[Zhonghuan]

[answer_key]

His head was full of words that hadn't sunken in yet. He didn't know what most of them meant, just that it was like hearing a death sentence. The doctor was still talking though, explaining things as though he was a child, and while that behavior would normally infuriate him, he needed it this one time. He was young still, so his chances were better. They could do surgery.

He thanked the doctor before the man was even finished speaking and headed out of the office because it was too much. The sore throat he'd had for months should have just been from talking too much at work and never taking the time off to rest. It shouldn't be from thyroid cancer. It wasn't until he'd started actually having a problem swallowing sometimes that he even went to the doctor and that had gotten him sent to a specialist. Oncology wasn't a word he immediately recognized, but by the time he'd gone through the panel of scans and tests and had been biopsied, he knew the meaning all too well and had an idea of what his outcome would be. To have it confirmed wasn't that shocking, but it wasn't anything that was going to change so much overnight that he couldn't deal with it tomorrow. Or the next day.

Normally, he was a very proactive man. Have problems? Solve them. His methods might not have been what most people did, but no one could fault his results. Right now, though, he needed coffee.

He'd been a tea drinker in Korea, but the extra hustle and bustle of Tokyo now, a move necessitated by his desire to climb to the top of the corporate ladder, drove him into cafes where the bold scent of the bitter brew of coffee taunted him. He stepped into such a place now and approached the counter and gave the man standing there a glare. "A large black coffee with a shot of espresso. Please." He couldn't help but notice that the guy was somewhat attractive, reddish-brown hair splayed out in something not quite like how the guys in boy bands wore their hair, and a cute upturn to the end of his nose amid slightly pudgy cheeks that made him look impossibly young. The set of his shoulders and the ripple of muscle definition in his arms belied the age lie his face told. Normally, he wouldn't care about the person serving him coffee, but he looked at the name tag anyway because it was something that wasn't dealing with things, taking a moment to puzzle out the kanji.

"May I get your name for the cup?" The guy, Waya (if his reading was correct), had a marker in hand, ready to write.

Brushing his hair back, he shrugged. "Ko. Ko Yeongha."

The guy's lips twisted as he wrote. "I'm sure I butchered that, so I'm sorry. I only started learning Korean about a month ago."

His lips pursing, Ko found a smile trying to work its way to his lips. "My Japanese writing is also horrible. I'm having a difficult time reading your name."

"Waya." He'd moved behind the counter, grinding the beans fresh to brew the espresso shot. "You seem to speak the language well enough."

Not sure why he was allowing himself to be drawn into conversation, Ko smirked. "Immersion. Most of my work is leading conference calls with various branches of my company." He paused as his drink was slid in front of him. "Why did you need my name if there's no one else here to wait on?"

Waya's nose wrinkled up as he smiled. "Because I wanted to know your name."

"Then at least have the courtesy of giving me your number." Ko's chin jutted out haughtily as he watched Waya's expression turn into something full of wonder.

Grabbing the marker again, Waya scribbled something else onto the cup and then pushed it over toward Ko. "Your hair... is it naturally that color?"

Pulling a lock of hair forward to smile at it, Ko huffed. "Maybe I'll let you find out soon." He didn't normally flirt outside of bars, and especially not in the middle of the day, but he recognized that his mind was trying to cope with crisis and therefore not bothering as much with adhering to the strict limits he tended to place on his inhibitions. He wasn't sure it mattered in the long run.

"I have day shifts for the rest of the week," Waya said softly, grabbing a rag and wiping down the counter in front of him.

Ko pulled out his business card holder on a whim and whipped out a card to slide into the pocket of Waya's apron. "Just in case I smudge your number." He winked and retreated from the cafe, smiling at the feel of the sunshine. It was still morning and he could make it in to work for most of the work day, at least, but maybe it was better to just go ahead and go back to the doctor. He had walked out because it was too much to process and it would be shameful to go back now, but he had lowered himself for less important reasons. Living was what made life worthwhile, so it didn't do to court disease.

