After the announcement, it was safe to say that Hyukjae's life has made a drastic turn; he just didn't know it yet.

The following day, after Donghae left for work, Hyukjae got changed to go to his shift at the restaurant. His mind not quite sinking that Donghae's engagement announcement was broadcasted nationally and that the kiss they both shared the night prior would be on the front page news of the tabloids and magazines. Not completely his fault since no further words were exchanged between them regarding the kiss 0and Hyukjae was more than happy to pretend that it never happened.

Besides, it's not like it meant anything...It was just business.

A chant he had to repeat to himself over and over in order to get through the night and calm his rapidly beating heart. 

When Hyukjae entered the restaurant, he found a few of his co-workers setting up for the day. The first one to acknowledge him was Seungi who had quite a surprised expression upon seeing him. 

"Hyukjae! What are you doing here, you sly dog," He teased while jumping on his back and wrapping his arm around Hyukjae's neck as he brought him in for a side hug. 

"Ah-ahh...yah! Let me go." Hyukjae pushed him away lightly to get out of his playful chokehold. He rubbed around the side of his neck annoyingly but when he noticed his amused smirk has not left his face, Hyukjae scrunched his brows together and crossed his arms at the weird vibe he was getting from the latter. "What? What's wrong with you this morning?"

"Oh, come on. Don't be like that, Hyukjae-ah." Seungi said while giving him a playful shove. "Why didn't you tell me you were dating that millionaire Lee Donghae?"

Hyukjae froze at his words. "Wh-What? How...How'd you know about that?"

"How could we not know?" Hyukjae and Seungi both turned to see Luna coming out from the kitchen with a tray of plates and utensils to put around the table. "The hidden lover of South Korea's most wanted bachelor sharing a kiss on Lee Sehyun's 60th birthday - you'd have to be living at the bottom of the ocean to have missed the biggest news of the year." She placed the tray down and put a hand on her hip while glaring at Hyukjae. "And here I thought you were an all work and no play kind of guy. You really had us all fooled."

Hyukjae sensed a hint of betrayal in her voice and immediately shook his hands and head in denial. "No! No! It's not like that, I swear!"

Luna scoffed but then did a side smile as she opened her arms and brought Hyukjae in for a hug. "I'll congratulate you today then be mad at you tomorrow."

Hyukjae was surprised at the tight hug he received from her and hugged her back reluctantly as they did a quick sway together. Amber and Shindong also took the opportunity to walk out of the kitchen and giggled when they saw how Luna had attached herself around Hyukjae. 

"Are we celebrating already?" Shindong commented while placing the napkins down on the table. 

"Hyung, I can't believe you've been hiding such a handsome fella from us." Amber added as she walked over to pull Luna off of Hyukjae. "Although, it makes sense now why you never wanted to get set up with one of my friends. You were already taken." She winked at Hyukjae then turned around to help Luna set the plates around the restaurant; missing the helpless look Hyukjae had at her words. 

"It's really not like that, you guys," Hyukjae complained but they were all already too busy with their own work to pay him any attention. He groaned when the smiles on their faces didn't drop but decided to let it be and walked towards the kitchen to grab his apron only to stop midway when the owner of the shop came out and almost bumped into him. "B-Boss! Sorry I'm late." Hyukjae did a quick bow of apology before explaining his situation. "I-I just recently moved so I had trouble finding my way here."

"Hyukjae-ah....what are you doing here?"

Hyukjae looked at him puzzled. "Uhh...I'm schedule to work the lunch shift today."

"You mean you still intend to work here?" He asked in a completely stunned voice. It only further confused Hyukjae. 

"Ye-es? Why?"

"I was told by your friend here," he pointed at Seungi who ducked his head and hastened the way he scrubbed the table to avoid further attention, "that you were about to get married to some millionaire. I wouldn't have believed him if he didn't show me the video - I thought that was your way of quitting."

Hyukjae glared at Seungi before looking back at his boss with a sheepish look. "It's-It's complicated but I'm still working. Nothing's changed, sir."

"Are you sure?"

"Y-Yes." Hyukjae confirmed. "I appreciate everything you've done for me and I wouldn't just leave you hanging dry like that."

Unfortunately for Hyukjae, that was a promise he wouldn't be able to keep as in that moment someone with an unusually large camera hanging around his neck entered the shop. Amber was the one who stopped him at the door and informed him that they were not yet open for the day. 

"Oh? I apologize but I saw a friend of mine walk in here just a minute ago. It must have been next door."

"No problem at all. Come back in 30 minutes and we'd be happy to serve you." She smiled and did a semi bow waiting for him to leave. He turned his body back around but then had a quick change of mind when he saw Hyukjae. 

"That's Lee Hyukjae, right?"

Hyukjae turned around at the mention of his name and looked lost as he didn't recognize the man at all. "Yes? Can I help you?"

He smiled deviously and shook his head slowly. "You could say that." He quickly raised his camera and snapped a photo. Hyukjae's eyes widened at the sudden photo and out of instinct covered his face. That didn't deter the man from taking more photos which had Amber and Seungi quickly reacting on their feet to push the man out. There was a bit of a struggle but when Seungi shoving the man out the door didn't stop him from snapping pictures, the owner was forced to tell Amber and him to bring down the rustic metal screen to cover the inside of the restaurant. 

Hyukjae wast too stunned and confused as to what just happened that he hasn't moved an inch from where he stood. 

"Oppa? Are you okay?" Luna asked.

Hyukjae glanced at her before he let his body lean against the wall. "Y-Yeah. I think so. That was just so bizarre."

"Are you an idiot?" Seungi said. "Of course paparazzi's will be after you now. Publicly announcing your engagement like that you need to be more careful about where you go," he scolded. 

"But...how am I supposed to work?" Hyukjae tilted his head to the side and asked. 

The three people at the restaurant all shared the same look and stared at him like he was crazy. 

"Does Donghae know you're here to work?" Amber asked back. 

Hyukjae thought about it and even he didn't tell Donghae that he was coming to work today, he figured that the other could easily deduce it himself since this is where they first met. Donghae didn't expect him to give up working because of their arrangement...did he?

"I think you should talk to him, Oppa," Luna commented while placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know you like being independent but you can't work in a place like this anymore."

"Hey now," the elderly owner interjected. "This might not be a five-star restaurant but this is still a respectable place of business."

"Of course, sajangnim." Luna smiled in agreement but as soon as he turned around, she looked back at Hyukjae and shook her head. 

"Uhhh--I think you better use the exit in the back, Hyukjae-ah,," Seungi said after he lifted the blinds a little and peered outside from underneath it. "The number of cameras just multiplied and I don't think you can go out there in one piece."

Hyukjae frowned dejectedly and was about to argue when his phone dinged with a text message. Donghae's name appeared on his screen but when he swiped the screen to see his message, he frowned at the aggressive text he just received.

Fr: Donghae

What the hell are you doing!?!

Hyukjae crossed his brows together as he typed in his reply. 

To: Donghae

I'm at work.

Almost immediately, Donghe replied. 

Fr: Donghae

Get home. NOW!

Hyukjae didn't like the demanding tone Donghae was using in his messages and scoffed.Lucky for him, he didn't have to worry about typing in the colorful words he was thinking about call