Lee Jinki stood outside of his coffee shop, watching as his breath escaped in the cold morning air. He looked at the sign he had placed on the door and smiled sadly. This was it. He had been dreading and anxiously awaiting this day.

The moment that Lee Jinki’s parents died, a car accident on their way back from vacation in the countryside, was the moment that Jinki’s life changed. He had been a junior in university, a good student studying business, and had been working in the shop part time when his parent’s needed extra help. But after they passed, the coffee shop and supporting his aging grandmother had fallen to him. He dropped out of university and began working full time at the coffee shop. 

He didn’t mind the shop. He had always known that he would one day inherit it. That day had just come much faster than he had imagined. His grandmother often told him to return to school or “take longer vacations if he was going to continue running the shop,” but he never did. He often wished he had.

He nodded to reassure himself, looking at the sign on the door, and then set about work for the day, knowing that this was one of the few remaining days of the coffee shop. Things had changed and it was finally time for him to move on, he had decided.

Every customer who came into the shop that day had the same conversation with him. He felt as if he were stuck in a video on constant repeat.

“You’re closing?” They asked.

“Yes,” he responded.

“That’s so sad,” they said. They would then pay for their coffee and continue on with their lives.

At eight PM, the last customer in the shop finally left and Jinki began his cleaning ritual for the night. He relaxed into his duties and went about things as he would on any normal day.

As Jinki began wiping down the counter, he heard the door to the shop open and the familiar footsteps approach the counter. He knew the man who was standing in front of him well as he had come in everyday at nine PM for the last seven years.

Kim Kibum, Jinki had learned was the man’s name. The first time he had done it, Jinki had accidentally forgotten to lock the door during his first week as the new owner. But Jinki found the young man rather cute, so he made Kibum his Americano without correcting his error. Then, over the next several days, weeks, and years, he had come to know Kibum’s life. Which is how it became standard practice for Jinki to not close entirely until Kibum had been in for his late night coffee and how Jinki had fallen in love with his late night customer.

Now, he hid his face behind the coffee maker and refused to look up at the man who stood before him.

“You’re closing,” he said.

Jinki finally looked up at him and caught a smile fading quickly from his face. He had been dreading the conversation with the man. He smiled.

“Oh...yeah,” Jinki replied. He pulled a cup from the stack by the register, busying himself with making Kibum’s usual coffee order. “My grandmother recently passed and she was the last family I had here. She left me some money, so I’m going to travel.”

He caught Kibum smiling at him while he moved. “Where are you going?” Kibum asked.

“I’m not entirely sure yet,” he responded. It wasn’t true. He had planned out his entire trip. He was going to start by seeing Japan, then moving his way across Europe and finally settling somewhere in the States. Hopefully, permanently. A change of scenery.

“That’s nice, Jinki. When’s the last day?”

“A week from today. I figure that’s enough time to get everything in order before I leave,” he said, smiling. He placed the finished Americano on the counter and gestured for Kibum to take it.

Kibum smiled again, the smile that made Jinki melt inside. “How much?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Jinki said. “So, how about you? How are things?” He leaned next to the register.

“It’s funny that you’re leaving. I’m actually moving,” Kibum said.

“Oh. Where to?”

“Not far from here. A quick bus ride, nothing major. The rent is a bit better and it’s a little closer to work.”

“That sounds nice.” Jinki smiled and nodded, the guilt he had felt beginning to melt away. Kibum was leaving too. It wasn't just him leaving.

“Yeah,” Kibum replied. He took a drink of his coffee and smiled. “I should probably get going. I still have some things I need to finish for work.”

“Ok,” Jinki replied. “Have a nice night.”

“You too.”

He watched as Kibum left and then locked the door to the shop behind him. He quickly finished wiping down the counter and the machine, then he left for home himself.

As Jinki sat at breakfast with his friend, Kim Jonghyun, on his Monday morning off, the last before the coffee shop closed, he leaned back in his chair and took a long drink of his black coffee.