He'd had to wait for a while before his doctor could actually get him back into the office, but Ko bowed his head low in apology and allowed himself to be just the slightest bit meek as they set a date for his surgery only a few days in the future and discussed changes he needed to make in his diet and exercise routine for the foreseeable future. He was more than a little relieved to discover that chemotherapy wasn't on the immediate agenda. It was silly, but he was rather proud of his hair and didn't want to lose it. There was talk of something called radioactive iodine therapy, though, and the doctor's description gave him a tiny note of hope. As far as they could tell, they'd still caught it early. The doctor talked about it as though it was something no worse than a bad cold. Ko let himself hope.

Afterward, he went to work. He had to arrange a short leave and make certain that competent people would be covering his duties, had to explain to human resources that there was a chance he would have future complications but that he wasn't quitting by any means.

It was late when he got home. He was tempted to stop at the convenience store for a bento, tired as he was, but he forced himself to go through the process of making kimchee rice instead, though he still sat down with it in front of his computer, eating as he researched more about his disease and what to expect from the surgery. After eating the last bite of food, he set the pot off to one side (no one else was eating so why bother with a bowl?) and pulled out his phone, staring at it for a moment. It didn't take him long to tap a few buttons to call up the last number he'd inputted. It rang and went to voicemail, but Ko decided to actually leave a message even though it went against his normal actions. "Hello, Waya, this is Ko Yeongha calling. I wondered if you would be interested in dinner tomorrow night. You've got my number, so let me know."

Hanging up, Ko forced himself to do the dishes and brush his teeth before climbing into bed. The part of Tokyo he lived in was mercifully quiet, but the silence seemed almost overwhelmingly loud that night. It took him a while to fall asleep, brain overloaded with both information and questions that begged for answers, and his sleep was fitful at best, but morning dawned the next day without a hint of misfortune so he tried to take his tiredness in stride.

He's hoped for a reply from the coffee shop guy by now, but a part of him remembered that he had talked working the day shifts. Perhaps... He wanted coffee anyway to give him an analog for what sleep hadn't and that particular coffee shop wasn't that far out of his way. Because of the particular duties of his job, he didn't have to be in as early as everyone else since coordinating with personnel in other time zones tended to mean that nothing really happened for him at work until around 9AM.

Dressed in a suit with his tie carefully tied, Ko entered the cafe and proceeded to wait in line. Of course the place was packed that morning, early enough that the students from the local college were clustered in packs and ordering milkshake-like concoctions with hardly any actual coffee left and right. Ko was tall enough that he could see Waya hard at work, though, smiling as he watched him, all casual grace with the occasional spasm of clumsiness. There was an intensity to him as he worked that Ko found appealing, perhaps mostly because it mirrored something similar in himself.

When it was finally his turn to order, he tried to keep himself from smirking. "Triple shot white mocha."

Waya grinned, one eyebrow lifting. "You're unusual. Most people have a standing order or at least stay with, like, a flavor they like or something." He moved over to start making the espresso shots. "By the way, I was going to text you when things slowed down. Dinner sounds great. When and where?"

"Text me your address and I'll pick you up at seven." Ko tried not to let himself smile too much, knowing his features twisted into something not quite as attractive when he did so.

Nodding as he frothed milk, Waya said softly, "Yeah. That sounds good. Should I dress up a little or is whatever fine?"

Thinking through his options, Ko shrugged. "Dress up a bit. We'll decide where we want to go later and better to be overdressed than underdressed."

His lips tight against his teeth as his eyes crinkled in a smile, Waya handed over Ko's coffee, his name already written on the side. "I can think of a time or two where not dressed at all would be best," he said under his breath. "I'll see you later, Ko."

Ko went to work that day smiling. He didn't realize it was an unusual thing until some of his co-workers commented on it. "Good coffee this morning," he gave as his reason, smirking because it wasn't a lie, just a partial truth. The coffee was excellent.

