The espresso machine releases a steam. Liquid gold falls into the two funnels of the portafilter as the barista puts a jug of milk under the steam wand. Darren, a stocky 29-year old urbanite, is sitting at the bar. He unlocks his phone and opens the camera, preparing for the little show that is about to happen.
The barista lets out a chuckle as she thumps the jug of steamed milk on the counter. This is to release the bubbles on top for a smoother pour. She tilts the espresso cup at a certain angle and starts pouring the milk.
Darren presses record. A smile forms in his lips as the barista lays white waves of milk on top of the cup and cuts it in the middle. This is the latte art Darren loves to get whenever he is in this coffee shop.
"Awesome!" Darren says.
"Ugh, I'll make you another one! That heart isn't perfect." she said while shaking her head slowly.
"Nah, that's fine. No heart is perfect!" Darren stretches his hand as a gesture that he wants to have the coffee. Though reluctant, she hands it to him carefully.
Darren snaps a few photos before taking a little sip. He pushes his head a bit as he tastes a different flavor on his usual cup. "Beans from a different origin?"
"You noticed?" She cannot help but be surprised at Darren's note. "Yeah, actually, that's Brazil right there."
"I'm tasting..." Darren smacks his lips as he tries to find a close description. "Chocolates and almonds!"
"Lovely! Hold on, let me pull you a shot." She turns her back to Darren, almost jumping as she works her usual magic in front of the espresso machine. Darren watches her grind some coffee and pulls the lever on the sleek Leva espresso machine. He inhales the coffee fragrance all around the shop.
Darren's phone beeps.
His eyes are filled with excitement and worry. He types a quick response and turns around to look around the place.
The coffee shop has gray walls. Bare. Unassuming wooden tables and chairs. The only decor this place has are the corner plants with elephant-like leaves. This is the famous background on most tagged photos on their Instagram and Facebook pages.
With a cup in his hand, Darren notices a few customers - some are busy in front of their tablets and laptops while the others are taking photos of coffee and chatting with friends.
"Here you go. Take a whiff first then sip." Darren smiles at the barista as she hands him a small cup. He takes it close to his nose and waves his hand inward to smell the coffee. He slurps a good amount of espresso, moves it around his mouth and swallows.
"Ah! Chocolates and oranges! I love it!" Darren exclaims.
"Is the acidity too pronounced?" the barista asks.
"It's there but it's not overpowering. That's a well-balanced coffee!" Darren continues to praise.
The barista excuses herself to assist a customer who is asking about the whole beans they are selling. Darren finishes the espresso in the cup and washes his mouth with the soda water it came with.
A wrist watch catches Darren's eyes as he gulps.
"Hey." The owner of the watch smiles at him, baring his perfect white teeth. He moves to kiss Darren on the cheek.
"Happy anniversary, love." Darren is not used to hearing that deep version of his voice.
His kiss lands on the side of his lips as Darren tries to avoid it. His fingers automatically touch the part where the man kissed him as he looks around the shop - the barista is still busy explaining coffee to the customer, the customers are still in their own little worlds. No one seems to have seen their abrupt contact.
"Hey..." Darren manages to say with a hoarse voice.
The man moves the stool closer to Darren and sits on it. He reaches for a menu and looks at its two pages.
Darren smells his musky perfume and minty breath. Darren steals glances at him - deep-set eyes accentuated by thick eyebrows, straight-edged nose and red lips. He can be easily mistaken to be a non-pure Filipino with those looks.
The man notices but Darren is quick to look away and drink his coffee. "What should I get?" he asks.
"Anything... Anything you like."
The barista has finished putting two coffee pouches in the paper bag. She thanks them for the business and waves them goodbye.
Her workplace is just a small square. The till and the pastry table in front, the espresso machine and other coffee gears behind, the coffee bar on one side and the extended kitchen-slash-office on the other.
In just a few steps, she is now in front of Darren and his companion. She greets him with a kind smile.
"Coffee?"
"Uhh, I don't drink coffee. But let's see..." The man skims the menu as he thinks. Darren looks at the barista who purses her lips and teases Darren to the man. Darren laughs silently. "I'll get a mocha... Hot mocha."
