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You know those scenes in movies when someone walks into a room and there’s just something about them that makes everyone turn their heads towards them, taking everyone’s breath away and making time come to a standstill?
That’s exactly what Mutsunokami Yoshiyuki experiences one December morning, on a seemingly ordinary Monday of him starting his new part-time job at the local coffee shop near the university where he studies. His new colleague slash mentor is showing him the basic recipes that a barista needs to know and where everything is put in the workstation when someone pushes the door open and the bell rings to announce their arrival and Mutsunokami’s mentor automatically looks up to say, “Ah, right on time, as usual. Good morning, have a seat!”
Feeling as though he should do the same, Mutsunokami looks up as well to greet the customer, and that’s when the words die in his throat and the movie scene takes place.
The guy who walks in might be the most beautiful person Mutsunokami has ever seen in his life. His combination of a black turtleneck, jeans, grey boots, and a beige overcoat makes him look like he’s just come out of a modelling advertisement on those social media apps that sell overpriced clothes, and it all fits well on his tall and lean frame. And no movie scene prepares Mutsunokami for when he takes a good look at the newcomer’s face and practically stops breathing.
A beautiful man who has gorgeous blue eyes, whose pale skin contrasts with his long sleek black hair that’s tied up in a ponytail, who has such a charming smile that Mutsunokami thinks he’s going weak in the knees.
The guy says, “Hey, Nankai!” and Mutsunokami dimly hears his mentor reply something and the guy nods, smiles briefly again at Mutsunokami, and walks off to the corner of the cafe. Mutsunokami might have continued staring if Nankai hadn’t nudged him hard.
“Mutsunokami-kun? Are you alright? You’re looking a bit pale.”
“A-ah, it’s nothing!” His fellow university classmate and also fellow part-time barista, Hizen, is already staring at him suspiciously, and Mutsunokami really does not need to be called out on his thirst by Hizen of all people, so he reluctantly tears his eyes away from the most beautiful person he’s ever seen in his life.
“I know the shop’s only just opened a couple of minutes ago, but Izuminokami-kun is a regular, plus his order is quite simple so it should be good experience for you to try making it and taking it to him.”
Mutsunokami almost chokes. “Taking it to him? Erm, I mean - I thought customers usually pick up their coffees here at the counter?” He already can’t quite breathe looking at the most beautiful person he’s ever seen in his life and now he’s supposed to just go up to him and serve him coffee?
And mentally, he takes note of his name: Izuminokami. It’s a mouthful, but it sounds nice.
“They do normally, yes.” Nankai nods. “However when business is slow and we only have a couple of customers - as you can see, Izuminokami-kun is our only customer in the shop right at this moment - we make it a habit to take their order to them directly. A bit of table service shows that we’re willing to build a rapport with the customers and make them more likely to come back, hm?”
“Building a rapport” with Izuminokami the most beautiful person Mutsunokami’s ever seen in his life frankly sounds terrifying, but it’s not like Mutsunokami can say no when he’s just started working here and it sounds like a direct order from his superior. “...Okay. What’s his order?”
To his absolute mortification Nankai turns away from him and leans over the counter to raise his voice. “Izuminokami-kun? Could you come over here for a second?”
Staring too much is probably either unhealthy for him or insanely creepy or most likely both, so Mutsunokami quickly busies himself with grabbing the dine-in cups and saucers and giving them a good, long, extremely thorough wash.
Then a shadow falls over him and Mutsunokami looks up to see Izuminokami peering at him over the counter. “Hey, what’re you hiding back there for? Nankai says you’re taking my order, right?”
Oh, hell. “Um, right!” Great, one look at a hot guy and Mutsunokami turns into a blustering mess. This is starting to get embarrassing. Nankai is watching expectantly from the side so Mutsunokami quickly washes his hands clean and hurries over to the cashier. “Erm, what would you like to order?”
“A black coffee, please.”
“That’ll be…550yen, thank you.”
Izuminokami fishes the coins from his pocket and places it on the counter before Mutsunokami even finishes saying the words.
“I always sit over there.” Izuminokami gestures towards the furthest corner of the cafe, a nice picturesque spot by the window that’s illuminated by sunlight. “Can you bring my coffee over there when it’s done?”
