Hello!
As promised, here it is! Not very long but I do hope you'll like it! As always, thank you so much for all the love and support you give me!
It has been a very sad week, I hope this humble little story can bring you some comfort and a bit of joy
I wish yall a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year (it's a bit early i know), take care, stay warm and healthy <3

A Good Day starts with Coffee and You

“Another moccacino, please.”

The waitress smiles from the counter and nods. “Of course. Just a moment please”, she politely replies.

Hyukjae grins back and averts his eyes, drawing his attention back to the empty cup in front of him. His soft smile lingers on his lips.

The smell of brewing coffee is his favourite. The scent floats the air in the sweetest way and fills him with a strange feeling of soothing melancholy, though he doesn't really know why.
There are many reasons as to why he likes coming to this coffee-house. First, it's rarely crowded, which makes it a quiet place. The background music is smooth, always playing jazz and bossa nova music. He likes how the atmosphere is calm and relaxing. Peaceful, even. And the employees are always friendly, especially to regular customers like him, and once in a while they'll treat him with a free drink.
On sunny days, he likes to sit by the wide window that looks onto the street and just feel the heat of the sun caress his skin. On rainy days instead, he prefers to go and snuggle in the farthest corner of the coffee-shop, where it feels all warm and comfy in the old leather armchairs.

But what he likes the most about this place, definitely, is the rich smell of coffee floating in the air. It's strong but sweet at the same time, and it has a calming power on him. In the morning, the coffee-house smells like chocolate, warm bread and coffee. He loves it.

That’s why he likes to occasionally make a short stop there before going to work. It is only a few minutes away from the office, and it's on the way to his apartment, so it's quite convenient. He also loves to drop by after a long day work and just relax for a few minutes before going home. On weekends, even if he doesn't work, he doesn't mind staying an hour or two if he has free time.

Like today.

It's December already and it’s a cold Saturday morning. The sky is of a greyish white and it may start to snow anytime. Christmas is almost there, there’s only a few hours left before the holidays. People are busy in the streets, rushing into the shops to buy their last Christmas gifts. Hyukjae, too, went out to get a couple things for his parents but his feet automatically brought him to the coffee-house and he decided to treat himself to a coffee.

He doesn't have to work today but he plans on going to the movies with Kyuhyun later in the afternoon. But for now, he enjoys himself, sitting alone at a table in a corner, facing the shop's main room. He's been sitting there for about an hour already but it's okay, he thinks, because he has about four hours left before meeting up with Kyuhyun, and so he indulges in taking his time and sipping a couple drinks by himself.

Most of his friends about it, because they think it's quite boring to just sit there and do nothing. But Hyukjae isn't bored, not really. He likes to get some time alone and he knows how to keep himself entertained every time he comes to the coffee-house.

He likes to watch people. Not in a creepy, sick way, of course. Not with mean intentions either, like some people would judge others and laugh at them. He just likes to look at strangers with genuine curiosity. He likes to observe people around and imagine what kind of life they have. Are they married or single? Do they have children? Pets? Do they work or are still students? This man in a suit, what kind of work does he have? This old lady, how many grandchildren does she have?

He likes to observe people walking in the streets too. Some are in a hurry while others are walking slowly, on the phone or lost in their thoughts. He likes to imagine their life, their destination, what kind of worries is hidden behind their frowns or the reasons why they’re smiling. He knows nothing about them, but he sees them, he meets them somehow, just an instant, and he feels like he shared a small part of their day. Behind each person, there is a story and it's his favourite game to try and guess it.

Today, there aren't many people in the coffee-house but there's enough of them for his curiosity to be triggered.
He glances at the young woman sitting at the opposite side of the room, feeding some yogurt to her little toddler girl. He wonders if she's a single mother, because he can't see any ring on her finger. But maybe she forgot it at home, or maybe she's just not married but still lives with the father of the toddler. Maybe the child isn't hers at all, perhaps she's her niece. Or maybe she's a nanny and this is just her doing her job.

