Barista 21

"Where's Aera?"

"Outside, taking pictures with Soobin. I see, you just wake up," Yeonjun answered.

"Yeah, argh—" I groaned when I felt the dizziness of my head. "How about Taehyun?" I asked him.

"Not yet up too," he replied and sips on his coffee. "So who got fucked last night?" he asked me that made me look at him.

"None," I replied bluntly.

"Yeah, judging by those scratches, it's not that fucking intense," he replied in sarcasm and looking at my arms.

Damn, I don't even know who did this.

"Shut up," I snapped and stood up. "I'll wake up Taehyun—" I said but Yeonjun stopped me.

"No, I'll do it. Go to your girl," he said and walks away to get Taehyun.

I wanna say sorry to him, tho? I think I really went hard and rough on him.

I head outside and saw Aera's talking someone over the phone so I went to Soobin hyung instead. "Hyung," I called him.

"Give me the title of Spring Café, I'm going to sell it now," he replied plainly.

"Ahh hyung!" I sounded like a kid.

"So who got fucked last night?" he asked too.

"B-both..."

"What the actual— can't you fucking choose just one hole? Dude what are you? You're fucking disgusting," he exclaimed.

"No! I actually wanted to end it last night. That's why I entered his room but—"

"Wanted but what? You know what? Shut up. Sex is all about mind, Beomgyu. If you keep on thinking about that it will really be your action. Don't fucking explain things to me because you really can't end it because you like him already."

He slapped me again with his words and then walks away. That's when Aera come to me. "He looks upset," she noticed.

"Yeah, I told him his pictures looks so ugly," I created a lie then she hit my shoulder.

"You're so mean! You know Soobin oppa really wants compliments," she replied.

"Yeah, I'm really a bad person..."

We head inside for lunch and that's when I saw Taehyun walking towards us in cargo shorts, a plain tee and a zip up jacket that's fully unzip. He's limping as well and his face really looks so tired.

I'm about to stood up when I saw Soobin hyung's glare at me that made me stop and just started putting food in Aera's plate. I looked at Taehyun when he suddenly groaned after taking a seat.

"You okay?" Yeonjun asked him, worriedly.

"Yeah, someone just really went rough last night," he replied that made me look away and pretend didn't hear anything.

"Oh my God! Samuel?" Aera reacted that made me look at her.

Taehyun chuckles, "Probably?" he replied. My grip on the utensils tightens when he replied that but I just pretend to don't mind it.

"You must be feeling really cold," Aera said again.

"Uhm yeah, kind a," Taehyun shortly replied before eating.

"You aren't really easily cold—"

"Argh! Fuck!"

"Oh shit sorry! Why? What happened?" Yeonjun panicked when Taehyun growl in pain after he wrapped his arms in his shoulders.

"N-nothing, my whole body just feels so sore," Taehyun replied and continued eating like it's not a big deal.

"Babe, why aren't you eating?" Aera noticed that I'm only playing with my food.

"H-huh? I am babe, you too, eat a lot!" I replied.

"Oh by the way, did you went out last night?" she suddenly asked.

The whole table went silent.

"No, why?" I lied.

She nods, "Oh, I thought you did. Nothing! I was so drunk," she replied and then eats again that made me breathe again.

Out of a sudden a cake was delivered to our table and we started singing a birthday song to Yeonjun together with the resort staffs. I looked at Taehyun who's just singing and clapping but is flinching due to pain.

Aera decided to head back to our room because she can still feel her head spinning. So, I had a time to talk to Taehyun who's standing looking outside, both of his elbows are resting in the railings.

"I'm sorry," I apologized.

"Yeah..."

"Please, I'm really sorry. We're both drunk and you got drugged, I'm so sorry," I apologized again, sincerely.

"Thank you."

My eyes widened and look at him.

"Thank you because if you didn't come, I don't know what will happen to me. I never expected that from a friend," he explained and looked away.

"I should have killed him instead," I muttered. "I'm so sorry if, I only I got in there earlier," I said.

"Can you hug me instead?"

I didn't reply anything and hugged him. Then I heard low sobs from him as his grips tighten in the hem of my shirt. "I'm sorry," I whispered and hugged him even tighter.

I looked at him and held both of his shoulders. "Are you okay now?" I asked.

He nods, "Y-yeah. I'm sorry too," he apologized.

"No, it's fine. If you're fine then I'm fine too. Stop crying now, I don't want to see you crying," I hushed.

"Yeah," he then chuckles and brushed his tears. "I was so scared," he whispered.

"I told you, I'm always here for you."

He smiled at me. "Thank you, I hope you'll stay always for me."

