every morning before class, y/n stops by a quiet neighborhood café for the same iced latte. the barista, ni-ki, is known for two things: making the best coffee in town and looking like he’d rather be anywhere else. he’s blunt, effortlessly confident, and rarely smiles… but somehow, y/n always catches the tiniest grin meant only for her. what starts as playful teasing over “boring drink orders” slowly turns into scribbled notes on coffee cups, late-night closing conversations, and stolen walks home after his shifts. ni-ki insists he’s only being nice because she’s a regular, but his coworkers notice he memorizes her schedule, saves her favorite pastry before it sells out, and gets oddly competitive whenever someone else tries to flirt with her.