Barista 24

“Mom!”

“Oh my! Son, I missed you!” my mom gugs me as soon as she opens the door. “He’s the friend you mentioned?” she asked.

“Hello ma’am, I’m Kang Taehyun,” he politely introduced and smiles.

“A-are you an artist? I think I saw you before?” she recalled. “But you’re really handsome and I don’t know my Beomgyu have a friend like,” she added.

“Why mom? Can’t I have a friend who’s hot like him?” I asked her.

“Yeah, that’s why I’m kind of suspicious. Kid, he didn’t kidnap you, right?”

“Mom!”

“HAHAH! No, Mrs. Choi, I came here willingly,” Taehyun answered.

“HAHAH! I’m just kidding. You two should eat lunch now,” my mom invited us and we head to the dining area.

My mom and I talked about my business and then she started interrogating Taehyun and they seem close already because they are both agreeing at each other— which I rarely see to my mom.

I put a piece of meat to Taehyun’s top of rice as they casually talk and I just continued eating. He laughs with my mom’s joke so I quickly poured him a glass of water and rub his back.

“Beomgyu, how’s the preparation of your proposal to Aera?” my mom suddenly asked.

I immediately looked at Taehyun and he paused on moving his utensils and stay still, not looking at anyone. I felt nervous when he acted like that because he always don’t give a fuck whenever Aera’s getting mentioned.

“T-that? I’m still planning, mom,” I answered.

“You’re still planning? Son, time’s running. Her mom and I already decided and agreed on some things. Make sure to propose before this year ends, okay?”

“Y-yes mom,” I agreed, couldn’t protest at all.

“Oh right! Your anniversary is around the corner! It’s a perfect day!” she exclaimed.

“Yeah? I’ll t-think about it, mom,” I replied at her and sips water.

“Okay, okay! No pressure. How about you Taehyun? Do you have plans on getting married? Do you have a girlfriend?” she asked him.

Taehyuns smile, “I’m gay eommonim and I don’t have any plan on getting married yet,” he proudly answered.

“Wow then make sure to attend my son’s wedding, okay?” my mom invited him.

“Mom—“

Taehyun looks at me and smiles. “Sure eommonim, I’ll be there,” he responded to the question.

Kang Taehyun, don’t look at me like that please. I’m nervous. I’m nervous that the thought of marriage will change because of you. I don’t want you to appear in there. To attend there as a guest.

“I’ll do the dishes, eommonim,” Taehyun volunteered.

“Aigoo! You are our guess, let Beomgyu do that,” my mom answered as she puts the plates in the sink.

“Yeah, just sit in there. I can handle this. I bet you don’t even know how to wash plates,” I replied.

“I know!” he protested.

“You don’t? You clearly don’t,” I teased him more.

He walk towards me like a kid and glared at me. “I can even wash clothes,” he bragged.

I didn’t replied and stick out my tongue on him then he rolled his eyes in the sassiest way he can. That made me laugh so hard and I ruffles his hair.

“Okay, let’s just do it together,” I stated and he nods at me chuckling.

“When did you two meet again?”

Oh right, I have my mom right beside us.

“Two months ago?” I guessed.

She nods. “Too close for a two-month friendship. You don’t act like that with your Soobin hyung. You two are pointing dagger at each other’s neck,” she observed.

“Ahh Soobin hyung?” I scoff. “I will never be close to him,” I replied. “Mom, just take a rest and will clean here, okay?”

Was I too obvious?

“Okay then, I’ll just watch TV.”

Taehyun and I started cleaning the table and washing the dishes. I’m doing it when I thought of playing with water and started splashing some to Taehyun who’s wiping the clean plates.

“Hyung, if I we’re you I’ll stop,” he warned me.

“That’s not me,” I bluffed and continued teasing him.

“Choi!”

“Why!? It wasn’t me!” I denied and then proceed on doing it again.

“You! Come here!” he grabs a fork and run towards me.

I run around the table. “HAHAH! That wasn’t me! It’s raining!” I joked and run again.

“Oh it’s raining? Come here, I’ll make a storm!”

“HAHAHA! Taehyun, sorry! Okay, I’m sorry. I’m not going to do it again!” I yelled and then run behind him to hugged him and make him calm.

Then we both laugh at each other’s silliness but I felt eyes staring at us and when I looked at that direction, mom’s gaze is really judging our whole existence. I let go of Taehyun and continued doing the dishes like nothing happened.

Damn it.

We ended what we are doing and I brought Taehyun inside my room then my mom called me. I already know what she’s going to tell me, so I just left Taehyun inside my room first.

