Hidden Treasure || ATEEZ AU

Work Hard

Seonghwa's part of their silent deal came through not even a week later, and suddenly Yeosang had a job at a small cafe a ways off the sports complex. Yeosang's job was actually pretty good in terms of hours and paid better than he expected. He only had to show up three times a week and some part of him incredulously wondered if the open spot was made for him. No way Seonghwa had that much power inside the school to purposefully overstaff one of their facilities on a whim though, right?

Because that was what the place undeniably was, Yeosang was allowed to grab extra shifts and cover for someone else, but the coffee shop was so overstaffed that it was highly unlikely to ever happen. The scholarship student thought it was ridiculous how these rich kids were out here getting these jobs easy like that just to escape doing extra school work, but he was well aware the sentiment was bitter and maybe a bit petty of him, so he tried not to blame them all too much. Yeosang himself was also trying to escape schoolwork, after all, the only difference was that the money was actually important for him.

His first few days were nerve-wracking even though they were only reserved for coaching on how to talk to clients and training through the process of making the beverages, but the prospect of talking to people that often had him antsy all over. Nonetheless, that was what his choices brought him too, money over his comfort now so that later it could be the opposite. The very first day he was handling the front of the house though, someone had to appear and make it even more daunting of a task.

"Hey! I heard you got a job here so I came to cheer you on with Wooyoungie! He's gonna be super late though, is it alright to wait here?" San asked looking up to him from his seat at a booth by the window with a warm smile that made dimples form at the corner of his mouth and his eyes scrunch into crescents. It was as if the sun that the younger basked in was radiating from him himself and it made Yeosang's cheeks heat up for no reason

Looking around it was pretty empty still, so the older one just nodded figuring it was fine. "Do you plan to wait for him before you order?" Yeosang asked the personification of sunshine in front of him while holding his notepad.

"A pumpkin spice latte, and yes with coconut milk please." San recited, answering Yeosang's scripted question before the sound even left him. Yeosang closed his mouth and nodded again walking back to the counter. He handed one of his coworkers his order and sat in a high chair waiting while she made it.

"Is he your friend?¨ Onda, the cheerful girl in charge of brewing the coffee that day, asked while preparing the drink.

"Friend of a friend," Yeosang answered, his voice lower than usual, hyper-aware of anyone, or more specifically San, hearing him. Was San considered a friend by default? Wooyoung seemed to love the guy, so Yeosang didn't doubt for a second he'd have to at least learn to tolerate his presence. It always took Yeosang a bit too much time to consider someone a friend though.

"Huh, is that so? I feel like I've seen him before, maybe around the crafts club?" she continues without looking up.

"He looks cute." Aisha, the one at the counter, spoke up looking up from her phone for the first time that day, her head resting in her hand over the counter. Yeosang blushed and she gave him a knowing look. "I can go take orders if you wanna go have a chat, it's not like we're busy or anything. Just don't push it too much."

"Good luck, kiddo." Onda said winking at him and motioning him forward.

"He's already waiting for someone." Yeosang mumbles back as an excuse frowning at whatever they were hinting at and not really knowing how to approach the other either way.

"Thank you." San smiled, taking his drink. "Are you busy? I wanted to talk for a bit if you have some time."

Yeosang muttered a small agreement before sitting down across him. A moment of silence passed between them, San seemed to study the other quietly. His smile did not falter, but Yeosang could feel it, the way he was being appraised. Whether San was trying to read him as a person or as a threat Yeosang was not sure, he couldn't say he liked that specific attention one bit.