𝐂𝐔𝐏𝐈𝐃 ➴ 𝐠𝐲𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐲 『zerobaseone』

N I N E

Saturday came, Gyuvin arrived at the café much earlier than originally planned. Wanting to find a quiet and secluded area for himself and Ricky to have a comfortable conversation, he settled down in a cozy corner. Realizing that it would be impolite to simply occupy the space without buying anything, Gyuvin decided to order a drink. Opting for a delicious hazelnut frappé, he made his way to the counter and placed his order. With his laptop in hand, Gyuvin began working on the slides for their upcoming presentation while sipping on his beverage. As he was halfway through his drink, a message from Ricky popped up on his phone, informing him that he was on his way. Gyuvin couldn't help but smile upon reading the text and promptly replied with an "okay". Finishing his refreshing frappé, Gyuvin patiently awaited Ricky's arrival. The blond came a few minutes later.

Ricky, noticed the boy's presence, expressed surprise, "Oh, you're already here? How long have you been waiting?" He proceeded to take a seat on the chair placed in front of the boy and proceeded to open his own laptop.

"Just now, about 45 minutes ago--"

"Forty-five minutes?!" Ricky exclaimed as his eyes widened in shock. "You should have told me! I would have gotten here earlier if I knew" Ricky sighed with a disappointed expression on his face.

Gyuvin flashed a warm smile at the blond boy, his eyes filled with reassurance. "It's fine, I actually had fun working on the draft," he said, trying to ease the disappointment evident on the blond's face. However, the blond let out a deep sigh, clearly still feeling a bit down. Gyuvin, not one to give up easily, came up with an idea. "if you're that disappointed, how about you get me a drink?" he suggested, a glimmer of hope dancing in his eyes. As if a switch had been flipped, Ricky's face slowly brightened up, a spark of excitement lighting up his features.

"What would you like?" Ricky asked.

"Iced latte, with 2 shots of expresso" Gyuvin replied, Ricky nodded and immediately rushed to the counter.

'cute' Gyuvin watched as the blond excitedly ordered their drinks. Gyuvin couldn't help but find it adorable by how the blond felt bad about something that was completely out of his control. Shortly after, Ricky returned to their table, not only with their requested drinks but also a delightful colorful macaroons.

The pair eventually worked on their presentation, as they had both conducted thorough research prior to their scheduled meeting. Fortunately, their diligent preparation paid off, as everything proceeded effortlessly and without any major hitches. Although they engaged in intermittent conversation throughout their work session, they were able to efficiently complete their assigned task well ahead of the anticipated deadline. They decided to stay in the cafe for a while to rest.

"That was quick" Gyuvin stated as he kept his laptop back in his bag. "Damn, if I knew that we'd work together this smoothly I would've ditched Gunwook long ago" he chuckled as he leaned back and glanced towards Ricky.

"Just admit that you like me more, I promise I won't snitch" Ricky teased as he playfully put up his hands as if he was saying a pledge. Gyuvin just shook his head since at this point he is immune to Ricky's attitude. They eventually decided to depart the cafe. But just as they were about to exit, a familiar scent wafted through the air, catching their attention. Suddenly, a lively voice called out their names, and to their surprise, it was Taerae. As Taerae approached, another boy slowly emerged from his side, joining the unexpected reunion.

"Gyuvin? Oh Ricky?!" Taerae greeted cheerfully while the other boy waved at them.

"Hi! Out for a date?" Gyuvin teased as he glanced at Junhyeon.