Yoongi scrubbed the tables, trying his hardest to get the best clean in the least amount of time. It was something he'd always been good at, doing his best in the least amount of time possible. It had been something that had always attracted teachers' attention and drawn employers in. It had always impressed Jin Hyung just how much Yoongi could get done in a mere hour. It had also surprised his boss how many higher paying jobs he was offered but took the one from the small, bright pink café. 

He had always been questioned as to why he didn't go for the money, and to be honest, even Yoongi didn't know. He should've, but he didn't. It was as if there was something telling him that the café was going to play a big part in his life. It took him a while to fully understand just why he chose to be there. Even now he was still having trouble figuring it out. He was just happy to have a place where everything he did mattered and wasn't deemed a waste of time. A place where he was always thanked and made sure that he was fully appreciated and knew that what he was doing helped others and was an appropriate use of time. 

It had been different to the various jobs he had tried out in high school where everything was deemed a teenager wasting their youth for minimum wage. He had always gone home feeling like a waste. Like he could've done so much more. His stomach ached in disgust for himself. He was so disgusted by himself. He couldn't even think about himself without feeling absolutely sick. He wanted to vomit at the thought of all the time he had spent so wastefully. 

It was the same sick feeling he had felt after the old lady had come in to the restaurant with her friends and continued to speak about him and how he was wasting away for money to buy drugs and growing up too fast when she thought he couldn't hear her. It was the same sick feeling he felt when he returned home to be nagged at by his half asleep Mother who thought he should be living life to the best and not wasting it in a rundown diner. All it ever was was a waste. Everything he ever tried to do just seemed to be a waste. He could never run from the shadow of that word. It would always be looming over him like a cloud that couldn't seem to understand that the sun had to shine at some point. It coated every action, every word spoken, every thought. Everything was just a damn waste, there was no changing that.

The bell above the door rang and Yoongi went back behind the counter to put away his rag before looking up at the customer. A boy in black with his hood up sat down at the window table and scanned the menu. Yoongi joined the rest of the waiters who were all clustered up by the register. 

"What are we talking about?" Yoongi asked, scanning their faces.

"Oh, um," Nayeon said playing with her braid, "We're trying to decide who should take the new customer."

"Has anyone claimed him yet?"

Hyungwon shook his head, "Last I checked, it was Jooe's turn to take him."

"Me? I served him yesterday! You're just trying to get yourself out of it."

"No, I'm not! What about Kihyun, he hasn't served him in ages."

Kihyun raised his hands, "I'm not doing that. That boy freaks me out. He's too quiet."

"I'll serve him," Yoongi interjected.

"Really?" Jooe's eyes widened.

"Yeah," Yoongi grabbed an order pad and started out, "I've never served him before so it'll be something new."

The customer he had seen but never served. An unknown person that he was looking forward to greeting.

"Hello, my name is Yoongi I'll be your waiter today," He glanced down at his notepad. "Are you ready to order?"

The boy nodded before reopening his menu and saying quietly, "A large Earl Grey with cream, please."

"It'll be right up," Yoongi smiled at the boy as he took the order to the kitchen. 

Nayeon quickly went up to him as he exited the swing door that led into the kitchen. 

"What did he order?" She asked as Jooe, Kihyun, Hyungwon and the others joined the two.

"Earl grey," Yoongi said as he put the order into the register for the receipt.

"See. I told you. It's different every time," Hyungwon sighed.

"Every time?" Yoongi asked confusedly.

"Every single time," Jooe nodded. "Or well, until he runs out of new things. Then he repeats the cycle."

"He's such a weird dude," Kihyun said. "Like, he never takes that hood off. Care to be respectful?"

"I don't know, he might have his own reasons," Yoongi said as he clicked the enter button. 

"True, but you can't help but think he's weird," Nayeon leaned against the counter.

"Is his tea ready?" Hyungwon asked, peering into the kitchen. "You know, when you get done dropping it off, you better be ready to spill the tea."

"I know, I know," Yoongi grinned as the group dissipated into him standing alone.

The bell above the door rang out and Yoongi turned towards the boys that were heading towards the counter. Yoongi couldn't help but scowl. He'd heard about this group, as annoying as they were.

"How may I help you today?" Yoongi asked, managing to mask his discomfort with a welcoming smile.

The boys didn't respond. The one in the center just smirked as he looked Yoongi up and down. He licked his lips before letting out, in a flirtatious tone, "Hey babe, what's a pretty thing like you doing working here and not a modeling agency?" 

"I-I'm sorry?" Yoongi confusedly stuttered out.

"You're hot, I'm hot, how about dinner?"

"N-No thank you," Yoongi said, quickly trying to get away from the counter. 

He felt a hand wrap around his arm and he was forcefully pulled forward, his hip digging into the granite countertop.

