#even though all prior innovations in that vein have only served to make things more competitive

[goldenscript]

coffee wars

↳ prompt: barista rivals au + donghyuck

pairing: lee donghyuck | reader genre: rivals to lovers au / fluff word count: 6,491 description: the ongoing rivalry between you and Lee Donghyuck all comes to a standstill when feelings get involved. author’s note: very loosely based on this prompt!

Everything starts with the flat white.

It’s a small detail, almost easy to miss if someone doesn’t think to look twice. There comes adoration for the ones who take notice, something in the small design on the tops of their coffees seems to tickle their fancies. Thus leading into a snapshot found on Instagram or even making a spotlight on their Snapchat stories. To you, that’s absolutely everything—the details, the response, the damn flat white.

It’s hard to achieve too. The very accents and details are no easy feat, and it’s something you’ve prided yourself in since your mastery of the skill. You have a steady hand and a keen eye for the very designs that come to mind, whether they’re pre-conceived or doodles you’ve been given free reigns on. And because of this, it rubs you the wrong way when you hear customers gush about the Dreamie’s latest innovation. Though you haven’t been working at 127’s that long, you know for damn sure this isn’t their thing. Their appeal is the cute, soft hues of pastel pinks and blues, their bubble letter logo plastered at the top and on the wall aside their hanging menu in the curly font, and the customer service each of the workers offered with a jovial gleam in their eyes and an unsuspecting smile curled on their visages.

Of course, you know it isn’t a coincidence that they emerged with something new. Yuta and Jaehyun still laugh at the memory of the Flat Lines that came out of the Dreamie’s being adventurous, and it was only because of the sudden emergence of a certain auburn-haired boy that those lines were becoming something other than white blobs and laughable outcomes. Since Lee Donghyuck’s arrival, he’s been nothing but an aggravator, a perpetrator, a damn solicitor that relishes in your gritted teeth and firm lips, because the flat white is your thing and he knows it. Everyone knows it.

Yet he still has the gall to gloat, to smile at you from across the street with an all too beautiful curl of your lips that you’d rather choke on than aloud. He’s handsome, you’ll admit (begrudgingly, of course), with sun-kissed skin and a laugh that could swallow you whole in an encompassing warmth if you weren’t reminded of his spite when you saw him and his stupid eyebrow raise on such a daily basis no matter the case. But it comes most especially when you’re both serving customers outside and he hears even just one comment about Dreamie’s, because somehow his hearing supersedes regular ability when a compliment is coming his way in your presence or whenever one of said customers is a regular to your respective establishments and he is the one who gets Mark that day.

It’s ridiculous, really. You’ve never been a jealous person. Competitive, maybe. But sometimes you feel the ugly green monster creep on your shoulder, because it’s like Donghyuck has won over you (in more ways than one). And since both of your employments and your inadvertent inactions, you refuse to back down and lose to him. It’s an instinct, practically second nature at this point. Everyone in both your cafés know the situation albeit find it hard to really comprehend, but you’re often too busy warding off the suggestive comments that implicate there is more than just a platonic rivalry amidst you two, because hell no, are you two dating. (Would you mind it? Probably not. But are you ever going to admit it? N-o. No.)

“Your boyfriend’s staring again,” Yuta muses, nudging your side. It’s like a daily nicety to hear next to “Hi, how are you?” at this point, but it doesn’t stop you from fighting the urge to frown. As expected, the moment you look up to face the pastel building, he’s there in the veranda with a half-smile adorning his visage, and he even goes as far as giving you a wave.

You glare at him in response, trying to ignore the fluttering in your chest as his smile deepens.

Goddammit... it’s too early for this.

—

He’s at it again.

This time the decoration of his cursed flat white actually mirrors yours, but there’s an added design that makes his rendition of Pochacco much cuter than yours. You actually feel your bottom lip pull over your top one because the damn soccer ball is perfect with the piece. It’s hard to admit aloud but, you do give him props for constantly trying to one up you.

Between the character designs and the small messages, you can see how talented he is. Even the gushing from shared customers is almost expected, from the gleam in their eyes at the charming red head of Dreamie’s right down to the influx of comments that come from posts involving his pieces. You feel a spark of envy course through you, a small frown almost always readily forming but what gets you the most isn’t the fact that you wish it was you receiving such a response (because you’ve had enough of it yourself prior to his sudden upheaval), but rather how the very mention of him riles up your heart by a few hundred beats. Of course, you stop yourself from showing your usual look of disdain until you’re not in the presence of the beloved customers.

“He’s at it again?” Mark says, prying you from listening in on the adjacent table’s jabber about your multi-talented rival.

You give a nod, knowing all too well how easily this routine has gone since the start of this three-month back and forth against that cursed boy. Well, not all the beloved customers.

