jaehyun couldn't sleep that night. it's been a week and he hasn't seen the boy, regardless that they work at the same place. he'd sometimes see him walking down the hall of their apartment  building but he'd chicken out and hide from a corner. he's that much of a coward.

he can't face taeyong with what he said that night. it was degrading needless to say.

for the 8th time this month, he's now going to his last shift of the day--the club. there were no strippers tonight. it only came during weekends. strippers with no schedule work with waiting tables during the regular days. so jaehyun still hoped he'd see the man.

he was now behind the counter serving different people different cocktails. it's been fun for him so far. he gets to flirt with customers using his charming face, not that it's part of his job description, but it adds to his pay.

he was busy entertaining the girls when there came a commotion not too far from his sight. the voice sounded familiar.

"i said no."

it was taeyong. of course it'd be taeyong. he thought. he was being held by the masculine men from one of the couches. it was obvious he wanted to free from their grip but they're way bigger than him.

"come on you're a stripper, it's your job."

"do you see me in a costume right now? it only comes with performance, i'm just a waiter tonight so let me go!"

jaehyun suddenly felt anger rushing through his veins. their bodies were as masculine much to his so it would not look like a defeated argument for jaehyun. he went for taeyong and grabbed his waist.

"what do you think you're doing?" he asked using his low and husky voice.

"and who are you?"

"i'm a bartender here and this is my boyfriend. again, what do you think you're doing?" the cold stare sent shivers to the men and to taeyong as well. he's so hot. taeyong thought but quickly shruged it off. no! i'm supposed to be mad.

jaehyun didn't even let the men answer when he pulled taeyong away from the growing crowd. he didn't go back behind the counter instead he took taeyong to the dressing room.

when they reached the empty room, he quickly closed the door and grabbed tissues from a table nearby. he wiped taeyong's spilling tears and sweat.

"thanks, i got it."

taeyong forcefully snatched the tissue away from his hand and wiped his own tears. he pressed on carefully, trying not to ruin his make up.

"are you alright?" jaehyun asked.

"why do you care? i'm a slut, aren't i?" taeyong snapped as he wiped his face but he didn't dare look at the man in the eye.

jaehyun sighed and took taeyong by the face. "i'm sorry, i really am. it just came out."

"it means you were actually thinking it." taeyong said looking straight in his eyes. "but sure you can make it up to me with coffee in the morning."

taeyong took jaehyun's hands off and walked out of the room. is it a date? he thought.

jaehyun woke up the next day in a wide smile. he was definitely happy he was going out with taeyong for breakfast. although it was set to be coffee, he wanted to consider it breakfast. it's his payment against calling him basically a slut too. but he saved taeyong from getting molested so he thought it was fair for both of them. after all, they needed to get to know each other.

when he finished his routine, it was already 10 am and he was out the door. he was going to knock on his next door but he didn't remember which. he's seen taeyong on both doors next to him so he wasn't sure is one or the other was his actual apartment.

he rubbed the back of his neck and sighed in the middle of the hall. he turned from his front to his back multiple times trying to figure out he should knock on. why don't i knock on both? he thought.

he saw taeyong in his robe with panties on the left, but he saw taeyong in his jammies on the left. he looked both comfortable in both clothes so up to now, he's confused. why was he in both anyway?

he was in the middle of turning when he heard a door open. it's his next door on the left and out the door was taeyong.

"i just thought you took so long, i've been waiting for over 10 minutes." taeyong said as he closed the door.

he smiled softly and grabbed the taller's arm before walking down the hall and out of the building.

they walked to the nearest cafe and jaehyun was surprised since he worked in there. "so will you make me the best coffee you have in the house?" taeyong smirked.

jaehyun looked at him confusedly. how did he know i work here? but taeyong just grinned and walked over the table next to the window.

"i saw you behind the kitchen door multiple times. so? will you make me your best coffee?" again with the grin. jaehyun thought he looked like a child. a cute one.

"it's not my shift, taeyong." jaehyun said and he just sat in front of the man. he took a look at the menu plastered on the walls. taeyong thought the whole place was an aesthetic style. there were brick walls hanging lights from different corners.

"i'll just order for you instead. i promise you'll like it." jaehyun said as he grinned before standing up to walk down the counter.

taeyong never thought of coming to this place since the first time he moved in the apartment. it was literally a minute away from the building but he didn't have anyone to bring him here. he was used to making his own coffee that he didn't bother buying one from across his street. none of his friend asked him out for this too.

when jaehyun came back, he had two white mugs and two plates of breakfast food--belgian waffles and grilled cheese on a tray.

"wow you got it so fast." taeyong said.

"i work here. i get the perks." jaehyun sat down and gave taeyong one of the plates. "we get to know each other and we share both of these." he smiled with dimples coming out of his cheeks.

they talked through the morning as they stuffed their cheeks with both foods. the coffee was great to pair it up with. they've been talking like they've known each other for years. but they're just getting to know each other.

taeyong and jaehyun started talking about how things went south on them from the beginning. apparently, it was a fun story to tell.

"literally, it's like every room in the building around mine is filled with moans!" jaehyun said shockingly. his eyes were wide as he took in different pieces of the breakfast. "my friends are like sex addicts." taeyong replied.

"yeah and so are you." jaehyun snickered but taeyong rolled his eyes and shrugged him off.

"they do it all the time. sometimes, they just get home drunk with their boyfriends and they stumble through our apartments. some nights it would be the room next to mine or the room in front of theirs, then they just have their way with each other. we're pretty used to it." taeyong said.

it turns out, taeyong's friends all live in the same floor as him. some of his his friends work the same as him, a stripper.

"so don't mind them if they stumble right on your door one night. just ignore it and they'll eventually go away to find some other room close." taeyong added.

"so if that's what happens, which one's your actual room?"

"left to yours. the first room you saw me in." taeyong said. they can vividly remember since taeyong wore something revealing as what they remember it was. they can't even bring it up now.

"and if you're not the one who went so loud that night, then who was?"

"ohh that first night, it was johnny and ten. they are the worst to make noises because ten's the loudest." taeyong rolled his eyes but jaehyun just chuckled.

"what about the next night?"

"the next room you saw me it, that's sicheng and yuta's room. it's their actual room, you saw me there because my room was trashed and i had to borrow some supplies."

and they kept talking until jaehyun needed to start his shift. soon, taeyong left and expected jaehyun in the club that night.

(A/N: Happy Chenle and Woozi day!!)