Luhan feels like a free man after his classes are over for the day. Even with a substantial amount of school work to get done, he feels so happy to be on his way back to the café that he almost runs all the way there. It’s like the café is a magnet and he’s just a lowly paperclip drawn to its pull. Or maybe Minseok is the magnet. Either way,  he makes it to the small building in under ten minutes, which is probably an all-time record for café-goers around here.

Minseok seems to be expecting him. Luhan can tell that service has been slow today from the amount of pastries still left in the display case, and the fact that although still chipper, Minseok seems bored as he sits on the edge of the counter and examines his nails.

Luhan stands outside the door for a minute before going in, just watching Minseok interact with his surroundings. He supposes it would be easier to focus with one less sensory detail, and it certainly seems that way because Minseok is currently very into scrutinizing the nails on his right hand. Luhan laughs quietly to himself and enters the shop, patiently waiting until the other catches sight of him so as not to scare or surprise him. Once his target has been spotted, the shorter boy gets down off the counter and comes around to Luhan’s side of it. He has a piece of paper already prepared with the words ‘how was your day?’

Luhan surprises him by signing good, thank you

The blinding, gummy smile lights Minseok’s face again and he blushes slightly, scribbling on the paper

‘you really don’t have to learn this for me if you don’t want to’

‘But I do want to!’ Luhan scribbles a reply ‘And it’s fun.’ Then he signs make you happy.

Minseok looks as if he is about to burst from happiness and he covers his face with his hands, wiggling his shoulders slightly which Luhan finds painfully cute. He signs thank you and Luhan feel triumphant that he understands what the other is saying. It’s a wonderful feeling.

When still no one else has entered the café Minseok invites Luhan behind the counter to take a look at the espresso machines.

 ‘You want to know how to use it?’ and Luhan nods in response.

Minseok grabs a mug from the shelf ‘The cup needs to be warm. That keeps the milk and coffee warm when you put them in.’ He pours some hot water into the cup and sets it on the counter, then grabs the carton of milk from the counter, tapping the logo on the front. 2% milk,  it reads.

He demonstrates how to use a steam wand on the milk to create foam and then how to pour it into the mug without getting any on the sides. Luhan is completely lost as Minseok is showing him, slowly, how to pull perfect espresso shots, but starts understanding the process again once it comes time to pour the milk foam over the dark coffee. ‘Now is the time for art, if you want it.’  He pours the milk in, starting at the outside edge of the cup and moving the pitcher in a quick little circle. Before Luhan knows it the milk foam has formed a perfect heart floating on the top of the latte. It’s gorgeous.

Minseok smiles at him and lifts the cup with two hands, holding it out to Luhan. The brown haired boy takes it, his fingers brushing slightly against Minseok’s hands as he does so. He can still feel it on his fingers after he takes them away, like Minseok’s are still there, brushing against them. It’s kind of creepy, and at the same time it’s kind of cool.

The shorter looks up at him, glancing from the latte and back to Luhan’s face. He mimes drinking and Luhan smiles, bringing the cup to his lips. It tastes just as good as it looks, maybe even better than the ones he had this morning and yesterday.

Minseok is watching and leaning on the counter, making sure he finishes it. It’s easy to do so because of his lack of lunch, all he’s eaten today was a half cold scone from Jongin, the leader of the school dance team, who was giving them out randomly to people after second block. That, and the two coffees.

 Luhan sets the cup down once he’s done and dabs at his mouth with his sleeve and Minseok grabs it and sets it in the sink with lightning -fast reflexes, turning to Luhan once he’s sure that it’s soaking with the rest of the cups in the warm, soapy water. He