Next to her, two old ladies are chatting animatedly and giggling happily, and it makes him smile to see them so full of life and positive energy. Maybe they are childhood friends, meeting after years of separation. Or maybe they are best friends, living in the same neighbourhood. Or they could be living together in an old people's home and they are celebrating their escape from their nurses.

Sitting by the counter he sees a guy who seems to be the same age as him. Hyukjae is amused because they kind of look alike: both in their early thirties, both having black hair falling over their forehead, both wearing similar red t-shirt and a pair of used jeans. The guy keeps glancing at the clock hanging on the wall, as if he was preoccupied or waiting for someone... A date maybe, or his girlfriend or a friend who's late again. Anyhow, he seems to have reached the edge of his patience.

There's also a group of four girls gathered in the corner of the room, occupying the leather armchairs. They look young, they're probably still in high-school, though he can't be sure about that because they're not wearing uniforms. They speak a little loudly and from where he sits, he can hear them planning their day at the mall.

The waitress finally brings him his order. She smiles to him again, like she always does, and her hand lingers a little as she puts down a large cup in front of him.

“Here”, she sweetly says, taking a step back, eyeing him intently. “This one's on the house.”

“Oh. Thanks”, he grins and places a hand on the warm cup. The heat feels nice against his palm.

She pauses a second, as if she wants to say something more, but then she just beams at him and spins around, walking back to the counter. Hyukjae sighs quietly.

He's used to the flirting. The girl is a little older than him and has had a crush on him for months. She's asked him out once, a couple months ago, only to be rejected by Hyukjae. He feels a little bad for her, because he's already made it clear that he's not interested in girls, yet she clearly still likes him. She had taken it surprisingly well though, when he had gently told her he was gay, and she hasn't insisted nor asked him out again, but she's still ogling at him at lot. Hyukjae thinks she just need a little more time to get over her crush on him.

He takes a sip of his hot drink and sighs again, this time with satisfaction. The sweet taste of his moccacino runs over his tongue nicely, before the warm liquid slides down his throat. He leans back in his chair, a pleased smile plastered on his face.

Some minutes later, as he takes another sip, the girls get up and leave the coffee-house. As soon as the door dings closed after them, the silence fills the place, only disturbed by the soft background music. Hyukjae peeks at them through the window, watching the girls walk away with laughs and giggles, until they take a turn at the corner of the street and get out of his sight. He will probably never see them again.

At the counter, the young man starts to fidget with impatience, checking the clock for the umpteenth time. A minute later, he slides down his stool and takes his leave too, an annoyed expression on his face. It's embarrassing to be stood up, Hyukjae thinks with a bit of sympathy for the guy.

As the guy is about to exit the coffee-house, an old man walks in at the same time. The youngest politely holds the door open for him and the elder thanks him as he steps in. The elder man makes a sign to the waitress, before he goes to sit with the two old ladies. Hyukjae imagines he could be married to one of them, though they just look like friends. He peers at them curiously, from the corner of his eye, and smiles in amusement as they start laughing at a joke the old man tells.

Time passes, perhaps about ten minutes, when the front door of the coffee-shop is suddenly pushed open a little brutally, distracting Hyukjae from his quiet observation. A male rushes inside and Hyukjae's attention is immediately caught.

The guy is panting, as if he has just run a marathon, and his face is a little flushed. He looks about Hyukjae's age but slightly younger. His brown locks are falling over his forehead messily but his hair still looks soft like silk. He has a slim face, with soft features, and his skin is lightly tanned, looking smooth and flawless. His body is small and slender, but Hyukjae's expert eyes spot some small curves around his and thighs, which he can't help but think is quite charming.

The guy is wearing a slightly oversized jacket and a yellow and black striped scarf hangs around his neck. People would think he has no sense of fashion, but Hyukjae finds it quite adorable. It makes the guy look younger and it gives him a very innocent vibe.

Hyukjae finds himself spacing out as he checks out the guy discreetly, lost in his thoughts about how cute the newcomer is. Therefore, he is startled when the guy suddenly looks in his direction and their gaze meet. Hyukjae doesn't get time to avert his gaze and is caught staring. But m