Song Ai hesitated.
"I… slept fine," she finally said. But for some reason, her gaze lingered on his fingers as he tied the apron strings behind his waist—tightly, drawing attention to the shape of his hips beneath the soft fabric.
He didn't seem to notice.
"Boss," he said, adjusting the knot, "I've been wondering—how did you manage to start a café this early in life? You run it all on your own, right? I think that's incredible."
Song Ai blinked, not expecting the question.
"Huh. I don't usually get asked that," she said, leaning against the counter now. "I've always loved cafés. I liked the pace, the ambience, the kind of people they attract. So, when I graduated, I just thought, why not?"
Gu Xi nodded as he wiped down a few of the tables.
"But it wasn't easy," she continued. Her voice lowered a little, touched with something sad. "My parents didn't support it. Especially my mom. She thought a woman running a coffee shop was 'too soft.' She even called me gay for it and cut me off financially for a while."
"Because running a café isn't 'macho' enough?" Gu Xi asked, a little shocked.
Song Ai let out a half-laugh. "Haha, yeah. My mom expected me to be a manager in logistics or engineering. She didn't want a daughter who 'played house.'"
Gu Xi's hand paused on the cloth. His dark lashes lowered as he listened carefully.
"…Are things better now?" he asked gently.
Song Ai shrugged. "They are. Sort of. The shop's profitable. I make more than enough to live on. They came around after I made my first hundred thousand. But still… sometimes I wonder. If I had failed…"
The silence settled.
Then, suddenly—
Gu Xi turned around, squatted in front of her playfully with both hands clasped behind his back like a child giving a presentation, and tilted his head up, wide eyes sparkling like dark gemstones.
"I think you would've done great either way, Boss!"
Song Ai's heart skipped.
The smile on that little fox's face—it was bright enough to melt frost. For a second, she didn't know if she should pat his head or push him down and—
Ding-ding-ding!
The store alarm rang softly, reminding them that it was now 9:00 a.m.
Gu Xi stood up, dusted off his apron, and walked to the door with his usual calm.
With a small tug, he flipped the wooden sign from "CLOSED" to "OPEN."
Outside, the bell rang.
"Welcome to Moondew Café," his soft, cheerful voice called out.
Song Ai, standing behind the bar, stared blankly at the door.
"…Su Daji," she muttered under her breath. "Just what kind of little treasure did you give me?"
He was 165cm tall. Slender but firm. A waist that made one want to wrap their arm around it. A voice that tugged at your heart. Charm that bloomed naturally, without the slightest effort.
Compared to the usual pretty boys she'd seen? Gu Xi had something else. Something she couldn't quite define.
A strange, fluttering feeling stirred in her chest.
"…Is it really that wrong to rob the cradle?" she whispered, before quickly shaking her head and getting back to brewing coffee.
+
The soft cling of the doorbell marked the final customer's exit.
Gu Xi exhaled, leaning lightly against the counter as he rolled his shoulders in small circles to shake off the stiffness. "Whew… That's the last one."
Behind him, Song Ai mirrored his movement with a relieved sigh of her own. She tied her long black hair into a lazy ponytail and tossed her cleaning rag onto the tray.
"Full house today again," she said with a wry smile. "Is this what I get for hiring a little beauty to stand behind the counter?"
Gu Xi chuckled, eyes still on the storefront as he began to unlatch the blinds. "Boss Ai, don't blame me for your success."
The two shared a light laugh, fatigue softening into something warmer—companionship, perhaps.
"I have to say," Gu Xi added, glancing back at her with a teasing glint in his eye, "you held up well, but running a full day is still hard work even for someone experienced like you, huh?"
Song Ai shot him a mock glare. "I'm only twenty-six, you brat."
"But still older," he quipped shamelessly, enjoying her reaction.
"Anyway," she snorted, brushing her fringe aside. "Most of today's customers came here for you. Those women were practically drooling."
Gu Xi waved a hand dismissively. "You're exaggerating."
"I'm not." She pointed at the counter. "Remember that couple who fought because the girlfriend wouldn't stop staring at you? I thought they'd break up right then and there."
Gu Xi laughed, genuinely amused this time. "That one was kind of funny. But none of them are really my type."
"Oh?" Song Ai raised an eyebrow, half-curious. "Then what is your type?"
The boy tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing just a touch with a mischievous light. His gaze landed on her—not direct, but not quite shy either. There was a subtle intensity there that didn't suit a teenager.
"Someone much older than me, maybe."
The café was already dim from the setting sun. A golden light filtered through the half-closed blinds, casting long shadows over the wooden floor, gilding Gu Xi's delicate features in a soft glow.
It wasn't a bold expression, nothing overt.
But his smile then—playful, slow, just a little too confident—made Song Ai's breath catch.
Is he… flirting with me?
Her mind blanked for half a second.
But before she could speak, Gu Xi clapped his hands and straightened.
"Anyway, I'm not too interested in dating right now," he said breezily. "And if I ever do change my mind—Sister Ai, you'll be the first to know."
Then he winked, soft as a breeze, and turned on his heel.
"I'll head in to change. Shift's done, right? Sorry I can't help clean today. I've got a pre-arranged meeting with a friend."
He disappeared into the back room, white apron still tied neatly behind him.
Left alone behind the counter, Song Ai stared at the doorway for a long moment.
Her cheeks were warm.
Not from embarrassment… but from something more uncertain.
She touched the side of her face, where a lingering heat clung to her skin.
"Was that just teasing?" she murmured. "Or is this little fox starting to flirt for real…?"
The golden light continued to pour through the windows, but the air inside the café had already changed. Just a little.