“Y-yeah. Of course.”
Izuminokami smiles at him again. “Thanks.”
And off he goes, and Mutsunokami counts that as a success on his part, having survived a conversation with him. Nankai comes over to give him some pointers on what he could have done better, and Mutsunokami tries very hard to pay attention to him and not think too hard about Izuminokami smiling at him.
Five minutes later Mutsunokami carefully and painstakingly carries the black coffee Izuminokami ordered through the cluster of empty tables to get to the furthest corner where Izuminokami is sitting. He’s already made himself at home, setting up his laptop and notes right at an angle where the sunlight wouldn’t affect the readability of the laptop screen but still shining onto the pile of notes for him to use. He practically looks like the cover of a fashion magazine, and Mutsunokami almost hesitates to interrupt him, but Izuminokami looks up suddenly and makes eye contact with him. “Oh, there you a—hey, don’t you go to the university, too?”
Mutsunokami almost drops the cup. “Wait, what?”
“I couldn’t see your face all that well back there, you weren’t really looking at me much - but I recognise you. I’ve seen you at the history elective classes. You always sit way at the front of the lecture hall.” Izuminokami leans back on his chair, facing him fully. “So you work here part-time, huh?”
“Er - yeah!” Honestly, Mutsunokami feels pretty offended at himself. Maybe this is his own fault for always arriving early at his classes and sitting at the front, because then he never turns around and sees who else is in his class behind him. A guy THIS hot has been in his university and IN THE SAME CLASS AS HIM twice a week and he never noticed?! “I, uh, finished my coursework for the holidays already so I thought I’d, um, get a part-time job nearby…make some extra money for my dad…”
“Ah, that’s nice.” Izuminokami flashes him another disarming smile. “I’m not too great at studying so I gotta take the time to brush up on the class notes when I’m free. And that, of course.” He gestures to the black coffee and, remembering that he’s supposed to give that to him, Mutsunokami hurriedly places it on the table next to his notes.
“Thank you. Guess I’ll be seeing you around a lot here, huh?”
Oh God. Mutsunokami doesn’t think his heart can handle that. Still, he musters the customer service smile on his face and manages a cheery “Yes, I suppose so! Enjoy your drink!” and he marches straight back to the counter.
Part of him thinks he should quit this job now and possibly change universities to avoid this man forever. Another part of him thinks he should probably toughen up and give this thing a shot.
“You should just toughen up and give this thing a shot,” Hizen says.
Mutsunokami groans and buries his head in his hands. A week has passed since he started working here and Izuminokami comes in most days for his usual, his customary black coffee, and sits there studying for hours in the afternoon before leaving at around sunset. Hizen’s already picked up on how Mutsunokami glances hopefully at the door every time it swings open and the bell rings, and his face falls when it’s not Izuminokami, or lights up when it is, followed by Mutsunokami’s cheerful greeting.
“Give it a few more days and you’ll literally start ditching jobs just to fall over yourself and make his stupid black coffee for him,” Hizen continues.
“I will not!” Mutsunokami retorts indignantly. “And black coffee isn’t stupid. It’s on the menu for a reason. Though I don’t know why he drinks it. He clearly doesn’t like it.”
At that, both Hizen and Nankai stop in their tracks and look up at him. “What’re you talking about?” Hizen asks after a moment.
Thankfully Izuminokami isn’t here today, because Mutsunokami feels himself growing pink when he replies. “I mean…he always makes a face whenever he drinks it. I don’t think he actually likes it.”
“You’ve been watching him?” Nankai sounds amused.
“Stalker,” Hizen mutters.
“I’m not a stalker!” Mutsunokami says that a bit too loudly, and half the coffee shop goes quiet. Hastily Mutsunokami grabs Hizen and Nankai, and tugs them further back into the storeroom. “Look, I just - notice things about the customers. It’s a barista’s job to make sure their customers are always satisfied, right?”
“Yeah, well, you’re making it really obvious that you’ve got the hots for the guy,” Hizen shoots back, but there isn’t much bite in his tone. “Look, I’m sick and tired of seeing you turn into a bumbling idiot when he walks into the shop. One day you’re going to drop a tray or something.”