For you and Donghyuck, Mark Lee is the one person who’s been the middleman in your unofficial competition. The very person who can both simultaneously make or break the both of you with a simple photo-op or a blissful smile. He’s the decider, the judge, the customer. And, he is very aware of what is going on between you two. He can’t even pretend he doesn’t see what’s going on either. But the smile poised on his lips is unsuspecting and far from removed on the whole ordeal, and it’s almost as irritating as Jaehyun and Yuta’s pestering about Donghyuck when he—the supposedly rational one in all of this—brings it up too.

Which has been an additional factor to your already pre-established banter, not that it hasn’t lessened its status as a nuisance.

“Any chance of you confessing yet?”

He smirks at you and quirks an upward brow at you shake your head furiously, cheeks growing warm.

Recovering, you glower at him with playfulness shimmering over your narrowed eyes, “Not happening.”

“But when?” he huffs, graciously accepting his usual caramel macchiato. There’s only a simple leaf atop of it, but what comes with his napkin is a small scrawl of “You roast my heart!” inscribed upon it and that’s what earns you a squeaky laugh from the blond. “Okay, that was cute.”

“Thanks,” you grin, secretly thanking Yuta for his endless bounds of coffee-related pick-up lines. At the least, 127’s charismatic charm has always been a winner in that respect. “Better than that punk’s, right?”

He exhales a breathy laugh, shaking his head at you. “Yes, Y/N. Better than his, though not by much.”

“You’re kidding,” you immediately say, tilting your head at him. “He’s getting better at those too?”

Taking a sip of the caramel goodness, a grin so blatantly prominent alongside his cheekbones, “He never sucked in the first place.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve been coerced into the dark side already.” Your jaw drops, earning yet another chuckle thrown into the air. Though you’ve yet to pride yourself in the matter, you find it almost hard to believe that your unbiased customer would be biased so soon.

“No, no,” he shakes his head, simply lifting his shoulders as he eyes you with a gleam of irritable knowledge. “Just waiting.”

“For?” you ask, regardless of the nagging feeling that you already know the answer.  

He replies, as if it were the most simple conclusion: “That way I’ll never have to decide between the both of you.”

“Not happening,” you repeat yourself, this time letting the words roll off your tongue in the form of a scoff. You’ve already decided that you’ve spent far too much time with Mark, thinking through a possible excuse to leave him.

Today’s a slow day, but you needn’t get Taeyong on your ass about talking crap about Donghyuck again. He made you clean up the machines with Doyoung last time, and you literally swore that if you stayed even a minute longer with the guy than you had to, then you would’ve suffered the loss of your two valuable assets, because somehow in that slim figure of his is a mouth that could literally talk anyone’s ears off. It isn’t that you didn’t appreciate the distraction either, what with your daily grievances enacted by a certain someone, but more often than not, his name would come up and you aren’t very sure you can keep up your ongoing façade in how you have absolutely no feelings for him.  

“Wait,” Mark says, dragging you from your thoughts with another question poised on his froth-covered lips. It almost makes you regret hesitating when he continues, “Don’t lie, Y/N. You do like him, don’t you?”

You frown a little, barely enough for anyone but him to see what your expression truly is, as a sense of resolve readily courses through your veins. Of course, a denial is already about to tumble out of your mouth. The only thing that seems to stop you is the fact that this is Mark. Not your co-workers or the Devil himself. In a way, he’s acted as your confidant, your go-to since you both acquainted yourselves with one another.

“So what?” you let out a sigh, dragging your gaze to the pastel hue with your heart picking up as soon as you see Donghyuck hobbling around behind the glass. A grin’s curled on his lips as the customers look at him in wonder. You heard a lot of the interchanging ones always wonder aloud how he could be so damn charming, how his smile is the work of miracles, how his eyes shine like the stars in the skies above, and above all else, just how damn talented he is. And you want to grit your teeth, bite your tongue of all the declinations that could put these compliments to shame, but unwittingly, you’ve found yourself agreeing with these exclamations in the smallest of ways without so much as batting an eyelash and you hate how it proves everyone else’s theories correct and how you’ve broken your own proclamation that Lee Donghyuck would be the last person you ever acquire feelings for and yet here you are, with feelings and Mark’s dark brown eyes eying you with traces of irritatingly blatant smugness. “It isn’t like he’d like me back anyway.”

The words come off more bitter than you would’ve liked, but it’s the truth. The blatantly cliché truth that makes it all the more disheartening to yourself, because you hate being so affected over something so small. It’s actually quite off-putting when Mark even lets loose a brief laugh, raising a brow at you.

“What?”

“You’re joking right?” he asks, tilting his head now.

You don’t like the hope that bubbles up, but you can’t help but play a little dumb and ask, “Do you know something I don’t…?”

Mark relinquishes a rather loud laugh, immediately throwing you off. You swear he’s been hanging out with Donghyuck far too much, because the octave and the volume are becoming far too similar. But you don’t have enough time to voice this suggestion when he casually says, “He likes you too.”

