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Aran quietly sat in the back of the cafe. His life lately has been normal. Just the normal didn't have Tawan in it anymore. At least for him. Tawan always tried to approach him, apologise but he was determined to not go back into that hole again. He had already done it a lot of times but it didn't work. They didn't work as much as Tawan kept denying the truth.
"Order for Porchay." The counter girl called.
Aran paid no attention. His name was called next. He got his coffee and went back to the table.
"Looks funny." Aran mumbled as he looked at the cup. The coffee looked nothing like his usual.
Aran still sipped it only to scrunch his nose. "Too sweet! God!"
Aran liked his coffee a little bitter. Something this current coffee in his hand wasn't.
"They got the order wrong." Aran mumbled.
Aran sighed and approached the counter. A guy was already there.
"You got the order wrong." Aran said.
The girl looked panicked already. The guy beside him looked at him.
"I apologise for the inconvenience. I must've switched your drinks. I'll immediately have them re-do it and personally come serve them. I'm sorry again."
"It's... okay. It happens sometimes." The other guy politely said.
Aran also gave a polite smile. They both went away.
"Do you like bitter stuff, sir?" The guy asked.
"Just coffee." Aran replied. "I don't like any other bitter stuff."
Aran looked at him. "You must've tasted it. Was it too bitter for you? Judging by your order. I think it was." He said.
"It was. I don't like bitter stuff."
"I got used to the less sugar more coffee order. Comes from someone." Aran muttered, thinking about Tawan.
___
The second time they met was also in the same cafe a few days later. They bumped into each other at the counter.
"Oh?" The guy Aran still doesn't know the name of made a sound of acknowledgement.
Aran gave him a small smile. They moved away after giving their orders.
"Are you a regular at the cafe?" The guy asked.
"Mm. You can say that. This is near my workplace as well as my apartment."
"Oh. I also live in this neighborhood." Aran smiled. "If there's a third time, then we definitely should exchange names."
"Huh? Why third?"
"Um- third time's a charm?"
Aran chuckled and just went along with it. "Then if we do meet the third time I'll buy you a beverage." He said.
"Is it another bitter coffee?"
"Mm?" Aran looked at him. "Oh this? No. It's actually a normal ratio of coffee and sugar. I wasn't feeling too creative today. So went with a basic."
"Cool."
___
They did meet for the third time. Total coincidence, again. But 2 weeks later.
"Mind if I sit here?" Aran asked the lost boy, sitting at a corner table.
The boy looked at him, recognition. He smiled and nodded. "Have a seat."
"I was beginning to doubt if we ever would learn each other's names." Aran joked.
"Haha. Haven't been around for a while. I went to stay at my brother's. He had been nagging. His husband would rather kidnap me for my own brother than sleep on the couch it seems."
"What does that have to do with the husband?"
"Oh- he and... well mostly his brother are the reasons I don't go to the ma- I mean their place anymore."
"Why?"
"Not a story for the third meet." The boy laughed it off and Aran didn't push it.
"Okay okay. Have you already ordered and paid?"
The guy nodded. "How about you complete your promise on the fourth meet?" He asked.
"And by coincidence we meet... One of us might've already bought our coffee."
The guy chuckled. "Then we share numbers."
"Today...? Or we wait for the fourth coincidence?"
The guy made a thinking pose before smiling, "I say we wait for the fourth coincidence."
"And before that. It's about time we complete your promise." Aran said. He offered his hand, "I'm Aran."
"I know, actually. You're a model and a brand ambassador."
Aran was taken back. "Oh. You knew."
"I mean it's hard not to you're all over the magazines and socials."
"I'm not that known." Aran suddenly felt shy for some reason.
"I am Porchay. I'm in the third year of university." The guy, Porchay, introduced himself. "Music major."
"Oh? You can sing?"
"And play guitar too." Porchay proudly said.
"How many 'coincidences' before I get to hear?" Aran asked.
Porchay chuckled. "I might invite you for my uni fest. Who knows? We might have no or many coincidences till then."
"Okay we're really playing this coincidence game." Aran laughed, Porchay joined in.
"Order for Porchay." "Order for Aran."
They both looked at the counter.
"Let me." Aran said and left the table.
Porchay smiled. He sneakily took a picture of Aran's back. As he took a few more, Aran turned and caught him. Porchay panicked but instead of getting angry, Aran smiled widely and brought both their orders beside his face. Porchay chuckled and captured a picture. Aran laughed as he made his way to the table.
"You see, with this job I can spot cameras quicker than normal."
"I'm sorry. I was just happy with your company so..."
"No worries." Aran waved it off.
Porchay smiled. "I like taking pictures of moments like these. Capturing memories."
"Then do you post them on socials? Or is it private?"
"Both. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don't." Porchay replied.
"I just sometimes log off from the world after work. Literally."
"The spotlight is always too much. You both love and hate it at the same time." Porchay mumbled. Aran agreed.
___
The fourth coincidence was a close one. Literally. Aran had a full day of photoshoots for Arseni's upcoming collection. He only got off late in the evening. He was low on sugar and was strictly prohibited to drink coffee by one and only Peach.
Porchay on the other hand wasn't any different. He had been working on an assignment. And he was working on it in the cafe as well.
Porchay felt a tap on his shoulder but didn't see anyone when he looked behind. He looked back at front only to find Aran in front of him. Porchay instantly smiled.
"Now this was true coincidence. I had lost hope of seeing you today." Aran said.
"Same. We usually cross paths in mornings." Porchay said, finally putting the pen down.
"You look busy." Aran glanced at the diary and the laptop.
Porchay sighed. "I'm so bored phi. My brain's fried. I can't get this damn thing to finish."
"What is it?"
"Music history."
Aran blinked. "I didn't know music major had that."
"No one's safe from history it seems."
Aran chuckled. "I could pull up a few contacts if you need help."
"I'm happy just with the offer. But it's fine. I just needed to complain."
"I'm all ears for that as well."
Porchay smiled and then noticed Aran's drink. "That doesn't look like a coffee." He pointed out.
Aran glanced at his cup. "It's peach tea." He smiled. "I was strictly warned beforehand to not even think of coffee today."
"Why?"
"I was shooting the whole day. Didn't really get much sleep yesterday. And I'm working outdoors tomorrow. Caffeine is bad for my health as told. So yeah."
"This person must be really special that you're actually listening." Porchay commented.
Aran softly smiled. "He is. A big brother like friend of mine. He has been there for me in hard times. He still is looking after me. I owe him a lot."
"Good for you."
Aran nodded. "Good for me. Really. You'll never see another one like him."
Porchay just smiled in reply. He can see the respect and admiration in Aran's eyes. And it lowkey made him want to meet this other person.
"You've stopped writing. Is it because of me? I can go if I'm disturbing."
"No it's fine. I was going to take a break and another coffee run too."
"Let me." Aran said. "...Keep the promise I made last time."
"Are you choosing?" Porchay asked, thinking back to Aran's coffee that he took a sip of on the day they first saw each other.
Aran understood that by Porchay's expression. "Oho~ I will tone down the bitterness. I know you don't like bitter stuff."
Porchay laughed. Aran left the table to give the order.
The rest of time spent with Porchay explaining and Aran trying to understand the subject in hand.