Coffee is too Bitter for a Sweet Guy
October 3rd, Classroom C-101
Ilhan tapped his pen against the edge of his notebook, his tail swishing lazily behind him. The lecture had ended, and students were packing up, their chatter filling the room. He glanced over at Tao, who was carefully tucking his sketchbook into his bag.
“Hey, Tao!” Ilhan called, sliding out of his seat. “You heading out?”
Tao looked up, his ears twitching. “Uh, yeah. I was just… gonna study.”
“Perfect!” Ilhan grinned, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. “Me too. Wanna grab a coffee and work on the project together?”
Tao hesitated, his tail flicking nervously. Is he seriously inviting me out like he said…?
“I… I don’t know. I usually study alone.”
“Come on,” Ilhan said, leaning in slightly. “It’ll be fun. Plus, you agreed yesterday.”
Tao’s ears flattened, and he glanced around like he was searching for an escape. But Ilhan’s grin was infectious, and after a moment, Tao sighed and nodded. “Okay… let’s go.”
“Nice!” Ilhan said, clapping Tao on the shoulder. Tao flinched slightly but didn’t pull away.
The Eichelcafé was warm and inviting, the rich scent of coffee and pastries filling the air. Ilhan ordered a black coffee and a chocolate croissant, while Tao went for chamomile tea. They grabbed a table by the window, and Ilhan spread out his notes with unnecessary flair.
“Alright,” he said, taking a sip of his coffee, then immediately grimacing. “Ugh, forgot how bitter this stuff is.”
Tao let out a small chuckle as he set his tea down. He pulled out his sketchbook and a few textbooks, flipping to a blank page. Ilhan couldn’t help but notice how the warm café light softened Tao’s fur, the darker streaks almost shimmering.
“So,” Ilhan said, leaning forward. “What’s your deal, Tao? You’re, like, super mysterious.”
Tao’s ears twitched, and he kept his eyes on his sketchbook. “I’m not mysterious. I’m just… quiet.”
“Quiet, mysterious, same thing.” Ilhan waved a hand. “You’re always drawing. What’s that about?”
Tao’s tail curled slightly around his leg. “It’s just something I do to pass the time.”
“Can I see?” Ilhan asked, already reaching for the sketchbook.
Tao stiffened, his claws lightly digging into the cover. “It’s not finished.”
“So? I wanna see the masterpiece in progress.”
After a brief pause, Tao reluctantly handed it over. Ilhan flipped through the pages, his eyes widening. The sketches were incredible. Detailed landscapes, expressive portraits, and even some intricate studies of animals and plants.
“Whoa,” Ilhan murmured. “These are insane. Everything’s so detailed.”
Tao’s face burned at the sudden praise, and he quickly snatched the sketchbook back. “They’re just rough sketches…”
“Dude, this is actual artist-level stuff,” Ilhan said, leaning back in his chair. “You should show these to people.”
Tao shook his head, tucking the sketchbook into his bag. “It’s not… It’s not that good.”
Ilhan frowned. “Hey, don’t sell yourself short. You’ve got talent.”
Tao didn’t respond, but Ilhan caught the small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
The sky darkened as the afternoon passed, but neither of them moved from their seats…
Ilhan stretched his arms behind his head, letting out a soft grunt. “I don’t see why rabbits aren’t allowed around large species on campus…”
Tao looked up from his notebook, “Have you seen how small the rabbits are? They’d get squished immediately.”
He chuckled quietly at Tao’s almost sadistic reply, “Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen any small species around campus…”
“Did you actually pay attention during orientation day?” Tao sarcastically commented.
“What do you mean by that?” Ilhan looked at Tao with interest.
“There’s a separate campus for the smaller species; they should’ve told you during orientation.”
By the time the Eichelcafé was closing for the night, they finally packed up and headed out.
“We made a lot of progress today,” Tao said as they walked back to the dorms.
“Honestly, you did most of it. I just talked your ear off,” Ilhan admitted, rubbing his neck, a slight blush creeping onto his face. His throat was sore from how much he’d been rambling.
Tao glanced at him, amusement flickering in his eyes. “I didn’t mind… It was kinda nice. Like background noise.”
Ilhan stopped in his tracks. “Wait. You just called me a podcast.”
Tao’s ears flicked back. “That’s not what I-”
“No, no, I get it,” Ilhan smirked, nudging Tao’s arm. “You like hearing me talk.”
Tao huffed, turning his head away, but the tip of his tail swayed slightly.
Ilhan grinned. “Hey, let’s swap numbers.”
Tao froze, his ears flattening slightly. “Ah- uh… sure.”
Before he could hesitate, Ilhan snatched Tao’s phone and added himself to the contacts list. “There. Now don’t be shy, message me anytime.”
Tao glanced at his phone, then at Ilhan. His tail gave a small, slow wag.
“Yeah… okay.”
