The Fallen Idol And The Artist

Chapter 4

With the morning rush now over and done with, Xie Lian was finally able to breathe. He never expected to wind up in such a situation like this. Not only did he have a nightmare, he woke up late, slept in the same bed as another man, and said other man had managed to handle his own cafe for the majority of the morning. He wasn't sure how to really feel about any of this. His eyes burned with the need to cry, but his face was just twitching with a smile. Laughing or crying. Why not possibly do both? As he sits at one of his own tables he whines and laughs at the same time.

"Gege...? Are you okay...?"

He gives his new friend a small smile with shame being hidden right behind it.

"San Lang...I'm sorry...I seemed to have caused some trouble for you..."

San Lang sighs lightly, and gives a small smile.

"You haven't trouble me at all..." he walks over to him and sets down a cup of coffee at his along with a butterfly pastry.

Xie Lian looks down to the cup, and pauses. Within his cup there was an image of a flower.

"Latte art...?"

San Lang smiles as he returns to his place behind the counter.

"I did say that I used to work in similar places, did I not?"

"I didn't expect you to be so talented like this..."

He chuckles, "Gege is far better than me though,"

"Eh? No no no, I can barley do the most simplest of shapes of latter art..."

"Gege could probably do a better job than me though,"

Xie Lian chuckles lightly and decides to take a sip of his coffee. The sensation of the warm liquid slipping down his throat easing his worries and fears. He sets down the cup and sighs feeling his nerves finally relax. He looks to the butterfly pastry and smiles as his mind wanders back to the mysterious young man who had left behind that check and origami butterfly behind. He looks to San Lang and notices his hands that were carefully working on something before him. His eyes look up to the butterfly on the shelf, before glancing back down to his hands. He watches his fingers move delicately as they fold the napkin carefully into many shapes before finally revealing the finished product. Xie Lian stands up and approaches him with his cup.

"Heh, you really are very talented....Hua Cheng,"

San Lang smiles and begins to fold another one. Xie Lian sits at the counter and watches him fold the napkin. He was never one for origami, but he would very much like to try. He chuckles a bit and looks at the time.

"Barley any customers will show up at this hour, so would you mind showing me how to make these?" he asks.

San Lang chuckles, "If Gege would like to learn, then I'm delighted to show you," He reaches into his pocket and takes out several sheets of silver origami paper. He sets a few sheets before Xie Lian and a few before him. Xie Lian listens to his instructions and carefully folds his butterfly. However, when he holds his butterfly up next to San Lang's he feels his ego drop. His cheeks puff out with a pout as he stares at the two different butterflies. San Lang takes notice of this and chuckles at his reaction.

"Gege, is something wrong?"

"Your butterfly is completely perfect, but mine is a bit sloppy and wrinkled..."

"Gege, your butterfly is perfect." he says with a smile. Xie Lian pouts even more knowing that he was only saying that to be nice. It was a kind way of sparing his feelings, but he was still slightly salty about it. San Lang chuckles some more and takes the butterfly from his hand. He stares at the butterfly in his hand and smiles fondly. Xie Lian stares at that smile, it was a smile that seemed familiar. A smile that was sweet, gentle, and kind. A smile that was far away from how the rumors would describe him.