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Magister is one of the fairly popular restaurants in the campus. Situated near the student dorms, it’s expanded over the years to how it is now - from a 20 person accommodation to 100. They boast affordable prices, great food, and comfortable seats. It isn’t surprising to see butts planted on chairs for hours as they also offer coffee and snacks.
Being within walking distance from the dorms, there’s a large number of frequent customers and the staff has memorized most names and faces. They’ve even gone as far as memorizing orders. It’s become a fairly easy task as time passes. There are new faces now and then - those who got recommended to try out the place. Those become familiar, sooner or later, always going back.
One such a person habitually comes on Wednesdays at different times with different orders. It’s been 2 months since the man in rather stylish clothes entered the establishment and none still know of his name or of who he is. At times, during breaks, the employees would gather round in the kitchen and, as they nibble on snacks, would concoct colorful assumptions behind the still unnamed man.
“I’m still betting he’s an undercover agent on a super top secret mission involving criminals disguised as students.” Park Chanyeol, cashier and busboy of Magister, comes up with the most ridiculous stories out of them all. His stories are as exuberant as he is.
“And what if it turns out he’s actually the disguised criminal and another person is the undercover agent?” Oh Sehun, part-time busboy and delivery boy, likes shooting down Chanyeol’s theories. But he also contributes to the growing list of absurdities. He’s a lowkey troublemaker. “I think he’s one of those weird students who keep on randomly spouting nonsense.”
“Agreed!” Byun Baekhyun, busboy and kitchen help, is Chanyeol’s partner-in-crime. They end up getting reprimanded by the owner a lot with their boundless energy. But they make the restaurant as lively as it is so they get away with their antics more often than not. “He always changes the topic when I’m about to ask for his name.”
“Maybe he doesn’t like you guys.” Zhang Yixing, chef, often only listens to conversations. His inputs are quirky whenever they come. Everyone keeps an eye on him since he tends to get injured by being too focused on cooking.
The door to the kitchen opens to reveal Kim Minseok, cashier and assistant chef. “Time’s up. Everyone but Yixing get out and tend to the customers. Jongin is all alone and getting hounded by the girls again.”
There are groans but the three are out as soon as Minseok has entered the kitchen. Nobody leaves Kim Jongin, part-time busboy, alone with the customers. He’s a little clueless on how to evade advances on him. But he’s learning. Minseok takes one last glance at the others before facing Yixing.
“What were you guys talking about now?” Minseok washes his hands and puts on his apron. Yixing continues to cut meat and periodically check the soup boiling in the pot. It’s winter and everyone is asking for soup.
The chef looks up at Minseok for a second before continuing his task. “Oh everyone is talking about the guy that’s always here on Wednesdays. Chanyeol thinks he’s an undercover agent.”
Minseok laughs at this as he takes an order slip from the window and goes to prepare kimchi fried rice and iced tea. “I’m pretty sure Chanyeol thinks everyone is an undercover agent.”
“What do you think about that guy?” Yixing asks as he fries the pork cuts.
“The customer?” Minseok ponders for a moment beside Yixing. “I don’t know. He kinda seems like a student. I’m not sure what major he could be though. He seems pretty knowledgeable in a lot of areas based on Baekhyun’s stories. Could be a double major?”
Minseok thinks back on the only time he interacted with the man. It has been a pretty normal cashier-customer exchange until he was asked if he knew how painful a taser feels like. Then the guy began to talk about voltages and electric currents and all sorts of things that Minseok had left behind in college after the mandatory general education subjects. He isn’t a science major.
One thing he does know is the man is strange with that weird curiosity and cat-like grin.
Magister, due to its popularity, offers deliveries and phone-in takeaways. Huang Zitao, delivery boy, is the fastest among them so he was chosen as soon as they started the offers. He also usually handles the calls along with Chanyeol and Minseok. Right now, he’s at the student dorm gracing delicious food upon a possibly withered and sleepless individual. Exams are killers.
And so, Minseok takes care of the ringing phone. “Good morning, you’ve reached Magister. What can I do for you?”
“Oh, hello!” The voice is vaguely familiar to him. “I’d like to order sundubu and japchae.”
Words are quickly written down. “Okay. An order each or?”
“Yeah. An order each.” There’s a distant knock followed by the caller’s muffled ‘Wait just a sec!’
“Okay, sir. Who will this be for and where will this be delivered?” Minseok gets ready to write down a name and location.
There’s a pause before the man speaks again. “For the Wednesday man. And no need to deliver. I’ll be dropping by at around 1pm so have my order ready at that time.”
