Luhan scouted the coffee shop nervously as soon as he stepped in. His heart skipped a beat when he spotted the smiling boy with the orange, messy hair. "Calm down, Luhan", he whispered and smiled back after sitting down the nearest table he could find.

The place was packed that evening and Luhan felt like idiot for going there all alone. He didn't know anyone other than Xiumin so all he could do was silently wait for the waiter to finish serving the other tables. After approximately fifteen minutes of silence, Luhan started to tap his foot on the wooden floor. Maybe it'd be best if he left and came back another time, when Xiumin wasn't that busy.

However, at that very minute, as if the waiter had heard his thoughts, he yelled Chanyeol's name and ordered him to pick up his tray and cover for him.

"I'll be right back". The whisper lingered in Luhan's ears as Xiumin's figure disappeared behind the kitchen doors only to return a few minutes later, with a pastel coloured mug in his hands.

"Cappuccino", he said and after placing the mug in front of Luhan, he sat next to him, anticipating the boy's reaction.

Luhan carefully took a sip from his warm coffee and smiled when he felt the sweet and creamy liquid going down his throat.

"Well? Did I manage to make you an enjoyable cup of coffee?" Xiumin asked and laughed solemnly when Luhan nodded enthusiastically.

"I thought coffee was supposed to be bitter but this is sweet and warm and... great!", he blurted out, trying to find the right adjectives to describe the taste.

"Well, I did add about a kilo of sugar. I had a hunch you'd love sweet things". Xiumin seemed very proud of himself and a tiny bit relieved that his plan was a success. He always appeared one hundred percent confident in his abilities but Luhan started to wonder whether it was actually all an act or not.

"Sorry for keeping you from work", Luhan said even though he wasn't sorry, not at all. In the end, Xiumin was the one who invited him without even giving him the chance to refuse.

"Nah, it's okay. You came right on my lunch break anyways".

"No, you didn't. It's my lunch break and he's forcing me to work", a grumpy Chanyeol murmured while passing right past them with a couple of emty cups in his hands, making Luhan chuckle with Xiumin's embarrassed face.

"Forgive him", his cute baozi rushed to explain, "He wanted to call his new boyfriend during his break and I ruined his plans. So now he's sulking, even though he spent an eternity on the phone this morning, leaving me all alone to open up the shop".

Chanyeol's loud reply was clearly audible even though he was washing dishes in the kitchen."Half a day has passed since then, things have happened, I have to catch up!".

Xiumin didn't bother to answer, he just sighed before smiling at Luhan again. "This may make me sound like a terrible friend, but I hate it when he's lovesick".

The way those two treated each other reminded Luhan of two anime characters, always bickering and fighting in order to show their affection. He couldn't help but laugh. "I think it's cute, wanting to hear his boyfriend's voice all the time. I like it".

Xiumin suddenly leaned torwards him, decreasing the distance between their lips. "So you like corny stuff like this? Interesting...". His grin was getting wider and wider when a question popped in Luhan's head.

"What do you like?"

"Eh?". The boy widened his eyes in surprise.

"Tell me the things you like. I mean, you know so much about me. Actually no, not just about me, about almost everyone in this place. It's only fair you share a part of yourself as well".

Xiumin listened carefully and then rested his head on Luhan's shoulder. The young boy with the round, sparkling eyes saw right through me, he thought and felt a little sad when he realised he couldn't remember the last time someone asked him something like this. He wanted to think it through and answer properly but his fast heartbeat in addition to Luhan's sweet scent was kind of distracting, to say the least.

Eventually, he gave up on concetrating since it was an impossible task and decided to blurt out the first thing that came to mind.

"I like coffee", he said and messed up his hair even more while trying to think. "But not just drinking it, I like making it as well. And looking at it. And smelling it, the scent is really great. So I guess I, um-... I just like coffee in general". His puffy cheeks were rapidly turning from pink to bright red and he wondered whether he should continue talking or not. it, he thought, and took a deep breath.

"That's why I started working here, for practise. So that one day I'll be able open my own little shop and meet more people, remember more faces and recognise more voices".

Luhan decided not to comment on anything. He had to check one last thing.

"Describe coffee in a sentence", he said, concealing his desire to burst into laughter.

"Happiness in a cup". Xiumin didn't even take a second to think of his answer, it just escaped his lips right away, something that made Luhan give up and laugh his heart out.

"And then you call me a bubble tea junkie? Your addiction, my friend, is far worse I'm afraid!", he said while theatrically gesturing with his hands to emphasize how serious Xiumin's problem was.

"Oh shut up, you little deer". Xiumin unexpectedly strained his neck and gave Luhan a small peck on the lips.

After a few seconds of silence that felt like an eternity, Xiumin raised his head to look at the dumbfounded Luhan that was softly touching his lips with his fingertips. When their eyes met, a goofy smile appeared on his face that made Xiumin, once again, hide his face by leaning on Luhan's shoulder.

"That's not nearly enough to shut me up".

Luhan grabbed the other's chin and pulled him into a soft, yet passionate kiss. Today, for the first time ever, he felt like he was the leader. He carefully cupped Xiumin's burning cheeks and as soon as he felt the tension leaving his body, he gave his lips a small that immediately made him wanting more.

"OH, HELL NO". Chanyeol approached them furiously while waving his arms like a bird. "I didn't miss my boyfriend's voice just so you could make out with another dude! Work first, guys later! Those were your words of wisdom!", he shouted and smacked Xiumin's head before running away.

"I'll kill him", Xiumin whispered. "I'll kill him and I'll hide his body in the kitchen forever. No one will ever catch me".

Luhan started laughing again and he couldn't remember the last time he had felt so carefree and happy at the same time. Without giving it much thought, he grabbed a pen from his bag and wrote down his number on a napkin.

"Call me when you're done?". He handed the napkin to Xiumin while playfully kissing his cheek.

"That's so corny", Xiumin replied but his bright smile gave away his true feelings.

"Well", Luhan said and stood up after messing Xiumin's hair for one more time, "Get used to it".