Sousuke's POV

I wouldn't say that I hated my job. I mean, who enjoys part-time work and dealing with the public? The answer is nobody. Even the customers don't really want to be here. They come to this coffee shop because it's a quick caffeine stop before they go to work, which I totally understand. Today was like any other, the line of customers at 8AM groggily making their way to the front of the counter. Recently I had been placed in drive-thru service, which I enjoy much better seeing as I don't have to deal with the early-morning zombies at all. I just made the coffee that was ordered and hand it to the person at the window station, who then gives it to the customer. This was ideal for me. I didn't even have to see the customers.

"Sousuke, drive-thru order!" Keiichi, a fellow worker, informed me. "Caramel macchiato!"

I quickly got to my station and fixed up the beverage. Making coffee was somehow therapeutic for me now that I didn't have to talk to the public. It still wasn't a great job, but it suited me. Lately, since I didn't have to interact with customers, I found myself writing notes on their cups. Sometimes it was just a "have a good day" or a smiley face. I liked to think it made someone's day better. Regardless of what I may have seemed like on the outside, I was a good guy on the inside. So today was no different than any other when I wrote on the cup. On this cup I wrote, "You look great today." I couldn't actually see the customer, but I figured as long as this made someone feel good, it was fine.

I quickly handed the drink to Keiichi who gave me a new order, a large black coffee. As I headed back to make the drink, Keiichi stopped me.

"Ah, wait," he walked over, looking as a slip of paper. It looked like the receipt paper.

"The customer forgot their receipt? It's not a big deal, just throw it away," I said simply, preparing the new order.

"No, they didn't forget it, they gave it back to me."

"Ok...so throw it out," I was beginning to get annoyed. He should have known that throwing out receipts were not a big deal, especially if the customer didn't want it.

"It's for you," he said, the note crinkled between his fingertips.

"Huh?" I turned to him to see the little slip of white paper in his hand. What was with him today? I rolled my eyes and snatched it from him. "What, is it a complaint or something?" I looked over the receipt, making sure the customer got what they ordered. They did. Something else caught my eye. There was a little handwritten note on the bottom of the receipt. It said speak for yourself, handsome, in perfect, frilly handwriting. What the…? Oh. Oh my gosh. This was a response from my note to the customer! This had never happened before. I mean, who would actually respond to a total stranger's compliment? For some reason my heart was pounding. Could this person know me? Did they like me or…?

"Sousuke-"

"What did the customer look like?"

Keiichi shook his head, "Oh no, I'm not telling you that. You're not about to try and get in this person's pants. They were far too sweet for you, anyway."

My face burned with embarrassment and a tinge of anger. "What? When have I ever tried to get in a customer's pants?" Keiichi crossed him arms, giving me a indignant look. "Ok, ok, fine. I'll find out for myself who this is. Can you at least tell me if they're my type?"

Keiichi hummed to himself, pretending to think about it. He sure knew how to annoy me. "Hmm, well, I would say they were your type. Cute, light-olive hair. But like I said, they were too good for you anyway," he teased, winking as he pat me on the arm.

"'They'? What's with that pronoun? Are they male or female?"

"It doesn't matter since you aren't going to meet them." Now he was just teasing me.

"B-but I'm just curious!" I defended myself.

Keiichi smiled devilishly, "Would it matter if they were a boy or a girl?"

My mind suddenly drew a blank. Would I care? I mean...I had never had a romantic relationship with a man. The thought made me blush. How did men even have sex? Could it actually feel good consider it was going in...there? Have I ever been attracted sexually to a man? The thought made me blush. I scratched the back of my head, still thinking. "Um-"

"Sousuke, Keiichi, get back to work! You're not paid to lollygag around!" The manager yelled from the back.

I gritted my teeth. If he decided to get off his fat ass and-ugh he was not worth my anger. I gave Keiichi a sideways glare, "This conversation is not over," I whispered through my teeth.

He just chuckled and shook his head.

This was getting my head all mixed up. Who cared if someone wrote a note back to me, right? Who was I kidding, I cared. That said something about their personality, something that I never had luck with in my past relationships. Apparently I was very attracted to garbage people and they were attracted to me. Many of my relationships were purely physical at first, and when I showed my true loving side, they got scared and left. No one wanted a monogamous relationship anymore. Everyone wanted to sleep with everyone and I liked to think that I wasn't like that. If I slept with someone it was because I felt something for them to some degree. I could never do something like that to someone I didn't like.

