"Hyung! Could you come over and give me a hand with this?" 

Junmyeon walked out of the kitchen, where he was opening a new sack of coffee beans, to find Jongin waddling over to the side wall of the cafe with an enormous frame. It came up to just below his shoulders and was twice as broad as he was. The frame looked like mahogany, but what was on the other side was still unknown to Junmyeon.

"Whoa, what's this?"

"Jongdae Hyung ordered a new painting for the cafe. He wanted to change the place up a bit. He told me it was coming in today."

Junmyeon immediately ran over to help a struggling Jongin squeeze himself and the frame between the tables and chairs. Jongdae and Minseok were currently out running errands (something also to do with revamping the cafe), which left Junmyeon and Jongin to open the cafe themselves. Luckily, it was a Sunday which meant the cafe only opened at 11am, giving them more time to set things up. 

"I already put the hooks in place, we just have to fit it up there."

Junmyeon was still on the other side of the painting, meaning he had no idea what it was. The curiosity was killing him. He imagined it was probably some city landscape, or an abstract nature piece. Junmyeon thought of Jongdae to have that kind of taste- sophisticated and classy but at the same time fresh and vibrant. 

As the 2 carefully pivoted the gigantic frame, a question struck Junmyeon.

"Why're we installing this ourselves? Shouldn't the delivery people do this?"

"Budget issues." Jongin replied with a small frown, making Junmyeon remember that installation usually came with an extra charge. 

"Still, he's spending so much on a painting, but not the little extra on the installation fee?"

"I guess he trusted us enough. I mean why pay someone else to do it when there are 2 perfectly strong men right here." Jongin chuckled, making Junmyeon smile and nod in agreement. 

As the 2 finally hung up the enormous art piece (after several minutes of heavy-lifting, mounting the booth against the wall and panting), Junmyeon took several steps back to examine the newest addition to Milky Way.

What.

The.

???

"Uhhhh..."

Junmyeon turned to a puzzled Jongin, who was looking at the painting intensely as he chewed on his lower lip. His folded arms and overall stance was a clear indication that he was in deep contemplation.

"Jongin-ah..."

Before Junmyeon could complete what was going to be a string of baffled questions, the bell of the front door rang.

"Hey guys, did the- OH MY GOD."

Junmyeon and Jongin both turned to find a bewildered Jongdae and a stunned Minseok at the entrance of the cafe. Both were gaping at the side wall where the art piece hung, their eyes so wide one would think they didn't have eyelids. 

"WHY ARE THERE S HANGING ON MY WALL?"

Junmyeon heard a small gasp from beside him and turned to find Jongin with his mouth agape as well, though a look of realisation on his face rather than shock.

"Ahhh, so there was something wrong."

Jongdae slowly walked up to them, his eyes never once moving away from the sight of a pair of very realistic s hanging on the wall. Minseok followed behind, now no longer in shock but rather, his fist over his mouth as he tried his best to stifle his laugh. He couldn't help it though, bursting out hysterically as Jongdae stood frozen in front of the portrait, in utter stupor. 

"I'm so sorry Hyung, I thought-"

"Jongin, how the did you think I would order a pair of s to be hung on our wall?"

"I don't know, I thought you were just trying to be edgy or something. I don't know anything about art! I did find it weird though..." Jongin whined and scratched the back of his head, looking deeply sheepish and upset with the most intense pout Junmyeon had ever seen. It was sad, but also really cute. 

Jongdae sighed heavily and began rolling up his sleeves.

"We gotta take this down asap and call the store. Clearly there's been a mixup. But I will NOT have s be the attraction of my cafe." 

Jongin was wringing his hands nervously, his face in such an intense knot of emotions that Junmyeon was concerned he was almost going to cry.

"I'm really sorry Hyung, I really-"

"No, it's alright. I should've told you what the painting was so there was no confusion. But next time if you're unsure about something, just call me okay?"

Jongin nodded profusely, before taking a few steps forward to help Jongdae take down the painting.

"No no, it's fine. I got this. You guys go continue setting up."

"Hyu-"

"It's alright Jongin, really. Go, I want a fresh batch of pastries in the display window pronto."