“Uhh...excuse me, sir? Wednesday man?” Minseok’s face is scrunched up in confusion. He thinks this might be a prank call and his irritation is slowly surfacing.
“Yeah. I’m the guy who always comes on Wednesdays? You’re the one I asked about the taser, right? I kinda remember your voice.” The man laughs then, loud but not at all obnoxious.
In his mind, Minseok is debating on how sane the guy really is. “Okay then? You’re sure I’ll write this order down for ‘Wednesday man’, sir?”
“Isn’t that a little more exciting?” There’s a knock again. “Well, that’s it then. I have to go. Around 1, okay?”
Before Minseok could even give his assent, the call ends. He’s still doubtful when he puts the phone down and writes ‘Wednesday man 1pm’ on the sheet of paper with the order. The guy really is strange.
Magister welcomes its Wednesday man at 1:08 in the afternoon. Everyone working the floor turn their heads towards the smiling customer. All of them think of the same thing, strange. Chanyeol wiggles his eyebrows at Baekhyun. He’s been harping on about how that name is surely the guy’s alias of sorts. Nobody is really backing him up on that one.
Minseok thinks it’s a bit of an unfortunate thing that he’s manning the cashier at that moment. He smiles anyway and reaches out to grab the bag containing Wednesday man’s takeaway. “Good afternoon. Order of sundubu and japchae?”
“That’s me. Thanks!” Wednesday man grins and takes the bag out of Minseok’s grasp. “What’s your name?”
At this point, Minseok wants to narrow his eyes in blatant irritation, thinking of how absurd it is to be asked his name when the guy wouldn’t even say his own. But the owner will reprimand him should he fail to give quality customer service so he smiles a bit stiffly. “Minseok.”
“Thanks, Minseok-ssi. And woah. You really wrote down ‘Wednesday man’, huh? Cool.” The man admires his nickname in bold black letters across the bag before reaching for his wallet. “How much will it be then?”
Minseok is given the exact amount he says. Once he gives the receipt to Wednesday man, the other is out of the door with a wave and a hollered ‘Have a good day, Minseok-ssi’. The whole encounter leaves Minseok puzzled and wanting no more to do with Wednesday man.
Yet, for every Wednesday since then, Minseok is the one who ends up with Wednesday man. It isn’t really much of a bother. Wednesday man is charming with his quirkiness and isn’t all that strange aside from the continued nickname and random topics. But what is unusual is Wednesday man always coming at that period of time when he’s at the cashier and not inside the kitchen.
Jongin thinks Wednesday man is probably interested in Minseok. A probability Minseok denies and everyone else finds joy in mentioning often. Baekhyun still tries to gather what Wednesday man’s real name is, even forgoing his break to do so. He has yet to be successful. And Chanyeol still thinks Wednesday man is an undercover agent. Sehun has upgraded his theory into a shut-in student who is into weird stuff.
Minseok really doesn’t care about finding out anything at all regarding Wednesday man. He only entertains Wednesday man’s questions on just about everything as best as he can. He really doesn’t know if pouring diluted vinegar to your baking soda-rinsed hair would create bubbles like in the volcano experiment. Not that he even knows why anyone would put those in their hair. But apparently, baking soda is a good shampoo and vinegar is a good conditioner. Or so Wednesday man says.
There are a lot of things Minseok learns through Wednesday man’s extemporaneous short lectures while ordering and paying. However, they were never things about Wednesday man. Nothing indicates who Wednesday man is. Minseok doesn’t try like Baekhyun does. And yet, he’s the one who finds himself stuck between the wall and Wednesday man, one particular Wednesday morning.
He’s just about to call the others to take a break since Jongin has arrived when, as soon as he gets out of the kitchen, he is backed up to the wall and Wednesday man traps him between sweater-covered arms. Minseok stares in bewilderment with half a mind to kick at where the sun doesn’t shine. But before he could decide, Wednesday man backs away.
“Interesting.” Wednesday man mutters before looking at Minseok. “What were you thinking of doing if I didn’t back off?”
“Kicking your balls and punching your damn face.” Minseok couldn’t help but be honest and rather crude. He’s extremely annoyed and it shows in the scowl on his lips.
Minseok’s words and attitude seem to fly over Wednesday man’s head. The guy only nods and smiles. “I see. Well, Minseok-ssi, I’d like to order bibimbap today.”
The carefree manner grates on Minseok’s nerves. “Do that again and I’m going to make sure you’ll never step foot on Magister for the rest of your life.”
This time, Minseok’s words seem to have a profound effect. Wednesday man looks worried and a bit confused. “Did I make you angry? I’m sorry. I was just testing something out. I thought you wouldn’t mind.”