The barista lets out a little chuckle. Not demeaning, more amused. "Mocha has coffee, though. It's actually a shot of espresso, milk and chocolate." she says.
He looks at Darren, embarrassed.
"So, one hot mocha, yeah?" she said before sliding back to the espresso station.
Darren laughs and taps the man's shoulder twice. "I'm not used to going to places like this." the man says.
"I know. But don't worry, she's friendly." Darren whispers.
Darren looks at him, dazed. He looks back with a puzzled look. Darren half-smiles with his curious and cute expression. He puts his hand on Darren's leg and gently squeezes it.
"Are you happy to see me?" he asks.
"Of course." Darren holds his hand and takes it off his leg. Before Darren can let go of the touch, the man manages to find the spaces in between Darren's fingers. His fingers conquer those voids. Darren, though uneasy, does not object to this public, somewhat discreet, display of affection. Their thumbs play with each other's index knuckle. This time, Darren cannot seem to look at the man straight in the eye. He looks around the room to check if anyone is looking.
The man's face lights up as the barista carefully transports his drink from her work station to the bar. He grabs his phone from the pocket of his jeans and takes a few snaps of the adorable bear latte art smiling on them. The barista is so happy to see them wowed.
"It's so cute I don't think I can drink this!" he says.
"Just drink carefully." she laughs.
Both Darren and the barista are amused at the man's awe with his drink. He is not used to drinking fancy hot beverages. Darren has let him taste his coffee but he makes a bitter-looking face as soon as the coffee hits his palate. That expression makes the barista and Darren burst into laughter.
Several minutes has passed and the man is on his last sip. Darren opens his bag and takes out his wallet. He calls the barista for the bill.
"Are you ready?" Darren asks his companion as he slides a card to the man's direction.
"Are you?" He winks at Darren as he puts the card in his breast pocket.
Darren pays for their coffee in cash and asks the barista to keep the change.
Covered by a canopy of trees, they are walking side-by-side in the park. They pass by a few people on a leisure walk. It is a fine day. The sun is on its last quarter of work for the day. The rustling leaves provide a calming effect on the people outside including Darren. He does not mind as the man brushes his hand to his.
The man walks ahead of Darren and walks back a few steps to face him. Darren stops in his tracks as the man, broad-shouldered, stands in front of him. How can he be both muscular and cute?
"What if I kiss you right here?" he asks Darren.
"Don't. People will look." Darren whispers.
"So what? It's our anniversary."
Darren ignores him and walks past him. The man catches up, puts his hand around Darren and steals a kiss in his cheek. Darren feels the wetness of his lips and smells the chocolate laced with espresso.
"What the...!" Darren elbows him on the side. The man profusely apologizes and kisses him again in the cheek. He laughs as Darren cannot do anything about it.
"I know you like it." he whispers on Darren's ear.
Darren laughs as he takes the man's arm off of him and walks faster to cross the street. The man tries to catch-up but is left on the crossing as the traffic light turns green for the cars. Darren waits on the other side of the road as the man adorably looks at him with an angry expression.
As the cars pass by, Darren stares at the man from afar. The smile in his face fades as he studies his face and his body. This is the man. This is his man.
The cars stop and he starts walking toward Darren. Darren, then, starts walking towards the hotel entrance. The security greets him with a smile as he heads to the elevator. He watches as the monitor descends from 24 to 1.
"Why didn't you wait for me?" the man asks behind him as he finally catches up.
"You're too slow. Didn't you notice the traffic light?" Darren laughs.
"No, I was only looking at you." Darren shoots him a look with that remark. His smile is unintended and the man catches it. He winks at Darren.
The elevator door opens and five people exit.
Darren enters, taps the key card and presses 16. The man follows and leans at the back of the elevator. The door closes. The back of the door is a full-length mirror. Darren looks at the man through it as he plays with his own key card. He notices and moves a few inches behind Darren. He blows air at the back of his neck which gives Darren the chills. Darren tilts his head to the side because of the sensation. This gives the man an open invite to kiss Darren in the neck. He is about to stick his tongue out when the elevator dings and the door opens.
"Fuck..." the man whispers.
He holds Darren by the wrist and drags him out of the elevator door. Darren is caught by surprise and almost loses his balance as he tries to catch up with the man's big steps. His grip on Darren's wrist tightens as they approach their room.