Jongin was about to argue but bit his lip instead and just nodded once again, quickly scurrying off to the kitchen. Junmyeon watched Jongdae, a fuzzy sensation overwhelming him as he realised just how sweet Jongdae was. Minseok was still laughing silently at the side, his head turned as he examined the portrait even closer. Once again he laughed out loud, making both Jongdae and Junmyeon turn to him.

"Shut the up, Minseok. Go help Jongin." Jongdae rolled his eyes as he got up on the booth.

Minseok held up his hands defensively and walked off, his laughing smile still wide as ever. 

That just left Junmyeon and Jongdae.

"Well? That counter is not going to clean itself, you know."

Junmyeon quirked a brow at Jongdae, who was unhooking the back of the frame as he spoke to him. Being the person who had just nearly broken his back in half trying to install the painting, Junmyeon knew there was no way Jongdae was going to be able to handle it himself. 

"You need help." 

Junmyeon hopped onto the booth as well, supporting the painting from the other side as he helped to unhook the frame. Jongdae glanced over at him and mocked a gasp.

"Are you saying I'm that weak? I am offended."

At his reply, Junmyeon couldn't help but look back and notice Jongdae's biceps through his white, long-sleeved shirt. The bulging outline was clear enough to show that Jongdae was anything but weak. Junmyeon gulped, realising just what he was doing and quickly turning back to the frame.

.

Junmyeon could only pray Jongdae didn't notice him kind of oggling at his arms. However, the fact that Jongdae turned to him the minute he looked away made him pretty worried that he did, in fact, catch him red-handed. 

Crap, ok, say something, quick. Make a joke.

"Hi offended, I'm Junmyeon."

Jongdae immediately let out a shouting laugh, gaping at him with amused eyes and an even more amused smile.

"Wha-what!? Did you just say what I think you said? Oh man... oh don't ever do that again, please!"

Junmyeon laughed as well at how Jongdae received his joke. There was something about Jongdae's laugh that caused Junmyeon to not be able to stop smiling. It was not like he hadn't heard him laugh like this before, with a kind of booming vibrato that made him think he'd do really well as an opera singer. But it was more so the fact that Jongdae was laughing at something he had said which caused Junmyeon to smile particularly wide this time. 

"I am standing by that joke unapologetically." 

After removing all the hooks, both of them slowly lowered the frame, mindful of the wooden table of the booth beneath them and how nasty a chip on it would look. 

"Slowly, slowly..." Jongdae chanted as Junmyeon held the bottom half and gingerly carried it over the booth, stepping down and gripping the frame tightly. As the 2 carried the frame daintily over to the back-end of the cafe where Jongdae's office was, they passed by the kitchen where Jongin was inside, meticulously piping frosting onto some cupcakes. 

Jongdae glanced at him and smiled, shaking his head. They entered his office and set the frame down gently beside his desk where there was just about enough space so that it didn't jut out of the room. 

"Oh Jongin...that kid cracks me up." Jongdae sighed and folded his arms, looking down at the painting which started to look more and more like googly-eyes to Junmyeon, meaning he couldn't bring himself to look at it anymore without laughing out loud. 

"You know...that was really nice of you to tell him it was alright. Other people would've yelled, or even fired him." Junmyeon remarked as he stood besides Jongdae, but looking at the mahogany carvings of the frame instead of the y googly eyes. 

From the corner of his eye, he could make out the familiar movement of Jongdae's shoulders which meant he was shrugging.

"He's a good kid. I know it was an innocent mistake. He's still a great asset to the cafe, why would I fire him over something like this? I need him. He's a part of Milky Way." 

Junmyeon remained silent, his gaze now dropped to the floor as he replayed those words in his mind. 

Indeed, Jongin was an asset.

Jongin was needed.

Not much like him...

Junmyeon wasn't sure whether it was his silence or his Adam's apple bobbing visibly as he swallowed thickly which got Jongdae's attention, but before he knew it, Jongdae's hand was on his shoulder. It was a warmth that gave him much relief amidst his hurricane of thoughts. 

"All of you are." 

Junmyeon looked up to find Jongdae smiling reassuringly at him, patting him twice on the shoulder softly before turning around and heading back out into the cafe. 

Taking in a deep breath and placing his hand over his chest, Junmyeon willed his racing heart to calm down as he realised what was happening. 

Boy, was he screwed...