Yoongi winced as one of the side boys pulled him closer so the center could say, "I said dinner. You. Me. You're coming."

Yoongi squeezed his eyes closed as he felt the center's breath on his face. He was about to give in when a male's voice shouted from the seating area, "Hey. Leave the guy alone."

"I'm just asking him out," The center said innocently, his grip loosening.

"He obviously doesn't want to go with you, so leave him alone." 

"Who do you think you are?" The center hissed.

"Someone that could mess you up really bad. Leave. Him. Alone."

The center scoffed before letting go of Yoongi's arm and muttered a low, "Let's get out of here" before leaving the establishment. 

The boy turned back to his table while Yoongi was immediately surrounded by his co-workers.

"Are you okay Yoongs? All I could hear was shouting and then I realized you were the only one out here," Hoseok said, grabbing a hold of Yoongi's shoulders.

"I-I'm fine. Just a bit shaken up that's all."

"Are you sure? You can go home if you'd like," Jin Hyung said, as he joined the group.

"No, no. There's no point in that. I'd feel better if I stayed."

"Alright, you can always change your mind."

Yoongi nodded.

"What happened? I saw the guys come in, but I was in the break room before any of it went down," Hyungwon asked.

"Well, they came, they tried to force me into a date with one of them, and the guy by the window stuck up for me. That's basically it."

"He stuck up for you?" Kihyun's jaw dropped. "Wow, you lucky bastard."

"Doesn't he stick up for everybody?" Jooe asked.

"Yeah, but he hasn't stuck up for any of us, has he?"

"Yeah, well, nothing's happened to us, Kihyun."

"What do you mean?" Yoongi asked.

"You're always in the storage room when this stuff happens, Yoongs," Hoseok said.

"Yeah, if somebody's getting threatened or shouted at. Bam! Window guy is right there trying to help them work through it or get the offender away. He's kind of like a hero," Nayeon said, leaning on the counter.

"Really?" Jin hyung mused.

"Yeah. We're all grateful that he's here when he is, otherwise we might have a lot more calls to the cops than a café like this one should," Hyungwon sighed.

Yoongi hummed and took a glance at the boy.

"Well, now that the situation's resolved, you all should get back to work," Jin hyung said, heaving himself up from his position next to Nayeon and started towards his office.

Several "Yes, sir!"s were heard before the group scattered around the place.

"His tea is ready, Yoongi," Hyungwon gestured towards the counter looking into the kitchen. "Jooe and I will be here when you get back. Remember, spill the tea," He winked.

Yoongi sighed and grabbed the large cup from the counter. He rounded the counter and started towards the boy who was looking intently at the yellow tulip on his table. Yoongi took no mind to it. Many customers admired the flowers that were picked fresh in the store by Jin Hyung. The older had amazing taste, he had to admit. What Yoongi didn't expect, however, was that little flowers soft yellow petal to be ripped away from the plant and placed in a crushing hold. Yoongi swallowed and approached the boy with worry in his step. 

"Here's your tea, sir," Yoongi said as he held the cup out to the boy.

The boy flipped his hood off, revealing brown, shortly cut hair that glittered in the sunlight. His face had a sharp jawline and his mouth held teeth that looked like a bunny's. He had a mole under his nose, which was shaped roundly and added extra cute to his bunny like aesthetic. Yoongi could already feel the blush coursing through his cheeks. "Thank you," The boy murmured quietly, his voice still not loud enough for Yoongi to properly hear him.

"I- Uh, you're welcome. I'll bring your bill in a moment if you'd like it."

The boy nodded lightly.

Yoongi turned but quickly returned to his previous position, he had forgotten to thank the boy. "Oh, uh, thank you for helping me."

Yoongi didn't wait for an answer and rushed back to the register.

"He took his hood off, Yoongi! I've never seen him do that before." Hyungwon said.

"Y-Yeah, I guess he did."

"He did what?" Jooe said, leaning on the counter into the kitchen.

"His hood. It's off!"

Jooe leaned up a bit, "It is! He never takes it off, Yoongi. How'd you do it?"

"I don't know. I just gave him his tea and he took the hood off," Yoongi said confusedly.

"You've got some kind of magic up your sleeve, Yoongi. First he defends you, then he takes his hood off for you? I'm just in awe, dude," Hyungwon said.

"If you aren't considering yourself special, man, you should be. He acts so cold to the rest of us," Jooe sighed.

"Honestly, guys, I'm just really confused," Yoongi hit the print button on the computer screen.

"You should be. That guy is honestly a mystery. Everything he does seems to have no reason."

"I'm sure he has some reason. Everybody has a reason for the things they do."

"If you believe that," Jooe hummed, "I'd better go, Felix is giving me the stink eye."

"Alright, talk to you later," Yoongi tore the receipt away from the printer.

