Oliver Campbell: Morning! Have a good day! 🧡

Robin Quan: You too!

Oliver stares at the message and sighs. The shop is still closed this time in the morning, and Oliver has to get to work on time (i.e. before noon) again. Which is usual, actually, but increasingly annoying when he wants to see Robin before work.

*

“Hey, Oliver?”

Oliver tugs off his headphones and turns around as Mia pokes her head in through his office door.

“What’s up?” he says.

“Can you run to that dessert shop and buy some cupcakes? You know the one.”

Oliver perks up. “Sure. What’s the occasion?”

Mia smiles sheepishly. “It’s Annie’s birthday, and I forgot. We’re going out for dinner tonight, but I need something right now. I have a quick meeting with her in a few minutes, if you could just run out? I’ll reimburse you!”

Oliver’s already shrugging on his jacket. “How many? Any particular flavours?”

“A dozen should be enough, everything there is good so your choice.”

“Leave it to me,” he says, slipping on his sunglasses.

It’s the afternoon now, and sprinkling rain means that the streets aren’t as busy as they usually are. The shop is still busy though, and Oliver has to swallow his disappointment and selfishness—he wants Robin’s shop to do well.

He heads inside after two people walk out, fingers running through his curls, droplets of water clinging to them.

There’s no Robin behind the counter. Instead, there’s the familiar looking coworker (Jenny, Oliver finally remembers) and another guy.

“Hello, how may I help you?” Jenny says brightly.

“Er, where’s Robin?”

Jenny blinks. “Oh, he’s baking right now,” she says.

“Oh.” Oliver deflates, glancing at the display counter. “Can I get those cupcakes? Yes, one of that, and that…” He picks out twelve cupcakes, and a small selection of macarons for good measure, and hands over his credit card. “If you could package that up nicely, thanks.”

“Of course! Just a moment.” Jenny goes off to retrieve ribbon, and the new guy takes her place and receives orders from the people next in line.

Oliver glances at the shop board advertising popular and new drinks, and quirks his lips when he sees that the Cereal Milkshake is now on it.

“...Oliver? Hey.”

Oliver’s heart leaps to his throat. “Robin!” he says, and blushes at his outburst. He’s glad his sunglasses are still on. Robin hands a new matcha cake to Jenny to place on display.

“Your order?” Robin asks, handing the clear bag with two boxes inside. “Did you want something to drink, too?”

“Er, well...”

Robin glances around the shop, and his lips quirk up. “I promised you teh tarik, didn’t I?”

“But that’s not on the menu?” the new guy asks.

“Then I’m definitely paying for it!” Oliver says immediately, pulling out his credit card again, along with his loyalty card.

The new guy gives Robin a wide-eye look, while Jenny narrows her eyes between Oliver and Robin.

“Same price as a hot chocolate,” Robin finally says. He goes to prepare the drink while the new guy punches in Oliver’s order.

“Now, it takes a bit of space, if you don’t mind,” Robin says

Oliver frowns. And realises what Robin means a moment later. Robin has two metal jars, and only one is filled with the brown-caramel coloured teh tarik. But then Robin starts pouring it into the other jar, all the while lifting the first jar higher and higher. The teh tarik pours in a smooth curve, and the pour goes higher and higher and higher and how does Robin keep it from spilling? By the final pour into a plastic cup, the drink has lightened in colour and the top is frothy and fluffy.

Robin leans over the counter. “Here you go.”

“I—what.” Oliver takes the cup, still in puzzled awe of what Robin just did.

Jenny rolls her eyes. “You’re such a showoff, Robin,” she says, nudging him good-naturedly.

“No, I promised him!” Robin protests. “Go on, Oliver.”

Oliver takes a sip. Warm-hot, creamy milk tea coats his mouth, and it’s foamy and light and sweet, just as Robin had promised. “It is good.”

Robin’s eyes crinkle. “I’m glad.”

Jenny shifts in front of Robin. “Hello, how may I help you?” Jenny asks the new customer.

The customer smiles sheepishly. “Is teh tarik a secret menu item? Can I have that? And record you making it?”

Jenny glances to Robin. Robin blinks. “Yes, that’s fine,” he says.

“Well, I’m going now,” Oliver mumbles. “See you later, Robin.”

Robin’s smile is distracted, but that’s okay, Oliver tells himself. He’ll just text Robin later.

Back at the company, Mia takes the bag of cupcakes and macarons with a relieved smile. “Thanks a tonne, Oliver! This is the receipt, right? I’ll transfer you.”

“Yeah, sure.” Oliver goes back to his office and sips his teh tarik.

He’s not moping. He got to see Robin in the end, and saw some extremely dramatic tea pouring. There’s no reason why he should feel so off.

Except, it doesn’t feel enough. He wants to see Robin properly. He wants to talk, to sit close to him.

Oliver groans. Why do adults have to have jobs??