The afternoon sun poured gently over the streets as Yuki and Shun stepped out of the academy, the chatter of students fading behind them. It was unusual—Shun had agreed, almost on a whim, to accompany Yuki to a small café a few blocks away. Not because it was anything special, but because it was quiet and had decent pastries.
Yuki bounced lightly on his heels as they walked. "This place is tiny, but I promise it's cozy. You'll like it."
Shun's hands were tucked into his sweater pockets, calm as ever. "I hope it's not too crowded. I… I don't like too much noise."
"You're going to love it," Yuki said, nudging him slightly. "It's peaceful. Just enough soft chatter and smell of coffee. Nothing else."
When they arrived, the café smelled like cinnamon and warm bread. The air was tinged with the scent of brewed coffee and the faint sweetness of pastries. A small bell chimed as they entered, and the barista greeted them with a polite nod.
"Do you want to sit inside or near the window?" Yuki asked, glancing around.
Shun hesitated for a moment, then pointed to the corner by the window. "There. I can see outside… and it's quieter there."
Yuki grinned. "Perfect choice." He pulled out a chair for Shun before sitting down himself. The table was small, just enough for their drinks and a shared pastry plate. Yuki couldn't help but notice how Shun's fingers brushed the table lightly as he settled in, careful and deliberate.
A soft smile spread across Shun's face as he looked out the window, but it didn't quite mean anything. Not yet.
"Do you come here often?" Yuki asked, leaning forward slightly.
Shun shook his head. "Not really. I… usually eat in the school cafeteria. But this seemed… nicer today."
Yuki nodded enthusiastically. "I come here sometimes after rehearsal. It's my little reward. I mean… who doesn't like good pastries, right?"
Shun let out a small laugh, the kind that was quiet but genuine. "I like pastries," he said. "Especially ones with chocolate."
Yuki's eyes lit up. "Chocolate? Perfect. Then we're already best friends."
Shun looked over at him, lips twitching in a barely-there smile. "I wouldn't go that far."
"Yet," Yuki teased, grinning. "We have to try everything first."
They ordered two hot chocolates and a small plate of assorted pastries. The barista brought them over, and Yuki immediately picked the chocolate croissant, offering half to Shun. Shun hesitated but accepted, taking a small bite.
"Not bad," he said softly, almost to himself. "Warm… flaky… sweet, but not too much."
Yuki leaned back in his chair, watching him. "See? Told you. Perfect choice."
Shun glanced at him, a faint blush rising on his cheeks. "You… have a lot of confidence in your recommendations."
Yuki shrugged, grinning. "It's part of my charm."
The two fell into a comfortable silence after that, sipping their drinks and nibbling pastries. Outside, the leaves rustled gently in the wind, brushing across the pavement with a soft sound. Occasionally, a passerby laughed or a car honked faintly, but inside the café, it felt like a little bubble removed from the rest of the world.
Yuki doodled absentmindedly on a napkin, sketching small dance figures, while Shun quietly flipped through a menu for future visits. They didn't speak much, but the silence was easy, comfortable. Yuki noticed how Shun's eyes followed a bird outside the window, how his hands rested lightly on the table, how he occasionally tapped his fingers in a small rhythm as he sipped chocolate.
"A soft smile spread across his face as he looked out of the window, but it didn't quite mean something. Not yet," Yuki thought to himself, watching the way Shun's eyes crinkled at the corners. It was the kind of smile that suggested something was beginning to grow—small, quiet, almost unnoticeable—but promising.
"Do you… dance often?" Shun asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
Yuki looked up from his doodles, surprised by the question. "Yeah, almost every day. Why?"
"I was just… curious," Shun said, shrugging lightly. "You talk about it a lot. Seems… important to you."
"It is," Yuki admitted, cheeks warming a little. "It's how I feel… how I express myself. Kind of like your piano, I guess. You play, I dance. We… connect through it, maybe."
Shun tilted his head slightly, considering. "I see. That makes sense. I like that idea."
Yuki grinned. "Yeah. And… maybe someday you can play, and I can dance, and we can see if it works?"
Shun looked at him for a moment, lips twitching, then gave a soft, noncommittal laugh. "Maybe. We'll see."
It wasn't much, but Yuki felt his heart lift. The hope was small, tentative, but it existed. Like the first bloom of spring in a quiet park.
They finished their drinks slowly, talking lightly about favorite songs, pastries, and odd moments from school life. There was laughter, small teasing, and the occasional pause where neither spoke, but neither felt awkward.
Eventually, Yuki glanced at the clock. "I should head back… rehearsal soon."
Shun nodded. "I should go back too… need to practice."
Yuki stood, gathering his things, and offered Shun a small wave. "Thanks for coming with me. It was fun."
Shun returned the wave, a faint smile on his face. "Yeah… it was."
As they parted ways outside the café, Yuki felt a warmth linger in his chest. It wasn't anything heavy or serious—just a small connection, quiet, sweet, and full of possibility. The kind of connection that could grow, maybe, into something more someday, but not yet. Not now.
..not when he saw Kenji's soft face smiling at him, waving over from afar..