"Yah, Niel. Customer?" L. Joe said, walking into the back room, eyebrows furrowed as he grabbed his coat and coffee mug. Niel quickly finished the checks he was writing, stored them away and stood up.

He hurriedly started fixing his hair and shaking off some flour and coffee powder off his clothes as walked to the front of the shop with Byunghun. The older male chuckled seeing how nervous his friend looked despite having seen him many times already. Niel waved L. Joe off at the late hour and turned to the counter, where he saw the usual person who would be at the shop at 9:30pm.

Minsoo had been paying daily visits to the coffee shop for a few weeks now, always greeting Niel with a subtle, but affectionate smile everytime he walked in through the door and made the same order everyday, as if getting food was the least of his concerns. If Niel had to guess, he could say it was only an excuse to see him.

"Minsoo-hyung, what will it be today? The usual?" Daniel asked, a smile on his face to seeing the taller male, but his eyes trailed over the different attire he was sporting today. Not the usual suit-and-tie outfit but a fitted white shirt with a light sweater over, jeans, and a beanie ato phis head. Minsoo smiled and nodded.

"Were you closing up?" Minsoo stated, looking around to see it was empty as Niel walked over to make the coffee. The boy nodded, back turned away from him.

"Yeah, was just about to." Minsoo smiled, knowing the other couldn't see it, before walking around the counter to stand beside Niel, watching the skilled hands of the barista as he made the drink.

"Then make two."

Daniel jumped, looking up with a surprised look. He soon just sighed, shaking his head and and getting another mug, brewing for two.

"Since you're back here, would you grab the sandwiches and notepad for me from the back? Notepad is on my desk and sandwiches in the fridge." Daniel said, starting up the frothing machine. Minsoo moved away from Daniel's side, a timid smile on his face as he entered the warm backroom. It was cluttered with papers and folders on many shelves, a small desk and fridge squished into the far corner of the room.

Minsoo walked to the desk, grabbing the notepad with the pen and went to the fridge, rummaging and placing two wrapped packages in his arms, hurrying back to the front of shop. He glanced around, noticing Niel was sat at the normal table near the front door, where the closed sign was placed and door locked, looking at his cell phone.

Minsoo headed to the table, sitting down and placing all the stuff in the middle, pulling his sandwich and coffee to him. The other stopped him, placing a hand over his with a coy smile. He picked the notepad up scribbling on it before peeling the note off, sticking it to the sandwich wrapping. Minsoo smiled, reading the small note before stealing the pen and note from Niel, scribbling his own message and gently sticking it to the younger boy’s mug.

'Is this your idea of a date, Mr. Bang?'

'Not at all. I want it to be more grand.'

Daniel chuckled at the note, looking up at Minsoo with a cocked eyebrow.

"Are you trying to say something or just being weird, hyung?" Daniel asked, in which Minsoo laughed in response.

"Both, of course."

"What are you trying to say, then?"

Minsoo sighed, lifting his mug and playfully tipping it towards Niel, a smirk playing on his lips before he sipped the hot beverage.

"We will eventually get to that. Do you have anywhere to go after?"

The boy shook his head, eating his sandwich happily. Minsoo smiled, drinking the rest of his coffee.

"Want to hang out at my place, then? I'm not trying to get you in my bed, of course. Well, unless you don't mind..I mean, we can play video games or just chill out with some snacks and watch something, I don’t know." Minsoo sounded and looked like a nervous wreck. He just wanted to hang out with Niel some more.

Niel blushed brightly, chewing his lip a little before finishing his sandwich. He stood up, taking the trash and empty mugs from the two to the back, reemerging with his coat and walking back to the table. Minsoo just watched, unsure what this meant as a whole but he still stood up as well, slinging his leather jacket on and looking at Niel.

Daniel stared at the older man, who kept returning the gesture for at the least a minute before the boy got fed up, rolling his eyes and walking to the door. He opened it and waited for Minsoo to walk through, who caught on with an 'Oh, yeah' and hurried through the door. Daniel laughed at his slow reaction time, locking up the shop and exhaling, watching as his warm breath lingered in the cold night air.

"My house isn't very far, so let’s just walk. If that's okay with you?" Minsoo asked, digging into his back jean pocket, pulling out a half empty cigarette pack, taking one out and placing it between his lips. Niel glanced at the other, walking beside him down the main street, looking at the cigarette and Minsoo lighting it, inhaling a short breath before breathing the smoke out in a long and slow manner.

"Uh, y-yeah, that's fine." Niel stammered out, noticing he had been staring at Minsoo for way longer than a normal glance. It was entrancingly stunning watching him smoke even though he wasn’t very fond of it. Did he have a reason for smoking? Stress reliever? Distraction? Maybe he smoked instead of drinking as a distraction.

Daniel had gotten lost in his own mind again, because when he looked up, he noticed they were at one of the largest condominiums in the city.

