Short story: Black coffee without sugar

In a small office on the 6th floor of a building across the street, the morning air was as steady as any other day. Keyboards clicked, coffee cups rang softly, and occasional knocks on the door sounded softly. No one in the room paid any attention to what day it was, except Han.

Han is 28 years old, a UI designer, has worked at the company for more than 3 years. She stands out for her silence and elegant appearance, her eyes are gentle but a bit sad. Han does not like gatherings, nor is she interested in fleeting love affairs. She lives quietly, carefully and is quite meticulous. But that also makes her colleagues see her as a "wall" that is difficult to approach.
This morning, Han made a cup of black coffee, no sugar, as usual. As soon as she put the cup on the table, a voice rang out behind her:
- You drink black coffee on Black Valentine's Day, are you challenging sadness?

Han turned around and saw Tuan leaning against his desk, holding a steaming hot bun in his hand. Tuan was the same age as Han, a software developer, who was famous in the company for his humorous, cheerful personality and smiling eyes. Although sometimes a bit talkative, Tuan never crossed the line of being impolite.

- Black to suit the occasion - Han answered briefly.
- Great. Are you planning to be alone for the rest of your life?
- If there is no one patient enough to walk with, then it is better to be alone.
Tuan smiled and said nothing more, but inside he felt confused. He had noticed Han for a long time. The way she worked quietly, the way she sat alone during lunch break, the way she smiled when someone told a funny story... all made him feel relieved.
But Tuan didn't dare to confess. Partly because he was afraid of being rejected, partly because... he wasn't sure if she had any feelings for him. He only knew that sometimes when he made coffee, he would try to make an extra cup and pretend to bring it to her table by mistake. Sometimes when they went out for lunch, he would intentionally mention the restaurant that Han had said she liked. He didn't know if she would notice those small details.

That afternoon, after a short meeting, Tuan texted Han: "Want to go out to eat? I'll pay for you since you're... all black."
Han smiled lightly. She stared at the message, intending to refuse as usual, but for some reason, her fingers clicked: “Yes, go.”
They went to a small Japanese noodle shop, located in a quiet alley near the company. Han had mentioned the shop by accident on a rainy afternoon. She was surprised that Tuan still remembered. She was even more surprised when he ordered her favorite dish: Ramen with soft-boiled egg.
- What do you think about Black Valentine? Tuan asked while they were both slurping noodles.
Han looked up, wiped his mouth with a tissue and replied:
- It's a day for people who accept being alone. But not everyone who is alone is sad.
- As for me, I think it's a day for someone to have an excuse to say what they keep in their heart.
That sentence made Han stunned. For a moment, their eyes met. In those eyes, there was something wordless, warm and trembling.

***

That afternoon, it suddenly rained. Everyone hurriedly packed up and called a taxi. But Han still sat at the table. Next to her was a cup of hot cocoa that someone had placed down at some point, with a small note: “I don’t like sweets, but in this rainy weather, try it once. If it’s not good, I’ll take responsibility.”

She picked up her glass and smiled. She didn't really like sweets, but today... she felt strangely warm.
That evening, Tuan sent a message: “If you are free, I will invite you to eat sweet soup. Let's call it... ending Black Valentine's Day with a little sweetness.”
Han replied simply: "Ok".
The sweet soup shop was located in an alley. The two of them sat at a small wooden table, with two glasses of cold sweet soup in front of them. Neither of them said much, just quietly enjoying it. Then Tuan spoke up:
- Han... if one day I say I like you, will you refuse?
Han was silent for a few seconds. Her heart skipped a beat.
- I'm... not sure. Maybe I'll ask you: Since when?
Tuan replied:
- Since she smiled with a cup of bitter coffee.
Without saying anything more, Han looked at him, her eyes shining with something soft, fragile, but full of trust.

***

The next day, on Tuan's desk there was a cup of black coffee without sugar. Underneath the cup was a note: "If you like it bitter, I'll drink it with you. If you need it sweet, I'll learn how to make it. But... don't let me drink it alone anymore."
Tuan smiled, turned his head back - Han was looking at him, nodding slightly. No need for any grand confession. Just that, was enough.

***

From that day on, everything in the office changed a little. Tuan no longer hid his concern for Han. Everyone in the office gradually knew that there was something “beyond colleagues” between the two of them. Some joked, some were surprised, but everyone was happy because they could clearly see that since Tuan was around, Han smiled more. Since Han was around, Tuan also joked less aimlessly.

