“I told you I would come see you,” I say softly, doing my best to put a smile on my face. “So here I am.”
“Here you are,” he says with a nod. “What can I make for you today?”
“Oh. Right,” I say, looking up at the board. It’s all so overwhelming. I don’t often drink coffee and when I get it myself, I usually just get a regular cup and add a little cream to it. When I’m with someone else, I tend to always just get what they’re getting. “Do you have any recommendations?”
Jin tilts his head to the side, blowing up at his bangs, forcing them off of his face. “What do you normally get?”
“I don’t really have a usual when it comes to coffee. I just copy whoever I’m with.”
Jin’s eyes light up. “That’s so fun! You’re so adventurous, Leo!”
I shake my head. “I’m really not.”
“Willing to try new things is a very admirable quality. I don’t have a favorite yet but I tried a peppermint mocha the other day and it was really yummy. Do you like mint and chocolate?”
“That sounds great. Can I get it hot, please?”
“Perfect! That will let me practice with the espresso machine!”
“I’m happy I can help,” I tell him with a soft smile. He smiles right back and my heart feels like it’s going to leap out of my chest with how quickly it’s racing.
I pay for my drink and leave five dollars in the tip jar. Jin notices and somehow manages to grin even wider. I move towards the side, in case anyone else comes along, watching Jin work. Brenda supervises but lets him do the whole drink all on his own.
How can someone be so much like sunshine? Everything about Jin makes me feel warm all over. His smile, his eyes, his demeanor, the way his hands move, hishair. Even his voicemakes me think of the sunshine outside, melting the snowy wall I’ve built around myself.
“Hey, Jin. Did you want to take your lunch break now?”
Jin’s face lights up, turning to look at me, my drink still in his hands. “Leo! Can I have lunch with you today?”
I hold out my hands for my drink. Jin passes it over and as our fingers touch, I swear lightning races across my skin. I bite my bottom lip so hard I’m worried I might actually bite the entire thing clean off. Thankfully, that doesn’t happen.
“I’d like that,” I say, forcing the words from my dry throat.
Oh my gods. Oh my gods. Oh my gods.
This is fine. I’m totally fine. Everything is fine.
I step away from the counter, taking a sip of my mocha. I do my best to keep myself calm as I wait for Jin to take his apron off and punch out for his break using the register at the front of the coffee stand.
The mocha is really yummy. The chocolate is rich and dark while the mint is fresh. I really like it. Knowing that Jin made it somehow makes it even better.
“Okay,” Jin says, stepping out of the coffee stand. “Let’s grab some lunch. I’m starving.”
I step in line with Jin, following him over to the food court. “How’s training going so far?”
“It’s really awesome! Brenda has been so nice and is helping me learn everything I need to know. Monday is apparently the best day to learn because it’s busy with everyone going back to work but not too busy that I don’t get breaks to take it all in, you know? I even get to wear a little pin that tells everyone I’m new. Brenda said when people see that they’re usually extra nice, especially if I fuck anything up.”
My eyes widen as Jin continues to talk, telling me all about his day and how training is going and how one guy was mean but Brenda took care of him.
I’ve always been on the quiet side. Apparently Jin is the opposite. He likes to talk. He likes to share. He’s bigger than life. I feel like I’m staring straight into the sun and I can’t look away, even as my eyes begin to burn.
I guide us over to a sub sandwich spot. It’s the closest thing they have to what I would normally have for lunch.
“What about you?”
“Me?”
Jin nods his head. “How’s your day going so far? I don’t even know what you do, Leo.”
