Does Fan Jin like me too?

When pursuing someone, seeing them in person was best. Today marked a week since they had met, so he had to look good.

He dug out a pale pink sweater he had bought in Paris last year and barely worn since bringing it home.

That morning, he spent half an hour getting ready at home, then hurried to the café.

He pushed the door open, setting the wind chimes tinkling. He glanced toward the counter. Fan Jin wore a dark gray sweater, its sleeves rolled up to expose his forearms. He was concentrating on grinding beans and hadn't noticed Shan Ye come in.

Zhang Nan smiled when he saw him. "Mr. Shan's here!"

Shan Ye nodded, his gaze glued to Fan Jin.

He walked over happily, leaned against the counter, and tilted his head to look at Fan Jin. "Morning, Fan Jin. Sleep well last night?"

Fan Jin finally looked up and gave him a cool glance. "Well enough."

That glance made Shan Ye's heart itch.

Everything between him and Fan Jin was out in the open now, so he continued, "I didn't sleep well. After going to your place the day before yesterday, I was up all night. I didn't sleep well after I got home, either." Shan Ye deliberately turned on the charm, his voice sweet and clingy.

Zhang Nan's eyes widened. Mr. Shan... was a little too bold, wasn't he? Flirting with his boss right out in the open.

Zhang Nan, for one, would never dare speak to him like that.

He didn't even dare call him Fan Jin.

He turned his head mechanically to look at the two of them. "You two... aren't what I... think you are, right?"

Shan Ye laughed at his reaction. "What do you think? Come on, tell us."

"I..." Zhang Nan stammered, watching Fan Jin's expression, afraid to say the wrong thing.

"...What would you like to drink, Mr. Shan?" He hurriedly changed the subject.

Shan Ye looked over the menu, his gaze settling on the words "new item." "Oh, I want that new drink. I didn't get to try it last time." A hint of grievance crept into the last sentence, as though he were blaming Boss Fan for not letting him try Misty Scarlet last time-and reminding him that the roses he had painstakingly arranged had been smashed.

Fan Jin glanced up at him, then turned to make his coffee, his voice even. "Go sit down."

Watching his back, Shan Ye couldn't suppress his smile. He must have set a fire in this man's long-dormant heart by now, and a pretty big one at that.

They had already laid everything bare. What was the point of pretending now?

Shan Ye sat down and propped his chin on his hand, wishing he could glue his gaze to Fan Jin. He watched him wash his hands and make coffee, taking in every movement.

Though Fan Jin didn't look that way, his years of military reconnaissance training made it impossible to miss that burning stare. No matter how he tried to avoid it, Shan Ye remained in his peripheral vision.

His only option was to turn his back. But then Shan Ye's voice drifted around behind his ears.

"Fan Jin, I think it's raining outside."

Fan Jin turned and saw Shan Ye staring out the window, barely blinking. When their eyes met, Shan Ye gave him a bright smile.

Fan Jin finished the coffee and handed it to Zhang Nan. "Take this over to him." Then he turned and went into the back kitchen.

He stood inside with nothing to do. He had wiped the counter spotless; it reflected enough light to serve as a mirror. He simply turned on the tap and washed his hands, rubbing his knuckles red, heat burning from his fingertips all the way to his chest.

He sighed, wishing he could put a sign at the entrance: No Shan Ye allowed...

"Your latte, Mr. Shan." Zhang Nan gently set the coffee on the table.

Shan Ye looked down and froze.

There, on the white milk foam in the cup, was a rose rendered in latte art.

The layered rose revealed beautifully formed petals. They unfurled outward from the center, their edges tinged with caramel.

Holy shit. Was Boss Fan confessing his feelings?

"...Wh... why is it a rose?" he asked, looking up.

Zhang Nan blinked. "It's a rose. Don't you like it, Mr. Shan?"

"I do. I love it."

Zhang Nan nodded somewhat doubtfully, then returned behind the counter to continue working on desserts.

Shan Ye wanted to see Fan Jin, but he stayed hidden in the back. The curtain behind the counter swayed slightly; who knew what he was doing in there?

