barista!jaemin
this isnt that good but i wanted to write for barista jaemin because OH MY GOD
nct masterlist
‘Hi, what can I get you today?’
Your brain short-circuits when you make eye contact with Jaemin for the first time.
You always came to this cafe, considering it was only around the corner from your lecture hall, but you definitely had not seen him before. You would remember his face.
Suddenly the order that you would repeat nearly everyday just ceased to exist in your head.
Jeno suddenly leans over the counter, smirking ‘cat got your tongue? your usual I take it?’
‘Sorry. I’m just tired,’ you quickly make an excuse as Jeno, your normal barista shoots you a knowing look, ‘I stayed up half the night studying.’
‘Y/N, this is Jaemin, our new barista, and unofficial baker. I’m helping training him at the moment. Jaemin, this is Y/N, a regular and someone who tips well, so be nice to them.’
‘Yes Sir,’ Jaemin jokingly salutes Jeno, before Jeno disappears into the back to make your drink.
You’re not sure what to say when you’re left alone with Jaemin, but he immediately begins talking with you.
‘How long have you been coming here?’ He asks, tapping away on the register’s screen to ring you up.
‘Uh, since I started taking classes around the corner, so maybe 6 months now?’
‘Ah, so you go to university here. Me too, what course are you on?’
‘I do {subject},’ you smile, now having the perfect chance to take in his beauty without being weird about it.
‘I’m taking a culinary course,’ he nods, ‘I really want to open my own cafe or bakery one day.’
Your heart thumps. The most beautiful boy is in front of you, and his dream is so adorably wholesome.
‘That’s so cool…I’m still a bit lost myself,’ you purse your lips, staring at the white cake covered in swirling pink icing and strawberries on the counter. You’d never seen this elaborate of a cake before, so you imagine it must be the work of Jaemin.
‘Did you make that?’ You point to it, and he grins.
‘Yeah, I made it this morning.’ He smiles so fondly towards the cake, almost like it was his baby.
‘How much is it to get a slice? It looks so good.’
‘On the house,’ Jaemin shrugs, turning around to grab a knife to cut a piece for you.
‘W-are you sure? I don’t mind paying-‘
‘Hard working pretty girls deserve free cake,’ he grins cheekily, and you fight back the blush that crawls up your neck and fills up your face.
Where is Jeno?
You’re snapped out of your weird trance when he places the plate down with a clunk.
’Thank you very much,’ you shyly take the cake, mouth almost watering at how good it looks, cream, jam and sliced strawberries in  a row in the middle, ‘I owe you one.’
‘It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.’
Over the coming days, you see a cycle of different cakes sit inside of the glass display case. On Tuesday its a rainbow cake, on Wednesday its a chocolate cake, and on Thursday, it is a completely pink cake covered with red and white marzipan hearts.
‘Where do you find the time to make these?’ You ask as Jaemin prepares your order, genuinely curious as to how on earth this college student had managed such a feat.
‘I wake up quite early,’ he scratches the back of his neck sheepishly, cheeks turning a light shade of pink at your words.
‘You’re so creative. I don’t know how you think of something different to do everyday.’
‘Well, I tend to try and just express my thoughts and feelings.’
Your eyes flick back down to the cake in the display case, the one looking fit for valentines day, despite the fact it was mid April.
‘And what are you feeling today?’
Jaemin smirks, turning the steamed milk into your drink into the standard latte art.
‘I don’t know,’ he sets down your drink, which is on a small tea plate, ‘depends how you answer this.’
Your heart rate speeds up dramatically. A heart was drawn out on the surface of your drink, a pale pink branded napkin under your mug with the words ‘go on a date with me?’ and a phone number scrawled out in black pen.
You’re speechless for a moment, unsure of whether or not this gorgeous man was really asking you on a date. Out of the corner of your eye, you can see his sweater paws from his huge white sweatshirt, making your heart warm even more.
‘I- I’d love to go out with you, Jaemin.’
His once anxious expression morphs into a huge smile, his tense shoulders dropping.
‘Text me,’ he grins cheekily.
‘I most definitely will.’
