Barista 13

“Beomgyu!”

“Oh you’re here, how’s the café?” I asked Soobin hyung as soon as he arrived.

“Great, Jiwoo’s in there— Omo! Hello, Mr. KTH, we meet again,” he greeted Taehyun as soon as he noticed him.

“Hi, nice to see you again,” Taehyun greeted him, smiling with his sunglasses on— trying to hide his face at least.

“You two arrived at the same time?” he then asked me.

“Yeah, well kinda—“

“Broke my car, so I join him,” Taehyun cut me off.

“Yeah that’s it,” I just agreed with him.

Soobin hyung nods, “Oh, okay,” the he left out soft chuckles.

We started talking about my plans in the lot and Taehyun actually gave me so much better idea. When Mr. Chu said he’s good at business stuffs, he didn’t lie at all. Like he knows this and that, he’s even advance thinking already. He’s so smart.

“But Mr. KTH, why did you come here by the way? Like do you have any business to do in here or you just really tag along?” Soobin hyung asked him.

“I’m going to check one of my pubs here,” Taehyun answered.

“Oh, you have a lot of business under KTH Co., you’re really amazing,” Soobin hyung complimented him that made me smile.

“That’s just pure hardwork and skills,” Taehyun answered him, chuckling.

“You’re just really good at everything,” I praised him as well and held is back.

He smiles at me, “Of course, it’s me you’re talking to,” he brags and we laughs.

“Wow, you two must be really close?”

I cleared my throat and have a distance to Taehyun. “Let’s eat dinner,” I just invited them. “Where’s Yeonjun anyways?” I asked because we parted our ways earlier that made Taehyun and I arrived here first.

“I don’t know,” Soobin hyung replied that made us look at him. “What? Why? I don’t really know!”

“He’s coming here,” Taehyun just replied. “Let’s go to my pub,” he said and started walking back inside the car.

We arrived at Hwang, the name of his pub that translates to ‘King’. He really is somewhat different. I don’t understand him sometimes but I just understand him.

They served us Korean dishes and rice wine as soon as we arrived at the VIP room. You know that traditional theme room where there’s a big painting at the wall, and we’re seated on the floor with a throw pillow.

The door opened and it was Yeonjun. “I’m sorry, I’m late!” he said and sits beside Soobin that is across me and Taehyun.

I pursed my lips to stop myself from teasing him because Soobin hyung glared me already. Yeah, so I just shut up for a second and we started eating altogether.

“Where have you been, hyung?” Taehyun asked him.

“Just in there, why?” he replied. “Eat a lot Soobin, how’s your classes by the way?” he suddenly asked my friend.

“G-good, keeping on the track,” Soobin replied, hesitantly.

“I wonder what class is that,” I muttered before eating a piece of potato.

“Right, I’m curious too,” Taehyun added and looked meaningful to his hyung.

“Wow, you two must be really close,” Yeonjun commented.

“Right! I told them the same thing earlier,” Soobin hyung exclaimed and his hand landed to Yeonjun’s arm.

“Wow, you two must be really close too?” I reacted too and grin.

“Let’s just eat!” Soobin hyung snapped and started eating again that made me chuckles.

I pick up a piece of meat and put it on top of Taehyun’s rice and he just casually eat it and I also eat after but stop munching when I felt eyes looking at me.

“Why?” I asked Soobin hyung.

“What was that?” he asked me.

“What’s what?” I asked innocently and then continued eating.

“Leave them, that’s what business partners do nowadays,” Yeonjun hyung interfered. “Here have some too, you need to be health. Open your mouth,” he stated and feed Soobin hyung.

“What’s with you two?” Taehyun asked them. “You’re pretty close, what’s going on? Are you two hooking up or something?”

“No! No! Of course, we are not! He’s just my mentor in modeling and nothing else! H-he’s just caring,” Soobin hyung defended, panicking.

“He’s not that caring tho?”

Soobin hyung pursed his lips. “W-were nothing close to what you are thinking,” he clarified.

“I don’t mind about it. I’m open about those things,” Taehyun just replied.

“Y-yeah but we’re not r-really like that,” Soobin hyung stuttered.

“Yeah, should I ask you too, Taehyun?” Yeonjun butt in while casually reaching another dish and looked at me. “Huh? Should I ask something about you two?”

My grip to my utensils tightens. I think I’m already having cold sweats. Not in front of Soobin hyung, he will really kill me if he’ll know about what’s going on with Taehyun and me.

“Try it,” Taehyun challenged that made me look at him. “One wrong question and you know already what will happen to you,” Taehyun continued and feed himself as he looked to his hyung. “What’s the question?”

Yeonjun laughs a little. “I just forgot my goodness. I’ll tell you some other time,” he replied and continued eating.

Then I saw Taehyun smirk. I let out a sigh of relief and made me drink water because of a sudden tension.

Kang Taehyun’s authority over Yeonjun who’s older than him is no joke. I’m wondering if what Taehyun have against him that’s making Yeonjun shut up? There’s still a lot that I don’t know about him.

