Having had quite a hard time to sleep the night before, Yuta welcomed the dawn with continuous yawning. After looking at the time, he figured he would just get ready and head to the shop.

Under an hour, the lad reached the shop. Proceeding to do the usual routine of turning on all the needed lights and machinery, he grabbed his apron and wore it with his soul still out of his body, figuratively.

Opening a drawer, perfectly organized coffee capsules came into his sight. Hand gliding over the capsules, he ended up picking a random one. Placing it into the slot of the coffee machine, he took a mug from the lower shelf of the top cabinet. The mug placed at its rightful place, he pressed the button that indicated the medium sized cup.

The machine emitted some vibrating noises and soon enough, the mug began to be filled with coffee. The light roaring of the machine came to a stop and Yuta took the mug away before placing it next to the cash register.

Randomly looking through the items listed on the register, he then diverted his view to the entrance as he heard noises.

"Wow, you're early," Taeil greeted Yuta who had a blank expression welcoming the guys. "Couldn't sleep, I don't even know why," nonchalantly he replied.

"Probably something's going to happen today," Ten blurted as he grabbed a mop as soon as he wore his apron. "Why is it that the first thing you do as soon as you come in is taking the mop?" Johnny asked with a brow raised at the sight of Ten's daily routine.

"So I could practice dancing as well as doing my job," Ten replied, placing the mop against a table. Standing still, he held his hands together and leaned his upper body slightly towards the front, and began his stretching.

"I could only thank the lord that people don't come in this early to see this sight. People might think this is a stripper club instead of a coffee place," Johnny said with a so-done tone after Ten continued to some probably inappropriate stretching poses.

"Admit that you want to be like me, boo," Ten retorted with sass evident in his tone. His reply made Johnny head to the kitchen quicker than how they would run at the sight of fried chickens.

Yuta, who would usually join in the morning chatter was silent, aimlessly reading the menu that was placed on the counter.

Time passed and the other guys did their work. Yuta, however, was still mindlessly looking at the menu and the interior of the shop back and forth. A few of the descriptions of the things the shop offered in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese might even be planted in his mind if he focused on reading. He might even have calculated how many cups of coffee fit in between two of the largest lighting fixtures that hung from the ceiling.

As his sleepy out-of-everything state, a customer came up and he lightly snapped from his 'daydream' when he saw the presence of the person. "Hello, welcome to NCT!" he greeted with the best friendly happy tone he could, with all his will to push away the tiredness he felt.

"Yuta?" the customer spoke in a slightly shocked and questioning tone. Yuta's eyes widen at the sight, gulping on the nonexisting lump that he felt merge in his throat. He couldn't possibly hide from the customer, nor deny the question he was given.

"Yeah, Natsuno. It's me," he replied, a forced timid smile carved on his face. Maybe it was the tiredness he felt from the lack of sleep that made his heart ache as his mind was suddenly filled with the memories he had with Natsuno. And all the times he thought of confessing to her.

But reminded of the fact that Natsuno is now happy with her boyfriend, his heart felt heavy. Never, not even once, he thought he would think he'll be feeling such a feeling.

"Oh god, how long has it been since we've seen each other? And you work here? I came here not long ago and I didn't see you then. Were you on a day off that day?" Natsuno shooted him questions with joy in her tone, happy to be seeing Yuta.

"It has been quite a long while, isn't it? Yeah, I started the shop with my friends," he replied his head tilted slightly at the other guys who were busy doing their own work. "How about we sit down and talk?" walking away from the register, he slowly made his way a table nearby the stairs. Natsuno, without questioning, followed and took a seat across from Yuta, who had his hands in his pockets, staring at the table as he waited for Natsuno.

"I saw you coming the other day with your boyfriend. Aww, our Natsuno. Already grown up and getting herself a man," he said teasingly, hiding the fact that he felt slightly hurt.

"Why didn't you say hi?" she pouted with a sad expression before she had her eyes wide open. "Boyfriend?" she laughed by herself, covering her mouth with both hands. Yuta letting out a hum, weirded out by her.

"The guy was actually my cousin, Kenta. He bribed me with him treating me food for a week if I acted like his girlfriend to 'tick off' his actual girlfriend," she explained before letting out another chuckle.

"His Korean girlfriend was kind of mad that he's been talking to his Japanese friends, who happens to be girls to the point where she 'threatened' him to go out on a date with this 'Japanese girlfriend' he has. And I happened to be in town, so, yeah," Natsuno placed her chin on her crossed arm that rested on the table.

"I mean, like who would actually want to date me, let's be real," she shrugged her shoulders, faking out a laugh at the thought someone liking her. "At least, I've got myself you who's willing to be my friend," a forced smile came onto her face.

All the context of her speech processed in his head and his heart suddenly beat fast. So rapidly, his feet tapping the floor, the hands he had in his pocket began to tap against his legs, to the point where it felt so tensed up that it might be cramped if he continued.

His gaze turned to the street outside, a familiar figure seen making way to the shop. Not thinking through of what he was going to do, he pushed the chair back and stood up, "What do you want to have? I'll bring that before we catch up more."

"Anything's fine. Your recommendation since you work here," she smiled to Yuta before taking out her phone and played with it.

Rushing to the person he saw before, stopping in front of the person who was startled at the sudden appearance of Yuta. "Help me, I need your help. Natsuno's here," his speech rapid with anxiousness.

"Bro, just English or Korean," out of shock, the person retorted in English with what sounded so close to a British accent. "I don't understand Japanese," realizing his mistake, he chuckled in embarrassment.

"What is it, Yuta?" the person calmly asked despite almost having a heart attack a few moments ago. "So, Natsuno wasn't actually with her boyfriend. The guy was her cousin and she pretended to be his girlfriend to make his actual girlfriend jealous. So now, I don't know what to do or what I'm even feeling. Nari, help me," the lad pleaded as he turned around to make sure Natsuno doesn't see him in such a state.

"Why are you asking me?" Nari pointed a finger to herself, confused on why he resorted to come to her for help.

"You're the only person who would help and not be asses like some people," Yuta glared at the person who seemed to be eavesdropping.

Turning his gaze away as he munched on his snack, he pretended that he didn't hear a word from the conversation Yuta had with Nari. Yuta rolled his eyes and huffed at the 'fake' Jaehyun.

"So, you still have major feelings for her?" Nari asked, literally not knowing what to do to help the lad.

"I don't know. Maybe. Probably. I have no idea," Yuta sighed as his mind declined the power to think up of the answer to Nari's question. Moving his sight to Natsuno, he couldn't help himself but smile.

"You should help the guy, he's probably going to go mental if you don't help him. Like look at him, he's already all over the place!"

---------------

Let's give Yuta some room to love since he pushed himself back from trying to win Nari's heart any further :'')

Needing focus to do her assignments,
- Lily