When I get back to the café with Jongin still following me, the others are throwing away plastic containers that once held their lunch. My seafood noodles are on the counter, still untouched.

“Cute tail you have, Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun comments, looking over my shoulder with curiosity and amusement. “Hi kid, what’s your name?”

“Jongin, Kim Jongin,” he replies, a little too child-like to be seventeen.

“Is he the urgent matter?” Junmyeon queries from the staffroom’s door. “Your cousin? Nephew? B- Boyfriend?”

“No!” I hiss in defense, and Junmyeon slinks back into the staffroom with the expression of a kicked puppy.

“He’s probably crying,” Baekhyun mutters, glancing at the door. “But seriously, who’s he?”

“Long story,” I whine and trudge back to the staffroom to change in hopes Junmyeon isn’t really crying. I slip out of my grey button up and throw on my polo tee, repeating the process of pinning on my nametag. Junmyeon is in the room the whole time while I change, sitting on the love seat with a dazed look and the same bottled coke in hand.

When I get out, Jongin is seated at one of the café tables with the book he ‘stole’—which I ended up paying for—open on the table. His head is lowered and he’s slouching as he reads, dark hair falling over his eyes picturesquely. I swallow and avert my gaze.

“Never knew you were such a helpful citizen, Kyungsoo, going out of your way to save a stranger and all,” Baekhyun teases as he flips the sign to ‘Open’.

“Quit it,” I grumble and adjust the dark green waist apron.

“The kid’s pretty cute, why don’t you just keep him?”

“Why don’t you keep him?” I raise a questioning eyebrow.

“Not my type. Besides, I—” Baekhyun stops himself, cheeks turning a light peachy colour while my eyebrows rise even more.

“He’s not a pet,” I snort, referring to his initial question. “Even if he was, he’s not apartment-friendly. Besides, he has someone waiting for him at home,” I raise my voice, “and he really should be getting back.”

Jongin sends a pout my way and I fight the urge to hurl my seafood noodles at him.

“I missed lunch because of him,” I complain quietly and set my noodles aside.

“You can eat whenever there’s no customers.” Baekhyun shrugs.

“No thanks,” I mumble, contradicting my previous statement. I glance over at Jongin who is back reading his book. “I’m not even that hungry anymore.”

“Make yourself comfortable, Jongin,” Junmyeon’s voice interrupts Baekhyun from telling me about an unreasonable customer he served that morning. “If Kyungsoo brought you here then you’re welcome to stay as long as you like.”

Jongin smiles, eyes crinkling with delight, and nods.

“Correction. I didn’t bring him here, he followed me,” I say, and Jongin’s initial smile is replaced with another one of his obnoxious pouts. “And he has to order something if he wants to stay. Café rules,” I remind them as I point to the laminated A4 size paper stuck onto the wall, just below the clock. Realizing that, the timid Junmyeon slithers into the kitchen, and Baekhyun teases me again about making him cry.

“Why don’t you make him something?” Baekhyun wriggles his eyebrows.

“I’m working,” I roll my eyes. “If he pays for it and actually orders like a normal customer then maybe I will.”

“You’re insufferable,” he shakes his head as he makes his way to the staffroom and disappears behind the door, perhaps to call up his ‘type’. I look at Jongin who is still reading his book, a sly grin creeping onto my lips.

“Hey kid,” I call and Jongin looks up with curious eyes. “Call the waiter and tell him you want a cappuccino.”

“Hyung, I didn’t bring my wallet,” Jongin says.

I cluck my tongue and motion for him to come over. I slide him two bills and whisper him some instructions. He stares at me with wide eyes for a while and refuses my idea, but I remind him that I saved his sorry from prison and he agrees reluctantly.

“Waiter,” he calls with a hint of nervousness. Baekhyun hops out of the staffroom but stops when it’s Jongin who’s calling. He glances at me but I keep my pokerface on, and he shrugs, skipping over to Jongin with a notebook and pen in hand.

“What can I get you, kid?”

“A No-cci-ppu-ca,” Jongin tells him with a straight face, and I mentally commend his acting skills.

“I’m sorry?” Baekhyun squints at him, and I try not to fall off my chair.

“You heard me,” Jongin says obnoxiously, just like I told him to. Baekhyun hesitantly scribbles something onto his notebook and makes his way over to me.

“My, I personally think that apron really accentuates your hips,” Jongin comments loudly and Baekhyun’s jaw drops in horror. I faintly hear the sound of the door opening, and I assume Junmyeon is looking on in astonishment.

“Did I just hear you say that?” Baekhyun asks incredulously. Eventually I fail to hold in my laughter and end up a wheezing mess on the counter.

“Hyung made me do it! I’m sorry!” Jongin squeaks.

