He didn’t recognise him. Worse. He didn’t even remember him. 

Jaejoong recalled how Yunho’s eyes glazed over when they met his. Even after he revealed that he used to come to the restaurant when he was younger, the other didn’t seem to get the hint. 

While he did look different in his youth — his hair black and worn long with front bangs that use to get in his eyes — he still assumed (hoped) that he would have remembered. It bothered him, more than he’d like to admit. 

At school, Jaejoong had always been studious and keen. He was never late to class nor would he ever forget an assignment. At his graduation, his teachers all flocked to his parents' side to praise him, and congratulate them on having such a talented son. Yunho, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. It had always irked him to see how he coasted through most of their high school years, without an inkling of worry or doubt for his future. 

“Jaejoong, right?” Yunho said, as he grabbed a nearby chair and sidled next to Jaejoong. 

At this time, Jaejoong had his head buried in his textbook, anxiously waiting for the teacher to walk in and start the class. “Yeah?” he replied sceptically. 

“Mr Lim said that you’re my new study partner. I’ve been failing… so I guess you’re stuck with me now” he chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

It took every cell in his body to not scream. Jaejoong had his sights set on securing a scholarship to study overseas, and couldn’t afford to carry around dead weight. He stayed quiet, unable to think of how to sugarcoat his words. He couldn’t exactly say: “You're an idiot that is going to slow me down”  

“Look… I get it, you’re top of the class and now you’re being paired up with a stupid jock. I don’t want to get in your way… I just…” Yunho sighed deeply, dropping the chipper attitude he had earlier. “I just need to get my grades up, okay?” he confessed, his head slightly lowered. 

Jaejoong felt a pang of guilt looking at him like this. His usual confident exterior had seemingly faded and he was willing to be vulnerable in front of someone he barely knew. “Fine” he groaned, “but if you’re gonna be my partner then you cannot slack off. I don’t care if that means you’ll miss practice or drinking with your friends or whatever it is you do. Agreed?” 

Yunho jumped up from his seat and saluted mockingly “yes sir!” he said as he broke into a goofy smile. 

A sudden warmth rushed to Jaejoong’s cheeks, making him drop his gaze in an attempt to hide his flushed face. His eyes scrutinised his textbook as if it were the only thing that would save him from this awkward interaction. 

For the first time, Jaejoong was at a loss for words. He couldn’t understand why the Yunho had this effect on him, which only made him resent him more. After his mind deliberated through all the things he could say to drive the other away, he looked up and saw that Yunho had already left to rejoin his friends at the back of the classroom. 

Why he felt disappointed, he didn’t know. He wanted to be rid of the stupid jock, but now he found himself watching the boys huddled around Yunho, laughing obnoxiously at whatever it was on his phone. What was clear to him at that moment was that they could never be friends. Never. 

A soft knock at the door interrupted Jaejoong from his musings. It was his assistant bringing his third cup of coffee into his office. He mumbled a ‘thank you’ as she left, and took a quick sip before he returned to his laptop. 

Jaejoong had been up until the early hours of the day mulling over the review of Jung’s Seoul Pizzeria. It had been written a day ago, but he had not been able to send it. While he’d read it over for the nth time, he couldn’t shrug off a nervous feeling, which was unusual for him. “Get it together Jaejoong” he berated himself, his finger hovered over the ‘send’ button. 

It had taken him so long to erase his high school years, even to the extent of using a pseudonym instead of his actual name. And yet, it had taken just one person for everything to come rushing back to him. He remembered how his breath hitched when he saw Yunho’s face. While he’d outgrown his boyish features from their school days, he still looked the same. “God damn you Jung Yunho” he uttered to himself. 

Jaejoong hit send and tiredly flopped back in his chair.

The email had arrived no less than an hour ago, but Yunho couldn’t bring himself to open it. “Junsu… I can feel you breathing on my neck” he groaned. The sous chef mumbled a soft ‘sorry’ as he stepped back. “Actually, can you guys like… not crowd around me?” he said irritably.  

Up until this point, Changmin, Junsu and Yoochun had been standing behind him, eagerly waiting to read the review. But they were able to take the hint and shuffled out to give the nervous owner some space. 

Now that he could breathe again, Yunho took in one last deep breath and opened the email. 

The room fell silent, only the sound of Junsu’s rasping panting could be heard. They watched Yunho closely in hopes that they could detect what he was thinking. “C’mon hyung, read it already” Changmin snapped.

But his complaints fell upon deaf ears. Yunho scanned the document in front of him in complete disbelief. 

‘While Jung Yunho may have hoped to follow in his late father’s footsteps, Jung’s Seoul Pizzeria, unfortunately, doesn’t deliver nor meet the standards from its previous ownership. It is clear that Mr Jung does not have the same passion for his restaurant or its food, and has lost sight of what made the restaurant beloved in the first place’ 

“I-I don’t believe it” Yunho managed to get out. He was soon joined by Changmin, who continued to read the piece aloud: 

‘The food itself wasn’t bad, but the updated menu was lacklustre when compared to the originality of Yanghyun Jung’s old menu. But what is more concerning is that the new owner’s unwavering sense of self-belief has blinded him to what customers want’ 

Yoochun needed to suppress a laugh behind his hand, but Changmin caught it nevertheless. 

“Something funny Chun? I haven’t even got up to the part where he calls you out on your ‘tantrum’” Changmin smirked. 

