Chapter Text
The sweet smell of caramel fluttered through the small cafe as the soft tunes of a guitar filled the space with some semblance of company. Looking through the large windows you watched fresh snow fall from the sky, and people hurry towards their homes. Although few people chose to bravely tread through the growing level of white fluff that blanketed the streets, those who did were bundled up pretty heavily. Every so often the wind would gust by, sending snow, and an odd article of clothing or two, hurtling down the street. It must’ve been cold. You had been tending to the shop all afternoon sheltered away from the unforgiving weather, happy to be warm inside when it looked so frigid.
You sighed, drumming your fingers against the counter. The shop was excessively quiet tonight. Only a few regular customers had come in today, but were quick to leave. With night falling earlier and earlier every day and students preparing for exams, business had become quite slow the last couple of weeks. It was too bad, you enjoyed the life patrons often brought this place. The spirit, the joy, the happiness, it was refreshing. It was always the people that brought such a lovely atmosphere with them.
The café wasn’t very large, but it offered a nice space for students to hang-out, and the quiet souls a place of solace away from the bustling city outside. The lighting was warm, but dim enough to offer a calm ambience. A shelf to the side had blankets, games, and books for patrons to indulge themselves in during their visit. It was small, but a great escape for wanderers like yourself when life would become too much.
Taking a sip of your macchiato, you wound your sweater tighter against yourself before snuggling back against your chair. Taking out one of the many books you kept behind the counter for days like this, you flipped to your last spot with a creased corner. It was a bad habit you had, noted by one of the customers that used to come in. Tracing a finger across the folded page, you were suddenly reminded of the one boy who would come in everyday after school. He was several years your junior, you noted. When you were in college, he often came in wearing his high-school uniform with his leather book bag in tow. He always had a set of headphones on him even though some days they would go unused.
He was naturally thin, to the point where he was almost swallowed up by the many layers of his uniform. He was also quite tall, standing at almost six feet. Despite the age difference, you had found it strange the way he would look down towards you from his height but still call you Noona. It was weird looking up to a junior. Though, when you did, you would meet the face of someone so mature. He had full cheeks and lips which helped to retain a boyish charm, but the depth of his gaze and the composed way he smiled, it was as if he had already lived so many lifetimes. He was your junior in age, but there was something about him that made you feel so inexperienced in comparison.
Namjoon.
Kim Namjoon was his name.
It had been quite a while since you saw him last. One day he came in, a bit more defeated than usual. He had always kept himself well put together, but on this day the weight of his burdens rolled off him in droves. He emoted so heavily that it became enough of a burden on other customers that they felt the need to leave. That day he had managed to clear out the café quicker than you had ever seen just by entering.
“Namjoon-ah,” you had sighed, and took the seat across from him. “What do you think you’re doing, hmm? Don’t you know how strong your aura is? Look, you scared away all the customers.”
He simply hung his head over the back of his chair and stared at the ceiling. He really looked broken up about something that day. But he never told you what it was, which worried you. He typically wasn’t one to speak cryptically, at least not with you. He was always quite honest, and let his emotions drive him forward. Many a time he fell asleep in the café because he worked so hard. He was a smart kid too. He was a nationally ranked student, which he came bragging to you about the day he got his results, much to your chagrin. You had introduced him to an Americano one particularly difficult night of studying just to make sure he would have enough energy to make it home that night.
But this particular day he didn’t talk about school like he usually did.
”Noona, what’s your ideal type?”
Looking back on your reaction now, you can’t help but laugh. You had scoffed in his face. Not because of his question, but because of all the reasons for this boy to be so down, it was because of love trouble? It had seemed so beneath him at the time. You didn’t think it was even something on his radar. But when he looked back at you with such a serious expression, you realized it was such a heavy question. It was more than a question about what qualities your ideal man had. There was a different question being asked, that much you had felt at the time. What it was, you still don’t know, but it was something so incredibly heavy that even the great Namjoon couldn’t handle.
You didn’t mean to be so cross with him that day, but you panicked. It was a side to Namjoon that you weren’t prepared to see that day.
“Yah! What kind of question is that? Aish, this kid…” He didn’t let up though, as much as you had wished he would. He could’ve dropped it there after a good scolding from you, but he didn’t. It would have saved him and yourself the embarrassment, but his gaze alone pressured you for an answer. He had never looked at you that way before, and just thinking of it makes you shiver.
“A-are you making fun of me, Namjoon-ah? You think that’s funny?” The heavy flush across your cheeks had made it difficult to keep a stern tone with the boy. “Aish, this is why I can’t stand kids sometimes!”
You ruffled your hands through your locks in annoyance before meeting Namjoon’s heated gaze straight on. You poked him in the chest with all the frustration and courage you could muster. “Namjoon-ah, get your nose out of your books and look around. The life that you’re living, it’s your own. No one else can live it aside from you. Don’t get caught up in the expectations of other people. You have a natural talent at learning and working hard. Being successful isn’t something that’s going to be difficult for you. But you need to figure out where you want to go before you start working or else you’re going to end up nowhere.
“People’s ideals, who they want you to be, who cares? Be who you want to be, that’s what’s important. If you stay true to yourself and you work hard, you’ll be successful wherever you go. Make yourself so great that people won’t be able to ignore you. And this way, you’ll be able to find a girl who likes you for you, not sit here sulking with a Noona in a cafe.”
He pressed his elbows against the table and folded his hands together as he stared at the table top. It was a habit he did whenever he was thinking hard. You probably should have consoled him instead of lectured him that day, but there was only so much you could do to help. People often forget to put themselves first. Instead of trying to be the best person they as an individual can be, you often times found people struggling to reach an ideal that was difficult for any human being to achieve. It was an unhealthy mind-set, and you didn't want to see it destroy a talented boy like Namjoon. All you wanted was for him to be happy with himself. If he was going to be angry with himself, you wanted it to be because he knew he could do better, not because he compared himself to someone or something else.
Giving the teen an affectionate pat on the head, you stood from your seat, getting ready to get back to work. But he followed, catching your wrist before you could get too far.
“So…if I work hard…and become an idol…will you only look at me?”
Blinking, oblivious to the implications of his words, you nod. “Well, yeah. If that’s what will make you happy. I and many others will see you. You’re that kind of kid. You’ve got some growing up to do, but the whole world will notice you should you work hard enough.”
Your words seemed to have placated him enough, as he gave you a smile. It looked genuinely happy, not burdened like when he walked in.
“Thank you, Noona…or should I say Auntie? You lecture well for someone so young,” he chuckled.
“Yah…”
This time he placed his hand on your head, giving you an affectionate nuzzle. “I think I’m gonna go away for a while…but when I come back, I’ll be so great you won’t be able to look away.” Picking up his bag he scribbled something on a napkin before placing it in your hand. “Don’t get lonely while I’m gone.”
With that he rushed out, leaving you alone with a wet napkin in your hand. Taking a peek at what he gave you, you gave a heavy sigh. The teen had used a fountain pen when scribbling onto the napkin. The whole cartridge in the pen must have exploded or something, because whatever he had written was now just an illegible mess of black ink soaked into the thin paper product. He was always such a klutz…
The chimes tied to the front door cut through the quiet space, bringing with it a cold breeze from the outside. The presence of a patron brought you from your reverie and back into the present.
“Welcome! Please sit wherever you like.” Closing the book, you stood from your chair, picking up a menu as you did so.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.
This story archived at http://www.lunaescence.com/fics/viewstory.php?sid=38688