When 6PM rolled around, Ko packed away the files he'd had out to reference during his last phonecall and checked his cell phone, frowning to realize that Waya had never texted him the address. His stomach twinged at that, but he wasn't ready to believe that the man could flirt so freely with him and then not actually want to uphold their dinner date. He wasn't fond of texting, truly, his natural predilection for conversation overriding the need to simply exchange information. Texting was fine to send someone a message that didn't need a response, but spoken words were imbued with far more meaning. As he headed down the elevator, he called.

Waya picked up after a few rings, his voice rough. "Mmm? What's up?"

Hiding a laugh by placing his hand over the phone for a moment, Ko smiled. "It sounds like you are now. This is Ko. I still haven't gotten your address to come take you out for a wild night of debauchery."

"Debauchery?" Waya laughed, the sound tinny over the line. "I could go for some of that. Sorry I didn't send it before. Work was crazy all day since I guess there are exams tomorrow at the local university and I came home and I must have just fallen asleep as soon as I sat down because I don't remember anything else." He hummed softly, continuing to speak. "It's good, though. Nice and rested up for the debauchery. I should warn you, though. I have a flirty nature, so if you get me tipsy, I will be flirting with pretty much everyone. I just don't actually mean it most of the time."

That made Ko's throat ache. "Have you meant your flirting with me?"

"The flirting I do when I'm sober? That's the real stuff. I don't... You're the first person I've given this number to who wasn't a friend or family." Waya's own voice was strained, but he let out a burst of embarrassed laughter. "I'm picky, I guess is what I'm trying to say. I find a lot of people attractive, but I don't find a lot of those people actually interesting. I'm digging myself into a hole, aren't I?"

Ko's lips pursed as his thumb traced along the edge of his phone. "You're making me rethink the debauchery."

"Please don't rethink that." Waya's voice was breathy.

"Not rethink. I think I got the word wrong. You're making me think about it again?" Ko nodded, glad to step off the elevator finally when the doors opened. "You are strange. But, I like it."

Waya chuckled softly. "Good, good. Um, so, I think I want to grab a quick shower so I'm going to hang up now, but then I'm going to text you."

Ko felt a strange measure of fondness well up within him. "Okay. I'll see you in an hour."

"See you." Waya hung up a second later and Ko had the text with his address before he'd even gotten to the train station.

He lived close enough to work that the train only took a few minutes to get him home. He didn't bother showering, but did take the time to dress down just a bit by changing out his jacket, shirt, and tie for a more casual button-down that was still fitted to his frame. Just in case, he straightened a few things up in his room and made sure there were things for breakfast in the refrigerator.

Waya's place was easy enough to find. He hadn't bothered to add the apartment number onto the text, though, so Ko sent him a message when he arrived. It only took a minute or so before Waya seemed to tumble out of the front door of the building, smiling as ducked down to look inside the vehicle. He slid into the passenger seat and nibbled on his lower lip. "So, uh, food?"

Ko raised an eyebrow. "Yes. Only, I don't know what you like other than coffee."

"Well, sushi is good. And, well, Korean barbecue? Only, I've never had the real thing so I don't know how it compares." Waya's hands clutched each other in his lap, his eyes seemingly locked on to the sight of a hangnail on one thumb.

"Where's your favorite Korean barbecue place, then?" Ko let himself smile slightly, reaching over to brush his finger against Waya's arm. "I can let you know how it is."

Waya tongue peeked out from between his lips, moistening them. "Well, there's one that's actually just down the road from where I work that I like. The... I think it's called samgyeopsal? I like it a lot."

Ko grinned at Waya's pronunciation of the word. "Then we'll go there." He checked his mirror and pulled out into the street. "Tell me how you got into coffee."