They kept walking, side by side, the night air cool around them. And for the first time in a while, Tao didn’t mind the company.
Ilhan glanced over at Tao, and he could notice a small smile tugging at the ends of his lips. Tao’s long grayish fur flowed in sync with the breeze of the night, his dark ends almost vanishing with the background.
The campus was quiet under the moon’s light, and some faint chirping could be heard.
We’ve been friends for some days. I already feel a deep connection with him. I wonder if he feels the same?
October 5th, Eichelcafe
Two days later, Ilhan texted Tao to meet up again. This time, Tao didn’t hesitate as much, though he still seemed nervous as he slid into the seat across from Ilhan at Eichelcafe.
“Hey, you made it!” Ilhan said, grinning. “I was starting to think you’d bail on me.”
“I said I’d come, didn’t I?” Tao replied, setting his bag on the table.
“Yeah, but you seem like the type to overthink things,” Ilhan teased, sipping his coffee.
Tao’s ears twitched, and he looked away, but Ilhan noticed the faint blush on his cheeks.
They worked in silence for a while, Ilhan tapping his pen against the table and Tao sketching in the margins of his notes. Finally, Ilhan couldn’t take it anymore.
“Okay, I’m bored,” he announced, leaning back in his chair. “Let’s take a break.”
Tao glanced up, his tail flicking nervously. “We’ve only been here for twenty minutes.”
“Exactly. That’s, like, a lifetime,” Ilhan said, grinning. “Come on, tell me something interesting.”
Tao hesitated, then closed his notebook. “What do you want to know?”
“I don’t know,” Ilhan said, tilting his head. “What’s your favorite color?’
Tao blinked. “My… favorite color?”
“Yeah. Mine’s red. Obviously,” Ilhan said, gesturing to his fur.
Tao’s ears twitched, and he looked down at his sketchbook. “I... I like blue.”
“Blue, huh?” Ilhan said, leaning forward. “Why?”
Tao hesitated, his tail curling around his leg. “It’s… calming. Like the sky or the ocean.”
Ilhan grinned. “That’s nice, man. I like it.”
Tao’s ears twitched again, and Ilhan noticed the small smile on his face.
By the end of the session, Tao found himself relaxing in a way he hadn’t expected. Ilhan’s energy, which had initially felt overwhelming, now felt... comforting. Like the warmth of sunlight breaking through a cloudy sky.
Ilhan leaned back in his chair, his tail swishing lazily behind him. “Okay, but hear me out. What if… we just skipped class tomorrow and went to the park instead?”
Tao’s ears twitched, and he glanced up from his sketchbook. “We can’t just skip class.”
“Why not?” Ilhan said, grinning. “It’s not like they’re gonna notice. Come on, live a little!”
Tao hesitated, his tail curling around his leg. “I... I don’t know.”
Ilhan’s grin softened, and he leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. “You’re such a rule-follower, you know that?”
Tao’s ears flattened, and he looked away. “It’s not about rules. It’s just... I don’t like skipping things.”
Ilhan tilted his head, his expression thoughtful. “Yeah, I get that. But sometimes you gotta break the rules, you know? Otherwise, life gets boring.”
Tao didn’t respond, but Ilhan noticed the small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. It was the first time Tao had smiled without immediately looking away, and Ilhan couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment.
As they packed up to leave, Ilhan slung his backpack over his shoulder and grinned at Tao. “Same time tomorrow?”
Tao hesitated, his claws tapping against the edge of the table. He wanted to say yes. He really did. But the thought of spending more time with Ilhan made his chest feel tight in a way he couldn’t quite explain.
“I… I don’t know,” Tao said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. “I might be busy.”
Ilhan’s ears drooped slightly, but he quickly recovered, his grin returning. “Busy, huh? Doing what? Sketching in your room all by yourself?
Tao’s ears twitched, and he looked down at his bag. “Maybe.”
Ilhan laughed, the sound warm and genuine. “Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me.”
Tao nodded, his tail giving a small wag. “Yeah. I’ll think about it.”
As they walked out of the café, Ilhan couldn’t help but notice the way Tao’s fur seemed to shimmer in the fading sunlight. There was something about him, something quiet and genuine, that made Ilhan want to keep talking to him, to figure out what made him tick.
“Hey, Tao,” Ilhan said, his tone softer than usual. “Thanks for hanging out with me today. I know I can be... a lot.”
Tao glanced at him, his ears twitching. “You’re not... a lot. You’re just... you.”
Ilhan’s grin widened, and he bumped Tao’s shoulder with his own. “Thanks, man. That means a lot.”
Tao’s tail gave another small wag, and Ilhan couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride. He’d managed to make Tao smile twice in one day. That had to be some kind of record.
As they parted ways, Ilhan’s tail swished behind him, and he couldn’t stop grinning. Ilhan wanted to know everything about Tao. He had a feeling this was just the beginning of something special.