What never should've happened.

Coffee

On your way down, you texted Huang to tell him you were going to go get coffee and that you were bringing him some too.

Huang was part of the assistants department but not the kind that would fit your requirements. His duties were transportation, translation, and whatever other needs the foreign workers needed. It pained you that he couldn't be your regular assistant, but at least he was with you in some capacity.

Huang: Why doesn't it surprise me that you blatantly ignored the fact that I am here to get you coffee and not the other way around?

Y/N: Because you know better than to contradict me. I'll call you in case they don't have mochas.

You put your phone in your back pocket and headed out to the cafe only to find there was no cafe there anymore, only an empty space for lease. Frowning, you thought to yourself that the effects the pandemic created were still being felt everywhere and how lucky you were to still have such an amazing job and this opportunity. 

There had to be another place to get coffee in the vicinity. There were too many office buildings filled with caffeine dependent people in them in the area.

Walking a bit further down the avenue, you turned right to a small side street where, to your happiness, you found the cutest, tiniest coffee place you'd ever seen. The inside was lined with wood and the decor was minimal, old coffee grinders, small coffee sacks with the emblems from several brands from all over the world and you were surprised to find one from your home country among them. This made you think that you were going to be a regular here.

There was a counter with different methods for brewing coffee, two baristas -a boy and a girl in their early twenties-, a door in the back that you assumed was the bathroom and three tables that sat two people each. One that was occupied by two guys in casual wear, black caps and face masks, and the other by a girl.

When you walked in, you said good morning at large and were met by weird looks and a deafening silence. You winced, remembering that greeting people like that was not a thing in Korea, so you awkwardly bowed but could feel the stare of one of the guys wearing caps, the younger one.

It was a piercing gaze, and when you looked at him, he looked straight into your eyes. There was something about his eyes. You could've sworn you knew those eyes but were so shocked that you couldn't remember who they belonged to. He gave you a slight nod, which you returned and went to order.

In a very clipped korean, you ordered a large mocha and a double espresso, brewed through a chemex. As you expected, the boy barista gave you an approving look, and the girl told you they had no mochas during spring. You held up a finger and motioned to her that you were going to make a quick call.

"Hey  Huang-ssi," you began as you turned away from the barista in hopes that you wouldn't break any societal rules by talking loudly on the phone in a public place. When you turned, that same guy was still looking at you, with curiosity. "They have no mochas," the whole exchange was in English, "would you be okay with an iced americano?"

"That would be great, noona. I'll come meet you at the lobby in a few minutes then."

You hung up and asked for it, as best as you could. You moved a little bit to the side while waiting for your drinks, and still, the guy kept staring straight at you. 

The first few times you've been to Korea, you had found it extremely uncomfortable to be stared at all the time, but then you grew used to it. They weren't doing it because they were rude. To them, it wasn't rude. They were just curious about a foreigner who spoke not only English but Spanish and some Korean too.

This stare was different, though. It was as if he was trying to pierce your soul. It unnerved you.

Your name was called, pronounced in the wrong way, but you stepped forward, thanking the boy with a smile which he returned -a rarity in Korea- but you were confused when you were handed three drinks instead of two. Two espressos and one iced americano.

You balanced the three drinks in your hands, moving towards the bar that had the sugar syrup, napkins, and collars for the cups, when several things happened at once.

The bell on the door dinged, announcing a customer, the steam from the milk frother was activated, and it startled you, making you trip and start to fall forward. From the corner of your eye you saw the guy in the baseball cap jump up from his seat with his arms outstretched to catch you, but you fell into the arms of whomever it was that came in the store.

What surprised you the most was that none of the drinks spilled. You realized that the person who caught you had steadied your arms with one hand and your waist with the other.

A chuckle. "I don't think you want to finish your day with a coffee stain on your top, y/n-ssi." Huang. 

Your laughter came out weirdly awkward. "Well, aren't you my knight in shining armor who doesn't listen. I thought you were going to meet me at the lobby?" The guy in the baseball cap froze on his spot and was watching the exchange between Huang and you with interest.

"I was," Huang said as he let go of your waist and put the drinks on the bar, picking up the sugar syrup and putting some in his coffee, "but then I realized I never told you about our regular cafe closing and I knew this was the only spot that would catch your eye. It's a bit further than the other, so I didn't want you to be carrying the drinks that far."

"I'm not a frail lady, Huang-ssi," you said as you opened both espressos and poured the content of one into the other, "but I appreciate the sentiment."

You heard a scoff and immediately turned to look at the guy in the baseball cap, who was shaking his head and sitting back at his spot. The other guy had barely moved since you got there. Frowning, you put the lid back on your coffee and motioned Huang to go back to the office.

You said nothing on your way back and all the way back to your office. Once there, you sat and wondered for a while…

Who was that guy? Why did he seem so familiar?

A.N.: so far, I don't think anyone's reading, but I'll continue.