‘Your songs are really great; no wonder you are Music major.’ Seulong smiled as they ate breakfast together.

‘Thank you.’ Byunghee smiled back. He was positively surprised about the Giant, he was really nice and he seemed to notice everything, he was just too shy with new people.

‘And I’m really sorry about Chansung.’

‘You already apologized 20 times.’

‘Still, let me do it.’

‘Alright, but why?’ Byunghee chuckled; the guy was nice but weird.

‘I’m sure JoKwon told you about the Demons’ lair’s secrets, it is connected to mine.’ he said, smiling softly.

‘Yeah, he did.’ Byunghee sighed, he couldn’t forget Junho’s and Kwon’s stories, he looked at them with completely different eyes.

‘Then how about leveling you up.’ Seulong smiled.

‘Only if you want to tell me.’ Byunghee said, not wanting to pry into anyone’s past.

‘It’s my decision and I trust you. Also I hope you can open up the others as well, maybe even our cold prince.’ he said, resting his face against his palm.

Byunghee blinked in surprise, how could he…

‘You know, the reason why I apologized to you is because no one did to me.’ Seulong started, absentmindedly looking at his wrists. ‘I was bullied. Bullied since high school.’

Bullied? Why would anybody bully him? He is really a kind hearted Giant.

‘They bullied me because of my height, my looks… the shallow things that can really hurt an insecure person.’ he chuckled. ‘It turned worse as I became older and in college I tried to commit suicide…’ he continued and showed Byunghee the thin light lines on his wrist.

Byunghee gulped, never would he have guessed such a thing… committing suicide was a frightening thing even to think about.

‘I was saved the first time… then I tried again though this time I wanted to jump down from a building.’ Seulong continued, eyes darkening at the memory. ‘Guess what, it was the roof of the lair.’ he chuckled. ‘It was not opened at that time but Jay, Joon and Chansung was working on the bar…they noticed me and Jay cussed at me.’ he laughed, hiding his face in his hand.

‘Cussed at you?’ Byunghee asked, Jay was not normal… cussing at a depressed guy on the edge of life and death… who was standing on the roof.

‘Yeah, he yelled at me something along the line of “get the down from there, I don’t need ghosts for my new place”. I was so surprised that I forgot about everything… a short guy jumping around and throwing profanities at me… I laughed for the first time for god knows how long.’ Seulong chuckled, looking up at Byunghee from behind his hand.

‘I can imagine it.’ Byunghee smiled.

‘I got down and he told me that I owed him my life and the safety of his business so I better start working that instant. So I stayed and we opened the bar together.’

‘And you are still working there.’

‘Yeah, it became my sanctuary and I gained back most of myself there. And I learned how to stand up for myself… though I’m still a bit shy in front of new people.’ he smiled, a bit embarrassedly at Byunghee.

‘You don’t need to apologize for that.’ Byunghee said and the both of them laughed.

‘Okay I won’t. But can you tell me why you don’t try to talk to Seungho… you know I can see what I can see.’ he said with a teasing smile, causing Byunghee to blush.

‘Am I that obvious?’ he asked sheepishly.

‘No, but I’m more observant then anybody here.’ he answered. ‘So?’

‘I can’t! I’m reduced to a stuttering idiot whenever I face him. And I can’t believe I discuss this with you!’ Byunghee exclaimed, hiding his flushed face.

‘Hehe, I know what’s your problem though. So why not discuss it with me?’

‘Really? So what is my problem?’ Byunghee asked, peeking out from behind his fingers.

‘Denial. You can’t get used to the feeling of liking another guy.’ he said, and Byunghee stared at him in awe.

‘…Just how do you know that?’

‘It happened to Nichkhun as well, though he became quite bold after coming to terms with himself…poor Wooyoung was freaked out at first.’ he chuckled, earning a laugh from Byunghee.

‘Well I’m sure I won’t do that…’

‘Face whatever you are denying and it will be a lot easier.’ Seulong said and sipped at his coffee.

‘You know, I will keep you around as an adviser.’

‘Feel free to do so. Anything else bothering you?’ Seulong smiled his knowing little smile.

And this guy is shy, yeah right. Byunghee though, raising an eyebrow at Seulong.

‘Actually I can’t understand Joon’s behavior.’ Byunghee said finally.

‘He is not flirting; he just likes you as a brother.’ Seulong answered, as if waiting for the question.

‘You are scary.’

‘I’m a Giant.’

‘A mind reading, way too observant Giant.’

‘Exactly. But let’s keep it a secret; I don’t need the noisy brats on my back with their stupid questions.’ Seulong winked.

‘Then it’s a secret, another on the long list.’ Byunghee said, chuckling at Seulong.

