Chapter 4: Cafés, Confusion & Clara

Life wasn’t exactly kind to Noah lately.

His grades were slipping, his house felt like a war zone of silence and slammed doors, and every time he tried to focus, his mind just… blanked. So, he made a choice — get his life together. That meant two things: studying at the library after school and finding a part-time job.

That’s when Clara came through — like always.

Clara, his childhood bestie, was a complete contrast to his energy. Loud, bright, always laughing at the wrong moments, and very openly obsessed with BL dramas.

“You’re working at my dad’s café now? OMG, finally, you’ll have ✨aesthetic barista vibes✨,” she said, already planning his future outfit.

Her dad’s café was a cozy little spot on the corner of 8th Street. It smelled like cinnamon buns and dreams. Her family had always treated Noah like one of their own, which honestly meant everything to him, especially now.

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First day at the café?

He was... a mess.

He spilled a latte on himself in the first hour, mixed up an iced americano with a caramel frappe (how?), and accidentally called a customer “ma’am” when they were definitely a “sir.”

“Hey, you’re doing okay,” Clara said, handing him a brownie during break.

“You’ll get better. We’ve all been there.”

And Noah smiled, because even with the chaos, he actually liked being there.

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But no matter how busy the day got, one person kept invading his brain.

Kevin ⁠♡

That boy with the soft hair and annoying perfect smile. Noah found himself zoning out while making espresso, wondering what Kevin was doing. He’d see a customer with a denim jacket and think of his denim jacket. It was insane.

“What is happening to me?” he muttered, wiping down a table way too aggressively.

“Why do I keep thinking about him?”

He wasn’t even sure what he was feeling. Attraction? Jealousy? A weird kind of obsession?

He had no clue.

---

Later that night, Clara showed up at the café just as he was closing up.

“Let’s hang out. You need fries and therapy,” she said, dragging him out.

They ended up sitting on a curb outside a quiet diner, sharing one large basket of cheesy fries. Noah was quieter than usual, and Clara noticed.

“Okay. Spit it out. You’re being weird. Like… emotionally constipated weird.”

Noah sighed, fingers fidgeting with a fry.

“Clara... I think something’s wrong with me.”

She blinked. “Is this about Kevin?”

“You always know,” he groaned, hiding his face in his hoodie.

Clara just smirked. “I told you I ship it.”

“Clara, I don’t even know if I like him like that. I don’t know what I’m feeling. It’s just—he’s always in my head. And I’ve never felt this way about a guy before…”

Clara’s expression softened.

“Hey. That doesn’t mean something’s wrong with you, Noah. Feelings are feelings. You don’t have to label them right now. Just… let yourself feel. I’ll be here. No judgment. Just maybe a few ships in my head, but I’ll keep them quiet.”

Noah looked at her and smiled, for real this time.

Maybe he didn’t have it all figured out.

But at least… he didn’t have to figure it out alone.

To be continued…

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