Mystic Messenger x Reader

It Was Never You | V (Kim Jihyun) x Reader

Coffee Shop AU | 2527 words

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"It's already on the counter!"

The comforting scent of coffee greeted him. The sound of your voice accompanying it only made it better. As he stepped up to the counter, he picked up the paper cup and sipped it.

"You never fail me, (Y/n)."

"Chai latte with two espressos and honey instead of sugar," you recited from memory. "Have a little more faith in me, Jihyun. It's already been a year since you started coming by here for your afternoon regulars."

He chuckled, thanking you again before stepping away towards the corner window seat. You asked him about that spot once, since he seemed to favor it so much. He said that the sunlight shone in that spot the brightest on late afternoons, and it had the clearest view of both the whole cafe and busy intersection so he could take in the sight fully.

"That reminds me, how have your eyes been? It's still only been a few months since your surgery, so it must still be a bit rough," you said, looking down a bit. You knew it was a sensitive topic, and although your admiration and familiarity with him was certain, there was always a fear of crossing a line. "And yet you're still adamant on doing your photography work," you noted, observing the SD card he connected to his laptop.

"Of course, it is what I do for a living after all," he smiled, the soft afternoon sunlight illuminating his features. "And thank you for always asking. I'm still not quite used to it yet, but my friend had acquainted me with some quite renown doctors and surgeons, so I fully believe that I won't need to worry about anything going wrong, especially since I've made it this far in recovery."

"I suppose you're right," you reflected his smile. You returned to wiping down tables and cleaning up all the presses and machines behind the counter.

It was a slow day. Business in the cafe was usually slow to begin with, but the minutes seemed to stretch even longer than usual.

"(Y/n), come over here," he called for you. You perked up and skipped around the counter to the table where he was seated. Whenever he called you over in the middle of his work, it usually meant that he had photos to share with you. He pulled up the folder of images as you took the seat next to his and leaned in closer. "These are wedding photos from a few days ago. The reception was outside in the gardens, and it was pure luck that the weather turned out to be perfect for that day."

He scrolled through the photos one by one for you to see.

"Jihyun, these are absolutely stunning!"

"The bride was certainly very beautiful. The flowers only served to accentuate that and made the entire event more joyful," he commented, stopping on one particular shot where she was walking through a rose arch with the white veil draped over her face.

"Oh, yeah sure. That stuff too. I was talking about your photos though," you smiled cheekily when he coughed in embarrassment. "Sure, she's pretty and the flowers are great, but I bet the photos wouldn't be nearly as breathtaking if someone else had taken it instead."

He looked away and fidgeted with the keys of the laptop. You saw red creep onto his ears and paint his expression with a pale carmine.

"You always flatter me too much, (Y/n). These are pretty average grade photos you're talking about."

You shrugged before getting up to continue your work behind the counter. The bells jingled, letting you know that someone had entered seeking either coffee or snacks. "Whatever you say, Jihyun. Sure doesn't convince me. Keep doing good with your 'average grade' photos."