“Do Kyungsoo!” Baekhyun bellows with a pause between each syllable of my name for a dramatic effect. I hear Junmyeon laughing at the side too. Baekhyun storms over to me and puts me in a headlock, pelting my forehead with knocks.

“But seriously, though, hyung gave me money, and I do want a cappuccino,” Jongin calls from the front. This has Baekhyun bursting into laughter too.

“You heard the customer, get to work!” he playfully orders me before going back into the staffroom, muttering something about being this close to pressing charges for ual harassment.

“Kid, you’re serious?” I raise my eyebrows at him after stifling my laughter. Jongin nods, holding up the money I gave him. My eyes linger on him a little longer than planned. I briefly glance over his dark hair and soulful eyes, thick but slightly chapped lips, even how his ankles cross daintily. Shaking my head, I get up from the stool I’m seated on and start preparing his drink. I take a toothpick and write ‘KID’ in big capital letters on the froth. I decide to bring it over personally, not wanting to trouble Baekhyun of getting out of the staffroom again.

“Here,” I set down the cup and turn to walk away.

“Hyung,” Jongin calls and I stop to tell him not to call me ‘hyung’, but he cuts me off before I can even say anything, “Exactly why did you come help me?”

“I don’t see why I’m obliged to tell you anything,” I sneer and turn around.

“But I call you hyung, you’re my big brother.”

“I was acting, Jongin, I think you’re old enough to tell the difference.”

“But what if I don’t want to tell the difference?” My eyes widen. “Why did you have to act? Why did you even come?”

I sigh and occupy the seat across him, staring straight into his crystal clear orbs. I can almost see Kyungjun staring right back at me.

“I have—had— a younger brother, he was four years younger than me, like you, and his name is Kyungjun. We were very different, I was the studious and model student type, I always brought back good grades. My brother, well, he was the outgoing kind. He didn’t have bad grades, but they were decent. I was quiet and didn’t have many friends, which meant that I stayed home most of the time. Kyungjun, he was a social butterfly, always going out with friends.

“Our parents favoured me and neglected Kyungjun. They planned to take me overseas with them to teach me the ropes of the family business and dump Kyungjun with a relative here. When he was fourteen, he stole something from the school’s bookstore and got caught. My parents saw him as a delinquent, but I saw him as a boy craving for his parents’ attention and love. We still got along well despite our differences. I knew he was hurt, but he pretended not to be. I couldn’t read his true emotions under his cheerful smile. I thought I knew him better than anyone else, but I failed to realize how badly torn apart he was until I got a call from my parents saying he committed suicide.

“I moved out immediately after his funeral. Our parents disgusted me, they seemed so nonchalant over his death while I was consumed with guilt. It was unfair, because I was the one who showered him with love and attention when it was my parents’ duty to do that. But when he died, how come I was the one feeling guilty and not them? When I got that call just now, I thought it was my chance to atone on behalf of my parents. I knew you weren’t him, but you both just look so alike.”

“I… Look like him?” Jongin self-consciously grazes his cheeks with his fingertips. I smile, not feeling the need to answer that. I notice his drink has gone cold, I tell him I’ll get him a new one, but Jongin refuses and gulps down the beverage in one go. I stare at him in surprise, until a customer steps in.

“I have to work,” I say and Jongin nods. Baekhyun promptly pops out of the staffroom and gets to work as well. My day passes quickly, and soon it’s dark out, but Jongin is still seated at the same table. I frown, realizing that he has to go home whether he likes it or not.

“Jongin, you can’t stay here any longer. Your aunt must be worried.”

“I thought I told you—”

“Yes, I am the supposedly the only one who is near concerned about you. But face it, Jongin, as much of a hero you see me as, I’m a stranger. You’ve known me for a day, you don’t know half the things I’m capable of doing. I could be faking this for all you know. Go home, Jongin, your aunt is accountable for you, you’re still a kid,” I tell him sternly. Jongin silently gazes at me before he lowers his eyes and shuts his book and tucks them under his arm.

“You want me to go then fine,” he says, and for a moment I think I might have hurt his feelings. “But I remember your number. I’ll keep coming here everyday. And when I’m not a kid anymore, I’ll come live with you, hyung.”

“You’re crazy.”

“I want to be your younger brother.”

“Yes, you’re crazy.”

“But I want to start off as friends. Hyung, please be my friend?”

I stare at the hand he extended to me, calling for me to shake it. Then I look into his eyes, he sounds crazy, but his eyes are genuine. I see you. I see you, Jongin, and I see the Kyungjun in you as well.

“I don’t normally make friends with seventeen year olds,” I tell him, grasping his hand firmly. “But I’m looking forward to how far this friendship can go, kid.”

One look at his eyes and I know I’ve made the right decision. I shouldn’t push him away. Jongin is a kid after all, and he gets hurt easily, so I have to protect him. I suppose this is one of the ways I can make myself a happier Do Kyungsoo.