Mutsunokami can’t really argue with that.
“While I don’t believe you’d be that careless, Mutsunokami-kun, I do have to agree with Hizen-kun that staying the way you are, half wanting to get closer and half afraid to do so, will not be productive at the very least.” Nankai smiles kindly at him. “I also think that you, ah, should “give this thing a shot”, as they say.”
“You’re suggesting I ask out a customer?” Mutsunokami feels horrified.
Nankai shrugs. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, Izuminokami-kun is single, as far as I’m aware. What’s the worst that could happen?”
“Uh, he could say no?”
“Then at least you’ve tried,” Hizen snaps.
“And who knows, he might find it flattering either way.” Nankai nods. “Oh, what good timing - here he is.”
“What?”
Mutsunokami pushes past Hizen and Nankai to peer out of the storeroom, where Izuminokami has just walked in. Today he’s wearing a suit - the jacket is draped over one arm and the sleeves of his dress shirt are rolled up to his elbows, and Izuminokami’s fixing his tie as he makes his way straight to his corner, barely glancing at the counter along the way. He looks a bit stressed, to be honest.
“He’s all dressed up today,” Mutsunokami murmurs. “I wonder why?”
“Well, you could go find out.” Nankai nudges Mutsunokami’s shoulder. “And while you’re at it, perhaps you could truly do what you said baristas ought to do.”
“What’s that?”
Nankai grins. “Make sure your customers are always satisfied. If you’ve noticed he doesn’t actually like black coffee, maybe you could recommend something else to him?”
And that’s how Mutsunokami finds himself bringing a mocha over to Izuminokami’s table, nervous but determined. Izuminokami’s busy setting up his laptop as usual and doesn’t notice Mutsunokami coming until he’s set down the coffee at his table.
“I’m sorry, I haven’t - I haven’t ordered anything yet.” Izuminokami stares down at the coffee. “And this isn’t mine.”
“I know. Er, this might be rude of me, but…I’ve brought you something else to try today.” Mutsunokami gestures awkwardly to the coffee. “I know you always order black coffee but…well, uh, I think you could try this instead. It’s a mocha…there’s, um, milk...and chocolate in it…”
“Oh. Oh! Thank you.” At last Izuminokami smiles. He looks relieved, and it makes Mutsunokami feel relieved, too. “How much is this? I’ll pay in a minute, I just have to finish setting up here…”
“Oh, don’t worry about it.” Mutsunokami’s heart feels like it’s going to pound out of his chest. “It’s on m—it’s on the house.”
As Izuminokami says his thank-yous again, it suddenly occurs to Mutsunokami that Izuminokami may not actually know his name. He hasn’t got his name card yet from the manufacturers, and Nankai and Hizen have never really referred to him by name in Izuminokami’s presence. Still, it seems weird to suddenly introduce himself after a week of serving the guy, so Mutsunokami turns to head back to the counter when Izuminokami calls out to him.
“Wait! I’ve always been meaning to ask…”
“Yeah?” Mutsunokami turns around hopefully.
Izuminokami looks sheepish. “What’s the wifi password here again? I got a new laptop so it didn’t save the password from when I came here before…”
Oh. “I’ll, uh, type it in for you.”
“Thanks.” Izuminokami takes his laptop and hands it to Mutsunokami. When Mutsunokami takes it from him, their fingertips brush and Mutsunokami jumps a little, embarrassed. Izuminokami only smiles at him and waits patiently as Mutsunokami inputs the wifi password, and he takes great care not to touch Izuminokami again as he returns the laptop. Then marches back to the counter. Then hides in the storeroom pretending to look for coffee beans as he tries to catch his breath.
He gets chased back out to the counter by Hizen, barking at him that they need more help, and busies himself for about an hour or so. Mutsunokami’s taking out a fresh batch of cupcakes for the cakes display case when Izuminokami comes up to the counter.
He’s looking less stressed now, and he’s holding the empty cup. He shakes his head when Nankai goes to help him, and he waits for Mutsunokami to come by before speaking up. “Thank you for this. I really liked it - maybe I could have it again next time?”
