Night

The calm Saturday evening left Kibum anxious. Mind wandering and returning again and again to the boy with the dark, wide eyes. Biggest he had ever seen and so endlessly deep he could get lost in them. They had met in a small coffee shop near Kibum's university. The cute barista, whose name tag had been forgotten somewhere, had somehow managed to sneak his way into Kibum's heart.. He himself wasn't sure how or why. It wasn't like he had particularly always looked at boys or girls. In fact he was mostly not interested in dating.. He just found himself drawn to the coffee shop and the unnamed barista.

He sat in his cluttered room, legs drawn to his chest, staring out the window. The streets were dark and gloomy, but something drew him outside anyway.  

At first he was just wandering around, but after a while he realized where his unconscious steps had taken him. 
He stared at the coffee shop, open even in the late evening. Breath in. Breathe out. He stepped inside, hiding his face behind a dark green muffler, the overly large glasses on his small face fogging over.  

His heart leapt realizing that the barista's shift hadn't ended yet and he smiled to himself before ordering coffee. The name tag this time was in place. Minho. Pretty name, he could imagine himself saying it every day.. Over and over.

He didn't realize he had said it aloud before the owner of the name clears his throat.  

"Yes? Can I help you?"  

Minho's voice was a low baritone. It suits his eyes.. was the first thing wandering across his blank mind. He shifted uneasily and Minho laughed quietly. "What's your name?"  

Minho was working, slowly preparing Kibum's order, but his eyes were trained on the boy. Kibum blushed and.. Well, he never blushed. 

"I'm Key."  

Minho raised an eyebrow. "Really?" And Kibum realized he had given Minho his nickname.

  
"Well ok, Key.. Here's your coffee." And just like that he turned around and busied himself with something or other. Kibum took the steaming cup sitting down at a window table wondering if he had done or said something wrong.

The shop was empty due to the late hour and Kibum stared at his coffee cup lost in thought, unaware of the time passing and the barista that was eyeing him. The steps approaching disturbed the boy from his daydream and he looked up surprised to see Minho sit across from him.  What surprised him even more was the warm smile that was on Minho's face when he reached across the table and carefully removed the muffler and the glasses. Kibum snatched the glasses right back making Minho chuckle. 

"Is the coffee that bad? You haven't touched it at all." He commented while his eyes where drinking in all of Kibum's features.  

"No, no.. It's fine. I was just lost in thought." Minho grinned knowingly and for some reason Kibum felt like the barista really could read his thoughts.  

"You do know that it's past closing time?" Minho made this as a passing comment, but it jarred Kibum out of his 
bubble completely. 

"It is? Wait how late is it?" The flustered state of the boy across him made the barista laugh again. "And why aren't you throwing me out then?" 

"I'm curious to how you found your way here for the second time today and fifth this week."  

"You noticed?" Kibum whispered mortified. 

"Of course I did." Minho nodded and Kibum wondered if he knew of the times that he had come to the shop when Minho wasn't even working. "You're just noticeable."  

"Was that a compliment?" Kibum cocked his head leaning on the table, finally taking a sip of his coffee. People often said Kibum stood out and he was pretty much used to hearing it, but something in Minho's tone seemed to indicate he meant something different. 

"Yeah, you just have this.." Minho was lost for words. "Presence." Kibum bit his lip and dared a look at the pretty face across him. 

"So no remarks about my fashion choices or anything?" Kibum waited. 

"I must admit it suits you, but that's not why I noticed you when you first walked in this place." Kibum felt skeptical since he couldn't really tell if Minho was being sincere. That was odd.. He could usually tell almost anything about a person when he looked at them. Minho remained a mystery. 

"I see you doubting me. Tell me about Kibum then. I'm pretty sure I'll find the reason then." 

Kibum found himself trusting and telling the cute barista whatever he could think of.  Minho for the most remained silent, only commenting every now and then. The coffee cup was long empty when Kibum finally fell silent. He hadn't even realized he had had so much to say. 

"And people just assume they know everything about me when they look at me. I bet only one tenth of them actually know I study engineering." Kibum scrunched up his nose and looked at Minho through the black framed glasses. 

Minho nodded. "I still don't think I can say what made me notice you so much.."  

Kibum frowned. "Really?"  Kibum was pretty sure he had said everything and anything there was about himself.

"But I still stand by that it wasn't something in your appearance. How about you come back again tomorrow?" Kibum startled looking at Minho. 

"Are you asking me on a date?" 

"What do you think this was?" Minho's laughter echoed in the empty coffee shop. The clock struck 4 in the morning. 

Of course Kibum returned. Again and again. He was at the coffee shop almost every day now, preferring it to his dorms.  
 

The moments late at night were still his favorite. That's when they are left alone and the coffee shop becomes their own personal universe. Just them and nobody else. 

That's when Minho finally learns that Key is actually Kibum. 

That's when Minho first kisses him.. It happens fast and sweet, leaving Kibum dazed and brushing fingers against his lips hours after. 

That's when Minho asks if they could move in together.. And Kibum wonders what exactly he is doing, but finds himself not caring. 

That's when Minho finally says that he could have a lifetime and he would still be unable to explain all that Kibum is or what exactly made him notice the boy so much.  

And maybe he isn't meant to, maybe it's just that universal feeling you just can't find the words for..  

That's when Minho says a lifetime is all he wants. And Kibum agrees.

A/N: The last part is like from a different fic. ><' Not at all what I intended, but that's what usually happens with me. And I still want to edit everything and anything but.. Wheeee, happy birthday Jhileen! <3