The narrator tells us that he used to think he was "fine" by himself, and that he didn't need anyone else. But then, he felt the "cold burn of loneliness" . He asks if he's tired, and the narrator says it's because he got a "café mocha" , which is a fancy coffee drink. The narrator says he doesn't drink coffee like this often, but he does like "sweet things" like this. He tells the narrator that he has been wanting to give him a drink for a long time now, and he apologizes for not being able to find a place to take him on his birthday. He says he wanted to take the narrator on a trip, but couldn't figure out where to go. He's still not sure what he wants to do for his birthday, so he asks the narrator if he can call him by his first name, which would make it easier for them to get to know each other better.