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st4rlvr · 29 days ago

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Lattes and laughs ||CSN

I scanned the room, and there he was—San. He was sitting at a small table by the window, his hands nervously wrapped around a steaming mug. His dark hair fell slightly into his eyes, and his oversized sweater made him look impossibly soft, almost like he belonged in a painting. I smiled to myself, trying to ignore the flutter in my chest.

“Hey,” I said softly as I approached. His head snapped up, and his eyes widened slightly before a shy smile tugged at his lips.

“Hi,” he replied, his voice barely audible over the hum of the espresso machine. He stood up awkwardly, as if unsure whether to greet me with a hug or just stay put. I took the decision out of his hands, leaning in for a quick hug before sitting down across from him.

The warmth of his sweater and the faint scent of something woodsy lingered as I pulled away. “Hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long,” I said, shrugging off my coat.

He shook his head quickly, his fingers tightening around his mug. “No, not at all. I—I just got here.”

The barista called my name, and I excused myself to grab my latte. When I returned, San was looking out the window, his lips pressed together as if deep in thought. The way the golden sunlight filtered through the glass and danced across his features made my breath hitch for a moment. How could someone look so effortlessly perfect?

“So,” I said, breaking the silence as I sat down again. “How’s your day been?”

San looked at me, his gaze steady for a moment before he glanced away. “It’s been good,” he said, his voice soft but sincere. “Classes were… you know, the usual. But I was kind of looking forward to this.”

His words made my cheeks warm, and I tried to hide my smile by taking a sip of my latte. “Me too,” I admitted. “It’s nice to just… slow down for a bit.”

He nodded, his fingers fidgeting with the sleeve of his sweater. “Yeah. It’s been a while since I’ve… gone out like this.” He hesitated, then looked up at me through his lashes. “With someone.”

I felt my heart do a little flip. There was something endearing about how shy he was, how every word seemed to carry so much weight for him. “Well, I’m glad you’re here,” I said, my voice gentler now.

We fell into a comfortable rhythm after that, talking about everything and nothing. San would occasionally glance at me, his lips curving into a small smile before quickly looking away. I found myself watching the way his hands moved as he spoke, the way his eyes lit up when he talked about something he loved.

Outside, the wind rustled the leaves, sending bursts of orange and gold swirling past the window. Inside, the world felt smaller, warmer. It was just us, sitting across from each other, the barrier between “talking” and something more growing thinner with every laugh, every shared look.

As we finished our drinks, San looked at me, his expression serious but soft. “This was really nice,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Yeah,” I replied, meeting his gaze. “It was.”

For a moment, it felt like the world outside the window didn’t exist, like the cold, the deadlines, and the chaos of college life had all been paused. It was just us, sitting in the middle of fall, on the edge of something new.

San’s fingers fiddled with the rim of his empty coffee cup, his eyes darting to mine and then quickly away. His cheeks were slightly flushed, though whether it was from the warmth of the café or his shyness, I wasn’t sure. I couldn’t help but notice the way his bottom lip jutted out slightly in thought, or how his shoulders seemed to tense and relax as he tried to find something to say.

“Do you—uh—do you come here a lot?” he asked suddenly, his voice a little rushed. He puffed his cheeks out slightly as if bracing himself for my answer, and then immediately let the air out in a quiet sigh, his lips forming a small pout.

I bit back a smile, finding his nervousness oddly endearing. “Sometimes,” I said, swirling the last bit of my latte in its cup. “It’s my go-to spot when I need to unwind. What about you?”

“Oh, me? Not really,” he admitted, scratching the back of his neck. “I guess I’ve passed it a bunch of times, but… I’ve never actually been inside until now.” He glanced at me and gave a sheepish laugh. “Guess I just needed a good reason.”

That made me pause. The words were casual, but there was a subtle weight to them, like he’d been carefully planning how to drop them into the conversation. I raised an eyebrow. “A good reason, huh?”

He nodded, his hand now playing with the sleeve of his oversized sweater. “Yeah,” he said, his voice quieter now, almost like he was embarrassed. He puffed his cheeks again, and this time I couldn’t hold back my laughter.

“You always do that?” I teased, motioning to his face.

“Do what?” His eyes widened, his cheeks flushing deeper.

“The puffing thing,” I said, grinning. “It’s cute.”

That seemed to fluster him even more. He covered his face with his hand for a moment, letting out a soft groan. “I didn’t even realize I was doing it,” he muttered, peeking at me between his fingers.