Oh boy, heart attack alert. Mutsunokami might perish on the spot from how brightly Izuminokami’s smiling at him. “O-of course! I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“Sorry that I was being weirdly rushed today when I came in. I was…well, I had an interview. For an internship.” Izuminokami sounds bashful. “I was really nervous…but your mocha really helped. Seriously.”
Mutsunokami’s breath catches in his throat. “Really?”
“Really.” Izuminokami nodded. “It was like - all my nerves just vanished. Power of chocolate, maybe.”
He laughs and Mutsunokami has to stop himself from visibly melting at the sound. “I’m just doing my job. A mocha for your usual from now on, then?”
Izuminokami’s eyes twinkle. “Yes, of course. I’ll see you around, hopefully?”
“Y-yeah. See you.”
Mutsunokami keeps grinning as Izuminokami leaves the cafe, and he doesn’t stop grinning for the rest of the day, even when Hizen says he looks like a weirdo.
I’ll see you around, hopefully?
On his way home after work, Mutsunokami gets himself a mocha, too, and it tastes particularly sweet.
Except he doesn’t go in to work the next day, nor the day after, because his dog at home has a bit of a stomach bug and Mutsunokami takes a few days off to take him to the vet and look after him.
When he does go back to work, three days later, Hizen is pissed off.
“Three days. Three days! And every damn day you’re not in, Izuminokami asks me where you are. And he’s always got something to say about the mocha I make him. Even Sensei made him one yesterday and he still said there was something off about it. Sensei’s seriously about to throw out and replenish our entire stock of coffee beans and chocolate at this rate if this keeps up.”
Mutsunokami’s bewildered beyond belief, but he doesn’t actually have the time to clarify more, because then the bell rings and the door is pushed open and the first customer of the day walks in. And it’s Izuminokami.
His face lights up when he sees Mutsunokami. “Oh, you’re back!”
“Ah…yeah, some stuff happened at home.” Mutsunokami feels…weird. Like he’s floating on a cloud.
“Yeah, I heard from Hizen about your dog. Is he okay now?”
“Yeah, he’s fine. Thanks for worrying.”
“Well, I’m not much of a dog person, but I’m glad you’re back. I was pretty restless without your mocha.” As if suddenly realising Hizen and Nankai are within earshot, Izuminokami hastily adds, “I mean, the ones you two made were delicious, too! I just, uh…”
“Yeah, okay, we get it,” Hizen interrupts. “Just go sit down already before your spot gets taken.”
Izuminokami practically gets herded away by Nankai, and Hizen points a whisk threateningly at Mutsunokami. “You better make a damn good mocha for this guy, or I will kill either you or him.”
Mutsunokami hesitates. He gets the feeling that while he’s gone, Izuminokami has been asking about him, and he thinks he likes that feeling. But he’s still worried, and nervous. Should he really try and give this thing a shot, after all?
“But what if he’s…” Mutsunokami gestures halfheartedly. “I mean, how do I know if he’s…if he’s also…”
“Huh? Oh!” Hizen snorts. “You mean if he’s into guys, too? No, yeah, he is, just go.”
“Alright, alright! Jeez…”
Mutsunokami makes the mocha quickly, half to escape from Hizen’s glare and half to go talk to Izuminokami again sooner.
And it gets better when he gets to Izuminokami’s designated table and puts down the mocha and Izuminokami says, “Thanks, Mutsunokami.”
Mutsunokami’s jaw falls open. “You know my name!”
“Well, yeah.” Is it Mutsunokami’s imagination, or are Izuminokami’s cheeks going slightly pink? “I asked, when you weren’t in. Wondered if you got fired for staring at me too much.”
“WHAT?”
“Okay, probably shouldn’t have said that,” Izuminokami concedes, holding up his hands in mock surrender. He’s still grinning, though. “But I figured you should know that you weren’t really being subtle. Maybe that’s why I like your mocha most? Because you put a lot of care into it?”
That’s probably the logical reason. Still, Mutsunokami can’t help but cover his face with his hands in mortification. “Okay. I cannot work here anymore.”
“Don’t be dramatic.” Izuminokami laughed. “I just noticed you were looking at me sometimes. I know I’m good-looking, alright? I don’t work part-time as a fashion model for my brains.”