If Wednesday man is a bit confused, Minseok is absolutely confused. “Why wouldn’t I mind a stranger suddenly pushing me against the wall? What’s wrong with you?”
“I thought we were friends of sorts. You always go along with what I say.” The man tilts his head, assessing just how annoyed Minseok is.
“Friends? I don’t even know your name.” Minseok’s gaze wanders away from Wednesday man to see his co-workers eyeing them along with a few customers. He’s thoroughly embarrassed. “Just go back to your seat or something.”
Minseok pushes Wednesday man further away and walks to Chanyeol. He gets pulled to a stop by the other who smiles while speaking, “Sorry. Really, I am. I forgot I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Kim Jongdae.”
Just like that, Minseok now knows Wednesday man’s name. If he’d known it would take getting pushed to the wall and being angry, then he would have given the privilege to Baekhyun. He isn’t sure how to respond to the sudden introduction. Jongdae, however, carries on. “As an apology, let me take you out sometime.”
“He accepts!” Baekhyun wraps an arm around Minseok’s shoulder, grinning wide at Jongdae. In a split second, Baekhyun is already steering Minseok away and urging him to just go for the free food. “I’m pretty sure the guy likes you. Give our poor Wednesday man a chance.”
Somehow, all the sweet talking from the workers of Magister worked and Minseok finds himself tucked inside a cafe outside of the university’s vicinity. Jongdae sits across from Minseok, excited for this moment. The sentiment isn’t reciprocated to the same degree. Minseok is still slightly wary of what might possibly happen in the short time they would be spending alone together.
“How has your day been so far?” Jongdae starts small talk between them as they wait for their orders to arrive.
“Okay?” Minseok answer with hesitation at first but quickly recovers. “It’s been okay. You?”
“Papers are a drag. But now, I’m good.” Jongdae grins. The implication is easily understood and Minseok realizes that Jongdae actually might like him as the others teased.
Minseok doesn’t dwell on it. Instead, he becomes curious at Jongdae’s first answer. “Papers? So you’re a student?”
Jongdae laughs, still as loud and amused as Minseok remembers. “Do I look that young? Cool. But no. I’m grading papers.”
“Oh,” is all Minseok could immediately reply. He stares for a moment at Jongdae who still looks amused and strangely pleased. “So you’re a professor.”
“Yep! Professor in Education.” Now, Jongdae sounds and looks proud. It’s definitely something to take pride in considering all the hard work he’s done to get to that point and all that he’s continuing to do as a professor. “Not always a fun job but I try to make it fun for the students.”
And something clicks in Minseok’s mind then. “Is that why you spout about random things every time? Trying to make your classes interesting?”
“Bingo! And sorry again if I stepped over the line last Wednesday. I didn’t mean to make you angry.” Jongdae lets out a nervous chuckle that gets cut off by their orders arriving. House special coffees are put down in front of each of them. A bagel is given to Minseok while Jongdae gets cheesecake.
“What were you even testing out? I don’t see how that would be interesting at all if you might get sued for sexual harassment.” Minseok takes a bite out of his bagel.
Jongdae takes a sip of the coffee and grins at Minseok, having already known he would be questioned about it. “I wouldn’t get sued. I’m not going to do it to anyone.”
“You did it to me.” Minseok raises an eyebrow as he continues to eat. Spending time with Jongdae doesn’t seem so frightening now. In fact, Minseok admits Jongdae is actually interesting to talk to.
The reminder of his misgiving makes Jongdae sheepish but still with a mischievous attitude about him. “Well, you’re a different matter altogether.”
Minseok finds out after several more dates what Jongdae meant back then. It appears that one of Jongdae’s classes had a discussion about the appeal of being trapped like that. Jongdae, being the cool and awesome professor as students supposedly say, tried it out on Minseok. The two of them still argue whether or not the results of Jongae’s stunt was good or bad.
Magister’s workers join in on the constant debate between the now-boyfriends. Baekhyun and Chanyeol side with Jongdae. No surprise at all there as the three have gotten close with their constant absurdities meshing together. They think that since Minseok is now Jongdae’s boyfriend, it worked out in the end.
Minseok has Jongin and Zitao on his side. The stunt has absolutely no appeal especially since it angered Minseok. Anger and annoyance are definitely not indicators of interest. Yixing stays out of the arguments and focuses on his cooking. Sehun bounces from each side, egging the battle on.
It eventually gets settled when Minseok does the same thing to Jongdae.
Or so it seems.
Jongdae apparently likes it.
Minseok wonders how he ended up with the strange Wednesday man.