"Hello, miss! What brings you in today?"

Matt greeted the customer with enthusiasm as she walked up to the counter. His brown eyes gleamed brightly and his lips curved into an welcoming smile as the woman ordered her take-away coffee. Having received her order, he nodded at her and went to make her drinks, straightening his blond hair in the process.

It was a fine Saturday afternoon indeed, as the sunlight shone through every street and road with its warm, golden color. Matt could feel the cool breeze of August passing by after each time the door opened, making the atmosphere even more relaxing and calming than it already was, as well as the rustling of the leaves outside. Handing the woman her drinks, he could hear the voices of the people sitting in the shop, filling it with happy chatters.

Grandhaven Coffee, like most of the time, wasn't too crowded today, but it wasn't exactly empty either. Matt could see that there were a lot of students who were either studying alone or with their friends, with a laptop or some books on the table. The combination of the simple but homely sight in front of him and the nice weather outside always made him feel all cozy on the inside.

To think about it, he had been seeing this sight for a year now, ever since he first got into college last September. At that time, he was still a young freshman, eyes wide in amaze and unfamiliarity as he stood in front of the gate of Winterford University, the college he had studied extremely hard to get into. He honestly had a reason to be proud of himself, because Chemistry wasn't an easy subject to be good at, let alone getting into college with that major.

He had become more independent ever since he started living away from his hometown Lakewood and managed to get a job as a barista at a coffee shop near his university. His parents said that they would always help with financial problems whenever he needed, but he really didn't want to bother his parents, so he tried his best to spend his money wisely. He was nineteen anyway, so he felt like he needed to be responsible just like an adult should be.

The door swung open again, signaling the arrival of another customer, so he turned to their direction and smiled, getting ready to greet them like he always did.

"Hello—"

However, what the barista wasn't expecting was a customer whose appearance was so stunning that just his sight alone was able to cut him off. In fact, time seemed to have stopped as Matt just stood there, admiring the handsome young man that had just walked in. He watched how that man's delicate hand gently closed the door behind him, how he fixed the unbuttoned collar of his white shirt, as well as the reddish brown sweater that was worn over it. Matt made sure to take in every little thing, even to the way his black blazer lightly fluttered with the breeze and the small steps that he took forwards in his black polished shoes. Everything about him was stylish, fashionable and magnificent.

Matt got so lost in the man's handsomeness that he almost forgot how to maintain his posture when he arrived at the counter.

"H-Hello, sir! W-What can I get for you today?" He knew he wasn't supposed to stutter, but he was glad that he still remembered how to speak like a normal human being with such a good-looking man right in front of him.

When the man had arrived at the counter, Matt had a better view of his features, which made Matt more aware of how attractive this man was. Using one hand, he fixed his smooth light brown hair which was brushed neatly, his bang being parted at the left side of his head. His jawline was perfect, as well as his straight-edge nose with tall bridge.

The young man smiled, and it almost killed Matt in the most brutal yet happiest way. It was one of the brightest smiles he had ever seen, brighter than any stars or even the sun itself.

"Hello. I'd like one regular vanilla latte for here, please," he said. "I'd like it lukewarm."

Matt had to use all the nerves in his brain to focus only on the paper, the pen and the customer's words, or else all he could do was to stare at his customer. My god, those eyes, he thought. Those eyes, they were the deepest, most winsome and stunning blue eyes ever. They were so sharp and hypnotizing that they could cause distractions, just like how they were affecting Matt right at this moment.

If he hadn't been trying his hardest, his writing would have come out as an illegible mess with how his hands were trembling. The man's voice wasn't helping when it sounded so warm and soothing, but also so beautifully deep and mysterious.

"O-Of course! Your drink will be ready in a minute."

As he went to get the cup and the ingredients, he took a deep breath, trying to calm his body down, because he obviously couldn't make coffee when his body was shaking more intensely than an earthquake. After making the coffee, he began to pour milk into the cup to make a pretty leaf design for the latte, sneakily looked at his customer beforehand. How was anyone supposed to work properly with him standing there, looking so pretty that it was distracting?

