Chapter 23: Kiwi None

A 'Chemin' chapter...

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It was a bright morning; Jongdae is in a good mood.

Definitely, he is.

He was out to get some kiwis from the nearby store, only a few blocks away. They had just opened the café and there weren’t many customers yet and in relief, no one ordered any desserts that had kiwis in it. Mostly they preferred the berries and cream and the sweet intoxicating watermelon delight.

Taking the responsibility of getting some kiwis from the nearby store, he reminded his workers of their duties efficiently and gives their best for today, like any other days.

It’s been a week since the incident and he forgot about it eventually. He had burned the incident in his mind and probably he won’t remember it. It’s been a routine, actually. Erasing any single incident between Minseok and him except for the past that will be forever imprinted in his mind.

Humming a random tune, he loose his tie in attempt to breathe more air, feeling the tie a bit tight than usual.

 

“Hey, Jongdae,” the older calls out to him. Jongdae snaps his head towards him, a questioning look decorated in his face. Minseok laughs a bit at his reaction before ruffling his hair.

They were in a field of grass, taking the sweet aroma of spring and the humming voice of nature. The sky is bright blue and the clouds smother it with its light feathers.

“Could I ask you out tonight?” the older asks, confidence laced in his tone. So confident and true. Jongdae blushes at the question, lowering his eyes to his fingers that was fondly playing with each other, he hesitantly replies.

“I’ll ask Kyungsoo hyung about it first.” He bit his lip after he replies. Minseok hums, agreeing at his thought. He needs the consent of the older brother after all.

“Okay, I’ll pick you up, later.”

 

Minseok whips the chocolate on the bowl that is in his arm, delicately yet quick whip of the chocolate was made. The whips must be right, the timing must be right, the amount must be right-everything must be right.

The chocolate is important for them, considering it is the certain kind of sweet that brightens up one’s dim and gloomy food. Of course, it was proven by statement only, because in general, the person’s sweet taste depends.

Carefully whipping the last of chocolate, Minseok hands the bowl to Donghae who quickly separated the chocolate into two containers. Dropping minced strawberries on the left bowl and the other with cherry, Donghae passes the two bowls to Kyuhyun who simply placed it in the fridge to keep it cool.

Taking another bar of chocolate, Minseok chops it before minces it and dropped the minced chocolate into the hot casserole, waiting for the chocolate to melt.

It’s the third streak of white and plain chocolate, continuous orders from it as they had presented their newly founded recipe to the customers. It was tough to handle it, but it was worth it when they see the pleased and smiling faces of the customers, paying off their hard works.

Minseok didn’t forget the incident at all, even though it was a week ago. He wished to erase it, but his mind seemed to think otherwise. Instead of erasing it, every single encounter he has with the younger tortures him every day. Simply, playing the incident in his mind or by view to show how he reaps it all in a cruel way.

Telling him, how stupid and crazy he is back then. Telling him that he is forever guilty by his actions.

And he wished desperately to change that.

 

“Take care of my brother, Minseok hyung. I’ll castrate you, if you didn’t,” Kyungsoo joked at the last part but Minseok feels it’s true. Jongdae awkwardly laughs and bid his brother farewell before pulling Minseok out of his house.

Seriously, that brother of his. Jongdae shakes his head before a familiar warmth laced with his hand. He looks at the older with a blush, realizing what it is. Minseok grins at him in return before leading the younger throughout the way.

 

Jongdae thanks the elderly for the bag of kiwis. Smiling as he bid farewell, he left the store. Taking a look around the area, he notices familiar faces along the way and he would smile a bit to them.  His smile would be small and reserved and sometimes fake. It was never true, anyways.

His smile would always be reserved and fake because his true smile is long forgotten. He forgot how to smile because of the past and thanks to the person who caused it. It was hard, to be precise. Smiling that’s not genuine at all, it’s hard.

His brother would worry about him and he would just smile at him in assurance that it’s okay. His brother would just nod and brush it off, but he knew his brother just let it go, to avoid the past to resurface.

Tightening his grip on the plastic bag, Jongdae lowers his head on the ground missing the person in front of him, resulting to a bump in the shoulder.

He snaps out of his trance, realization struck him of what had just happened. He looks behind him to apologize but his throat became dry when he turned around.

 

“Oppa?” A young girl stood in front of them and calls Minseok out. They halt their steps and Jongdae looked at the girl with confusion. He looked at Minseok who has a blank face.

“Who are you?” Minseok asks with a raised eyebrow and the girl takes a few steps forward before grinning.

“Oppa! It is you! It’s me, Sunsyeon, the gir-“ she was abruptly cut off when Minseok takes a step forward, growling at her.

“Leave.” His voice firm and stern. The girl takes a step back, looking at Minseok with puzzlement before looking at Jongdae. She takes another look at Minseok before him and smiled after.

