The next morning, the cafe was quiet, but Areum was a whirlwind. She was recalibrating the grinder for the fifth time.

"He called me a 'hobbyist' in his last message, Jin! Can you believe it?" she shouted from behind the machine. "He said my milk frothing technique looks like 'soapy bubbles.' I want to hit him with a portafilter."

Jin watched her, his heart heavy. He had seen Areum with many men over the last few weeks. She had been bored by Namjoon's perfection, disgusted by Hoseok's ego, and annoyed by Jungkook's immaturity. But he had never seen her this alive.

The anger she had for Yoongi was vibrant. It was a connection. And it scared him to the bones.

"If you hate him so much, block him," Jin said, his voice lower than usual. "Why are you still talking to him?"

Areum paused, her hand on the steam wand. "Because... because someone needs to put him in his place. He thinks he's the only one who cares about quality? I'll show him quality."

"You're obsessed," Jin muttered, turning away to polish the counter.

"I'm not obsessed, I'm competitive!"

"Ari," Jin said, stopping her. He stepped into her space, taking the cleaning rag from her hand. His touch was lingering, a silent reminder that he was the one who had been there for every burnt batch and every late-night inventory. "You're looking for a partner who treats you as an equal, right? A guy who doesn't have a male ego?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"Yoongi's ego is the size of a kitchen. And Namjoon... Namjoon is so equal that he's practically your twin. So why are you vibrating like a live wire over a guy who insults your coffee?"

Areum looked at Jin, seeing the flicker of hurt in his eyes that he tried so hard to hide with jokes. She didn't have an answer. She wanted the safety of Namjoon, but her soul was leaning toward the heat of Yoongi's kitchen—and all the while, the man who actually knew her coffee by heart was standing right in front of her, doubting if he was enough.

Areum:

11 PM Sunday. My cafe. Bring your beans, Chef. But if I win, you're washing my dishes for a week. 

Yoongi:

Deal. Get your soap ready. You're going to lose.