Hello Sketchbook | Norenmin✔

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It was way later than his usual time at the coffee shop, but Jaemin decided to stop by and grab a cup on his way home. He was going to spend the whole night working on assignments and he needed some fuel for his brain. Fuel as in caffeine, which wasn't going to be healthy but Jaemin had more important things to worry about. When he checked his watch it read ten before eleven, which meant that the cafe was closing in ten minutes and he had to be quick.

Luckily it took him only another minute to walk up to cafe, so he was most likely in time to be the last order of the day. He reached out and quickly opened the door, feeling a rush of comfortable heat defrost his fingertips as he entered the building. He walked up to the cashier and quickly took out his wallet, not looking up at the cashier yet. "Is it too late to place a last-minute order?" he asked.

"He says as he takes out his wallet." The voice that replied to him was that of an angel, a sweet tone with a slightly high pitch to it. Jaemin was surprised at how fast his heart started beating when he looked up at the cashier and saw the most attractive person standing behind it, giggling. His face was small, and his slightly-darker-than-chestnut hair curled in a single tidy shape around his head. He was dressed in the same uniform he'd seen Jeno and the other employees wear, and even though Jeno had looked amazing in that simple dark color scheme and apron, the man in front of him looked just as good but in a different way.

Jaemin snaps back into reality when the peppy boy started to make a cup of coffee to go. "The usual?" he asked, already pouring espresso into a large single-use cup.

"Uh, yeah," Jaemin nodded, leaning on the counter as he watched the man make his coffee. "Wait, how do you know my usual? Have we met before?"

The other shook his head, replying as he put the espresso container back and turned off the machine, "Jeno. He's been talking about you lately. Your name is Na Jaemin, if I'm not mistaken?" Jaemin's tired eyes widen at his words with surprise.

It should be obvious why the two know each other, they worked at the same cafe. Jeno probably knew all of his co-workers, so it was nothing abnormal. Even so, Jaemin found himself questioning, "When did he tell you about me? How do you know him?"

The man looked up at him with a teasing smile as he poured hot water into the cup, "Aren't you a curious one?" He giggled, reaching for a couple shots of espresso. "Why wouldn't Jeno tell me about someone he was excited to meet? He's my boyfriend."

Jaemin's heart dropped as soon as he heard that dreaded word. Of course someone as perfect as Jeno would be taken, and of course it had to be this man in front of him. They were practically made for each other, Jaemin could feel it even though he barely knew both of them. They had each other and were already happy, of course. Of course. He nodded in understatement, muttering a barely audible "Oh" that the other wouldn't be able to hear.

"Well, here's your coffee, Jaemin," the man made Jaemin look up, his heart aching at the sight of this perfectly handsome stranger that ruined his chances at ever developing something with Jeno. And yet, as much as he wanted to be sad about being around this person, he still felt his cheeks tinge with redness at the slight touch of their fingers when he was handed his drink. "This drink's on the house," he heard the man say, "I noticed you're tired, so get some rest okay? Don't go to sleep too late or else you'll be a zombie and no amount of coffee, not even our whole stock, can cure that." The sound of his giggle was heaven to Jaemin's ears.

Jaemin nodded, weakly smiling before heading out of the cafe. As he started to walk home, he felt confused. His heart felt heavy, it was feeling something, but he couldn't figure out what was happening to it. Both Jeno and his boyfriend were really attractive, in personality and looks. He should feel jealous that he's never going to get one of them, but he just felt like he had a crush. on both of them.

He quickly dismissed that thought, crossing the street. There was no way that was possible. Two people? No way. He was just tired and confused because pretty people are dangerous and unfairly given easy access to his heart. But it was all temporary, he promised himself. Just like the project he had to start working on today.

He was glad he stopped by the cafe.