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The summer heat beat down on the busy city just outside the coffee shop windows. People were walking about with shopping bags clutched in their hands from mainstream or expensive brands, or with dog leashes. It wasn’t an outstanding site to see, but it was better than staring at coffee beans that needed to be crushed and the same people who sat at their laptops, thriving from free wifi and caffeine.
Business was slow and James was stuck at the cashier arguing with a woman who wanted her money back as soon as she found out that her coffee was made with real sugar, not sweetener. It wasn’t James’ fault, it was Rolo’s. That guy never has a clue to what he’s doing. His eyes were always glassy and red.
“Ma’am, we cannot give you a refund. You drank the coffee.” James tried to reason but she wouldn’t budge. James wasn’t sure how she even figured that out, to him, sweetener and regular sugar taste exactly the same.
She continued to argue, “This is terrible for my health! It’s your job to get my order correct, now, I need my money back.”
James’ head hurt. Her voice was rising with each word she spoke, capturing everyone’s attention. James sighed and shook his head.
“Sorry, we cannot do that.” James said firmly. The woman just scoffed and exited the shop. His headache cleared. Serves her right for drinking hot coffee on a summer’s day.
The abrupt ending of the bickering made the room silent and stiff. James gave some of the costumers awkward looks with a shrug, some silently laughed to themselves, almost unsure how to react to the situation that had occurred, but found it humorous.
James was a popular employee of the coffee shop, you can say he was the favored one. He was always on time, always made drinks correctly, and was actively sociable with the costumers to make them feel at home. He never worked any other season, only summer.
Summers were always boring, so instead of laying around on the couch or munching on junk food, he always got a summer job at the ridiculously popular coffee shop. He just wanted the time to pass quickly.
Desperate knocks clawed at the door. James turned his head. There was a dog pawing at the door, wanting to get in. His owner was panting from a possible short unexpected run.
The owner opened the door and the dog ran in, the leash slipping from the owner’s hand. The costumers didn’t seem bothered by the fluffy black mass of a dog running wild in the building.
The fluffy dog, which James quickly identified it as a Newfoundland, stood on its hind legs and placed its paws on the counter like a person waiting to order.
The owner quickly jogged to its side.
“Sorry! He gets excited when he sees the place. My brother always takes him here.” The (cute) owner quickly apologized, still gasping.
James smiled warmly and held his fist out so the dog can sniff it. The animal licked his hand eagerly.
”It’s okay. It gets boring here so it’s nice to have some sort of amusement.” James replied looking up at the guy.
People said that owners look like their dogs and vise versa. He never really believed that saying (though sometimes he came across some compelling evidence), but this time, he never believed that saying that much until now.
The owner was pale, like he hadn’t been outside for long, almost like a vampire, but it wasn’t unattractive (the dog had white markings). Instead, his skin beautifully contrasted against his black hair that was thick and black (just like the dog). He had long bangs and the back was long too, some people could’ve considered it ugly but he made it work.
James hated to compare the owner with the dog, but they were so adorable with their big bright eyes and the almost chaotic entrance they had.
“What’s dog friendly here? Sorry, I’ve never been here before.” The owner asked, tilting his head. The dog almost did the same thing. James lightly chuckled at that.
“We have an assortment of smoothies and munchies for them.” James replied with a smile. He mentally face palmed. Why did he say munchies? James started to list the items and its ingredients.
The owner seemed to smile at that then looked at the dog. “What do you want, buddy?”
The dog barked three times.
”The third option it is. What about you?” James asked him, meeting his eye again. The owner looked at the menu.
”Black coffee.” James furrowed his eyebrows but tapped the screen anyways to put the order in.
”What? Black coffee is good anytime, not matter the weather.”
“Sure,” James said, unconvinced. “Can I get a name?”
”Keith and Kosmo.”
Rolo was passed out in the backroom, which was a good thing, James didn’t need anymore arguments with middle aged women. James started on the drinks and picked out a treat for Kosmo. James placed Kosmo’s drink inna clean doggy bowl. He then took the drinks to the two boys.
James only took the drinks personally to people he likes or if he’s feeling nice, which is usually all the time. He would only place them on the counter and call out their name when he’s feeling tired. Rolo on the other hand, just places them on the counter and hopes the costumers know what their drink is.
James placed the bowl on the floor and Kosmo started to lap it up. Keith looked up from his notebook to glance up at James. The barista smiled softly at him and placed the coffee in front of him.
”Is this seat taken?” James asked, letting his eyes drift to the chair then back at Keith. The black haired boy shook his head.
James sat down then pushed a brown bag with the coffee shop’s logo on it towards Keith.