Ruffling his own hair as he finally seemed to relax, Waya shrugged. "At first it was just to have a job. I saw them put the sign up and it seemed like destiny since I had just gotten laid off from the clothing store I was working at. But, I did like coffee - do like coffee - so it was interesting to learn all about it. Then, on top of that, I realized you can learn a lot about a person by the coffee they drink."

"Can you really?" Ko tossed his hair back and grinned. "Tell me about that."

Waya cleared his throat. "Well, allergies for one thing. You learn those. Then, some people drink coffee with so much stuff in it that it's not even really coffee anymore and you realize it's because they think coffee has more caffeine than anything else because they haven't looked into it. Some people really just appreciate it because of the taste. I don't know. That part is actually stupid, I guess, but how quickly they order and how they treat the person making their drink? That says a lot, I think."

"They say a man who loves what he does never works a day in his life." Ko frowned as a car crowded into his lane, but made sure to give Waya a small smile afterward.

"And if I loved my job? Then maybe. I like it because it lets me do something that actually involves a skill. I had an offer to work at a host club, but I think that kind of thing is annoying. I'd rather talk to the people I'm actually interested in instead of having to fake it. I used to pass out tissues in front of one, though. It was spring, though, and I kept having to use the tissues because of my allergies." Waya let his fingers run along the edge of the seat belt strap, shrugging.

Ko passed by Waya's coffee shop and cleared his throat. "How much further down the road is it?"

Waya jerked his head up. "Not far. It's only a five minute walk, maybe? Ahead on the right. There's a red sign."

A moment later, Ko spotted it and had to take a moment to find a parking space. Once he put the vehicle into park, he gave himself a moment to sit calmly. "Work... isn't everything. It's what you spend a lot of your time doing so it should be something that at least doesn't make you hate it, but there are other things in life that matter so much more. I'm wondering if I'll regret moving here for my job and leaving everyone behind that I knew." He let himself glance at Waya. "But there are people here who... they could matter, too."

"Yeah?" Waya turned in his seat to meet Ko's gaze.

With a toss of his head, Ko opened his door. "Do I look like the kind of guy who would give just anyone the time of day? Now, come along." He led the way to the restaurant door, using his remote to lock the car behind them.

The tiny woman at the hostess stand sat them, giving particular care to Waya, patting his arm as they sat down. Ko perused the restaurant carefully, leaning close to Waya to say quietly, "It looks the part, at least?"

"Want some soju?" Waya nibbled at his lower lip for a moment before turning to the menu, looking it over.

Ko swallowed roughly, feeling the ache in his throat, but shook his head. "I don't have the head for it, and especially not when I'm driving. You're welcome to it, though." He added on, remembering their earlier conversation, "And I don't care how many people you flirt with as long as you leave with me."

The tips of his ears turning red, Waya nodded. "I think I can do that."

When their waiter came by a moment later, Ko ordered water for himself, soju for Waya, and rattled off a few of his favorite cuts of meat along with a double serving of the pork belly that Waya liked and the traditional side dishes that came along with it. "Anything else, Waya?"

"Extra ssamjang? I like it spicy." Waya scratched the back of his head. "Unless you don't eat it."

With a laugh, Ko added to the waiter, "Extra ssamjang since we both like it spicy."

Waya laughed as their waiter left. "I think I'm glad I met you, Ko."

Ko's tongue slid along his lips quickly. "I know I'm glad that I met you. I... I had had some particularly distressing news that morning."

"Oh?" Waya crossed his arms along the edge of the table and leaned toward Ko. "Is it something you want to talk about?"

Sucking his lip into his mouth, Ko starte to shake his head, but paused. "I don't want to, but I probably should. If we're going to be involved at all, I suppose it's best if you know what's going on with me. My last relationship ended because of me not setting something straight and I don't want to put myself in that place again."

Waya's brow furrowed. "You make it seem like you're dying or a criminal or something!"

