Coffee with milk vs black coffee

At the café, I always order black coffee. You always order coffee with milk. When the drinks arrive, they always get mixed up. You get black coffee, I get coffee with milk. That’s just how we are—completely different.

Quickly, you swap the two orders. The waiter stands there puzzled, looking confused. You smile awkwardly. After the waiter leaves, you say, “Why didn’t you wait until they left before switching? You embarrassed me!” I burst out laughing, “It’s the same either way. No shame in that!”

I’m a girl who loves black coffee. You’re a guy who really likes coffee with milk.

I said pure black coffee, bitter but with an aftertaste, and if you add milk, it’s no longer coffee anymore.
You said coffee with a bit of milk actually smells more like coffee and has that sweet milky touch…

You and I are always like that—completely different.

You and I don’t love each other. We’re simply friends. No, more than friends. Almost like siblings.

But I refuse to be your little sister. I said little sisters seem dependent on their big brothers, seem weak, and have… hundreds of “seems like” things, and I don’t agree with that.

You also don’t want to be my big brother. A big brother has to worry about his little sister all the time, being spoiled, coaxed, and begged for everything. You say you can’t be patient enough.

Sometimes I invite you out for coffee. I order black coffee, you order coffee with milk.

Sometimes when feeling down, you drag me around and we end up at a café. You have coffee with milk. I have black coffee.

You have a girlfriend. She’s pretty, gentle, and feminine. With her, you look like a little helpless bunny. You proudly say she’s not stubborn and difficult like me.

I have a boyfriend. He’s handsome, gallant, and always spoils me. When I’m with him, he never makes me angry. I proudly say he’s truly my strong support.

Sometimes the two couples meet. I still have black coffee. You always have coffee with milk.

My boyfriend says you should swap cups with me. I refuse—black coffee is my favorite.

Your girlfriend wonders why you don’t drink black coffee like other guys. You shrug and say coffee with milk suits your taste better.

During conversations, you and I often argue. My boyfriend always plays the peacemaker. Your girlfriend gently tells you to be more patient with women.

In the end, you are you. I am me.

You broke up with your girlfriend. There was a time of confusion, but you don’t regret it. You and she simply weren’t compatible. Even though she pampered you, you still felt something was missing. And that missing something is what really attracts you.

I broke up with my boyfriend. There was a time of emptiness, but I don’t regret it. We couldn’t find common ground. Although he rarely upset me or caused trouble, I still felt something was missing. And that “something missing” made me feel disappointed.

You and I met by chance at the old café.

I ordered black coffee.

You ordered coffee with milk.

The waiter knew us well by then and didn’t get mixed up anymore.

You stayed silent. I said nothing either. When the waiter left, you pulled my black coffee toward you and pushed your coffee with milk toward me.

That day, we tried each other’s “taste.”

That night, you messaged me, “Black coffee is really good! I’m starting to like it!”

I messaged you back, “Coffee with milk is wonderful too. I’ll start drinking coffee with milk…”

After that, we always went out together. Wherever we were, I always ordered coffee with milk for myself and never forgot to order black coffee for you…

—Collected writing.