Yoseob entered his sister's cafe wordlessly and sat at a quiet corner, staring blankly out into the street.
A gentle clank of a cup on the table pulled his attention back to reality as he turned to his sister who was now sitting in front of him, looking at him with a string of concern on her face.
Smiling to reassure her, he took a sip of the tea, relishing in the warmth it brought to his icy cold body.

"Don't smile at me if you don't feel like smiling. It's going to hurt more if you force yourself to smile." His sister lectured softly, furrowing her brows at her brother who was had entered the place in a state of melancholy that it worried her.
When she received a call from him late last night, saying that he wanted to drop by for a chat after the cafe was closed today, she knew that he had only just finished crying. 
Living apart from her brother did not make them any less close and she could always tell just by a sentence or a glance that her brother was troubled.

She waited patiently for him to place the cup back on the table before leaning forward, placing a comforting hand on one of his, "What's troubling you?"
Yoseob inhaled slowly, closing his eyes as he was reminded of why he was there in the cafe in the first place, "Noona, I'm in love with a guy."

"Well, yeah,  Junhyung, I know. So what's troubling you?" Haeyeon dismissed his words lightly, wanting to go straight into the topic.
"How did you? Oh forget it, the whole world seems to know, I'm that obvious." Yoseob pouted as he took another sip of the tea.
Even before the base of the cup had touched the table, his sister started, "So, tell me. What exactly is bothering you?"

"To keep it short, I found out that he love me too", as Haeyeon's eyes grew large and started twinkling with joy, Yoseob used his free hand to gesture for her to calm down, "No, but this isn't a good time. There's this influential man who is involved in some politics with Cube. Basically, he has a video of Junnie sleeping with an ex and if I don't agree to date him, he would upload it for the public to see. I can't let that happen because that would destroy Junnie's career..." He finished with a little whine, not wanting to seem like a child but unable to believe how unfair the whole situation was to him.

"Well, heck that evil man! I'm sure Junhyung would not allow you to do this!" 

"Noona, this is not some love drama where both the leads get together and fight evil. This is real.
That man is capable of doing what he threatens to do. I'm not here for advice. I just... I just need to let this out to someone and I can't tell this to anyone in Cube in case word gets out." 

Haeyeon pulled back the hand that was on Yoseob's and stamped her jawline to both her palms, scrunching up her face in disbelief. 
"But how long do you have to keep up with dating that man? What if he never gives up?
Are you planning to date him all your life? And is he just asking for dates? Wouldn't he ask for more in the future?"

"I don't know... I really don't know. I wished I have the answers to those questions but I really don't.
All I know is that I cannot afford to let anything happen to Junnie. I'll do whatever it takes to protect him."

Haeyeon wanted to retort back to her younger brother when a gentle voice startled them.

"That's my son. Always placing others first before him."

Yoseob smiled at his mother and pulled a chair out for her to join them at the table.
"I'm doing the right thing, right mum?" He asked, hoping for some acknowledgement to be encouraged and motivated now that he was down in the dumps.

"There are some things in life where we can't exactly decide what is right and what is wrong. 
But we should always try, to make decisions that we would not regret. Would you regret this decision?" His mother questioned mildy, her hand subconciously patting the hair of her beloved son. 

"Well... I know it's not going to be easy for him to get over me if he really loves me. 
However, I know it's going to be harder for him to lose his career. He had been working hard since he was young to get to where he is now.
Without that, he loses his identity, he loses his past, he loses his present, he loses his future.
Without me, all he loses is me. 

Which is why I am okay to let him go, to let him forget me in his own way. 
Because although I am unsure of what the future might bring for me and him, I am sure that if I reject Leo now, I would be harming Junnie.
And I... I don't want that to happen." He trailed off, his reasoning slowly convincing him but nevertheless, stabbing him repeatedly.

"I see that you have already come to a decision. Let me tell you something your grandmother always tell me when I was dating your father.
I want you to make the decision on your own and not let us sway your beliefs, but a second opinion wouldn't hurt right?"