Putting the cup onto a matching small plate, he secretly let out a small sigh, being utterly thankful that he was able to make a latte without spilling it and messing everything up. The moment the customer picked it up, Matt was able to sneak a look at his hand, that flawless hand. It was even better when he paid for the drink, their hands indirectly touching through the dollar bills.

"Thank you for the drink."

God, please don't smile anymore, or else I'll be fired for not getting my work done, and you know I need that money, Matt thought as he replied, "I'm glad to be of service. Enjoy your latte!"

As he walked away, Matt exhaled heavily, being proud of himself that he had managed to survive. How could someone be so charming and such a gentleman at the same time? And how could anyone do their job with him standing there, looking like a damn supermodel?

The man chose a seat near the counter which was in Matt's line of sight, and Matt was confused about whether or not it was a good thing.

As the brunet started reading the book he brought along with him ever since he entered the shop, Matt raised an eyebrow and started thinking to himself. Matt had been working here for a year now, and yet this was the first time he had seen this man. He couldn't be a newcomer of the shop, because he didn't need to ask Matt for recommendations, and he knew exactly what to tell Matt about what kind of flavors he wanted and how hot the drinks should be.

Oh yeah, he forgot the menu that was literally on the counter.

However, supposing that he wasn't new, how come Matt hadn't seen him before? With how unique he looked, Matt could have noticed him right from the start! Maybe he came here regularly but only on days when Matt didn't have any shift?

Matt was still trying to think of a logical explanation when he saw the man in question moving his hand up to his bangs, and the barista found himself yelling "don't" non-stop in his head. Because Matt knew exactly what he was going to do, as well as how much it could affect him.

He saw the man tucked a part of his bangs behind his ear.

And Matt officially perished.

A strong wind rushed by, pulling Matt out of his thoughts. His blue hoodie flow along with the wind as he reached up his hand to smoothen back the loose strands of hair in front of his eyes, moving his fringe to the left and fixing it into its usual side-swept style.

It was five thirty in the afternoon, the time his shift ended at, so it was time to go back to his dorm. Honestly, he liked working at Grandhaven Coffee, but he couldn't deny that it was also tiring as he had to constantly go through the recipes and ingredients, as well as remember to take the customers' preferences into account. So after many hours of hard work, it was definitely nice to go back to his place and have a good rest while spending time with his suitemates.

Matt closed his eyes and took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air as he continued going down the sidewalks next to the crowded streets of San Diego. This sight, he had seen it so many times ever since he started working at that coffee shop. Whenever he was done with his work, he would find himself walking down the familiar streets and seeing the same buildings around him as he strolled among other passersby.

The city life here was busy indeed, but it didn't mean that he minded it. It wasn't as complex or stressful as people had imagined. It was busy but somehow nice, happy and peaceful at the same time. He couldn't quite understand why, but then again, he wasn't complaining.

Turning the corner, he soon saw the familiar tall building from afar, the building where he would stay during his time in college. Once he entered it, he proceeded to go up to his suite, seeing many people in the hallways in the process. Many of them must have just come back from work, just like him.

Reaching his room, he opened the door and was greeted by a familiar voice.

"Yo, you're finally home, Matt!" Ethan, his dark-haired suitemate, said as soon as he saw the door opening and waved his hand at Matt.

"Welcome back," Chloe, the red-headed girl, smiled at him while fixing her wavy ponytail with Eve sitting beside her on the couch.

Matt returned their smile as he put his bag over to the side after he had taken off his shoes. He then walked inside to join the others in the living room.

