Your Distance

“Actually…” Ting Shuang lowered his eyes, looking at the hand Bai Changyi used to hold up the newspaper. “You can be even more excited. I’ll… take responsibility for you.”

Bai Changyi put down the newspaper and lifted up the coffee, “Is this the service Freesia offers?”

Ting Shuang’s gaze followed the hand Bai Changyi had on the coffee cup handle, “No, this is a… personal service.”

Bai Changyi took a sip of coffee and said, “Personal service.”

Intriguing.

Ting Shuang said, “… Yes.”

After speaking, he immediately went back to the counter.

Personal service…

Ting Shuang couldn’t believe that such a suggestive phrase could leave his mouth.

Fortunately, a new customer came in, and soon he was too busy taking orders and making coffee to continue thinking of such suggestive things.

During his shift, he would look at Bai Changyi whenever he was free.

Bai Changyi brought two books, and continued reading them after he finished reading the newspaper.

A folded newspaper, an empty coffee cup, and a yellowish book lay on the table in front of him. He leaned back in his chair, holding a book with a ginger-coloured cover in his left hand. Behind the lens were eyes that looked down upon the paper, tranquil and not to be disturbed, just like the dark sea on a still night – not a single ripple, and just like someone from a movie – at a glance you’d know he was someone with many stories to his name, but at the same time you’d also know that he’d never bring those stories up.

He was past the age when one would talk about unrealistic things.

Ting Shuang realised that Bai Changyi was more attractive than he had previously thought.

Sexy and cool.(1)

Occasionally, a bold person would walk up and try to hit on him, or leave a note with their number.

As Ting Shuang cleared the table for Bai Changyi and took away the coffee cup, he also casually collected those pieces of paper as if they were garbage. After he cleared the table, he peeked at Bai Changyi, only to find him looking as if he hadn’t realised anything. Ting Shuang couldn’t help but feel secretly thrilled.

Bai Changyi continued reading his book, his lips curved up in a very subtle smile.

When Ting Shuang got off his shift and changed out, Bai Changyi’s second book was almost finished.

Ting Shuang stood at the door of the staff’s lounge for a while. Instead of going directly to Bai Changyi, he exited the cafe from another door that was further away and bought a bunch of freesias from the adjacent flower shop.

Cough. It was a date after all.

Wasn’t buying a bouquet of flowers for your date a natural thing to do?

Ting Shuang took the bouquet of freesias and walked to the outside of the cafe, next to the window that Bai Changyi was leaning against. He knocked on the window frame twice.

Bai Changyi looked up.

Ting Shuang turned away, looking at the road, and saying with the tone of a delivery man, “… Cough, your personal service.”

Bai Changyi closed the book, lips curving up, “Mm, I’ll come out to try it out at once.”