Music: https://youtu.be/K2Q6YO3Ez44?t=3m56s (my fave bossa nova instrumental btw)

A few customers lingered in the cozy cafe, sitting in their regular spots. You heard the constant ticking on their keyboards followed by the occasional clicking of a mouse. Their minds were a million miles away while they tuned out the rest of the world with their earbuds. The faint sound of bossa nova played through the speakers. The relaxing tempo of the acoustic created an earthy, euphemistic vibe with the gentle pattering of rain outside.The tiny bell rang, indicating the entrance of another customer. You neatly folded the cleaning cloth and placed it back on the counter next to you.

“Welcome,” you greeted.

You were met by one of the coffee shop's regulars. This one, however, was different. You saw him nearly every time you worked, and he would always come just after a huge rush of customers. Such was the case this time.

The young man walked up to the counter. The reddish tint coloring the tips of his ears signified his shyness. Being he was a frequent customer, you became acquainted with his quirky mannerisms: the way he'd chew on his bottom lip when looking up at the menu, staring at it for a few minutes while humming, only to order the same drink every time―a grande-sized, medium house blend with no room for cream. He would then stare at you silently as you punched the order into the touch screen, always “spacing out” (as he called it) after you told him the total, and would then proceed to search his pockets for his wallet and feign enlightenment upon its discovery.

This time was different. As was custom, he looked up at the menu displayed on the wall behind you. You watched as he hummed, biting on his bottom lip as he decided. You couldn't prevent the heated blush that now spread across your cheeks. His large eyes mesmerized you, captivating you by the way they took in everything they saw. You chewed the inside of your cheek so as to deny the smirk that threatened to escape. Suddenly, he stopped humming.

“Actually…”

Oh, no! Did he just say what you thought he said? Your frenzied mind worked in overdrive as it tried to process this sudden change in routine.

“I'd like...something different.”

You always loved the way he spoke. The warmth of his voice enveloped you like a fuzzy, oversized sweater. Although it was low and somewhat quiet, it contained a hidden strength behind it.

“W-what would you like?”

Stuttering. Really? You idiot.

For a moment, he looked down. A corner of his mouth twitched. He tried to hide it by biting his lip but to no avail. It still managed to appear, and soon the corner rose up, spreading to the other side as his lips curled into an adorable, heart-shaped smile. Then he looked back up, his eyes locking onto yours.

“What do you recommend?” he asked.

Of all times to forget anything coffee-related, it just had to be now. It certainly did not help that he continued to stare at you, that shy grin never leaving his face. For a moment, your thoughts fumbled, colliding into each other like a cataclysmic domino effect. You desperately scanned his face for words.

“Depends,” was all you managed to blurt out.

“On?” he said drawlingly.

Why? Just, why? Was it even at all remotely necessary that he had to say it that way, drawing out the mono-syllabic word like he had all the time in the world?

“W-well. Do you like sweet?”

You could have sworn you heard a light. almost inaudible chuckle coming from him. You stopped. You just set yourself up,didn’t you?

He smirked. “As of late, yes.”

Yep. You sure did.

“How about a raspberry white mocha? It’s one of my favorites. I usually recommend that when people wanna try something new.”

“Well, okay then. If it’s your favorite―I mean―”

In a split second, sheer panic overtook his face. He blinked rapidly, trying to regain his composure. You could tell he was mentally cursing himself. You laughed.

“No worries. I understand.”

“You do?” he asked.

“Of course.”

You noticed him grab his wallet, only this time, there was no facade of surprise once he pulled it out of his pocket.

“Don’t worry about it,” I said casually, shaking my head.

“What?”

“It’s on me.”

“No. I couldn’t possibly―”

“Really, it’s fine. After all, I just upgraded your coffee preference status. I’ll let ya ease in on the price differential.”

The pink that lightly dusted his cheeks soon grew into a rosy hue. He shook his head, folding his wallet and returning it to his back pocket. That cheshire grin never once left his face. You grabbed the cup, writing the appropriate abbreviations. You had worked here long enough to the point where you could’ve just made it by memory alone. After all, it was pretty dead here. You was going to make it right then and there anyway. Instead, you took my time, slowly writing the letters. There was something inside you that wanted him to stay there, if not for just a minute more. Never once did his body language signify he was in a hurry nor that he even wanted to leave.

“My name is―”

“Kyungsoo. I know. I never forget my regulars.”

You looked up at him from my writing. He blushed furiously. His eyes scanned everywhere else at the counter but you. He his lips and swallowed.

As he waited, you took your time perfecting his drink. The mahogany espresso poured from the machine and mixed with the raspberry and white chocolate, creating a fruit and nut aroma. Once it finished steaming, you hit the bottom of the metal pitcher of milk on the counter and swirled it a couple times before pouring it into the mug. Its creaminess mixed perfectly with the other ingredients, exactly to your creative satisfaction. You topped it off with homemade whipped cream that was flavored with just a hint of vanilla. You squeezed the raspberry sauce over the tiny mound of whipped cream in a zigzag motion and sprinkled chocolate shavings on the top. You walked over to the pick-up counter. He didn't sit down, just stayed standing there staring at his feet, his eyes distant in deep thought.

“Kyungsoo?”

He immediately broke out of his thought, snapping his head up to look at you. His eyes trailed down to the mocha. A wide smile spread across his face. He took a sip of the hot drink and closed his eyes, relishing in its taste with a satisfied hum. A small amount of whipped cream remained on the tip of his nose. You giggled.

“Umm, you’ve got uh...a little something…” you pointed to your nose.

His eyes immediately widened in shock and embarrassment as he took a napkin and wiped off his nose. He then expressed his immense gratitude and walked over to one of the couches to sit down. He stared out the window, casually sipping his drink. Every once in a while, you'd look up to see him swiping his tongue across his lips to catch the whipped cream. Your heart nearly burst from the adorable sight before you.

You had come back to the counter after working in the back room only to be met with a pair of large, inquisitive eyes. There was a slight hesitation behind them as they stared at you silently.

“Did you like it?”

“Yeah. Definitely.”

“See? It’s good to try new things every once in a while.”

He nodded. Still, that hesitation lingered, hanging over his head like an invisible cloud.

“Umm...maybe next time you could recommend something new again?”

“You mean I haven’t scared you away yet?” Your burst of laughter was followed by his low chuckle.

“No. You could never scare me away.”

For a brief moment, you both grew silent. Your eyes locked onto each other as you said nothing. Every inch of your body felt electrified by him. This gradual liking towards him was no surprise to you, and something told you the feeling was mutual. He walked out of the coffee shop with a shy wave before leaving.

It was near closing time. You walked toward the tables, wiping them off. You came to the couches where Kyungsoo sat and cleaned up the table. A single, small napkin was on the surface. Just as you was about to throw it in the trash, you noticed there was something scribbled on it. Curious, you brought it closer to your face and examined it. A smile spread across your face as you read it.

I’d like to get to know you more. Maybe we can do something different next time?   

―Kyungsoo XXX-XXXX

You neatly folded the napkin and placed it in your pocket, a sweet smile on your lips the rest of the night.