Returning to his suite after class or work was something he found nice and relaxing, just like how he had returned home back when he was still living and studying in his hometown. Their dorm came with two bedrooms. Matt shared one of them with Ethan, while Chloe shared the other with Eve. Although the rooms seemed small, they were very well furnished. In the kitchen was a dining table big enough for four people and a cabinet for food and cooking utensils. The living area was right next to it and was equally nice with a couch, coffee table and a TV. Honestly, this wasn't Matt's home, but it felt just like it.

What made it feel even cozier were his suitemates, the people he had long considered amazing people in his life. Even though they lived in the same suite, them being the best of friends was still unexpected. The four of them were randomly selected to be put in the same dorm in Greenwood Suites when they got accepted into college. Despite not talking to each other much at first, they did try to get along and eventually became close without realizing it. Matt really didn't regret meeting and getting to know them, as he had created lots of good memories with them.

Having entered the living area, Matt plopped onto the couch next to Ethan, who immediately suggested that they began eating, as they had been waiting for Matt so that they could eat together. Eve spoke up as they each took a pizza slice.

"I sure am starving."

"Rough day?" Matt asked.

"It was quite tiring indeed." Eve sighed, pushing her dark strands of hair off her shoulders. "My student, she had a lot of difficulties understanding the lesson today."

"You're talking about Olivia, that high school student you're tutoring, right?" asked Chloe.

"Yeah." Eve paused for a while before continuing. "It was difficult trying to properly explain it to her, but I can't really blame her. Those types of problems are too complex for a tenth grader, especially when she's already not good at Chem."

"If it's homework, then it's automatically complex to me, no question needed," Ethan said as he crossed his arms behind his head and leaned against the couch.

"What about you, Ethan?" Matt turned over to the dark-haired man. "How's work today?"

"Oh, today, a man left me a twenty-five percent tip!"

"Dude, that's amazing!" Chloe exclaimed, leaning forward with her brown eyes wide.

"It is amazing." Ethan let out a small laugh. "Your turn, Chloe. Tell us about your day."

"Oh, me?" Chloe, a cashier, pointed a finger to herself. "There's nothing much to tell actually, besides the fact that the store was a bit busier than usual."

Everyone was quiet for a few seconds before Chloe broke the silence, looking over Matt. "What about you, Matt?"

"Huh?"

"How's work?" Chloe asked again after she had finished chewing.

"Um... Today, uh, n-nothing particularly special happened."

Matt stuttered, trying not to sound suspicious, which he was failing at so miserably right now. That handsome customer, his image had been stuck in Matt's mind ever since he started walking back to his place, though he temporarily forgot about it when the strong wind made him snap out of his thoughts a while ago. Now, because of Chloe's question, he was immediately reminded of that young man's charming face, especially his gorgeous blue eyes and pretty smile. Matt blushed madly and his face burnt up, his cheeks turning a bright red.

"Are you sure about that, Matt? About the 'nothing particularly special happened' part, I mean." Chloe air quoted while throwing him a doubtful look. "Your face is literally matching the tomato sauce on the pizza right now."

"O-Of course I'm sure!" Matt stumbled over his words, which was not helping him sound convincing at all. "T-Today is j-just as ordinary as u-usual!"

Everyone was completely silent, which told him that they weren't buying it. Not even a bit.

"You have that stupid grin on your face, Matt." Ethan glanced over him in a very unimpressed way. "Come on Matt, I've been your friend long enough to know that something's up."

"Said the one who just asked me to help him understand why his girlfriend of three years got mad at him." Matt chuckled sarcastically.

"Hey, that's not the point here." Ethan defended himself. "It's you who is the main focus of this conversation."

"Come on, Matt," Eve beamed, her green eyes gleaming with excitement. "Tell us!"

"You too, Eve?" Matt looked at Eve in disbelief. "My god, just when I thought you're the only one who can get me out of this situation."

"What? You can't blame me for getting curious, Matt!" Eve replied.

"We all are, Eve," Chloe said before giving Matt a smirk. "Now, tell us, blondie. What happened at work today?"