“Well, now you know,” I said, leaning forward on my elbows. “It’s your nervous tell. So what are you nervous about, San?”

His gaze darted to mine, and for a moment, I thought he might deflect or change the subject. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “Maybe I’m just nervous because… I’m sitting here with someone who’s making it really hard to focus.”

The words caught me off guard, and I felt my heart skip a beat. He was looking right at me now, his usual shyness tempered by a flicker of boldness. His smile wasn’t big, but it was there—a quiet, confident curve that made him look even more impossibly charming.

“Is that so?” I managed, trying to sound composed despite the way my stomach flipped.

He nodded, biting his lip like he was trying to hide how proud he was of himself for saying it. “Maybe,” he said, his voice soft but steady. “Or maybe I’m just bad at this whole… talking thing.”

“You’re doing fine,” I said, my own smile growing. “Better than fine, actually.”

He ducked his head slightly, his fingers tracing invisible patterns on the table. “You think so?”

“I know so,” I said firmly, feeling a little braver myself now. “And for the record, you don’t need to be nervous around me.”

San looked up at that, his expression softening. “I’ll try to remember that,” he said, his voice warm and sincere. “But no promises.”

Outside, the wind howled, and the golden leaves whipped past the window. Inside, San sat across from me, his cheeks pink and his eyes brighter than I’d ever seen. I wasn’t sure where this was going, but I knew one thing for certain: I didn’t want this moment to end.

By the time we stepped out of the café, the sun had dipped low in the sky, casting everything in soft shades of orange and pink. The air was even colder now, crisp and biting against my skin. I hugged my coat tighter around me, and San adjusted his scarf, glancing at me nervously.

“I’ll walk you home,” he offered quietly, his hands shoved into the pockets of his sweater. His cheeks were still faintly pink, and I wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or his usual shyness.

“You don’t have to,” I replied, though I didn’t mean it. I wanted him to.

“I want to,” he said, his voice firm but gentle, meeting my eyes for a moment before quickly looking away.

We started walking together, the sound of leaves crunching under our feet breaking the silence. The streets were quieter now, only the occasional passerby hurrying home. String lights from nearby shops twinkled above us, and I could feel the warmth of San’s presence next to me, even though we weren’t touching.

“Did you always like fall?” I asked, trying to fill the comfortable quiet with conversation.

He smiled softly, his gaze focused ahead. “Yeah. I like the way everything feels… calmer, I guess. Like the world’s slowing down.” He glanced at me, his eyes searching mine for a beat before continuing. “What about you?”

“I love it,” I said. “The colors, the sweaters, the excuse to drink as much coffee as I want. What’s not to like?”

San chuckled at that, his laugh soft and low. “Good point.” He hesitated, then added, “I think it’s nicer this year, though.”

“Why’s that?” I asked, turning to look at him.

He stopped walking for a moment, his cheeks puffing out slightly like he was bracing himself. Then he exhaled, the warmth of his breath visible in the cold air. “Because I got to share it with you,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

My heart stuttered at his words, and I felt the warmth rush to my face despite the chill in the air. “San—”

“I know that sounds cheesy,” he interrupted quickly, rubbing the back of his neck, his usual shyness creeping back in. “But I mean it.”

I stepped closer, my breath catching as I looked up at him. He seemed so unsure of himself, his eyes flickering between mine and the ground, his lips pressed together like he was afraid he’d said too much.

“It’s not cheesy,” I said softly, my voice steady despite the way my heart was racing. “It’s sweet. And… I feel the same way.”

His eyes widened slightly at my words, and for a moment, he just stared at me, like he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. Then his lips curved into the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen—small, shy, but so genuine it made my chest ache.

We started walking again, the space between us feeling smaller now. As we reached the front steps of my building, I turned to face him, not quite ready to say goodbye.

“Thanks for walking me home,” I said, my voice softer now.

“Anytime,” he replied, his gaze meeting mine. There was something in the way he looked at me—tender, almost hesitant, like he was memorizing this moment.

I didn’t know who moved first, but suddenly we were closer, his hand brushing against mine. Slowly, carefully, he reached out, his fingers grazing mine before he intertwined them, his touch warm despite the cold.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Definitely,” I said, smiling up at him.

As I stepped inside, I turned back one last time. San was still standing there, his hands stuffed in his pockets, his breath visible in the cold air. He gave me a small, shy wave, and I couldn’t help but smile as I closed the door behind me, my heart fluttering in a way that felt new and exciting.

Fall had always been my favorite season, but tonight, it felt even more magical.

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