A year later, also on April 14, the entire company received an email from the HR department: “We are pleased to announce that on the occasion of Black Valentine’s Day this year, the company has some very sweet news: Tuan and Han - two lonely hearts at work, are now together! Congratulations to the office sweethearts!”

MH: VO VAN

At the simple wedding party held in a suburban garden, Han wore a pure white dress, holding a bouquet of hydrangeas - the flower that Tuan once said was "very much like her: gentle, but strong". She held his hand amidst the applause of her friends and colleagues, the sparkling lights illuminating her happy smile.
Tuan raised his glass of coffee at the party - not wine, not beer - but black coffee.

- This glass, I would like to invite Han - the one who dared to share the bitter and the sweet with me. Thank you Black Valentine that year, for giving me enough courage to speak up.
Han smiled and raised his glass:
- And thank you - for not leaving before I could say: I've liked you for a long time too.
Applause rang out, amidst the gentle April sky.

***

Since that simple wedding, Tuan and Han still go to work regularly every day. They are not ostentatious, not noisy, still the most calm and gentle couple in the office, but in each person's eyes, there is a support. Tuan smiles more often, but it is a quiet and deep smile. Han is also not as quiet as before, she knows how to share, knows how to lean on the person next to her when tired.

Colleagues joked that love had made both of them “older”, not because of age but because of the peace that spread around them.
That summer, the company organized a team building trip to the mountains. The whole group decided to climb the mountain together. Halfway there, Han slipped. Although she was not seriously injured, she had difficulty walking. Tuan immediately carried her on his back for a while, while the whole group cheered loudly. Han blushed and leaned her head on her husband's shoulder:
-Are you not tired?
-Yes. But with you, I can't bear to let go.
That statement was later quoted by the whole room for a whole month.

***

Their married life was not all rosy. Busy days, disagreements, the two still argued. But after each argument, there was a handshake, a light shoulder to lean on. Tuan once said:
- If one day you are so angry that you don't want to say anything, I will still sit quietly beside you. As long as you know, I won't leave.
And it is true. No matter how busy they are, they still maintain a small habit: Every night before going to bed, they tell each other about a kind thing that happened during the day. Even if it is just a small thing - like "the coffee smells better than usual today" or "a colleague gave up his seat on the bus", for them, it is a way to nurture the gentleness in their hearts.

***

The following Black Valentine, Han sat at the old familiar shop - where they had their first date. Tuan arrived late, holding a small gift box. Han opened it, inside was a notebook, each page recording the little things in a year of being married. Each line was a moment: "The day you were sick, I cooked porridge for the first time"; "The day we both sat reading in the rain"; "The day you cried because of work, I hugged you until you fell asleep...".
The last page reads: “On Black Valentine’s Day that year, you drank bitter coffee. On this Valentine’s Day, I’ll make you a cup of hot cocoa. As long as you’re sitting next to me, every day is Valentine’s Day.”
Han burst out laughing through her tears. She leaned her head on Tuan's shoulder and whispered:
- So... shall we continue writing every year?
- Yes. One chapter per year. Each chapter is a slice of ripe love.

***

Three years later, the office was bustling again. But this time, it wasn’t because of any confession, but because of an invitation posted on the bulletin board: “Everyone is invited to the first birthday party of baby Ca Phe - Tuan & Han’s daughter!”
The name made the whole room laugh, but no one found it strange. Because everyone remembered, their love story started with a cup of black coffee - and now it has blossomed.
Ca Phe grew up surrounded by stories told by her parents. About that rainy day, about the hot cocoa and the small piece of paper, about the Japanese noodle shop, about the first handshake. For her, love is something that doesn't need to be noisy, just needs to be there at the right time and go through each day together slowly.

***

And so, Black Valentine at the office is no longer a day of loneliness, but becomes a symbol of hearts that once quietly found each other in everyday life. Because sometimes, love does not come from bright red roses or dramatic confessions, but from quiet cups of coffee, from a gentle look, from the simple question "Are you okay today?" at the end of the day. Sometimes, all it takes is someone patient enough... to love even your silence.

DUC ANH

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Source: https://baoquangngai.vn/van-hoa/van-hoc/202504/truyen-ngan-ly-ca-phe-den-khong-duong-b0d1160/