#{;3am}

yohan would never admit to it, but he had spent a fair amount of time his last year of high school daydreaming about what life would be like after he graduated. he blames the dramas his grandmother would goad him into watching with her. he pictured traveling to the big city, getting a job for a few months before an agency would snap him up and he would be an idol in no time.

but life doesn’t work like dramas. and whatever kind of life he pictured living in seoul, it didn’t include  working at starbucks. he pictured maybe a cute cafe, or a bookstore, anything but a starbucks. but he can’t and shouldn’t complain, it pays the bills and keeps him busy as he fills up the rest of his time with practice.

it’s sunday and the cafe is slow. it’s been a few hours since their last rush and yohan feels himself practically falling asleep behind the counter. he plays with the ties of his green apron as he fights the urge to slump over the espresso machine. his coworker had disappeared at least a half an hour ago and yohan’s pretty sure he’s found a quiet place to hide with his phone and yohan has never been as jealous as he has in this moment.

rather than going to look for him though, yohan pushes himself up with a big yawn and settles on making another americano, hoping this one will keep him awake. he’s cleaning the espresso machine off for the second time when he hears the sound of the front door opening, shoulders tensing with nerves at the thought of attempting conversation with another new customer. but as he peeks around the machine, towel in hand, he sees a familiar face looking up at the menu. the tension in his shoulders instantly dropping as he throws the towel over his shoulder and steps up to the register with a small smile on his face.

yohan’s always been pretty awkward and shy with new people which had making friends as a kid almost impossible. it takes a while for him to warm up, to open up and let people in. but he’s been slowly getting better about it, has been pushing himself out of his comfort zone by making it a point to greet their regulars with a smile and a conversation. personally yohan wouldn’t choose to frequent the starbucks if he didn’t work there but he’s always glad to see insoo when he decides to visit. “hi there,” he starts off a bit quietly. “what can i get started for you today?”