“Do you plan to tell him?” Jonghyun asked.

“Tell who what?” Jinki responded.

“You must think I’m an idiot. You know who I mean. You’re late night coffee date for the last seven years and tell him that you’re hopelessly in love with him,” Jonghyun said, smirking and suggestively raising his eyebrows.

Jinki smiled and nodded. “Right...I mean, I sort of thought that I would tell him tomorrow---”

“I see, so that way in case he doesn’t feel the same, you never have to see him again? And if he does feel the same, you can either sleep with him before you leave or regret never having slept with him as you travel the world?”

“...Not exactly in the same way that you’re suggesting, but something like that yes. I was planning on giving him my phone number and letting him know that he could call whenever he wanted, no matter where I was.”

Jonghyun chuckled. “You don’t exactly understand romance do you?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever made that claim,” Jinki said, a weak smile on his face.

Jonghyun shook his head and sighed. “Only you would think that giving him your phone number is a declaration of seven years of undying love.”

“Then how would you propose I do it?” Jinki said, throwing his hands up in the air.

“Simple. He comes in on the last day that the shop is open. You start his coffee order and proceed like you normally do...though trying to be careful, I know your clumsiness. Then as he’s about to leave, you grab his wrist and say, “Wait. I just wanted to say that I think I may love you.” And then you pull him into a kiss and let things go from there."

Jinki stared at Jonghyun. “My life is just a big fairytale for you isn’t it?” 

“Yes,” Jonghyun said. He took a drink of his tea. “It’s also great inspiration for songwriting.”  

Jinki sighed. “Of course it is. Fine. Fine! We’ll try it your way.”

Jonghyun patted him on the back. “That’s my boy! You’ve learned not to fight me on these matters.”

“I hate you.”

“No you don’t. Now, actually eat something before everything gets cold.”

Jinki rolled his eyes, but continued on his last morning breakfast with Jonghyun.

The following night, that Tuesday, the last night that the coffee shop was to be open, Jinki stood behind the counter cleaning up for what would be the very last time. It was past eight PM, which meant that all of the other customers were gone for the day. He knew Kibum would show up in about an hour as he always did and had for the past week. He was looking forward to seeing Kibum one last time before he closed up for good.

Jinki had been packing and practicing all week and at this point, nearly everything was ready. He began cleaning up behind the counter and the coffee maker, the last thing he was going to pack up. He briefly looked down at his watch, nine PM, and like clockwork, he heard the door to the shop open.

“Hey,” Kibum said. He approached the counter. “What are you doing?”

Jinki looked up. “Just cleaning up,” he replied. He smiled and reached for a coffee cup, one of the last ones on the counter, but Kibum reached out, gently placing his hand on Jinki’s and stopped him.

“That’s ok. You can forget the coffee. I brought a present for us,” Kibum said.

Jinki froze. Kibum’s hand on his causing his brain to focus only on the feeling of Kibum’s skin and the weight of his hand on Jinki’s arm. He had never touched the other man before beyond the brushes of fingertips as Jinki had passed him coffee over the years. “What? You didn’t have to do that,” he managed.  

“I...I know, but I figured before we both leave,” Kibum said, pulling something from his bag. “I bought some champagne.” He held up the bottle of champagne and smiled. The bottle glistened with a bit of condensation that matched the sparkle in Kibum’s eyes.

“Thanks, it looks lovely,” he chuckled, feeling his stomach starting to do back flips. This wasn’t supposed to be what happened. Why was this happening? Maybe Kibum really did like him. He could feel his throat begin to constrict, so he looked to the floor and swallowed quickly.

Then, he reached out, took the bottle from Kibum and stared at it for a moment. He started to pick at the gold foil that covered the top of the bottle, trying to still his shaking hands and trying to get a small opening in the foil in place, but his hands refused to cooperate.