That’s when you find yourself laughing, nothing short of a breathy exhale that lasts no more than a moment but regardless, the very prospect has you recoiling. You don’t deny imagining the possibility of dating him, of him actually liking you back, and of a fantastical relationship between the two of you blooming and flourishing in plentiful ways. But that’s it. The whole thing is fantasy, a dream when one has an indisputable crush on a person they know they shouldn’t and won’t ever have past an oddball rivalry—perhaps a bare minimum of a platonic relationship, really.

“It’s true.”

You half-expected Mark to reiterate this, but it doesn’t stop you from shaking your head. Beyond the doubts and all the rejections that play over in your head, you know there’s nothing worse than getting your hopes up. It’s stilly to even like Donghyuck at all, but here you are doing exactly that. You know you shouldn’t fan the flames and you sure as hell know that you should just let the conversation die down with a sarcastic “Right” before scurrying off to other customers. You should just walk away now instead of letting your own whims and your own heart make the decisions on this matter. And yet, you can’t help but raise a brow at him, eyes narrowed, “And how do you know this?”

You expect the usual, “It’s just a hunch,” as everyone almost always supplements to you every time they voice this same hypothesis. However, you find the evenness and nonchalance of Mark’s tone all too regretful—

“Because he told me.”   

Your mind immediately swims in a pool of thoughts. All of which are trying to make sense of this new information and its validity or lack thereof, but you don’t have a chance to ask. Before you can question him, you feel your pant leg vibrate. Possibly Yuta or Taeyong in need of some extra hands.

Craning your head toward the open doors, you see Jaehyun and Doyoung actually traipsing around before you turn to look at Mark with upturned brows. He waves you off, cheeks prominent as ever, with far too much knowledge behind his coffee brown hues. As if to say, “It’s fine, go do your thing.”  

So, the best thing you offer is a simple: “You have some explaining to do later then.”

—

However, later does not come that day.

Each hour seemed to melt into the next until it was a new day and still nothing to appease the influx of thoughts that had pushed themselves to the forefronts of your mind. Even now at 3 PM and only about an hour and a half until your shift was supposed to end, you still can’t help but cling to the hope that the day can progress faster so you can see that idiot and get the answers you’ve been seeking.

“Mark’s not here?” Jaehyun asks you, raising a brow from the general vicinity. He came about an hour after your shift began and a few hours have passed since 10 AM, drawing your attention toward the expanse of the open front though not far enough to draw your line of sight back to the pastel building.

Dark mahogany wood make up the floor, while high cement-colored walls invited the light seeping in from the large windows adorning the front and the right side of the building. On the left side were a bunch of hanging plants and sets of polaroid photos of customers and employees, some kissed by the viridescent foliage while some of the strings still had room for more. Beside that were the furniture that came all in black steel, high tables with high chairs, though they still couldn’t reach the ceiling lights which were simply hanging light bulbs. There’s even standing tables and charging corners for to accommodate for the nomadic customers.

After all, the constant influx of customers jostling in and out is nothing out of the ordinary, even the ring of the door-top bell is nothing short of white noise to the low hum of chatter collected within the walls. Faces that pass range between daily familiarity to blatant estrangement, friendly and not-so-much, hold no candle to the particular contours of a certain blond-haired boy, who had long since left after you departed him to do a few extra tasks for Taeyong and even the text messages you sent his way had gone unanswered.

Of course, it’s off-putting to see that all of your inquiries have been pushed into today, leaving you with nothing but your damn imagination to run wild at the possibilities of how true it all is. Part of you wants the truth, yearns for it, really. But another part just wants the band-aid ripped off the wound so you can get over the feelings and stave them off until they’re nothing more than cold coals on a fire pit. Instead of dealing with the irksome blazes that’ve done only provoked your hopes and desires, you’re convinced that by having that conversation with Mark then you’ll have that closure you seek, so it makes you sigh at the mention.

“He’s at Dreamie’s today,” you answer, taking a chance by glancing over at the large window again. Past the veranda is the other store’s veranda, dots of people occupying the spaces there as the employees did their best to please everyone. You expect to catch the mop of blond you’ve been so used to seeing every other day, but you don’t fully glance around enough because there’s comes a flash of auburn that has your heart stuttering too quickly after the flash of purple that came beforehand.

Of course, this only encourages your co-worker to raise a brow at you, eyes set with flickers of curiosity and an unnerving knowledge (much like Mark’s). Jaehyun’s always been a little tamer than Yuta with the suggestive jests, but you still can’t help but feel like he knows as much as Mark does and it bugs you to know that everyone else knows more about your situation than you do yourself.

“You okay?”

You nod, tearing your gaze from his out of your own self-preservation.