Ko's throat throbbed. "Well, I'm not a criminal?" He inhaled sharply at the look on Waya's face. "Cancer. Just a small tumor on my thyroid and it hasn't spread yet. They're operating on Monday to try to take it out. Everything should be fine because I'm young and they caught it early, but... I walked out of the doctor's office before we could even finish talking and I went to get coffee and you were there and I realized that I wasn't ready to give up on the chances that life might give me."

His mouth hanging open slightly, Waya leaned back in his seat, staring at Ko. "I can see where that would be distressing." He laughed awkwardly, nodding gratefully when their drinks arrived and pouring himself a cup of soju, knocking it back with a grimace. "I can't decide if that's sweet or if I feel a little creeped out that you're into me because I made you want to be alive."

"There's no pressure," Ko said softly, his fingers curled around his water glass. "You're free to cut me loose whenever you'd like and I'll still remember you with fondness because there was just something about you that day at that time that I needed and you gave it. I am attracted to you, though. I'm scared because cancer... It's not like a cold or something, but I don't think it will get me yet. I... Just in case, though, I wanted you to know. If that's not something you can deal with in your life right now, I understand you telling me you can't."

Waya was silent until their food came, staring at his hands in his lip and occasionally sneaking a look up at Ko. When he dropped the first bit of meat on the grill, he finally smiled. "I like you. This is fun and happy right now and that's something I do need in my life. With what you're going through, I bet it's something you need, too. We're not talking about forever, but I can see myself sticking around for a little while, at least. Let's try it and see if it works out? I don't give up easily, Ko. I never have. And life has always given me things that aren't quite what I asked for, but end up being even better so it's hard not to have a little faith here." He had arranged more meat on the grill as he spoke, then prepped a lettuce leaf by piling it full of spicy scallion salad and a large smear of ssamjung before adding some of the meat that had finished cooking. He rolled it up and held it up to Ko's lips. "Try?"

Ko's lips pursed for a moment, stuck between feelings as he tried to process Waya's words and actions. In the end, he opened his mouth and let his hand come up to touch Waya's wrist as he took the food into his mouth. He kept his hand on Waya's as he chewed, taking as long as he needed so that the food actually went down. "It is pretty good. Not as good as what I'm used to, but certainly acceptable for now." He let his thumb trace against the bones of Waya's wrist. "After this, how would you feel about coming back to my place?"

Picking up another leaf of lettuce, Waya smiled. "I think I'd probably enjoy it. But, for now, let's eat. I wouldn't want you to have less energy later than you need."

Letting go of Waya's wrist, finally, Ko picked up his own lettuce leaf, filling it up in the much the same way that Waya had. He began to add some of the marinated meats to the grill, inhaling sharply as the marinade sizzled against the surface and filled the air with an enticing scent. The rest of their meal was a rather silent one, though their fingers kept meeting. Ko paid the bill at the end and wet his mouth with the last few drops of Waya's soju. Ko offered his arm to Waya on their way back to his car, but Waya shook it off, walking steadily beside him. "I want to make sure I'm not too inebriated," Waya whispered.

With a laugh, Ko opened the restaurant door for Waya. "You seem to be walking fine. I'm glad of it, both because you aren't a lightweight, and because I want your willingness to do things with me to not be in question."

With a shiver, Waya turned his head to look at Ko. "For not being a native speaker, you have a way with words sometimes."

"It's part of my job, like I said. Talking. Figuring out how to phrase things so that everyone understands. But, sometimes it's fun to confuse people, too." Ko pulled out his keys and hit the button on his remote to unlock the doors.

Sliding into the passenger seat, Waya smirked. "You definitely confuse me."

"Oh?" Ko arranged himself in the driver's seat and raised an eyebrow artfully at Waya. "What have I done that's confusing?"

"Just... liking me like I like you or at least something like it?" Waya rubbed his hand along the back of his neck after putting on his seat belt. "I work at a coffee shop. I'm not exactly a catch."