Silence hung between them before Kibum took a deep breath. Jinki tensed as he waited, but continued with trying to open the champagne. He tried to imagine a number of scenarios that could transpire, but couldn’t figure out what Kibum had in mind.

“Jinki,” Kibum said, breaking the silence.

“Yes?” he responded. He froze, his mind running over the number of things that Kibum could possibly say. His hands began to sweat and he fiddled further with the foil.

“I,” Kibum paused and looked around, not meeting Jinki’s eyes.

Jinki’s heart sank. Perhaps Kibum didn’t like him at all. Perhaps the champagne had simply been a gesture for two friends to celebrate and he had misread the situation. He tried to relax, but found his nerves unwilling to cooperate. His stomach did another backflip.

“I just wanted to thank you for being here and listening to me for all these years. It’s probably the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. I don’t know how I’d ever be able to repay you,” Kibum said.

“Why can’t I get this foil to come off?” Jinki said. His breathing increasing and panic on the verge of taking over before the foil finally tore and began to peel. He then immediately set to work on the muselet that encased the cork on the champagne.

Kibum rolled his eyes. “Jinki.”

“Yes?”

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Jinki replied, his attention still focused on the muselet. His heart sped up faster.  “I’m just trying to open the champagne. But, this seems to be a bit broken,” he said, gesturing with to the muselet wildly.

“Let me see it,” Kibum said, reaching out for the bottle.

Jinki pulled away, keeping the bottle from Kibum’s reach. “No, I’ve got it. Hang out.”

“Jinki, forget the champagne,” Kibum said, his voice calm. He reached out and grabbed the bottle, surprising Jinki and carefully placing it on the counter behind them.

Jinki stilled and stared at the bottle on the counter, no longer occupying his hands. “But, you went out of your way to get it and…”

“Don’t worry about it, ok?”

Jinki could feel Kibum trying to smile and reassure him, but instead looked down toward his hands. “I’m sorry,” he said.  “It’s been a long day. Do you want some coffee?”

Jinki looked at Kibum and their eyes met. They both stared at each other for a brief moment, before looking away. Jinki steadied himself and then quickly moved toward the counter, trying to get back on track with how the night was supposed to go. He still had time to turn the evening around, but Kibum once again disrupted him as he stepped into Jinki’s path.

“Look Jinki,” Kibum began. Jinki could hear the hesitation in his voice as he spoke and he felt himself tense up at the anticipation of Kibum’s thoughts. “Why don’t you stay? Use the money your grandmother left you to fix this place up. Or just close up for a little while and come back.”

The moment the words were said, Kibum threw his hands over his mouth. He eyes widen in what looked to be terror and he stood in front of Jinki shaking his head like he wasn’t entirely sure what had just come out of his mouth. Jinki stared at him, his body relaxing. Kibum couldn’t actually mean that, could he? “What are you talking about?”

“I mean…” Kibum said. “I think your vacation can wait.”

Jinki’s heart fluttered in his chest. He smiled briefly, but the smile quickly vanished as he ran over everything from the night’s conversations. He stared at Kibum, dumbfounded. “I don’t quite understand, Kibum. You’re leaving this place too,” Jinki said.  

“Yes, but it’s only a bus ride away. I can come back anytime,” Kibum said, slowly at first. “You’re leaving the country and we’ll never see you again.”

Jinki stared at him, taking in every word and unable to respond. He wanted to see Kibum again, what was he talking about?

“And your coffee is so amazing, and then you just leave with little to no warning--” Kibum said, his voice raw and louder than before. Tears pooled at the corner of his eyes.

“I don’t...I don’t understand. Why are you getting angry with me?”

“I wish I was angry with you,” Kibum said. He dropped his head toward the floor. “I’m just too late.”

Jinki stood motionless as Kibum pushed past him and left the shop. This was definitely not the way he had hoped the night would end. There was no declaration of love, no kissing, not even a phone number exchanged as he had originally intended before Jonghyun had interfered.

