HE IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT BREED .

Mina had been watching the situation like a hawk. Every time Shin tried talking to Yuki, it ended with awkward silence, cold shoulders or earphones being weaponized.

She finally leaned over the counter towards Shin, eyes full of curiosity.

"Hey...why Yuki doesn't talk to you?" she asked, squinting. "You two look like you're in live action of Tom and Jerry episode."

Shin sighed dramatically, leaning on the counter like weight of world was on his shoulders.

"Slapped"

Mina grasped, nearly dropping the tray on her hands. "Wait - you slapped Yuki?!"

Shin looked at her with the saddest eyes ever. "No...... he slapped me."

Mina blinked. "HUH?! Yuki ?? Our quiet soft-spoken boy slapped you?!"

Shin nodded, gloom radiating from him like a sad anime character. "Yeah.... I accidentally got too close to him the other day. I wasn't trying to be weird or something, I just wanted to tease him, and he slapped."

Mina looked at two boys - Yuki pretending he doesn't exist and Shin looks like a lost puppy. She honestly couldn't tell if she should laugh, cry or just record it to her blog."

She whispered under her breath," This is better than any k- dramas I've ever seen...."

----------------

The café had closed early that evening, giving the staff a rare moment of quiet.

Shin still feeling confused and low after the whole day of being iced out by Yuki, walked towards the staff room to grab his things. His mind was a mess - part frustration, part guilt and part something he couldn't quiet name.

As he stepped inside, he froze.

Yuki was already there. Changed into his causal clothes, hair slightly messy from taking off his apron, back turned as he zipped up his bag.

Shin's chest tightened.

"This might be my last chance."

He took a breath and stepped forward.

"Why are you avoiding me?" he asked, quiet voice, not angry - just....tried.

Yuki paused for a moment, shoulders tensing, but as usual he didn't reply. Instead, he tried walking past him like Shin was air.

But Shin had enough.

He reached out and grabbed Yuki's arm, gently but firmly.

Yuki flinched, trying to pull away. "Let go" he whispered voice barely audible.

Shin didn't.

"Not until you talk to me," he said softly.

And then in a moment he didn't plan - he gently pushed Yuki back, pinning him lightly again the wall his hands catching Yuki's wrists, holding them up as their faces were only inches apart.

Their eyes met.

Everything else - noise, space and time disappeared for a moment.

Yuki's breath caught. His heart started pounding so fast he thought Shin could hear it.

He wasn't scared, but he didn't know to breathe either.

Shin staring at him, looked more serious than ever - but not angry. Just.... desperate to understand.

"I'm not mad," Shin said quietly, "I just want to know why.... why you slapped me. Why you keep pretending that I don't exist."

Yuki's lips parted slightly, but no words came out of it. His mind was blank - expect for the fact that Shin was this close, and his warm was so near him, and look in his eyes made Yuki's chest ache.

Their faces were so close, their eyes locked like something straight out of a romance drama. The air was heavy. Tension was thick. Yuki's heart was pounding.

And then ------

Click.

The door creaked open.

"Shin, did you -" Mina started, stepping into the room and froze mid - step.

Her eyes widened. Her brain paused. Furthermore, her soul left the building for one second.

There stood Shin, pinning Yuki gently against the wall, there faces mere inches apart, like they were seconds away from a dramatic k- drama kiss.

Mina blinked.

"...... What in the actual BL is going on here?"

She looked around, as if checking for hidden cameras.

"Wait, which episode is this?! Did I miss the first half of the show?! We just skipped to the kiss scene?!"

Shin and Yuki were, froze - mid.

Mina clapped her hands like an excited fangirl. "No, no no - please! Don't let me interrupt ! Continue! Pretend I'm not here ! I'll just - bye" she grinned and left the room.

Yuki, now red as tomato, couldn't handle it anymore.

With zero hesitation and full panic, he knee - kicked Shin right in the stomach.

"Hhnnghh!" he let out a choked sound, stumbling back and clutching his belly. Yuki slipped out of his hold.

Shin clutched his stomach, groaning dramatically on the floor like he had been defeated in a battlefield.

"What...... was that for ?" he wheezed, glaring up at Yuki.

Yuki calmly pulled out, his phone, typed something and turned the screen towards Shin.

"For harassing me."

Shin blinked, still in pain." Harassing ?!" I was just trying to talk."

Yuki hand signed, "You deserved it."

Shin stared at him, deadpan,

"You look like a cute little cinnamon roll, but you got the power to kill a man."

Yuki didn't deny it. Instead, he hand signed, "You're a jerk."