He lifted the coffee and took a sip. The fragrance of roses mingled with coffee's faint bitterness, melting on his tongue, sweet without being cloying and just warm enough.

I loved it.

He left after only a short while, taking an umbrella from the café.

"Take care, Mr. Shan."

Hearing Zhang Nan's voice from the back, Fan Jin lifted the curtain and looked toward the window. Only an empty cup remained.

He breathed an inward sigh of relief.

Zhang Nan bit his lower lip, looking hesitant. He said quietly, "Boss... there's something I'm not sure I should ask."

Fan Jin knew what he wanted to ask.

"Go ahead."

Zhang Nan edged closer and lowered his voice. "Does Mr. Shan... have... feelings for you?"

He blinked twice after saying it.

Fan Jin gave him a look. "I'm a man."

He blinked twice more. "You know about gay people, right?"

Fan Jin frowned. "He's a teacher. He wouldn't like another man."

"...Oh. Then do you, boss?"

Fan Jin turned to look at him.

His gaze frightened Zhang Nan out of asking any more questions. "...I'll go wash the cups."

That evening, Xu Jing called to say Yaoyao had a slight fever. He was stuck in traffic in another district while out on business, so he asked Fan Jin to go check on her first.

As Zhang Nan wiped a cup, he caught his boss staring at his phone out of the corner of his eye and asked quietly, "Boss, I... lent the café's umbrella to Mr. Shan this morning. It looks like this rain will last all evening. How are you getting home later?"

The rain itself wasn't a problem. He had spent ten years in the military; this little bit of rain was nothing. The real problem was that he had no car today. Xu Jing had driven it away that morning.

He wiped the counter clean, took off his apron, and told Zhang Nan, "Go home. We'll close early today."

"But you..." Before he could finish, someone came through the door.

Zhang Nan looked over, his eyes lighting up. "Oh, Mr. Shan's here."

"I came to return the umbrella," Shan Ye said as soon as he entered.

"Perfect timing! Yaoyao has a fever and there's no one to look after her. The boss was just about to go over."

Shan Ye frowned at Fan Jin. "Yaoyao has a fever?"

"What happened?"

Fan Jin shook his head. "I don't know. I have to go." He grabbed his phone and prepared to leave.

Shan Ye followed him. "I'll drive you." He shoved the umbrella into Fan Jin's arms, half stubborn and half serious. "Take it. What if you catch a cold in the rain?"

"I don't need it. I can get there myself."

Shan Ye clicked his tongue, refusing to listen. "If you catch a cold, who's going to run the café? I still want my coffee every day."

Fan Jin looked at the umbrella being offered to him, then at the anticipation Shan Ye couldn't hide in his eyes, and hesitated.

"I'll drive you. I happened to bring my car." Heaven knew how Shan Ye had found out he hadn't driven. He lifted the corners of his mouth, shoved the umbrella into Fan Jin's hands, and headed for his car.

The car was parked right outside the café. Shan Ye sat inside and waved to him. "Come on!"

Shan Ye was right. Catching a cold in the rain would be a hassle, and Yaoyao was still waiting for him. He shouldn't hesitate so much.

As soon as he got in, he caught a fresh, pleasant scent of gardenias. He glanced at Shan Ye and asked, "Where are you going?"

Shan Ye smiled. "I'm driving you. Wherever you go, I go." His smile spread through his eyes and brows. For some reason, he looked like a boy who had yet to experience the world.

Shan Ye was a chatterbox, and opportunities to be alone with Fan Jin were rare, so he talked on and on. He shared funny stories from school and embarrassing things his students had done in class.

"A new male teacher joined our office. He's three years older than me and just finished his doctorate. He's pretty impressive."

Fan Jin gave a quiet grunt of acknowledgment. He didn't understand such specialized matters.

Seeing little reaction from him, Shan Ye added, "His desk is right next to mine."

Fan Jin fell silent.

Shan Ye pouted. "You're so aloof, Fan Jin."

"...Watch the road."

Shan Ye wasn't discouraged by his words. They still had plenty of time. He wasn't looking to make it happen overnight. He wanted to ease his way into Fan Jin's life, slowly, little by little.