Niel gave Minsoo a smug look before scoffing and walking ahead of him, smiling at the kind doorman who held the front door and pressed the elevator button for them. Minsoo snickered a bit and followed close.

As the doors closed, Daniel groaned and took his jacket off, looking to see Minsoo pressing the button for the penthouse suite and turning the key for it.

"What the hell, hyung?" Daniel exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief. Minsoo gave a confused look.

"Huh?"

"You're a damn treasure. You've got money, a job, a penthouse suite. Seriously, if you have a big , please propose right this minute." Minsoo laughed so loud, he was sure the people on the floor they just passed could hear him.

"You left out stunning looks and charming personality. And I hope you’re ready for marriage, Ahn Daniel." It was Niel's turn to laugh, seeing it was their floor and stepping out alongside the also cackling Minsoo.

Daniel took off his jacket which got quickly snatched away by Minsoo, who disappeared into the darkness of his apartment.

“Did you just imply what I think you did?”

"I’d say so, yes. Now stop goggling and step this way." Minsoo said, putting on an over the top formal accent, kicking his sneakers off and walking through the large threshold of the house. Daniel followed close behind, feeling completely out of place.

Minsoo walked into the living room, throwing his beanie away and flopping onto the large dark brown sofa, reaching for the television remote and clicking it on. Niel sat down next to Minsoo, not realising how soft it was and sinking down, sliding accidently into Minsoo's side, his face basically slipping onto the other's crotch. Daniel felt his whole face heat up, sitting up as quick as he could and clearing his throat, trying oh so hard to forget the fact that he could feel something big under the other’s jeans. 

Minsoo bit down on his lip, shaking the highly embarassing thoughts out of his brain. He glanced to Niel, who seemed to have hardly reacted much and had a slight smile.

"I don't get it."

Minsoo raised an eyebrow. "Don't get what?"

"How are you single, Minsoo? Surely by now with your looks and personality alone, you'd be married with thoughts of either a kid or a pet at least." Niel babbled, not caring much at the moment that he may have talked too much.

Minsoo sat back, pulling a sort of put off face before cracking into a cheeky grin. His arm drapped across the back of the sofa, fingers finding their way to play at Niel's shoulder.

"I guess I haven't found the right partner. I had a girlfriend not too long ago. We had been dating for years and we were engaged as well. It was all going pretty well, but a thought was always there. We weren't right for each other. I felt like she wasn't that one person I was willing to spend my whole life with. Dating for 3 years and being engaged for 1 sort of showed that maybe I need to look more."

"So, are you saying you have comittment issues?" Daniel asked, slightly unwary. He was confused yet intrigued by what Minsoo was saying. He wanted to learn more about said man.

Minsoo shook his head, laughing under his breath. "Oh, not at all. I was committed to a 4 year relationship which started when I was hardly an adult and still in high school. I am fine with the idea of commitment. But I felt, and still feel, as if she wasn't the one I would be spending the rest of my life with. I loved her very much, and we are still friends. But I wasn't ready."

Daniel nodded, seeing as the other male was getting a bit flustered, he leaned in. His head resting lightly on the taller of the two's shoulder, slinking his arm around Minsoo's torso.

"I get that, yeah."

"Why are you still single, Niel? Well, that is me just assuming you are single.” Minsoo spoke with a dejected tone near the end, clearing his throat and drapping his arm to wrap around the younger's waist. Niel just laughed.

"Oh, of course I'm single. But I usually don't date. I get too busy for dating or having a boyfriend. Last date I had was very, very brief."

"Why didn't it last long?" Minsoo wondered, voice hushed even though he didn't need to do that.

Daniel shrugged, snuggling in close to the warmth the other let off. He felt incredibly comfortable and just...

happy.

"Work got in the way. I'm told by some that I like to put work before people..I think it is true, but I don't want to believe it."

"You can always make time for both, Niel. It's hard, yeah. But you can do it. It might sound… cheesy, but having someone who love you for you is a pretty damn nice feeling."

The younger man laughed a little. Sure, Minsoo was right. But he was scared. Scared to admit feelings.

Because God, did he like Minsoo. He really liked him.

Love?

Could he call it love?

"Is it love if you already feel as if you love the other person for everything they are? Is it love if you feel that eternal feeling inside? Is it love when they make you feel good?"

Minsoo nodded, simple. Because he understood.

And he agreed.

Because oh did he love Daniel.

"Yes, yes it is love. And..” Minsoo paused for a second as if hesitating, but quickly shook it off, his voice a bit shaky. “Dammit, I love you, Ahn Daniel. I don't think I can express in words how much I love you and your serious yet quirky self and from day one I knew you were special. And I know it is the same for you."

Niel laughed, nodding into Minsoo's side as he felt his whole body burn with the ecstasy of his crush, the first person who has kept him on their hook for so long, actually loved him.