“Oh, okay. See you later then, oppa,” she says with a teasing smile and winked at Jongdae before leaving them.

 

Minseok left the café for a moment. He received a call from a company, asking him to meet up with him in the building. Taking the address, he left the shop in charge of Donghae and Kyuhyun, telling them to look after the shop and all.

After a secure promise, he left the café to meet up with CEO of the company. He brought his notebook with him and a pen, just in case if the CEO decides to ask for a cake or something, the he would be able to design the cake and get on with it.

As he was walking on the road, his phone rang. Looking down on his pocket and getting the phone with his free hand, he answers the call.

“Ah, hello? CEO Shin! What could I do for you?” he cheerily greets the CEO when he bumped into someone on the shoulder. He almost tripped but was able to stop from doing so. He turned around to check on the person who he bumped into with and was about to apologize until he saw the person he bumped into with.

“Jongdae…” he trails off.

 

“Minseok hyung?”

“Let’s go, Jongdae,” Minseok says monotonously. Jongdae quizzically looks at him, thoughts racing with one question.

“Who is that?” he asks with worry laced in his voice. He felt a bit odd when the girl appeared and was claiming something when Minseok stopped her from doing so. He felt that the girl has something to do with him.

Minseok didn’t answer to his question.

“Hyung?”

“Jongdae, please stop, okay? She’s no one. No one at all, and let’s forget about this, okay? Don’t bring this up ever again,” he says with a stern voice and Jongdae couldn’t help but whimper and nod his head in response.

“Okay…” he trails off and lowers his head to the ground. Minseok glanced at him for awhile before sighing and squeezed his hand.

“Thank you.”

 

They locked eyes together, Jongdae felt his throat dry and constrict in pain while Minseok feels a bit happy to see Jongdae. He regained his surprised form and smiled at the younger. Jongdae didn’t say anything but bowed and left him behind.

Minseok watches his retreating form with a sad smile. He knew the younger wouldn’t spare a word at him and that’s okay for him. Seeing Jongdae for the day and that he gave a slight recognition already brightens up his day.

Setting aside the pain in his chest, Minseok turns his heel away and turns back to the abandoned call. Apologizing to the CEO, Minseok hurries his steps.

 

The date was silent and awkward for Jongdae. They ate at a seafood restaurant and none of them talked. Well, Jongdae tried. He asks some questions to Minseok but the latter would only hum or nod his head in response and all the effort of starting of a conversation would fall into silence and a waste.

Minseok drove him to his house and Jongdae could only look on the ground and mutter a goodbye. Minseok stood in front of him, his eye strained on Jongdae’s awkward and lonely form. Minseok sighs before smiling a bit.

He took his hand and enveloped the younger in an embrace. Jongdae gasped a little when he pulled and finding himself secured around Minseok’s arms. A blush crept on his cheeks when Minseok chuckled. Jongdae pulls away, looking at Minseok with a pout and blush still painted on his cheeks.

“Tsk, my Jongdae, my Jongdae. Don’t think too much of it, okay? She’s no one, stop thinking about.” Minseok leaned his forehead with his and Jongdae could only nod his head. Minseok grins at him before placing a kiss on his forehead.

“Thanks, dear.” Minseok bid his farewell and Jongdae watches his retreating from until he was out of his sight. Even though Minseok telling him that it was nothing, he couldn’t help but take in the caution of the unsettling feeling of his stomach.

“Bye,” he whispers before turning his heels away and goes inside his house.

 

Jongdae felt his throat has the fluidity again when he walked away from him. He wonders why and how they could be on the same road and be on the same time. Jongdae curses the heavens for making unfortunate incidents. 

He arrives at his café with a glum aura and Fai has to give him a water to calm him down. Selected workers already know what caused the glum aura of their boss and chose not to say anything but do their duties in the café.

Jongdae sighs at the unfortunate day. Thinking a bit of what happened awhile ago, Minseok was carrying a notebook and a phone in his hands. Jongdae guessed that some higher customers asked for his presence.

Jongdae shakes his head, getting rid of the incident in his mind before going inside and hands over the kiwis to Sungmin.

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A/N: Ah, hey? Yo~ *waves hand* Err..yes....teh double update wold be like on Monday. I post up Chemin for now...and..well, Taoris left before I continue on with double or triple couple in a chapter. Rawr, yep. So put some flashback...and well...yeah....Chen still hate Minseok and Minseok could only smile sadly at him....suspense for what Minseok did to him? Well you could say the flashabck is one...lol, it's up to you~

Oh, and i want to thank those who took their precious time to click on my shamless promoting before I actually replaced it with this. Thank you to all and I promise you that you won't be disappointed when I start the chapter of that fic~

Thank you and see you on Monday~ ^^