The Songwriter

one.

The world existed with continuous movement. Nobody could feel the turn of the planet they occupied, the slight angle at which its axis rested didn't make their books slide. It surely didn't affect the web of people running in and out of shops, making doorbells sing and vehicles skid to a halt as a wayward child thought of their parents too commanding.

As to not get dizzy by the repeated rotation and revolution of the Earth, Kai Celeste found his respite in the bakery tucked securely between a bookshop and café. The former run by Mr. James who was too old to get up from his permanently occupied chair without a hefty groan and creak of knees. Luckily, he had his daughter, Lenor, willing to dust the shelves and appease the patrons. The latter was a fairly new business with the constant that was Florence, the owner and namesake of the café, behind the counter with rosy cheeks and bright smile.

Kai had found himself musing through the aisles of books and nursing a hot cup of coffee throughout the five years he'd lived in the area. He was a familiar enough face to small talk with.

Today, he sat in a quiet corner of the bakery, stirring his black coffee. He didn't mind the quality of drinks here even though it paled in comparison to Florence's.

He was waiting for his invite to come through the door before ordering anything else. It was common courtesy. But he hadn't had anything to eat for breakfast and it was almost two.

It took everything in him to not frown at the lack of respect for his time. He wasn't antsy about it, no, he just preferred people to be on time. It was twenty minutes past the time they had mutually agreed on.

Five more minutes.

With an irritated sigh, Kai grabbed his notebook and shoved it into his bag. He was in the process of putting his pens away when the door flung open.

Every set of eyes gravitated towards the loud noise, some in disapproval, some in confusion. Kai was one in all, staring at the man before registering his features.

Of course he'd seen pictures and posters of said man, having to walk past a leather-clad poster of him everyday to work. Even though Kai had seen him before, he still knocked the breath out of him. Enough for him to blush when the brown eyes zeroed in on him.

"Kai Celeste?" The man inquired, white t-shirt loose around his shoulders, black jeans with his belt running over most of the loops. His black hair waved outwards at the ends, making his hair look effortlessly messy.

It took all Kai had to not abruptly stand up and run through that very door.

"Y-Yes." Curse him.

Kai looked away, knowing there was pink on his cheeks. The first word he'd said to the man and he stuttered. Damn him. Damn the brown-eyed beauty who draped himself across the seat with elegance and had the nerve to look annoyed.

"Look, Kai, I don't have time to work with people who are too starstruck to speak properly nor yes men." The irritation in his raspy voice irked Kai.

It took an even bigger effort to not walk out. How dare he make fun of his speech. Starstruck? He wasn't even fazed. Lastly, he would never be a yes man to anybody. If he wanted people to know his opinion, it would be known.

He reeled his anger in, trying to control the shake in his voice when he answered.

"You don't have to worry about... that. I'd worry more about being... being on time." Kai cursed internally, smoothing out the vowels and consonants. The hardened gaze directed towards him made his nerves fray. It took him back to school, where students yawned whenever it was his turn to read. To the playground he entertained himself in. Always a silent conversation in his head before he went up and talked to the others. The truth behind the bored looks: get on with it, speak faster, clearer, stop repeating your words. Kai took a deep, grounding breath. "You are twenty five minutes late."

The man whistled, giving him a flat look. "Okay, teach, I'm sorry for being whatever minute late. I got carried away in the studio."

Kai nodded in understanding. "Just make sure not to... not do it again." Fuck, he needed to learn how to breathe properly. The room was suddenly too stifling between them.

With nothing else to do he glanced through the menu, the man copying. They ordered. Kai with his usual and the man with a chocolate croissant and matcha latte.

Kai cracked open his notebook, grabbing a pen from the several littering the desk.

"I'm... Elias Angelos by the way." The man hesitantly introduced himself, as if shy.

The brown-haired man bit his tongue so as to not blurt out 'Obviously'. He prided himself on thinking several times before speaking even if to his detriment at times. Instead, he nodded in acknowledgement. It was easier to skim through the unsensible lines than make eye contact with Elias.

They ate their food in silence.

"Um, I thought we were–" Elias began, silenced when Kai snapped his notebook shut.

"Yes, work. Sal told me I- I needed to listen to your story first. Your child... hood." Kai grit out the last word, finding it increasingly difficult to not stammer when taking hold of the conversation.

"They did?" The man widened his eyes. Straight brows immediately came to join together, red flashing in the browns. "Of course they did." He sighed, rubbing a hand across his forehead.

"So...?"

"So nothing. I need to have a word with Sal before we work on anything." Elias grabbed his jacket, shouldering it and standing up.

"What?" Kai questioned, outraged. They hadn't even written a single word. He stared dumbfounded as the man slapped a note on the table and walked out.

The swinging of the door was the only indication it was real and not just a fucked up hallucination.

He gathered his things and paid before walking out. Like a normal person. He whipped his head around, searching for the black-haired man. But he was gone like the wind that had tousled his hair this morning. Gone without a trace.

His phone buzzed that exact moment, the ringtone acquainted with.

"Hey, you didn't put my green shirt in the laundry, did you?" The voice crackled, the sound of things being thrown a background noise.

"No, it's at the top of your closet."

Immediate thundering footsteps and a creak. "Where is it–"

"The right... one. Socks."

"I can't find it–"

"Just forget it. I'm coming home." Kai growled, rushing his way through the busy bodies.

"Home? But I thought you were-?"

"Later, Fe."

Kai quickened his steps to his apartment, entirely too enraged for comprehensible thoughts. He only knew that he wanted to vent and have his friend agree with the sheer absurdity of today's exchange.