Admitting your feelings now would be easy, like ripping off a band-aid but for your friends, but it would also mean proving everyone else right. But you know that in doing so you would be putting yourself at risk of an onslaught of encouraging coaxing to confess and you’re not quite sure you need that at the moment. It’s one thing to tell your friends about a crush, but it’s another to tell your actual crush (read: work rival) about it.

You’ve imagined how the event would go down plenty of times. Your own imagination nothing short of what you know would happen. There’s very likely prospect of getting laughed at or even just teased by someone who was already surpassing you at your own thing. Of which felt more like a double wound to your pride.

You told yourself from the beginning that he would be the last person you have feelings for. From the few passing conversations you had, there was nothing in the words that would’ve suggested anything either, unless you counted sassy quips and back-and-forth’s that would sometimes drive your mutual friends into the ground in fits of laughter. And to feel an ounce of something more than bare amusement is odd and foreign, but it feels too good to talk yourself out of any of it.

It proves everyone else right, and you hate that it was like you missed out on all of the obvious sign, that now that you’ve fallen into everyone else’s expectations that the expectation that you have to confess will be your own downfall. After all, why would Donghyuck like you back?

So, you ask, carefully, “Why wouldn’t I be?”

He shrugs and leans against the counter. Although you want to pretend that there’s nothing wrong and that you have customers to attend to, there’s nothing the moment your gaze flits to the main lobby.

Customers sit at the tall mahogany tables, chattering with white porcelain cups in hand and the steel utensils for those who ordered some of the buttery pastries in your artillery. They appear happy and unbothered by minor strifes, completely oblivious to any form of conundrum going on in the confines of your mind and body, which, of course, you expected but it still makes you yearn to be like them. Or, at the least, distracted by them. Instead, they’re all content without your assistance even as you wish it was the exact opposite.

“So, I’m guessing Mark finally talked to you about Hyuck?”

The term of endearment breaks your gaze away from the window, a part of you thanking Jaehyun but another part of you suspicious now. You don’t even stop yourself as you ask, “How did you—?”

“—Relax, we’ve just been nagging him to,” he replies, showcasing a dimpled grin that you probably would’ve found adorable on any other day. Unfortunately, this was not the one. He knows far too much and you’re not sure if it’s because of your own actions or Mark’s big mouth; either way, you feel nervous. “Plus, it’s obvious. You and Hyuck.”

“Me and Donghyuck…” You frown a little as he nods, thus able to dispel your own nerves. “We’re not anything. He doesn’t even like me like that.”

It’s supposed to be a normal response, an ordinary one, an unexpected one. And yet, the way it falls off your lips and tumbles out into the bustling air, it’s nothing short of off and unnatural. You immediately regret it as soon as you feel your stomach flip.

“Are you sure about that?” he asks, eyes gone a little wide. “Wait, did you talk to Hyuck already?”

“No.” You shake your head, giving the shop another once over in case you catch sight of that punk you call a friend. Again, you’re left empty-handed. But it doesn’t stop your gaze from drifting to the head of auburn that is now scurrying around his building’s veranda, with a smile adorning his sun-kissed face and eyes shining even from the three-meter distance. “I’m just saying it isn’t likely. Well… at least ‘till yesterday when Mark said he did.”

When your gaze returns back to Jaehyun, barely missing the way he lets out a deep sigh of what you could classify as relief, he takes that as his chance to offer: “Well, you can try after work? Maybe you’ll catch him then.”

You suppose he’s right, biting your bottom lip as you consider finding your friend and getting those answers you’ve been seeking. Although a part of you actually wonders if Jaehyun means talking to Mark or Donghyuck. Another part wonders if you’re just hoping that he means the latter.

There’s just a particular gleam of impishness that makes you lean on the latter, but you can’t even ask if there’s more to what he’s getting on because his pager vibrates right then. An apologetic look washes over his face as he mouths an actual apology before stepping away from the counter. He gives the top of your head a ruffle, probably going off to see what Taeyong needs help with since neither Yuta or Doyoung are in just yet. To which you’re grateful for, because if they heard the conversation that just transpired, they’d be on your ass about all of it.

And soon enough, an influx of customers hitting the 2 PM slump come bustling in, hushing away all the thoughts as orders and designs become your top priority.

—

The day has fallen into the half-past four sunset, dusting the once light sky skies with streams of muted shades of tawny and terracotta. A bare chill now breezing across the stilling city streets and even the white noise of the customers has been muted out by Jhené Aiko’s “While We’re Young” for the ambiance.

You’re seated at an empty table on the veranda, closest to the open gates with the prospects of getting your resolution. Then, of course, going home and into bed, because this day has become much harder than you anticipated. All you’ve had on your mind is Lee Donghyuck. And to you, that’s uncharacteristic, it’s silly. You dislike this aspect of having a crush, because you don’t want to be so distracted by someone. It felt easier before you had a crush on him when all you thought about was how to one-up him and get more praise, get those Snapchat story photos and Instagram photos, and get the satisfaction and the thrill of knowing that this was merely a friendly competition and you were winning it.

