"So? How's your dad?" The voice of his coworker, Bae Mi-Sun, asked as he opened his locker, getting ready to change out of his work uniform. He'd always found it weird how she always invited herself into the men's changing room because she wanted to hold a conversation, but today he was too preoccupied to care.

"Oh yeah, you said you were helping him move his things into his friend's house, right?" His other coworker, Han Dae-Hyun, chimed in.

"Yeah. I finished up this morning." He responded, untying the black apron around his waist, and tucking it into his locker, the gesture almost violent, as if he could shove the lingering memories of the morning along with it.

"Oh? Did you come straight to work? That's a long drive, isn't it?" Dae-Hyun's eyes, sharp and probing, scanned Baek-Hyun's face for any telltale signs of exhaustion.

"Mn. It wasn't bad," Baek-Hyun repeated, the lie slipping easily from his lips. The reality was a blur of sleeplessness and forced cheer, a desperate attempt to bury the events of the previous night. "I managed a quick nap before coming in."

"That's good," Mi-Sun spoke, giving him a small smile. "Did you get to see your dad?"

Baek-Hyun forced a smile in return, the muscles in his cheeks aching with the effort. "Yeah, I visited him in the hospital before packing up his things. He should've been discharged this morning."

He paused, the unspoken weight of his gratitude pressing on him. "Please thank Seo Mina for the discount on the van. It would have been much harder without it."

"Don't worry about it," Mi-Sun stated with a grin, lightly smacking him on the back. "It was the same one we used to move her things into my place, so it wasn't any trouble."

"Oh right, you guys just moved in together." Dae-Hyun lit up, excited at the prospect of relationship gossip. "How is it? Is she annoying you yet? Do you want to break up with her already? Don't worry, no one will blame you if that's the case."

Mi-Sun's eyes narrowed, her smile morphing into a scowl. "Are you projecting your recent break up onto me? You should already know that even if you're cousins, Mina and you have nothing in common so why would she annoy me?"

"What? Why bring that up when I just managed to forget?" Dae-Hyun whined, his shoulders slumping.

"You shouldn't have been so clingy after only a week of dating. Girls don't like that, you know."

"What kind of rule is that? And she didn't break up with me, I broke up with her."

"Sure, sure. Whatever you need to tell yourself..."

Baek-Hyun turned back to his locker while they continued to argue in the background, sighing at the sight of the car keys that stuck out of his coat pocket. Every time he glanced at it, his mind would recall the events of the last thirteen hours, and he would suddenly get very exhausted. 

He had his phone number, but when was he supposed to return them? Should he go back to his place and hope he was home? Or should he contact him to meet up just to return his car keys he wasn't sure he should've taken? 

"Mi-Sun, table four is asking for you," The voice of their manager, Jeung Hye-Su, pulled him from his racing thoughts.

"Table four?" Mi-Sun murmured, peering through the small opening that overlooked the dining area. Her face twisted into a grimace. "Ugh, it's that guy again."

"What guy?" Dae-Hyun asked, craning his neck to see.

"That one with the flashy look," Mi-Sun hissed, pointing towards the man by the window, his gaze darting around the room. "He keeps trying to ask me out, even though I've told him I'm not interested."

"Oh, so that's him," Jeung Hye-Su hummed, joining them for a peek. The manager's nose wrinkled in disgust. "What a creep."

"You didn't tell him you're gay? Won't he leave you alone if you do?" Dae-Hyun whispered, frowning.

"I did! It was the first thing I said, but I don't know what his problem is. He just ignored it and continued to flirt with me." Mi-Sun exclaimed in a whisper, ducking her head whenever the man's gaze swept in their direction.

"Wow, what a weirdo." Jeung Hye-Su muttered, her nose scrunching up in disgust. "I guess this is bound to happen when I only hire good-looking people."

"I mean, I know I'm as pretty as a flower, but I don't want to attract creeps like this," Mi-Sun sighed, shaking her head slightly.

Dae-Hyun scoffed, raising an eyebrow. "Flower? You? You have a shit personality, that's why you always attract bug-like creeps like him and Mina all the time."

"Han Dae-Hyun," Mi-Sun growled, her face darkening. "Do you want to get punched in the face?"

"I'll handle it," Baek-Hyun said, retrieving his apron from his locker and tying it over his waist.

"Baek-Hyun?" Mi-Sun asked, genuine concern etching her features.

"It's okay. It's not like I can just let you wait on that guy."

