The holidays were quickly approaching. The increase in customers walking into the café was always a telltale sign to Hinata. Aside from the snow and the decrease in temperature, the business of the café where Hinata worked as a waitress always spiked around the holidays. She didn't really know why; perhaps it was the location of the café, next to a big mall, or perhaps it was the chilliness of the air that made people crave something warm.
The regulars had still been coming, the Hyuuga noticed. There was one that she had paid particular attention. Hinata recognized the young man by his dark hair, oddly styled. He always ordered a large black coffee and the Panini sandwich. After Hinata brought him his order, the brooding man would open his laptop and click away at the keyboard. After quietly observing him for a few weeks, Hinata had the courage to finally ask him his name and why he was always on his laptop. The shy young waitress had thought he was a blogger, but was slightly stunned when the young man, who identified himself as Uchiha Sasuke, was a journalist for a local paper. Since that initial conversation, the two engaged in the occasional small talk.
It was two days before Christmas, which meant that the mall was overflowing with customers that would find their way into the café. The cozy little hole in the wall was infested with extra patrons during these days. Hinata was getting flustered with all the excess customers, but had dealt with holiday rushes for the past two years. The Hyuuga was busy ringing someone up when she noticed Sasuke walk up to her register. She instantly smiled, her opal eyes lighting up like tiny moons.
"Sasuke-kun!" she greeted enthusiastically. "How are you?"
The raven-haired journalist looked up at her with exhausted eyes. The bags on his face were incredibly noticeable; Hinata could tell he was stressing out.
"Hi, Hyuuga. I'll just have the usual please," he said. Even his voice sounded strained.
Hinata nodded her head, navy tresses moving with the motion. She rang up the large coffee, but decided to give him the sandwich on the house.
"I'll bring your coffee out to you, Sasuke-kun, as well as the sandwich," she said as he handed her his credit card. Sasuke simply nodded and departed to an open spot without another word.
Going to make his coffee and sandwich, Hinata looked back at Sasuke. She started chewing on her bottom lip, her empathy going into overdrive. Though the Uchiha was essentially a stranger, the waitress's heart went out to him.
Sasuke-kun looks like he's having a rough day…maybe I can somehow cheer him up! I know! I'll give him our signature peppermint latte, whip cream and all, on the house!
With this determination to bring up the moody Uchiha, Hinata set to work on creating the most perfect peppermint latte she had ever made. The Hyuuga picked a large red coffee cup, pouring the liquid into it. Grabbing the peppermint flavoring, Hinata gave it a few pumps to ensure that the latte tasted like peppermint. Following this step she then poured whip cream, making a mini mountain out of the sweet fluffy stuff. Hinata proceeded to sprinkle crushed up bits of candy cane onto the whip cream, and finished by placing a full candy cane into the drink. Hinata grabbed the finished Panini, plated it, and proceeded to walk towards Sasuke.
A blush dusted her cheeks, turning them a soft sunrise pink. Hinata took a deep breath and placed the sandwich and latte in front of Sasuke. He looked up, surprised.
"I didn't order that. I ordered a large black coffee," Sasuke said smoothly. He looked at the latte distastefully but reached for the sandwich.
"I-I know that, Sasuke-kun. But you looked stressed, so I thought I would try to cheer you up," Hinata said, explaining why the Uchiha was receiving a sweet latte instead of his usual bitter coffee. She offered him a bright smile.
A wry, thin smiled spread across his face. Hinata's heart began to beat faster, fearing that she had made a grave mistake in giving him something other than his usual order.
"Hn. I don't like sweets, Hinata," he said simply, obsidian eyes lazily looking towards her. They still had the exhausted look from earlier, but there was a tiny hint of amusement buried in those dark mysterious eyes. Hinata gulped as she fell victim to Sasuke's captivating stare.
However hypnotic Sasuke's eyes were, his words had finally clicked in Hinata's head. Her face became bright red, similar to the tomatoes in Sasuke's sandwich.
He…he doesn't like sweets? And I decided to give him the sweetest drink on the menu and made it even sweeter, she wondered, mortification staining her mood.
Hinata raised her hands to her face, burying it in an attempt to hide her red face from the journalist.
"I'm so, so, so sorry, Sasuke-kun! I-I-I didn't know! I'll go get your r-regular. It'll be on the house, o-of course. I'm so sorry," she said. Hinata started backing away from him, still completely embarrassed.
Her simple act of kindness had backfired so terribly on her!
"Oi, Hinata," Sasuke called, his cold fingers reaching out to touch her shoulder lightly. Hinata's wide pearl eyes looked up; half of her face was still hidden by her hands. Sasuke found this adorable.
"Yes, Sasuke-kun?" Hinata breathed, the cadence of her chime-like voice muffled by her hands.
"Thank you," he said sincerely, offering her a small genuine smile. Hinata thought it was the first time she had ever seen Sasuke actually smiled; she liked it.
"B-b-but I got you something you don't even like. W-w-why are you thanking me?" she asked innocently.
"Hn. Because it's the thought that counts, Hinata. You noticed I was stressed without me telling you and you tried to cheer me up. That's very kind of you, and I know how you can make it up." Sasuke's smile transformed into a playful smirk, the amusement in his eyes overtaking the exhaustion.
"Eh? How?" Hinata questioned, her heart pounding. She felt like her knees would give out from the combination of Sasuke's smirk and gaze.
"Let me take you out to dinner," Sasuke said. His hand wandered to the side of her face, where he tucked a stray piece of navy-blue hair behind her ear. The ghost of his touch left a heated area on Hinata's ear.
"I-I would like that." Hinata nodded, smiling brightly again.
"Good. Happy holidays, Hinata. You better get back to work," Sasuke suggested, giving her one last smirk.
Calling over her shoulder, Hinata said, "Okay. I'll bring out your regular coffee, Sasu!"