Grand Cafe

Taehyung stares at the logo of the cup and no matter how much he wants to deny the fact that it was Jeongguk who gave him this coffee, the logo only further proves it. He vaguely (clearly) remembers Jeongguk in his silly uniform, working as a cashier at the Grand Cafe.

After a lot of teasing from Namjoon and grimacing from Taehyung, he finally was able to slip out of the gym, the coffee still tightly clutched on his right hand. Taehyung sighs as he walks down the familiar path towards his apartment building.

If he really thinks about it, it isn't really a big deal. Someone giving him a coffee because he was seen exhausted. It's a kind gesture even. But if he really thinks deeper, it is a big deal because Jeon Jeongguk, his supposed rival, is supposedly despising Taehyung not giving him a damn coffee.

Taehyung shakes his head to clear his mind. He has enough school works to worry about and thinking about Jeongguk and coffee doesn't help at all.

He's still reluctant but he takes a sip from the cup.

The coffee is warm, in that way that doesn't satisfy him because it's not hot enough as it travel down his throat but he does feel a bit better. He usually doesn't drink coffee because he isn't very tolerant of its bitterness but he can taste the sweetness somewhere and maybe the thought of it being free makes it taste a little better.

When Taehyung finally reaches his apartment, opening the door with a thud when he accidentally pushed it harder than necessary, grimacing when the knob hits the wall. As he is removing his shoes, he sees Jimin sitting on their couch, looking at him with raised brows.

"You took longer than I thought," Jimin says as he watch Taehyung walk towards him and joining him on the couch.

"Yeah, it was good and I stayed for a while to chat with Namjoon hyung," Taehyung says, tossing his drawstring bag aside and drinking the rest of the coffee in the cup. Jimin stares at him.

"You traitor," Jimin growls, grabbing Taehyung's shoulders and shaking him. Taehyung almost drops the empty cup on his hand as he glares at Jimin.

"You went to Grand Cafe without me?"

Taehyung shakes off Jimin's hands and furrows his brows at him.

"And what about it? Why do I have to go there with you?" Taehyung says and Jimin pouts.

"I miss manager Min," Jimin admits and Taehyung almost asks him who the hell is manager Min? but then remembers the short, but handsome young manager at the cafe.

"You can go there by yourself," Taehyung says with a roll of his eyes. Jimin shakes his head.

"I need you there in case I make a fool of myself," Jimin says and gives Taehyung a look that it should already be obvious. Taehyung agrees though, Jimin sometimes does questionable things to grab attention and he isn't particularly magnificent in the flirting department.

"Listen, I didn't go to the cafe, okay?" Taehyung says, relaxing on the couch after setting the empty cup of coffee on the small table in front of them. Jimin tilts his head on the side.

"Wait, then where did you get the coffee?" Jimin asks, turning his body so he's fully facing Taehyung who is sitting beside him.

Taehyung ponders if he should tell Jimin the truth, that Jeongguk gave him the coffee, but that guarantees a long time of teasing especially that he's already fixated at the thought of Taehyung and Jeongguk being soulmates. However, he isn't very fond of lying either and he's quite bad at it that Jimin would be able to call bullshit right away which would lead to Taehyung telling him the truth anyways. Taehyung sighs and decides that he'll save both himself and Jimin the trouble and tell him the truth.

"Jeongguk gave it to me," Taehyung mumbles. Jimin stares at him slack jawed.

"Jeongguk? Jeon Jeongguk?" Jimin asks incredulously, his eyes glinting in amusement. Taehyung is already groaning because he knows well what's coming.

Taehyung nods his head as a reply and Jimin guffaws.

"I fucking told you, didn't I?" Jimin almost shouts, looking all too pleased ignoring Taehyung's glares.

"Told me what, asshole?" Taehyung hisses, only making Jimin laugh harder and louder. Taehyung was about to smack him, just because, but Jimin suddenly halts his laughter, furrowing his brows in thought. The sudden change made Taehyung raise a brow.

"Hold on a second," Jimin starts, holding up a finger as he stares at something behind the couch. Taehyung follows his gaze and it lands on the small garbage can that they both keep in their small living room.

"So was the coffee that I found on our doorway supposed to be yours?" Jimin says, now looking at Taehyung.