Help. “You’re such an asshole,” Mutsunokami muttered.
“Is that any way to talk to your customers?” Izuminokami doesn’t sound angry. “Anyway, your mocha is great. I’m serious. You could open your own coffee shop or something.”
“Yeah, well, being a barista isn’t really my plan for the future. I gotta go home and work at my old man’s place after graduation.”
Izuminokami blinks. “I thought you’re a history major?”
“Yeah.” Mutsunokami leans against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. It’s…nice, just chatting to Izuminokami normally like this. They definitely have never spoken this much before in one sitting. “My old man runs a local museum out in the countryside. Things like maps and antiques and stuff. Once I graduate I’ll move back and help him with the upkeep of the place.”
“Wow, I’m friends with a museum curator. That’s rad. Do I get a discount when I visit?”
Mutsunokami laughs. “If you come visit. We’re quite far out the countryside for a city boy like you. What’s your major, anyway?”
“Education. Bet you don’t think I look like the teacher sort, huh?” Before Mutsunokami can formulate a reply, Izuminokami reaches into his bag and takes out a pair of black-rimmed glasses, putting them on. “I do look like the scholarly sexy type when I have these on, though, don’t I?”
Okay, this image is not good for Mutsunokami’s sanity. “Pretty sure you can’t go around trying to seduce your colleagues at a school,” is all Mutsunokami manages to say. Izuminokami does look very good in those glasses.
“Maybe not colleagues, but perhaps a museum curator?” Izuminokami lowers his glasses slightly, raising an eyebrow. “One with soft brown hair and lovely amber eyes?”
Ah. Okay. So Hizen was right.
And it cannot be any clearer that Izuminokami is flirting with him now. Mutsunokami isn’t sure whether to panic or go with the flow. At least the…interest…is reciprocated.
Mutsunokami’s saved from having to answer Izuminokami by a shout from Nankai at the counter. “Mutsunokami-kun, could you help me out here for a second?”
“Yeah, coming!” Mutsunokami shoots Izuminokami a fake pouty look. “I’m going to get in trouble if I keep showing you favouritism, Izuminokami-san.”
“I don’t see a problem with that. And, uh, drop the honourific. Just Izuminokami is fine.”
That’s clearly not part of their banter. Mutsunokami finds his mouth going dry again. “Oh…okay. …Izuminokami.”
“Mm.”
And when Mutsunokami hurries back to the counter, he can’t seem to stop smiling.
There is certainly something happening between them. Mutsunokami doesn’t really have a name for it, but he doesn’t think it’s entirely necessary because it feels like it’s a process, a journey towards something else that does have a name and Mutsunokami kind of hopes Izuminokami wants, too.
They learn each other’s full names, for starters: Mutsunokami feels shy telling him his, Yoshiyuki, and almost elated to learn Izuminokami’s, Kanesada. It still feels too familiar, too intimate, so they remain calling each other by their last names. Izuminokami never pushes things too far, despite the occasional comment that might be interpreted as flirtatious, and Mutsunokami is happy for that.
Izuminokami comes in more often now, and sometimes with his classmates at university. Unlike Mutsunokami, who commutes to the city area every day from the countryside where he takes care of his father, Izuminokami lives at the university dorm with a couple of guys who are on the kendo team with him. Mutsunokami meets them and gets along with them, and sometimes learns more about Izuminokami as a result when he’s free to stop and chat with them.
“We’re all sword nuts,” one of the guys, Kashuu, tells Mutsunokami one time, a week before Christmas. “Seems obvious, since we’re on the kendo team, but we almost always watch historical dramas together.”
“Kane-san doesn’t like Western flicks,” Horikawa, the shorter boy with whom Izuminokami shares a room with, pipes up. “He says guns are lame.”
“Excuse me? Sorry, Izuminokami, but you’re wrong.” Mutsunokami points an accusatory finger at Izuminokami. “I’ll concede that swords are great, but guns are not lame.”
“I’m not the biggest fan of them,” Nagasone, the big guy, adds.
Mutsunokami nods at him. “And I respect that. But Izuminokami’s still wrong.”
“How come I’m the only one you’re mad at?” Izuminokami complains. “It’s not fair. Hey, Yamatonokami, help me out here.”
