✖「YOUNG GOD 」✖ Serial Killer!AU [COMPLETED]

3 | rise and shine.

You burst through the cafe's glass doors like a madman, hair tossed about by the early morning breeze and your bag slipping off one shoulder. Glow Cafe was packed, as it usually was at 8 a.m. on a Monday – students and professors queuing up at the register for their early morning pick-me-ups. Behind the counter, amidst the sea of turned heads, a tall, brown-haired boy cocked an eyebrow at you.

"Well, well, well – look who decided to show up to work. How was your blind date?"

Hwang Hyunjin snickered at your reddening face, pushing up his glasses with flour-covered fingers. The barista wiped his hands on his apron before pulling out the first batch of croissants of the day out from the oven.

You shot him a death glare as you took your place next to him, throwing on your own uniform over your clothes. Still smirking at you, Hyunjin balanced a cappuccino and a croissant on a tray before sliding it towards a girl.

"He didn't turn out to be a serial killer or something, I hope?"

"Not a serial killer, and not a wanted criminal." You leaned back on the counter, still catching your breath. "Unless–" you gave a melodramatic gasp – "you count the crime of stealing my heart."

Hyunjin made a gagging noise as he took an order and slid it towards you. "No way. So you're saying it was a success? Felix is never going to shut up about this."

You read the slip. Iced Americano, extra shot of espresso. Easy. "I know. Honestly, though, 'jin, he was so freaking adorable, his smile–"

Hyunjin's hand immediately cranked up the cafe's speakers, jazzhop music effectively drowning out the rest of your sentence, and you laughed.

Hwang Hyunjin was the second friend you'd made at Miroh Heights, the first being none other than your now-wingman, Felix. Besides being an architecture and design major, Hyunjin was also the owner of one of the hottest coffee shops on campus – Glow Cafe. It was first opened by his grandmother decades ago, and had fallen into his hands once he'd gotten into Miroh Heights. Nowadays, his grandmother stayed in the studio apartment above the cafe while Hyunjin ran the business.

The cafe began emptying near 10 o'clock, most students and professors having shuffled off to morning classes. You wiped your hands on your apron, and Hyunjin handed a cup of coffee to the last customer. Suddenly, his face lit up and he began waving at someone behind you. Windchimes jingled as the door opened, and you turned just in time to see Yang Jeongin step into the cafe. He had propped up his rusty bike outside, and both his hands were full with crates as he waddled towards the counter.

"How's it going, Jeongin?" Hyunjin handed him a glass of water. The delivery boy set down the packages – two boxes of coffee beans – and pulled his earbuds out, grinning.

"Pretty good – I'm getting better at lifting, you know!" A soft Beatles track trickled out from his Walkman, and Jeongin pressed pause.

Hyunjin gave a low whistle. "Our Jeongin's gaining some muscle, huh? Just wait 'till your sophomore year, the girls are gonna eat you right up."

You laughed as Jeongin's ears turned red, Hyunjin continuing, "Just don't end up head-over-heels like y/n is right now, you hear?"

Jeongin raised his eyebrows, turning to face you. "You're seeing someone? Well, if y/n likes him, then I'm sure he's a really good person." Ignoring Hyunjin's dramatic eye roll, you grinned and gave Jeongin finger guns, which he returned with a laugh.

After helping Hyunjin and you haul the shipments into the storage room, Jeongin pulled out a long list of deliveries from his jeans pocket. "Coffee beans, check. Ah!" He tossed a bundle of newspapers onto the counter. "Here's the morning paper, too."