Running a Coffee Shop | Johnil

Baby It's Really Fucking Cold Outside

Hello everyone, I apologize for the later update. I was mixed up in... some other business regarding a couple of college students and had to helped out one of my colleagues.

But now that I am here, I hope that you are getting sufficient rest and staying hydrated. It's always important to take care of yourself.

Now to carry on with the narration.

Winter has finally taken hold over the the city of Seoul and a shocking snow day shakes the unsuspecting city, unusual as it is for snow to, well, snow.

Everyone struggles to keep warm.

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Taeil's hand shakes slightly as he began to mix together a hot mocha latte for one of the customers waiting for their drink. Business is flourishing for the small coffee shop, patrons entering and leaving the shop in a slower tempo than usual.

Maybe to hang onto the last straggles of heat coming from the heaters placed by the front door and counter.

Unluckily for the two baristas, they did not have enough heaters to place one behind the counter for themselves, obviously choosing to keep their customers warm rather than themselves.

Taeil finishes the drink with ease and slides it across the small counter, giving the customer on the other side a dazzling smile as he wishes them a good day and tells them to 'stay warm'.

As the customer leaves he looks back at the register. Seeing as no one is waiting there for him, he leans back against the counter and sticks his hands under his arms.

It's undeniably cold. Not even the steady streams of heart coming from their few heaters was enough to fully heat the shop. The door constantly opened, diminishing the building warmth by a chilling wave of icy cold.

The shop's golden fairy lights twinkle slowly around the glass window and wall, giving the place a brighter holiday glow. Taeil lets out a heavy breath, briefly looking around before a blush rises on his face.

His thoughts presumably turn to Johnny, the younger boy not in sight but Taeil is somewhat happy about the fact as he continues to look around, nervously patting his flaming face.

As a result of the nervous action his eyes catch on a women waiting impatiently by a table, checking her watch and looking towards him. He becomes confused. He never served her.

Then it clicks.

Taeil groans as he heads to the back room, quickly spotting Johnny who was sitting on a boxed crate. The younger looks up at Taeil with a curious gaze, innocently blinking his eyes. He opens his mouth but Taeil cuts him off.

"Why aren't you working on that women's order?"

Johnny guiltily looks at Taeil, reaching up to pull Taeil down onto the box next to him. Taeil's face becomes red again at the close proximity, his mind lingering on his few but very promiscuous memories regarding the younger boy's lips.

"Listen Moonie-" Johnny starts and Taeil's eyes widened at the new nickname, "-that lady out there ordered an expresso but she asked for no coffee in it. So, confused as I was, I told her that an expresso was coffee. Like it's literally coffee made by steaming the beans and that it. But she argued with me and told me that I was wrong which I was incredibly confused about because ma'am this is my job I'm not wrong."

"Oh my lord," Taeil laughs into his hands at Johnny's distressed story and gives the younger a disbelieving look, "at least tell me you didn't take her order for an expresso without coffee."

Johnny's eyes widen and Taeil lets out another amused sigh, standing up to head to the front. But before he could walk away a hand catches his wrist, pulling Taeil back. Before he could protest, Johnny had wrapped his arms around Taeil's torso, snuggling into the older boy.

"It's cold, I just need a little warmth first," Johnny mutters as an excuse and Taeil, for what felt like the first time, didn't push him away.

Instead, Taeil's arms wrap around Johnny in return and he hums quietly. His heart beats wildly against his chest and he hopes that Johnny can't hear it. They both stay in the warm embrace for a minute or two, enjoying the feeling of the hug that they rarely indulged in, regardless of Johnny's constant attempts.

Finally, Taeil pulls back and looks down at Johnny with an amused expression, ready to tease him about his clinginess. But Johnny speaks first.

"Why was your heart beating so fast?"

Taeil feels his breath catch in his throat and he stutters as he tries to compose himself from the off-guard question. "Uh, I-it's just cold so my body was pumping m-more blood. Why, why would you ask something like that?" Taeil protests.

Johnny's arms slid off from around Taeil's torso, his hand carefully taking Taeil's and bringing it up to rest on his cheek. Nuzzling into his hand, Johnny turns his head only slightly to press a soft kiss to Taeil's palm.

Taeil is sure his face is bright red. And he's right.

He feels as though he can barely breathe when Johnny looks up at him, an amused glint in his eyes. A ridiculous thought comes to his mind that he might go into cardiac arrest if this continues. But nothing could have prepared him for the words that left Johnny's mouth.

"I like you Moon Taeil."

Well, this certainly provides a special turn of events. But, as Jaemin and Donghyuck have bothered me about before, I will have to leave a sort of 'suspense' as these events are 'the good shit'.

I will see all of you soon, please look forward to the next narration update.

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