Chapter Text
it's rare that intak ever gets a wink of sleep in this dorm.
jiung's bluetooth speaker screams some 2000s mix at full volume. soul is sprinting down the hall, half-shaven and shirtless. someone's leftover pizza is stuck to the ceiling. again.
he rolls out of bed with a groan, still groggy from his sorry excuse for sleep. he kicks someone else's cleats out of the way, muttering to himself as he trudges through the mess of clothes on the floor. no one hears him; jiung has taken to arguing with the speaker, soul back in the bathroom having managed to lose a sock behind the toilet. it's the same chaos as always.
"oh, hey," jiung greets with a smirk, dropping the speaker back onto the table. "good morning, sleeping beauty."
intak doesn't respond, instead shooting his roommate a sharp look. he flips his wrist up, squinting through the grogginess to read his watch, and his heart sinks. twenty minutes to one. "you didn't wake me up?"
"it was funnier to draw on your face."
his face falls. he spins around, eyes darting about in search of a reflective surface, before landing on the fridge. his reflection is foggy, distorted, dark, but it's there. marker all over his face. "dude!" he cries, rushing to the sink. "we're gonna be late!"
jiung lets out a sigh as if he's had the same conversation a million times. "oh, relax. practice isn't until 1:30. you don't need to be the first one there every day."
"yeah, and i need my damn coffee," he grunts, scrubbing warm tap water into his skin. it turns grey beneath his fingertips. his voice drops to an agitated mumble. "it's a miracle if i can ever get some rest in this place."
"hey, jiung," soul calls, appearing in the hallway. "is mouthwash edible?"
a deep sigh escapes intak's nose. "why the fuck would you drink mouthwash?"
"it was an accident…"
intak just shakes his head, no surprise in his expression. he grabs a towel off the back of the couch and presses it to his face in an attempt to wipe off the remains of jiung's masterpiece. he doesn't even bother to check the mirror – he'll deal with it when someone stares too long.
he snatches a box of mints off the cluttered counter – surrounded by half-empty chip bags, two broken lighters, and a jar of peanut butter with no lid in sight – and pops one into his mouth, hoping to cancel out the sour taste on his tongue. he then grabs his sports bag, shoves his phone in his hoodie pocket, and heads for the door like a man escaping a war zone.
"come on," he calls over his shoulder, already halfway through the door, "or i'll leave without you."
"coming!" soul shouts from down the hall, hopping forward one-legged as he fumbles with his cleats. he nearly faceplants tripping over a crumpled shirt, catches himself on the doorframe, then barrels after intak like a kid late for the bus. his cleats clack loudly against the dorm floor, the sharp sound echoing off the walls.
intak turns, already annoyed with fatigue lining his tone. “why the hell would you put those on before we even get outside? you’re gonna mark up the floor and get us written up."
"you said you'd leave without me!" soul whines as he finally catches up, breathless but pretending otherwise. he straightens into a brisk walk, shoulders squared like he didn't just sprint through a minefield of laundry and soda cans. "why are you even leaving so early today anyway?"
intak adjusts the strap of his bag, eyes fixed ahead. "new cafe down the block. been going for a few weeks. it's a little further, though. always busy."
"you always get a black coffee. you could get that anywhere." soul nudges an empty energy drink can with the toe of his cleat as they step over the threshold to the staircase.
they quickly reach the front doors; intak grabs the handle and swings open without looking back. soul scrambles to catch it as it closes before it smacks him in the face.
"it's nicer."
"you mean the barista's nicer."
a grin tugs at the corner of intak's mouth as they step into the sun. "yeah. that's what i said."
the walk to the cafe is rather calm. other students mill about, talking and laughing. runners pass by, construction workers carry wooden planks, campus security patrol the walkways. an american football buzzes past intak's head. a girl sprints past soul in pursuit of an airborne paper.
the cafe comes into view at last: the words cozy corner sit atop the sign in a cutesy yellow font, the windows decorated with stickers, drawings, and books. as they pull open the glass door, the bell above it chimes to signify their entry, the scent of hazelnut and mocha encompassing them like a warm blanket. the barista behind the counter briefly offers a happy smile.
she's not the girl intak has become familiar with. a new face. mousey blond hair pulled back into a half-ponytail, warm blush spread across her cheeks and glitter dotted along her eyes. her rosey lips are pulled ever so slightly to the side, various rings adorning her fingers as they fly across the espresso machine.
'woof," intak breathes, his eyes glued to her as she moves deftly about the counter. "ten bucks she gives me her number." his voice lowers, mumbling through a smirk. "if i didn't have practice, i'd have her in my lap before the day's out."
"go get her then, tiger."
he strolls up to the counter with swag in his step, the keychains on his bag clinking together proudly. he leans over the counter just slightly, with that lazy, confident smile that's worked a thousand times before. "hey, gorgeous. what's your name?"
"i'm wearing a name tag," she retorts softly, tapping a nail against her apron. jongseob. "ordering here or to go?"
"jongseob," he greets, "to go. medium black coffee for me and my friend here. need a boost for football practice… best on the team, you know."
"i'm sure you are." she chuckles, a gentle yet condescending expression about her face. no more words are exchanged as she slides down the counter, swiftly filling and capping two cups to place before him. she holds out her hand. "four."
intak scoffs and withdraws four dollars from his pocket. "you always this friendly?"
it draws a small smile out of her – not flirty, not shy. amused. "only to people who don't hit on me while i'm busy."
"what, have a boyfriend?"
"nope." the register dings open, the bills finding their place. she turns away, offering a cheeky, "not you, anyway," over her shoulder. then, she's disappeared into the back room.
soul snorts behind him. he reaches past him to grab the coffee and steps toward the door, pausing when intak doesn't follow. the boy is frozen, staring at the door in shock. he's never been rejected before. never.
"dude, come on."
"yeah…" his eyes linger as he follows, his steps lagging ever so slightly.
she'll warm up to him. they always do.