“Oh go yourself. I laugh when I’m uncomfortable” Yoochun shrugged, as he pulled a cigarette out. “I mean. He does have a fair point on the menu” he added, as he slipped the cigarette in his mouth.

That was when Yunho stepped in. “You know what Chun… you’re fired” he uttered. He felt all three men stare at him in shock. 

Yoochun’s face turned as white as a sheet and he quickly took the cigarette out, “hy-hyung? Seriously?” he stuttered. 

“Yep. Pack up your and leave. I’m gonna leave now, but I want you gone by the time I get back” Yunho stated coldly, as he barged past them and out of his office. 

Many thoughts raced through his head as he paced back and forth outside the restaurant. He couldn’t shake off the tightening feeling he had in his chest as the words: ‘doesn’t deliver nor meet the standards from its previous ownership’ taunted him. 

No matter how many times he replayed the entire experience in his head, he couldn’t figure out how it went so wrong. The sound of the door opening interrupted him from his thoughts. 

“Hey…” Changmin sighed as he stood beside Yunho, “you’re not firing Chun, are you? I mean he’s a d*ck… but still”.

Yunho rubbed the back of his neck, a habit he had for whenever he was feeling stressed. “What does it matter anyway. Once this review gets published, we’re all done” he said plainly, his usual enthusiasm completely worn out. He felt the other try to hold him back as he walked away and shrugged him off roughly. He couldn’t stay there, not at this moment. 

Changmin returned to the restaurant to the sight of a depressed Yoochun and crying Junsu. He groaned internally before he approached the messy duo. It was a pitiful sight, but he refrained from making any snarky comments.

Junsu looked up instinctively, his eyes glassy from the tears. “What did he say?” he croaked, sniffling as he did.  

He had no answer for them. At least, not one that would sound reassuring. “Nothing” he lied. Changmin wasn’t even sure where he had run off to, all he could do was hope that the other was okay. 

The day seemed to have escaped him, he thought as he glanced outside his window. The sky was now dark, and the streets outside his office building had been dimly lit up. Jaejoong turned his attention to the time on his laptop. “That late already…” he said, letting out a soft yawn. 

He began to regret sending Ji-Won home early for the weekend, as he desperately wanted a cup of coffee. Perhaps it was time he went home too, he thought as he browsed through his emails. Once he had double-checked that there was no other work he needed to tend to, he decided to call it a night. 

The cold air was particularly crisp that evening and felt prickly against Jaejoong’s white skin. He clutched his coat closer to his chest and buried his face in his scarf. As he prepared to take his usual route home, he spotted a figure leaning against the wall nearby. He couldn’t exactly make out who it was because of the dim light. “Hello?” he called out warily. 

The figure instantly stepped out into the light, revealing their identity. “Sorry… didn’t mean to scare you” Yunho chuckled nervously. 

Jaejoong huffed in frustration, he didn’t have time for this. “Come again in the morning and book an appointment through my secretary” he grumbled and he pushed past him. 

“Wait! Jaejoong! Your name is Kim Jaejoong!” Yunho called out. He waited until the small man stopped in his tracks and then walked over hesitantly. “That’s you right? I remember… I remember you” he said. 

Jaejoong dared not look back at him. He didn’t need to see his reflection to know that his cheeks had turned crimson — and not because of the cold air. He was certain after their encounter that Yunho didn’t remember him, so the sudden revelation had him in shock. After a few minutes, he managed to regain his composure and replied “Yeah? So what, you know how to use Google. Good for you” he scoffed, as he swerved to face the other. 

“I don’t know how I didn’t remember before… but it hit me. As I read your review… it felt too personal. Like you knew me… like you knew my father…” Yunho inched closer, not breaking away from those onyx eyes. “Did I do something to you at school? Is that why your review was… felt… felt so personal?” He pressed. 

The space between them was getting dangerously small, but Jaejoong only dug his heels in deeper. He smirked “Are you being serious? You think I gave you a harsh review because of some petty high school vendetta? You are an idiot” he hissed. 

Usually, Yunho wouldn't be so easily riled up, but with the words from Jaejoong’s scathing review and the smug attitude he on at this moment, Yunho felt the anger consume him. “Look, I just want to know why your review seemed like you’re out to get me or something. If I did something to you when we were kids, then just tell me. How can I apologise if you won’t tell me what I even did?” He said with frustration. 

“It has nothing to do with high school. I wrote what I saw, what I experienced. I wrote the truth. Your business is falling apart because you’ve forgotten why you’re even running it. Your staff are unmotivated and lack the passion for the food they’re serving. That’s what I saw, so that’s what I wrote” Jaejoong exhaled deeply before he continued “Maybe, you should take my criticisms as advice instead of seeing it as a personal dig at you. Maybe then you wouldn’t be running your business into the ground” Jaejoong shot back.

Yunho was exhausted. He naively thought he could get the food critic to explain or even reconsider publishing the piece at all. But he knew then that his efforts were wasted. 

“Look” Jaejoong started “I’m trying to save your business but you refuse it. Why can’t you put aside your pride and just take the help when its there” he uttered.

“Help? You?” Yunho laughed out sarcastically. He wasn’t convinced in the slightest, “you’re a real piece of sh*t, you know that?! The way you pretended that everything went well on the day, only to throw this curveball at me. So no… I don’t want your help” he bit out. 

Jaejoong sighed “well it’s a shame… I did like that restaurant”. 

Silence. The two men stood facing each other, and yet no other words were exchanged.

It was colder that night, Yunho thought.