When Yoseob nodded, eager to hear more, his mother continued.

"She told me that she saw the love betwen you and your father and she envied me for that because your grandfather passed so early in his life.
When I throw my little tantrums at him, she would hold my hand and tell me that I have every reason to be mad but why waste the time to be angry when I can love instead? 
When I try to go on a diet so as to be slim and pretty enough for him, she would squeeze my cheeks and tell me that people change physically as they age and I can keep trying to maintain but instead of using the energy for that, why not maintain the relationship and love?
When I want to sleep after a long day, she would remind me to say goodnight and tell your father how much I love him because if I don't say it now, I might not know when I get to say it again."

Yoseob smiled sadly at the table as he listened to his mother's words, he knew what she was trying to say and what she rather he would do.
But nothing could change his stubborn heart, nothing could waver that strong personality of his. That he would protect Junhyung at all costs.
Haeyeon's lips curled downwards more as she watched her brother's facial expressions, knowing fully well what her brother was thinking. 
She locked her eyes to her mother and shook her head dejectedly and her mother returned the same sad eyes. 

They knew that the young male of their family have made his decision and it wasn't going to change.

------

The next day, Yoseob trudged out of the bathroom, yawning widely as he had reached home only at 3AM after continuing talking to his sister and mother.
He opened the door to the bedroom to grab some stuff before having breakfast with the rest who was already at the dining table, but stopped in his tracks just before he could step in when he heard someone talking inside.

"Baby, I missed you so much."

"Yes, I should be able to drop by after rehearsals today."

"Alright, I'll make sure I bring you your favourite snacks! You have to reward me for that okay?"

"Okay then, see you baby!"

His heart dropped and tears stung his eyes when the owner of the voice turned and noticed his existence.
"Seobie, you okay?"

Yoseob hurriedly wiped away the tears and grinned widely at Junhyung, "I'm fine! Just a little tired, but other than that, I'm fine!"

"Good to know. Quickly grab your stuff and join us for breakfast alright! I cooked a feast today and it's all your favourite food!" 
Junhyung snickered as he ruffled Yoseob's hair and brushed past him, out of the bedroom and to the dining room.

Yoseob finally entered the bedroom, closing the door behind him as he sunk to the ground, hugging his knees tightly.
He knew that to Junhyung, he was in a happy relationship with Leo, that he had treated him simply as a best friend.
However, he had heard Junhyung's confession of his love for Yoseob just two nights ago and seen the pain in Junhyung's eyes two days ago when he told him that he was with Leo.
It was too soon for Junhyung to get over Yoseob and it hurt him so much to know that Junhyung's love for him was that weak and wasn't real at all.

Summoning all his energy to suppress the tears that were threatening to spill from his eyes, he started packing his stuff and putting in the essentials before he met the rest at the dining table.
He gave a silent sigh in his heart when he saw his empty seat beside Junhyung. 
It had always been this way, him beside Junhyung. 

But within the past week or so, so many things have changed.
From the realization of his feelings, to Leo, to knowing that Junhyung had the same feelings and now, to facing Junhyung who had gotten over him in a day.
It was hard, it was sad, it was painful, to let his mind stray to the thought that because he wasn't a girl, he would be forgotten so easily.
However, the thought still came and he had to shift his eyeballs to look at the ceiling to hold back his tears.

"Seobie, quick! The food is getting cold!" Junhyung nagged as he started piling food on Yoseob's plate. 

Yoseob gave a small smile and nodded, "Coming, coming. Wow! That's really a lot of food!" 

"Pancakes. Beef patty. Kimchi stew. All your favourites! You name it, you have it!" Junhyung exclaimed proudly as he watched Yoseob slowly chewing on his food.

Wanting to just huddle in one corner and cry, Yoseob could barely swallow his food, so he just speak to mask his feelings, "Ahhh... There is something lacking though."

"Ice cream?" Doojoon smirked, "Junhyung got that covered too! It's in the freezer, ready to be your dessert!"

"This has got to be the most sumptuous breakfast I have ever ha