"There was a coffee on our doorway?" Taehyung asks, amused.

Jimin nods.

"Someone knocked earlier and when I opened the door I found the coffee," Jimin pauses and shudders slightly. "It creeped me out, to be honest, so I just threw it out." Jimin then nods towards the small garbage can that they were looking at before.

Unwillingly, Taehyung thinks about the earlier events again. Jeongguk's strange act of kindness towards him only makes Taehyung confused and frustrated. What's so different today that Jeongguk is doing it?

"You think it was Jeongguk who dropped off the coffee here?" Taehyung asks, not particularly looking forward for an answer. Jimin then slowly grins.

"I know it's him, " Jimin replies with mirth in his eyes, having that same look every time he teases Taehyung. This only makes Taehyung groan because he knows this kind of conversation with Jimin is useless, not when he's so fixated on one idea and ignoring the other possibilities.

"You know what I think? I think he's planning something," Taehyung says, rubbing his chin with his fingers, deep in thought. "This is part of a prank, I just know it."

Jimin looks at him in disbelief.

"Or maybe he's really just being nice?" Jimin says, sarcastically, earning another glare from Taehyung.

"Oh yeah, the same guy who punched me in the face because he thought I stole his water bottle when it actually just rolled off somewhere when he wasn't looking is the same guy who gave me coffee because I told him I was tired," Taehyung says, finishing with a roll of his eyes. Jimin still has the disbelief look on his face but Taehyung can see it faltering.

"Okay, fine. You have a point there," Jimin admits making Taehyung grin this time.

But before Taehyung can boast about winning the round this time, Jimin opens his mouth again and attacks with the final blow for their argument.

"But it could be that he's just being nice. I'm just saying, Jeongguk is not that bad."

Taehyung throws his drawstring bag and Jimin quickly dodges as he lets out the most obnoxious laugh.

Thankfully, Jimin doesn't tease Taehyung further about Jeongguk and the coffee that he might've given to Taehyung. Jimin has been so busy with his own school works and dance practices that he only responses with grunts and groans to Taehyung.

Taehyung also tries to forget about that day and continue hating Jeongguk from the bottom of his heart without any confusion. Who cares if he gave the coffee? It was a one time thing and maybe Jeongguk was just feeling generous that day. Surely, everyone had those days and Jeongguk is not an exception.

With those thoughts in his mind, he convinces himself that it really isn't a big deal and moved on with his busy college life. Although he does still remember about it every time he spots Jeongguk anywhere in the campus or during their track practices but it disappears quickly.

Now, exhausted from a long day with the track practice on top of that, Taehyung forces his eyes to stay open as he changes out of his sweaty track attire and into a fresh pair of sweats and a white shirt.

"Hey, you wanna grab something to eat? Lucas and I are gonna quickly head out."

Taehyung turns around and sees Junho waiting for his response. He's got his arm wrapped around Lucas' shoulder.

"Sorry, i'll pass," Taehyung says with an apologetic smile. "Thanks for the offer though."

Junho nods and the two of them leaves with a wave of their hands that made Taehyung smile a little. He has been warming up with the others on the team. Of course, except Jeongguk.

Taehyung notices that there's no one left in the changing room before he opens his locker. He was about to grab his bag when he notices something that was definitely not there before. For a second he thought he might've opened someone else's but then all of them have their own locks so he couldn't have mistaken it. Although, he remembers forgetting on locking it earlier so someone could've accidentally put it there. Or was it on purpose?

Inside his locker is a small coffee cup. When Taehyung lifts it up, he notices that it's still warm so it hasn't been there for a long time. Still confused and a bit curious, he turns the cup to inspect it and almost drops when he notices the familiar logo. Grand cafe.

This moment is suddenly so familiar, and then the memory of the event that happened a couple of days ago in the gym hits him like a train: Receiving a cup of coffee from an anonymous person that was possibly Jeon Jeongguk. But now, in his locker, is another cup from an anonymous sender.

Taehyung hates the fact that it could possibly be Jeongguk again because Jeongguk is in the track team and uses the changing room as well. For sure if Taehyung mentions this to Jimin it would only further confirm that it was Jeongguk indeed. Despite the obvious and the fact that Namjoon have already told him who it was, Taehyung is persistent at denying it.