He’s a total mystery that either brings chaos or luck.

We only had rice wine and Soobin hyung is totally knocked out already. Such a weakshit. “I’ll just take him with me,” Yeonjun volunteered and drink on his cup.

“Are you going to fuck him or something while he’s drunk?” I asked him.

He shook his head. “Nah, will never that shit to him— to others maybe but not to him,” he answered.

“What are you two really?” Taehyun asked and sips on his drink.

“You know? We just agreed on something to help him with his practice that you don’t need to know,” Yeonjun replied.

We both nod because we already actually know about it. “Soobin hyung is really a fan of yours, so if you take advantage of him and force him to do whatever he doesn’t want to just because he likes you, I won’t let you do that to him,” I stated.

He raised both of his hands in the air. “I’m not, okay? I’m fucking caring to him. Like heck, maybe I like him already or something,” he said. “Should I like him for real, Taehyun?”

“If it can’t ruin your career then go with it,” Taehyun just replied.

“Why are you asking his permission to like someone?” I suddenly asked.

“Yeah why? I don’t know either. Maybe because Taehyun knows it well better than me? He have some kind of experience, you know?”

“That’s enough,” Taehyun interfere.

“Probably the reason why he doesn’t want any string—“

Yeonjun and I almost stopped breathing when a one of the chopsticks flew right to his way and hit the wall behind him. Then I saw Yeonjun’s right cheek got a scrape and bleed.

I looked at Taehyun and he’s glaring at Yeonjun. Then the other chopstick pointed at Soobin hyung who’s sleeping at the floor.

“I’m sorry,” Yeonjun apologized and just wiped the blood through the back of his hand and drinks his last cup. “I’ll get going now,” he then said and stood up.

“A-already?”

“Do you want me to die in here?” he asked me sarcastically. “I’ll take your friend now. I’ll take care of him so don’t worry. Bye!” he carried Soobin hyung at his back and they head out together.

“You didn’t apologize to him,” I mentioned after.

“Don’t worry about and besides, Soobin’s awake,” he replied.

“He is!?”

He nods, “I saw him smile when Yeonjun talks about liking him,” he observed.

My jaw dropped and made me pause for a second. “I almost died too,” I muttered and drinks.

“That’s why you need to be aware of your surroundings everytime. Soobin’s already seeing us being close, in no time he’ll found about us. He must be the one who should find out before Aera does,” he explained.

“W-why?”

“You need back up, Choi. You need at least one to support your argument and that’s him. If he finds it out, don’t deny it but at least convinced him about something. After all he’s your friend,” he adviced.

“You really know how thing should get done about this matter. Are you a pro cheater or something?” I joked at him.

He also laughs. “I just learnt it,” he muttered.

I don’t want to ask further about it anymore. I have a hunch that the jerk we talked about who taught about that BDSM shits, drugs, and this one is the same person. I want to know but I don’t think this isn’t the right time yet.

“Taehyun,” I called him.

“Hmm?”

I kissed his lips and smiled at him. “I don’t know what I’m going to do if Aera will finds out about us,” I open up.

He held my hand. “You don’t need to worry about that. She loves you so much so I’m sure she’ll give you a second chance then do better when she gives it to you,” he consoled.

“T-that’s so wrong,” I whispered.

“You should have thought it before we even get here, stupid,” he mocked me. “You already started it, just end it without any hassle,” he continued.

I sigh, “If we get caught, you won’t lose a thing while I will lose almost everything,” I stated.

His cup sounded as he put it back on the table and seriously looked at me. “Do you like me?”

“I do— but not that like, you know?” I clarified.

“Should we just end it here tonight?”

“H-huh?”

“You seem anxious about your girlfriend. So, I’m giving you the chance to decide if you want to end this tonight or not. If so, you will never see me right after. Simple as like that.”

I scoff, “You really just want to get fucked after all, do you?”

“Yes, I thought you already know it? I already told you not to treat me as your boyfriend and I’m sure you agreed to it. So what, Choi Beomgyu? Should we continue this shit we are doing?”

Honestly, I didn’t saw this coming. The decision will still up to me. If I saw yes, it’ll means nothing to him. If I say yes, we’ll still benefit from it. But if I say no to this tonight, it will end the cheating and I can be with Aera like nothing happened. It’ll make things a lot better.

But why do I feel so confused about this? I can see it. I know what’s better to do but why? Why do I feel like continuing this is the best thing?

“Yes, let’s just stay as what we are right now.”

He smiled and kissed me so I kissed him back. “I want to go somewhere right now, outside city. I have a rest house and spend at least two days in there, do you want to come?” he invited me.

Kang Taehyun, I don’t know if you’re playing with my feelings and making me a fool for you but I can’t stop myself anymore. I just want to hold onto you even if it’s just a short, fluttering moment. I don’t really know you and you don’t actually doing anything to make me stay but I’m here. I’m still here for you, following you, even if I already know the danger you’re bringing to me.

“Let’s go and rest together.”

Yeah, I like him already.