The silence echoes

in my ear;

I fervently wish

you were here.

Myungsoo admits freely that the coffee tastes like heaven today.

The rich caffeine energizes him. Loud voices reach his ear. He associates winter with silence, his favorite music – so the noise at the café today seems almost unholy to him. He admonishes himself for choosing to come at a regular hour instead of one of his extremes – no wonder it’s stifling inside the shop from the crowd and its racket. He tries to glare at the people laughing around him when something catches his eyes – a boy sitting by the window, a table he covets at the moment because it is a bit farther away from the other tables. As if on cue, the boy turns and catches his eyes. He doesn’t smile, neither does Myungsoo, but something clicks somewhere. It is something different, something wonderful. Wonderfully different, he concludes. He looks away only to look back at him. This time, they both smile. Myungsoo averts his gaze at the boy, not for long though. He sips his coffee slowly, tasting the creamy richness and the sugary sweetness – the smiles and the looks continue, as he indulges himself in the warmth radiated by the boy.

Sungjong thinks Myungsoo’s eyes are warm and rich, like the coffee he is drinking.

Sungjong’s eyes have found a secure target now, instead of all the wearisome wanderings – it can’t be called flirting though.

Sungjong is sure they are not flirting – they are simply familiarizing themselves with each other. The looks are too shy, the smiles are too innocent. And besides, who flirts at a coffee shop? The atmosphere is definitely against it. The strong aroma of coffee is ideal for romance, not flirting. And there’s no scope for that here. As he thinks so, he looks around briefly – the lack of couples at the café upsets him. It is the ideal place for romance, not ideal for idle chatter or flirting, but for some reason the others don’t seem to share his sentiment. He suddenly finds that his solitude feels better; it’s almost as if he isn’t alone anymore. It’s probably the bulky jacket he has placed on the other chair today. Probably. As his mind is busy puzzling over the mystery, his eyes find home on those warm eyes across the room. A smile, a burst of warmth.

Myungsoo is absolutely certain that this doesn’t count as flirting.