The last guy, Yamatonokami, seems used to this, and ignores him. “Mutsunokami, I heard that you have a dog? Can I see?”
“Oh, sure.” When Mutsunokami takes out his phone and shows the group pictures of his dog, half of them coo over it and the other half wrinkle their noses.
“I like both cats and dogs,” Yamatonokami says with a grin. “My favourite type of dog is a Pomeranian. I like all cats, though!”
“I’m also okay with both, but yeah, I like cats more.” Kashuu looks at the rest of the group. “What about you guys?”
Nagasone puts up his hand. “Dog person.”
“Cat person,” Izuminokami and Horikawa both say at the same time.
Mutsunokami looks at Izuminokami with disappointment. “Sucks to have bad taste.”
“HUH? What’d you say, you bastard?”
“As happy as you all seem to be right now,” Nankai interrupts with a serene smile, appearing like a ghost by Nagasone’s shoulder and making them all jump. “This is a business establishment and so you will all need to drink something if you’d like to stay here. So, what would you like to order?”
“Oh, right.” Horikawa looks embarrassed. “Flat white for me.”
“Latte,” Kashuu and Yamatonokami chorus together.
“Americano,” says Nagasone, then they all look expectantly at Izuminokami.
At that moment, several people talk at once.
“Oh, I’ll just have my usual…”
“Oh, I gotta make Izuminokami’s…”
“Oh, Mutsunokami-kun will handle his…”
Izuminokami, Mutsunokami, and Nankai all look at each other, and Kashuu makes a whistling noise. “Ooh, Izuminokami gets special treatment from Mutsunokami, huh~”
“I-it’s not what you think!” Izuminokami shouts as Kashuu and Yamatonokami start nudging him hard from either side of him.
Nankai wisely makes his exit, and Mutsunokami makes the mistake of trying to rectify the situation by saying, “Look, I can make all of your coffees too on top of Izuminokami’s, it’s no big deal—”
“So you’re the only one who can make Izuminokami’s mocha for him?” Nagasone asks, eyes wide.
“No wonder Kane-san was complaining about how the mochas here seemed different on the days you were off, Mutsunokami-san,” Horikawa muses aloud. “It’s because they were made by Hizen-san and Nankai-san…”
“Mutsunokami, you bastard, you just made things worse!”
“Sorry!” Mutsunokami yelps and dashes off into the kitchen as the group’s laughter and yells get even louder. Mutsunokami’s so mortified that after he makes Izuminokami’s mocha he has Hizen go deliver it to the table and refuses to come out of the storeroom until the group has left, too embarrassed even to say goodbye to Izuminokami.
Still, when it’s closing time and he goes out to clear the mess left behind by the group at their table, he finds a napkin squashed between the empty mocha cup and its saucer, with hastily scribbled words in Izuminokami’s handwriting:
Sorry about just now. Hope you’re not angry at me.
And how could he be, when Izuminokami shows up the next day with a box of chocolates as an apology?
Even on days that Izuminokami comes in alone, Mutsunokami always makes the time to go talk to him. Once he goes over because other customers are coming up and complaining about Izuminokami repeatedly dropping his pen on the floor, and he asks him what the hell he’s up to.
Izuminokami looks sheepish as he picks up his pen off the floor again. “Uh, well, I don’t really know the answer to some of these test questions, so…I’m just gonna see where my pen points to when I roll it and pick that answer.”
Mutsunokami sighs. “You’re kind of an idiot, aren’t you?”
“Hey, coming from the guy who thought sharks were mammals!”
“Don’t you bring that up again! I thought any animal that doesn’t lay eggs would be mammals! Sharks give birth to live young, don’t they?”
“Yeah, but they breathe with gills underwater, dumbass.”
Someone at the next table shushes them loudly, and Mutsunokami and Izuminokami go quiet, exchanging embarrassed looks. Izuminokami points his pen at Mutsunokami. “This isn’t over. I’ll remember this.”
“Yeah, sure,” Mutsunokami shoots back jokingly. “If you still remember this later.”
“Later” turns out to be nothing, however, because Izuminokami ends up staying so late at the coffee shop that he’s still here by closing time, and Mutsunokami has to go chase him out.
