The bell above the door chimed as Jun Yang walked into the café. He was not one to frequent places like this but in the past few weeks, he had visited this place twice already. Jun Yang was not sure how he was to make of that observation.
The woman that he assumed to be owner came to welcome him again. "Welcome…"
The woman's voice faded away because Jun Yang was busy trying to spot whether Feng Qi was there or not. His purpose of being there was to help Feng Qi study so for that to work, the man had to be there. Jun Yang eventually found Feng Qi working behind the counter, the latter had his head lowered so he did not spot Jun Yang.
The woman noticed Jun Yang had been spacing out on her and been staring behind her so she followed his gaze and realized he was looking at her best employee. Things started to click and the words Feng Qi told her some time back popped up in her mind.
She smiled to herself as she turned back. Then she coughed to get the young man's attention. "Are you here with us alone or will your other friends be joining us?" She asked.
Jun Yang fumbled out an answer, "I'm here alone."
The woman nodded with a knowing smile. There seemed to be a meaning behind it but Jun Yang was unable to grasp what it was. To make matters even more confusing, the woman added, "I'm Miss M, the owner of this humble café."
Jun Yang had no idea why the lady was introducing herself. 'Is she that friendly to all her customers?' the young man thought.
Then, she said something that made Jun Yang become slightly worried. "I have a feeling you're going to be a regular here so I thought we better get acquainted." She smiled before adding, "Well, why don't you come with me. I'll show you to your table."
While Jun Yang followed her, his brain was turning. 'Why would she say something like that?' Then he latched onto a hypothesis that frankly scared him a little. 'Could it be because Feng Qi has said something to her about me? Something like telling her I am his boyfriend?! Well, the man is shameless enough to do something like that.'
For some reason, Jun Yang felt like explaining himself. He wanted to tell her he was only a normal friend of Feng Qi's. However what if Feng Qi did not say those things, then wouldn't he be making the situation more awkward?
Before Jun Yang could come to a decision, they already arrived at the table. Jun Yang took his seat and Miss M handed him the menu. "Call for me or Feng Qi when you've made your decision on what to order." Then, Miss M wandered away.
'Why did she purposely drop Feng Qi's name? I didn't once mention his name, did I?' Jun Yang was about to wreck his brain to figure this out. He always got so flustered when it came to anything related to Feng Qi.
Then, he told himself to calm down. The easiest way to do that was to throw himself into something that he was familiar and comfortable with. In this case, it would be his studies.
Jun Yang put the menu aside and took out textbooks and stuff from his school bag. Soon the table was filled with various stationeries.
He flipped open a book and started to read before it proved too difficult to do so. Knowing Feng Qi was just at his periphery was too much of a distraction. Eventually, acting so out of place for himself, Jun Yang picked up one of the bigger textbooks and hid himself behind it, and poked his eyes out.
It was so ludicrous, he felt like such a stalker. Jun Yang chastised himself as his eyes sought out the man's movement. At the time, Feng Qi was still working behind the counter. There was a serious countenance on his face as he focused on his work. Jun Yang had never seen that expression on Feng Qi before, definitely not at school and for that brief moment, he thought, 'God, he is so handsome.'
When Jun Yang heard himself, his ears started to burn. 'What the hell am I thinking?'
Suddenly, Miss M called Feng Qi's name and Jun Yang turned towards her along with Feng Qi.
She was servicing a table filled with girls who looked to be slighter younger than Jun Yang. They were giggling shyly among themselves. Miss M waved Feng Qi over and Feng Qi obliged.
He strode over to the table and started to take the girls' orders. He was charming and professional.
Now Jun Yang understood why Miss M was able to accept the request made by Pei Ling so well last time they were here. It seemed like it was quite often for the customers, especially girls to request for Feng Qi to be their server.
Objectively speaking, Jun Yang could understand why. He was not ashamed to admit that Feng Qi was quite an attractive person. Seeing the group of girls lavish their attention on Feng Qi, Jun Yang felt something akin to pangs of jealousy in his heart.
Jun Yang shook his head before his mind started to wander down this dangerous rabbit hole. 'He is merely providing a service that is expected from him as a waiter…' Then his mind wandered to other thoughts, 'Why is he working here? Is there a reason as to why he chose this place to work at?'
Jun Yang was so wrapped up in his thought that he did not notice Feng Qi had already finished the girls' order. While he was walking back to the counter, Feng Qi's eyes glanced his way and for a moment, they lit up with recognition.
Jun Yang had no idea that he had been exposed.
A movement from his side interrupted Jun Yang's thought. Someone slid a mug of drink onto his table. Jun Yang's eyes moved involuntarily towards it and it was a mug of hot chocolate with tiny marshmallows arranged in the shape of a heart floating on the surface.