Minho sighed as he tried to enter the small building, the glass door resisting his push. He checked the opening times. 10:30. He checked his watch. 10:29. He snarled and tapped his foot. At the change of a minute hand, a young boy iwth auburn hair bounced forward and unlocked the door, waving MInho in.

"Hi!" he greeted. Minho just shoved past teh young waiter, slumping into the nearest seat, sprawling out over the table. The waiter was unfazed, skipping over with a pad and pencil.

"Go away," Minho grumbled. The waiter giggled.

"I can't! I have to take your order!" the waiter argued. Minho sighed.

"Coffee. No milk. No sugar." He wasn't in the mood to say anything too long, afraid of the obscene curses that he knew would pour from his mouth. The waiter laughed as he jotted down the order.

"I'll be right back!" he said. Minho's eyes fell on the name tag pinned to the boy's chest. Taemin. He could feel a smile tug at his lips. A pretty name.

"Alright," he said. As soon as Taemin left, he felt the smile melt away into a scowl as he played with the skin on his fingers. Today had been lousy. Absolutely horrible. And he hated it. He heard the sound of pouring in the small, empty building, and he looked around.

"Here's your coffee!" Taemin said cheerfully. Then he frowned, the cup clinking onto the table. Minho looked up at the boy's crestfallen face.

"What?" he asked, confused. Taemin chewed his lip.

"You're not smiling," Taemin said. Minho raised an eyebrow.

"Escuse me?" he asked. Taemin put his hands on the table and leaned forward.

"You were smiling a little when I left," Taemin said. Minho turned his face away.

"Well I'm sorry for feeling lousy," he snarled. Taemin sighed and straightened up again.

"Okay," he said, defeated. Minho turned to his coffee, which was still too hot to drink. He just stirred it absentmindedly, grumpily glaring at the swirling bubbles. He noticed Taemin's presence and looked up, slightly alarmed.

"What are you still doing here?" Minho asked harshly. Taemin shrugged.

"I have no one else to wait on," the boy said simply. Minho rolled his eyes and noticed his drink cooling down. He took a sip, appreciating the bitterness that overwhelmed his tongue.

"Whatever," he muttered as he set the cup down. Taemin still stood there, creating an awkward silence between them. Minho sighed as he ran a hand over the rim of the cup, watching the way the light played off of the edge, creating a small gondala of blinding whiteness on the edge. "I've had a bad day," Minho muttered. Taemin sat down, the chair scraping as he pulled it out, and leaned on his hands.

"Tell me," Taemin offered. Minho looked up, surprised at teh boy's interest, but decided he needed to vent.

"My girlfriend dumped me," Minho snarled. He looked at the couple ring that was still on his fingers, turning the smooth metal band. Taemin sighed.

"Then you shouldn't drink coffee," the boy said. "At least, not black coffee." Minho laughed.

"Right, because that makes a difference," he half-sneered. Taemin laughed, the noise, startling Minho.

"Of course it does! Black coffee with just make you more bitter about it," Taemin said. He opened a pack of sugar, tugging at the paper until it came free, and poured the grains into Minho's cup, stirring eagerly.

"What are you-"

'Try it!" Taemin said. Minho raised an eyebrow, but decided it couldn't hurt. He lifted the cup to his lips. "Not like that!" Taemin snapped. Minho looked over the rim of the cup.

"Then how?" he asked skeptically. Taemin smiled.

"Close your eyes and savor the flavor," Taemin said swetly. Minho sighed. This kid was crazy, but it was worth a try. He let his eyes close. "Now really savor it," Taemin said sharply. Minho groaned as he felt the cold porcelain cup touch his lips, and the hot liquid seeped past his lips. "Look for the sweetness," Taemin said. Minho's eyes scrunched up as he focused, searching for that simple taste among the layers of bitterness. Finally, he found it, like a single crystal in a dark mound of coal. "Hold onto the sweetness," Taemin instructed. So Minho did, latching onto the taste with his tongue and clinging to the flavor as the bitterness washed away. The cup emptied down Minho's throat, and the sweetness lingered.

"Thanks," Minho said, putting his cup down with a slight clink. He opened his eyes as Taemin collected the used item.

"No problem," the boy said as Minho left. "Come back soon!"

"Hey," Minho said as Taemin opened the door. He took the same seat as last time, listening to the sound of Taemin's feet slapping the ground as the boy raced to his side.

"Black coffee again?" he teased. Minho let himself smile a little before relaxing his mouth back into his usual melancholy expression.

"Whatever you recommend," Minho said, looking up. He could ee the wheels in Taemin's head turning and could practiacally hear the gears grinding in Taemin's brain.

"How are you feeling today?" Taemin asked. Minho raised an eyebrow, but went along with it.

"Um... Still kind of mad about my girlfriend," Minho admitted. Taemin nodded slowly. Then he smiled.

"Then you need jasmine tea!" the boy chirped. "Wait right here." He skipped off and Minho scoffed. Tea? Was that the best the boy could come up with?

"Whatever," Minho sighed as he leaned back, letting the light dance in his eyes.

"Here it is!" Taemin announced. Minho looked down and sighed. He picked up the cup and heard Taemin clear his throat. Minho looked up and saw the boy tapping his foot, arms folded. Minho sighed and closed his eyes. The tea was bland for the most part. He put it down, looking up at Taemin.

"You gave me something that tastes like water," Minho snarled. Taemin grinned and sat down again.

