Angels and Devils (JeongCheol)

Starbucks Barista

Jeonghan's POV

Joshua, Hoshi, Woozi, Dokyum, Minghao, and I walked around the mall together. We've been hanging out here for about thirty minutes already and now it's around lunch time.

"I'm hungry." complained Hoshi as we heard his stomach growl.

"Yeah, I can tell." said Joshua. "Lets go eat."

We went down to the food court and looked around at our options. All the boys started spreading around to go buy food except me and Joshua.

"Want me to buy you something?" he asked me.

"No thanks. Just tell the boys I'm going to get something to drink at Starbucks. I'm not really into any of the food they have here." I said. Joshua nodded and we went our separate ways. Me going down the stairs towards Starbucks, and him going to join Hoshi and Minghao in line.

As I entered Starbucks, I noticed a group of 14 year old girls staring at me. When I made eye contact with one of them, she looked away, giggling like mad. I frowned at them but got in line anyway. Then, the girl I made eye contact with approached me as her friends watched, giggling.

"Hi. Your name wouldn't happen to be Jeonghan... would it?" she asked. My eyes widened. How did she know who I was?

"Uh... Yeah. That's me." I said slowly.

"Oh my God.." she whispered as she ran back to her friends, whispered something to them, and all their eyes went back to me. I tried my hardest to ignore them and just pretend that never happened.

"What can I get for..." the barista trailed off mid sentence. I looked up at him and saw someone I never would have expected to be working here.

"Seungcheol?" I said.

"No." he said, a blank expression on his face.

"I know it's you." I said.

"I know." he sighed. He didn't say anything else, and neither did I. We just sort of stood there, him staring at me as if there was something he wanted to say but he didn't want to.

Seungcheol's POV

I didn't know what to do. The last thing I ever could have hoped for was running into someone I knew at work. Especially Jeonghan. But now I kind of have to face the music. The thing is, I don't know what to say. Do I apologize? Do I ask for his order? Do I tell him he's holding up the line so that he leaves? Oh wait. There is no line. Shit. I guess there's not really a way out of this so I just have to-

"So... you're a Starbucks barista?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. I nodded. "Do your friends know you work here?" he added. I shook my head. "That's what I thought." he said with a small grin. I still stood there, unable to say anything. I don't know why he's making me act like this. No one ever makes me speechless. Not even a crush. "I think I'll just go order over here.." he said, pointing at the other cashier.

"No, wait." I stopped him. He looked at me expectantly. "Look, everything Hoshi said wasn't true. I wasn't planning any cruel joke or anything, I swear. I genuinely wanted a tutor and you seemed nice so I asked if you could do it. If it was an act my friends would have been in on it. Hell, Mingyu probably would have suggested it. I promise, whatever Hoshi told you about me isn't true. He doesn't know me. On the other hand though, he's right. I never gave you a reason to trust me and I'm sorry for making you look bad if I did."

"You know we can't be friends, right?" said Jeonghan with a pitiful look.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Look at us. People like us get along as well as cats and dogs." he said.

"Not all cats and dogs hate each other." I argued. "Could we at least try to be friends?"

"And what about your group? And mine? They're just going to make things harder than they need to be." said Jeonghan. "You have no idea how I wish our friends could along. Really, I do. But I honestly don't think that'll happen anytime soon."

Jeonghan walked away and ordered from the other barista. I watched him order his drink and felt like an idiot. Why do I have to like him, of all people? Why can't I like someone who isn't going to make this feel like fucking Romeo and Juliet. I checked the clock and saw it was 12:10.

"My shift ends in 20 minutes. Come back so we can talk?" I asked hopefully.

"Maybe. I'm here with my friends. If I can shake them off I'll come." said Jeonghan. I smiled and took his order. He left the store with his drink in hand and I smiled to myself. Now... What are we going to talk about?

"So?" said Winter.

"What?" I asked my little sister.

"What did he say?" she asked, her group of friends staring at me expectantly.

"Did you talk to him?" I asked. She said nothing, but only looked down at the floor. "Oh no.. Did you freak him out?"

"Noooooo. What could possibly make you think I freaked him out?" she asked.

"You know what, I don't want to know." I said. "Now are you and your friends going to buy something or are you just here to hold up the line?"

"You mean the non existent line?" she said.

"Shut up." I said.

Twenty minutes later my sister and her friends were at the pet store and my shift was over. I told them to stay as far away from Starbucks as possible. I took off my uniform and sat down at a table, waiting for Jeonghan. I waited 5 minutes... then it was 10 minutes... 15... 20. Ugh. He's not coming, is he? I ordered myself a drink and sat back down, hoping he might show up. But he didn't.

"Hey Seungcheol." I looked up hoping to see Jeonghan but it was Mingyu. Wonwoo standing right behind him. "What are you doing here?" They sat down facing me just as my phone buzzed.

Jeonghan:
I saw them around and didn't want to risk them seeing you with me. Sorry :(

I smiled sadly at the text and looked back up at Mingyu and Wonwoo.

"Just got a drink. I was planning on going home soon." I said.

"Mind if we join you?" asked Mingyu.

"You seem lonely." said Wonwoo.

"Shut up, I'm not lonely." I said, with a small grin.

"Really? Because I'm positive anyone who saw you thought you were waiting on your Juliette or something." said Mingyu. They both laughed and I laughed along, pretending I didn't feel like that was one hundred percent true.

"I'll grab my sister and we can head to my house." I said.

Just gonna say this now before anyone calls me out I know that Coups doesn't actually have a 14 year old sister called Winter. I'm gonna make up their families ok? Especially Seuncheol's cause it has to go with my plot. Thanks! 😘