‘Cheers.’ Seulong said and clinked their coffee mugs together.

So that morning Byunghee shut the noisy brats out from his room and thought, only him and his feelings… coming to terms… it was hard to admit such a thing as a man.

But just thinking about Seungho sent his heart into frenzy and left him boneless every time he looked his way… so yeah he liked him, it was an undeniable fact.

‘I know what you did last summer.’ Jinwoon whispered to the door in a supposedly scary voice.

‘If only your mother knew what you did last summer.’ Byunghee answered back, chuckling lightly.

‘Not fair, keep my mom out of it… she would kill me.’

‘And I would root for her.’

Jinwoon kicked the door, whining at the treatment.

‘Why are you closed in there, are you watching again?’ Mir voice came from behind the door as well.

‘Yeah, have you ever heard of personal space?’ Byunghee answered, that might keep them away.

‘Exactly, you never close the goddamn door.’ Mir laughed.

‘Oh I know what he is thinking about…’ Jinwoon said and Byunghee could hear the smug grin in his voice.

‘Don’t even start!’ he shouted, and jumped to the door and threw it open after unlocking it.

‘It starts with S...’ Jinwoon snickered, stepping back from the door.

‘And ends with eungho!’ Mir grinned and the both of them started to run, Byunghee following close behind.

‘So what if I do?’ he yelled and tackled them to the floor.

‘Nothing, but your face was priceless just now!’ Mir grinned, trying to wiggle out from his grip.

‘Yeah I would love to have a smoking hot brother-in-law.’ Jinwoon snickered. ‘You don’t have a good taste in women anyway.’ he added as an afterthought, earning a tickling punishment from Byunghee.

After beating the kids up and got reassured of their loyal and way too cheeky friendship Byunghee finally had time to think everything through…

Seulong was right… he felt much better; though he still didn’t know what to do with his now accepted crush on the cold prince.

‘Byungie!’ JoKwon greeted him with a big hug the same afternoon at the lair. ‘I was so worried!’

Byunghee didn’t know what he meant when somebody mussed his hair up from behind.

‘Yo!’ Junho grinned. ‘You survived the Italian mafia.’

Ah so that was it…

‘Yeah I did. There was nothing…’

‘Chansung called in sick. Joon is coming behind the bar.’ Jay shouted from upstairs.

‘Nothing, right.’ Junho said, smirking.

‘I swear I did nothing.’ Byunghee said, blinking at the news… Chansung must be really upset.

‘I know, silly.’ the Diva said, pinching his cheeks. ‘No offense but you don’t stand a chance against him.’ he added and patted Byunghee’s abused cheeks.

‘Hey, Byunghee!’ Seulong greeted with a soft smile, with that smile. ‘Ready for the double shift?’

‘ Sure.’ Byunghee waved, trying not to scowl too obviously at the knowing smile, even Junho’s -eating grin was more comforting then that.

‘Hey.’ Wooyoung greeted softly as he opened the back door… and Byunghee noticed the blond behind him.

Alright, calm down and don’t make a complete idiot out of yourself…Byunghee took a deep breath.

‘Hey.’ he greeted, for the first time naturally, completed with his best smile… his pick-up smile as Mir called it.

Wooyoung’s smile widened and Seungho waved back slightly as well, with a soft hey.

Seulong subtly sent Byunghee a glance- I see you listened to me– it clearly said that.

‘Hello Byunghee!’ Joon stepped in after the others went to the front, getting ready for the night.

‘You are a substitute now!’ Jay shouted. ‘Don’t make a mess.’

‘Alright!’ Joon shouted up, sent Byunghee a wide smile and went to the front as well.

Jay was on the stairs when he noticed Byunghee.

‘You, come here.’ the Leadja motioned for him to come closer. ‘What did Chansung do in the morning?’ he asked, eyes dead serious and set on his face.

Byunghee wondered for a moment why he knew about it… probably from the Giant.

‘He mentioned something about me waltzing in without knowing a thing… but Seulong stopped him so he just left the bar without saying anything else.’

‘Hnn, the brat confusing things up again… anyway, it’s not your fault. Don’t think about it, just go and get me money.’ Jay said and patted him on the shoulder.

‘Byunghee I need your help here.’ JoKwon stumbled through the curtain, with a heavy box in his arms.

‘I’m coming.’ he said, and rushed to help out the Diva.

‘Marry me!’ somebody shouted, though the request was meant for Byunghee not Seungho this time.

‘He can’t, he is already marrying me.’ Joon joked and sling an arm around the laughing Byunghee’s waist.

After understanding Joon and his too-close-for-comfort personality Byunghee could joke around with him without any awkwardness.

