Phrase VII

The grinder was too loud.
Or maybe the silence was too quiet.

Kai swore the portafilter was vibrating in his hand just to spite him.

Luca leaned on the other side of the bar.
His arms were crossed.
He looked disappointed.

"Gonna tamp that today?" he asked, dryly.

Kai looked up. "Sorry, I was savoring the moment."

Luca sighed.
He shook his head.

Kai gritted his teeth.
He tamped—harder than he needed to.

He lifted the handle, but Luca beat him to the group head.
Their fingers bumped.


Luca retracted his hand like it stung.

Kai flinched, but didn't move back.


The espresso machine hissed.
Luca looked like he wanted to.

"You're crooked," he said flatly.

"I've been called worse." Kai adjusted the cup.

Luca walked away before he could say more.


Five minutes later, Kai fumbled with the milk frother.

Luca leaned over his shoulder.

"You're supposed to listen to the foam," he said.

"I was listening."

"To something dying?"

Kai blew out a breath. "You could be nicer, you know."

Luca straightened. "You could steam the milk."


Later, Kai was restocking syrups when Luca passed behind him.

Kai moved to the side, overcompensating.

Luca rolled his eyes.

"You always flinch like that?"

Kai turned. "You always loom like that?"

Nico, passing by with a tray of mugs, just muttered, "Glad we're all having fun," and disappeared.

By the end of the hour, they had almost stopped jabbing.

Kai was wiping down the bar when Luca spoke—

"Lid bin goes under the counter. Not in the sink."

Kai didn't look up.
He just moved it.

So annoying...

The lecture hall was already half full when Kai walked in.

He didn't notice Luca right away.

Not until he scanned the side row—
Luca was sitting exactly where Kai had sat last time.

And he was blocking the seat next to him.
Luca's backpack—half-unzipped, and laid flat—blocked Kai from sitting.

Kai stopped mid-step—

No eye contact.
Luca hadn't even looked up.

"—Tch."

Kai stared at the seat.
Then at the backpack.

And walked behind Luca.
To his opposite side.

He sat down.
Right next to Luca.


Kai didn't look at him.

He just pulled out his notebook.
And opened it with a light thud.

Luca shifted slightly.
Kai heard a small exhale.

He took a short glance toward Luca—

Luca rolled his eyes.

—and he quickly turned back.

A few students in the next row looked up.

One girl raised her eyebrows at her friend.
A silent "...do they know each other?" echoed.

Kai kept his eyes forward.
He refused to say a word.

Kai didn't take notes.

He stared at his open notebook.
He felt thoughts buzzing in his head.

His pen hovered above the page.

Why did I sit here?

He knew why.

That damn backpack.
...And Luca.

Luca hadn't even looked at him.
He used his bag like a warning sign.

Kai had walked right past it.
And sat himself down like it was challenge.

What am I, twelve?

I should've let it go.

He probably didn't even mean anything with it...

...Okay. No. He definitely meant it.

But still—

Kai sighed softly.

Who does that!?

His pen scratched a swirl into the page.

He glanced at the clock.
Class wasn't even halfway over.

Great.

A motion caught the corner of his eye—
Luca shifted slightly.
—he didn't look, but he felt it.

Another shift.
And a quiet glance.

Kai still didn't look.

He felt pressure building in his chest.
He wanted to say something.
He wanted to apologize.

No. I'll just say something stupid... again.

Kai stayed still—
staring forward
—waiting for the class to end.

Kai's next shift started quietly.

Luca didn't look annoyed.
He didn't look happy either, but Kai expected that.

He just nodded once when Kai walked in.

Kai nodded back.


The early shift dragged on.
Kai kept sneaking glances.

Luca never flinched.

They smoothly moved around each other.
No glares. No verbal jabs.

They passed mugs.
Shifted trays.
Shared towels.

At one point, Luca even said "Good catch," when Kai stopped a cup from tipping. Kai almost tripped over Luca's words.

Okay

Kai opened his mouth—

Say it now.

"Hey, I just wanted to—"

DING

The door swung open.
A line of four people walked in.

Then five more followed.

The espresso machine whined.
Someone shouted an order before reaching the counter.

Sienna's voice called from the back.

"We need restocks on 2 and 4!"

Luca already had a rag in one hand and a portafilter in the other.

Kai tried again—

"Hey, Luca—"

"Decaf's empty," Luca said, passing him the container.

"Right—"

Kai grabbed it and spun.
He nearly collided with Nico.

"Sorry—!"

"No time for sorry!" Nico sang, darting past.
He had three cups stacked in one hand.

It didn't slow down.

The frother hissed.
The grinder snarled.

Receipt paper unspooled.

Kai looked and let out a long sigh.


By the time the line finally cleared, Kai was exhausted.
Luca was wiped his forehead with his sleeve.

Kai looked over.

Luca looked calm again.

Kai stepped toward him.

"Hey, I—"

Another ding.
Another group walked in.

Kai exhaled.

Yeah. Of course.