Luke lay on the bed, staring quietly at a business card in his hand. He wore a plain white shirt and short pants, his legs still stretched out on the mattress when the door creaked open softly.
A small boy, holding a teddy bear in one hand, stepped into the room with sleepy eyes.
Luke sat up immediately, a gentle smile forming on his face. "Ah, you're awake, Alan."
Alan rubbed his eyes with his tiny fists, shuffling closer. Without hesitation, Luke stood up and scooped him into his arms. Alan hugged him tightly and murmured, "I'm sleepy... I can't sleep alone."
Luke smiled warmly and carried him back to the bed. "Okay then," he said softly, settling Alan beside him. He sat down and gently began stroking the child's hair to help him relax. "Do you want to go to the café with me today?"
Alan's sleepy eyes lit up with excitement. "Yes! I want to!"
Luke chuckled. "Alright, then go back to sleep. We'll need to wake up early."
Alan nodded and closed his eyes again. Luke looked at him, his heart softening. He looks so cute when he's sleeping, he thought. With a tender expression, he turned off the light, laid down beside Alan, and hugged him gently. Soon, both drifted off to sleep.
The Next Morning
Sleepy-eyed, Luke and Alan got up and headed to the bathroom to freshen up. After getting dressed, Luke went into the kitchen to prepare breakfast. He made something simple but filling. They sat together at the table, and Luke helped Alan eat, patiently cutting his food into small pieces.
Once they were done, the two left their apartment and made their way to the café.
When they arrived, a small group of workers was already inside: two girls and a man. As soon as they saw Alan, their eyes sparkled.
"How old are you, cutie?" asked Ava, one of the girls, kneeling to Alan's height.
"I'm four years old," Alan answered proudly.
Billie, the second girl, gasped playfully. "Aww, you're so cute! You look just like your brother!"
The male worker, Leo, smiled. "Hmm... you're the same age as my nephew."
Just then, Luke came out from the changing room wearing his café uniform. The girls were still fawning over Alan while Leo turned to him.
"Hey Luke," Leo said. "My nephew's the same age as Alan. If you don't mind, you can leave Alan at my sister's place."
"Really?" Luke raised an eyebrow, smiling slightly. "Would they be okay with it?"
Leo nodded. "Yes. My sister and her husband are doctors, so they don't have much time to spend with their son. The babysitter takes care of him, but he gets really lonely."
Luke's expression softened. "That must be tough."
Leo gave a sad smile. "Yeah, it is."
Meanwhile, Ava turned to Alan. "Do you want anything to eat or drink, sweetheart?"
Alan shook his head. "I'm full."
Luke chuckled. "We had a pretty heavy breakfast before coming."
Billie grinned. "Then how about some juice?"
Alan perked up. "I'll drink juice!"
"I'll make it for you!" Ava said excitedly and rushed to the counter.
"Yay!" Billie clapped her hands.
Billie turned to Luke and asked, "Is Alan going to stay here all day? Won't he get bored?"
Luke shook his head. "No, a friend of mine is coming to take him. He'll drop him off at his house."
"Ah, okay," Billie said with a nod.
Ava returned with a creamy glass of juice and placed it on the table in front of Alan. "Here you go!"
"It's time to open the café!" Ava announced.
"I'll flip the sign," Leo said and walked to the entrance.
Alan sat at a corner table, quietly sipping his juice as customers started to arrive.
Soon, Luke's friend entered the café. "Hey."
Luke looked up and smiled. "Hey."
The friend glanced over at Alan. "So, he's here, huh?"
Luke rubbed the back of his neck, a bit nervous. "Can you take him to your place now?"
"Yeah, sure," his friend replied. "I was just passing by and figured I'd stop in."
Alan jumped up and hugged Luke's friend tightly. "Hi, bro!"
"Hey, Alan," the friend laughed, patting his back. Then he looked at Luke and said, "Alright, I'll take him now."
He turned to Alan again and held out his hand. "Let's go home."
Alan waved at Luke, and Luke waved back with a soft sigh. As they left, the café buzzed with life, but Luke's heart felt a little lighter, knowing Alan was in good hands.