Ko put the car into drive after putting on his own seat belt. "Since when did your job determine whether you were a catch? You're fun, attractive, outgoing, and you have impeccable taste. You may make coffee for a living, but it's a skill and you possess it so it's nothing to put yourself down for."

Waya's smile glinted even in the low evening light. "And just because you have a stupid tumor doesn't mean you don't get to find someone who might care."

The drive back to Ko's place only took a few more minutes during which Ko would casually glance over at Waya only to find the other man glancing back every time, his smile seemingly bigger with each glance. Parking and entering his apartment seemed to go by in a haze until finally Ko managed to pull Waya into his apartment and shut the door behind them, locking it as he pressed the other man against the door, his lips just brushing Waya's.

Gasping in a soft breath, Waya joined his lips to Ko's and let his arms wend around the man's hips to pull him closer. Ko's arousal made itself evident against the suddenly obvious presence of Waya's erection, and he rolled his hips against Waya's with a groan that only half fell from their connected mouths. Waya's hands were wild against him, clutching and groping and never seeming to find any place they wished to stay, but his mouth was a constant presence as they rutted together, his tongue and lips and teeth making generous contact with Ko's own.

With a groan, Waya came in his pants, his hips twitching against Ko's for a moment longer until Ko joined him in shame. They hadn't even gotten their shoes off. Ko pulled away with a grimace as the sudden dampness of his underwear clung against his sensitive dick awkwardly. "I... I have spare pajamas, if you'd like to spend the night."

Waya leaned back against the door and slid his hand through his hair. "I hope you've got a spare towel so I can take a shower, too. Maybe a spare toothbrush?"

Ko slipped off his shoes and began peeling off his clothes. "I do if you're in the mood to share a shower with me."

"I think I can be in that mood." Waya kicked off his own shoes and lined them up next to Ko's.

When morning came, Ko woke up moments before his alarm was set to go off and stretched his arms out with a smile stretching his face at the same time. He could smell coffee and followed the scent to his kitchen, smirking at the sight of Waya chopping up vegetables and stirring eggs in a glass. "I wasn't aware I was getting breakfast out of this deal. I'm pleased."

Waya added the egg mixture to a pan on the stove, carefully arranging the chopped onions, tomato, peppers, and mushrooms on top, and returned the smirk. "You bought me dinner. I can make you breakfast. The coffee's ready to go if you want some right away." He sucked his lower lip into his mouth. "Your hair... It's cute like that."

Ko reached up to feel that his hair was an utter mess, but laughed because it didn't actually seem to matter much to Waya. "I'm sorry I don't have an espresso machine for you to show off your skills for me."

"So, get one. After your surgery, if everything goes well, get one. I'll teach you how to use it." Waya flipped the top of the omelet over to cover the bottom, looking at Ko curiously.

"Why should I?" Ko padded through the kitchen, his hands sliding easily against Waya's hips and pulling him back the short distance that separated them. "You have that skill. Why can't you be in charge of coffee while I make breakfast?"

Waya leaned against him even as he tilted the omelet onto a plate. "Because I couldn't be here every morning? I have to work, too."

Ko pressed a hesitant kiss against the top of Waya's head. "You make coffee at work. I'd just come see you."

"You only like me for my coffee. I knew it." Waya moved away from the stove to lean against the counter, his lip curling into a smile.

Closing the gap between them once more, Ko leaned down so that his lips were just brushing Waya's as he spoke. "The coffee has nothing at all on the man who makes it." Waya's arms circled his neck and pulled him closer, bringing the kiss to fruition and filling Ko with even more of the hope that Waya had already managed to give him.

Comments

[qem_chibati]

It's been a long time since I've read a coffee shop AU for hikago! This fic is really cute, the ending was full of warm fuzzy feelings. :)


ETA: Sorry, I realise kind of dumbly that I'm ignoring Hikaru no Joe - but I meant the more traditional western fandomy style cafe.