"Let me go..."
Their hotel room door beeps open and the man enters first. As soon as they are both inside the room, the man lets go and pushes him to the back of the door. The door shuts loudly as both Darren's and his weight are on it. The man kisses him torridly in the lips and Darren is not ready. He tries to unlock his lips from him to catch a breath.
"Wait..." Darren pants as he tries to push the man away.
The man pins him back to the door and kisses his neck. Darren lets out a surprised moan. He grabs the man's hair at the back of his head - undecided whether to push him away or pull him even closer. The kisses move from his neck back to his lips. This time, Darren is ready to kiss back. But, the man stops and takes his weight away from Darren.
He puts his hands just below the collar of Darren's polo. He tears it open and the buttons fly around everywhere. Darren opens his mouth in surprise which is met by another streak of hot kisses and moans.
The man puts his hand on Darren's lower back and pulls it close to his body. He turns Darren around as they start walking toward the bed. Darren, walking backwards, does not know where his feet are until his legs reach the corner of the bed. He fell to the soft bed and the man undresses in front of him. Darren licks his lips as his eyes feast on the man's chiseled body. He pulls Darren's pants and boxers off. The man lies on top of Darren as he starts to make love to him.
The only noise heard in the room are joyful moans and satisfying groans. Darren, at some point, holds the man's face and studies it closely as he makes his advances on him. They are lending breaths to each other in between kisses.
Darren hugs him tight and tears start flowing to the side of his eyes. The man does not see this as his face is buried on Darren's neck. His advances grow more violent as he comes close to climax. He pulls his face and looks Darren in the eye, puzzled with the wetness of it, as he reaches the peak of his lust. He cups Darren's face and wipes his tears away as he buries himself inside him.
He lies beside Darren as he catches his breath. Both of them can almost hear their rapid heartbeats slowing down as their chests rise and fall.
"I'm sorry... Did it hurt?" the man asks Darren.
"No..." Darren's response was only a breath which surprises him. He clears his throat and speaks again.
"Why were you crying?"
Darren is lying on the man's chest as he strokes Darren's arms gently. Darren is fiddling with the man's hand. Their lower bodies are covered in white sheets as the room starts to slowly turn into golden yellow.
"I don't know... I guess I just missed you so much." Darren looks up to him and kisses him gently in the lips. He turns around and sits up. The last rays of the sun start to penetrate the insides of their room.
Darren keeps his eyes locked on the glass window. The man, still lying beside him, moves closer to him and hugs him below the stomach. He crams his head on Darren's side. Darren lets him put his head on his leg and puts his hand on his rocky arms.
The natural light gives Darren a glow that is so raw - his hair is disheveled, his eyes are glistening and his skin is wet and dry. And aching.
"What a beautiful sunset." Darren says to himself.
The man looks up at Darren and follows his gaze. He could not see clearly so he unlocks himself from Darren to sit up beside him.
They are quiet for a few minutes as they bask in the remaining light.
"Do you feel sad whenever you watch a sunset?" the man asks as he notices Darren's eyes.
"Sometimes..." Still not looking away from the sun, Darren lets his heart speak. "It's a beautiful but inevitable goodbye, don't you think? It's not sudden. It gives you an unforgettable view as it bleeds through the sky. Just like that." He points to the different hues of the cloudless canvas.
"It gives you time to prepare for the rising of the moon. But no matter how beautiful the sunset is, the moon will still be left alone through the night, guarding the world as it sleeps."
"Hmmm." The man puts his head on Darren's shoulder and says nothing further.
When the sun has finally set and they are nothing but silhouettes in the dark, the man attempts to kiss Darren in the lips. Darren looks at the man's reflection in the borrowed light they have from the outside and sees something different. He stops the man from kissing him. He holds his face and barely see his outlines. He stares at it for several seconds, as if re-mapping he had had with him.
"Why?" the man asks in a sweet tone
"Nothing." Darren lets go of the man's face and lies in bed The man follows suit. He hugs Darren tight and rests his lips on the back of his head. Darren holds the man's hand - fingers in between voids.
Darren takes a deep breath.
"What's your name?" Darren asks.