Jimin never thought a coffee shop could feel this busy at seven in the morning. The air smelled of roasted beans and warm bread, soft chatter blending with the faint hum of jazz music. He adjusted his apron nervously, staring at the espresso machine like it was about to attack him.
"This thing hates me," Jimin muttered under his breath, pressing the wrong button again.
A low voice answered from behind, "No, it just hates people who smile too much before sunrise."
Jimin turned, meeting sharp eyes and messy black hair tied under a cap. The barista—Min Yoongi, as he'd been told during training—looked completely unimpressed. His hands moved smoothly as he took over, fixing the drink in less than ten seconds.
"Watch closely," Yoongi said, not looking at him. "It's not that hard."
Jimin puffed his cheeks, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Grumpy, grumpy, grumpy. Still, when Yoongi slid the cup toward him with a quiet, "Here. Try not to spill it," Jimin caught the faintest hint of a smirk tugging at the older's lips.
Before Jimin could answer, the bell over the door jingled. Two boys walked in, laughing too loudly for the morning. One had golden-brown hair that stuck out in every direction, eyes twinkling with mischief. The other, taller, carried a camera around his neck like it was part of him.
"Good morning!" the brown-haired one sang, skipping up to the counter. "Two caramel macchiatos, please. Extra caramel for me, no sugar for him—he's sweet enough already."
The taller one groaned, shoving his shoulder. "Taehyung, please."
Jimin blinked, a smile escaping before he could stop it. "Got it. One cavity-in-a-cup and one plain macchiato."
Taehyung gasped dramatically, while Jungkook turned pink. Yoongi, meanwhile, muttered something about "chaotic regulars" under his breath and went back to steaming milk.
As Jimin prepared their order, he couldn't help sneaking glances at Yoongi. There was something steady in the way he worked—like the whole café moved at his pace. Jimin didn't know why his chest felt warm watching him, but maybe it wasn't just the coffee.
By the time Taehyung and Jungkook settled at a corner table—already arguing about who was worse at latte art—Jimin realized something:
This little coffee shop might just be the start of something far sweeter than he ever expected.