His hands fidgeted for a moment and he ran over the moment again in his mind. He sighed and looked back to the bottle of champagne sitting on the counter, not even registering the bell that hung over the door chiming.

“You should go after him,” an unfamiliar voice said.

Jinki jumped. “I’m sorry, what? We’re closed,” he said.

“I know you’re closed. You close at eight. But because you like that idiot you let him in at nine. You should go after him.”

“And who are you?” Jinki asked, turning around to take in the appearance of the man standing just inside the door. He was tall, taller than Jinki, with dark hair and dark eyes.

“I’m a friend of Kibum’s,” the man said moving closer to Jinki.  

“And how do you know I like Kibum?” Jinki stared at the man weary.

“Because no one in their right mind would keep their place of business open for just one person.”

Jinki worried his bottom lip. “How are you so sure he likes me? I mean, he didn’t seem to like me at the end of our conversation.”

“Sometimes that boy...I was there when he realized he liked you. He’s just a fool who can’t see his owns feelings without help.”

“There’s no way I’ll be able to catch him at this point.”

“So go to his apartment. Give me your phone,” Kibum’s friend said, holding out his hand for Jinki’s phone.

Jinki pulled it from his pocket and handed it over to the stranger. He watched as the man quickly typed and then returned it to him with directions already mapped out.

“Thanks,” Jinki responded.

“If I were you, I’d go before he works himself up too much.”

“Right,” Jinki responded, nodding quickly.

The man chuckled. “You’ve never seen him when he gets himself worked up. You should go before you see it.”

“Thank you,” Jinki said. He started out of the shop before turning around and grabbing the bottle of champagne off of the counter and taking it with him.

After a few moments of heading in the wrong direction, Jinki found himself at the door to Kibum’s apartment building. He took a deep breath as he opened the door and proceeded to climb the three flights of stairs that led to Kibum’s apartment. He stood outside the door, steeling his nerves before knocking

He looked down at the bottle of champagne he had carried with him from the coffee shop and then let his hand make contact with the door.

“Minho! I should never have listened to you,” Kibum yelled, his voice growing louder as he approached the door. “I don’t know why I even bother sometimes--” The door opened and Jinki watched as Kibum wiped a tear from his face.

“Hi,” Jinki managed. He stood frozen in the doorway, unable to move. He started to reach out a hand, but thought better of it and kept it close to his side.

Kibum continued to wipe his eyes with his hands, sniffles coming intermittently. “Oh, hi. I wasn’t expecting it to be you,” he said. “I thought you were a friend of mine.”

Jinki took a deep breath and readied himself. “Can I...can I come in?” He tapped his fingers in a familiar pattern over and over on the champagne bottle, trying to calm his nerves.

“Sure,” Kibum said, stepping back. “Would you like something to drink?”

Jinki followed Kibum inside, looking around the small, cozy apartment, which was partially packed into boxes. A small smile pulled at his lips. He looked over to Kibum who began busying himself in the kitchen.

“No, that’s ok,” Jinki said. “I...uh...I brought the champagne…” Jinki gestured with the champagne bottle, presenting it as if it was a million dollar prize. “And I came here because...well…”

“You don’t need to say anything,” Kibum interrupted. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I guess...I just…”

“I think I get it,” Jinki responded immediately. He looked at Kibum, the man ran his tongue over his lips and Jinki’s heart skipped a beat.

“You do?” Kibum stiffened in his place, examining Jinki.

“Yeah,” Jinki walked over to Kibum and pulled him into a light embrace. “I think I do.” Then, he pressed their lips together. The kiss was gentle with Jinki taking the lead. He pulled Kibum in closer to him and wrapped his arm around his waist. He let his tongue trace over Kibum’s lips as he deepened the kiss.

After they parted, Jinki stared into Kibum’s eyes and watched as a smile crept up his face. “Yeah, I think maybe you do,” Kibum said. “Now, how about that champagne?”

Jinki returned the smile. “You’re sure you don’t want any coffee?”