#d-12

Just a month ago, he finally wrapped up a big production and has been spending the weeks after filming for advertisements and PR that he really thought he could be back in Linkon by mid-December again. It has been quite a while since he has last been back after all.

And while for the most part, he misses the comfort of his home and his comfortable bed the most, he also craves something completely else: Blueberry muffins. And the person who makes them.

It drives him crazy how he can practically remember the taste of those blueberry muffins just because he has eaten so many of them by now. How soft they are on the inside, how sweet and slightly tangy those blueberries taste and how perfect of a snack these muffins make, especially when he is in the middle of a stressful schedule and barely has time to sit down for a proper meal.

After he had introduced himself to you and explained that he was indeed the same Rafayel Qi that your roommate has a poster of hanging in her room, he managed to ask you to exchange numbers before leaving. He hasn’t done this in.. years probably, but if he really wanted to get to know you, this was the easiest option - especially since he was going to be away for a while.

But a problem he soon encountered was that he just didn’t have any free time. Like, at all. From morning till night he was busy filming, revising scripts or practicing. And the only thing he finds himself able to do when he gets back to his hotel room is take a shower and plop into bed, falling asleep without checking his phone even once.

A week passes just like that. 

Until one day, he wakes up to see that you had sent him a picture: it’s a blueberry muffin and his usual go-to drink placed on the counter top along with the message: ‘made them on accident, thinking you would come by later’

Maybe you miss him just as much as he does. 

Naturally, he started texting you a lot more often since. He would complain about his exhausting schedules, how work has been going and send the occasional behind-the-scenes picture during fittings. You would respond with encouraging words, photos of current recipe developments and your plans for the following week. 

He finds himself staring at his phone sometimes, hoping it would light up with a message from you even though he knows that you are busy working. But maybe if he stares long enough, you would still send a message. What a sign that would be, huh?

Occasionally, you two talk over the phone when he gets back to his hotel room. He asks you about your day as he lies down on the bed, listening to your voice as his eyes slowly close and his mind drifts away. Eight out of ten times, he manages to fall asleep to your voice, but you don’t mind. 

And just like that, it’s December already.

-

“Here you go”, Thomas hands him a little paper bag along with his coffee order, “It probably doesn’t taste the same, but it’s better than nothing”

Rafayel peeks inside the bag and almost gasps when he sees a blueberry muffin in it. It looks similar to the ones from your coffee shop, a generous amount of blueberries on it that makes him smile as he thinks of you. 

Hesitantly, he takes a bite, then immediately looks up to Thomas, a big frown on his face.

“Wait, which place did you get this from?”, he asks. 

They taste just like the ones from your shop, which makes absolutely no sense to him at all, considering he has pretty much tried every kind of similar muffin from all the local bakeries since he got here, only to realize that he has gotten way too picky with them. 

“Don’t remember the name anymore. Do they taste alright?”

Rafayel shakes his head, still frowning, “No, that’s not it.. they taste just like-”

“..mine?”, a familiar head peeks out from the door to the side and- Wait, maybe he is dreaming again but there you are standing right in front of him in his dressing room when you should be miles away in that cozy, little coffee shop of yours. You let out a little giggle, covering your mouth with your hands, “Hi, Rafayel” you chirp cheerfully.

“W-what?”, he almost drops the muffin still in his hand, his gaze moving from Thomas to you. And then back again to Thomas, who has a giant grin on his face. “What is going on?”

“Well, you were complaining that you can’t spend the holidays in Linkon. So I took the initiative to bring someone over who may just want to do that with you over here. There are no recordings next week and I made sure to empty up your schedule for the next few days, so you can go show her the city if she likes. What do you think?”

Rafayel just nods in response, still completely taken aback by what just happened. And with that, Thomas excuses himself to a staff meeting, leaving you two on your own. When he looks up to you, he notices how your face has turned an incredibly bright shade of red.

“So, uh, what should we do first?”