"Absolutely not," Yin Yue said, while staring at the foam blob.
> š» SYSTEM 520:
š Romantic Development Opportunity Alert!
šÆ Objective: Create Latte Art for the Male Lead!
ā¤ļø Target Response Goal: Visible Softening / Blush (Bonus: Sigh of Affection)
"It looks like a fungus," Yin Yue muttered, poking the cup.
"It's supposed to be a heart," Liang Yu said from across the counter, arms folded like a judge watching a pig try ballet.
"I was going for 'organic emotional explosion.'"
"You were going for 'crime scene.'"
Yin Yue scowled. "Do you want to try drawing with hot milk under pressure?"
"I've been doing it for seven years."
"Oh. So you're milky gifted."
Liang Yu stared at him in silence for a long moment.
Then slid another cup in front of him. "Try again."
Yin Yue groaned but still picked up the milk pitcher. His hands trembled slightly because nerves or caffeine or both. He poured slowly, foam wobbling as he tried to make a shape. Any shape.
The milk splashed.
The heart warped.
It becameā¦ something. Possibly a sick ghost or maybe a melted duck.
He sighed. "I'm going to die alone."
"You're holding the pitcher wrong," Liang Yu said.
"I'm holding onto hope."
"Same thing."
> š» SYSTEM 520:
Tip: ML will respond positively to visible effort!
You must fail charmingly before you can succeed seductively!
"I will pour you into a blender," Yin Yue whispered.
Liang Yu raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Nothing," Yin Yue said cheerfully, holding up the mug. "I call this one: Existential Foam."
Liang Yu walked over, peered at the cup, and said nothing.
That stung more than an insult.
"You're emotionally constipated," Yin Yue muttered under his breath.
Liang Yu looked at him. "And you're easily discouraged."
Yin Yue blinked. "Was thatā¦ encouragement?"
"No."
"Did you just neg me into self-esteem?"
"You're imagining things."
Yin Yue turned back to the machine, cheeks warm despite himself.
He poured another attempt.
This time, it wasn't as terrible. The shape wasā¦ vaguely shaped probably look like a potato. A romantic potato?
Liang Yu said nothing, but his posture shifted. Less tense. More present.
Yin Yue noticed.
> š» SYSTEM 520:
Progress: +2
Latte Art: Abysmal
Affection Gain: Minimal But Noticeable
Romance Potential: Frothing
"I'll get better," Yin Yue muttered. "Eventually."
"You'd better," Liang Yu said, reaching past him for the next cup.
Their arms brushed.
Yin Yue tensed.
Liang Yu didn't move away.
Neither did he.
Just the sound of steam, breath, and silence stretched thin between them.
Then Liang Yu stepped back.
"Again," he said, voice a bit too calm.
Yin Yue swallowed.
Picked up the pitcher.
And tried again.
Yin Yue poured milk like a man defusing a bomb with no hands. The foam stuck at the lip of the pitcher, then surged out all at once.
The resulting "art" looked like an eggplant melting in the sun.
He stared at it.
"Modern," he said finally. "Unconventional."
"It's looks like a lumpy shrimp," Liang Yu replied.
"I meant to do that," Yin Yue said with dignity.
"You're about to make me believe in performance art."
Yin Yue sighed and banged his head lightly on the counter. "This is hopeless. I have the fine motor skills of a goose."
"Your grip's wrong," Liang Yu said, stepping beside him. "And you're rushing the pour."
"I'm panicking. It's my default state."
"Here."
Liang Yu reached out and gently took hold of Yin Yue's hand.
Yin Yue froze.
He was not emotionally prepared for this.
Liang Yu's palm was warm. His fingers steady, guiding Yin Yue's wrist with effortless control. Their arms brushed as he adjusted their stance, shoulder to shoulder. Close enough that Yin Yue could smell the faintest trace of coffee and something cleaner, sharper like cedar.
"Hold it here," Liang Yu said quietly. "Then tilt just a little. Let the milk fall, don't shove it."
"You're shoving me," Yin Yue whispered, dazed.
"You're not listening."
"I can't hear anything over my own heartbeat."
Liang Yu didn't respond. His breath was right there, next to his ear. His chest brushed against Yin Yue's back as he leaned forward to guide the pour.
Yin Yue's brain melted.
> š» SYSTEM 520:
š„ WARNING: Physical Proximity Exceeds Stable Flirt Threshold
š Heart Rate Spike Detected
š§ Host IQ Temporarily Unavailable
The milk landed in the cup.
It wasā¦ almost a heart.
A drunk, slightly lopsided heart, but a heart nonetheless.
They both stared at it.
Neither moved.
Yin Yue cleared his throat, attempting dignity. "So is this where we kiss, or is it more of a 'slow burn, pretend-it-never-happened' kind of moment?"
Liang Yu finally let go of his hand. "Your foam technique is passable now."
"Wow," Yin Yue muttered. "That was romantic. Want to write that in a Valentine's Day card?"