Feeling confused, frustrated, and exhausted, Taehyung takes a sip of the coffee and decided that he'll just change out when he gets back to his apartment.

Two days after finding the coffee in his locker, Taehyung finds another one at his usual spot on a bench near the fountain. It's a pretty isolated spot in the campus that people rarely goes to and so far Taehyung has been the only one who sits there during lunch.

Another coffee appears, the next day, and this time it's outside his apartment door, just like how Jimin had found it one time. The next one appears, and it was on his desk in his classroom for the first period.

All these random appearances of coffees wherever Taehyung finds himself in begins to creep him out. He begins to wonder if he actually just got himself a stalker and uses Jeongguk's name to hide their true identity. Or it could be like Taehyung's original theory about this being part of Jeongguk's scheme, whatever it is.

Despite knowing well that it won't do him any good if he tells Jimin about it, Taehyung still finds himself spilling everything to him.

"Wait, wait, wait, hold on," Jimin says, waving his hands in front of him as he stops Taehyung from talking. "Are you saying that you've been constantly receiving free coffee for a week now? From your secret admirer? From Jeongguk?"

"Shut up, Jimin. For all we know, it could be some creepy stalker," Taehyung says, groaning in frustration because no matter how nice the gesture is and the fact that he is getting free coffee, he can't help but feel creeped out. "I keep finding them wherever I go. As if they know exactly where I go to."

Jimin pauses to contemplate this.

"You have a point there. How come they know exactly where to put those cups and knowing that you'll find them?"

Taehyung nods, thankful that Jimin is finally getting him.

"Exactly."

"Wow, that is creepy," Jimin says, looking amused. "But still, it could be Jeongguk. After all, Namjoon hyung did tell you it was him the first time, right?"

Taehyung holds himself back from smacking Jimin.

"Yes he did but there's no guarantee that it was actually him. Do you really think this is something that he would constantly do? Do you really think he would constantly be nice to me like this? Giving me free coffee? I don't think so!" Taehyung exclaims, but it only made Jimin roll his eyes.

"Fine, I get what you're saying but I think it's something that he could definitely do, for sure. But how does he know where you go to all the time?"

"Because it's not him, Jimin. It's someone else. Probably a stalker who uses Jeongguk's name," Taehyung says, sighing in frustration.

Jimin nods.

"Yeah, probably a stalker."

Despite insisting that it was a stalker who was giving those coffee cups to him, some part of Taehyung still believes that it could really be Jeongguk. Finally getting frustrated on how confused and curious he has been feeling lately, Taehyung decides that it's time to confront Jeongguk about it.

Track practice just ended, a perfect timing, and everyone scrambles inside the changing room.

Taehyung makes a beeline towards where Jeongguk is, and finds him already removing his shirt once Taehyung gets there.

When Jeongguk notices Taehyung's presence, he pauses from putting on a clean new shirt so he stands there shirtless as he cocks a questioning brow at Taehyung.

"What," Jeongguk says more than asks and he gives Taehyung a bored look.

Suddenly, Taehyung doesn't feel so confident asking if Jeongguk is the secret sender but he's already standing there and he might as well get it over with.

"Jeon, I need to talk to you," Taehyung says, trying to appear nonchalant.

Jeongguk raises those perfect brows at him and Taehyung suddenly feels annoyed.

"You're already talking to me, aren't you, Kim?" Jeongguk says and Taehyung can see the playful glint in his eyes, knowing that he could easily rile up Taehyung like this.

"Don't act smart on me, I just wanna know if you're stalking me."

Jeongguk looks like he's about to laugh.

"Me? Stalk you? Come on, Kim," Jeongguk says and really it should be enough to convince Taehyung that it really wasn't Jeongguk but for some reason he pushes it.

"Just tell me if you're the one giving me coffees."

Taehyung watches as Jeongguk's expression turns serious and suddenly he has that look on his face again that Taehyung always have a hard time understanding. He hates when he has that look because he suddenly feels like a stranger.

"Kim, I don't know what you're talking about," Jeongguk says, and with that he puts on his shirt, grabs his bag, and leaves.

Taehyung watches Jeongguk's retreating back, amused.

"Yep, it was definitely him."