"That's because you're not searching," Taemin said. He held up two fingers. "Jasmine tea can be fragrant and sweet, or bitter." He put a finger down as he named each finger. Minho sighed and raised the cup to his lips again, letting the scent wrap him up as he drank again, eyes closed.

Taemin was right. There was bitterness. Minho tried to ignore it, searching desperately for sweetness. He scrambled through the tea's flavors until he found it. It was nothing more than a mellow hum in a cacophany of bland white noise and bitter pangs, but Minho could taste it regardless. He clung on until the tea was all gone, setting down the cup and looking across the table at Taemin's pleased face.

"You know, I never paid you for the last time," Minho said. Taemin grinned.

"It's okay. It's on the house," Taemin said. He leaned forward slightly, his face open and cheerful. Minho searched the boy's innocent eyes. "Tell me about her," Taemin said. Minho sighed.

"Her name was Sunny. She was..." Minho swallowed hard. "She was perfect. She was funny, smart..." He scoffed. "Beautiful. Too beautiful. She ended up falling in love with some bastard that played soccer. Dumped me over a text message." He looked back at Taemin who was nodding slowly.

"Do you fell better getting it all out?" the boy asked. Minho laughed softly.

"A little," he said, noticing the tightness on his heart loosening. Taemin smiled.

"Come back soon," the boy whispered. Minho watched as he cleared the table and got up with a sigh.

"Hi!" Taemin said. Minho smiled as the door opened.

"Hey," Minho smiled.

"You're always the first one here," Taemin said as he followed Minho to the seat. Minho smiled and nodded.

"Of course," he said. He sat down. "I like it when we're alone." He blushed when he realized how flirty he sounded, and quickly added, "I just like to talk to you."

"Understandable," the boy said. He pulled out his pencil and pad. "Have you fogiven her?" he asked. Minho's eyes widened as he thought about who on earth Taemin could be talking about.

"Oh! Sunny!" Minho said. He thought about it, Taemin still standing by. "A little, I guess, but I'm still bitter over it."

"Then you need cake!" Taemin said. Minho raised an eyebrow, but Taemin only said, "Trust me," before racing away. Minho sighed as he leaned back. Truthfully, he hadn't thought about Sunny for a while. He only thought about his talks about Sunny. The talks he had with Taemin.

"What is this?" Minho asked as the dish was lowered. Taemin beamed.

"Really dark chocolate cake," Taemin said. Minho raised an eyebrow at the sticky dark mound on his plate, but dug hisfork in anyway, watching the cake yeild under the metal. Minho raised it to his lips, expecting sweetness. Instead, he got a wave of bitterness. He dropped his fork, startled.

"What the hell? I thought you said chocolate!" Minho exclaimed. Taemin giggled.

"I said really dark, didn't I?" Taemin asked. Minho his lips, gathering up the bitter frosting.

"I should search for sweetness?" he asked. Taemin shook his head.

"No. Let the bitterness wash over you. The sweetness will come," Taemin said. Minho raised an eyebrow, but obliged, lifting the fork to his mouth again, closing his eyes. Taemin was right. The bitterness did wash over him, like an overwhelming wave. He felt swept away by it, his taste buds begging for a break as he chewed. He took in another mouthful. This time, the sweetness was like a strip of relief as it glided over his tongue. By the time he was finished, he could only taste the sweetness as if lifted him up, spiralling him in its grasp. He smiled as the last crumbs disappeared down his throat, lightly on the chocolate-smeared spoon as he let it past his lips. He opened his eyes to see Taemin sitting across from him.

"That was good," he admitted. Taemin smiled.

"What was better? The bitterness or the sweetness?" the boy asked. Minho's eyes widened.

"The sweetness! What the hell kind of a question is that?" he asked. Taemin just smiled as he picked up the plate.

"Then let your heart be sweet. Don't just dwell on the bitter times." He turned away as Minho digested hte words, feeling them follow the cake down his throat. He sighed and pulled out his phone.

I forgive you, he texted. He closed his eyes as he pressed send. Then he looked up after Taemin. Sweetness.

There were no greetings this time as Taemin opened the door with a wide smile. Minho returned the grin as he sat down, Taemin by his side.

"What do you want?" Taemin asked, leaning forward.

"What do you have when you've made a new friend?" Minho asked. Taemin giggled and Minho felt his mouth curve up in a smile.

"A cookie," Taemin said shyly. Minho laughed at the perfectly adorable answer.

"Fine. Get me a cookie," he said. Taemin gave him a little bow before running off. Minho smiled as he looked after the boy. The way his hair bounced made Minho's heart thump louder and faster. As Taemin disappeared into the kitchen, Minho could feel his smile grow broader. Taemin was... special.

"Here's the cookie!" Taemin said as he re-appeared. Minho laughed as he saw the huge pastry that threatened to overwhelm the pate. Chocolate chip. Of course.

"Share it with me," Minho said. Taemin blushed as he sat down, and they picked away at the treat. There was no savoring this time. Just a quiet smile shared by the both of them as they patiently worked away at the sweet cookie. It was nothing but sweet, Minho noticed. Sweet, and a little salty as he crunched onto it. He smiled a little more each bite, and Taemin just sat there, breaking off chunks delicately. Finally, there were nothing but crumbs as Minho raised his eyes to stare into Taemin's. He stood up and walked over to the boy. He bent down, kissing the boy's forehead and feeling the skin grow hot under his lips.

"Next time, I'll want something for when you're falling in love."

A/N - nice and fluffy.