Chapter 19.5: Between Best Chingus/Brothers
Seohyun's ButlerAs promised, I've posted this scene which should be before ch. 20 and after ch. 19. It tells of Minho's confrontation with Jonghyun and how they dealt with matters. Sorry if it's not interesting but I just thought I had to write this :P
As usual, after any party or gatherings, the two "brothers" opt to head home together for they live right next to each other and have been the best of chingus ever since young. So, when they bade goodbye to Seohyun and her unnies, they proceed to walk back to their home just across the street.
"You wanna have coffee? I'm feeling kind of thirsty!" Minho suggests.
He wants to talk to his friend but if he misses this chance, it would be awkward to ever bring up the topic again. Goodnaturedly, Jonghyun agrees and instead of crossing the street, they turn left for the small but tasteful cafe right at the corner of the Seo Mansion. Once upon a time, the three of them would have afternoon teas at the place after school, pretending to be grown ups and having business conversations whilst their nannies sat aside, laughing at their adorable childsplay.
They sit down at their usual table --- a booth beside the window with a view of their street.
"A Cafe Latte and a double expresso?" The waitress asks with a mischievous wink as soon as they walk in. They have visited the cafe quite frequently and have always made the same order.
They nod at the ahjumma with their charming smiles on and slips into their booth. There is an awkward silence like none before. Neither Minho nor Jonghyun know what they should talk about. Somehow, both their minds wander to the same girl who was their childhood and is now their secret crush.
As soon as the coffees were placed in front of them, Jonghyun picks up his double expresso and gulps a mouthful it. The tanner boy takes hold of the opportunity and asks, "Do you like Hyunnie too?"
The question shocks the other boy and he finds himself choking on the drink. As he coughs, he throws out an excuse about the liquid being too hot and prays that his best chingu does not see past the fact that he was guilty.
"Why would you think so? You know that you're the one who has had a crush on Hyunnie since we were what? 8?"
"No... 4."
"See?" The pale boy answers as-a-matter-of-factly, "How do you even come up with such a ridiculous theory?"
"Well...yeah...right..." The other one mumbles but suddenly bursts out and raises his volume, "But you can't blame for suspecting! Especially after how you overreacted when you heard about Changmin hyung's resignation!"
"Can't I be a concerned friend? We have known hyung for such a long time, and Hyunnie as well. Won't you be curious too?" He tries to defend himself but his friend is sceptical.
"Not when you're supposed to be the quiet one! Even me, the talkative one of us two, did not find the situation strange at all! That's unless you know something!"
They're lucky that the cafe only had them as customers at this hour so no one was there to hear their heated argument.
"I do know something!" Jonghyun raises his voice the loudest than he has ever been, surprising Minho quite a bit. He immediately regrets not being able to hold his tongue and murmurs a word of "sorry".
There is another minute of utter quietness. The staff has retreated to the kitchen to give them their needed privacy.
"What is that you know?" The younger one asks gently, curious as to why his hyung should suddenly lose control.
"I can't tell you." His head hangs low, contemplating whether he should share. He has his suspicion that Hyunnie had only been down and depressed these days because of Changmin hyung. Now that they were no longer master and servant and that hyung was leaving, does that mean he could reveal the secret? Should he be honest to his friend about his feelings as well?
"Well, if you don't, I'll just assume you like Hyunnie as I do." Minho suggests childishly, letting out a puff of being kept in the dark.
"About that," Jonghyun hesitates for a few seconds, "I think I like Hyunnie as well." Before the other could respond, he goes on. "But I promise you that I have no intention to compete with you or ever letting her know. However, here's a friendly reminder --- maybe it's time for you to give up as well!"
"Tell me when did this happen? And why should I give up? You know I've been waiting her for more than 10 years!! Do you think it's so easy to forget her in a whim?" The slightly calmed down boy suddenly find himself agitated again by those words.
"I figured out my adoration for her on Tiffany's birthday." He finally reveals. "To be exact, it was after that, during midnight."
Seeing how puzzled and lost his chingu looks, Jonghyun gives in and decides to give him a full account of what happened.
"You see, I could not bring myself to sleep that night and decided to leave the room for a stroll. That's when I saw Hyunnie with Hyung at the pool. I overheard their conversation...." He goes on giving Minho a full account of the situation. "When they kissed, I felt my heart ache. If that doesn't prove that I have feelings for her, I don't know what does. Though, I can't say when I started falling for her... maybe it has been building up all these times."
"That explains why you're so shocked when the news of hyung leaving came out! It makes perfect sense as to how Hyunnie has been behaving so weird lately." The tan boy concludes, messing his hair in frustration. "And I thought I had a chance!"
Jonghyun gives him a pat on the back. "Even if Changmin hyung was out of the picture, I would never have attempted to compete you for her love. I have always known since young that you loved her, and still do. As a chingu and a hyung, I would not do anything that would spoil our relationship!"
"Thanks for that, brother. I know I can't always trust you." Minho says with a bitter smile. He has never imagined first love to be so painful and to think that he has waited for one girl for 10 years for nothing hurts even more. Maybe not every romance works out. "Mate, I guess you're right! I have nothing to go against hyung. I do believe their love for each other is mutual, just from the way she looks at the mention of his name.
"But don't worry, I won't dwell on this too long. Hopefully, this is only puppy love!" The optimistic boy puts on his signature bright smile. "However, that doesn't mean I can't still love her as a sister and best friend, right?"
"Totally!" Jonghyun says with his usual calm grin as the two give each other a high five. "Let's have another round of coffee before we head home!"
Minho nods fervently, glad that he'll always have his hyung around to cheer up and comfort him.
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