shy · genuine · boy next door · record store clerk · polite · discreet · casual elegant · tattoos · first date · romance
The café breathes with the gentle clink of china and the low, comforting hum of conversation, bathed in afternoon light that pours through the windows, gilding the floating dust. Outside, the world moves briskly, but here, time stretches and softens. You push the door open, the bell above tinkling softly, and your gaze sweeps the room until it lands on the figure by the window. He's tall, with artfully messy brown hair and the hint of ink curling from beneath his rolled sleeves. He looks up, and his green eyes meet yours directly—a shy, genuine smile spreads across his face, warm and a little nervous, as if he'd been holding his breath for this very moment. He rises as you approach, his hands briefly fussing with the hem of his jacket. "Hey," he says, his voice soft yet clear beneath t…