Work Text:
Bamby loved the small café called ASTERUM 433-10 Café. Tucked into the corner of a quiet street, it was a world of soft chatter, mellow music, and the scent of coffee beans that seemed to hug him the moment he stepped inside.
It wasn’t just the atmosphere that pulled him back again and again. It was the Einspänner, served in a tall glass with a cloud of cream on top, and the mocha bread, still warm, with just the right balance of chocolate and coffee. For Bamby, this pairing was comfort itself. A ritual. A piece of home he could taste.
But that ritual was broken one rainy afternoon.
His usual corner by the window—the seat where he always watched raindrops race each other down the glass—was already taken. A stranger sat there, tall and sharp-eyed, with hair that looked like it had been tousled by the wind. In front of him rested a slice of red velvet cake and a cup of black coffee, both barely touched.
Bamby hesitated, then chose the table nearby. When his own order arrived—the familiar Einspänner and mocha bread—he noticed the stranger glance at it, then back at his untouched plate with a faint frown.
“Not your taste?” Bamby asked, the words slipping out before he could stop himself.
The stranger blinked, then let out a small laugh.
“I thought I’d try something new. But… maybe red velvet isn’t for me.”
Bamby chuckled, lifting his bread. “That’s why I stick to this. Mocha bread never disappoints.”
“And the coffee?” the man asked curiously.
“This?” Bamby took a sip of his Einspänner, cream leaving a faint mark on his lip. “It’s perfect. Strong, but soft at the same time. Kind of like… a hug.”
The stranger’s lips curved into a smile. He extended a hand.
“Yejun.”
“Bamby,” he replied, shaking it with a warmth that surprised him.
After that, the café was no longer just Bamby’s. It slowly became their place.
Bamby learned that Yejun was a student too, often buried in assignments and books, but somehow he always found time to come to ASTERUM 433-10 Café. Sometimes he arrived earlier, claiming the window seat and saving it for Bamby. Sometimes he stayed late, both of them lingering long after their drinks had gone cold, talking about everything from music to silly memories.
Yejun confessed that he liked his coffee bitter but found himself sneaking more bites of mocha bread whenever Bamby wasn’t looking.
“Hey,” Bamby teased one afternoon, catching him red-handed. “That’s mine.”
“You said mocha bread never disappoints,” Yejun said, grinning as he broke off another piece. “Guess I had to see if you were right.”
Bamby pretended to pout but slid the plate closer anyway. “Fine. But only because you look too smug when you steal it.”
Their laughter filled the small space between them.
On a quiet evening, when the café was nearly empty, Bamby leaned his chin on his palm as he watched Yejun type furiously on his laptop. The glow of the screen lit up his features—sharp, serious, but softened by the way his brows furrowed in concentration.
Without thinking, Bamby pushed a plate of mocha bread toward him. “You’re frowning too much. Eat.”
Yejun glanced up, surprised. His smile came slowly, like sunlight after rain. “You’re bossy when you care, huh?”
Bamby flushed. “I’m not—”
“You are,” Yejun said, taking the bread anyway. “And I like it.”
The turning point came one golden sunset. The café was bathed in amber light, painting their table in warm tones. Before Bamby could order, Yejun stood and returned with an Einspänner and mocha bread, placing them in front of him.
“You memorized my favorites,” Bamby said softly, touched.
“I wanted to get it right,” Yejun replied, settling back into his seat. His voice was low, but steady. “Because you’ve become my favorite.”
Bamby blinked, words caught in his throat. Then his lips curved into a smile—bright, unguarded.
“Well,” he said quietly, “I guess we’re even. Because you’ve become mine.”
Outside, the rain had finally stopped. Inside, between the cream-topped coffee and the lingering sweetness of mocha bread, something warmer had started to brew.
The matcha was green. The red velvet cake was red. The blueberry was blue. The peach cake was pink.
And for Bamby and Yejun, their story began with the deep brown of coffee and the soft sweetness of mocha bread.
— END.