”What’s this?” He questioned, looking inside the bag.
”Little treat for Kosmo. He seems like a good boy.” James replied, glancing downwards to the dog who was eagerly licking at the almost empty bowl.
”Thank you,” Keith said. James could swear he saw a blush forming on his cheeks. “He definitely is.”
James hummed, “He seems rather...rowdy?”
“Yeah. He’s still a puppy though. Shiro’s planning to get him trained to be a service dog.” Keith informed with a gentle, grateful, sigh.
James figured he wouldn’t want to talk about it so he left it at that. James also noted that Keith didn’t seem like the talkative type, only talked when spoken to and only if he had something to say and not just to say something.
He was odd, the barista could say. All he knew was that he drank hot, black coffee during summer days, had weak stamina for a light jog (he did look fit though), had a brother, and a very cute dog.
Keith took a sip from the coffee cup. He licked his lips afterwards.
”This is the best black coffee I’ve had.”
“Seriously? Is there ever good black coffee?”
Keith laughed lightly at that. “Yes! There is! It’s not too bitter, but not too bland. There is a slight aftertaste of roasted coffee beans that really complements the overall first sip.”
James had never heard someone talk about black coffee that way.
”There’s absolutely no way you can tell from one sip.” James said, unconvinced.
“No really! Taste.” Keith urged and held the coffee cup up to James. James took the cup in his hand and took a sip right from where Keith’s pink lips had been.
The bitterness plagued his tastebuds and the back of his throat when he swallowed the liquid. He did get the roasted taste though.
James spluttered in disgust, “No. Gross.”
Keith laughed, his eyes closing in delight. James thought he looked beautiful. Kosmo yapped excitedly at the sound and started to paw at Keith’s lap, his tail wagging.
Keith pat his head then gave him the treat James picked for him. The puppy chewed happily at the biscuit.
James had an overwhelming urge to know this boy. He had a mysterious aura about him that James felt as if it was drawing him in.
“Let’s play twenty questions.” James blurted, catching Keith’s attention from the pup.
“Sure.” James didn’t actually think he would say yes.
The game started, and the questions were basic.
“Last name?”
”Griffin.”
”Kogane.”
James then asked a question, “Birthday?”
”October 23. You?”
”November 11.” James replied quickly. James was older since he was born a year before him.
Information was given, some facts surprised James. Like how Keith was ambidextrous, and he knew how to fight with swords (James didn’t ask why), and that he was born in Texas and is half Korean, but isn’t fluent in Korean since he never knew his mother and his dad didn’t know the language enough to teach him.
On some questions, Keith was reluctant to answer, but James got it. James wouldn’t want to open up so quickly to a stranger he’d just met either.
Keith and Kosmo would visit twice a week. Keith eventually stopped visiting with Kosmo since the puppy had to go through training and series of tests.
During those visits, he and James would talk during James’ breaks or after his shift. The two have grown closer significantly to the point where James got, well, feelings.
The forever cocoons in his stomach bloomed in to butterflies whenever Keith was around him. He started to notice little things about him that made his feelings for him grow, like how Keith would inevitably blush when James complimented him as if he’s never been complimented before, and how Keith would go silent, listening attentively when James spoke.
James liked the way he felt around him, safe, even if he did carry a knife with him. He hoped Keith felt the same way.
Before James could even think, blink, or breathe, his mouth decided to betray him and blurt out, “Do you want to go on a date with me?”
Keith was stunned. His eyes, that James thought sometimes looked purple, widened. Shock? Disgust? James wasn’t sure but he was about to find out.
Keith’s expression softened. A saccharine smile formed on his face. The expression looked all too sweet that James was sure he could cry honey. A dusky pink hue formed on his cheeks like the clouds during a sunset.
“Yes.” Keith said through a smile. “I’d love that.”
James let out a breath of relief, something he didn’t know he was holding.
”Thank you.” James replied, his mouth once again betraying him.
Keith let out a hearty laugh that reached into his eyes, pooling with pure delight. The laughter shook his body with the impact it had. The laugh sounded as if it was restrained for such a long time under layers of something James didn’t know of. At that moment, Keith seemed to glow that James could swear he could see a halo above his head.
James was almost saddened at the fact that that beautiful moment of innocent laughter dissolved into a soft joyful huff.
”Somewhere that’s not a coffee shop?” Keith suggested, eyes still vibrant with delight.
”Please.” James responded almost instantly, tone hopeful.
The world seemed to go in slow motion like a cheesy romantic movie when Keith leaned in to place a gentle kiss on his cheek.
“Thanks again.”