"Don't worry about it Baek-Hyun," Jeung Hye-Su spoke. "It's almost time for your shift to end. Dae-Hyun will handle it."

"What? Why me?" Dae-Hyun protested.

"It's alright, I don't mind. Besides, Dae-Hyun already has his hands full with table two."

"Well, if you're sure." Jeung Hye-Su reluctantly gave in.

Baek-Hyun adjusted his apron. He wasn't particularly looking forward to this, but someone had to do it. He pasted on his most professional smile and headed towards table four.

The man, with his bleached-blond hair styled in a way that screamed "expensive salon," was leaning back in his chair, tapping his fingers impatiently on the polished tabletop. As Baek-Hyun approached, the man's eyes flickered up, a flash of disappointment crossing his features before settling into a cool, almost dismissive stare.

"Ah, you're not Mi-Sun," he stated, his voice laced with a subtle disdain. "Where is she? I specifically asked for her."

Baek-Hyun's smile faltered for a moment. "I apologize, sir. Mi-Sun is currently unavailable. I'll be happy to take your order."

"Unavailable? She was perfectly available the last time I was here. Or is she too good to serve me now?" The man's tone grew sharper, attracting the attention of a few nearby patrons.

"That's not the case at all, sir," Baek-Hyun replied, his voice remaining calm despite the rising tension. "Mi-Sun is simply taking a short break. May I offer you a menu while you wait?"

"Wait? I've been waiting. I came here specifically for her, and now I get… this?" He gestured vaguely towards Baek-Hyun, his lip curling in a sneer. "Are you new? I don't think I've seen you before."

Baek-Hyun clenched his jaw, tightening his smile in an attempt to hide what he really thought of the situation. "I understand your frustration sir, but I can assure you that I am perfectly capable of taking your order."

The man scoffed. "As if that would make a difference. Look, I don't want to cause a scene, but I expect a certain level of service. I'm a regular here. I know what I want, and I know who I want to serve me."

"I understand, sir," Baek-Hyun said, his voice low and steady. "But Mi-Sun is not available at this moment. If you'd like to wait, I can let her know you're here. Otherwise, I can take your order, and I promise to provide you with the same excellent service you're accustomed to."

The man hesitated, his gaze lingering on Baek-Hyun's face. After a tense moment, he sighed, a grudging acceptance settling over him. "Fine. Just get me a black coffee and a slice of that chocolate cake. And make sure it's fresh."

"Of course, sir," Baek-Hyun said, finally feeling a sliver of relief. He scribbled down the order on his notepad. "Anything else?"

"No. Just make it quick."

Baek-Hyun nodded and turned to head towards the kitchen, his shoulders still tight with residual tension. He placed the order, then took a deep breath, trying to shake off the encounter. He reminded himself that customer service was about maintaining composure, even in the face of rudeness, but most importantly, he was broke and really needed this job. Besides, Mi-Sun was the closest thing he had to a best friend, he wasn't about to let her handle an asshole like him.

As he returned to the dining area, he noticed the front door swinging open, along with the chime of the bell. He instinctively turned to greet the new arrivals, his usual polite "Welcome!" ready on his lips.

But the word died in his throat.

Standing there, framed by the doorway, was the very person that had forcefully occupied his thoughts whenever he let his guard down. The crazy guy named Ryeo Hae-Won.

Baek-Hyun's heart almost skipped a beat, a sudden, unwelcome jolt of adrenaline surging through him. He hadn't seen him since this morning. Since the awkward car ride, and the keys still sitting in his coat pocket.

He'd spent the entire day trying to push the memory of Hae-Won from his mind, trying to focus on work, on his dad, on anything but the way Hae-Won's eyes had lingered on him, the way his voice had sounded when he spoke, and the way he had consistently said things he needed hours, even days to process.

And now, here he was, standing right in front of him, looking as effortlessly elegant, and unbothered as ever. He was accompanied by another person, someone Baek-Hyun didn't recognize, but at the mention of his name from Hae-Won's lips, his eyes now gazed at him as well.

His first thought was to tell Hae-Won all that was on his mind, but he had to remind himself he was at work. He had to remind himself that he was supposed to be a professional.

He forced a smile, though it felt stiff and unnatural. "Please take a seat anywhere available," he managed, his voice slightly lower and unwelcoming than usual. 

Hae-Won's eyes met his, a flicker of recognition and amusement visible from his expression. Finally, his day was becoming bearable.