“Why are you still here, anyway?” Mutsunokami asks dubiously, watching Izuminokami pack up his things. “You rarely stay here so long.”
Izuminokami scratches his head. “I lost my dorm keys and the guys aren’t gonna be back for another hour. I’ve just been killing time until then.”
Mutsunokami sighs. “Okay, well, if you’ve got another hour, then that’s even more time to kill. You hungry?”
“No,” Izuminokami answers immediately, just as his stomach grumbles. After a short, comical pause, Izuminokami takes one look at Mutsunokami trying to stifle his laughter and sighs. “Fine, yeah, I am. Got any good recommendations?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. Hope you like sukiyaki.”
And so from that point on, sometimes they would go out for dinner, and they would chat some more. Somehow, these dinners were always unplanned, impromptu, and seemingly exclusive. Izuminokami never once suggested that others should join them, and on some days that he was at the coffee shop late with the others, he’d even tell the others to go grab dinner without him just to go eat with Mutsunokami instead.
During these dinners, they start touching upon some more sensitive topics. About how they both live with just their dads now. About how Hizen is basically Mutsunokami’s half-brother. About how Izuminokami’s known Horikawa since they were kids. About their dreams - if Mutsunokami could choose, he’d travel the world; if Izuminokami could choose, he’d be a kendo teacher, not a Japanese history teacher stuck in a classroom.
And about pointlessly cute things, too: about how Mutsunokami told his dad the dog he’s taking care of is a puppy that someone gifted him, when in reality Mutsunokami rescued him from being taken to the pound; about how Izuminokami would dearly love to keep a pet beetle if not for everyone else in the dorm being against it. About how Izuminokami had been forcing himself to drink black coffee for years to keep himself awake to study when he actually hates it; and about how Mutsunokami is actually, despite being a barista, more of a tea person.
And Mutsunokami doesn’t mind any of this. In fact, he thinks this is one of the reasons why he sincerely hopes that what they’re doing is a process towards something else that does have a name.
It’s December 25, Christmas day, when something does happen. Mutsunokami goes to work in a cheerful mood - he’s bought Hizen a couple of coupons for an all-you-can-eat buffet, and Nankai a brand new microscope. From them he receives a woolly scarf and a model ship, and he thinks the day can’t get any better until Izuminokami shows up to wish him happy holidays.
Mutsunokami’s about to go behind the counter to start making Izuminokami’s mocha for him when Izuminokami stops him to give him his present.
“Seriously? For me?”
“Yeah, no shit, this is your name, isn’t it?” Izuminokami jabs at the name on the card taped to the present, his voice full of laughter. “Go on, open it.”
It’s a book, but not just any book. Discover the World: A Travel Book for Adventurers. It’s already unbelievably thick, like a dictionary, but there’s also different coloured Post-Its sticking out of it, and when Mutsunokami opens it to the first page for a look, there’s a piece of paper taped there with a little guide for what colour of Post-Its equals what. Red for must-see attractions, green for food recommendations, blue for festivals or seasonal events that must be planned in advance for.
“You did all this?” Mutsunokami stares at Izuminokami in shock.
“Well, Kashuu gave me the idea first,” Izuminokami says, looking embarrassed. “I kept complaining to them about how I didn’t know what to get you, so he and Yasusada were like, well, what DOES he like? So I just talked about the things you told me you liked, and Kashuu was like, well, get him a travel book then! So I did, and while Nagasone-san was helping me cut the wrapping paper to size, I started reading it, so I thought it’d be easier for you if I added some notes here and there so that you don’t have to read the whole thing, just the important bits, then Kunihiro was like, that’s really messy, you need a tidy system! So then he brought in the Post-Its, and helped me organise the things I thought you’d like more—”
“Izuminokami,” Mutsunokami interrupted. “I love this present. Seriously. Thank you. I can see you must have really put a lot of thought into it.”
Izuminokami’s cheeks pinked even more. “It’s no problem. Of course I’d do this much for you. After all, I—”
“SERIOUSLY? HERE?”
Whatever Izuminokami was about to say, he was interrupted by Kashuu’s shout. The other boy had suddenly appeared between them, having shoved his way through the throng of customers, and glared between Izuminokami and Mutsunokami. “You guys are SO awful at this. Honestly, it’s embarrassing. Get out of here before I puke. Do this somewhere more romantic.”