Though instead of looking for Mark as you originally planned, you remain where you are as you listen to your customers on the veranda chatting incessantly about the new designs you concocted for them. They love it. They even love the small little pick-up lines you’ve scribbled onto some of the napkins, and it’s all the more gratifying when there’s a few quick pops of flashes of the set-up.

It all reminds you of a simpler time.

Meeting him as nothing more than an entity more notably referred to as Mark’s friend, only to pique interest at Mark’s drop of the fact that you specialized in flat whites. The sudden attention both confused and interested you because you had never met someone so bent on competing with practically a stranger. Then, came the teasing that you had no problem offering in return, because it’s a natural reflex. This only seemed to encourage Donghyuck, making it all too normal for the two of you to exchange and repertoire only you two could decipher at times. Slipped in between the seams came this unofficial competition for Mark, the two of you trying to convince the blond to come to 127’s or Dreamie’s whenever you could just because it would get on the other’s nerves when they weren’t chosen. Somehow you both couldn’t stop sending your mutual friend scribbled on napkins with doodles and pick-up lines—anything to keep him coming until Mark ultimately decided to remain the middleman. Each piece commemorated by with a photo posted to Instagram just for the other’s viewing pleasure, and perhaps that is where everything stops being so simple. Of course, it happened so unwittingly and so minutely, it blurs afterwards until you noticed the influx of attention coming from Dreamie’s and their adorable flat whites. Then, it just became clearer. The rivalry became more potent. And all you could really want out of each day you two worked simultaneously was winning over him.

Because so suddenly his eyes gleamed with more than just devilment, his smile less irksome, and even his own designs have become more and more commendable. All those small details you once noticed in passing have pushed forth and become everything you think whenever you see him. Like how his nose scrunches just a little when he laughs at something you’ve said or how he blinks instead of winks when he’s trying to provoke you from across the street. Even his laugh, a sound you swore was nothing more than siren in the tranquility of your vicinity is now one you can hear jovially.

In short, Lee Donghyuck has snuck up on you. Not only as a fellow competitor, but as the reason you look forward to coming to work, as the reason why you try to make your jokes even wittier and your designers even better, and as the reason you feel more than just a racing heart and a bundle nerves. He makes you feel, and it’s the first time in a very long time that you can admit to yourself right now. And it’s for all these reasons that you’re not all that sure what to do with any of the information, whether he likes you back or not, or if this is just a passing phase that’ll pass, you don’t care or mind.

All you know is that you like Lee Donghyuck, and as much as you hate admitting it, you do hope he likes you back.

Letting out a deep sigh, you send Mark a text that you’ll be waiting in front of the gate before rising from your spot and moving to the one about a yard from the straight-lettered plaque that reads the store’s name. With no one is congregating on the sidewalk, it gives you enough room to tie your shoelaces and idle around as you wait for a response until the sound of your name pierces the air.

Clear and smooth from the speaker as nothing, not even the passing cars from the adjacent street break into the syllables. It’s paired with the small taps that come to a halt about two feet from you, but the very voice makes you unable to pull your head up because you’re hoping it isn’t who you think it is.

“And here I thought we had a good thing going,” you hear Donghyuck say, effectively snatching your attention from the laces. You feel your heart somersault in synchronization with your stomach, because there he is. The damn devil himself. All dressed to an expected combination of a flannel and a pair of jeans in place of the black slacks and button-down, and still quite handsome nonetheless.

Your brows immediately knit together as his words register and you reply, “Are you okay or have you been breathing in too much froth?”

“I am definitely not okay considering you cheated on this Mark agreement,” Donghyuck huffs, watching as you give the laces a final tug. His gaze remains trained on you as you rise to full height, though you still dwarf him.

“He wasn’t with me,” you shake your head, brows furrowing even more now. “I was here waiting for him.”

He doesn’t say anything right away, rather his hickory hues wash over your visage in the softest way. You don’t think you’ve seen it since the last time you hung out with Mark and the other workers of the Neo franchise about a month ago. But that time came after Yuta and Doyoung cornered you and Donghyuck together. You can’t remember what they said exactly but they kept trying to talk the two of you into finally admitting your love for each other, and all you could respond with were insults and snarky quips just to get them off your back. He went with it at the least.

“Oh,” he says, quite plainly. Very uncharacteristic of him. “Um, well… what kinda bone do you have to pick with him anyway? I’ll defend his honor.” 

You crack a half-smile, enjoying the way the street lamps wash over his feature and cast a warm light over him.

His eyes light up just a bit, making him raise a brow at you in expectancy.

“It’s about you, superstar.”

He blinks immediately, “Me?”

