Lay had been going to the same cafe for the past week now. He'd been so stressed out with the new dance year coming up his refuge became a corner cafe that was pretty homely.

As he became regular, he noticed a new worker. She was just bussing tables most of the time but she looked so determined to do it right it peaked his interest. Nothing to the extremes of talking to her. No, just to notice her quirkiness while she worked.

Today he was leaving the studio later than usual and as he came up to the cafe he noticed it was dark. Not completely dark, but the sign on the door pretty much indicated it was closed for the night. He sighed, hoping to get someone inside to get him a simple drink to go. Right before he was about to leave, he saw movement in the corner of the place. 

That new girl. 

She must've been the one closing, since she was the only one in there. He knocked on the door trying to get her attention, but her back was to him. 

Why can't she hear me? He thought. 

Then at the slight turn of her head he saw headphones in her ears.

Makes sense. He nodded. 

She was bobbing her head to whatever she was listening to and was dancing a little bit as she cleaned up tables and stacked chairs. He smiled a little at the sight. Once she turned and saw him, her eyes widened and she quickly ran to the door.

"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were here!" She pulled out her headphones and opened the door with a bow. "I wasn't paying attention." She looked up to him. "You're a little later today than usual." She stepped aside to let him in and he walked by her as she locked the door again.

He was caught off guard. "Do we know each other?" He acted like he didn't see her as often as she saw him.

"Not formally no." She turned with a smile. "Myoung ShinAh." She bowed again.

"Zhang Yixing." He bowed back.

"You've been coming here at the same time for as long as I've been working here. Almost like clockwork." She went back to work. "Did you want your drink still? Even this late?"

He was baffled. She was so comfortable when they had just met moments ago. "Uhm. Well you don't have to." He scratched the back of his head. "You're cleaning up. I'd hate to add onto it."

"Oh what's another mug and kettle." she waved off as she walked into the kitchen. "Regular mocha right?" She called to him from the kitchen and he was floored again. This girl was just a bus girl, how did she know his order??

"Uuh, yeah." He called back awkwardly. The fact that he was alone in the main room was creepy so he decided to make conversation. "So uh do you like to dance?" He called out.

"What?" She yelled back.

"I said-" he was going to repeat but got cut off.

"Can you just come over here?" She opened the door to the kitchen, waving him over.
 

He warily stepped her way and into the small kitchen. She sighed moving over to continue his drink. 

"Sorry those doors are meant to keep the noise in and apparently outside noise out." She wiped her hands on her waist apron. "What were you saying?"

"Oh uhm I was just asking if you liked dancing? You were listening to music before i came in and it kinda looked like you were dancing." He looked embarrassed to be pretty saying he was watching her.

She smiled at his embarrassment. "I do. Just dabble here and there though. Nothing like being a choreographer like my cousin." She shook her head.

"Who's your cousin?" Yixing got curious.

"Myoung Mina." ShinAh turned back to finish his drink.

"Wait, THE Myoung Mina?  As in the one that is a principal choreographers at the studio I work at?" He gaped.

"Oh you work there? I guess so then." ShinAh kept working and shrugged. "So you're a teacher?"

"Yeah, and a choreographer." He smiled sheepishly trying not to sound braggy. "But how-"

"We're cousins." ShinAh faced him with the finished drink in her hands. It was in a mug.

"Oh I was hoping to take it to go so you don't have to wash more dishes." He slumped.

"Wow trying to leave so soon huh?" ShinAh teased.

"No I didn't mean-"

She giggled. "Calm down, Yixing-ssi. It was a joke." She gave him the mug. "I'll go get a to-go cup."

She walked down the kitchen a bit and looked up and down the shelves until she found the appropriate size. She came back to see him taking a sip.

 "How is it?" She inquired. "I’m supposed to be learning the drinks to work up to barista but I haven't had anyone actually drink any of my work yet." She felt bad not telling him before.

"You've never made drinks?" He asked, shocked.

"If it's not good I'm so sorry I know I don't have it down-"

"No this is amazing!" He exclaimed, making ShinAh turn her head. He was smiling. 

"W-what?" Now she was shocked.

"It's the best I've had since I've been coming here." He hugged the mug with a smile. "They should promote you to a barista now." He took another sip and sighed happily.

"Tell my supervisor that would you." She scoffed. "Thanks though. It's a nice boost." She smiled.

"I think I'll stay and enjoy this." Yixing strolled out to the main area. "It's worth a sit." She smiled when he left the kitchen and began cleaning up.

She finished in the kitchen and picked up where she left off in the main room. Yixing was still milking his beverage with a smile and shake of his head in disbelief at how good it was.

"So since your cousin dances, do you?" Yixigg broke the silence.

"I used to." She answered quietly, almost under her breath.

He still heard her. "Why don't you now?"

"Not my personal choice, unfortunately." She muttered to herself. "It just got put on the back burner I guess." She shrugged. "I'm pretty mediocre though. And it's not like i could afford it anyway."

Inside she truly missed it. There wasn't a day that went by where she could be in a studio all day like her cousin. Mina had offered her a spot but ShinAh's life just didn't allow her to fit time to do it. And truthfully she was rusty. You know what they say, if you don't use it you lose it.

"Come to one of my classes." He said right behind her.

She turned and looked at him incredulously. "Why?"

"As a thank you for making this amazing drink." He smiled putting the mug in the tub of dirty dishes she was holding. "And I'm pretty sure you aren't as bad as what you say. You're lowering yourself." He believed.

"Well thanks for the offer but like I said: no time, no money. So I guess I'm going to have to pass on the offer." She walked around him to keep working.

"How about a trial class." He urged. "Just one of my classes for free. Just be there and see if you'd want to dance again."

I do, I want to dance again. She sobbed mentally. "Even if I wanted to go regularly, I still don't have the funds. And again why do you care?" She was getting a little irritated with his pushiness.

"Well you look like you do this job just to pass the time." Yixing said seriously. "Isn't it nice knowing that you do what you love for a living?" He asked her.

She put the tub on the table gently with a sigh and turned to him. "It's getting pretty late. You should get home before the night is over. Thanks for keeping me company." She smiled. "It was nice." She began walking to the door and he followed lazily behind her.

"Sorry if i sounded pushy. But my offer stands until you agree." He left. "Goodnight ShinAh-ssi. It was nice talking to you too." He smiled and went on his way.

I'm pretty sure this one had a few 'chapters' that I flushed out in one go...