ambience of the coffee, then clicks the shutter button multiple times.
"The results are quite nice."
Kim Rok Soo couldn't help but feel a rush of relief, all those nights of learning something that is out of his field were all worth it.
His record ability played a huge part of it.
And now, he needs to test it on a person.
Kim Rok Soo found another hurdle to pass, since he can't just go around taking pictures of strangers when it's possible that he would be put into jail for a breach of personal space.
Suddenly, he thought of the cashier earlier. Thinking for a long while if he should ask him to take a picture of him.
But then again, what would he tell the reason would be? That he's a data pal who is trying to configure his camera after taking a break for a long while? Yeah right, no thank you.
In all honesty, he just doesn't want to interact with people any more longer.
In the end, he decided against the thought. He directs the camera once again on the half cup of coffee. This time, he tried to use the viewfinder of the camera.
He then clicks the shutter.
When he tried to look at the result, he squinted so hard that his eyebrows almost knit themselves together.
"Why is it blurry...ah."
This damn myopia and eyeglasses! What Kim Rok Soo sees is clear, but it is the total opposite with the camera he's holding.
'What the hell did Ryu Gunwoo do to his eyes to become this bad?'
That's it, he needs to buy eye contacts right now.
Kim Rok Soo drank all the coffee in one shot, the cashier who accidentally looked at him had his eyes wide and gawked at him.
Kim Rok Soo shut the camera down and slung it on his neck, walking outside the cafe as he almost ran with one direction in his mind.
Maybe because he does not have enough attention to his surroundings, but he and a stranger slammed to each other.
It was a very hard impact considering the throbbing pain in his shoulders, his eyesight also becoming blurry so suddenly that the only explanation to it was his eyeglasses flying somewhere...maybe into oblivion, who knows.
"Ah, I'm sorry. Are you alright?"
Kim Rok Soo frowns to himself, making him look like he was staring into space.
"Apart from my throbbing shoulder and a blurry sight because my glasses were magically lost, yes. Yes, I am quite alright."
It was quite the sarcastic tone, and Kim Rok Soo wouldn't be surprised if the stranger left him right then and there.
"...I'm sorry."
The stranger's tone was so pitiful that it made Kim Rok Soo feel guilty.
"...Don't mind it. I'm also sorry for not paying attention."
Kim Rok Soo could instinctively feel how the stranger stills, before he felt himself being pulled to the side and a sound of a honking vehicle could be heard.
"Hey watch it!"
Maybe that voice belonged to the driver, but Kim Rok Soo couldn't care less.
"Uhm...I think your glasses broke..."
Heavens above, how did that even happen?
"The person who just yelled at us ran over it..."
Kim Rok Soo sighs, rubbing his palm against his face in attempt to calm his anger.
"You've got to be kidding me."
The stranger chuckles before patting Kim Rok Soo's clothes, as if he was some mischievous child who played in the sand.
"Sadly, I'm not."
Kim Rok Soo groans, cursing every little thing that happened to him.
"Can you tell me where is the nearest optical shop?"
The stranger was silent for a while before Kim Rok Soo heard him speak, "Can you even see your way?"
...This fucking bastardㅡ
The stranger laughs again before Kim Rok Soo felt his wrist being pulled to a certain direction.
"You remind me of a certain hoobae..."
It was barely a whisper and Kim Rok Soo couldn't help but take notice of it.
"Hoobae?" He asks.
"Haha, don't mind me. Here, just follow me and I'll take you to the shop."
Yeah sure, whatever.
It took a few minutes of walking before they arrived at a shop, Kim Rok Soo thanking the skies above that he was not about to get kidnapped in broad daylight.
"We're here."
Kim Rok Soo blinks before bowing politely.
"Thank you."
What Kim Rok Soo hadn't expected was for the stranger to stay behind when he gets his eyes tested.
"Why are you still here?" Kim Rok Soo asks before he shifts the temporary glasses that was given to him.
Now that Kim Rok Soo looks at the stranger, it was still a surprise that he wasn't kidnapped with how the latter is wearing clothes fit for a kidnapper.
"Well, I wanted to pay for the trouble I've caused."
Pay? That means free money, right?
Kim Rok Soo almost smiled widely but managed to stop himself.
"Why thank you."
Kim Rok Soo could then see how the stranger turned to look at the camera that was placed beside his bag.
"Are you perhaps a fan site?"
Fan...what?
"A data pal." Kim Rok Soo corrects him.
The stranger huffs, as if finding his words amusing.
"Which idol were you commissioned now then?"
Well, it won't hurt to tell...right? Since being a data pal is common in a place like Korea.
"TeStar's Keun Sejin and Park Moondae."
This time, Kim Rok Soo could clearly see how the stranger violently flinched in his seat. As if he said something taboo.
"...Interesting."
What is, exactly?
"What is your name, if you don't mind me asking."
Well that's suspicious.
"It's Kim Rok Soo."
He'd rather tell him his real name than the Ryu Gunwoo one, considering it can easily be found with one search in the internet.
"What about you? What's your name?"
The stranger looks up considering he was sitting and Kim Rok Soo was currently standing.
The stanger pulls down his mask slightly, a handsome face could be seen then.
"It's Shin Jaehyun."
Kim Rok Soo only nods, not knowing what to say next.
Thankfully, Shin Jaehyun spoke.
"Shall we exchange numbers?"
"..."
Yeah sure, what could go wrong?