"Of course! You always got me!"

"Hahaha! Stop! I love what happened last night, so don't say sorry. If I only took the right drug then maybe we both really enjoyed it," he explained.

"No, no one's taking drugs now. You get that?"

"Yes hyung!"

I smiled at him while he's still laughing. I love seeing those. He looks like a kid. I like it. I like him but I'm can't just like him the way I like it to be.

"Someone's looking at us," he stated.

I smiled because I know who it is already. "I'll deal with it, don't worry. You should get more sleep too, Taehyun. You looks so tired, I'll see you if I can," I replied.

He nods, "Yeah sure, I'm not going to expect but I'll be waiting."

"I'm kind of nervous," I stated and let out a soft chuckle.

"If you really want to continue this, you can do anything to cover things up. I trust you, hyung."

I smiled again and nod before leaving him and meets Aera's glare. I held her hand and we walked inside our room and that's when she pulled her hand away from me and went totally silent.

Damn, I rather let her nags me rather than being silent.

"B-babe—"

"Don't talk to me yet, I'm mad so let me chill down first. I don't want to say something that might hurt us."

"Yes babe, talk to me if you feel it," I replied and stayed at the terrace while she's in the bed sitting.

I'm fucking nervous and I started thinking of excuses and reasons about what she's going to tell me. I need to calm myself and makes sure that everything I'm going to speak doesn't look like a lie or just an excuse.

You can do this, Beomgyu.

"Babe, can we talk now?" I asked her.

"Y-yeah, I think so," she stuttered.

"Babe, can we really talk now?" I asked her again to make sure.

"Yes! Yes, we can now," she confirmed.

I breathe in and out before I head back inside, drag a chair and then take a seat in front of her. "Should I explain right away or you'll ask me questions?" I asked her.

"I'll ask you."

"Okay, go on," I replied and smiles at her.

"Why are you hugging him?"

"I was hugging him to comfort him. He got some problems— personal one, that made him cry during our conversation. It doesn't mean anything to me babe. Look, I hug Soobin hyung if he has a problem. I hug Jiwoo when his girlfriend broke up with him, do you remember that?" I explained.

"Y-yeah, he looks like an idiot that time— but how did you two become that close? I just can't figure it out, babe," she continued.

"Since Soobin hyung and Yeonjun are dating there are times that we spent times together and since that collaboration— and you know, it's really boring to just have business topics so we tend to talk about some personal stuff," I made up, half true.

She nods. "I don't know but I'm actually believing in you," she replied, melancholy and looks down.

I stood up, sit beside her and give her a hug. "Babe, I told you to trust me, right? We're just friends, are you thinking I like him?" I asked.

"N-no babe. I know you don't like him or having a thing to him but him, I think he has. I'm starting to hate him. Like t-the way he looks at you— I know it babe! I really know those looks! Even if he doesn't speak at all," she paused and looked at me. "He likes you."

"That's nonsense babe. He will never like me," I disagreed.

I don't want to get high hopes. I don't want to think it that way. I don't want to trigger myself that will cause a bigger problem. I'm already problematic by this, what's more if we both like each other?

But still, I want to confirm it too. I want to ask Taehyun about how he feels for me too. Because who knows...

"You know woman's instinct," she insisted. "B-babe, you don't like him, right? It's only me," she asked in teary eyes.

I hugged her again. "I love you so much, Aera. You know that," I confessed while rubbing her back because she started crying again.

"C-can you distance yourself from him?"

That made me pause for a moment. "Of course! If that'll make you calm, I will do it. Okay? Are we good now?"

I felt her nods and tighten her hugs. "I'm sorry if I'm acting like this. You might be thinking I'm just paranoid but it's because I love you so much. Gyu, I won't act like this if I'm not seeing things. So please, understand me— understand my feelings, please?"

"I am, babe. I understand that and you have the right to feel it. I'm also sorry for making you feel like that when you shouldn't be. Don't worry, I'm yours, babe. Always be," I assured her and just shut my eyes with all the lies I'm spitting.

"D-don't leave me, okay? I can't without you," she bawled with her desperate voice.

"I won't, I'm so sorry," I apologized.

Why am I keeping myself continue this when I can end it? I don't want Aera getting hurt especially by me but I love her too. I still love him. I really do.

But knowing Taehyun will leave me as he pleases, where should I go if I leave Aera? Nothing will be left to me. So, I want to keep them both.

I will try talking to Taehyun about us and have clarifications. Whatever his answer is, that's when I will decide things after. I can't continue acting like a shit when clearly, there's a solution to this.

I love them both but the other one's just too strong, it keeps pulling me.