"So," Hyungwon said, leaning on the counter, "What're you going to do after you deliver that receipt?"

"Probably just go back into the storage room. It's awfully slow today."

Hyungwon hummed. "Well, I'll be here. Someone has to manage this empty space."

"True," Yoongi laughed as he prepared the little clipboard.

"See you," Hyungwon waved.

"Bye," Yoongi said as he took the receipt to the boy.

Yoongi set the bill down on the boy's table, "Here's your bill, sir."

The boy scanned the receipt before pulling the said amount out of his wallet and putting it on the clipboard,  "Thank you."

"No problem," Yoongi smiled.

Before Yoongi could leave, the boy grabbed his arm, making him turn around. The boy said softly, "Sorry, um, what's the name of the guy with pink hair? I've seen him somewhere before."

"Oh, Namjoon? Pink hair?"

The boy hummed.

"Yep, definitely Namjoon then."

"Thank you," The boy said before turning back to his tea.

Yoongi took the clipboard over to Hyungwon who took it and loaded the register, "Have fun," He winked.

Yoongi entered the storage room and scanned the area for something to do. It didn't take long to spot several newly placed boxes that sat in the center of the room. Jin Hyung must have ordered new items. The storage room had become his third home. Work his second and his home was of course first. He had spent so much time in the storage room that it had begun to feel like home. He had cleaned it, organized it, and become known for it. He was happy that what he did for the small room made a difference. He had never once thought that he would be happy working in a café, content with organizing boxes in a dusty old storage room. It had never once crossed his mind. He was glad he was here now, that's all that mattered. 

A shuffling crossed the room caused Yoongi to spin around and screech at the sight of a figure. The box he was holding fell from his arms and split as it hit the ground. The figure stopped moving and Yoongi looked up at him before back down at the ground in embarrassment. He lowered himself to his knees and grabbed at the box's contents, which had spilled out of the split. 

"I-I'm so sorry. I'll get it cleaned up right away, Mr. Kim," Yoongi rushed out as he scooped up one of the dented bottles of juice.

"No, no, let me help you-" A pause. "-Yoongi. It's my fault for scaring you."

Yoongi shook his head, "It's my fault for dropping them, Mr. Kim. Don't worry about it."

"Stop with the Mr. Kim. It sounds like I'm far older than I am. Just Namjoon is fine. And I really insist. I want to help," Namjoon bent down and grabbed one of the bottles, despite Yoongi trying to take it away from him. "So, why exactly are you in here organizing boxes?"

Yoongi thought for a second, what would make him sound less like a clean freak? "Oh, well, it's something I do when I have spare time and it helps out, I guess," Yoongi cringed as he felt himself shrug. There goes not being a clean freak.

"It really does, less for me to do," Namjoon laughed that deep laugh that Yoongi had only heard about from Jin Hyung. That contagious laugh that Yoongi began to laugh along with. "I mean, it's really awesome that you do this," Namjoon continued, "I've really wanted to tell whoever did this that and now I get to."

"Thank you," Yoongi hid his beet red face behind one of the bottles. Two boys are making him flustered. How in the-

"So, what happened out there earlier? I heard bits and pieces of it."

"Oh, some guy tried to force me into going to dinner with him. The guy at the window seat really saved me there. I thought I was going to have to get a new arm," Yoongi chuckled awkwardly.

Namjoon looked curiously at Yoongi, "How much do you know about that guy? I've heard a lot about him."

"So have I. This was my first time serving him so I probably know about as much as you do," Yoongi said, slightly disappointed that he didn't know what Namjoon wanted to know.

Namjoon hummed. 

"Why so curious?" Yoongi inquired.

"I'm not sure," Namjoon paused. "It's not often that a guy like that comes into a cutesy café every single day."

"True," Yoongi said as he grabbed a box and placed it on one of the various shelves in the room. "I have to admit, he piques my curiosity too."

"Oh really?" Yoongi heard what sounded like skin on something behind him, probably Namjoon dusting something off.

He nodded, "When I brought him his tea this morning, he had crushed one of the tulip's petals and was holding onto it like it had killed his whole family."

"Odd," Namjoon said as he helped Yoongi bring the box all the way onto the shelf. He sighed slightly, "How would you feel about a partnership?"

"Partnership?" If this was about a business, Yoongi wasn't sure he'd be up for it.

"Yeah. The 'Curious About The Regular' partnership."

A partnership with a goal of finding out as much as they could about a mysterious boy who basically saved Yoongi earlier on in the day. Yoongi showed off one of his very rare gummy smiles. "Sounds cool." 

Word Count: 2869

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This chapter turned out to be longer than I expected it to, so have fun with that. I recently finished another chapter so I hope to get the next 12-15 done with the next three months, maybe less if I'm feeling up to it. Thank you all for reading and I'll see you next week!