"This is so embarrassing," Matt mumbled, more for himself than for others to hear. Taking in a deep breath, he began, "So, I was just working like normal, you know, just welcoming customers, making drinks... nothing out of the ordinary."

He paused for a quick second to look at his friends. All eyes were on him as they listened attentively without blinking, as if they were watching the most epic movie ever. Gulping, he found himself stuttering again, trying to find the right words.

"A-And then, uh, um..." He tried to force the words out of his mouth at once. "Then this cute guy walked in!"

Those last words were so rushed that they were almost incomprehensible, but his friends somehow could understand him quite well, which was evident in the way they all gasped in a perfect synch.

Chloe got excited quickly, wasting no time to raise a question. "What does he look like?"

"He's, he's perfect!" Matt gripped his jeans as he recalled the man's image. "Dreamy blue eyes, flawless skin, smooth brown hair, tall body... Everything about him is gorgeous."

The girls were thrilled, unlike Ethan, who was silent for a while before speaking again with a deadpan expression.

"Bro, that's gay."

Everybody burst out laughing uncontrollably like there was no tomorrow, except for Matt, who was burying his face into his palms, wanting nothing more than to be swallowed whole by the ground below him, never to be seen again.

"Well..." Chloe said as she tried to calm down, wiping the tears in her eyes. "He is gay, so this is normal, I guess."

Matt chuckled at that statement. To think about it, no matter how badly these people embarrassed him sometimes, they were still undeniably very awesome people. They had always treated him well, from when they first met and even after he came out of the closet, admitting to them that he was homosexual. He realized that when someone truly cared for you as a friend, they cared nothing about your sexuality, as long as you treated each other nicely, equally and with respect.

"So, he was a customer?" Eve asked after the laughter had gone away.

"Yeah, but something's still bothering me." Matt averted his gaze as he thought. "I've never seen him before, but he doesn't seem like he's new to the shop."

"Maybe because you don't work on the days he usually come?" Eve held her chin.

"That's what I'm thinking too," Matt said.

"So..." Ethan trailed off, "are you going to ask him out or what?"

Matt had nearly choked on his pizza.

"Um, excuse me, what?"

"What do you mean, 'what'?" Ethan shrugged. "If you're so into him, then go get him!"

"Dude, I just met him today. He probably won't even remember who I am, or that I work there at all!" Matt was clearly baffled by Ethan's suggestion. "Besides, what if he's straight?"

"We can't know for sure, Matt." Chloe grinned as she rested her face on her palm. "Nowadays, nothing is for certain."

"I don't know, Chloe."

Matt sighed, thinking to himself. As a gay male, he found it hard to find a suitable partner. It was due to the fact that he could never know the sexuality of the person he was interested in right away, or how to exactly ask them about it without creating any uncomfortable moment. It was already awkward enough when you talked with your crush, let alone asked them about that kind of stuff. Ever since he came out as gay to his parents, they had given him lots of support and advice on this matter, but he still wasn't sure himself.

Still, Matt was unable to take his mind off that particular customer. He wasn't lying when he said his eyes were hypnotizing. When he looked into those eyes, he felt like time had stopped, and he couldn't help. Not only that, but his smile was also beautiful, so beautiful that he could melt any stone-cold heart with it. He was... so different than all the men he had ever met.

He got so deep in his thoughts that he didn't hear Chloe speaking up.

"Oh, right. The next semester's going to start soon, right?"

Eve nodded before answering Chloe. "Yeah, I remember that it starts on the nineteenth this year."

Ethan seemed to recall something as well. "If I'm not mistaken, we did sign up for O-Chem, didn't we?"

"Yep, and according to the schedule, O-Chem will be our very first class of this semester," Eve replied as she took out her phone. "How about we all check again who our new professor is?"

Ethan stood up so that he could walk over where Eve and Chloe were sitting at. While Eve was looking through her phone, Ethan noticed that Matt was still in his seat, not moving an inch.

"Yo, Matt, are you coming?"