Liang Yu handed him a clean cup. "Again."
Yin Yue took it with trembling fingers. "Are you trying to seduce me or ruin me? Because honestly, you're succeeding at both."
"You're still talking."
Yin Yue grinned. "And you're still touching me."
Liang Yu looked at his hand. It was, indeed, still resting lightly against Yin Yue's wrist.
He pulled away immediately.
Too fast.
Almost guilty.
> š» SYSTEM 520:
š„ FLUSTER DETECTED
š§Ŗ ML STATUS: Secretly Panicking
AFFECTION +4
šÆ Current Total: 22/100
Romance Status: Steaming Hot
Yin Yue bit his lip to keep from smiling. "Gotcha."
"Focus," Liang Yu snapped, but his voice was softer now.
Less cold.
Moreā¦ something.
Yin Yue poured again. This time, the foam trembled but didn't splashed. The shape wasn't perfect but it was recognizable. An almost heart, it a sign of progress.
Or impending doom.
Either way, he could live with it.
"I challenge you," Yin Yue announced dramatically, brandishing a milk pitcher like a fencing foil, "to a duel of hearts and foam."
Liang Yu didn't even blink. "No."
"Too late. I already declared it. You can't back out now."
"I can and will."
"Oh? Afraid of losing to my evolving blob technique?"
Liang Yu sighed. "This is immature."
"Everything about me is immature. That's why people like me."
"People like you?"
"People adore me."
Liang Yu glanced at the scattered latte corpses across the counter. "They're not here for your art."
"They're here for the show." Yin Yue leaned closer. "So let's give them one."
There was a pause. Then, very quietly:
"ā¦What are the stakes?"
Yin Yue lit up. "Loser buys lunch. Winner gets to brag for twenty four hours. No rematches."
Liang Yu considered this. "Fine."
Yin Yue beamed. "Excellent. Let's get foamy."
Fifteen minutes later, three curious regulars were seated at the counter, sipping drinks and watching with a level of amusement usually reserved for reality TV.
Yin Yue poured with intense concentration, tongue peeking out, eyes narrowed. His hand shook. Foam trembled.
Liang Yu worked beside him like a master sculptor. Calm. Clean. Devastating.
"Time's up," Yin Yue said, setting down his cup with a flourish. "Present your crimes."
Liang Yu rotated his cup forward. On top of the latte was a clean, perfect rosetta elegant, symmetrical, extremely beautiful.
"Of course it's flawless," Yin Yue muttered. "You probably dream in gradients."
He pushed his own forward. The foam design wasā¦ debatable. A vaguely heart-shaped smudge flanked by two smaller blobs.
"It'sā¦ abstract," he offered.
Customer One squinted. "Is thatā¦ a cat? Giving birth?"
Customer Two tilted her head. "No, I think it's two people hugging?"
Customer Three smiled. "It looks like love."
Yin Yue blinked. "What?"
"Not, likeā¦ good love. Messy love. Complicated love."
Liang Yu raised an eyebrow. "That'sā¦ a generous interpretation."
Customer Three shrugged. "I'm a poet."
Yin Yue, stunned, grinned. "I accept that ruling."
"I didn't say it was better," Customer Three added.
"But I felt it was better," Yin Yue argued, already reaching for his phone. "Winner: me. Lunch: you. Taste of victory: bittersweet with oat milk."
Liang Yu exhaled. "Fine."
> š» SYSTEM 520:
šÆ Side Mission Complete: Flirt Through Competition
š Affection +3
š„¢ Lunch Date Triggered
Yin Yue looked over, smug.
"I hope you like ramen."
Liang Yu nodded. "I do."
"Of course you do. You're a man of quiet suffering and hot broth."
"I'm rethinking this already."
"No refunds."
Fifteen minutes later, they were seated across from each other in a tiny ramen shop tucked into an alley, the kind of place with hand-painted menus and steam fogging up the windows.
Yin Yue blew on his noodles and said, "I should've lost on purpose. This place is great."
"I always win," Liang Yu replied, stirring his broth.
"You didn't today."
"You cheated with emotion."
"I weaponized sincerity. There's a difference."
Liang Yu lifted his gaze, pausing mid-bite. "You really like making people uncomfortable, don't you?"
Yin Yue blinked. "You're uncomfortable?"
"You make things personal."
"Well, yeah. Otherwise what's the point?"
Liang Yu said nothing.
Yin Yue pushed his bowl aside slightly. "Let me guess. You hate people who pretend to care, right? All smiles and fake concern, and the second it gets messy, they bail."
Liang Yu stiffened.
Yin Yue didn't smile. "I know the type."
"I've had enough of that."
"I'm annoying," Yin Yue said. "Not fake."
"I know."
That hung between them like steam on glass heavy, warm, and real.
They finished their meal in silence. Not awkward. Just... quieter.
When the bill came, Liang Yu paid.
Yin Yue pretended not to notice.