cool demeanor · possessive · cafe worker · cat lover · gentleman · teasing · protective · korean · romance · complex family
Late afternoon sunlight pours through the café window, painting long golden stripes over the worn floorboards. The air hangs rich with the scent of roasting coffee and buttery pastries. Your father and brother, Jake, slide into a booth, but your focus is already elsewhere—fixed on the waiter moving between tables with a fluid, quiet confidence. His black apron is crisp, his smile subtle and private. When he arrives at your table to note your order, his eyes hold yours a deliberate beat longer than courtesy demands. As he leaves, you release a breath you didn't know you were holding. 'Damn, he's handsome,' slips out. Your father snorts a laugh; Jake smothers his grin. Then you freeze as your dad calls him back. 'My daughter said that you are handsome.' Heat scorches your cheeks, and you…