YOUTH

two

   Jimin looks nearly ethereal with his black sunglasses sitting on his nose, blocking the morning sun that cascades through the windshield as he drives. Minseok, enthralled with the image of the younger driving in the music that plays through the car radio, couldn't tear his eyes away from him. In his chest he felt it's wrong to stare at him like this, through wonderous eyes and slightly agape lips. His hands start to become clammy, maybe from the car heater or the heat from his own blood pumping faster than it should be. This must be a crush, Minseok denies it however. He had only met Jimin a handful of times before he moved in, but all those times were connected by one symptom; the way his heart beat slightly faster that made his palms sweaty and mouth dry.

   "If you take a picture, it would be last longer." Jimin comments, eyes never leaving the road.

   "Are you sure? The sun's making your sweatshirt kind of washed out. I think I'd probably take the offer later when the sun's a little lower, maybe golden hour?" Jimin laughs, his eyes wrinkling from Minseok's view. "You're so straightforward. If I had to guess, I'd say you have a crush on me?" Jimin questions.
   Jimin turns into a fairly large parking lot, roaming up and down the street to find an open spot. "What?" Minseok scoffs, trying to ignore the blush that exposes his thoughts so clearly for the upteenth time this morning. "I don't have a crush on you. Not saying that you're unattractive or anything! You are attractive, very pretty, b-but not in a romantic kind of way..." Minseok stutters at the end, voice drowning in self-embarrassment. "But you are pretty, that's why I would take that photo opportunity. I like photography! I like taking pictures of pretty things! And, and, you're pretty attractive to me in a non-romantic way that makes me want to take a photo!" Jimin pulls into a parking spot, perfectly getting inside the two fading yellow lines and turning the car off. "I'm going to take a wild guess that you ramble when you're embarrassed and, or flustered?" The red that darkens on Minseok's cheeks proves the theory and makes Jimin smirk. "That's cute."
   In the many years that Minseok has know of Jimin, and the handful of times he met him, as well as the mere ten or so hours they have lived together, there's an odd feeling that settles in Minseok's guts when Jimin could read him like an open book. Jimin somehow could look at Minseok and make him unravel in minutes, maybe even seconds, read each emotion that writes itself on his cheeks, watch the thoughts like movie subtitles through his clear eyes. It almost makes Minseok uncomfortable at how easy Jimin could do that, and it makes him even more uncomfortable that he liked it.
   Minseok clears his throat. "Is this cafe good?" The two unclick their seatbelts. "Brew Cafe is probably one of the best cafes in this whole entire city." Jimin boasts, removing his sunglasses and hanging it on the front of his pink sweater. "It's very affordable and even more affordable when you use the student discount. It's also great place to study at cus it's always quiet, that is when we aren't there." Jimin shoots Minseok a mischevious smile. "They also have an alternate menu for those with dietary restrictions, whether that be medical or not. Which is great when you're on a diet, by the way." The two slip out of the car, simultaneously slamming the car door close with the small beep of Jimin locking the door following after.

   Indeed the atmosphere is very nice. The front of the cafe is all glass, letting in natural sunlight in for the customers, as well as the various green plants scattered throughout the fairly large room. It smells of heavenly coffee, a hint of sugary sweet cookies baking in the back, and cinnamon fills the extra space for the autumnal feel. The tables are all a nice light shade made of wood and styled to be like a picnic bench with the addition of the table tops. There's also various one or two seater tables, mostly concentrated in the front, available for loners. Minseok takes notice of the minimal customers and the lack of waiters and waitresses. One woman sits behind the cash register, tapping away on what Minseok presumes her phone. A male is attending to the coffee machines in the foreground, cleaning the various nozzles and machines that lines the white wall. Both workers wear a simple button up white shirt, sleeves rolled to their elbows. The counter blocks the view of the rest of their outfit, but Minseok presumes it's black fitted slack-like pants with a matching apron hugging their waist.