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He sighed, laying his elbow on the table and his chin in his hand. Customers were slow but the day was nice. The light seeped in from the window and landed softly on the empty chairs and tables, crisp old books smelling in the air. The door chime ringed and he sat up straight. “Hello! Welcome to the Arlelt Bookstore! How may I help you?”
“Uh- umm, just looking!” the young man replied as he hurried to hide behind a bookshelf.
“Oh! Ok… If you need any help, don’t be afraid to ask!” he said answering with a smile. Armin settled back to his old position and looked over where the young man was hiding. He was tall, just a bit taller than him, and seemed flustered while looking through a random book he discovered. He pulled back his light brown hair as it fell slightly over his eyes, trying hard not to look over to the young man at the head desk.
“You sure…You don’t need any help?” Armin asked, cocking his head a little at the man.
Slamming the book shut, he stuttered as he moved to another aisle, “N-no, I’m fine thank you.”
“Hmm… Alright but are you sure you don’t want some coffee or a drink? They’re great I assure you.”
Slumping his shoulders, the young man finally brushed through his hair and nodded, looking down at his feet. “Alright, sure, I’ll take some black coffee then.”
“Alright, coming right up!” he said turning swiftly around his feet toward the coffee maker. He could tell from the corner of his eyes of how the man slumped his shoulders as if chiding over himself. He must not like black coffee he thought as he added two cubes of sugar and cream.
“Order up!” Taking the tray of coffee to an empty table in the back where the light shined the most, he walked past the customer to motion him to sit down. “Here ya go! One black coffee for you,” he said sitting at the other side of the table.
Raising his cup up he whispered a thank you before taking a sip, his eyes blinking at the taste, “it’s not as bitter as I thought it would be.”
“I added some sugar in it. Would you like me to change it?” He said rising form the table.
“No, no, no, no! It’s fine thank you!” The young man said, pulling at his arm and making him sit down again.
“You’re welcome,” he said folding his arms on the table and looking out window. They sat in silence, one not really looking at the other, the other trying not to look at them.
Finally deciding to speak up, he shifts in his sit and looks at him, holding his warm cup around his hands. “So, uh, come here often?”
Armin had to laugh at that as his face grew long over what he said. “Yes, I do actually, it’s in my name. Armin Arlelt, really. Yours?”
Straightening up and composing himself again he says, “Jean, Jean Kirschtein.”
“Jean, huh, well it’s very nice to meet you Jean! I hope we see each other again.”
“Y-yeah! Me too!” He said laughing with a huge smile on his face, “But. . . that doesn’t mean we can’t stay like this for a little while longer?”
Armin paused for moment, gaping at him, until he smiled broadly, the golden light surrounding him. “Yes, of course we can.”