So the weeks went on like this, everyday I wrote on a cup for that person and everyday I got a response from them in the drive-thru. It was odd, this was becoming a joy for me. I looked forward to receiving these little notes that lifted up my day. Most of them were replies to compliments that I gave them, but sometimes they were compliments to me or little quotes that brought my spirits up. I was feeling like we were growing closer and we hadn't even met face to face. Today I decided I would ask a question, saying 'would you want to meet?'. I was so curious as to who this person was and if we could actually have a relationship outside of this note-passing and flirting. My heart thumped as I wrote the question out, my hand shaking. Was I some school girl? What was this feeling? I was a grown man, for God's sake. I shook the feeling off, handing the drink to Keiichi who was working the window.

"You're blushing, Sousuke, what did you write on the cup today?" Keiichi turned the cup to look, but I glared at him. Surprisingly he stopped himself. "Fine, I won't meddle in your affairs," he said, a mischievous smile on his face. That rascal, he already was considering he was the one making this possible. My heart pounded as I awaited the response. "Ok, have a good day," I heard Keiichi say through the window.

My heart was in my throat as Keiichi turned to me, a smile on his face. He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at me. "Did they leave a note?" I asked.

"Yes, they did," he looked at the slip of white paper in his hands for a moment, trying to suppress an even bigger smile as he handed it to me.

I took the note between my fingers, my heart beating erratically. It was ridiculous to be so nervous about a note, but what if this person was meant for me? What if it was fate? I turned the note to see the handwritten response, 'Yes. I'll be in the shop tomorrow at 10AM. See you then'. And there was a little smiley face with blushie marks. I felt my face get warm, my stomach fluttering. I was going to meet them tomorrow. Tomorrow my life would finally change from the boring and mundane to something to look forward to. I was so excited, but there was no way I could show that to Keiichi, he would only tease me, I was sure of it. I was usually so calm and even cold sometimes, but it was like I wasn't even myself.

"So they're coming in tomorrow?" Keiichi leaned against the counter, resting his chin on his hand.

"Yes, I'll meet them then. But how will I know it's them?"

Keiichi clicked his tongue, giving out a dramatic sigh, "Well, I suppose I could point them out to you."

"Really? Thanks. Gosh, I feel like a high schooler. What's happening to me?" I chuckled to myself, running a hand through my hair.

It was Keiichi's turn to chuckle, "I didn't know this side of you existed."

I turned to him, one eyebrow raised, "What do you mean?" I asked.

"It's like you're in love with a total stranger." He responded, "Not that that is a bad thing. Knowing who this person is, I think they'll be good for you."

"So she's pretty?" I asked.

He chuckled, "Beautiful."

"And nice?" I asked.

"Very."

I felt warm inside for some reason.

~The Next Day~

Today, time couldn't go fast enough. I arrived at work at 7AM, getting prepared for the 8AM rush. Only three more hours and I would get to meet the person I had been passing notes to for weeks now. I had imagined what they might have looked like. Ideally, she would be petite and sweet, maybe sort of quiet and shy. But honestly, as long as they were nice like Keiichi said, I was excited to meet them. I smiled to myself as I went through possible scenarios. I was a dork disguised as a tall, brooding man.

I anxiously looked at the clock every time a customer walked in, thinking it was time to meet the note-writer, but it wasn't. With a heavy sigh I leaned against the counter, waiting. There were no orders in for me, so I just had to wait until 10AM rolled around. Keiichi was the floor manager for today so I knew he would give me my break when that person came in the shop.

The front door opened and let in a cold draft that caused me to turn around. I looked at the wall clock; it was 10AM exactly. I quickly looked at the person who came in and saw a young man, probably my age, wearing a business suit and had short, olive hair. Olive hair. Didn't Keiichi say that the person had olive hair? No, no this couldn't have been the person. Although, he did look kind, like Keiichi said. He had an aura of sadness about him that I couldn't explain, but he still had a smile on his face. He sat at a table, fixing his blazer. He looked nervous. I wondered if he was meeting a date here.

Keiichi tapped me on the shoulder and I turned a little to look at him. "What?"

"You can go on your break now," he said, a little grin on his face.

I looked around the store and the only person here was that man. "But I thought I could wait to take my break until that person came." I said, clinging onto hope. No, of course I was flirting with a girl for the past couple weeks, not some guy.

Keiichi crossed his arms, smiling to himself, "Yeah. They came."

My heart sunk to my stomach and I was sure that the color drained from my face. "W-what do you mean? There is only that guy here…" Was I hoping against hope here? "Keiichi, did you ask me if it mattered if it was a man or woman even though you knew that the person was a man?"

Keiichi got that mischievous look on his face that I wished I could punch off. "Like I said, this person is too good for you," he patted me on the back.

"I could kill you right now. You knew that I had been flirting with a man for weeks and you didn't say anything?" I whispered harshly only so that that man wouldn't hear us.

Keiichi suddenly gave me a serious glare. I had never seen a face like that on him before and it somewhat startled me. "Why does it matter if he is a man? Would that really change how happy you were to receive his notes? I recall you being very excited to meet this person today and to reject such a kind person who went along with your stupid antics it just...just awful. You're awful."