You nod, deciding that maybe it is now or never, and if you won’t get answers from Mark then could it really hurt to ask the source himself?

“He told me something interesting about you,” you pause, gathering your courage and strengthening the resolve. Even with the light fading, you can’t help but feel ease as you remain standing before him.

Many times you’ve experienced crushes, you’ve had heartbreak, and they’re different and all in their tiers. Liking someone has always been one of your favorite things, because you get see a person for who they are, especially in such a close-knit environment like being co-workers. You have a formulaic way of confessing, the sort that has you blurting it all out in one go because it’s better to just rip off the band-aid and take the consequences. Although your previous hesitations have done nothing to assuage the anxieties, you take a deep breath. “He said you have a crush on me.”

“Yeah?” he says, a timidness coating the question in a way that makes you wonder what is going on through his mind.  “What’d you say?”

“Yeah,” you reply, voice suddenly wavering. “I—well, I didn’t have a chance to really respond. I was surprised. I figured he was lying or joking or whatever.”

He doesn’t say anything in response. His bottom lip is pulled between his teeth and his gaze has flitted to the plaque beside you, and his gaze tracing the metallic lettering than meeting your inquisitive eyes.

“Was he?” you try once more, tilting your head just a little in hopes of catching his eye.

He gulps, releasing his lip to relinquish a sigh.

“Donghyuck?”

His eyes snap to yours as soon as he releases his own soft sigh, “Remind me never to tell that blabber mouth secrets, yeah?”

You have your answer. Right there. But instead of responding or even nodding, you let him continue, “He wasn’t—it’s true.”

“Seriously?” you ask, almost tempted to reach over and pinch your forearm for fear that maybe this is one of those cruel dreams that’ve been plaguing your subconscious every so often. But you know he means it when he nods, meeting your eyes in a solemn enough way for you to understand he does mean it, that Mark really wasn’t joking, and that has your heart thundering even louder than you thought it could. “W-why?”

He laughs, a genuine sound that urges a small smile out of you.

“What?”

“Why?” he asks as the corners of his lips curl into a smile. “Y/N, why not?”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” you retort, tempted to roll your eyes at him. Although you’re a completely wrecked mess right now, you can’t help but feel so normal with him. The very atmosphere of the conversation is much like any other that you’ve had, minus the previous hiccup but that alone reminds you of the party. It felt like there was a lot that could’ve been said between you two, and yet the pressure of everyone else made it hard. “Seriously, why?”

Instead of answering your question, he replies with his own, “Well, do you like me back?”

You scoff, “I asked you first.”

“And I asked you second,” he says with a shrug even as you shoot him a small eye roll. “Do you or don’t you?”

You open your mouth, readying a response but all you can do is clamp your mouth shut and feel the blood from your body linger on the apples of your cheeks. Goddammit…

He tries after a moment of your self-imposed silence, “Y/N?”

You nod, looking away from his eyes, “I do.”

He blinks, “What?”

“I do,” you repeat, slightly louder than your soft murmur.

He leans in closer, now only a foot away, “What was that? I didn’t hear you.”

“I do,” you say, feeling your own cheeks getting warmer. But you remain where you are.

“You do what?” he asks, gaze softening on you.

You let out a deep sigh as your own body courses with newfound courage; then, you say, “I like you, Donghyuck.”

“Wha—” Your eyes narrow, as if to tell him, “don’t push it,” earning yet another beautiful laugh from him. “You know… I like you for a lot of reasons, and that’s one of them.”

“You like me being mean to you?” Your brows screw together, even your hand is ready to lay atop his forehead for fear that he might be delirious with a fever but before you can, he stops you. His cheeks getting a little pink even with the peachy light on his visage as you don’t even bother pulling your hand away.

“Because you’re yourself with me, I like that. You don’t shy away from saying what’s on your mind and I—well, I like being around you,” he explains, letting your hands fall in between the twelve-inch, though they still have yet to slip from each other’s grasps. You like how it feels in yours. “And I guess I have a funny way of showing all those feelings, but I hoped it would catch your attention.”

Your nose scrunches for a moment before a smile adorns your visage in a way that matches his, swelling your heart and earning yet another soft sigh to pass your lips.

“It worked, alright?” You admit to him, “And I’m so glad I wasn’t the only one who caught feelings. I feel like my heart might burst out of my chest.”

He nods vigorously and releases a deep breath, “Me too! I dunno if I should thank Mark or kick his butt for spilling my secret though.”

“Let’s do it together then. It’s what he gets for giving me a heart attack,” you grin, giving his hand a squeeze. “And while we’re at it, how about a date afterwards?”

“Perfect,” he smiles as you both turn toward the bus stop at the end of the street. “How does boba sound?”

“Like my cup of tea,” you reply with a small, breathy laugh. He playfully rolls his eyes at you, but he remains at your side. The two of you are happier than ever.

Perhaps now you two can call this war a draw.

