Title: A Cup of Your Smile
Pairing: Jongdae/Minseok
Rating: G
Genre: Fluff

Summary: Jongdae hates coffee but he likes the smile he gets from the coffee shop owner.

*

Jongdae hates coffee. Aside from its bitter taste, it's also hot. He's not into drinks which you need to wait to cool down first, nor do they need to take time before you can drink them. He prefers milk, or maybe sodas. Chocolate drinks are nice, too.

That's why he finds himself a kind of strange right now, because he's currently lounging at a coffee shop, nursing a cup of americano which he doesn't bother to actually drink.

Jongdae is grimacing at the spiraling liquid of his coffee when he feels a subtle pat on his back. Looking up, he is greeted by a gummy smile he really admires, albeit secretly.

"Is there a problem with your coffee, Sir?" Minseok, the coffee shop owner asks, smiling brightly at Jongdae. This is the second time that they actually talk. First was at the counter when Jongdae asked for extra tissues, and Minseok handed him a handful with his usual friendly smile.

And the second is, right now.

"There's nothing in particular actually," Jongdae mumbles, biting his lower lip as he looks away. "I just can't drink my coffee."

Minseok's eyebrows furrow in confusion. "May I ask why?"

"It's bitter."

"Oh."

"I hate coffee."

The coffee shop owners chuckles awkwardly, finding the situation a little bit ironic. He knows this costumer of his shop by face, with his curved pouty lips and handsome face he always sees at 9am in the morning-- he's a regular after all. So, it's kind of surprising though that he hates coffee when in fact he always orders americano everyday.

"Can I offer you tea, Sir? I can do it without charge," Minseok says, smiling, as he stares at the smoke swirling up from the coffee. "since you said you can't drink coffee."

"No. I'm good," Jongdae assures, a little bit taken a back when Minseok leans in close to him in attempt to take the cup of coffee. "I-it's fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

The owner just nods and walks off to the counter, wondering at the back of his mind what is that costumer doing with his unconsumed coffee.

*

Jongdae comes back at the coffee shop the next day, sitting on his usual spot with his usual cup of hot americano. He still doesn't drink it though, he's just staring at it like it would swallow him alive. Drumming his fingers on top of the table, he glances at the male holding a little notebook in his hand. Minseok must be taking orders, because his eyes are flickering that kind of way as he recites the costumers' orders out loud like they are coming from his heart.

Jongdae looks down at his coffee, and smiles to himself.

"Hey, did you see that?" Luhan, the barista tells his friend as he pulls the owner by the arm. Minseok jolts for a while and blinks like a puppy. "That guy's been staring at you for like, an hour."

"He's only been here for about thirty minutes Luhan," Minseok says dismissively, continuing to wipe the counter until it's squeaky clean.

"Why did you know? Were you staring at him, too?"

A pink blush grazes the coffee shop owner's chubby cheeks, clearing his throat as he says, "You should pay more attention to our costumers instead of just texting your brother when I'm not looking."

"He's my boyfriend--"

"Uhm. Excuse me.."

Both males turn their heads towards the voice, seeing Jongdae in front of the counter looking above at the prices. Luhan throws Minseok a knowing look which the latter shrugs off, smiling at Jongdae with an extra glimmer today.

"What can I get you for today, Sir?"

"I want to have..." Jongdae mutters, crinkling his forehead seriously, and Minseok thinks that it might be a habit of this costumer when he would choose his order. It's not like he would be having something different for today, when he would still order--

"Coffee."

Not surprised, Minseok beams, nodding enthusiastically as he punches the register, ready to announce that would be one hundred--

"--with you."

Jongdae clears his throat.

"I want to have coffee with you."

Pausing for a brief moment, the coffee shop owner studies the costumer's face-- which is a little bit red and stiff. He studies how the side of Jongdae's lips twirl down as his dark fringe falls over his expressive eyes. He watches how those cheekbones seem to get pink too, just like the rest of his chiseled face.

Minseok gently smiles for a second, before quietly saying, "Sir, I thought you hate coffee?"

Lifting his eyes up, Jongdae recovers from his flustered state and mutters, "Yes, I do. But I can't help liking your smile."

Minseok tries not to break into the smile the costumer says that he likes, but ends up doing a terrible job.

"And I think my belief would change if I drink coffee with you."

Jongdae comes out of the coffee shop, clutching his take-out americano in his left hand, while his right hand holds a receipt with the coffee shop owner's number written at the back.

He nearly squeals giddily, smiling like an idiot as he hands the unconsumed coffee to a beggar sitting on the sidewalk.

"Finally got his number?" the old man says, laughing heartily when Jongdae nods like his head would fall off.

"But I'll still bring you coffee, ahjussi!" Jongdae yells as he waves his arm before running to the bus stop heading to work.

"Thank you!" the beggar says back.

*

"Still bitter."

Minseok shakes his head, chuckling to himself when Jongdae makes a disgusted face after he lowers the cup down. He takes a sip of his own coffee, which is black, savoring its strong and bitter taste waking up his senses. Jongdae is drinking cappuccino which is not even bitter, but Minseok lets him babble about it.

"I wish I had ordered milk instead."

"You could have told me to drink milk with you instead of coffee when you asked me out," Minseok bickers, earning a cheeky grin from his boyfriend, who is now munching his cheesecake. He is oblivious of the white foam covering his upper lip, so Minseok grabs a tissue to wipe it off for him--

"What are you doing?" Jongdae snaps, startled.

"I'm just," Minseok looks away blushing slightly when Jongdae holds his wrist to stop him, "about to wipe that off?"

"No. Don't do that."

"Why?"

"You have to kiss if off. Not wipe it off."

Jongdae looks so serious when he said that, making the older male scoff at his aspiringly cute boyfriend.

"Come on, kiss me now."

Giggling, Minseok perches both his hands on top of Jongdae's shoulder, leaning his lips close to the other's mouth to kiss that foam away. He feels the softness of his boyfriend's lips against his own, at the same time its warmth, causing his stomach to churn uncontrollably. Jongdae smiles into the kiss and opens his eyes, staring at that gummy smile he fell for since day one up until now.

Minseok pouts. "Why are you smiling nonstop?"

"You know what?"

"What?"

"Coffee tastes really sweet after all," Jongdae says. The coffee shop owner raises an amused eyebrow.

"Especially if I can taste it from your lips."

Minseok blushes furiously, hiding his reddenning cheeks as he quietly brings his black coffee into his mouth, drinking it.

And it's odd it tastes sweet, unlike before.

*

END

(A/N: My very first XiuChen Part in this book! This is for you who requested XiuChen which I said I can't make but I've written anyway. I hope you liked this!)