Matt didn't respond.

"Hey, Matty boy. Hey!"

Still no response from him.

"He's probably day-dreaming about that guy."

Chloe said, and Ethan just nodded.

"Figured."

"Guys, I swear I'm not like that!"

"Oh, don't try to deny it." Eve let out a chuckle. "You don't just like that guy. You're in love with him."

Chloe was just as amused as Eve. "Yeah, you're so in love that you ignored us last night. Heck, Ethan had to practically shake you, remember?"

"I told you, it's, it's—" Matt was still trying to confirm what he had been trying to confirm the whole time. "It's called 'getting lost in your thoughts'!"

"Yeah, right." Ethan chuckled sarcastically. "Say what you want to say, buddy, but you're not convincing us anytime soon."

"You guys are impossible."

Matt mumbled and the other three laughed out loud as they walked out of their room, locking it afterward. It was the nineteenth of August, the beginning of their second semester, and the four of them was on their way to class together, but clearly, Matt wasn't having a good time. Not because the weather was bad. Not because he got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. But because his friends just would not stop teasing about how he was so busy thinking about his new crush that he didn't care about anything else in the world.

Luckily, they were soon in front of Winterford University's gate, and Matt took in a deep breath. The weather was very nice today with clear sky and cool breeze, perfect for the first day of the semester. The school was extra crowded today with lots of students. It was the start of the new semester, after all, so it made sense that there would be so many people here. And even though it was still pretty early, there were already a lot of people in the classroom when Matt and his friends entered it. He guessed that they were also afraid of arriving late on the first day.

"You sitting with me, Matt?"

"Obviously, dude." Matt took a seat next to Ethan at the sixth row while the girls sat at the fifth one, with Chloe in front of Ethan and Eve in front of Matt. They had sat near each other ever since the first class they took together in the first year, so they were used to it by now.

Plus, it made things easier when they wanted to cheat off from one another.

After about ten minutes, the bell rang loudly, signaling that it was time for class. More people had come in and were now sitting in their seats, waiting for their professor to arrive. Matt fiddled with his fingers, eager to see his professor but also worrying about making a good first impression. Last year, he was able to make himself a good student in Mr. Black's eyes, so he was confident that he would be able to make his new professor like him too, or at least not hate him.

"Hey, hey, it's our new prof!"

"Where? Where?"

Matt whipped his head back and forth only to see no one but a very amused Ethan, who was trying his best to hold in his laughter so that he wouldn't burst out laughing and draw unwanted attention to himself.

"Got you!" Ethan said with a big grin. "Oh my god, I wish you could've had a look at your face. It was priceless!"

Matt was silent as he stared at Ethan with an unimpressed expression.

"I hate you."

He sighed when he saw that the two girls in front of him were giggling as well, but then a clear, deep voice spoke up, and it was a voice that didn't belong to anyone currently in the classroom.

"Good morning, everyone."

Matt's friends stopped laughing to straighten up their posture as everyone silenced their small talk down. But as soon as they saw a man walking into the classroom, small gasps were heard from the other students, mostly from the girls.

Matt almost gasped too, but not because their professor looked attractive as hell.

It was because it was him who was walking towards the podium.

Matt kept alternating between accepting the reality and denying it. Matt was in disbelief. He didn't want to believe it, but this looked too real to be a dream. It was him, literally him, the customer whose image had been lingering in Matt's mind ever since the he first saw him. Same brown hair, same blue eyes,… Same everything. Was Matt imagining things? Had Matt been thinking of him so much that he was seeing his new professor as him?

Matt rubbed his eyes, trying to calm down and clear his mind.

He was just seeing things.

Or at least that was what he kept convincing himself to believe, until he opened his eyes again and caught that smile on the man's face, that familiar but breathtaking smile that was capable of making Matt forget about everything else around him.

Yep.

That was him alright.

The customer he was attracted to was his new professor.

…

This was bad.