—

“Will you show me how to do that soccer ball with Pochacco?” you ask, only lurching forward as the bus roars to life and carries the two of you back to the university.

He taps his chin for a moment, gaze falling away from your own as you wait expectantly.

“Well you show me how to do the perfect flat white?”

You tilt your head at him, “Perfect? How am I gonna do that? You’re pretty good already.”

“Okay, but,” he pauses, “yours are perfect. Can you show me how to do that?”

“I suppose I can try…” you reply, only meeting his hickory eyes for a moment before you look elsewhere. “It might take some time though.”

“I don’t mind. It’s time spent well with you,” he admits, smiling as you do. He can’t seem to get enough of the flush that falls upon your cheeks, happier than ever when you look away indignantly.

“You’re too much,” you sigh, nodding regardless. “But yeah, let’s do that sometime. Maybe then you won’t make any more of those atrocious Flat Lines.”

He clutches his chest, exaggerating a gasp as you try to remain as impassive to the gesture though it works only by a bare minimum. “I am hurt.”

“It’s the truth,” you say, lifting your shoulders slightly.

“I bet I can make a perfect one after one lesson.”

“Oh really?” You raise a brow at him, noting the way he fights against his own self-preservation just to prove you wrong.

He nods, though the courage on his features don’t meet his words, “Y-yeah! And you gotta make a perfect Pochacco soccer ball after one lesson too.”

“Alright,” you smirk, fully knowing that you might lose but seeing the determination etched on his features is enough to keep you agreeing. You can’t help but adore his sheer tenacity. “It’s on.”

Maybe the war isn’t quite over yet after all… not that you mind it anyway.

[emulatingrizal-blog]

Globalization and the Jeepney Modernization Program

An Argumentative Essay by Jayna R. Bulaon 

An issue in the contemporary Philippine society that has garnered quite an audience is the incumbent administration’s plan to phaseout dilapidated jeepneys and replacing them with modern ones. In this paper, an assertion that the pending Jeepney Modernization Program brought forth by the government is anti-poor is to be established. Though it does not take a genius to realize the many advantages of the aforestated program, the expected disadvantages it would generate greatly outweigh the pros. Majority of the Philippine population is, after all, below the poverty line and as such, the projected solution to the traffic and environmental dilemmas of the country should not be the executive’s political imperative. It is important to note that such program has adverse consequences on the livelihood and/or daily lives of many of our brethren, most of whom are members of the working class, and whose income barely account for the required minimum for their subsistence. What the country needs is an improved transportation system, and not just a policy that would replace the traditional jeepneys. The Jeepney Modernization Program is merely a band-aid solution – an accurate manifestation of this administration’s disregard for the welfare of the oppressed and the marginalized, the very people whose votes led to the rise of Duterte and his allies.

To look at the issue of jeepney phaseout merely at the surface is to analyze the matter at hand inaccurately. The simplicity of the issue is only skin-deep; in reality, intricate links between it and various concepts may be realized. Concepts such as globalization and modernization shall be introduced to further dissect the issue on jeepney phaseout.

Of all the phenomena the contemporary world politics has witnessed since the dawn of the late 20th century, globalization seems to be the most discernable. Its prevalence has since sparked a wide range of discourse among scholars in the field of political science and other related fields of study. Its popularity as a phenomenon comes with the contestation of its key definition. Philip Cerny links globalization to territoriality and the shift of authority. He claims that the latter transitions from the national level to the international level, greatly engaging sovereign nations in the global stage. (p. 5, Cerny in Reich, 1998) Dr. Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan mirrors Cerny’s globalization-territoriality tandem when he proposed this definition: “Globalization is a process that encompasses the causes, course, and consequences of transnational and transcultural integration of human and non-human activities.” (p. 2, Al-Rodhan, 2006). Taking a historical approach in defining globalization, Philip McMichael deems the concept as an ‘economic counterpart’ to the Cold War, that upon the failure of communist countries came the rise of capitalist economy. In that vein, it can be implied that capitalism is, in itself, linked to globalization (pp. 6-7, McMichael in Reich, 1998) These interpretations are only three (3) out of a great quantity of definitions put forth by different scholars and laymen alike, and were chosen for the purpose of setting forth a working definition of one (1) of the key concepts in this paper.

The definitions put forth by the aforementioned scholars linked globalization to political concepts such as territoriality and shift in authority, as well as historical concepts such as the Cold War. Another issue linked to globalization has an economic dimension - modernization. In fact, a lot of people deem these two (2) as twin concepts; they go alongside, and more often than not, complement each other – much like spoon and fork, wine and cheese, or perhaps puto and dinuguan. Some authors assert that there is no apparent difference between globalization and modernization aside from the fact that the former is inclined to emphasize transnational relationships, while the latter may exist even in the local scene. Furthermore, the latter focuses on the innovation of products by virtue of aesthetic and performance enhancement, which, as what has previously been established, may be possible even without – but may be bolstered by –transnational influence. The inextricable linkage between the two (2) concepts make the advancement of one trigger the advancement of the other. Whether that is a good or a bad thing solely depends on the person from whom the interpretation will come.

