Sugar Rush

4

"Joon-ah..."

Namjoon flinched as he looked at Heechul, "Ah, sorry. I wasn't sleeping, I swear." He said more desperately than he wanted to.

Heechul chuckled, "You can take a nap in the break room. I know it is harder for you now. So just take some rest. Come back after half an hour."

Namjoon nodded and slumped into the break room. He put up the alarm for half an hour and closed his eyes. Heechul was right. It wasn't easy for him these days. He had three jobs, two at the cafes and one at the gas station. Usually, they were all day jobs, but he was called to the gas station any time of the day. Even at night when they were lacking people, they would call Namjoon in and for the money, Namjoon couldn't deny it. And if he didn't go to the gas station at night, he studied all night to stay on track for his studies.

Heechul smiled when he saw Namjoon sleeping on the table. He was really worried about the kid. He knew Namjoon was very bright and had every potential of becoming the best lawyer. He could pay his fees, but Namjoon refused to say he wanted to take care of it himself. If he didn't make it till the week, then Heechul was sure that he would pay the fees.

After about an hour, Namjoon woke up with a jerk as his phone rang loudly. He looked at the time and panicked. "Fuck." He picked up the call, "Hello?"

Hyung. Did you go to the orphanage?

Namjoon sighed, "Ah, no. I will after my shift ends."

Okay. take care.

Namjoon rubbed his eyes to wake up completely, "Yeah." He cut the call and quickly went out, "Hyung, I am sorry. I overslept."

Heechul laughed, "Ah, it's okay. I am going out, Suho will be here in a while. So you won't be alone."

Namjoon nodded and took the serving duty immediately. He sighed as he took the cup of coffee and started walking towards the table. He was still a bit sleepy and clumsy. He was about to reach his table when he stumbled on his feet and landed on someone. He gasped, "Oh my god. I am so sorry!" He got up and helped the man he fell upon get up. He scanned the man from toe to head and his eyes went wide as he saw who he had fallen upon.

It was Kim Soekjin.

His Aphrodite.

Snap out of it, Namjoon! Then, Namjoon's eyes well on the huge patch of coffee on his suit. "Oh no." He took several tissues and tried to wipe the patch but Seokjin held his hand.

"What do you think you are doing?" Seokjin glared at Namjoon with sharp piercing eyes.

"I'm really sorry, sir. I wasn't looking. I-" Namjoon said as he fumbled when Seokjin stopped him from speaking.

"Sit down." Seokjin sat at the table beside him.

Namjoon looked at him with wide eyes, "Huh?" He looked at the counter and saw Suho smiling at the customer. He looked at Seokjin again, "I am sorry. I can't sit with a customer during my shift timing."

Seokjin sighed and took out his phone, "Hello, Heechul hyung. How are you?"

I am fine. What about you?

"I am fine." Seokjin smiled. "Hyung, I am at your cafe and I want one of your boys to sit with me for a while. Do you mind if he does that?"

Who is it?

Seokjin looked at Namjoon with an interesting gaze, "What's your name?"

Namjoon huffed, "Kim Namjoon."

Seokjin hummed, "Kim Namjoon."

Okay. But don't stall him for too long.

"Done!" Seokjin nodded as he cut the call. He looked at Namjoon and signalled him with his eyes, "Sit down."

Namjoon sighed and sat at the table with him. "Look if you want me to pay for your suit, I am sorry. I don't have money." He looked away, "I don't even have money to pay for my school." He mumbled.

"You can't pay for tuition?" Seokjin asked. He looked genuinely curious.

Namjoon scratched his head. He wasn't supposed to hear that. It was very embarrassing that the person who he admired from afar was sitting in front of him and knew that Namjoon couldn't afford basic things in his life. He sighed. It was out anyway. He looked at Seokjin, "Yeah, I can't."

Seokjin tilted his head, "Where do you study?"

"Seoul Law school," Namjoon said a bit hesitatingly. He didn't know why he was sharing the details with a complete stranger.

Seokjin's eyes went wide, "How did you get in if you don't have money to pay the fees?"

Namjoon sighed, "I had a scholarship which got taken away because of an entitled bitch." He gasped when realised what he said, "I am sorry."

Seokjin shook his head, "It's okay. I understand your anger. What are you going to do next?"

Namjoon took a deep breath, "The orphanage I came out of is giving out loans for the children who have money problems."

Seokjin snickered. "Right."

Namjoon narrowed his eyes, "Why are you laughing?"

Seokjin sighed and stopped laughing, "I am laughing because you are too naive. You should know that the orphanage is just a loan shark in disguise. You are becoming a lawyer so I am sure you will read through the papers but I am warning you beforehand."

Namjoon tilted his head, "I don't have any other option."

Seokjin licked his tongue, "Maybe you have."

"Huh?" Namjoon was confused, "What?"

Seokjin smirked a little, "Be my sugar baby."

Namjoon choked on his saliva, "What? What are you saying?"

Seokjin chuckled, "Listen, you need money, I want a sugar baby. It's a win-win situation." Namjoon seemed to be deep in thought so Seokjin fumbled into his suit jacket. He clicked his tongue, "I don't have my card with me right now." He took out a card and looked at Namjoon, "Call me if you make up your mind." He wrote a number on the card. "Don't call the number above. You will get a grumpy grandpa stuck in 32 your old body. Call or text the number I just wrote."

Namjoon took the card as Seokjin got up and left the cafe. He really wasn't sure why he did whatever he did. Was he really considering becoming someone's sugar baby? Had he hit rock bottom already? And about the orphanage, what Seokjin said might be right. They could be loan sharks in disguise. He wasn't particularly fond of the orphanage. It wasn't a place he wanted to go back to. He looked at the card and slid it into the pocket of his jeans. He groaned and went back to his work.