On the opposite side of town was Onew, busy making coffee for the many people that entered his shop. He had already tried putting the crazy night behind him, figuring that was the end.

How wrong he was.

 

The next day, just as the sun began to set, the bell above the door rang, signaling Onew that someone had arrived.

"Hello-" Onew stopped, staring at the now familiar, lanky figure in the entrance.

"Hey Hyung." Taemin smiled, seemingly unaware at the shock he caused the elder.

"Taemin? What are you doing here?" 

"I wanted coffee." Taemin replied easily. 

"Oh, right. Of course. Same as yesterday, I assume?"

"Yup, and this time, I'll actually pay!" Taemin waved his wallet in the air, showing Onew he was, in fact, planning on paying.

Onew's mouth twitched as his face betrayed his otherwise calm and cool exterior.

"Right away sir." Taemin sat down at a table by the door, the same table he'd sat at the previous night, and waited patiently for his order. 

Onew brought it over, handing it to Taemin stiffly, and turned to walk away. 

"Wait, Hyung." 

Onew turned to look at the younger, who had taken on a confused and hurt expression.

"What is it Taemin?" What had caused such a sudden change in the younger?

 

Why did he care?

 

"Did I do something wrong?" 

"What?" Onew said, caught off guard by the surprising question.

"It's just... You're so nice to all those ahjummas that come here, why not me?"

"You want me to treat you like an ahjumma?" Onew asked, confused.

"No! That's not what I mean... What I'm trying is... Is that you seem so happy talking with them, but you don't even look at me." Taemin blushed.

"I- you aren't mad at me about causing you so much trouble are you?"

Onew felt guilt eat away at his stomach. 

"No, no, I don't dislike you at all!" Onew responded quickly, hating the sad look on Taemin's face.

"Then why don't you talk to me?"

Onew looked around, and, seeing that the shop was virtually empty, save for an old ahjussi in the corner, who might have been sleeping- or possibly dead, he sat down across from Taemin.

"Okay, talk."

"What?" Taemin blinked stupidly. 

"You said we don't talk. Well, let's talk."

"Really Hyung?" Taemin smiled.

"Really. So tell me, who's the guy that left you stranded at my house until morning?"

Taemin laughed. "Who, Jongin? He's my friend, and my roommate. We take dance together as well." 

"How long have you known each other? You seem pretty close." 

"Yeah, he's been my friend since we were kids, and we've lived together for a little over a year now. We might as well be brothers."

"If you guys are such good friends, why'd he leave you to fend for yourself?"

"Hey, don't go thinking he's a bad guy, he really isn't. He likes to party a lot- I was actually planning to meet up with him when I got lost and ended up, well, here. By the time I had called him, he was too drunk to be able to pick me up."

"So you like to party?" It made sense, Taemin seemed like the kind of social butterfly that would be the life of any party.

"No, that's just Jongin. I'd rather just stay home and practice, but he's always dragging me to one place or another." The annoyed but loving tone Taemin had while speaking of his friend was all too familiar. Except before, it was a different boy, a different party loving brother. 

Onew's dream from the night before pushed at his mind, but Onew ignored it.

"It's all fine in the end though, you wouldn't believe some of the things that happen when he drags me out of the house." Taemin laughed.

"Oh? Like what?" 

"Well, there was this one time-" 

And he was off, chatting away about the many misadventures the two had had. After what could have been 15 minutes or an hour (listening to Taemin speak was almost hypnotizing, Onew thought), Taemin stopped.

"I feel like I'm the only one talking. What about you Hyung? I barely know anything about you."

"There's not much to know. I'm a barista who lives above his shop, that's about it."

"Come on Hyung! That can't be all. Don't you have friends? Family? A girlfriend?"

At the word girlfriend, Onew froze.

"No." And that was it. Taemin may often be blind to others feelings, but it was obvious that the subject was done being talked about. Despite the sudden hostility, he couldn't help but smile inside at the knowledge that Onew didn't have a girlfriend.

"Okay. But you have to at least have a favorite food, right?" Onew calmed again, knowing that the potential storm had passed.

"Yes, chicken."

"Ooh really? I'm more of a steak person, myself, but chicken is good too." Taemin said cheerfully. 

 

And so began the strange new life that was being friends with Lee Taemin. It was the first friend other than Joon he'd had in years, so the feeling was completely foreign to him. It felt a bit like tending a fire- he was constantly afraid to become too close to the younger, but at the same time, Onew didn't want to lose him, to lose the warmth of their friendship .

 

Taemin eating at the coffee shop became a regular ordeal, showing up everyday at 7pm, face still flushed from dance class. The table by the door saw its most use in three years.

When business was slow, the two would sit and talk about useless things, whether it be Onew's heavenly coffee, Jongins new relationship with Hyoyeon, or G-Dragon's latest hairstyle. 

 

Joon had taken a liking to the younger as well, and Onew often found the blonde chatting with Taemin. Every once in a while, Onew would hear Taemin's adorable laugh, and he wasn't able to help but smile at the sweet sound.

Once, Taemin had come in less energetic than usual, his smile a bit forced,  and Onew was immediately struck with worry for the younger. 

A busy shop forbade him from talking to the younger, so Joon had taken it upon himself to ask the younger what was wrong. Onew watched from afar until he saw the younger push away Joon's attempt to get him to open up, and then, he felt strangely happy.

It didn't make sense, he told himself. The two are friends, he shouldn't be happy to see Taemin locking Joon out.

There was no reason for him to feel that way. 

None at all.

 

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ehhh sorry for the short and boring chapter, I'm setting everything up for the major events to come.

And OH MY SHINee YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME! Only four chapters and already nearly 50 subscribers! Seriously, you guys are the best. 

I love you all! Bye~