In the name of modernization, a call for jeepney phaseout was made by the incumbent administration. Not only that, but this program is said to target the traffic problem of the Philippines. It is not a secret that since time immemorial, heavily congested roads have been the most prominent feature of Metro Manila and other highly urbanized localities. The problem was so severe that - for many times now - it has earned the interest of international journalists, with them naming it ‘the worst traffic on Earth’. There have been suggestions – reeking of notoriety – that the traditional jeepneys, aptly named Hari ng Kalsada, have only served to aggravate the intensity of the traffic dilemma. While number-coding and other schemes have been implemented by the government prior to the suggestion to phase out jeepneys, none has been proven effective.

Another target of the aforementioned modernization program is the environmental concerns that plague contemporary Philippine society. Traditional jeepneys contribute to air pollution due to their unchecked vehicle muffler and exhaust pipe. The government asserts that with the phasing out of such jeepneys comes the introduction of e-jeepneys which make use of Euro-4 compliant engines. They claim that these e-jeepneys are a more economical and environment-friendly alternative to the traditional ones.

While the idea of modernization, especially to address ecological concerns, is hardly negative, when framed against the current state of the Filipinos, does not seem to be positive as well as it would greatly affect the citizenry, most of whom rely on the services that jeepneys and jeepney drivers never fail to deliver. And while the administration promises modernization, it fails to acknowledge the cultural and practical purposes that jeepneys have served thus far. Furthermore, it would be beneficial if the government could shoulder the costs of purchasing the new e-jeepneys, but that does not seem to be the case. The manong drivers, most, if not all of whom are minimum wage earners would have to shell out for it. It has an effect on the commuters as well; since the vehicles that jeepney drivers would have to use are overpriced – at par with semi-luxurious vehicles – they would have to charge way higher than the normal fare. Such negligence on the part of the government to consider the externalities of their suggested program is unsolicited and merits an act of disapproval.

It does not help that the pronouncements regarding the matter of President Duterte and his ally are unquestionably anti-poor; it is a slap in the face of the oppressed and the marginalized, most of whom helped bolster his reign. The very people who are going to be mostly affected by the modernization program are the ones whose cause he promised to champion. The administration failed to acknowledge that modernization is not always tantamount to development. The jeepney phaseout scheme is not the government’s first attempt to engage in modernization. A few years back, new coaches for the railway system have been purchased, yet it still did not provide convenience on the part of the daily commuters. Additionally, the government’s partnership with private enterprises which helped finance the new coaches proved to be detrimental; rise in fare was inevitable and commuters, thereafter, were increasingly unable to afford it because while fare continued to rise, their incomes have not. This proves that technology is not the sole determinant of development. This challenges the government’s claim that the modernization program is set to mirror the development of the country. The total betterment of people’s lives, which includes higher standards of living, should be a political imperative. After all, what better way to measure development than a people’s standards of living?

The pros and cons of the jeepney modernization program were presented to support the fact that the cons outweigh the pros that the program entails. While this paper does not seek to vilify the administration in their efforts to push for modernization, it challenges the government to promote inclusivity in implementing policies. Furthermore, it heuristically implores the government to stop proposing band-aid solutions – many of which are anti-poor – to long-standing issues in the contemporary Philippine society. And while the idea of globalization and modernization are tempting, local issues shall first and foremost be addressed. Just like how individuals relate better with other people once they have achieved self-actualization, the Philippines would better perform in the global arena once it has indigenized its social policies.

References

Reich, S. (1998). What is globalization? Retrieved November 5, 2017, from https://kellogg.nd.edu/sites/default/files/old_files/documents/261.pdf

Al-Rhodan, N. (2006). Definitions of Globalization: A Comprehensive Overview and a Proposed Definition. Retrieved November 5, 2017, from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.472.4772&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Canivel, R. & Yee, J. (2017). Eco-friendly vehicle to replace jeepneys. Retrieved November 5, 2017, from http://business.inquirer.net/231685/eco-friendly-vehicle-replace-jeepneys

Syed, S. (2017). End of the road for Jeepneys in the Philippines? Retrieved November 5, 2017, from http://www.bbc.com/news/business-23352851

Rey, A. (2017). Junk current version of PUV modernization program – Piston. Retrieved November 5, 2017, from https://www.rappler.com/move-ph/185460-philippines-transport-strike-october-2017-piston-junk-puv-modernization

Talabong, R. (2017). Is the PUV modernization program 'anti-poor?'. Retrieved November 5, 2017, from https://www.rappler.com/nation/173888-puv-modernization-program-anti-poor