“Yes mom?”

“Beomgyu, I know you are dumb but you know you’re mom isn’t, right?”

“Wait what—“

“Yes, what was that? Are you sure you two are just friend?” she asked in concern.

“Mom, of course! Why are you thinking like that?” I asked her acting irritated.

She held my arm, “Son, I’m your mom. I know you, I know even when you lie. Please, don’t do something that you’ll regret at the end. If you believe that those are just temporary then you’re wrong. Those feelings will grow until you can’t cut its roots. You get me?”

“Mom, it’s not—“

“Please son, please don’t be like this,” she pleaded and hugs me. “Don’t hurt someone you love. Don’t hurt the woman you love just because of that short moment,” she continued.

I pursed my lips, unable to speak. She knew it right away. I can’t lie to her. She’s my mom after all.

“I’m sorry, mom. I got caught up in the moment,” I apologized and hug her back.

“This is wrong. This is so wrong, Beomgyu. Leave that guy and just be with Aera, okay?” she cupped both of my cheeks. “Do you get me? I don’t want you to be like this. This isn’t right,” she stated.

“Yes mom, I’m sorry. Please don’t tell her about this. I’ll fix this right away,” I assured her and held her hand. “I’m really sorry.”

“You still have the chance to change and get back to your right path. Make sure to do it right,” she advised.

But what if I don’t want to get back to that path, mom? Am I being stupid for choosing this way? For loving someone in a wrong way?

“Y-yes mom,” I agreed to her hesitantly.

She has somewhere to go that leaves Taehyun and me inside our room. I locked the room and saw him looking at my childhoon photo album. He’s smiling like a kid, looking so fond on what he’s seeing.

“Hyung, why all your photo looks like a shit? HAHAH!” he laughs.

I just let out a chuckle and take a seat on my bed, beside him. I let out a sigh and then rest my head on his lap. He puts down the photo album and started ruffling my hair.

“She knew?”

I just nod as my response.

“She’s your mom after all. She can see through things,” he continued.

“I’m sorry,” I muttered and closed my eyes. “You shouldn’t be feeling this,” I continued.

“Why? I’m good, Choi. I don’t have any rights to feel at pain at all. We’re not in a relationship to begin,” he replied.

I kept quiet.

Can’t he be sensitive for a minute that I don’t really want to hear it from him? I know we aren’t in relationship and I’m the only one who likes him romantically and he’s just being like this because of lust.

Stupid love.

“Hey, are you sleeping?” he gently shrugs me but I feel like sulking so I continued staying still. “Talk to me, Choi or I’ll leave,” he warned.

“You don’t have your car, Kang.”

“Yes but I can still leave here. Do you really want to?” he countered and I remained still. “Choi! Come on! How much does it cost to make you talk?” he asked.

“One million won.”

Then the room became quiet but I can feel him moving. After a couple of seconds I felt my phone vibrates in my pocket so I took it and look what’s the notification.

“Hey! Kang Taehyun!”

“What? Now, talk to me.”

“Argh! This kid! I’ll send the money back to you,” I stated and about to sit down when he took my phone from me and put it away.

Then he moved until I’m completely laid in my bed and then he’s on top of me. He kissed my forehead and he rested his whole body above me with his face buried in my shoulders.

“Are you really going to get married?”

I pursed my lips. “Do you want me to?”

“If I told you not to, are you going to do it?” he asked me back.

“Taehyun, I can stop it, risk everything, and face all the disappointments of the both family if you’ll just told me to be with you and we’ll live together. I can do everything for you, if you just love me the way I love you.”

Silence envelops the room again. Then his hugs tighten. “Your life is just going to be miserable if you’ll stay with me,” he stated.

“You don’t know how much mess you caused to me since that night, Kang Taehyun and I fucking don’t regret it at all.”

“Shut up, you’re just saying it because you’re feelings for me are still strong. It’ll die down soon,” he countered.

“You don’t really want me to like you all along. I’m hurt.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t want you to be with someone who’s toxic as me. You deserve someone else, hyung. Someone who’ll love you more and keep you.”

“I want you to be that someone, Taehyun but you won’t.”

He moves and looked at me. His lips smiles but his eyes don’t. If you don’t really like me then why are you looking at me like that? If you don’t really like me then why your words and actions are doesn’t match at all?

If you don’t really like me then why can I feel it?

I kissed him. A simple, gentle kiss that didn’t moved at all. Just like that as we embrace each other. Feeling the closeness between us and filling the gap form each other.

I swear I can feel it. The feelings are mutual but why? Why is he denying it?

“Babe! I’m here! Can you open the door?”