“Uh?”
“Oi, Kashuu, fuck off—”
Despite their complaints, Kashuu still manages to push them both out of the door of the coffee shop, and he points a threatening finger at Izuminokami. “Don’t you dare chicken out.”
And he slams the door on them, effectively locking them both out.
“Uh.” Mutsunokami looks at Izuminokami. “What was that all about?”
He thinks Izuminokami will just bitch about Kashuu some more and demand a way back in to the coffee shop, but to his surprise Izuminokami looks fidgety. He isn’t quite meeting Mutsunokami’s gaze and he keeps shuffling his feet. His cheeks are so red that the pink is reaching up to his ears and suddenly he doesn’t look as tall and intimidating as Mutsunokami always thought he was.
“Mutsunokami, there’s something I gotta say to you.”
Oh, hell. Suddenly this feels a lot like a movie scene again. Except Mutsunokami has a very firm idea what kind of movie this scene might come from, and his heart starts beating very fast.
Do this somewhere more romantic.
Snow is falling, muffled Christmas music is playing from within the coffee shop, brightly-coloured lights are shining overhead, and the most beautiful person Mutsunokami has ever seen in his life is being unbearably adorable and nervous right in front of him.
Should he wait for Izuminokami to say it first? Or should Mutsunokami say it first? His heart might burst if Izuminokami doesn’t say something soon. In fact, Izuminokami looks slightly sick. He’s about to open his mouth to speak when Mutsunokami blurts out, “Do you need a drink? I can still make your mocha for you first, you know…”
Izuminokami stares at him. Then he bursts into laughter.
“Jeez, you really are…you really are something, Mutsunokami Yoshiyuki.”
It’s the first time he’s heard Izuminokami say his first name, and the first time anyone’s said his name like that. Like it belongs in their voice.
“Well.” Izuminokami takes a deep breath. “I just thought - yeah, you probably can tell that I like you. I, uh, fell in love with the mocha at first. It was really sweet. And then, uh, I fell in love with the person who made it. He, uh…he’s really sweet, too. Even though he’s kind of brainless and he’s a dog person and he thinks guns are cooler than swords. So I just wondered…what I’m trying to say is…do you, um, maybe, like, maybewannagooutwithmesometime.”
He says the last bit so quickly that it comes out as a single rushing breath and Mutsunokami almost doesn’t hear it at all. But Izuminokami’s expectant, hopeful gaze tells him enough. So does the Christmas present he gave him, and the dinners they’ve had together, and the laughter they’ve shared, and the experiences they’ve given to one another.
“Yes,” Mutsunokami answers immediately. “Even though I disagree with the things you said. I’m still smarter than you are, dogs are better than cats, and guns are cooler than swords.”
“I’m going to very respectfully tell you you’re wrong just because I’m in love with you,” Izuminokami mutters, but he takes several steps closer to him, his gaze shy. “So…we’re a thing now? We’re dating?”
“Yes, idiot, we’re dating,” Mutsunokami laughs, and he’s still laughing even when Izuminokami pulls Mutsunokami into his arms. “I did say yes, didn’t I?”
“I just wanted to be sure,” Izuminokami grumbles. Up close, his eyes aren’t quite plain blue - more of a blue-green, like the ocean. Mutsunokami still finds him beautiful. “Stop laughing at me.”
“You’re going to have very respectfully shut me up, then.”
Izuminokami chuckles, his voice low. “Oh, you’re gonna regret saying that. I have just the thing to make you shut up.” And when Izuminokami closes the distance between them, his mouth tasting like coffee, Mutsunokami thinks that he quite likes this method of being quiet.
“By the way,” Izuminokami adds, in barely a whisper when he finally pulls away for them to breathe. “You’re still going to have to make those mochas for me.”
Mutsunokami smiles and leans his forehead against Izuminokami’s. Their breaths are snowy white and smell of coffee and chocolate. His hand is warm in Izuminokami’s, and he just manages to reply before Izuminokami’s lips seek out his again.
“...I’ll make you as many mochas as you want.”