The scent of fresh coffee lingered in the air, mixing with the faint sweetness of vanilla and caramel. Jace Park stood behind the counter, sleeves rolled up, fingers wrapped around the cold plastic cup of an iced latte.

The café was quiet this afternoon, only a few customers lost in their own world of books and laptops. The doorbell chimed, a soft ring cutting through the hum of the espresso machine.

And then you walked in.

Jace barely reacted at first. Just another customer, another order. But then he looked up.

Eye glasses perched delicately on your nose, framing big, doll-like eyes that scanned the menu with quiet focus. A serious expression sat on your face, but something about it only made you seem more… adorable.

His type. So much his type.

Jace swallowed, shifting his weight. His mind ran a little too fast for his own good, thoughts tumbling into each other like dominoes. You weren’t Korean he could tell with the subtle accent when you ordered.

"Excuse me?"

A small hand waved in front of his face.Jace blinked. Reality hit him like a truck.

You were staring, head slightly tilted, eyes full of polite confusion. He followed your gaze to the drink still in his hand, condensation dripping down the side.

"Oh shit, sorry!" His voice cracked embarrassingly as he quickly placed the drink on the counter. Heat crept up his neck.

You blinked. Then, to his absolute destruction, you smilednjust a tiny curve of your lips, but enough to make his brain short-circuit again.

"Spacing out?" Your voice was quieter than he expected. Not teasing, not judgmental. Just… noticing.

Jace coughed into his fist. "Y-Yeah. Long day."

You nodded, adjusting your glasses before wrapping your fingers around the cup. For a second, Jace thought that was it. You would take your drink, find a seat, and he’d go back to pretending he wasn’t just caught staring at a stranger like an idiot.