It was hard not to look at him. And it definitely wasn’t just you. Reo had this annoying little charm as a barista that made you want to both swoon and roll your eyes. You weren’t the only customer who stared a little too long. The guy had regulars. Of course he did. He had this way of talking at the register, always leaning over the counter like he had to get closer, flashing that smug little smile that was confident, but bordered on cockiness.

His tip jar was always overflowing whenever you came in. Honestly, you’d thought about skipping the tip once or twice just to mess with him. Just to knock him down a peg from that pedestal of smugness. But the drinks he made were too good. Always were. So, you kept coming back.

“Got your iced matcha right here!” Reo called out, hand raised dramatically to get your attention. That grin was already on his face. The one that made your eyes twitch a little. As you stepped up to the counter, he leaned in way closer than necessary, handing you the cup like he was giving you something expensive. “Notice how I made yours first? Even with a whole line. Tip appreciated.”

You felt your cheeks heat up, laughing under your breath at his half assed attempt at flirting. Not that it didn’t kind of work.

You grabbed the cup, turning it in your hand without thinking, until something caught your eye. Black marker scribbles. More specifically, a heart. And right under it? A phone number. Reo’s number. On your drink.

Your face got warmer for the second time, glancing back up to catch him awkwardly scratching at the back of his neck like he wasn’t the one who wrote it. “Weird. Wonder who did that,” he mumbled, not even trying to sell the lie.

You would’ve rolled your eyes if he wasn’t so cute.