I couldn't tell if he was saying these things to get me to talk to the man or if he seriously thought these things, but either way it hurt. I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose. "You know what, fine," I untied my apron, tossing it at him. "I am going to talk to him."

As I walked over to the table, I swear I saw Keiichi smirk. That bastard.

"Um, hello," I said to the man at the table, "I believe we are supposed to meet? You were the one who left the note for me, yes?" He turned to me, looking like a timid rabbit. I had a weird feeling in my chest. What was that? Must have been heartburn or something…

"Oh, hello," he said, beginning to stand up to greet me.

"Oh, just sit, no need to be formal," I smiled. I sat down across from him and our eyes locked. It was odd, Keiichi was right. He was beautiful. Even as a man I could identify another attractive man. Keiichi made me so frustrated. The reason I was feeling so strange around this person is all because I liked the messages the person sent, it didn't mean I had actually formed romantic feelings for him. Of course, that must be it.

"I'm Tachibana Makoto, it's nice to meet you," he bowed a little bit. He was actually pretty cute. In a totally platonic way, of course. I wasn't gay. I wondered if he was.

"Nice to meet you, Makoto-kun," I said. A light blush dusted his cheeks and I realized he may not have been comfortable with me using his given name. "Ah, may I call you Makoto-kun? Or would you prefer Tachibana-kun?"

"J-just Makoto-kun is good," He said, his smile twinkling. I had that strange feeling in my chest again. "What should I call you?"

"My name is Yamazaki Sousuke, but you can call me Sousuke." I said kindly.

"Just Sousuke?" He asked.

"Just Sousuke." I smiled. Why did I find his blushing face to be so...so cute? Ugh, the feelings I had for the person writing me notes was obviously transferring to him. But I supposed that he was one and the same, wasn't he? B-but I wasn't gay, of course, so I shouldn't have had these feelings at all.

"I really enjoyed passing notes to you, Sousuke," He said as he looked down at his hands. He fiddled with a napkin. I wondered why he was so nervous.

"I enjoyed your notes, Makoto-kun." I decided it was time to be honest. I didn't want to hurt this man by leading him on when I obviously had no intention of having a romantic relationship with him like our flirting notes may have suggested. "Um, you're different than I thought you would be."

This made him look up. "How so?"

"Uh, well" I awkwardly ran a hand through my hair, "I didn't know you were a man."

He suddenly looked deflated, like he was let down. I felt bad for him. He seemed so nice and it wasn't my intention to hurt him, but wasn't it natural to assume that flirty notes came from women? "I see. I'm sorry I'm not what you expected."

His words shocked me a little. Keiichi was right, he was too good for me. "N-no, it's not...I didn't mean to say it like that." I sighed, resting my elbows on the table, "Makoto-kun, you seem like a really good person and I would like to be friends, if that's ok." It was true, he was obviously a very kind, gentle person. He was someone who would make a great, caring friend. Plus, if I rejected him fully, who knows what he would do.

His eyes widened and he licked his lips, "If it's no trouble, I don't want to put you out or anything."

This guy. "Since when is being a friend putting me out?" I chuckled, "Don't worry about it."

"Ok," he said softly. The smile on his face was truly genuine now and it practically blinded me. My heart thumped again. Was I ill? Did I have a heart condition? What the hell was this about? I decided it was best left ignored. "So would you want to go get some dinner together tomorrow night? I work the late shift at the office so I won't be available until 7PM."

I couldn't help but smile. "Ok. Let's exchange numbers so we can clear up the details later. I have to get back to work."

When I returned home it was around 8PM. I was exhausted having working a full shift today and was feeling lonely (as usual). I went to my bedroom and took off my uniform, getting my pyjamas out for after I took my bath.

Makoto, huh? I thought. He was an interesting guy. I sat on my bed, my weight causing it to creak. With a sigh I pulled out a box from under my bed. It was filled with the notes that we exchanged over the past couple weeks. I picked out a couple to look at them, reminiscing.

You're a ray of sunshine, one of them said. You make me smile, said another. My heart did that weird thumping thing again. I should have gotten rid of these. It was probably creepy to keep them. Well, not as creepy as writing the notes in the first place, I guess. It was true that these notes from Makoto really made me happy. I just wished that it was possible for us to actually be together. If he was a girl, I wouldn't have this conflict. Keiichi's words suddenly came into my brain. Was there a problem with him being a man? Did him being a man make these notes any less valuable to me? I wasn't sure. My heart wanted to say no, but my body said yes. Shit. I hated this.

A/N: hello there! I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! I have the rest of the chapters up until the last one planned out so writer's block can't really occur (hopefully), so I hope to have the next chapter done soon! Thanks for reading! Drop a comment if you want to motivate me ;D