• Falling For You • |A JongSang love story|

2 - A Crush Forms

The next few weeks flew by as Yeosang continued his regular routine at the café. Every morning, Jongho would walk in, order his usual, and leave with the same quiet nod of thanks. It was the smallest interaction, but for Yeosang, it was the highlight of his day. The way Jongho carried himself with such confidence and elegance made him seem almost untouchable.

Yeosang couldn't deny it anymore—he had developed a crush on the businessman. Every time he saw Jongho, his stomach fluttered, and he found himself daydreaming about conversations they could have, things they might have in common, or even what it would be like to work for him.

He had told Wooyoung about his plans to apply for a job at Jongho's company, but he hadn't mentioned just how much he hoped to impress Jongho once he did. For now, he kept his thoughts to himself, enjoying the quiet moments when Jongho came in and left without knowing the effect he had on the shy barista.

"Yeosang, table three's waiting on their drinks," Wooyoung called, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Right, sorry!" Yeosang quickly gathered the drinks and brought them over to the table, his mind still wandering.

As he returned to the counter, he caught sight of Jongho entering the café. His heart raced a little, and Yeosang couldn't help but steal a few glances as he prepared Jongho's usual black coffee.

Today, something was different. Instead of leaving right away, Jongho lingered by the counter, his gaze drifting toward the window as if he was deep in thought. It wasn't like him to stick around—he was always on the move, always heading to his next appointment.

Yeosang bit his lip, contemplating whether or not to say something. His shyness kept him rooted in place, but his curiosity pushed him to try.

"Um... is everything okay?" Yeosang asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jongho blinked, seemingly surprised that Yeosang had spoken to him beyond their usual exchange. He looked at Yeosang for a moment, and Yeosang swore he saw a flicker of something softer in his eyes.

"Just thinking about work," Jongho said, his tone calm but a little weary. "It's been a busy morning."

Yeosang nodded, feeling his nerves rise. This was the most Jongho had ever said to him, and he didn't want to say the wrong thing.

"I hope it gets better," Yeosang offered shyly, fidgeting with the hem of his apron. "You come in every day... it must be a lot to handle."

Jongho studied him for a moment, and Yeosang felt the heat rising in his cheeks. He wondered if he had overstepped, but instead of brushing him off, Jongho gave a small nod.

"It's not always easy, but it's part of the job," Jongho said, his lips curving into the faintest hint of a smile. "Thank you for the coffee, as always."

Yeosang's heart skipped a beat at that small gesture of kindness. Jongho then turned and left, but for the first time, Yeosang felt like they had shared something beyond their usual routine—a small connection, however fleeting it might have been.

As the door closed behind Jongho, Wooyoung appeared at Yeosang's side, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Well, well," Wooyoung teased, nudging Yeosang with his elbow. "Looks like your favorite customer is warming up to you."

Yeosang shook his head, feeling flustered. "It's nothing... just a little small talk."

"Small talk? You? Talking to him? Oh, that's something." Wooyoung leaned closer, smirking. "What happened to 'he's just a regular customer'?"

Yeosang groaned, trying to hide his smile. "I'm just being polite, Wooyoung."

"Uh-huh." Wooyoung chuckled. "You're crushing hard, admit it."

Yeosang sighed, knowing Wooyoung wouldn't let it go. "Fine... maybe a little. But it's not like anything will come of it."

"You never know," Wooyoung said, giving him a playful wink. "If you apply for that job at his company, you might just get to spend more time with him."

Yeosang laughed softly, but Wooyoung's words stuck with him. The idea of working at Jongho's company had always been about the opportunity to grow and gain experience, but now, there was an added layer to it. He wasn't just curious about the company—he was curious about Jongho, the man behind the calm exterior.

As the afternoon wore on, Yeosang's thoughts kept drifting back to their brief conversation. For someone as busy and powerful as Jongho, he seemed... lonely, in a way. It wasn't something Yeosang had noticed before, but there was a subtle sadness behind his composed demeanor.

It made Yeosang want to know more.

The day finally came to an end, and as Yeosang cleaned up the café with Wooyoung, he made a decision. He would apply to J-Tech once he graduated. Maybe it wouldn't lead to anything romantic, but it would be a chance to see if Jongho was truly the person Yeosang had imagined him to be.

And if nothing else, it would be a step toward his future—one way or another.