Chapter Text
Chapter 1: The Incident in the Alley
The universe was inherently a cruel, unfeeling theater, and Park Gunwook was its most dedicated leading actor.
At twenty two years old, standing a towering 184 centimeters with the broad shoulders of an athlete and the internal disposition of a Victorian maiden prone to the vapors, Gunwook took his job as a barista very seriously.
He could handle a rush at Bean & Belong with the stoic, unbothered grace of a seasoned general. Dozens of complex espresso orders, demanding customers, and a malfunctioning milk steamer? Easy.
But drop a single, perfectly pulled espresso shot onto the hem of his favorite forest-green linen apron?
"Jiwoong-hyung," Gunwook gasped, dramatically clutching his chest as he stared at the espresso bar. "Look at it. Just look at it."
Kim Jiwoong, who was untying his apron and desperately wanting to go home, sighed. "Gunwook, it’s a single dropped espresso shot. The apron is washable."
"It was my favorite apron!" Gunwook dropped to his knees, burying his face in his hands. "The universe is testing me. It’s a stain on my soul, Hyung. A literal and figurative stain."
"Right. Well, the soul stained barista is on trash duty," Kim Jiwoong said, not looking up from where he was meticulously counting the register draw.
Jiwoong was twenty eight, tired, and possessed the emotional baseline of a boulder. "It’s 9:05 PM. We closed five minutes ago. If you don't take out the coffee grounds, I am going to lock you in here."
"You have no poetry in your soul, hyung," Gunwook sighed, heavily pushing himself to his feet. He wiped a non existent tear, grabbed the heavy industrial trash bag full of spent espresso grounds, and unlocked the heavy metal back door that led to the alleyway.
It was pouring. The rain beat a rhythmic, depressing tattoo against the brick walls of the alley.
Gunwook hoisted the bag into the dumpster, shivering as a stray gust of wind caught his collar. He was just about to turn back into the warm, roasted-bean-scented sanctuary of the cafe when he heard it.
A sharp, wet, pathetic hiss.
Gunwook froze. He looked down. Tucked into the narrow, damp space between the dumpster and the brick wall was a bundle of dark, soaked fabric.
No, not just fabric.
Two triangular, jet black feline ears twitched violently, trying to shake off the rain. A long, slender black tail was wrapped tightly around a pair of drawn-up knees.
"Oh, my god," Gunwook breathed, his internal monologue instantly turning into a roaring symphony of tragedy. "An angel cast out into the elements."
The "angel" raised his head, and Gunwook’s breath caught.
He was small maybe 171 centimeters if he stretched and fiercely beautiful, despite the dark bruises blooming across his jawline and the tattered state of his oversized clothes. His eyes, sharp and intensely heavy, narrowed into an aggressive glare.
"What are you staring at, Bigfoot?" the hybrid spat, his voice raspy but dripping with defensive sarcasm. "Keep walking."
Gunwook gasped it was dramatic, a hand flying to his chest. "How can you say such harsh words when you are shivering like a leaf? The cruelty!"
Without a single thought for his own safety or the hybrid's sharp teeth, Gunwook’s innate sense of quiet devotion took over. He stepped forward, bent down, and scooped the hybrid up like a sack of potatoes.
"Hey! What the hell—put me down!" Matthew shrieked as Gunwook bent over, scooped the hybrid up like a sack of potatoes, and turned on his heel.
"Jiwoong-hyung! I am taking an executive emergency leave!" Gunwook goes into the back door of the cafe, marching past a stunned Jiwoong with a spitting, flailing black cat hybrid slung over his shoulder.
"Hey! Let me down, you giant gorilla! I will shred your curtains! I will rip your throat out!" Seok Matthew, twenty-five years old, exhausted, and terrifyingly underweight, shrieked, flailing weakly.
"You can shred whatever you want, little cat," Gunwook muttered, his dramatic internal monologue shifting instantly into fierce, protective mode. "But you're not freezing to death on my shift."
"I am going to murder you!" Matthew yelled.