‘Sorry you came late.’ Byunghee grinned at the guy. ‘But you can still try to charm me.’ he chuckled, and sent the guy a wink… it was a method learnt from the Diva.

‘Then a drink for the pretty Bird and the love struck dude.’ a woman shouted beside them.

‘Then a drink it is.’

Byunghee was about to turn to the bottles, moving away Joon’s arm when he noticed Seungho’s gaze locked on them.

‘Need anything?’ Byunghee asked, now he acted more comfortable around the Panda and enjoyed the fact that he can look him in the eyes… he had deadly gorgeous ones.

Seungho snapped out of his daze and just turned away without a word… he usually at least reacted to the question…weird.

‘Yo everybody!’ Junho, who was entertaining on the counter with the stereo turned to the max, yelled into the mic. ‘Want to see our Cerberus’s special stage tonight?’

The women immediately pushed their way to the front, cheering loudly.

‘Get an ear muffler.’ JoKwon shouted to Byunghee with a wide grin.

‘Let’s see the third and most dangerous face of the Demon!’ Junho shouted and pulled the reluctant Joon up on stage.

‘I didn’t know he is also performing.’ Byunghee said to Junho, who jumped down beside him.

‘Oh, he does, believe me… he gets women pregnant with his dance.’ he laughed, and switched songs.

And the sheepish, awkward Joon disappeared in a moment as he started to move, all women going crazy in a second.

Byunghee felt like getting those ear mufflers for himself.

Joon rocked the stage, ily conquering the poles, revealing chocolate abs… and the crowd went completely wild in a matter of seconds.

Then he turned towards Byunghee, leaned down and slid a finger along his jaw line, earning the loudest fan girl screams ever. (Byunghee would have hit him, if Joon didn’t wink as a signal before the stunt.) Then Joon grabbed the bottle from his hands and poured it on his abs, glasses already waiting for the honey colored whisky.

Let’s just say he got more tips in 4 minutes, then Byunghee in the past hour.

‘You are crazy.’ he commented as Joon escaped from his hardcore fans.

‘There is a reason why I don’t do this often, it loses its charm.’ Joon chuckled. ‘And sorry for the stunt, but the girls love it and the others would not take it so calmly.’ he grinned sheepishly.

‘It’s fine, just try not to come closer… you stink from that Chivas.’ Byunghee answered, wrinkling his nose in disgust… he only knew one person who smelled y from whisky...with the mixture of coffee and spicy sweetness.

Joon just gave him a mischievous grin and jumped on him, hugging mercilessly.

‘Yah, let go of me!’ Byunghee laughed and the crowd screamed behind them.

‘What are you doing?’ came a smooth voice and Joon released Byunghee.

It was Seungho, looking at them with an expressionless face.

‘Fan service.’ Joon laughed, then moved past the blond to help out the Diva on the other end.

The two of them were left alone, gazes locked on each other… Byunghee doing his best to calm down the butterflies in his stomach.

‘Panda come here! The crowd demands you!’ Junho shouted, yet again harassing the front row from the counter.

Seungho held Byunghee’s gaze for a moment longer then with a soft smirk he jumped up beside the Emperor.

‘Hey Birdie get me another shot!’

That snapped Byunghee out of his daze, too busy to stay flustered… still that soft smirk was enough to blow his mind…and gosh Seungho already started to dance…

‘Good work guys.’ Jay said, clearly not looking at them… he was busy counting the money.

The others just rolled their eyes at the Leadja.

‘I can see you.’ Jay said without looking up. ‘Joon, you and Birdie go and took those boxes down to the basement for me and pack it out.’ he ordered, and jerked his head towards the suspicious looking package by the backdoor.

‘Ok, boss.’ Joon saluted and lifted up one of the two boxes.

‘Where is the basement?’ Byunghee asked, not noticing any entrance downstairs.

‘Here.’ Joon said and kicked away an old Spanish wall, revealing a metal door. He opened it with one hand and switched the lights on.

The door hid away a staircase that led to a basement full off antiques and god knows what.

‘What the hell is all this?’ Byunghee asked, looking suspiciously around.

‘Don’t know, don’t ask.’ Joon chuckled and opened his box. It was full of aged whisky bottles. ‘Where does he always get these?’ he mumbled, and started to put the bottles on a shelf.

Byunghee followed suit and they finished quickly.

‘Now let’s go and get some breakfast.’ Joon smiled and skipped up the stairs… only to find the heavy door closed. ‘The hell… ah they still didn’t change the lock.’ he said, smacking his forehead.

‘Which means?’

‘That we can’t open it from the inside.’ Joon sighed.

Our Giant is pretty useful, isn't he? ;)